Genealogy is like a jigsaw puzzle, but you don't have the box top, so you don't know what the picture is supposed to look like. As you start putting the puzzle together, you realize some pieces are missing, and eventually you figure out that some of the pieces you started with don't actually belong to this puzzle. I'll help you discover the right pieces for your puzzle and assemble them into a picture of your family.
I spent a mellow afternoon with two of my grandchildren for Halloween. We didn't carve pumpkins, we doodled on them instead. Our artistic talents produced an alien, a cat, and a big screaming mouth with sharp, bloody teeth.
Then they modeled their costumes for me before they went to a safe, socially distanced Halloween candyfest. We had a cheerleader, a "regular extreme fire ninja", and my daughter-in-law as a reindeer. The cat and dog declined to dress up.
It was a very good afternoon.
Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist, blames this on FamilySearch, but I blame her, because that's where I first saw this.
She created a pedigree chart showing the causes of death of her ancestors.
It took me a few years to finally put my own togehter, and it doesn't look quite as pretty as Judy's, but this is what I have found so far as to what killed my ancestors.
I hope to be able to add more information to it for next year's Halloween.
How much do you know about what caused your ancestors' deaths?
Malia was born on the 206th anniversary of her 4x-great-grandfather's birthday.
Daniel Schiffer/Schifferer, son of Alexander Schiffer/Schifferer, was born October 30, 1765, probably in Prussia. He is the 3x-great-grandfather of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the 4x-great-grandfather of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler and my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams.
Jacob C. Thackeray, son of Ezra Thackeray and Phoebe Cramer, was born October 30, 1829 in New Jersey, possibly in Cumberland County. He is my 3rd cousin 4x removed on my Gauntt line through the Thackerays.
Brinton Jerome Gaunt, son of John W. Gaunt and Elizabeth McLaughlin, was born October 30, 1861 in Stark County, Ohio. He is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
William E. Gaunt, son of Ner Gaunt and Elizabeth C. Miller, was born October 30, 1872 in Jay County, Indiana. He is also my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Margaret Katherine Winstel was born October 30, 1881 in Kentucky, probably close to Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the wife of Clayton Emmert Gage, son of James W. Gage and Mary Rosella Hutson, who is my 4th cousin 2x removed on my Gaunt line via the Hutsons.
David Wise Gaunt, son of Arthur Lee Gaunt and Rachel Lavinia Stutsman, was born October 30, 1883 in Jay County, Indiana. He is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Watson Edward Thomson was born October 30, 1888 in Stony Creek, Warren County, New York. He was the husband of Lillie L. Fuller, daughter of Joseph L. Fuller and Sarah R. Weaver, who is the grandaunt of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the great-grandaunt of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler and my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams.
Frank Albert Uboldi was born October 30, 1910 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. He waas the husband of Verna Mae Gauntt, daughter of Joseph L. Gauntt and Rebecca Elizabeth Coverly, who is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line.
Hila Jewel Allen, daughter of Clifford F. Allen and Florence Hendrickson, was born October 30, 1934 in New Jersey, probably in Burlington County. She is my 5th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Allens.
Clarence Gilbert Lore, son of Clarence Newcomb Lore and Dorothy Mae Sellers, was born October 30, 1946 in Salem, Salem County, New Jersey. He is my half 1st cousin on my Sellers line.
Donald Milton Overlin, Jr. was also born October 30, 1946, but in Los Angeles County, California. He is the husband of Paula Denise Redtfeldt, daughter of Gordon Ardel Redtfeldt and Lucille J. Vaughn, who is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Vaughns.
Giselle Socherman, daughter of Max Socherman (originally Szocherman) and Mirta Mata, was born October 30, 1955 in Cuba, probably in Habana. She is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Nowicki line through the Szochermans.
Malia Lisa McStroul was born October 30, 1971. She is the 1st cousin 1x removed of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the 2nd cousin of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler and my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams.
Sarah Lynne Allen was born October 30, 1972. She is my 5th cousin 1x removed.
