A Wordless Wednesday

I've decided to change the picture up on my blog - but wanted to give this picture a place in history. This is a picture of David and Mary (WHITE) COFFMAN and their family, taken in Fayette County, PA. We know the picture was taken before 1891, since that is the death date of James WHITE, Mary's father, who is sitting in the center of the picture along with his wife, Susanna MILLER. My direct relative is James Wadsworth COFFMAN, a son of David and Mary, who is standing to the far right, with his wife, Mary Elizabeth SHEETS in front of him.

Based on other children in the picture, we believe that the picture was taken in 1865 or 1866. The original is in my possession.

Thanksgiving Remembered

I've been traveling the past two weeks, and thus away from the computer, and my blog. I realized while I was away, that I was not getting a chance to reminisce about Thanksgiving and our family traditions and so I apologize for my late posting and thoughts.

Thanksgiving, as a child, was a day spent at the family farm in Ohio, my grandfather Coffman's farm. The picture is of my grandfather Maurice Coffman, and my uncle, James Coffman at the farm in Ohio. The family - extended - uncles, aunts, cousins (close and those "removed"), grandparents and friends got together and feasted for the day. I seem to only remember the pies - typically the count was one for each of us - although I don't recall being allowed to eat a whole one! My dad, and his father were the 'turkey men" and there was also ham along with all of the traditional fixings. After my grandparents passed, the Thanksgiving day was one of family = just those that could make it to either my parents home or my house. Every so often, we would all travel to Texas and spend time with our cousins and their extended families.

As my boys aged, Thanksgiving continued at my home - but dad would always do the turkey. It wasn't until his late 80's, that he allowed me to take over the turkey duty - but always under his watchful eye. This year with his passing, it just seemed right to take the year off - and spend it differently - but remembering throughout the day the special day of Thanksgiving and its meaning to me.

And so I leave you with my memories - but most importantly the indelible sense that Thanksgiving is about family. Communicating with those you love - and when possible being with those that know you the best. Giving thanks to all you have and to your health. Being thankful for your life, and remembering that we were all put here on earth to doing something more, than just take up space. Maybe Thanksgiving should be the start of new goals, and new promises to live life to its fullest, and rejoice in the art of living! My Thanksgiving wishes to you all.

Veteran's Day and honoring their memories

Today, 11/11/11, is Veteran's Day. This is a picture of my father, Maurice Fred Coffman and my mother, Dorothy Yoder Coffman shortly after their marriage on December 5, 1941. Yes, they were married two days before Pearl Harbor, and were on their honeymoon in DC, where dad was stationed.

Dad, was proud of his Naval heritage and service. In addition, we must also honor, his father, Maurice Coffman (see the Coffman page); my father's brother, James Coffman; my mother's father, Earl Yoder (see the Yoder page) and many more relatives who have served this United States.

In my grandfather Coffman's U.S.N. scrap book, in my possession there are pages of quotes and poems that were meaningful to my grandfather. There is no question that this one struck a special note for me:

"Somebody Waiting for Me"
"Somebody's waiting for me;
Some one who loves me, I know,
Somebody's wondering where I can be,
And what can be keeping me so!
Somebody's heart is sad
Waiting so anxiously'
There's a light shining bright
From a window-to-night,
For there's somebody waiting for me."

"You have a sweetheart, somewhere,"
One among them softly said.
"Is she handsome, Jack? pray introduce us, do!"
"If you'll come with me," he answered,
"I will show her to you, boys.
It's the only sweetheart that I ever knew."
Then he led them to a cottage,
Pointed through a window-pane,
Where a gray-haired woman sat with her head down,
"She's my mother, she's my sweetheart
She's the one I meant to-night,
So you see I told the truth boys, when I said:

Somebody's waiting for me;
Some one who loves me, I know,
Somebody's wondering where I can be,
And what can be keeping me so!
Somebody's heart is sad
Waiting so anxiously'
There's a light shining bright
From a window-to-night,
For there's somebody waiting for me."

Bless all those who have served, and know that there is someone waiting for you!

Attendance at Pennsylvania Family History Day

Yesterday, I got to attend the Pennsylvania Family History Day, sponsored by the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and Ancestry.com. What a great event. Vendors and Speakers offered an amazing amount of information, all in one area at the Wyndham in Exton, PA.

