Got this from another list. Thought everybody would enjoy it. They think that I should cook and clean, and be a model wife. I tell them it's more interesting to study Grandpa's life. They simply do not understand why I hate to go to bed . . . I'd rather do two hundred years of research work instead. Why waste the time we have on earth just snoring and asleep? When we can learn of ancestors that sailed upon the deep? We have Priests, Rabbis, lawmen, soldiers, more than just a few. And yes, there's many scoundrels, and a bootlegger or two. How can a person find this life an awful drudge or bore? When we can live the lives of all those folks who came before? A hundred years from now of course, no one will ever know Whether I did laundry, but they'll see our Tree and glow . . . 'Cause their dear old granny left for them, for all posterity, not clean hankies and the like, but a finished family tree. My home may be untidy, 'cause I've better things to do . . . I'm checking all the records to provide us with a clue. Old great granny's pulling roots and branches out with glee, Her clothes ain't hanging out to dry, she's hung up on the Tree. Please visit my Genealogy pages: http://expage.com/page/ludeanne http://www.angelfire.com/nv/ludgen/index.html

Hey everybody! I'm so excited I could bust! My dad & brother went up to Green Bay WI on a research trip this last week. I haven't heard from them until this AM. Dad says they hit paydirt! They were on a cellular, so didn't want to talk long, but they found out where my ggrandfather, Joseph Touchette, is from (Montreal); they found out my Irish gggrandmother's surname really *is* Garrigan.... (which means we've probably got more on my Porter line). And he said something about having work to do in upstate NY. They're off to look at cemeteries in Oconto Co. (Little Suamico & Abrams) and won't be back til tomorrow. I'm trying to talk them into stopping here on their way back into the city. (Dan says No) My fingers are twitching, I want that info so much! More coming later this week! Marsha

Hi, The Batten family Genealogy webpage, DIGGING UP BONES, has been updated. We have added lots of good links for Wisconsin and some for European countries. Come by and see often as we are still adding links. We are at <http://www.GeoCities.com/Heartland/Acres/1179> Doug Batten dbatten@eoni.com http://www.GeoCities.com/Heartland/Acres/1179

Hi, The Batten family Genealogy webpage, DIGGING UP BONES, has been updated. We have added lots of good links for Wisconsin and some for European countries. Come by and see often as we are still adding links. We are at <http://www.GeoCities.com/Heartlad/Acres/1179> Doug Batten dbatten@eoni.com http://www.GeoCities.com/Heartland/Acres/1179

At 07:20 AM 4/19/98 -0700, you wrote: >WauShaOcon-D Digest Volume 98 : Issue 35 > >Today's Topics: > #1 [WauShaOcon-L] Seeking information [Jakoblaser <Jakoblaser@aol.com>] > >Administrivia: >To unsubscribe from WauShaOcon-D, send a message to > > WauShaOcon-D-request@rootsweb.com > >that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > >and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software >requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > >______________________________X-Message: #1 >Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 16:14:15 EDT >From: Jakoblaser <Jakoblaser@aol.com> >To: waushaocon-l@rootsweb.com >Message-ID: <e814b39d.35390999@aol.com> >Subject: [WauShaOcon-L] Seeking information on BLAZIER/BLASER/BLAZER >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit > >I am seeking information on my ancestor, Levi John Blazier, who moved to >Oconto Falls around 1865. Levi and his brother, whose name seems to have >started with a B started a lumber business called "Blazer Brothers". Levi >moved to Clay Banks, Door County, around 1870 and became a farmer there. He >married Elizabeth Hudson on 2 August 1872 in Gibson, Manitowoc County in a >civil ceremony and had two sons there. I am descended from his first son >Adolphus who was born 9 August 1873 in Gibson, Wisconsin. Family history has >it that Levi died soon after in Mishicot, Manitowoc Co. Levi also went by >John. His parents were listed as Abraham and Anna Blazer on his marriage >certificate. Abraham also went by John some times and originally setteled >around Appleton around 1860 before he moved to Kewaunee County. The last name >has had various spelling BLAZIER/BLASER/BLAZER/BLAUSER. > >Any information you may have on the above people would be greatly appreciated. > >James N. Blazier >7610 Cameron Rd Apt 2029 >Austin, Texas 78752 Hi, Had aMilton Blazer as a neighbor at Hayes he was married to Ada and she was a paino teacher and wrote music she died in the late 1940's and he died in the 1960's. Barb Bubolz>

