FEEFHS Conference

I was able to attend the first day of the FEEFHS Conference in Salt Lake City, and it was well worth my time.  I went to two sessions.  The first was an overview of the New Family Search and how to best use it for our area of research; I received many helpful tips.  The second session was on Germans from Russia.  While  much of the information was familiar to me, I came away with a renewed energy to keep going.  The best part for me was the consult with Dave Obee on my personal research problems.  It was very encouraging, and I'm moving forward. I definitely recommend the consult for next year.

I was also fortunate to have about eight hours in the Family History Library to work on a current research project.  I am compiling EWZ records on all of the Burghardt names from Pfeifer, Russia. I still have more films to go through, but I'm delighted with the progress I made. I was surprised with the number of people I found. Of course it will take some time to translate and compile the information, but then I will have it available to share.

Mark These Dates on Your Calendar

July 12-14, 2012

Plaza Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah

The Eastern European Research Workshop will be presented by the Federation of East European Family History Societies.  There are classes on German and Russian Research and specialty classes on the Germans from Russia. Here is a link to the website that should tell you more on cost and give details about the classes.  www.feefhs.org/2012

 

Our next chapter meeting will be July 28, 2012, at the home of Shawnette Malan and Carol Harless, 10001 Hook Drive, South Jordan. We will meet at noon and eat during the meeting.  Everyone will bring food to share.  Six of our chapter members went to the Portland Convention and will tell about the convention.  Bill Dellos has the final report about our 2011 SLC convention.  If time permits, Sharon White will tell about finding more Laub ancestors, thanks to Konstantin Petrunin's research.  

Thanks For the Great Meals!

The local AHSGR chapter in Portland fed the convention attendees well.  Just so you can have an idea of how hard they worked, I've included a few pictures. The menu included such items as rolladen (beef rolls), spaetzle (Bavarian pasta), rotkohl (traditional red cabbage), salat (salad), schweinebraten (pork roast), sauerkraut, gulash, nudeln (pasta), gemuese (vegetables), bratwurst, kartoffelsalat (German-style potato salad), and karrotten (carrots).  Thanks!

Opening General Session of AHSGR Convention

 St. Michael's Sanctuary, Portland, Oregon

 This bowl came with Russian immigrants  to America, lovingly protected in a strong box for the trip.

The opening general session to the 2012 Convention was held at St. Michael's Sanctuary in Portland.  Dr. Richard Scheuerman was the keynote speaker. He spoke about the first Volga German immigrants to the Pacific Northwest who came from Kansas to Portland via steamship from San Francisco in 1881.  They were joined by another group that arrived via wagon train from Nebraska.

Catherine the Great

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Catherine the Great's invitation to the people of Central Europe to settle on the bleak Russian steppe. And, that's how our ancestors ended up in Russia. How nice of her to show up at this year's AHSGR Convention!

Cooking at the Portland AHSGR Convention

 I think I've found a new hobby.  I've taken three different classes on German cooking.  Take a look at the results of these ancestral dishes from our Germans from Russia roots- noodles, grebbel, and butterballs.  I've been totally impressed with all of the people teaching these classes.  What a treat!

May 2012 Meeting

Just a reminder to let you know that our next Intermountain Chapter meeting will be May 19th, at noon at the home of Shawnette Malan and Carol Harless, 10001 Hook Drive, South Jordan.  Everyone will bring food to share at the meeting.  Darrell Weber will give a presentation about Catherine the Great. Konstantin Petrunin will be at this meeting.  Konstantin and his father do research at the Engels and Saratov archives in Russia.  This will be a great chance to meet Konstantin.

What could you discover in a death certificate?

•Names: You might find the name of the deceased, his or her spouse, parents, children and sometimes other relatives. You can even find maiden names. •Cause of death: This may indicate a family medical history. If the death was suspicious, look for a coroner’s report, newspaper articles and court records that can tell you more. •Place of birth: This can lead to a birth record or another trail to follow. Details on a death certificate can help support theories or suggest next steps in your research, though they aren’t always easy to come by. If you can’t find the death certificate you’re looking for, search local newspapers for an obituary or try tombstones, church documents or funeral home records. (Ancestry.com)

March Meeting

Just a reminder to let you know that our next AHSGR Intermountain Chapter meeting will be March 17, 2012, at noon at the home of Shawnette Malan and Carol Harless, 10001 Hook Drive, South Jordan. Everyone will bring food to share and we will eat during the meeting. Everyone should also bring something (preferably from Utah) to put into the basket our chapter will provide for the Silent Auction at the Portland convention.

