Madness Monday - 17 Mai Norwegian Independance Day

Living in the Midwest, we always waited until the last danger of frost was past before doing any gardening.  In our northern Illinois area that was usually mid-May.  My father would often utter the phrase "Happy Sit in the Mud Day" at this time of year.  Many years later I realized he was actually saying "Happy 17 Mai Day".  Referring to his Norwegian heritage, of which he was very proud.  Remembering this I had planned to add a mp3 player to this blog so I could let you hear some of my Great-grandfather's composition "Onkel Tom's Cake Walk".  Adolf Hansen (1852 - 1911) was a Norwegian Composer of Military music and conductor of the Oslo Brigade Band.  The madness comes in from my efforts to complete the task which remains undone.  We all know about good intentions.  Happy 17 Mai!!

Sentimental Sunday - Traditions

Last week I spent time, as we all did, remembering my Mother. With all of the current hoop-la surrounding Mother's Day, I wondered why I had no memories of Mother's Day Traditions in my family. I do remember Mom receiving handmade gifts and jewelry or perfume from Woolworths. Maybe the fact that my Dad and two of my brothers had birthdays between May 8 and May 14 had something to do with it. May is also First Communion season. May altars for the Virgin Mary were also traditions in our house. With all these demands on Mom's time, I'm sure she was never forgotten. Love you Mom!

Tombstone Tuesday - Burl Ives

Mound Cemetary, Hunt City Township, Jasper County, Illinois. The cemetary used by my husband's maternal ancestors, the Sempsrotts and the Fergusons.

Follow Friday - How I got here

In April or May of 2008 I read, in Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy News Letter, about a new group being started for genealogists.  It was named "Unclaimed Persons" and its purpose was to help coroners and medical examiners find living family members of the dead who had not been claimed.    This group was founded by Megan Smolnyak Smolnyak and was an extension of her work with medical examiners and the U S Military.  Since I love the thrill of the hunt, I joined at the very beginning.  Several widely known and highly respected genealogists joined those of us who were beginners.  Membership in Facebook was required to belong to Unclaimed Persons, so I joined and asked lots of Unclaimed Persons to be friends. 

Since I was able to read the postings for so many genealogists, I was able to broaden my genealogy education and resources.  I began linking to blogs and became a regular reader of Thomas MacEntee  and Randy Seaver among others.  Thomas introduced me to Geneabloggers and thus to the wonderful world of blogging.  Using the daily themes for blogging is helpful for those days when it's difficult to pick a topic.  And that is how I got here.

Passport Application of Gustav B Heisen, Chicago1892

This tombstone resides in the cemetery of St Anthony church in Oberselters, Nassau, Germany. Amazingly the Burbach family has lived in this tiny village for over 200 years. To be sure, remnants of the family have emigrated to the United States in the 1840s/50s. The destinations selected ranged from Milwaukee, WI to St Louis, MO, and the hill country of Texas.  My G-g-grandfather Georg left Oberselters about 1847 and settled in Villmar, Nassau, Germany where he met and married Catharina Caspari.  They has three sons before they emigrated to Milwaukee in 1856.  Sadly, their oldest son, Adam, was buried in Villmar in 1854.  George was one of eleven children which may explain why the family name still appears in the parish cemetery.