If anyone can identify these families as being related to Oconto families, please write in and tell us about it! SOME ELLMANNS OF BOOCK, POMMERN > > FATHER: Joachim Ellmann > MOTHER: Christine Bartel > > Children: > > Emilie Henriette Ellmann > b. 9 Oct 1845, Boock, Pommern > > Johann Carl Wilhelm Ellmann > \ b. 7 June 1847, Boock, Pommern > > Wilhelmine Friedericke Karoline > b. 28 Apr 1849, Boock, Pommern > > Caroline Friedericke Emilie Ellmann > b. 12 Nov 1850, Boock, Pommern > > FATHER: Wilhelm Ellmann > MOTHER: Wilhelmine Bartel > > Child: > > Otto Ellmann > b. 1870, Boock Pommern > > RELATIVE: (no parents listed) Max P. Kersten > > Caroline U.T. Ellmann > b. 27 Sept. 1843, Boock, Pommern > > (This is in Stettin, but am including it because it's similar - perhaps > these > were orphaned children of one family who were adopted? - JWL) > > RELATIVE: Berta A. E. Neumann > > Marie Ellmann, > b. 23 July 1841 > > All information taken from LDS International Genealogical Index, > Update: 05 Sept 1996 Copied by Joann Wittkopf Levin

Joan, (everybody else keep reading) Are you researching WITTKOPF? When I was in Madison last week, I found 3 WITTKOPF's on the 1895 WI census for the City of Oconto. If you've got this info already, wonderful. If you need it, I can send you my notes. Everybody: I probably saw every Surname listed on the Oconto pages on that State census. I couldn't *possibly* take notes on every one, but I caught some: Mrs. Mary BARR in DePere, Brown Co. SURPRISE & variations in Town of Oconto & City of Oconto DALZELLE -- a Lake Co. IL name! City of Oconto WILCOX -- in DePere & City of Oconto Anybody who needs this info, give me a holler & I'll send it. Remember, this is a state census, heads of household only, # of males & females, and b'place's (ie: 3 b.US, 4 b.Ger). Happy Hunting! Marsha Wilcox mwilcox@lnd.com Wilcox Web Design -- http://www.usroots.com/~wwd/wwd.html USGenWeb County Coordinator for: Lake Co., IL -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~illake/ Listowner for ILLAKE-L, tracing your roots in Lake Co., IL Oconto Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wioconto/ Shawano Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wishawan/ Home Page -- http://mall.lnd.com/wilcox/ My Genealogy Page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mawilcox/index.htm Joan Levin wrote: >> Copied by Joann Wittkopf Levin

Hello everybody, I would be interested in recieving any and all obituraries that I can for these Three counties. Would love to get as many as possible and donate them to the State and or County archives. Have been thinking that this would be a great way to help everybody out. Also I am able to scan them and make them avalible to everybody on the interenet. I will start this as soon as I start getting them. I will submit it to the counties for which they are for. Any suggestions would be welcome. Was also thinking I can put them in a monthly newsletter and anybody who sends or submits an obit will recieve this newsletter. I will make this newletter avalible to anyone requesting it. I will also give credit where credit is due. This is such a long process I thought this might be another helpful way to move things along. Please help me get this project going I would greatly appriciate it. I sure hope I haven't rattled on too much. Email copies or typed info to guenth74@marinemwr.or.jp or mail to (US military base normal postage applies) LuDeanne Guenther PSC 557 BOX 573 FPO AP 96379-0573 Please visit my Genealogy pages: http://expage.com/page/ludeanne http://www.angelfire.com/nv/ludgen/index.html