The "WHY" of the Story

This has been my mantra for several years...filling in the story so that you can understand the "WHY". I borrowed these helpful tips from ancestry.com. I hope they will be of help to you as well. It’s easier to understand why when you see a person’s actions against the backdrop of history. And the best way to do that in your own family tree is to plot your discoveries on a timeline. Step 1: Start with the facts. Create a simple timeline with pen and paper or a word-processing document. Add basic information you know about a relative and his or her immediate family. Jot down names, dates, places and key events in chronological order. Add details from census records, family stories and any records you find at home. Step 2: Add history and supporting records. Give your timeline context by adding historical events. Include big ones that may have affected your ancestors and smaller ones specific to your family. Use these events to help you find additional records like draft cards, newspaper articles, yearbooks, obituaries or city directories. Step 3. Analyze. Look at your timeline. Does everything add up? Gaps and inconsistencies can show where and when to look for records. For example, a widow with a six-year-old child in 1910 is an invitation to look for the husband’s death certificate between 1904 and 1910.

Military Records

Military records are wonderful sources that provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served in the armed forces. They may include dates of birth and death, residence, names and addresses of family members, military rank and affiliation, among other details. The types of records you’ll find in this category include draft records, service records, pension records, bounty land records, claim records, and military histories.(ancestry.com) While most of us are researching immigrant ancestors, there is much more to the story than many of us know. I was able to find one of my uncles who had immigrated to the U.S. from Russia in time to serve in WWI. It was such a delightful discovery. While his description on the records was rather sketchy, it was still fun to read that he had blue eyes and was tall. Anything that helps them come alive is well worth the search.

Searching the Census

Once you get your family line into America there is so much information available. Remember that there is much more to the story than just names and dates. The following blurb from ancestry.com is a great reminder of that. "Historical records contain a wealth of fascinating information and clues that can lead you to many more discoveries. Census records are incredibly helpful because they can provide a snapshot of your family at a moment in history when the census taker came to the door. These records list names, birth dates and places, occupations and more. Some census records even tell you if the family owned a radio."

Lutheran Pietist Document Found

I recently located the following article, posted by the Mennonite Historian, Volume XIII, Number 1, March 1987. My primary focus for Alexanderdorf is the families of Hert/Hert and Stark/Stark; I will attempt to locate this document and report any interesting findings. Recently the Centre for MB Studies was given a document of unusual historical interest. Not a Mennonite document as such, it is a report, written in 1827, by a Lutheran Minister by the name of Saltet, to his home congregation in Wuerttemburg, Germany. This 33-page document describes one of the events of the Russo-Persian War, which this Lutheran Pietist community, in the area of Tiflis, Georgia, South Caucasus endured. Villages in this community were Alexanderdorf, Langenfeld, Elisabehtal, Helenendorf, Katharienfeld, Marienfeld, Petersdorf, and (Neu)-Tiflis. They were founded in 1818. In 1827 some 1,000 Kurds and Tartars attacked the village of Katharienfeld. During the raid some 35 villagers were killed and women and children were taken captive. The captives were either sold into slavery or harems. Written in gothic script this unique document is available to researchers interested in this period and in Lutheran Pietists. The document was donated to the center by Mrs. Anna D. H. Unrau of Birds Hill, Manitoba.

 Dee Hert, VC Alexanderdorf

Gen Fair

March 3, 2012, the annual Gen Fair is being held in Bountiful, UT. Numerous classes are being offered, with several German sessions by Baerbel Johnson. Access and registration information at http://ugagenealogy.org. A syllabus is provided and contains information on all classes which is very informative. Remember to wear your Germans from Russia shirt.

What’s Next on Who Do You Think You Are?

Award-winning actor and activist Martin Sheen embarks on an epic journey into both sides of his family history. It takes him to Dublin, Ireland and Madrid, Spain where he discovers that a commitment to social justice runs deep in his roots. On February 10, Marisa Tomei travels to Italy to reveal the truth about her great-grandfather’s murder. Tune in throughout the rest of the season to watch Blair Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rob Lowe, Helen Hunt, Rita Wilson, Edie Falco, Rashida Jones, Jerome Bettis, Jason Sudeikis, and Paula Deen.