The Hillbilly Highway

My great-grandparents, Luther Allen Saddler Sr. and Mary Roberta Morris, as well as their son, my paternal grandfather, Luther Allen Saddler Jr., were riders of the so-called "Hillbilly Highway". After World War II, many residents of the Appalachian mountains began migrating north into industrial cities, such as Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Toledo, and others. This is a major reason for the spread of Appalachian culture and heritage across the Midwest, for example. Many of these migrants were formerly employed in the mines, but the decline of the mines in the 1940s caused a need to find work elsewhere. Many of the migrants lived in concentrated enclaves, for example, Uptown, Chicago, known as "Hillbilly Heaven" in the 1960s. 

Appalachia is the poorest and worst-off region of the United States, by far and away. The migrants brought with them this identity, and were stereotyped in their new homes, and made to feel as outsiders. Back in Appalachia, these individuals saw themselves differently from other people in their state, or in other parts of the South. But up north they were lumped together as southern white laborers, and eventually a group consciousness took hold. Migrants from all across Appalachia began to identity with each other and preferred to work alongside other Southerners, rather than Northerners. This seems to explain, to me at least, the interesting fact that everybody from my father's family, no matter who it was, seemed to have their roots in the South. My grandfather was from a little town in West Virginia, my aunt and uncle's dad was from Pemiscot County, Missouri, and my grandmother's 2nd husband was from Abingdon, Virginia. Many of their friends probably had roots in the South. And different people I've known in my life had lots of extended family from down South and in Appalachia. This is the long term ramification of the massive migration known as the Hillbilly Highway. 

My great-grandparents, Luther Saddler Sr. and Mary Morris, definitely moved around a lot. My great-grandfather was born in Princeton, West Virginia, and my great-grandmother in Covesville, Virginia. In the 1940 Census, before the Hillbilly Highway mostly began, they were living in Beaver Pond, Mercer County, West Virginia, along with their son, my grandfather. I don't believe it was a very happy household, but that is lost to time. By 1942 they'd apparently moved to Bastian, Virginia as that is where Luther Saddler Sr. registered for the WWII Draft. However by 1947 we see that they've rode the highway- they are now living in Toledo, Ohio, according to the wedding announcement of their daughter Georgia. In 1951 they are still living in Toledo, according to the obituary of Mary's brother Eugene. Then by 1953 they'd apparently moved to Dayton, Ohio, probably to find different work than Luther Sr. had in Toledo. This was mentioned in the obituary of Mary's mother, Rebecca Hall, of Princeton, West Virginia. However, the couple later divorced, and it is unclear to me how this affected their living arrangements. By 1960, Mary was back in Princeton, West Virginia, according to the obituary of her brother Allen. Ten years later, she died there. Luther Sr., meanwhile, died in Toledo, in 1967. So I suspect that after they divorced, Luther stayed in Ohio for work, while Mary returned home to West Virginia to be with her family- family that I suspect my great-grandmother did not really treat well. 

My paternal grandfather did not, I assume, have a happy childhood. I suspect this because of the general awareness I have of my great-grandparents behavior, as well as the fact that he supposedly left home as a young boy. He was arrested for stealing gin and throwing rocks at trains as well, showing that his life wasn't the greatest. He also rode the highway, but on a different path than his parents. In 1940, my grandfather was living with his young and pregnant wife (my aunt Sylvia, who was born in 1940, is not mentioned in the census with them) in the home of his parents, as well as his younger siblings Julia, 15, and James, 13. My grandfather and great-grandfather seem to have the same occupation listed, but it's hard to understand what's written. Interestingly, my grandfather was one of the people selected in the 1940 Census to provide additional information, and in that section, his usual occupation is listed as a common laborer for a rock quarry. Soon after the Census was taken, in 1943, my grandfather enlisted in the Army and served in World War II. After the war, he apparently returned to West Virginia, where he divorced his wife Helen in Princeton in 1947. In 1948 he remarried in Bland County, Virginia. In 1950, my uncle LIVING was born in Princeton. Sometime between then and 1957, he rode the highway, and made his way to Michigan. I would assume this was around 1955. My grandmother remembers that he drove a school bus and was a mechanic. His obituary states: "he had been employed as a mechanic by the Michigan Public Schools since 1945". Due to the above information, I believe this is a mistake, and they meant 1955. This would be consistent with a private family story about my grandfather and one of his children, which took place in Michigan and had to be around 1953-1954 (due to the sensitive nature of this story I do not feel it is appropriate to post it publicly, and people relevant are still living as well). In 1957, my grandfather was living in Michigan, at 233 W. Michigan Ave. in an unknown city, but possibly Battle Creek (the newspaper that mentioned this was the Battle Creek Enquirer). In 1959, he had a daughter born in Newark, Ohio, and in 1960, a daughter in Centreville, Michigan. In 1964 his fourth daughter with his wife Betty was born in Kalamazoo. My grandmother remembers that when she was dating him, he was working three jobs in Paw Paw and probably living in Kalamazoo, going through his divorce with his wife. In 1966, my father was born in St Joseph, and he died a year later at a veteran's hospital in North Carolina. My paternal grandfather, like his parents, rode the hillbilly highway, up from West Virginia into Michigan sometime in the early 1950s. 

Many people with Appalachian ancestry and family ties seem ashamed of this fact. I have no reason to be. My ancestry has so many facets to it, and my Appalachian heritage is a source of pride, as I come from poor, illiterate miners and laborers in West Virginia, to what I am today. These people were not any less then the New England Puritans, Brussels Catholics, or Dutch Reformed Painters and Tailors on my mother's side. They were Appalachians, poor mountain folk of family and pride, and I am proud of my great-grandparents and my grandfather for riding the hillbilly highway and bringing their culture and values with them, and giving me a chance at life here in Michigan. To family! To Appalachia! 

Remembering those who rode the Hillbilly Highway, commemorated by Steve Earle's song

Allied Families: The Aiuppy/Glorioso family in the 1920 Census

My great-aunt Sandy is married to a man named Anthony Aiuppy, who is of half Sicilian descent. Out of interest in the genealogy of my relatives, I have researched the Aiuppy family and established their Italian origin as Lascari, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily. Anthony is the grandson of Sicilian immigrants on his father's side, Henry Aiuppy and Frances Glorioso. In 1920, this couple was married, and living with the in-laws. Let's take a look at the 1920 Census and see what we can learn about this family, broken down by each family member. The household consists of six individuals, and is residing in Ward 33 of Chicago, Illinois. 

• Vincent Glorioso, Head of Household: This is France's father, so this is Anthony's great-grandfather and Henry Aiuppy's father-in-law. He is listed as being 64 years old, born in Italy, and immigrated in 1886, with parents born in Italy. His native language is Italian and he is unable to speak English. He is an unemployed laborer, renting his home. He is an alien, and is unable to write. 
• Sadie Glorioso, Wife of Vincent: This is the wife of Vincent and father of Frances, so Anthony's great-grandmother and Henry Aiuppy's mother-in-law. She is listed as being 60 years old, born in Italy, and immigrated in 1907, with parents born in Italy. Her native language is Italian and she is unable to speak English. She works as a Finisher for a Tailor Shop. She is an alien, and is unable to write. 
• Henry Aruppy, Son-in-law of Vincent: This is the husband of Frances and Vincent's son-in-law, so Anthony's paternal grandfather. He is listed as being 24 years old, born in Italy, and immigrated in 1912, with parents born in Italy. His native language is Italian, but he is also able to speak English. He is a laborer for a truck company. He is naturalized, and can read and write. 
• Francis Aruppy, Daughter of Vincent: This is the wife of Henry Aiuppy, and Vincent's daughter, so Anthony's paternal grandmother. She is listed as being 19 years old, born in Italy, and immigrated in 1907, with her parents of course being born in Italy. Her native language is Italian, but she is also able to speak English. She does not work. She is naturalized, and can read and write. 
• Stephen Nicolosi, Son-in-law of Vincent: This is the husband of Mary, one of France's sisters, so Henry's brother-in-law and Vincent's son-in-law. He is listed as being 28 years old, born in Italy, and immigrated in 1913, with parents born in Italy. His native language is Italian, but he is also able to speak English. He is a laborer for a can company. He is in the process of naturalization, as he lists that his papers were submitted. He is able to read and write. 
• Mary Nicolosi, Daughter of Vincent: This is the wife of Stephen Nicolosi, and France's younger sister, so Henry Aiuppy's sister-in-law. She is listed as being 18 years old, born in Italy, and immigrated in 1907, with her parents of course being born in Italy. Her native language is Italian, but she is also able to speak English. She does not work. She is an alien, and can read and write. 

So, what observations can we draw from the 1920 Census for this family? First, the household is entirely comprised of Italian immigrants. All six individuals were born in Italy, specifically, on the island of Sicily. Everybody in the family immigrated after the completion of the Risorgimento, or Italian unification, when Italian emigration skyrocketed. Prior to Italian unification, Sicily was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and Vincent would have been born when Sicily was still under that Kingdom. Like most Italian Americans, the Glorioso/Aiuppy/Nicolosi family was comprised of immigrants from the Mezzogiorno, or the more rural, impoverished south of the Italian peninsula, in contrast to the more urban and high cultured north, birthplace of the Renaissance. 