I got the idea for this request from a previous post. I am in need of a copy of an Obit from Waupaca Co (possibly Shawano she was born and raised in Tigerton) Lore Emma Marqurdt Guenther d March 21 1998 in Texas but buried in Little Wolf Cemetery on March 26, 1998. ( I know there was a obit in Manawa Paper) Thankyou so much. LuDeanne Guenther Please visit my Genealogy pages: http://expage.com/page/ludeanne http://www.angelfire.com/nv/ludgen/index.html

Hi everybody, As long as we're on the subject of obits, if anybody is in the area, I could use a lookup. Ann/Anna/Annie TOUCHETTE (nee PORTER), died Oconto Co., probably Abrams, in 1934. She died after May and before winter set in, so maybe between May and November? I know it's a long shot, but hey, thought I'd ask.... ;-) Happy Hunting! Marsha Wilcox mwilcox@lnd.com Wilcox Web Design -- http://www.usroots.com/~wwd/wwd.html USGenWeb County Coordinator for: Lake Co., IL -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~illake/ Listowner for ILLAKE-L, tracing your roots in Lake Co., IL Oconto Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wioconto/ Shawano Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wishawan/ Home Page -- http://mall.lnd.com/wilcox/ My Genealogy Page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mawilcox/index.htm

At 12:08 AM 4/7/1998 EDT, you wrote: >Anyone out there have acess to a Shawano newspaper? I need an obit from >06-06-97 for death of Alvin Kriefall. Thank you for any help in this matter. >Tom Kriefall >Milwaukee, Wi > The Shawano Library has them. Write or call them at: Shawano City - County Library 128 S Sawyer Street Shawano, WI 54166 (715) 526-3829 Jerry Dalum

In a message dated 98-04-05 20:37:46 EDT, mwilcox@lnd.com writes: > >Hi All! > >OK, got this on another list. I really think we need to respond! Ann >Landers has a lot of clout! Her e-mail address is: >annlanders@creators.com > >Marsha > > I think that it should be left to the individual family's preference as to whether to participate in a class project of this kind, and that it should not be held against them one way or the other. just my 2 cents heidi

I need an obituary from last weeks paper. It is of an Edna Bielfuss that passed away on March 31, 1998. Would appreciate it if anyone has this would send it. Thank you!

Anyone out there have acess to a Shawano newspaper? I need an obit from 06-06-97 for death of Alvin Kriefall. Thank you for any help in this matter. Tom Kriefall Milwaukee, Wi

Hey all! I got it, I got it! I got my ancestor's Naturalization papers today from the UWGB-ARC! I was so excited I almost couldn't breathe! I got copies of 4 Declarations of Intention, and 1 Certificate of Citizenship, all for $6! Unfortunately, none of them were for my gggrandfather Gilbert or my ggrandfather Jules/Julius. Also unfortunately, none of them say where they are from more than "Canada." :-( That's OK, lots of other good information here. But, Jules/Julius Ashley stated on the 1900 census that he was naturalized, so how come his papers didn't show up with his brothers? Should I write back to the ARC and ask them to dig farther, maybe in Waupaca Co., for their papers? Any suggestions/ideas? But, if anybody is looking for Fred Konoske, from Germany/Prussia, or Frank Vannieurvinhovin (I think?) from Belgium, I have copies of their Declarations of Intention. They're below my gg-uncle's DI. And I can give a page reference for Elzian DeWilt, 4/1888, from Holland, and Joseph Dion 4/1893, if anybody's interested. Happy Hunting! Marsha Wilcox mwilcox@lnd.com Wilcox Web Design -- http://www.usroots.com/~wwd/wwd.html USGenWeb County Coordinator for: Lake Co., IL -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~illake/ Listowner for ILLAKE-L, tracing your roots in Lake Co., IL Oconto Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wioconto/ Shawano Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wishawan/ Home Page -- http://mall.lnd.com/wilcox/ My Genealogy Page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mawilcox/index.htm

