Looking Through Rose Colored Glasses

Well they're not really rose colored but there are quite a selection to choose from over at footnoteMaven's place, Shades of the Departed, in her regular series "Friday From The Collectors". Pay close attention, has the fM revealed her identity to us?


Becky Wiseman over at Kinexxions has her thoughts on it. She has also posted some photos of women in glasses as a tribute to fM. I think that is such a good I idea, so good that I am going to borrow it from Becky. I have only one, the lady is a bit younger and the photo a bit newer than fM usually collects but I offer it up anyway:

Fenley Takes Home More Than Gold!

I reached all the goals I set for the games and have earned 4 medals:

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources! - PLATINUM

2. Organize Your Research! - DIAMOND

4. Write, Write, Write! - DIAMOND

5. Reach Out and Perform Acts of Genealogical Kindness! - PLATINUM

I have won more than these beautiful medals. I have become part of a community of like-minded individuals who are collectively striving for the highest level of truth and accuracy in their research. This community cares about the quality of research that they will be leaving behind for future generations. I have stepped way out of my comfort zone in the area of social networking (you know, making friends and playing nice with others) and have found that it's not as intimidating as first thought.

Show And Tell - 55th Carnival of Genealogy

(click on photo for larger image)

Is this like a "If you show me yours, I'll show you mine" kind of deal? (Randy Seaver should appreciate that bit of humor)

Straight off the top of my head, the first thing that came to mind is a photo collage that I made of 6 (yep, count em six) generations of my maternal line. I made it after I was finally able to locate the 6th generation.

Starting at the top left hand side of the collage you find my 3rd great grandmother MARGARET DILKS ROBINSON. Margaret was born 16 May 1839 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to Arthur Dilks and Margaret Bowman. The Dilks family lived in Moon Township (a suburb of Pittsburgh) near the Ohio River. She met a blacksmith from Ireland, David Robinson, fell in love and they were married 28 August 1855. Margaret and David had nine children, all of whom lived to adulthood. After David died on 21 October 1895, Margaret went to live with her youngest daughter, Margaret who had married Carl Metz. Margaret died at the age of 96 in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa on 28 October 1935.

A little tip here: I found the names of Margaret's parents in the 1925 Iowa State Census. On the 3rd page of the census, the enumerator is instructed to ask the names and places of birth for the parents of each person in each household.

The serious looking woman in the center of the top row is my 2nd great grandmother Laura Cordelia Robinson, the second child of David and Margaret Robinson She was born 12 June 1862 In Moon Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Around 1868, The Robinson family moved to Dodgeville, Des Moines County, Iowa. Laura met and married William Campbell Berry on 19 September 1880 in Des Moines County, Iowa. In 1900 W.C. and Laura Berry were on the move. First to Jackson County, Kansas and then to Allen County, Kansas where they lived in several different towns. Over a 20 year period they lived in Moran City, Le Harpe, Iola, Humboldt and Elsmore. After William died on 13 July 1921, Laura remarried to Christian Ermel on 1 July 1925. Christian died 1 January 1950 and Laura went to live with one of her youngest daughters. She died at the age of 89 on 15 April 1951 in Garnett, Anderson County, Kansas and was buried in the Highland Cemetery near Iola, Allen County, Kansas.

My great grandmother, Hazel Bertha Berry is on the top right side of the collage. Hazel was born 15 July 1896 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. Hazel was a very short woman, 4 1/2 feet tall. She married Hillary T. Harris on 4 November 1915 in Allen County, Kansas. H.T. Harris was 6ft 5in. My mother told me that in every photo they ever took, H.T. is always sitting and Hazel is standing. My mother also shared a fond memory of Hazel with me. My mother remembers spending all day on Sundays at her grandparents house. Hazel could always be found (or heard) in the kitchen cooking at the stove or at the sink doing the dishes belting out old gospel songs with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth (hmm, this must be a genetic trait). Hazel died at the age of 69 on 24 June 1965 at her home in Garnett, Anderson County, Kansas.

The lovely young woman in the bottom row on the left is my grandmother Maryellen Harris. Maryellen is the only child of Hillary T. Harris and Hazel Bertha Berry. She was born in Bronson, Bourbon County, Kansas on 29 September 1916. After Maryellen graduated from Garnett High School in 1934, she and a girlfriend went to Topeka and became "Harvey Girls". Darrell Kenneth Skillman was a year behind Maryellen at Garnett High School. When he graduated the following year in 1935, he went to Topeka and brought Maryellen back home and they were married 4 November 1935.