Everybody in the family can speak Italian, and as every member of the household was originally from Italy, it was of course their first language, and as Vincent and Sadie only spoke Italian, it was almost certainly the language of home life. Their daughters and son-in-laws, however, could speak English, which was a necessity for life in their new country. As the family grew and the daughters had children, these children almost certainly were not raised speaking fluent Italian, which was the death of the language in the family. They may have known some basic Italian, but not enough to survive back in Sicily. This is common in immigrant families, the language does not survive past a few generations. Even in my own family, this is evident. The Dutch language died out with the grandchildren of the original immigrants in my family. As the children all could speak English, they probably would translate for Vincent and Sadie if necessary. 

The employment situation for the family seems consistent with an extended Italian American immigrant family in that time. Vincent, the elderly head of household, does not work, but Sadie, his elderly wife, works in a Tailor Shop as a Finisher. As her job was related to clothing, this was probably a side job she took on. I wonder if she made clothes for the family. The two daughters of the household do not work, and likely didn't go to school either, so I wonder what they did all day, besides probably helping their mother around the house when she was home, and possibly taking care of their elderly father when their mom was at work. Meanwhile, Vincent's son-in-laws were both laborers, Henry Aiuppy for a truck company and Stephen Nicolosi for a can company. Both were young Italian immigrant men, likely with very little education, and manual labor jobs were the normal source of employment. Their listed occupations make me wonder if Henry drove trucks, or if Stephen collected or made cans, for example. 

One confusing thing about this family are the years of immigration, specifically within the Glorioso family. According to the Census, Vincent immigrated in 1886, while Sadie and the girls came in 1907. The two sons-in-law, Henry Aiuppy and Stephen Nicolosi, immigrated after the Glorioso family, in 1912 and 1913 respectively. I wonder why Vincent's immigration year is wildly different from Sadie and his daughters. Some possible reasons come to mind. Maybe he just lied on the Census. Maybe he came first, and later sent for his wife and daughters. This suggestion, however, is less likely because his daughters were conceived after 1886, and I don't know how a poor Italian immigrant like Vincent would've been able to afford several round trips to Sicily and back. Maybe he immigrated once in 1886, but then returned to Sicily and came back in 1907. Who knows for sure- the truth may never be known. As a side note, every individual in this family came to America during the major wave of Italian immigration to Chicago: "Most Chicago Italians, however, trace their ancestry to the wave of unskilled southern immigrants who came to the United States between 1880 and 1914". 

In researching this Census record, I've begun to take a strong interest in this family. I wonder how much Italian and Sicilian culture played a role in the extended Glorioso family. Chicago had a vibrant Italian immigrant community, and was the city of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, the famous Italian American Catholic Saint. I wonder if the family frequented Italian groceries, or followed events in Italy, for example. The true life of the family is unknown now, but the descendants of this family have a proud origin! 

For anyone further interested in exploring the Italian American community in Chicago, this link to the article "Chicago's Italians: Immigrants, Ethnics, Achievers, 1850-1985" may be of some interest: https://www.lib.niu.edu/1999/iht629936.html   

Some Genealogy Links

Here are some helpful links from my Genealogical research, both on my Royal and Common ancestors, as well as on the field of Genealogy itself. 

SOURCES FOR MY RESEARCH 

• https://www.wiewaswie.nl/   WieWasWie 
• https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/   Dutch Genealogy (Yvette Hoitink) 
• http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/   Some Notes on Medieval English Genealogy
• http://aalt.law.uh.edu/   Anglo American Legal Tradition: Documents from Medieval and Early Modern England
• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/   Medieval Lands
• https://genealogics.org/index.php   Leo's Genealogics 
• http://fmg.ac/   Foundation for Medieval Genealogy      
• https://ancientdescents.com/   Don Stone's Ancient Descents Project   

MY ANCESTORS 

• http://www.living-in-the-past.com/lordsoftowcester.html   The Lords of Towcester  
• https://jtbullock.com/Tree/LydiaGilbert.html   Lydia Gilbert's Ancestors 
• http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/10/rev-robert-bracewells-ancestry-by.html   Rev. Robert Bracewell's Ancestry by Eunice Young
• https://www.cga.ct.gov/hco/books/James_Rogers_and_Descendants.pdf   James Rogers of New London, CT., and His Descendants 
• https://archive.org/details/descendantsofand00warn   The descendants of Andrew Warner 
• https://archive.org/details/historyofbrigham01brig/mode/2up   The history of the Brigham family; a record of several thousand descendants of Thomas Brigham the emigrant, 1603-1653
• https://archive.org/details/ancestryofjohnba00whit/page/16/mode/2up   Ancestry of John Barber White and his descendants
• https://archive.org/details/richardbowen159401saxb   Richard Bowen (1594?-1675), of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and his descendants 
• https://fasg.org/projects/henryproject/   The Henry Project 
• http://brigittegastelancestry.com/royal/llywelynanc.htm   The Ancestors of Llywelyn ap Iorweth 
• https://johnblythedobson.org/genealogy/ff/FitzAlan/FitzAlan-AT.cfm   The Ancestors of Elizabeth FitzAlan (and her sister Joan) 
• https://archive.org/details/medievalenglisha00boye_0   Medieval English ancestors of certain Americans  
• http://www.lamartin.com/genealogy/wyatt_arms.htm   Wyatt Coat of Arms 
• http://edwardthesecond.blogspot.com/   Edward II (Kathryn Warner) 

ARTICLES/ORGANIZATIONS 

• https://web.archive.org/web/20170815063121/https://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/reading/pershist/historymerck05.html   Family History: Merck does the assignment 
• https://www.trace.com/genealogists/2017/10/basics-southern-genealogy/   The Basics of Southern Genealogy 
• https://www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/southernancestors   5 Tips For Finding Your Southern Ancestors in Your Genealogy 
• https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/occupations/   Occupations (Dutch Genealogy)
• https://bentheimheritage.com/   Bentheimers International Society 
• https://www.archives.com/experts/hollick-martin/medieval-genealogy-for-the-medievally-challenged-like-me.html   Medieval Genealogy for the Medievally-Challenged 
• https://blog.myheritage.com/2017/05/finding-your-medieval-roots-five-simple-tips/   Finding Your Medieval Roots: Five Simple Tips
• https://nltaylor.net/sketchbook/archives/11   Gateway Ancestors  
• http://sandwalk.blogspot.com/2009/10/are-you-descedant-of-charlemagne.html   Sandwalk: Are you a descendant of Charlemagne? 
• http://www.themosttraveled.com/mteverest.html   Climbing the Mt. Everest(s) of Genealogy 

LINEAGE SOCIETIES

• http://www.foundersofhartford.org/   Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford
• http://www.edmund-rice.org/   Edmund Rice (1638) Association   
• http://stantonsociety.org/   Thomas Stanton Society 
• http://www.aventfamily.org/index.html   The Avent family Association 
• https://www.normanconquest1066.org/   The Order of the Norman Conquest 
• https://www.magnacharta.com/   The Baronial Order of Magna Charta

OTHER GENEALOGIST'S WORK 

• https://mhollick.typepad.com/   The Slovak Yankee 
• http://todmar.net/ancestry/   Tod's Slice of the Web: Genealogy 
• http://www.robertsewell.ca/   Robert Sewell's Genealogy Site 
• https://klausjames.tripod.com/nickme1.html   NJB Ancestors 
• http://dgmweb.net/GenealogyHome.html   Diana, Goddess of the Hunt — for Ancestors!
• http://dianne-enger.blogspot.com/2011/10/genealogy-is-obsession.html   Genealogy is an Obsession 
• http://blog.transylvaniandutch.com/   TransylvanianDutch: Genealogy and Family History
• https://larasgenealogy.blogspot.com/   Lara's Jewnealogy 
• https://www.geneamusings.com/   Genea-Musings 
• https://www.johngrenham.com/blog/   John Grenham- Irish Roots 
• https://briancolumbus.us/   A Genealogical Journey 
• https://yvonnesgenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2019/   Yvonne's Genealogy Blog
• https://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/   Jana's Genealogy and Family History Blog
• https://stephendanko.com/blog/   Steve's Genealogy Blog 
• http://www.genealogue.com/   The Genealogue 
• http://www.seltzerbooks.com/gen/ancestorsurfing.html   Ancestor Surfing (One of the first webpages I viewed after discovering a Royal lineage, albeit a fabricated one) 
• https://dna-explained.com/2015/06/25/the-kings-and-i/   The Kings and I  
• http://www.nltaylor.net/things/Bush_cr_list.htm   Crusader Ancestors of George W Bush 
• https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~wgg/Genealogy/Conqueror.pdf   Descents from the Conqueror and his Companions to Ralph Griswold and Madge Turner 
• http://erwan.gil.free.fr/modules/freepages/pharaons/ramses_II.pdf   A 4000–Year Old Descent from Antiquity: From the 12th Egyptian Dynasty to the Capetians and Beyond 
• http://www.jesusevidence.org/gen.html   British Royal Family Genealogy to Adam and Eve 
• https://web.archive.org/web/20170907180047/http://herebedragons.weebly.com:80/   Here be Dragons: Ancestral Memories 