For those of you who chose to e-mail Ann Landers about her 4/5 column: If you get your e-mail back because her mailbox was full, here is an alternate address. It's her publishers: info@creators.com I asked them *very politely* to please forward my letter to her. ;-D Happy Hunting! Marsha Wilcox mwilcox@lnd.com

Hi All! OK, got this on another list. I really think we need to respond! Ann Landers has a lot of clout! Her e-mail address is: annlanders@creators.com Marsha USER wrote: > > Did anyone besides me read Ann Landers' column in today's paper? She received > a letter from "Louisville Mom" who wrote to complain about the fact that her > children who were adopted from Korea were being asked in school to do a > project on family history. The Mom was expressing the opinion that schools > should keep out of such family information and should not be encouraging > children to look into their family backgrounds. She went on to say that some > children (those in foster care or from troubling family situations) may be > embarassed by such a project. > Ann Landers' response was as follows: "I'm > glad you wrote. Your letter gives me an opportunity to speak out about family > trees, lineage and other topics that should have no place in our schools. It > is nobody's business whether a child's family came over on a slave ship or the > Mayflower. Teachers should not be asking about family background. If I had > to draw a picture of my family tree it would look like a shrub. My parents > and grandparents immigrated from Russia, and beyond that, I don't have a clue > as to my lineage, and I have never given it a moment's thought." > > Well guys--I think we should all clobber Ann with letters!!!!!! She obviously > is looking at a person's interest in their lineage as something that would > connote snobbery. She is implying that society would think there is something > inferior about the child whose parents arrived on the slave ship compared to > those with Mayflower ancestors. I think those who do not have a natural > curiosity about their family history (no matter what that history is) have the > misconception that those of us with an interest in genealogy do our research > out of some sort of desire to feel superior to others. (MY ancestors arrived > in 1727, just when did YOUR ancestors arrive--oh not until 1855--then I MUST > be superior to YOU!) I think we need to set Ann Landers straight as to WHY > we are interested in the pursuit of our family history--as well as the history > of the times our ancestors lived in in general. > > I can't remember when I have gotten this worked up about something I read in > an advice column in the newspaper but Ann Landers has clout--and is in a > position to impact on the thinking of others. Therefore, it is our > responsibility to correct this misstatement of fact. > > In the first place, schools should not, and DO not, mandate a family history > research project--at least they don't in New Jersey where I live. I would > assume a similar situation exists elsewhere. Students in New Jersey schools > are given a list of projects to chose from with family history research being > one of the choices (and even within this topic the children can chose to study > a famous person or anyone they choose--it does not have to be their own > ancestry). Family history reseearch is a popular choice from the list of > topics as curiosity about one's history is a natural thing for most people--no > matter what that history is concerned with, and regardless of whether that > history takes us to Colonial America, Europe, Asia, or Africa. The history is > still there--no matter WHERE your people came from! We all studied history in > school with each of us prefering an emphasis on the history that we were most > interested in based on our family and ethnic backgrounds--that is also natural > and even desirable. Are we so shallow and rooted only in the present day that > we do not even give a thought as to the accomplishments and sacrifices of our > ancestors? How can any student be expected to have an interest in, and > understanding of, history if they are not encouraged to associate those events > of long ago with thoughts of what it must have been like to have lived through > them--and with the knowledge of the fact that their own forbears did just > that. Whether it be the remarkable tribute to the strength of human character > that kept the slave families alive through the generations of our American > past, or the survival of the Jewish people in more recent times; or the > sacrifices made by my own German ancestors who set sail into the unknown in > the mid 1700s to come to a new home called Pennsylvania by means of a perilous > sea voyage. What was the driving force behind all of the actions of these > peoples? In my opinion it was to seek a better life for themselves and a hope > for the future of an even better life for their descendants. To take the time > to find out who these ancestors were, to learn their names, dates, and what > their lives were all about, is an extremely important part of teaching our > next generation of Americans, wherever they came from, and no matter what > their background, to have respect for themselves and those who came before > them. What better lesson could there ever be for today's, or any day's, > school children. > > OK--now I will get off my soapbox for today. Anyone who would like to copy > this to any other list has my complete unrestricted permission to do so! > > Joan Myers Young

