"Uncle" Bob

He was always called "Uncle" Bob, but in fact, he was my first cousin once removed.  He was born in 1952, seven years after my dad.  My dad and Bob grew up together and were close, like brothers, hence the "uncle."  That's them in the photo above.  It's the only photo I have of the two of them together.

Many years ago, Bob left Chicago for the warmer weather in San Diego.  I visited him many times.  We'd go to L.A. and visit Disneyland and Universal Studios.  In San Diego, we'd see the sites.  He was a really fun guy.  He was just like my dad, who I lost in 1989. 

      

Bob passed away in 2007, at an early age, just like my father.  In a way, I felt like I lost my dad all over again.  Bob will be missed.

This was written for the 70th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.  Scrapbook designs courtesy of Raspberry Road Designs.

Wordless Wednesday - 01/21/09

Visiting Aunt Flo

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I was going to visit my grandaunt, Flo around the holidays.  I also posted images that I was going to frame and give to her.  She absolutely loved them (I made her cry, happy tears of course).

It was a great visit.  It had been almost 20 years since I had seen her and my cousin, Inga.  It was also an emotional visit, as we talked a lot about my dad and my cousin, Bob (Flo's son).  Dad died in 1989, so it's  a little easier to hear stories.  Bob, however, died in 2007 so it was a lot harder to swallow the stories.

I shared with Flo and Inga pictures of me and Bob at my wedding in 2003 and some from a vacation to Bob's in 2000.  We laughed, we bawled.

We also went through my remaining stack of unknown photos.  She was able to identify all but four (can you guess what photos will appear for this month's Smile for the Camera carnival?).  She came across a photo of "Nanny Hannigan," who was like a second grandmother to her.  I let her keep that one.

I had printed off two descendant charts for her.  She was kind enough to start filling in the blanks.  She's going to continue to provide information.  And once she gets her Christmas decorations down and put away, she's going to start scanning in the three boxes of photos she has.  I, in return, will finish my scanning project and put it all on CD for her, along with a full genealogy report (run from Legacy).  There was no ways I could print that 300+ page report and bring it with me!

Flo just turned 79, and it's amazing all the things she remembers!  I look forward to filling in more blanks with her.

Family Events - Week of October 13 to October 19

Vilhelms BRIEDIS - Vilhelms was the husband of my grandaunt Florence McMAHON.  He was born on 13 October 1908 and passed away on 23 February 1993. [1]

Timothy J McMAHON - Timothy is my great-great-grandfather.  He was born 14 May 14 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois to Timothy McMAHON and Margaret RYAN.  He died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. [2]

Thomas CAHILL - Thomas is my great-great-grandfather.  He was born in 1860 in Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland to Michael CAHILL and Anne HALE.  Thomas died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. [3,4]

Noah WEBSTER - Yes, "the" Noah Webster, LL.D. is my third cousin eight times removed.  He was born on 16 October 1758 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  The "father of the dictionary" died at the age of 84 on 28 May 1843 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut.  [5]

William Norton - William is my 12th great-grandfather.  He was likely born in 1558 in Sharpenhoe, Kent, England and likely died on 19 October 1622 in England. (Note:  I have not confirmed the accuracy of this information as of this date.)  [6]

 

Notes

1.  Social Security Administration, "Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), entry for Vilhlems Briedis, 1993. 

2.  State of Illinois, death certificate no. 28236 (1939), Timothy J McMAHON, State of Illinois Department of Public Health. 

3.  Thomas CAHILL, "Rothe House," database, Irish Family History Foundation (http://kilkenny.brsgenealogy.com/search.php). 

4.  robmy_vicc, "ROBVIC2006," database, Private Family Trees, Ancestry.com (http://trees.ancestry.com/fhs/home.aspx?tid=956976&pg=2)

5.  Family Search, "Ancestral Files," database (www.familysearch.org), Noah WEBSTER (BDVR-NG). 

6.  Cahill Family Tree papers; privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.

Originally posted @ my LiveJournal blog on 12 October 2008.

Julie

Family Events - Week of September 1 to September 7

Taking a cue from Thomas MacEntee's "On This Day" posts at his blog Destination: Austin Family, I am starting a regular post called "Family Events."  Instead of doing this for each day like Thomas does, I am going to post on Sunday's for the upcoming week.  So, here's the debut of "Family Events!"

Robert Anthony Briedis - My "uncle" Bob and my dad were first cousins and grew up together like brothers.  He was born on 6 August 1952 to Robert Anthony Dombrowski and Florence June McMahon.  He was later adopted by his mom's second husband, Vilhelms Briedis.  Although Bob moved to southern California about ten or so years after I was born, we were very close.  I spent several vacations in California.  The last time I saw his was at my wedding five years ago.  He passed away on 2 September 2007 of pancreatic cancer; he was 55-years-young. [1]

Clara Hilda ROTTMAN & Carl SLENTZ - Clara, my first cousin twice removed, married Carl on 3 September 1934 in Ohio. [2]

George STOFFEL - My great-granduncle, George, was born on 1 October 1901 in Illinois.  George was my great-grandmother's brother.  He died on 3 September 1978 in Illinois. [3]

Mildred Dolores MILLER Hicks - Mildred, my maternal grandfather's sister, was born on 10 December 1922 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  She married Sidney William HICKS and together they had a daughter, Beth.  They also adopted a son, Paul.  Mildred died on 6 September 1976, six months before I was born. [4,5]

Ashbel WEBSTER - Ashbel was one of 12 children born to my sixth great-grandparents, Ashbel WEBSTER and Rachel PRICE.  He was born on 8 August 1756 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  He married Mercy SWETLAND on 7 September 1777.  Ashbel died on 13 November 1838 at age 82. [6]

Notes

1. Personal knowledge of Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE].
2. John BEATTY, "Ancestry World Tree," database, Ancestry.com (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi).
3. Memorial card for George STOFFEL, September 1978; privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.
4. State of Illinois Health Department, birth certificate no. 53513 (1922), Mildred Delores MILLER, Cook County Clerk. 
5. Memorial card for Mildred Hicks (1976); privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.
6. Family Search, "Ancestral Files," database(familysearch.org), Ashbel Webester (AFN 4F36-QX). 

Originally posted @ my LiveJournal blog on 31 August 2008.

Julie