CULTURE 

• https://www.readingeagle.com/2017/09/22/a-look-back-in-history-pennsylvania-dutch-heritage-finally-recorded-in-school-textbooks/   A Look Back in History: Pennsylvania Dutch heritage finally recorded in school textbooks 

MISCALLENEOUS 

• https://www.christinesleeter.org/genealogy-and-anti-racism   Genealogy and Anti-Racism: A Resource for White People 
• https://docs.google.com/document/d/16TtyJTFPsPi7HWJkc4orLrC9SdpXOdGle0mfxZIvWvI/edit   Genealogy and Anti-Racism: A Resource for White People (published with above) 
• http://habitant.org/tools/etiquette.htm   The Etiquette of Having Noble and Royal Ancestors
• http://www.city-data.com/forum/genealogy/2053231-how-can-so-many-people-claim.html   How can so many people claim to be of royal descent?
• http://buwt.blogspot.com/   Barking Up the Wrong Tree 
• https://ancestralcharts.com/   Ky White's Ancestral Charts 
• https://www.theroyalgenealogist.com/   The Royal Genealogist  

That nirvana of genealogical research, demonstrated descent from a royal family- Steve Olson

Document Decoding: Phyllis Jean Ver Hoef's Church Transfer

In a previous post, I discussed how in the Protestant world, Church and even denominational transfers were not unusual. Here is another example, this time for my maternal grandmother, Phyllis Jean Ver Hoef (granddaughter of Fred Wise and Jeanette Harkema, the couple mentioned in my previous post). 

My maternal grandparents, Alvin John TerVree Jr. and Phyllis Jean Ver Hoef, married on March 19, 1965, at First United Methodist Church in Holland. This was Phyllis's childhood church, and as it was the custom to marry in the wife's church, my grandparents married there. However they began attending First Reformed Church, my grandfather's church, after their marriage, as it was closer to home. Once they moved to the north side, they joined Fellowship Reformed Church, where my mother was baptized and my grandfather still attends. 

What is the meaning of all this? It means my maternal grandmother, Phyllis Jean Ver Hoef, grew up Methodist. She married my grandfather, Alvin John TerVree Jr., who was of the Reformed Church in America, in the Methodist Church, due to custom, and then upon marriage she joined the RCA herself. Again, church transfers happen all the time in the Protestant world. 

Obituary Observations: Ethel Clemons of Haywood, Tennessee; Winter Haven, Florida; and South Haven, Michigan (1923-2011)

My great-grandmother, Ethel Clemons, was the only great-grandparent that I met on my father's side, and is one of the best remembered ancestors I have. My paternal grandmother (Ethel's daughter) was very close to her, and the rest of her family seems to have been as well. While I do not remember Ethel all that well, I definitely had a great many interactions with her. While her obituary was quite short, it does a very good job at summarizing her life. 

Transcription: 

Ethel Betz, 87, of South Haven. God called his sweetest angel home on Friday, August 4th at the South Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Community.

She was born September 26, 1923 in Brownsville, Texas to Frank and Cordie (Humpreys) Clemons. She lived most of her life in the South Haven area. Ethel worked many years at the former Bangor Electric. She was a devoted homemaker and mother. Ethel loved to travel and play board games with family and friends. Her greatest treasure was her family. Our miss Ethel was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and one brother.

She is survived by two daughters – Linda Casey of South Haven, Michigan and Sandy (Tony) Auippy of Florida. Four grandchildren – Brian (Amy) Winn of Holland, Greg Biggs of South Haven, Michigan, Angel (Brian) Dicken of Zeeland, Michigan and Chris Aiuppy of Houston, Texas. Five great-grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Two sisters – Peggy Moon and Pat Dingler both of Texas.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Kindly share your thoughts and memories on the family’s online guest book at www.FilbrandtFFH.com.

The family is being helped by the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home of South Haven 637-0333.

Here are some of my observations: 

• Ethel is listed with her final married name, Betz. She was divorced from my great-grandfather, John Washington Winn Jr., sometime around 1967, due to his infidelity. She eventually remarried to Edward Betz, who had served in the Navy. Although my paternal grandmother remembers him quite well, I have never seen a picture of him and know nothing else about him besides that he served in the Navy. 
• The place of death is listed, the South Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in South Haven, Van Buren County, Michigan. 
• While the 26th of September is listed as her date of birth, and that is the day she celebrated it as, she was actually born on the 21st of September. The reason for the discrepancy? The family didn't file her birth until the 26th. Due to being born in very rural Tennessee, the Clemons family probably lived very far from the appropriate place to register her birth. Still, I find it odd that she celebrated her birthday as the 26th. 
• The obituary includes a very glaring error- she was actually born in Tennessee, not Texas. If she had been born in Brownsville, Texas, I would have wondered if Ethel was partially Tejano. In fact, when I first began researching my ancestry and found this obituary, that was my suspicion, until a quick conversation with my grandmother dispelled that idea. 
• Her parents are named, Frank and Cordie (Humphreys) Clemons. Ethel was always closer to her mother, Cordie, who lived longer then her father, Frank, an orphan who I know very little about. Frank is the only one of my seize quartiers whose parentage is unknown, meaning Ethel is my only great-grandparent, who I do not know all 4 grandparents of. 
• It is stated that she lived most of her life in the South Haven area. Ethel moved to Michigan with her husband John sometime in the early 1950s, when she was probably around 30, and she lived in the area until her death in 2011, so this makes sense. 
• Her place of work is mentioned, Bangor Electric. I know very little about this place, and she retired before I was born. It likely was an electric company in Bangor (a city where the family lived), although I can't be sure. I know that before this, when she lived in Florida, she had worked at a drugstore, and met some celebrity, but I don't know much else. 
• Ethel is described as a "devoted homemaker and mother". All of her living family describes her as such, and my mother tells me how friendly she was, so this sounds accurate. 
• Maybe my paternal grandmother's infamous love of travel comes from Ethel! My grandmother has been all over the United States, and it would make sense that Ethel loved travelling too. My mother recalls that Ethel and my grandmother went to places like Branson, Missouri and Elvis's home. Her love of Elvis is the main thing I remember about her. When my grandmother was having a garage sale at her old house, I bought one of her old Elvis pillowcases and was told this fact. Apparently she had a ton of Elvis stuff. 
• I did not know that Ethel loved board games, but it seems to match her personality. 
• The two sisters and brothers mentioned are Bonnie Mildred, Josephine, and Harold. The obituary doesn't mention Ethel's brother Frank Clemons Jr., who died at eight days old in 1927. He probably wasn't spoken of much. 
• All the surviving relatives have residences listed, which is important for genealogical research and unraveling familial connections. 
• The two living siblings, Peggy and Pat, have been reduced to one, since Pat died in 2014. Peggy is still alive, but very elderly. They both moved to Texas later in life, and many of my great-grandmother's relatives down there are currently Jehovah's Witnesses. 

Obituaries like this are short and simple, but pack a lot of genealogical information. 

"If you aren't Dutch..." well, neither am I

One of my favorite blogs is the very simply named "Dutch Genealogy". My mother's family is of mostly Dutch American descent, so a lot of my research outside of the United States is based on ancestors from the Netherlands. And in doing research on my Dutch ancestry, I have learned a lot of interesting facts about the history, culture, and society of the old country. For example, that a majority of Dutch citizens today, even among the ethnic Dutch, have ancestors who immigrated to the Netherlands from other parts of Europe or from across the world (such as the former Dutch Colonies of Indonesia, Suriname, etc.). I have known this fact for a long time, but it has begun to sink in more recently as I have proven four different lines, where my Dutch immigrant ancestors, themselves descended from immigrants to the Netherlands from other parts of Europe. And besides my four proven lines, there are also rumors on a few others. 

Lineage 1: Brussels, Belgium to Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands: My 4th great grandfather, Jan François Joseph Fredrik Goossen, was a Dutch Reformed Schilder (House Painter) who immigrated to Chicago, Illinois in 1854 from Goes, a city on Zuid-Beveland in the southwestern Province of Zeeland. While Jan's father, François Goossen, was from a well-established family of Zeeland Protestants, Jan's mother, Maria Louisa Everard, was a Roman Catholic. Maria was an immigrant to Goes from the heavily Catholic Belgian Capital of Brussels. This is proven by the 1812 Census of Goes (Maria Louisa Everard, geboren op 12 november 1798 te Brussel, gehuwd, Rooms-Katholiek) and her death record, which lists her place of birth as Brussels. Her extant baptism record shows that she was baptized on November 12, 1790 at the Brussels Catholic Church known as Saint Géry/Sint-Gorik, which was destroyed during the French Revolution only a few years later. The Catholic Parish Records in Brussels, which are written in Latin, allow Maria's ancestry to be traced back a few generations in Brussels, and possibly several more generations in Merchtem and Buggenhout, two other Flemish cities. I think it is very interesting that Maria, a Roman Catholic, immigrated to Goes and married into a Dutch Reformed family. According to the famed historian Robert P. Swierenga: "The most important characteristic of Old Zeeland was its religious conservatism. Protestants there had the reputation for being arch conservatives and traditionalists. They were echte Calvinisten, genuine Calvinists and staunch defenders of the old creeds. Zeeland was the heart of the "Bible-belt" in the Netherlands that stretched inland "between the Rivers" to Gelderland". Sure, it is possible that Maria had converted to the Dutch Reformed Church, but her 1812 Census record implies she kept the Catholic Faith. Her mother was still alive in Brussels, so her reason for immigrating is unknown. If she remained a Roman Catholic, I wonder how her husband François was looked upon for marrying a Catholic. Presumably, this wasn't a very popular thing in devoutly Calvinist circles. These questions will remain, but the fact is, this Zeeland family had an immigrant ancestor from Belgium. 