The eldest child of Darrell K. Skillman and Maryellen Harris is my mother, Darlene Mary. Or as I like to call her "Mummy Dahling". And last, but certainly not the least, is yours truly. Recognize the party hat?

So there you have it 6 generations of my direct maternal line. Good thing I don't have a photo of my 4th great grandmother, I would hate to break up a 6 pack!

Submitted to the 55th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy

My Tallies for the Games

The Genea-Blogger Games officially ended today at noon o'clock. I am proud of myself. I accomplished so many things. And the biggest thing of all? Starting this blog and starting to actually write. Mega-thanks to Miriam, Thomas and Kathryn for setting the whole thing up and to footnoteMaven for the Games logo and medals designs. I would still be procrastinating if it weren't for participating in the Games.

My accomplishments are as follows:

1. Go Back And Cite Your Sources!

I completed 30 citations on this post and another 20 citations on this post.

50 citations = PLATINUM MEDAL


3. Organize Your Research!

I completed Events A, B, C, D and E on this post.

Completion of 5 Events = DIAMOND MEDAL

4. Write, Write, Write!

I completed Event A here.
Event B - I went to the Genea-blogger's Picnic over at Bill West's place and I submitted a photo and story to footnoteMaven for her I Smile For The Camera Carnival.
I completed Event C on this post.
Event D - My ancestor biography can be found here.

Completion of 4 Events = DIAMOND MEDAL

5. Reach Out and Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!

I completed Events A, B, D and E all here.
I completed Event F here.
I finished off the category with Event C here.

Completion of all 6 events = PLATINUM MEDAL

My cheering section told me "You Go, Girl!" So I "Got Up and Went!"

Genea-Blogger Games - Final Day of Competition

OK, here it is, the last event I need to get the Diamond Medal in the category
Write, Write, Write! a biographical about one of my ancestors and for the category Go Back And Cite Your Sources! the last 20 citations I needed.

MICHAEL DELANEY and the WINTERBOTTOM SISTERS - LILLIE and ABIGAIL

Michael Delaney is the eldest child of my 3rd great grandparents Daniel Derondo Delaney and Ellen Collins. Daniel and Ellen were born in Ireland. Daniel in County Kerry and Ellen in County Cork. They were married 3 December 1849 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Buttevant County Cork, Ireland. After crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Delaney’s arrived at the Port of New York on 8 January 1851 aboard the “Elizabeth Bentley”. By September of that year they had made their way North to Lockport, Niagara County where Michael was born 3 September 1851.

Daniel was a stone mason but upon arrival in America, he found himself a contractor to the railroads. Daniel had a team of men that graded the land where the new tracks were going to be laid. He must have been a hard worker and good at his job. The New York Central Railroad line from Lockport, south west along the southern shore of Lake Erie to Cleveland, Ohio and south west even more to St. Louis Missouri, lines up neatly with the Delaney family’s migration westward.

In 1862 the Delaney’s are in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri where Daniel enlists in the Union Army. In 1867 the Delaney’s are in Lawrence, Kansas where Daniel once again takes up contract work for the railroad, this time for the Central Branch Missouri Pacific Railroad.

The family migrated north to Waterville, Marshall County, Kansas where we find Michael Delaney is now 19 years old. Michael worked alongside his father in railroad construction until the line was completed in Waterville in 1879. Daniel and Ellen decided to move south to Elk County, Kansas. Michael and and a younger brother George, elected to stay in Marshall County. George went north about 35 miles to the town of Axtell.

In 1879 Michael purchased a mercantile store from J. E. Peters. He owned and operated this store until he sold it in 1907.

On 29 April 1880 in Waterville Township, Michael married local school teacher Lillie Winterbottom, the daughter of Daniel and Matilda Winterbottom. Michael and Lillian had three sons: Frederick George Delaney born 1 April 1881, Daniel Derondo Delaney born 27 August 1886 and Carl Andrew Delaney born 7 August 1888.

All three boys moved to Taloga, Dewey County, Oklahoma and all three worked as bankers for the 1st National Bank. A first cousin to their mother, J. W. Thompson, was the president of the 1st National Bank and of Citizens National Bank. In 1917, all three boys registered for the draft during World War I. All three were shipped overseas to serve their country. Only two of them returned. Daniel Derondo Delaney was killed in action in February of 1918. His widow Maud and son Roger Delaney survived him. Daniel was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Waterville. Frederick came back to his job as a banker and married Daisy Hvare. They relocated to Ventura, California and had three children: Fred George Delaney, Mary A. Delaney and Lillian Patricia Delaney. Frederick died in Ventura, California 7 April 1965 and was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Waterville. Carl married Ethel Florence Mc Elhaney and moved to Paradise, Butte County, California where they had one son Carl Roderick Delaney. Carl died 29 August 1976 in Paradise and was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Waterville.