Naturalization Papers I have received several requests about explaining Naturalization Papers. It gets a little convoluted when it comes to old Naturalization Papers. I will try to explain it as I understand it. Just to clarify a point, first, women could become naturalized not only through their husbands, but through almost any male legally part of the family including cousins, stepfathers, uncles, brother, brothers-in law, etc. In the early days, they almost never applied for papers. The men were considered "competent sponsors" and were also held financially responsible for the welfare of the women in most parts of the country. Women who were "unattached" could petition the court for sponsorship by an unrelated male, as long as he was a citizen, and could prove that he could support her adequately if she could not maintain her own support. Women did this if they were working as domenestic servants or nannies, cooks in lumber camps, working in garment factories, etc. Their male employers "sponsored" them. But her actual citizenship depended on him and if he withdrew his sponsorship, she packed and left. Sadly, if a woman was let go from her job in these circumstances, due to illness, injury, or no longer being needed for employment, the male employer just had to send a letter to the court withdrawing his sponsorship, and he was not held responsible for her welfare. She had to quickly find another sponsoring employer, hide, get married to a legal citizen, or leave the country. Shortly after a man came to this country, he was strongly encouraged to sign and submit a petition that requested consideration for citizenship by the US government. The was called a "Letter of Intent". If had a sponsor in this country who was already naturalized, it was considered a good idea to have him (had to be a male) co-sign. Many men never went any further than that, since they had sons born in this country almost immediately (my grandfather was born 6 week from arrival) after the "Letter" was submitted. This son was a natural born citizen (daughters didn't count on this one) and was then his father's sponsor. But the older brothers who were born in another country were not covered by the birth of the baby boy. To many men, however, it was important to become an official citizen in their new homeland. They then went ahead (after proving that they would be productive members of society - usually by having a job and place to live) and applied for formal citizenship, thereby receiving their Naturalization Papers at the local county courthouse upon acceptance. At this time all minor children, both male and female, became naturalized, as if they were born here. If the father did not apply for Naturalization, the foreign born sons must do so when they reached maturity (usually 18 years of age). Hope this helps, Rita

>All, > > An often overlooks source of factual genealogical and family >history information is probate records. Probate records, found at the county >courthouse where they were filed, include wills, material and money >inventories, estate settlements, guardianship of minors, and >insanity/incompetence cases. These last may be sealed, and in some states >I have had to request permission from the appointed Judge, which they will >provide forms for, to have them opened and copied. I stressed the genealogical >nature of my request and most of the time, if spouses and children are not >living, it has been granted. The judge reads the reasons for the request >(clearly and briefly stating them is a definite asset) and then reviews each >case file to judge the merits of the request against what the reasons for >sealing the proceedings were. If you have a suspicion of an inherited >disease or physical condition in the family, this can be a good way to trace >it. Even though the condition may not be called "Alzheimer's" back then, the >description of the person's behavior will give important insight. Other >conditions might include severe crippling arthritis, congenital and >inherited kidney diseases, progressive neurological diseases like Multiple >Sclerosis and Huntington's, Parkinson's, and family conditions that dispose >someone to premature death such as aneurysms, post childbirth hemorrhages, >etc. Hope this helps, Rita > >