Lineage 2: Echzell, Hesse, Germany to Elburg, Gelderland, Netherlands: My 5th great grandfather, Willem Stephan, was a blacksmith who immigrated to Holland, Michigan in 1873 from Harderwijk, a city in the Veluwe in the Province of Gelderland (interestingly, Harderwijk is at almost the exact geographic centre of the Netherlands). Willem's paternal grandfather was Johan Phillip Stephan, a sailor and immigrant to Elburg, a city in Gelderland, from Echzell, a municipality in the modern-day State of Hesse, Germany. This is proven by his marriage and death records, which list his place of birth as Bingenheim (an ortsteil of Echzell). The 1812 Census of Elburg provides his date of birth, which, along with his death record, which lists his parents, allows us to find his origin in Germany, and trace back his ancestry for a few generations. Supposedly, he was a Prussian Sailor who deserted and moved to Elburg. One online tree references the 1787 Prussian military campaign in the Netherlands to restore the Stadtholderate of the House of Orange to power, during the political discontent of the Patriottentijd. Maybe he was involved in this campaign, and ended up settling permanently in the Netherlands. While I cannot verify this story, the fact is, the Stephan family of Gelderland had an immigrant ancestor from Germany, or at that time, the Holy Roman Empire. 

Lineage 3: Burgsteinfurt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany to Ulrum, Groningen, Netherlands: My 5th great-grandfather, Jan Derks Harkema, was a Dutch Seceded tailor who immigrated to Holland, Michigan in 1847 with the second group of Van Raalte settlers. His maternal grandfather, Jan Wilmers, was originally from Burgsteinfurt, which is located in the modern-day State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. In 1771, he married Grietje Kijfs in Ulrum, Groningen, Netherlands, where they had at least six children. The couple's marriage registration on October 12, 1771 states: "Jan Wilmers van Burgsteinfurt in het Graafschap Bentheim Ps". This translates to "Jan Wilmers from Burgsteinfurt in the County Bentheim", with Ps probably being a reference to Prussia. This is a confusing reference, because the County of Bentheim is located in the modern-day State of Lower Saxony and the region of Westphalia didn't become a part of Prussia until the 1800s. By the time of his marriage, he had become a resident of Ulrum. Regardless of where exactly the city of Burgsteinfurt was located politically, the fact is, the Harkema family of Ulrum had an immigrant ancestor from Germany, or at that time, the Holy Roman Empire. 

Lineage 4: Emmerich am Rhein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany to 's-Heerenberg, Gelderland, Netherlands: My 5th great grandfather, Willem Stephan, who I mentioned earlier, apparently had another German immigrant ancestor. My 9th great-grandfather, Hermannes Zwep, was originally from Emmerich am Rhein, a city located in the District of Kleve in the modern-day German State of North Rhine-Westphalia. In February 1749, he married Wilhelmina Brand in 's-Heerenberg, Gelderland, Netherlands, apparently after a period of catechism. This makes me presume that Zwep was originally a Lutheran, but because they married in the Dutch Reformed Church, was converting from Lutheranism to the NHK. By the time of his marriage, he had already become a resident of 's-Heerenberg. Regardless of the circumstances of their marriage, the fact is, the Stephan family of Gelderland had two immigrant ancestors from Germany, or at that time, the Holy Roman Empire. 

Possible Lineage 1: France to Zuid-Holland, Netherlands: My 3rd great grandfather, Pieter Huyser Sr., was a Dutch Seceder who immigrated to Zeeland, Michigan in 1847 from Zoetermeer, then a small village in the Province of Zuid-Holland. According to a sketch of his life written by his son, Peter: "His father, Quirinus Huyser, was of that sturdy Dutch stock that had dwelt on the island called Ysselmonde at the mouth of the Yssel River, and whose ancestors, according to tradition, were French Huguenots who, to escape persecution, had sought safety in Holland." This is not proven, but it's also quite possible. During the religious persecutions in Ancien Régime France, many Huguenots fled to the Netherlands, among other countries. From Wikipedia: "Some Huguenots fought in the Low Countries alongside the Dutch against Spain during the first years of the Dutch Revolt (1568–1609). The Dutch Republic rapidly became a destination for Huguenot exiles...Consequently, many Huguenots considered the wealthy and Calvinist-controlled Dutch Republic, which also happened to lead the opposition to Louis XIV, as the most attractive country for exile after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They also found many French-speaking Calvinist churches there (which were called the "Walloon churches"). After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, the Dutch Republic received the largest group of Huguenot refugees, an estimated total of 75,000 to 100,000 people." It is possible that the Huyser family of Zuid-Holland had Huguenot ancestors, and although records proving this aren't extant, it seems to me to be fairly probable. Pieter Huyser Sr. likely told his children this, as it was probably a family tradition at that time. 

Possible Lineage 2: Germany to Overijssel, Netherlands: My 4th great grandmother, Maria Horning, was born in Zwolle, Overijssel on June 4, 1798, during the French occupation. According to a biography of the van Lente family, which she married into, she was supposedly of the German nobility, although I have not found any proof of this, and personally doubt this. Similarly, another ancestor of the van Lente family, my 5th great grandmother Johanna Sophia Katmans, is claimed to be from Germany. Supposedly, she grew up as a servant girl in a castle called Berg in Moringen. This is possibly Moringen, Lower Saxony, although I do not know of any castle called Berg in the city. Similarly, I doubt this story, as I have seen no evidence for this. 

These are my five proven and probable lines where my Dutch immigrant ancestors themselves descended from immigrants to the Netherlands, as well as one doubtful line. This serves to demonstrate that immigration within Europe did occur back in the old days. Migration within the Netherlands was quite common as well. For example, my Strik ancestors in the Province of Drenthe had ancestors from the Provinces of Overijissel and Noord-Holland, and my Vinkers ancestors in Groningen had ancestors from the Province of Friesland. 

Additional Sources: 

• https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/quick-tip-98-of-dutch-people-have-immigrant-ancestors/  Quick tip – 98% of Dutch People have Immigrant Ancestors
• https://www.cairn.info/journal-annales-de-demographie-historique-2009-2-page-193.htm   Migration to the Netherlands in the first half of the nineteenth century: an assessment using the Utrecht censuses of 1829 and 1839
• https://www.swierenga.com/Zeeland_lec.html   From Zeeland to Zeeland in 1847 

Divorces in my Ancestry

Divorce is a tragic thing whenever it happens. Sadly, many people also believe that divorce is mostly a modern thing. Not true! I have found many divorces in my ancestry, several in the 1900s, among pious religious folk! Here is a list of the divorces I've found in my family tree:

• Brian Keith Winn, my father: Divorced his first wife, LIVING (possibly) on May 10, 1985.
• Luther Allen Saddler Jr., paternal grandfather: Divorced his first wife, Helen May Saunders, on December 17, 1947 in Princeton, West Virginia. He also divorced his third wife, Betty Irene VanDeCreek, around 1965. 
• (LIVING), paternal grandmother: Divorced her first husband, Gary Wayne Biggs, around 1974.
• Luther Allen Saddler Sr. and Mary Roberta Morris, great-grandparents: Date of divorce is not known. In fact it is only known that they divorced, nothing more. 
• John Washington Winn Jr. and Ethel Clemons, great-grandparents: Divorced around 1967 in Michigan due to my great-grandfather's infidelity. 
• Ethel Clemons, great-grandmother: Divorced all three of her other husbands besides my great-grandfather. Her first marriage, when she was a teenager, was annulled due to her age. Then she divorced her second husband, Prentice Franklin Reeves, in 1946 in Polk County, Florida, so she could remarry to my great-grandfather. And third, she divorced her final husband, Edward Eugene Betz. 
• John Washington Winn Sr. and Lula Lavene Benton, great-great grandparents: Divorced in 1939 in Polk County, Florida. Several details make this divorce pretty interesting to me. Firstly, their divorce suit was filed in Polk County on June 13, in Circuit Court. On that same day, Lula filed an SS-5 stating that she was living in Ormond Beach, Florida, which is in Volusia County. Probably the couple had separated and then filed for divorce. Less then two weeks after they filed for divorce, John remarried to Lillian Hart in Flagler County, Florida on June 26. I don't know when the divorce was granted, or how long they had to wait for John and Lillian to marry, but all of this information adds more questions then it answers. They may have divorced due to Lula's supposed mental issues. It seems after the divorce she went to live with her brother Norton in Cayce, South Carolina. Another fact: according to memories of my great-aunt, my great-grandfather John Washington Winn Jr. just came home one day and his mother was gone. The circumstances and details of this divorce lead me to wonder what exactly was going on in the family at this time. 
• Jan Peter Huyser, great-great grandfather: Apparently divorced two of his wives; firstly, on September 29, 1922, Jacoba de Kok, who was the widow of Isaac Cappon, the first Mayor of Holland, Michigan; and secondly, from his wife Carolyn, on August 29, 1928, in Ottawa County. The first divorce probably indirectly led to my great-grandparents meeting, because the church that JPH was attending, Third Reformed Church of Holland, asked him not to receive communion because of the divorce, so he began attending First Reformed Church of Holland, where my great-grandparents met. The divorce from Jacoba was granted to him because of desertion, while the divorce from Carolyn was granted to him, the libellant, due to "extreme and repeated cruelty". In both cases, JPH filed for the divorce. 
• Fred Edwin Wise Sr., great-great grandfather: Divorced his first wife, Mae Eva Little, on February 7, 1911 in Michigan. The divorce was filed by Fred, due to desertion. 
• William Reiner Harkema and Jennie Grote, 3rd great grandparents: Divorced on February 8, 1912. The divorce was filed by William, due to Jennie's "extreme and repeated cruelty". This seems very uncharacteristic of the woman that my beloved grandma visited as a young girl, and deepens my fascination with my grandmother's family. 
• William Reiner Harkema, 3rd great grandfather: Divorced his second wife, Vernelia Elma Tuttle, on August 3, 1942 in Kent County, Michigan. According to the record, this divorce was granted to the wife due to desertion. From a victim of cruelty, to deserting his second wife. William Reiner Harkema was such a fascinating person, although I have no photos of him.

This list is obviously not exhaustive. It doesn't include, for example, the many separations and annulments that occurred in my medieval royal and noble ancestry. For example, Eleanor of Aquitaine's annulment from King Louis VII of France (I descend from both of Eleanor's marriages) and Earl Richard de Arundel's divorce from Isabel le Despenser (I descend from both of his marriages). 

Document Decoding: Fred Wise and Jeanette Harkema's Church Transfer

In the Protestant world, church transfers are nothing unusual. It was a custom, at least to my maternal grandfather's generation, to marry in the wife's church. That's why my grandparents married in the Methodist Church, despite my grandfather being RCA. When Protestant families moved, they often had to switch congregations. In or around 1923, my great-great grandparents Fred Edwin Wise Sr. and Jeanette Gertrude Harkema moved from Ionia, Michigan to Holland, Michigan. Ionia County is two counties east of Ottawa County (where Holland is), so it made sense for the Wise's to switch congregations. However, when they moved, they also switched denominations!

According to this document, which was found in "U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995", Mr. and Mrs. Fred E. Wise were members in full communion of the First Presbyterian Church in Ionia. They had probably been members for a few years, as the family was living in Ionia in the 1920 Census. The record goes on to state that at their own request, they are dismissed from the congregation and recommended to the "Christian care and fellowship" of the First Reformed Church of Holland. This order was given at Ionia on March 25, 1923. Once the family had moved to Holland, they began attending First Reformed, an RCA congregation where my family has deep roots. This was probably up to at least the time of Fred's death four years later, because when she died in 1951, Jeanette was attending Prospect Park Christian Reformed Church- yet another Protestant denomination!

Obituary Observations: Jeanette Gertrude Harkema of Holland, Michigan (1895-1951)

While going through one of my grandfather's genealogy binders the other day, I came across the obituary of my great-great grandmother, Jeanette Gertrude Harkema (1895-1951). I do not believe I've ever read this obituary, as it wasn't transcribed on my family tree. Jeanette seems to have led an interesting life:

Mrs. Jeanette G. Wise, 55, of 101 East 25th St., died Saturday in Holland hospital where she was admitted Wednesday. She had been ill two years. 

She was born in Holland and educated in local public schools. She was a member of Prospect Park Christian Reformed church, a Gold Star mother and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. 

Her husband, Fred E. Wise, to whom she was married Feb. 14, 1912, was electrocuted in a power accident in 1927. A son, Robert Wayne, was killed by lightning while camping at Holland State park in the summer of 1942. Another son, Lt. John H. Wise, was killed in a plane crash while serving with the U. S. Air Corps in 1943. 

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Tim Smith and Mrs. Marvin J. Ver Hoef; three sons, Harold J., Fred E., Jr., and Kenneth P., all of Holland; 25 grandchildren and two great grandchildren; her father, William R. Harkema; her mother, Mrs. Jennie G. Atman; two stepsisters, Mrs. Henry Dorn of Holland and Mrs. Helen Belyea of Los Angeles, Calif. 

Here are some of my observations:

• The address of her residence is recorded, 101 East 25th Street. This part of town seems to be over by Holland Hospital, but I am not entirely sure. Photos of the house come up on Google Maps, but I don't know if the house looked the same when Jeanette lived there. 
• I wonder what kind of illness Jeanette had, and what her cause of death was? Her death certificate is something I should look into finding, to uncover what kind of illness it was. I wonder what it was like living with it for two whole years. 
• If she was born in 1895, she likely graduated high school around 1913. I wonder if she attended Holland High School? And if so, if any yearbooks might exist which would include a photograph of her? This is something to look into next time I visit the Herrick Library.
• Jeanette is now my 5th CRC ancestor I've discovered in less than two weeks, after previously being unaware of any CRC heritage. I don't know if she was Christian Reformed when my great-grandmother Gertrude was growing up, but at least by the time she died she was Christian Reformed. This congregation, Prospect Park, doesn't seem to exist anymore. 
• The fact that Jeanette was a Gold Star mother is something very sad, but honorable. Losing a child in the service is heartbreaking and I cannot imagine how much suffering she went through. 
• As a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Jeanette must have been very active in honoring her son's service, and I imagine she was quite patriotic. The ALA seems to be composed of female relatives of veterans, and Jeanette certainly fell into this category. 
• It is interesting to see an obituary include a marriage date. The date is accurate (I have their marriage record), but it's still interesting to be included. 
• Losing a husband after 15 years of marriage in a shock electrical accident must have been extremely difficult for the young family to bear. She definitely lived a tragic life, but must have been a very strong woman to endure all of this. 
• I knew someone in the family was killed by a lightning strike, but I didn't remember who. The obituary confirms it was a brother of my great-grandmother Gertrude, Robert Wayne. 
• Her son, Lieutenant John Harter Wise (named after his grandfather, a Civil War Veteran), is the relative mentioned earlier who died in the service. As the obituary states, he died in a plane crash while serving in the Air Corps. This must have been a very tragic loss for the family and I can only imagine her grief upon being informed.
• Jeanette's parents both outlived her, which is a very interesting fact. I don't know the reason they divorced, but losing a daughter hopefully brought them together at least a little bit for the funeral. 
• I wonder who the stepsister's parents were? 

Reading this obituary, and pondering her life story, increase my admiration for my great-great grandmother. Oh, what a tragic life she endured! But because of it, she was likely an incredibly strong woman. Rest in peace!

My World War II Ancestors

The most recent war that my family fought in, unless you count the bloodless Cold War, was World War II. Both my paternal grandfather and my great-grandfather fought in World War II, and both of their stories deeply impact me today. Their stories: 

• Luther Allen Saddler Jr., paternal grandfather: He enlisted in the US Army on August 31, 1943, at Huntington, West Virginia, and had the service number of 35773482. Not much is known about his service except for little bits and pieces. On October 30, 1943, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reported that Pvt. Luther Saddler had been transferred from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana to the 16th armored division at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas for basic training. During the war, he served in France and Germany. He was part of the 987th Field Artillery Battalion, and was a TEC 5 (Technician 5th Grade, or Tech Corporal). During the war, he had an army buddy named Keith. He must have been close to him, as my father was given the middle name of Keith after him. When he died, he had a military funeral. My paternal grandmother remembers that the funeral was held inside the church, and when they got to the cemetery, the American flag was draped on his casket, taps were played, and they shot cannons. 

• John Washington Winn Jr., great-grandfather: His service is much better known. He enlisted November 5, 1940 and was discharged October 16, 1945. He served in Battery A of the 474th AAA. He fought at D-Day and at the Battle of the Bulge, and possibly participated in the liberation of Mittlebau-Dora Concentration Camp. He received many awards for his service, including 5 commendations for bravery, a Good Conduct medal, a medal for Sharpshooting, and most notably, a Purple Heart. He drove a Sherman Tank under recommendation from General Eisenhower. He was originally a Private, then a Corporal, and then a Staff Sergeant, but he was demoted and left a Private 1st Class. He almost froze to death in the mountains and got frostbite in his feet, and was hit in the leg with shrapnel. He drove a tank and he parachuted. He stormed a gestapo base and took home a photo of children saluting Hitler as a war prize, although this photo was later stolen. When he got back from the war, he threw his medals overboard. He didn't want them, as the war was extremely traumatic. He barely spoke about it. Evidence of how traumatic it was? He was one of only three men who came back alive from his original battalion. And he was the only one who came back with all his limbs intact. 