Lillian died on 31 May 1893 and Michael remarried to her sister Abigail Winterbottom on 25 June 1895. Michael was an active member of the community, as the following list will confirm:

*Appointed Postmaster of Waterville 1888 - 1893 and again 1897-1913
*Elected as Mayor of Waterville and served two terms
*President of the Waterville School Board for seventeen years
*Chairman of the Waterville Township Central Republican Committee for twenty years during which time he also served as a delegate to district and state republican conventions.
*Vice president of Citizens State Bank
*Served as treasurer for the Riverside Cemetery Association
*Served as treasurer for Sutton Lodge No. 85
*Served as a member of the City Council of Waterville
*Supreme Treasurer of the Triple Tie Benefit Association for fourteen years
*A member of The Independent Order of Odd Fellows
*A member of The Ancient Free and Accepted Masons for 55 years
*First President of Waterville Telephone Company
*Member of the Modern Woodmen of America
*Organized the construction of the new City Hall in Waterville
*Member of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Michael died 1 May 1938 in Waterville and is buried in Riverside Cemetery.



SOURCES:
1. “The Famine Immigrants, Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York 1846-1851“, Glazier, Ira A., Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland 1985, pp. 493-494
2. “A Pictorial and Family History of Waterville, Kansas”, Bicentennial Committee of 1796, pp. 247-249.
3. “Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons”, Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1912, pp. 502-503
4. “A History of Marshall County, Kansas - It‘s People, Industries and Institutions”, Forter, Emma, B F. Bowen and Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1917, pp. 201-202, 368-369, 415
5. “An Affair With The Past, From the Otoes to the Astronauts”, Guise, Byron and Eulalia, Marysville, Kansas, 1987
6. Parish Register, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Buttevant, County Cork, Ireland
7. “The Waterville Telegraph”, Waterville, Marshall County, Kansas, Thursday, May 5, 1938, Section A, p. 12, Obituary for Michael Delaney
8. “The Ventura County Star”, Ventura, California
9. “The Waterville Telegraph”, Waterville, Marshall County, Kansas, Friday, June 9, 1893, p. 3, Obituary for Lillie W. Delaney
10. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918“, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), Daniel Derondo Delaney. Serial no. 45, order no. 7652
11. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918“, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), Carl Andrew Delaney, serial no. 1223, order no. 15, Draft Board 31
12. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918“, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), Fred George Delaney, serial no., 21, order no. 587, Draft Board 7
13. 1930 US Census, Kansas, Marshall County, Waterville Township, sheet 7B (penned), Michael Delaney household #230, dwelling #224
14 “History of the State of Kansas”, Cutler, William G., 1883, A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL.
15. Daniel D. Delaney (Pvt. , Co. E, 7th Reg., Missouri Calvary, Civil War), Invalid Pension File No. 202.017, Civil War and Later Pension Files, Department of Veteran Affairs, Record Group 15, National Archives, Washington DC
16. 1920 US Census, Kansas, Marshall County, Waterville Township, sheet 10B (penned), Michael Delaney household #153, dwelling #149
17. 1880 US Census, Kansas, Marshall County, Waterville Township, sheet 10B, Michael Delaney household #110, dwelling #107
18. 1885 Kansas State Census, Marshall County, Waterville Township, pg. 10, line 21, Michael Delaney household
19. 1900 US Census, Kansas, Marshall County, Waterville Twonship, p. 245 (stamped), sheet 4A (penned), Michael Delaney household #96, dwelling #99
20. 1895 Kansas State Census, Marshall County, Waterville Township, p. 17, line 1, Michael Delaney household
21. 1910 US Census, Kansas, Marshall County, Waterville Township, sheet 11B (penned), Michael Delaney household #138, dwelling #137
22. 1905 Kansas State Census, Marshall County, Waterville Township, p. 9, line 1, Michael Delaney household
23. 1915 Kansas State Census, Marshall County, Waterville Township, p. 2, line 18, Michael Delaney household
24. Delaney Family Headstone Photos, Riverview Cemetery, Waterville Township, Marshall County, Kansas, photos in possession of author.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Just as I am on a roll with Pauline/Helen, a distraction pushed it's way into my day.

About 3 years ago Sorenson Molecular was starting a DNA database project. I volunteered to participate. I was sent a kit in which to submit my sample. It was so easy. I just swished a pleasant tasting fluid around in my mouth for a couple of minutes and spit it into a container. I mailed it back to Sorenson's along with a "proven" 4 generation pedigree chart. At the time, the results were not available to the participants, but were used in comparing random DNA data collected from around the world.

