My Trails into the Past

All outside activities past week included the trip up to Ocala using a rental car, staying with Norman’s cousin, Shirley, return south to ride a train in Clewiston, a airboat ride in the Everglades, and a long drive back up to Orlando. I was sick with a head cold and tried to stay away from everyone, but Norman got it, too. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: None this week, except for sending the description of the probate class I’m teaching in April to CGS for posting on the website. Genealogy Meetings:  I attended no official meetings this week, but connected with Jacqueline to explain views in AirTable. Genealogy Writing/Research : I continued writing about the Sievert and Hork families in my 12 for ’26 challenge. Blog Posts Published: A Big Decision – Why My Ancestors Came to America For the theme of “A Big Decision,” I wrote about how I have no idea why any of my ancestors left the home country and came here. SNGF—What Are Your Major Genealogy Research Challen...

Julia Ann Sievert, daughter of Vincent Sievert and Susanna Raduntz, and my great-grandmother, married Johan Anton Hork, son of Joseph Heinrich Horoch and Maria Catharine Trösster, on 6 June 1872 at St. John’s German Catholic Church in Joliet, Will County, Illinois. [1] Johan Anton Hork, born Johann Anton Horoch on 9 November 1843 in Oberhundem, Westfalen, arrived in the United States aboard the Idaho on 5 November 1870. [2] Though the ship manifest stated he was a laborer, he worked as a tailor in the United States. By 1872, he was working as a merchant tailor at 7 Jefferson Street in Joliet, while living at 47 Bluff Street. [3] In records, he was recorded either by John, Anton, Anthony, or J. A. Hork. In the above directory record, he was Anthony Hork. It is unknown whether he worked for himself or for someone else. Two merchant tailors had shops on Jefferson: S.C. Stearns at 61 ½ Jefferson and J & G Dippold, whose listing didn’t give an address. [4] The latter was living ...

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:  It's  Saturday Night  again -  Time for some more  Genealogy Fun!! Our assignment tonight from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings is to:  1)  What are your major genealogy challenges - the family mysteries that you haven't been able to crack to date?  2)  Tell us about five of your real genealogy challenges with a short paragraph, and link to blog posts if you have written about them. Here's mine: 1. I would like to know the origins of Samuel Johnston and his wife Elizabeth McCormack , both of South Carolina. I have them firmly in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, and many of their children were born in the 1840s somewhere in Alabama. The issues are I have no idea where in South Carolina they came from, Johnston is a common name, and South Carolina didn’t require marriage registrations until the 20th Century. I have written about them here and here . 2. I would like to know the origins and parents o...

Not having any documentation on why my ancestors came to the United States, it becomes guesswork. My maternal ancestors likely came either before or soon after the Revolution. I have not yet discovered who the first ancestors were. My mother’s ancestors were all in the south and as I research back, I start in Texas and work back east through all of the southern states until we hit Virginia. Records are sparse for most of the families. Now my father’s side of the family are more recent immigrants, arriving in the United States during the 1800s. The Sullivans were the first, coming in 1860s. I have searched for the ship list but have not found it. Jeremiah and Mary Sullivan had eight children born in Ireland and one in Michigan. There is a nine-year gap, so they likely came before 1869, when Michael was born in Michigan. This was after the Great Famine. Jeremiah was a miner, so perhaps the mines were closing and the draw to the Upper Peninsula Michigan was a strong draw. Johan Anton ...

All outside activities past week included the trip down to Miami aboard the Floridian, staying two nights in Miami and two nights in Key West. Today, we head up to Ocala to visit Norman’s cousin. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I had to correct the BCG press release with an updated link. I accepted an invitation to speak to the Sacramento Public Library. Genealogy Meetings:  I attended no meetings this week. Genealogy Writing/Research : I continued writing about the Sievert and Hork families in my 12 for ’26 challenge. Blog Posts Published: Resolving Conflicts in Censuses – A Hork Family Example For the theme of “ What the Census Suggests ,” I wrote about how I resolved the conflict of Johan Anton’s ages in the U.S. census. This post was highlighted by Linda Stufflebea and Randy Seaver. SNGF—What Was the Great Love Story in Your Family Tree? I wrote about my in-laws, George & Thelma Gorrell. Vincent Sievert in Joliet, Illinois - 12 for ’26 – Part 2 This is...

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:  It's  Saturday Night  again -  Time for some more  Genealogy Fun!! Our assignment from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings is to:  1)  It's Valentine's Day - a day for lovers! We all have hundreds of love stories in our ancestry. 2)  What was the great love story of the ancestors in your family Tree?  What wedding had a great story in it?  Choose one ancestral couple. Share how they met (if known), when and where they married. Note how long they were married. Highlight something that suggests affection or partnership. Here's mine: I have written about my parents a few times before. My paternal grandparents split up after 15 years or so. My maternal grandparents had issues but stayed married until my grandfather died. My grandmother lived another 40 years. I shall write instead of my husband’s parents: George Joseph Gorrell and Thelma Marie Nilsen. They married on 6 October ...