For those wondering why my great-grandfather was demoted to a Private? The Allies were trying to take a hill and the Germans kept waiving the white flag. When the Allies went to take over, the Germans would shoot them. The Allies were told not to shoot because of the white flag. He told his men to shoot them regardless if they waived the white flag.  They waved and his men shot on his orders.  This was a violation of the direct order that he had not to shoot.  He was brought in after the incident and was told that he had to apologize to his senior officer.  He said that he would not apologize to the SOB and didn't know that the guy was sitting in the back of that room. He was stripped of his rankings. 

RIP to everyone who died in World War II fighting fascist aggression and genocide. 

Credit to my great-aunt Michelle for these photos 

Ancestral Discoveries: An Ancestor named Geert!

One of my long-standing little wishes in my Dutch genealogy was to find an ancestor named Geert. For some reason, I've always liked that name. And now I've found one- on my Bentheim side! My 6th great-grandmother, Fenne Tijink, died in Scheerhorn, Grafschaft Bentheim on December 12, 1863 and was buried at Arkel four days later. Her burial record lists her parents as Geert and Harmine Gruskamp! So there's one little wish down, as well as another interesting surname, and some more unanswered questions on my Bentheim side. 

Ancestral Discoveries: Four Christian Reformed Church Ancestors

In my previous article, I discussed a recent discovery I made, that my 4th great grandfather, Reiner Harkema (1850-1943), was a member of the Christian Reformed Church. This was a huge discovery, since previously all of my known Dutch American ancestors had been members of the Reformed Church in America as far as I had known. The Christian Reformed Church, or CRC, was founded in 1857, when four churches with around 130 families seceded from the Reformed Church in America, or RCA, because the RCA was supposedly theologically liberal, similar to the Dutch Reformed Church (the State Church) back in the Netherlands. After making this discovery of a CRC ancestor, I have subsequently learned of three more CRC ancestors!

• Minnie Harmsen, 2nd great grandmother: When my great-grandfather, Marvin John Ver Hoef, was growing up, he was apparently raised in a CRC household by his mother Minnie. His father Albert, meanwhile, rarely (if ever) attended church. Further confirming this is her obituary, which states: "She was a member of Fourteenth Street Christian Reformed Church". 
• Jan Hendrik Grote and Geertje Laarman, 4th great grandparents: The obituaries of my 4th great grandparents show that they were members of the CRC. Jan Hendrik's states: "The funeral will be held at 1 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the East Saugatuck church". The East Saugatuck church in question was a Christian Reformed church. Meanwhile, Geertje's states: "The funeral will be held Friday at 12:30 from the Kolendorn church". Research strongly points to this church being Christian Reformed as well, if it isn't the same one Jan Hendrik's funeral was held at. 

One open question in my mind, is which denomination my Stephan and Karsten ancestors belonged to. The family of Willem Stephan immigrated to Holland, Michigan in 1873, while the family of Marten Karsten seems to have come here in 1881. Most of the later Dutch immigrants were members of the CRC, so it's possible they were also CRC, although I do not have any evidence on their beliefs at this time. 

Parsonage of Fourteenth Street Christian Reformed Church, 1909, Holland, Michigan 

Ancestral Discoveries: Reiner Harkema's Censuses and Religion

One of my most interesting maternal ancestors is my 4th great grandfather, Reiner Harkema (1850-1943). He was born on May 8, 1850 in Holland, Michigan to Jan Derks Harkema and Diewerke Simons Vinkers, immigrants from the Dutch Province of Groningen. The family came to Michigan the year before because Jan, a Kleermaker (tailor) could not afford to buy bread for his children, according to emigration records. Reiner lost his father when he was 7, and his mother remarried, although I do not know how that affected him. But Reiner's life took a sudden turn in the 1890s when he left Michigan and moved all the way out to Washington State, specifically Yakima County. For the longest time, I did not know that much about his time in Washington. I know he built a Church and he died in 1943, but that was about it. However, I just made a couple of discoveries that expand my knowledge of this fascinating ancestor. 

One unfortunate phenomenon in my family tree is missing censuses. One major example is my 3rd great grandfather, Joseph Franklin Winn Jr., who I cannot find in the 1930 Census at all. For a while, Reiner Harkema had several missing censuses: 1910, 1920, and 1940. A couple of days ago, I checked his hints on Ancestry and discovered two excellent ones: his 1910 and 1920 Censuses! Both were excellent additions. In 1910, he was a farmer working on a fruit farm that he owned on his own account in Zillah, Washington. In 1920, he was a retired farmer living in Orchardvale, Washington. This gives us two interesting facts: he owned a fruit farm, and apparently he retired from farming between 1910 and 1920. After looking at the 1940 Census, and using some search tricks, I was able to find him as well, completing his census record collection. In 1940, he was retired, apparently with no income, living on a farm he owned on the state highway. His education was of a 3rd grade level, and he did not live on a farm in 1935. 

The second major discovery on Reiner Harkema was something that I had just looked over in my previous research. In his obituary, he is listed as having built a church in Zillah and that he served as one of the two first elders. Upon researching this church, it appears that it is the current Faith Community Church in Zillah, which is a Christian Reformed Church! This is a major discovery because pretty much all of my other Dutch American ancestors sided with the Reformed Church of America after the 1857 split. Reiner is my first documented CRC ancestor that I know of. An article on the Church website called "History of the Christian Reformed Church in Zillah" says: "The story of Faith Community Church in Zillah, WA began officially in 1901, when Classis Iowa granted a petition by early Dutch settlers to organize a church to be known as “The First Reformed Church of the Sunnyside Valley.” Back in 1896, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Harkema arrived in the valley from Holland, MI and soon were joined by the families of J.W. Oord, J.B. Rammerman, R. Bajema, G.D. Wesselius, and P. Van Belle.  For the next 5 years, the families met in homes, alternating between the Sunnyside and Zillah groups with Mr. Harkema conducting all the reading services." This is of course with his second wife, as his first wife, the one I descend from, died in Holland in 1890. This gives a timeline of his migration to Washington as well, saying that it occurred in 1896. His obituary agrees with this, saying that he'd come to Washington "47 years ago" (in 1943). It's interesting that he conducted the reading services. As well as being an early settler and also an elder, he must have been an influential figure in the CRC of Yakima County. 

Overall, these discoveries give more life to this ancestor. Reiner Harkema, a son of Dutch immigrants from Groningen to West Michigan, moved to Yakima County, Washington in 1896 and was an early member of the Christian Reformed Church there, and had a fruit farm. What a fascinating person! 

From "History of the Christian Reformed Church in Zillah", photos of the church Reiner Harkema helped found 

Lineage Societies I am Eligible for

Genealogy as a hobby and passion has come a long way from its early roots, first as a passion of the aristocracy to document their blue blood, and then as a snobbish hobby in old America, where some would use it to show their superiority: that they had not come from immigrants, but from the earliest settlers. Through intermarriage, our genealogies have become so mixed that vast numbers of us can claim descent from both groups. For example, I descend from some of the earliest settlers of the Old South and of New England (the "city upon the hill" of Governor Winthrop), but I also descend from a clutch of more recent Dutch immigrants to West Michigan and Chicago in the 1800s. 

However, modern-day Genealogists of course have many motives for their research. Originally mine was to establish my European roots when I was obsessed with the continent, but a multitude of others, have a goal of proving their descent from some august figure, so they can join a lineage society. Many such groups exist, requiring the applicant to prove descent from a specific ancestor, or an ancestor involved in a specific historical event, in order to join. While reading over a list of lineage societies, I have discovered that I am eligible to join a great number of them, proving the vast amount of intermarriage through the centuries. This of course does not count groups I want to join, but haven't able to prove my eligibility for yet. This is of course a reference to my long running dream of finding a Mayflower or Huguenot ancestor, or one of the early Dutch settlers of New York, one of the New Swedes, or maybe even a specific person, such as Governor Thomas Dudley or Governor John Winthrop. In the interest of demonstrating the many different things I have found in my heritage, I have drawn up a list of some of the many lineage societies I am eligible to join. 

One note before I begin: some of these societies, while I do have the heritage necessary to join, are limited in membership, or are by invitation only. So I am technically not eligible to join some of these societies. There are also a great number of seemingly duplicate societies, with the same membership requirements as another. In those cases I will only be including one or two specific examples of that type of society. 

Enjoy!

