#52 You. 52 Ancestors in a Year

#52 You. 52 Ancestors in a Year

The last blog of the year!  And the blog challenge topic is “YOU”!  

“You” is a definite challenge!  

But “YOU” are the readers that read my blog!  Thank YOU for taking the time to read it.  

I will never run out of ancestors to research!

I use the blog as an opportunity to share my family stories and history.  Some of the readers are family and others are just interested in family history.  

Because I inherited many pictures along with family stories the blog seemed the easiest way to share.  The addition of the blog challenge makes me write for “You” each week.  Hopefully I have material to write about, but now at the end of the year; I guess I have!  I have successfully completed the challenge of 52 Ancestors in a Year!

So what’s next for “YOU”?  

Well….I will continue the blog and next year’s challenge of 52 Ancestors in a Year.  Different topics (I’m told) so hopefully I have material!  I really don’t make anything up!  

Creating the blog and stories forces me outside of my zone.  I have to learn more and research more.  Two things I like doing!  I truly have enjoyed the year of blog challenges.  

So….hope YOU continue to read and encourage me to write in 2020!

#51 Future-priority for Sydney. 52 Ancestors in a year

#51 Future. 52 Ancestors in a Year

The topic for the blog this week is Future.  While there are times I would like to go back in Time, I must think of the Future!

Who wants to help sort pictures?

And the future of genealogy and my genealogy future.  

I have a few items on my checklist to accomplish in 2020. A BIG list!

I am lucky to be researching in this era of digitization so I can research from home by accessing on-line records.  In my pajamas, usually in the early morning hours with my coffee!  There are still records to find!  Since some are not digitized that means I have to find them.  

My priority list for 2020:

1.  A research trip to Pennsylvania.  There are Shaffner’s and Kurtz’s to find!

2.  Research at the National Archives in Washington D.C.  

3.  Research a common ancestor that perhaps Leroy and I have that came over on the Mayflower!  Preliminary research indicates a common ancestor, so records need to be found!

4.  Blog again for 52 weeks!  There will be another 52 Weeks of Ancestors in 2020. 

5.  Attend a national genealogy conference.

6.  The most important task on the list is organize pictures!

7.  Inspire others to work on their family history.

#50 Tradition. The Christmas Angel

#50 Tradition  Angel for Christmas Tree

Created in 1972 by Clarice Gabel

Placing the angel on the top of the Christmas tree is a tradition in our house.  Angel is placed on top, after the tree is decorated!

When we married, my mother-in-law created the angel for our First Christmas.  It is crocheted.  I believe she stiffened it with sugar and water but I am not sure.  And she can’t remember what she did.  

So for 47 years, after the tree is decorated, the angel is put on the top.  The honor of placing the angel on top was often given to our children.

After Christmas it is returned to the original box that she gave it in.

If anyone knows how to stiffen crocheted items, please let me know!  

#49 Craft. Family Quilts

49 Craft

Quilts have been created by my family over the years.  I cherish and admire each piece of work.  But I don’t quilt!

My 3rd great grandmother, Lois Jasper Lloyd, created this quilt.  We think she created it for their 50th wedding anniversary in 1908. She used ribbons they received at Pioneer Association meetings for traveling the Oregon Trail and observing that my 3rd great grandfather was an Indian war veteran.

Crazy Quilt with ribbons

I think Lois created this quilt.  It was just a top and I think Mom had it quilted.

My mother, Helen Lloyd Shaffner,  created quilts.  The cathedral window quilt is my favorite.  I remember her working on it for years, all hand sewn. She sewed many of our clothes as we grew up.  Even remodeling clothes.  

Cathedral Window Quilt

My sister, Gail, also quilts.  I am the lucky recipient of her work.  From quilts, table runners to pillows.

Quilt

A small quilt with family pictures

Quilted table runner

Pillows with family pictures.

#48 Thief. Newspaper gave Ancestor's name!

#48 Thief

Witness in Court-Tom Gabel

As I began genealogy research, I discovered a family in Jefferson County, Nebraska in the 1910 Census that almost matched Leroy’s great grandfather’s family, Philip Gabel.  But ages were correct for the children but names were different for the twins that born in 1909 in Nebraska, after the family arrived in the United States from Russia.  The twins were named Ferndinand and Adolph.

I was quite sure that this was the family I was looking for, but when I questioned members of the family; they assured me that I was wrong.   The twins had been known as Tom and Otto.  Of course there was the issue of location as no one in the family knew  they had been in Jefferson County, Nebraska.  

Archived newspapers are a great source of information.  I love and hate them because they are fantastic reading, contained incredible information and I end up wasting time reading them!  But one snowy day I decided to search the Gabel family.  It is always helpful in genealogy research to search for information on siblings.  So I began with Tom Gabel.  

And what a gold mine I discovered!  In February of 1928, there was a cattle rustling trial in Forsyth, Montana.  The chief witness for the state was 18 year old Tom Gabel.  Tom was employed by a rancher and aided in the theft of the cattle and helped cut away the original brands.  Tom stated on the stand that he left the employment when he was ordered to steal 50 head of cattle.  

