Lincoln (B)logs! - Follow Friday

 Some rights reserved by Tinker*Tailor

Well, not really.  But Richard Wightman Fox and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum have a superb blog - From Out of the Top Hat. Now I would read almost anything written about Honest Abe, but Fox really does a wonderful job. Check out Was Lincoln Ugly? or When Grieving Went Global for examples of his work. Riveting stuff from my perspective.

Enjoy!

Tech Tuesday: Navy Goes High Tech

In the 1950s my mother, Carolyn Sawyer, worked for the Department of the Navy in Washington, DC. This publicity photo is the only picture I have of her career days since she stopped working (yeah, right) once I was born. She and her coworkers are gazing in admiration at their office's new technological wonder - a microfiche reader.

To the left of the reader, tucked in front of Mother, is a reel of microfilm on what appears to be a rewinder. I suspect I've spent far more time with this equipment than she did. 

Department of the Navy publicity shot, undated. Digital Image. Privately held by Nolichucky Roots [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], 1999.

Amanuensis Monday: A Civil War Record

Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch for providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.

This is another transcription of a document from the papers of Maria Lee Palmer Smith (1844-1931), my husband's great-grandmother. It is a handwritten account of her brother's Civil War Service. She labeled it "Account of my brother's service in Confederate Army." The note is written on letterhead from the Virginia Club, Norfolk (VA). It is undated. Punctuation, format and spelling are retained from the original, though line breaks have been altered.

Left College, last of June - 1864 and temporarlly joined Genl Bradley T. Johnson's command, in Genl Earlys Army. Went on towards Washington, D.C. with Cavalry (1st Md Reg. I think) after the fight at Mon___y Junction. In a fight near Rockville had my horse shot through the mouth. We then crossed the Potomac and I left the Maryland Reg. and went home. In fall of 1864, joined Co. D. 9th Va Reg. and took part in all engagements until the surrender in Apr. 1865. My horse gave out and I walked home from Appomattox.

Notes:
John Armstead Palmer, Maria Lee's younger brother, was born at Clifton near Kilmarnock (VA) 21 Jan 1846 and died there on 7 Dec 1929.  He was a student at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland when he left to fight. He received a Confederate Disability Pension payment of $35 in 1924 and is listed on a Company D roster of the 9th Virginia Cavalry compiled by Robert Krick. Both the Roster and Pension payment indicate that no official documents recorded Palmer's service, but sworn statements from fellow soldiers and United Daughters of the Confederacy rosters supported his service.

General Johnson's 1st Maryland fought at Monocacy Junction in June, 1864. They fought at Rockville on 13 July 1864 and crossed the Potomac the next day.  The 9th Virginia Cavalry fought in and around Petersburg (VA) during the fall of 1864 and spring of 1865.  They fought at Dinwiddie Courthouse on 31 March 1865 and surrendered at Appomattox on 9 April 1865.

Genea-Resolutions for 2011

Jasia put the topic for January's 101st edition of the Carnival of Genealogy up for a vote and planning won. I am the world's worst at keeping New Year's resolutions, but I am highly motivated to continue the projects begun in 2010.

Postcard from 1908, via Wikimedia Commons

2010 was my year to begin organizing and sharing my genealogical research. I made some progress - this blog, a good start on a family history web site which WILL be online in 2011, and another failed attempt to organize the generations of papers I've inherited. Those papers are threatening to take over the entire house so tackling them is top of the list for my 2011 genea-resolutions.

Organizing Research goals -

• Design archives storage/filing system and IMPLEMENT! The first step must be to corral all the papers into one room. 
• Process at least one box per month of family papers. Remember, not everything must be kept. This will become my mantra. 
• Finish designing and publish the genealogy website (R O O T S T O C K). 
• Continue to update pedigree database with biographical sketches and blog post information. Review and standardize source listings. Do NOT attach any multimedia files.

Blog goals -

• One biographical sketch a month - starting with the grandparents.
• One brickwall post a month outlining the issue or research status, beginning with the Hamptons.
• Continue posting photographs and document transcriptions from the family "archives" (aka the boxes that ate my house).
• Blog reading and commenting - limit to 30 minutes each morning.  You may finish in the evening. No peeking in between! Much as I love reading what everyone else is writing it has eaten into my day. 

Research goals -

• Just say no! No more research until the website is up and running, until the streamlined pedigree database is complete, until the "archives" are organized. 
• Except... there are the road trips! Do organize research plans for the Family History Expo in July (Kansas City), the FGS conference in September (Springfield, IL), the Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International conference in October (St. Louis, MO - not really a road trip) and ...
• The spring tour of Maryland, Virginia and D. C.  Plan research days at the Library of Virginia, The Mary Ball Washington Historical Society, the Maryland Historical Society and the National Archives. Research Catholic archives, especially in Baltimore, to see which might have additional records for Merediths, Palmers and Yerbys. 
• Examine and digitize the Maria Palmer Smith papers. Develop storage plan for papers. 

Whew! It's a lot to do, but there are some carrots in with the sticks - not the least of which is reclaiming our home.

Happy 2011 to Geneabloggers near and far!

Submitted to the 101st edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.

Advent Calendar: Holy Night Supper

Christmas Eve for my Rusyn ancestors was celebrated on January 6th. While I celebrated many Easters with my father's family, I was never able to celebrate Christmas with them. School holidays were over and my parents were wary of a hurried drive to upstate New York in January.

In 1979 my aunt gave me a cookbook prepared by the wives of priests in the Scranton Deanery of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Diocese (how's that for a mouthful?). It describes the traditional Holy Night supper served on Christmas Eve. It is the last meal of the forty day Advent fast and is prepared without meat or dairy products. Twelve dishes are served (representing the twelve Apostles) including bread and wine which represent the Last Supper. A candle, representing the Star of Bethlehem, lights the table which is covered with a white cloth representing the Virgin Mary. Garlic, honey and salt are placed on the table. After dinner special Christmas prayers are said, carols sung and the family goes to Church.

A sample menu: 

Wine and Bread

Split Green Peas with Záprašhka

Lima Beans with Záprašhka

Mushroom Soup with Záprašhka

Sauerkraut with Záprašhka

Mashed Potatoes

Lenten Píroghi

Fish

Bobaľki

Fruit Compote

Stewed Prunes

Stewed Apricots

Nuts

Tea or Coffee

Píroghi are similar to ravioli only filled with potatoes or prunes. Záprašhka is a brown roux made from flour and oil that thickens the soup or liquids served with the vegetables. Bobaľki, or small dough balls boiled in water, can be sweet or savory. Sweetened, they are served with honey and poppyseeds. Savory bobaľki are tossed with sauteed cabbage and onions.

Over the years I've tried to incorporate some of these foods into our Christmas Eve menus. Each effort has been an abject failure. My very American husband and children could never see bringing in Christmas with mushrooms and cabbage nor, I must admit, have I been impressed with my offerings. The worst was a sauerkraut and pea casserole that even the dog wouldn't eat. Perhaps one year I'll manage an elegant meatless and dairy-free Christmas Eve supper worthy of my roots.

Merry Christmas. Christos Razdajetsja! Slavite Jeho!

Source: Paňis' Cookbook. No place: no publisher, 1977. Printed privately to benefit Camp Nazareth, Mercer, PA.