A couple of months ago I get an email from Sorenson's:

Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) is excited to announce that your personalized DNA results are now available from the Sorenson mtDNA database, through a special offer made by GeneTree, a family networking website. Eligible participants may obtain their mtDNA-HVI, II, III results and pedigree information
To be eligible for this offer you must have requested an SMGF participation kit prior to October 23, 2007 and returned your kit prior to Dec 31, 2007.


Today I received the results. I am excited but I am not sure what I am excited about!


16189 C T
16193.1 C -
16193.2 C -
16311 C T
16519 C T
73 G A
263 G A
295 A C
309.1 C -
309.2 C -
315.1 C -

Test Results for the range 15968 to 16569 and 1 to 584

MtDNA Haplogroup: R
MtDNA Subgroup: B4c

I spent the better part of the day trying to understand what these results mean. Here is what I found that explained in the plainest of English:


mtDNA Haplogroup R Summary

Haplogroups M and N, appearing about 63,000 years ago, represent two branches of haplogroup L3. Haplogroups M and N encompass the entire mitochondrial genetic pool of all non-African populations.

Approximately 60,000 years ago, haplogroup N diverged, giving rise to haplogroup R.

While haplogroups M, N, R and their branches are found throughout southern Asia, eastern Eurasia and Australasia, only high level haplogroup diversity within N and R are found in
western Eurasia.

The N superhaplogroup has been characterized as pan-Eurasian. Haplogroup N is one of the two major trunks emerging from the original African root, and dates to approximately 65,000 years ago. Interestingly, several sub-haplogroups of the N cluster—haplogroup N1 and derivative lineages—have been detected in the Near East, suggesting either early divergence near the root of haplogroup N or subsequent migrations back towards western Eurasia following the original dispersal into east Eurasia. Future work will further document the historical distribution of this root haplogroup and closely related haplogroups within the N cluster.

Okaaayyy, Am I to understand that I am Haplogroup R and come from Eurasia?

Maybe a mistake has been made.....I have blonde hair and blue eyes and while I tan very nicely in the summer, my skin is basically white.

Is there anyone out there that can help me out here!

Genea-Blogger Games - Write, Write, Write!

Category #4 Write, Write Write!
Event A
Write a summary of what your blog is about and post it on your blog.

It took me a very long time to even start my own blog. Writing for me is extremely difficult. I worry so much about using just the right words I end up rewriting until I get so frustrated I just quit. It wasn’t until I returned from Samford this last June that all everything changed for me. A couple of people asked me to tell them all about my trip. I just started at the beginning and 1 page turned into 2 and 2 into 5, etc. I wasn’t getting so stressed out about how I wanted to write, I just wrote what I wanted to say.
You probably are not going to find Harvard University scholarly type writing about my research on my blog. It is my hope that as you read about my research, you will feel like you are right there with me.

Game Tallies

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources! - I need to complete 20 more

3. Organize Your Research! - I completed 5 events for the Platinum Medal.

4. Write, Write, Write! - I have one event left - to write a bio of one of my ancestors.

5. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness! - I completed all 6 events for the Platinum Medal

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

The James Arthur Solomon Family

James and Angeline Solomon and their 13 Children

Jonathan Creek, Moultrie County, Illinois

@1883

From left to right, back row:

John Fulton Solomon, Peter D. Solomon, James Arthur Solomon [my 3rd great grandfather], Sarah Jane Solomon [my 2nd great grandmother], Angeline Fulton Solomon [wife of James], James A. Solomon, Jr. [baby] and Walter Isaac Solomon

From left to right, front row:

Mary Elizabeth Solomon, Amy Angeline Solomon, Permelia Isabelle Solomon, Barnabus W. Solomon, Alice June Solomon, Maggie Mae Solomon, George Washington Solomon and William Solomon.

Terry Thornton wants to get to know us

Terry Thornton over at Hill County of Monroe County wants to get to know us and vice versa. He has issued a challenge to all of us bloggers to get to know each other. He wants to know what 3 blogs have you written that you consider to be The Brightest, The Breeziest and The Most Beautiful.
Make your way over to Terry's blog, he has a special format he wants you to use for this challenge. Deadline for submissions: Saturday, September 27th at midnight.

I am going to take the challenge, are you?

55th Edition COG

footnoteMaven has just announced the 55th Edition of Carnival of Genealogy. The topic will be "Show and Tell". Write about an heirloom, a special photo,a valuable document, or a significant person that is a very special part of your family history.

Deadline for submissions is 1 September 2008.