• American Descendants of the House of Burgesses 1619-1699: Possibly eligible through the Reverend Robert Bracewell, who was briefly a member of the House of Burgesses before being asked to leave due to the separation of powers, since he was a Cleric. 
• Baronial Order of Magna Charta: Through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt of Jamestown, Virginia, I am eligible to join- Wyatt had documented descents from multiple Sureties of the Magna Carta. 
• Chicago Genealogical Society: Eligible for Ancestor Certificates as a descendant of early residents of Chicago, in two categories: Pioneer, through Hendrik Otte, who settled in Chicago in 1856, and Rebuilder, through Jan Peter Huyser, who settled in Chicago in the late 1880s. 
• Colonial Order of the Acorn: One of the more restrictive lineage societies, which requires a person to have a patrilineal descent from a resident of one of the thirteen original Colonies of the United States before 1776. My patrilineal immigrant ancestor, Michael Sadler of Germany, immigrated in 1751 to the Colony of Pennsylvania, and resided there, making him an eligible ancestor. 
• Descendants of Fossors: Possibly eligible through Clifton Bowen Jr. and Sr., who both served on the Coroners Inquest to the death of John Register in 1763 in Duplin County, North Carolina. 
• Descendants of Founders of New Jersey: Possibly eligible through Samuel Bowen, who between February 12, 1701 and December 30, 1703, came from Swansea, Massachusetts with his family to New Jersey to join the Baptist Meeting of Reverend Timothy Brooks. Supposedly, the family came to New Jersey prior to February 24, 1702, which would make him a qualifying ancestor for admission, however, more research is needed. 
• Descendants of Sheriffs and Constables of Colonial and Antebellum America: Eligible through Colonel Thomas Avent, a 1700s Colonial English immigrant who served as Sheriff of Sussex County, Virginia. He was holding this position at least by 1728, when Governor William Gooch called him in to investigate some troubles involving local Indian Tribes. 
• Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons & Daughters of the Kings of Britain: My gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, has several descents from illegitimate children of British Kings. These include Robert de Caen, 1st Earl of Gloucester (illegitimate son of King Henry I of England); Matilda FitzRoy, Duchess of Brittany (illegitimate daughter of King Henry I of England); William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (illegitimate son of King Henry II of England); Richard FitzRoy (illegitimate son of King John of England); Joan, Lady of Wales (illegitimate daughter of King John of England), and Isabella Mac William (illegitimate daughter of William the Lion, King of Scots), among others. 
• Edmund Rice (1638) Association: Eligible as a descendant of Deacon Edmund Rice. 
• First Families of Georgia 1733-1797: Eligible through Joshua Stafford, a Revolutionary War Veteran from North Carolina who settled in Georgia before his death. Proof of his residence in Georgia before 1797 comes from his 1794 marriage in Screven County, as well as the land surveyed in that county for him, also in 1794. 
• First Families of Pennsylvania: Eligible for all three categories: Colony and Commonwealth (through Johan Michael Grauel, Hans Michael Krieger, and Michael Sadler Sr.), Keystone and Cornerstone (Catherine Wise), and Pennsylvania Proud (Abraham Wise). 
• First Families of Wythe County: Eligible through Michael Creger of Elk Pond, who seemingly settled in Wythe County before 1799, when he appears on the county land tax records. 
• Flagon and Trencher: Eligible through Marshal Jonathan Gilbert of Hartford, Connecticut; who kept an inn at Hartford until his death. His widow, Mary, and his son, Samuel succeeded him as innkeepers there, and are thus also eligible ancestors of mine for admission. 
• General Society of Colonial Wars: Eligible through Thomas Stanton and James Rogers, who both fought in the Pequot War, and possibly through Ensign John Divoll, who was killed defending a garrison house in an Indian attack during King Philip's War. 
• General Society of the War of 1812: Eligible through Marmaduke Hart, who served six weeks as a draftee in the South Carolina Militia during the war. 
• Hereditary Order of the First Families of Massachusetts: Eligible through multiple ancestors, but one specific ancestor is Deacon Edmund Rice, who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638.
• Hereditary Society of Teachers: Eligible through my mother, who was educated as a substitute teacher. She would be categorized as an ancestor who taught in the 20th century, and thus represented by an open book. 
• Jamestowne Society: Eligible through several ancestors, including the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who was a Minister of Jamestowne, the Reverend Robert Braswell, Alexander Mountney, and Hannah Boyle (Mountney's wife).
• Military Order of Agincourt: Eligible through at least six ancestors: Sir John Tyrrell, later Speaker of the House of Commons; Hamon Belknap; Sir Thomas Hoo; William Gulby; Sir Richard Waller, who supposedly captured the Duke of Orleans at the battle; and John Pympe. 
• Military Order of the Crusades: Eligible through a great many ancestors, a few of note include the French Crusader King Saint Louis IX, Count Stephen of Blois, and Count Hugh of Vermandois. 
• Military Order of the Purple Heart: Eligible as a hereditary member through my great-grandfather, John Washington Winn Jr., who was awarded the Purple Heart during World War II. 
• Military Order of the World Wars: Eligible as a hereditary member through my paternal grandfather, Luther Allen Saddler Jr., and my great-grandfather, John Washington Winn Jr., who both served in World War II. 
• National Guild of Saint Margaret of Scotland: Eligible as a descendant of Saint Margaret through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt. 
• National Society Descendants of American Farmers: The vast majority of my ancestors between 1776 and 1914 lived on farms, so I am eligible for membership in this society many times over. 
• National Society of Saints and Sinners: Eligible through several ancestors, a few specific ones are Bishop Arnulf of Metz, King David I of Scotland, King Fernando III of Castile and Leon, Duchess Ludmila of Bohemia, King Olaf II of Norway, and Grand Prince Vladimir I of Kiev.
• National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution: Eligible through my many Patriot ancestors, a few specific ones are Elijah Bowen, James Bullard, Michael Sadler Sr., and Jasper Saxton. 
• National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims: Eligible through many ancestors, a few of note are Deacon Edmund Rice, Thomas Gilbert, and Deacon Samuel Wright. 
• National Society Sons of Colonial New England: Eligible through many ancestors, as my 3rd great grandmother, born in 1853, was entirely of Colonial New England descent.
• Order of Alba: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who had a descent from the Scottish royal house. 
• Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters: Eligible through Alexander Mountney, an Ancient Planter. 
• Order of Descendants of the Justiciars: Eligible through many different Justiciars, including Richard "Strongbow" de Clare, Earl Richard "Copped Hat" Fitz Alan of Arundel, and Earl Saer de Quincy of Winchester.
• Order of First Families of Connecticut: Eligible through several ancestors, including Jonathan Gilbert, James Rogers, Thomas Stanton, and Andrew Warner. 
• Order of First Families of North Carolina: Eligible through John Browne, an Indian trader who died before April 7, 1713 in Chowan Precinct, North Carolina. 
• Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in the United States of America: Eligible as a descendant of the Emperor Charlemagne through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt. 
• Order of the First Families of Maryland: Eligible through William Crump, who was living in Talbot County, Maryland in 1671 and appears to have remained there until his death around 1695.
• Order of the Founders of North America 1492-1692: Eligible through my mother's many 1630s Puritan immigrant ancestors to New England. 
• Order of the House of Wessex: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who was descended from the House of Wessex through Saint Margaret of Scotland (earlier mentioned).
• Order of the Kings and Queens in the Holy Lands: Eligible through several ancestors, including King John of Jerusalem (John of Brienne) and Prince Raynald of Antioch (Raynald of Châtillon).
• Order of the Monarchs of Rheims: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who descended from the House of Capet, of which many Monarchs were crowned at Rheims. 
• Order of the Norman Conquest: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who descended from William the Conqueror as well as several of his companions at the Battle of Hastings. 
• Order of Three Crusades 1096-1192: Eligible through several ancestors, including Count Stephen of Blois (First Crusade), King Louis VII of France (Second Crusade), and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (Third Crusade).
• Plymouth Hereditary Society: Eligible through Richard Bowen, who settled in Rehoboth, Plymouth Colony. 
• Presidential Families of America: Eligible through many different connections, but one in particular is Deacon Edmund Rice, who is a common ancestor of me and President Calvin Coolidge. 
• Society of Descendants of Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter: Eligible through many ancestors, including Earl William de Bohun of Northampton and Sir Richard Guildford.
• Society of Descendants of Ireland: Eligible as a Royal Life Member through descent from High King Brian Boru, King Diarmait Mac Murchada of Leinster, and several other Irish Kings. 
• Society of Descendants of Lady Godiva: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who was a descendant of Lady Godiva. 
• Society of Descendants of Scotland: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who descended from several Scottish Kings, including Kenneth MacAlpin and King Saint David I. 
• Society of Descendants of the Conquest: Eligible as a descendant of the Conqueror and of multiple companions. 
• Society of Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem: Eligible through John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem. 
• Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy: Eligible through the Reverend Robert Braswell and the Reverend Hawte Wyatt. 
• Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford: Eligible through three Hartford founders: Thomas Lord, Thomas Stanton, and Andrew Warner. 
• Society of the Order of the Southern Cross: Eligible through a few ancestors, including James F. Benton, Noah Gideon Pittman, and Joseph Franklin Winn Sr. 
• Sons and Daughters of the Colonial and Antebellum Bench and Bar 1565-1861: Eligible through Ezekiel Stafford, who served as a Justice of the Peace in Montgomery County, Georgia 1799-1801 and Tattnall County, Georgia 1823-1827. 
• Sons and Daughters of Virginia Founding Fathers: Eligible through the Reverend Robert Braswell, Alexander Mountney, and others. 
• Sons of Confederate Veterans: Eligible through several ancestors, including Bartholomew K. Bragg and William J. Humphreys. 
• Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War: Eligible through my three Union ancestors: Jan François Joseph Frederik Goossen, Roelof Strick, and John Harter Wise. 
• Thomas Stanton Society: Eligible as a descendant of Thomas Stanton. 
• United States Cavalry Association: Eligible as a Heritage Trooper through Roelof Strick, who served in the 9th Michigan Cavalry Regiment during the American Civil War. 