But the newspaper reporter wrote about Tom Gabel’s life!  He stated that Tom had been born in Nebraska and had been on his own since age 16.  Tom grew up in the Billings and Huntley area and worked on the Cold Springs ranch near Forsyth.  The reporter stated that “Tom was christened Ferdinand”.  As Tom was growing up, Tom Mix was the western movie actor that Ferdinand Gabel admired.  Ferdinand was nicknamed “Tom” by his friends!

I remember letting out a yell….I was right!  And doing a genealogy happy dance!

Staff Correspondent, “Spirit of the Old “Wild” West Prevades at Forsyth Trial of Rancher for “Rustling”, The Billings Gazette, (Billings, Montana), 20 February 1928, p. 1-2, image copy, newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/413320267 : viewed 9 December 2019)

#46 Poor Man-Poor Man Immigrant

#46 Poor Man. 52 Ancestors in a Week

Poor Man immigrant

As the immigrants came into the United States, they had to declare how much money they had on them.  Can you imagine coming into the United States in 1907, with a wife and 2 children, and have only $10?  

Leroy’s great grandfather, Philip, and his family came into the United States in 1907.  They boarded the ship Aconia, in Libau, Lativa.  Arriving in New York on 10 June 1907, he had $10, and hope.  The family had left Russia for a new life in America.  

The history of the Germans in Russia is tragic and sad; and many began leaving for a better life.  Philip chose America where other relatives had gone.  I wonder how they communicated so he knew where his brother lived.

But when Philip came into the United States, he stated he and his family were going to his brother Henrich Gabel at 925 S. Y Street in Lincoln, Nebraska and a mailing address of P O Box 975.  

Since Phillip only had $10, he had to call his brother and have money sent to New York.  Philip and his family were detained until 17 June 1907.  They were discharged at 10 AM and had to pay for 28 breakfasts, lunches and dinners.  Apparently Heinrich sent enough money for a train ticket to Lincoln..

Imagine that you spoke only German, had no money, and were detained at Ellis Island until money was sent.  Meanwhile you waited and waited  for money to arrive and the payment was made for your train ticket to family.   What were the thoughts of Philip and his family as they were detained?  Did Henrich and his wife, Katherina, think they were poor?  But he had $10, how did he even save enough money in Russia for the trip to America?  Did his brother send money to Russia to pay for the passage?  So many questions.  

The children were Henry, who was 5 years old and Molly, who was 3 years old.  The passenger list has another child listed, Anna who was 11 months old.  A line was drawn through her name and research indicates that she never boarded.  We do not know what happened to Anna.

Phillip and Katharina Margaretha Gabel [Gobel]

Henry and Molly

#45 Rich Man. Don Shaffner--his 100th Birthday

#45 Rich Man.   52 Ancestors in a Year.  100th Year for Don Shaffner

In the west and ranching lifetyle, a rich man describes himself wealthy if he: 

Has a good wife, a good dog and a good horse

Don Shaffner considered himself a rich man since he had all 3.  

Since today is Dad’s 100th Birthday, I dedicate this blog to him.  

Dad & Mom celebrating an anniversary at the ranch at Grasshopper Creek

Dad married an incredible woman, Helen Lloyd.  She stood beside him in his ranching and veterinary practice, yet she wasn't fond of animals and allergic to them!  But she could cook and host a party, sew for her daughters, as well as being a bookkeeper at the veterinary hospital.

Dad doing what he liked best.

Feeding his calves

Dad loved a pack horse.

He grew up packing to his sheep camp.

He had more than one good horse in his lifetime

He loved big Morgan horses that could travel the country; mostly at a trot!

Dad and his dogs!

Unfortunately I couldn't find a picture of his favorite dog.  It would be hard to tell which was his favorite dog, because he always named them Smoky!  Always a blue heeler and always a spayed female.  I will keep looking for Smoky pictures.

But in the meantime, his last dog was Blackjack.

After his head injury, Dad was spending time at our house.  I thought maybe a dog is what he needed to help heal as a dog would need care.  Dad was very good at caring for his dogs and they were always well manner, house broken and knew their owner.  We visited a neighbor who raised dogs and I knew they had good border collies.  They also had a miniature schnauzers.  And to my amazement, Dad chose a miniature schnauzer.  He said he knew that he would no longer be riding and didn't need a dog that required work.  He picked out Blackjack and I convinced him that we should go home and think on it.  The next day when I returned home from work, Dad asked if we could go get his dog and he had already named it Blackjack.   He smiled as we left, carrying the puppy in his arms.  As everyone knows, Schnauzer's bark-maybe even when a leaf falls off the tree!  But what we didn't know, is that Schnauzer's don't know where home is and like to wander.  As dad's condition worsened, he paid less attention to Blackjack.  Gail and her family spent hours looking for Blackjack and I think the town of Dillon knew Blackjack!  

I am not sure if this was his best dog!  

After all, it wasn't named Smoky!

But it was a dog that gave him lots of happy moments.

Happy Birthday Dad!