Curt Witcher, from Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne Indiana, was worth the price of admission. His focus was on the changing face of genealogy and talked about the thing important to me - telling the stories. He even went so far to say that the activity we are all involved in now is going to end up being called family history since it opens the doors more for everyone's involvement. I left the keynote, realizing that I have much work to do to ensure that our family history is preserved properly for the generations to come.

At lunch, DearMRYTLE, shared her story "Let Them Eat Jam." Her impassioned sharing of her family story based on memories, was inspiring to many, and made us all realize that each one of us, and our family handles family memories differently: photography, cooking, talking, writing; to name a few. All of these work - what becomes important are the memories and the traditions.

I received additional clues on research from Lou Szucs from Ancestry.com and John T. Humphrey on Pennsylvania Land Records. What was exciting is that Kim McGowan who teaches a class in genealogy with me at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Widener University was present, as were a table full of our students! Learning was a happening activity yesterday!

Using Government Land Records

The Bureau of Land Management has done a wonderful job indexing the land records, and providing over 5 million images from 1820 to present day. The site is located at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/.

The site states the following about the land patent records.
"Federal Land Patents offer researchers a source of information on the initial transfer of land titles from the Federal government to individuals. In addition to verifying title transfer, this information will allow the researcher to associate an individual (Patentee, Assignee, Warrantee, Widow, or Heir) with a specific location (Legal Land Description) and time (Issue Date). We have a variety of Land Patents on our site, including Cash Entry, Homestead and Military Warrant patents."

Just recently I used this site to look up information on the FOX family and their movement to Ohio in the early 1800's; work that had been done by my mother through letters and trips to the county court house. Here, I was able to look up the land patent in 1820 of a cash sale to Henry FOX; Philip AIRHART; Andrew MILBOURN; Samuel CRAIG; James CRAIG; and Joseph RHODES; and George JAMES. What is amazing is that of the seven individuals listed - five are direct relatives of the FOX family. However, it does open up the question about who was Philip AIRHART AND George JAMES. Which is why genealogy research never ends.

Uncovering the history of the search

I really never know what I'm going to find when I look into the files in the filing cabinets of genealogy research left to me by my father and mother. It never fails to amaze me, in today's technology age, how much my parents achieved through letters! At the same time, it often brings frustration - first in understanding my mother's filing system - but also in finding that as her Alzheimer's took hold, she often misfiled pieces of paper and files. However, I can never be too thankful for the time she took to leave me the legacy of our family.

Today, I was working on writing the next post on the YODER family (Howard Harrison YODER who married Luella Drucilla SLACK); and came upon the notes from my mother about the Slack research. They began in 1959 with a copy of the family history of the Slacks given to her by her Aunt Leah (YODER) DAY. The information had been originally distributed at a Slack reunion in July 1926. Supposedly there is a copy of this in the file - but not something I can find. She continues searching through census, marriage records, historical records and DAR records, each providing another piece of the puzzle. In 1967, her father (Earl YODER) suggested that she write to Mildred (MASTERS) COLDIRON about the family - although no response at that time. Mildred did write my mother in 1977, asking for Slack information. How different that was then today - when a simple search of her name on Ancestry.com to figure out the relation - a true cousin of my grandfather Earl.

In addition, my mother corresponded with Harold CROWL who descended from a sister of Luella Drucilla SLACK who was known as "Della." What is most fun - is that his son and I have been corresponding and sharing pictures through Ancestry for over 2 years about our respective families! What writing is causing, is the effort to go through each file, look at the collection of documents achieved by my mother, and realize she did this as a labor of love and respect for our past.

More Pages - More People

I've now completed pages for Richardson and Coleman - my husband's grandparents on his father's side; and Robertson and Braun - my husband's grandparents on his mother's side. His mom, at 92 is still living in Miles City, MT. Unfortunately dementia is ever-present, and so we can learn little at this point about her early years. The good news, is that she wrote a book for each of our children about her family (called Grandmom remembers) and we will be able to also share her stories.

Now my goal will be to work each of the families back - not just about who their parents are, but the stories that are part of our family legacy.