Research Leads: The Wise Homestead in Leesport, Pennsylvania

Last night, I was looking over a packet of photos that I've seen before, from the Wise and Harkema families of my great-grandmother, Gertrude Alyce Wise. While I was most interested in the photos of Gertrude's father Fred Edwin Wise Sr., who was electrocuted in 1927, two photos in particular stood out to me. 

One was captioned "Reading, PA., July 1927. Erma Sterner, Edna Wise, sisters. Cousin Kate Sell in the chair." I do not know currently who any of these people are, but they're definitely relatives and could be research leads. Regardless, it shows some of my relatives were still living in Pennsylvania as late as the 1920s. It reminds me of the vibrancy of the Pennsylvania Dutch people, and the continued existence of our people in eastern Pennsylvania.

The most interesting one was captioned "Wise Homestead, Leesport, PA." It's a small, seemingly two part building surrounded by a big tree and looks like some crops. When looked at closely, it looks like there's a porch on the side of the home. I wonder if this is where Gertrude's paternal grandfather, John Harter Wise Sr., a Civil War Veteran, grew up. While he was born in Reading, the county seat of Berks County, in 1846, in the 1850 Census the Wise family is listed as living in Alsace, Berks County. In 1860, they're in Ontelaunee, Berks County. John's father, Abraham Wise, is recorded as living in Ontelaunee in 1870 and 1880 as well. His probate file also lists him as residing in Ontelaunee. However, he died in Leesport in 1896, and was buried there, at Saint John's Gernants. His obituary states he was "residing near Gernant's church", and worked for many years for the Leesport Iron Company as a Blacksmith. In 1884 a newspaper article notes that thieves broke open Abraham's corn crib and stole corn, and that he was "near Leesport". Google Maps shows that it takes around 8 minutes to drive from Ontelaunee to Leesport, although it'd definitely take more time to walk. So my theory is that the Wise Homestead pictured may have been purchased by Abraham between 1850 and 1860, and may be the location of the Wise family in the 1860-1880 Censuses. Of course, this is all speculative for now. More research is needed. 

The Wise family has always been one of my favorite families to research, and one of the most frustrating as well. John Harter Wise Sr. is one of my personal heroes, because of how much he endured in the Civil War, when he was only around 18-19 years old. Younger then I am now, and I'd never be able to do the same thing. The Pennsylvania Dutch people are fascinating to me, and it is a great source of pride for me that my true surname, Saddler, comes from this community. Pennsylvania is a Rust Belt state just like my home state of Michigan, and imagining Abraham Wise the Blacksmith is a great source of interest as well. Someday, I'd like to visit Berks County, and walk where my ancestors once walked. To see the Keystone State in all her glory. 

Photo Perspectives: Elizabeth Maddox (c. 1814- c. 1860)

One of my most frustrating brick walls is the Freels and Maddox family of Hardeman County, Tennessee. All I know is that my 4th great grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Freels, was born on Christmas 1846 to Thomas and Elizabeth (Maddox) Freels, who appear on the 1850 and 1860 Censuses as illiterate farmers in Hardeman County, western Tennessee. This county borders Hardin County, Tennessee, where they seem to show up in the 1840 Census, as well as Tippah County, Mississippi, where their son moved to in 1870, before returning to Tennessee. One of my most valuable finds in my genealogical research, is a photo of Elizabeth, the mother of Thomas J. Freels: 

I have a lot to say about this photo of my 5th great grandmother. First of all, it is definitely very old. She probably died between 1860 and 1870, and I would assume this photo was taken around then, due to her apparent advanced age in this photo. Honestly, this photo is kind of creepy. It looks like it was taken on the porch, and she appears to be sitting in an old rocking chair. The building is probably their farmhouse, and it looks like it's a very old wood house, possibly a log house. There are a few trees in the background which add to the creepy, haunted area feel of the photo in my opinion. She's wearing a very big, thick jacket with a hood, which makes me think this photo was taken in winter, because there's no way she would be wearing something like that in the dead of summer, down in Tennessee. Her facial expression seems very serious and kind of angry- she strikes me as one of those strict, authoritative Southern mothers. I don't think I would want to disobey her. Also, I wonder what that is on her lap? Maybe she was sewing or knitting something? Obviously on the farm she would have had a role in the domestic aspects of the Freels household, so maybe she was making clothing. 

Here, for interest's sake, is a colorized version of the photo from MyHeritage: 

My Ancestors in the 1850 and 1860 Slave Schedules

In the 1850 and 1860 United States Federal Censuses, for the first time, households in Slave-owning States reported on how many Slaves they owned. Because my Southern ancestry is drenched in Slavery, I have found several ancestors who showed up in the Slave Schedules. This is important both for African American Genealogists seeking to discover the possible identity of the owner of their ancestor, as well as for white descendants of Slave owners (like me) seeking to document their brutal legacy. The following ancestors of mine are included in the Slave Schedules: 

1850: 

• Aaron B. Strickland of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 8 Slaves. These were a 45 year old black female, 42 year old black female, 38 year old black female, 25 year old black male, 13 year old black male, 6 year old black female, 21 year old black female, and a 15 year old black male. 
• Ezekiel Stafford of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 21 Slaves. These were a 60 year old black female, 40 year old black male, 38 year old black female, 36 year old black female, 34 year old black female, 25 year old black male, 22 year old black female, 19 year old black male, 16 year old black male, 15 year old black male, 12 year old black male, 11 year old black male, 9 year old black male, 5 year old black male, another 5 year old black male, 2 year old black male, 8 year old black female, 6 year old black male, 3 year old black female, 1 year old black male, and a 14 year old mulatto male. 
• John Pittman of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 1 Slave, a 15 year old black male. 
• Marmaduke Hart of Twiggs County, Georgia: Owned 2 Slaves. These were a 22 year old black female and a 19 year old black male. 
• Michael McKenzie Eason of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 8 Slaves. These were a 44 year old black female, 25 year old black male, 17 year old mulatto female, 13 year old black male, 11 year old black male, 9 year old mulatto female, 9 year old black female, and a 6 year old mulatto female. The 11 year old black male was reported as being deaf or blind. 
• William Fuller Sr. of Laurens County, South Carolina: Owned 18 Slaves. These were a 41 year old black male, 42 year old black male, 37 year old black male, 30 year old black male, 28 year old black male, 10 year old black male, 8 year old black male, 8 year old mulatto male, 6 year old black male, 7 year old black male, 32 year old black female, 28 year old black female, 14 year old black female, 12 year old black female, 7 year old black female, 4 year old black female, 2 year old black female, and a 75 year old black female.

The total number of human beings enslaved by my family in 1850 was 58. Fifty-eight human beings held in bondage to my family, to my ancestors 

1860: 

• Aaron B. Strickland of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 19 Slaves. These were a 32 year old black male, 25 year old black male, 22 year old black male, 16 year old black male, 6 year old black male, another 6 year old black male, 4 year old black male, 3 year old black male, 1 year old black male, 47 year old black female, 35 year old black male, 28 year old black female, 25 year old mulatto female, 22 year old black female, 18 year old black female, 7 year old black female, 2 year old black female, another 2 year old black female, and yet another 2 year old black female. Unfortunately, the amount of slave houses was not recorded. 
• George Washington Winn of Laurens County, South Carolina: Owned 3 Slaves. These were a 30 year old black female, 3 year old black male, and a 2 year old black female. There was one slave house. 
• James F. Benton of Colleton County, South Carolina: Owned 5 Slaves. These were a 25 year old black male, 12 year old black female, 18 year old mulatto male, 17 year old mulatto female, and a 2 year old mulatto male. There were 2 slave houses. 
• John James of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 5 Slaves. These were a 25 year old black male, 16 year old black female, 12 year old mulatto male, 5 year old black female, and an 8 month old black male (listed as 8/12). There was one slave house. 
• John Pittman of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 1 Slave, a 20 year old black female. 
• Michael McKenzie Eason of Tattnall County, Georgia: Owned 10 Slaves. These were a 37 year old black male, 29 year old mulatto female, 18 year old black female, another 18 year old black female, 16 year old mulatto female, 5 year old mulatto male, 3 year old black female, 2 year old black female, 1 year old mulatto male, and another 1 year old mulatto male. There were three slave houses. 
• Mourning Collum of Twiggs County, Georgia: Owned 2 Slaves. These were a 31 year old black female and a 2 year old black female. 

The total number of human beings enslaved by my family in 1860 was 45. Forty-five human beings held in bondage to my family, to my ancestors 

So much is unknown about the lives of these individuals, whose stories are lost to history. These were human beings with desires, interests, romances, stories, and memories, all regarded as property by the individuals I descend from. So many questions exist: how were conditions under my ancestors? Were there overseers? What happened to them after Emancipation? So many questions, and so few answers. 

We can only truly build the future by remembering the past