Revisiting Boot Camp

A few days have passed allowing me time to reflect on Hack Genealogy’s Boot Camp for Writing Family History. Saturday’s webinar was divided into two parts.

Boot camp began with Lisa Alzo of the Accidental Genealogist: www.theaccidentalgeneaogist.com speaking on crafting a compelling family narrative.  I came away with a few pearls of wisdom beginning with:

“The Five P’s”

Plan     Prepare     Plot     Produce     Publish

Publishing seems years perhaps decades away. So I focused on Planning and Preparation. As a blogger, I find it fairly easy to write short posts. The challenge for me is writing a longer, complete narrative. Lisa suggested brainstorming ideas such as mind mapping and storyboards.

I have been working on my Uncle Dick’s life story for a very long time and it is time for me to PRODUCE! So, here is my plan per Lisa’s suggestions:

1. Organize all photos and information into one central location.
2. Purchase index cards and create a storyboard.
3.  Use photos to help tell the story.
4. Write daily.

A sample of my first attempt to write using photos

 A Joyous Moment Frozen in Time

Hugs for mother and son reunited following Dick's return from Boot Camp. Dick arrived home just in time for his sister’s wedding. Life was good for this mother and son. I am so glad the moment was captured on film. Can’t you feel the love?

Thomas MacEntee of Hack Genealogy and Geneabloggers (http://www.hackgenealogy.com, and www.geneabloggers.com) presented the afternoon session, “Ten Secrets You Should Know About Microsoft Word.” It never fails, whenever I learn something new I discover how little I know.

Several years ago I took Boston University’s online genealogy course. It was intense and I spent hours and hours creating genealogy documents for class assignments. After listening to Thomas I realized how much easier the class would have been had I understood Microsoft Word.

Today, as I write this post in Microsoft Word, I write with my Show/Hide button on. I can see my spaces and paragraph returns. I also know that there is a widow and orphan in my document. I just wish I could recall how to correct that.

There is another P for you!

Practice     Practice     Practice

Hope you are having a beautiful day,

Linda

Those Thursday Places: Spruce Street

Real Estate has been on my mind lately and reminds me of a real estate opportunity that offered a genealogical twist. Several years ago I had attended a luncheon where my mother’s best friend offered the comment, “Your Grandmother’s house is for sale.”

Mom’s friend, Grace, lived close to my paternal grandparents’ home. After considering what her comment I realized that I would love to see my Grandma’s house just one more time. I took a drive by Grandma’s Spruce Street home only to discover it wasn’t for sale! Instead, just two doors down, my maternal great grandparent’s home was for sale! I quickly made an appointment for a showing.

Now for a bit of history . . .

William and Julia Danker, married 4 April 1896, were general farmers in the rural community of Riverview just south of O’Hare International Airport. They raised their only child (my grandmother), Henrietta, on their Touhy Avenue farm. Sometime between 1910 and 1920 William and Julia made the move to Spruce Street where they remained for many years. I have yet to check on the Spruce Street property transfers and it is something I definitely must do to understand relationship of the house story and my family story.

William, Henrietta and Julia Danker

Great Grandfather William Danker died 7 September 1939. His death record confirms Des Plaines (formerly Riverview) as his place of residence; which is the location of his Spruce Street home. At the time of the 1940 census Julia lived with Henrietta’s family in Chicago most likely a result of William’s death.

It is unknown exactly where Julia lived during the 1940s and 1950s. Did she remain with her daughter’s family in Chicago? Did she return to her Spruce Street home in Des Plaines? 

Julia’s 1949 death and Henrietta’s husband, William Dollen, 1950 death caused Henrietta and her two children to move back to her parents’ Spruce Street home. Curiosity is killing me. Did Henrietta inherit the Spruce Street house? Probate and property records should answer the question of home ownership. Now there is one more research project for me!

The Dollen Family now lived in the Danker house a mere two doors down from my paternal grandparents and their four handsome sons. Love was in the air on Spruce Street for my Mother swept her front porch clean just long enough to catch my father’s eye.

Mom and Dad were married and had their wedding reception in the Danker/Dollen Spruce Street home. Nine months later I arrived and spent my early months of life in that same Danker/Dollen Spruce Street home.

It was quite a treat to walk through my first childhood home that housed four generations of my Mother’s family all because of the comment, “Your Grandmother’s house is for sale!”

The Living Room

The porch my mother swept clean has been enclosed.

A small alcove that may have been my nursery.

The second floor with original flooring and walls.

Kitchen & Pantry

My very tall and happy real estate broker.

Linda

Sunday’s Obituary

These obituaries belong to my Uncle Dick Dollen. I have been working on his life story for several years. I work a little bit here and a little bit there and most recently connected with his naval buddy, Bob Hall. I scanned the above obituaries years ago and let them rest in my iPhotos.

One of my nagging questions has been, “Where did Uncle Dick go to school?” Earlier research led to the discovery of Dick’s high school years. Dick graduated from The Luther Institute of Chicago in 1950. This was good news, but I continued to wonder about his elementary school years.

I went so far as to map his 1940 residence and search for elementary schools within walking distance. That little exercise provided a possibility but I never followed through. Yesterday I was looking through my iPhoto and stopped to read my uncle’s obituaries.

There was the answer to my question! Uncle Dick attended Jehovah Lutheran Grade School and Luther Institute of Chicago. His obituary tells of his short nineteen years of life. I know his story quite well and only glanced at the obituaries. Shame on me! The answer to all my questions was in my hand all along.
 

Lesson learned!

Linda

Putting the Pieces Together

1841 England Census

The 1841 census is the first national census of England and provides the following information about my third great grandparents, John and Ann Dollen & family.

Part of the Parish of Curry Mallet

They inhabited a building on Silver Street.

NAMES of each Person who abode the preceding night

Name	Age/Sex	Employment	Born in Somerset County
John Dollen	50, Male	Carpenter	Y
Ann Dollen	45, Female		Y
John Dollen	10, Male		Y
Silas Dollen	8, Male		Y
Emma Dollen	5, Female		Y
Adolphus	2, Male		Y
Dollen

1851 England Census

The 1851 England Census has provided the following information:

The Parish of Curry Mallet

The street of their abode may be Lower. Difficult to read.

The Name and Surname of each Person who abode in the house,

on the Night of 20^th March, 1851

Names	Relation to Head of House	Age, Sex, Marital Status	Occupation	Where Born
John Dollen	Head	62,M,Married	Carpenter	Somerset, West Buckland
Ann Dollen	Wife	54,F,Married		Somerset, Curry Mallet
Silas Dollen	Son	18,M,Unmarr	do	Somerset, Curry Mallet
Emma Dollen	Daur	15,F,Unmarr	Ap	Somerset, Curry Mallet
Adolphus Dollen	Son	13,M,Unmarr		Somerset, Curry Mallet

These two census records shed light on my British ancestors. There are several pieces of information that I am most interested in.

The first puzzle piece: The Place of Birth.

Based on these two censuses, I know that all by British ancestors were born in Curry Mallet, Somerset, England with the single exception of my third great grandfather, John Dollen. 

John Dollen, Head of Household, is reported to have been born in West Buckland of Somerset County. This piece of information enticed me to transcribe the Silas Dollen, Yeoman of West Buckland Will. Could Silas Dollen have been John Dollen’s father? As I transcribed the will, I was encouraged for Silas Dollen, Yeoman of West Buckland, did indeed have a son named John. He also had two other children: Silas and Betty. The dream of finding my fourth great grandfather was dashed when I read the will was executed on the date of 6 November 1722. Silas may yet find his way into my tree, but not as the Father of my third great grandfather, John Dollen.

Linda