Timothy Thomas Turner was born October 30, 1975. He is the husband of Stephanie Carol Baker, who is my 2nd cousin 1x removed.
Edward Lee Gaunt, Jr., son of Edward Lee Gaunt and Ethyl Fay Davison, and Mary Jane Lotter were married October 30, 1943 in Indiana, likely in Allen County. Edward is my 5th cousin 1x removed via the Gaunts.
John James Hudson, son of Harry J. Hudson and Irene Elizabeth Allen, and Ada Irene Wunder were married October 30, 1946 in Burlington, Burlington County, New Jersey. John is my 5th cousin on my Gauntt line via the Allens.
Harry Korenstein died October 30, 1984 in Dade County, Florida at the age of 71. He was the husband of Rebecca (originally Rivka) Szocherman, daughter of Chanania Szocherman and Rojzla Perlmutter, who is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Nowicki line via the Perlmutters.
Clarice Ida Gaunt, daughter of Clarence Meridith Gaunt and Mary Grace Stewart, died October 30, 1992 in Kern County, California at the age of 72. She is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission: Impossible! music), is:
(1) Do you know how many days you have lived? How many hours? How many minutes? How many seconds?
(2) For this challenge, do some calculating. Figure out how many days you've lived, how many hours, how many minutes, how many seconds (you can round off to account for the time you were born on your birth date; do you know it?). Tell us your birth date and birth time (if you know it), then calculate your time alive up until your birth time today.
NOTE: If math befuddles you, use the Age Calculator at http://www-users.med.cornell.edu/~spon/picu/calc/agecalc.htm.
(3) What does all of this mean to you? Think about that marvelous "machine" inside your chest beating in rhythm. Share your thoughts!
(4) Share with us your results in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, or in a comment on Facebook.
1. Do I know already? Beyond number of years, nope. Not a clue.
2. I was born Monday, April 9, 1962 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time.
• Math does not befuddle me, but I believe in using handy tools when they exist, so I went to the Age Calculator. It says I am 59 years and 6.7 months, which I instead think of as 59 years, 6 months, and 3 weeks.
• The site tells me that apparently equals 21,754 days. I don't know if it takes into account leap days, but I don't care. The site is hosted at Cornell, though, so it probably does.
• At 24 hours per day, that equals 522,096 hours, minus one hour because the site probably rounded up the day and it's currently 3:30 p.m., so 522,095 hours.
• At 60 minutes per hour, that equals 31,331,700 minutes.
• And at 60 seconds per minute, the total is 1,879,902,000 seconds.
(And I did all those computations by hand, thank you.)
3. What does this mean to me? I don't really know. Numbers that large mostly lose any meaning, because I can't effectively compare them to something that I can conceptualize. But I can riff off of Randy's ideas.
• That is roughly 174,031 hours sleeping and more than 21,754 times waking up (I also take naps, sometimes more than one during the day), with my body doing all the things it needs to during downtime.
• If about two thirds of my hours were spent awake, that's around 348,063 hours. An inordinate number of them were spent watching television and pursuing other entertainment, but a very reasonable number I'm sure I spent eating, eith family, with pets, and doing other enjoyable things.
• How many hours were devoted to work? I can estimate 8 hours/day, 5 day/week, and 50 weeks/year, but only 31 years so far, which makes 7,750 days and 62,000 hours. That only takes into account my regular salaried or hourly work for others, though. I can't figure out a good way to estimate the time I've spent doing freelance work outside of that.
• How many hours have I worked on family history and genealogy? I started researching my own family in 1975, when I was 13 years old. Since then I've expanded what I do to include volunteer work, presentations, attending meetings, and more, while continuing to research my family. Maybe 15 hours per week now on average is lowballing it, but I hesitate to say it's more. I didn't spend that much time at the beginning, anyway. So if I take into account it's been 46 years and make it 10 hours per week, that's still 23,920 hours focused on family history.
• I don't spend as much time thinking about mortality as I used to. My mother died less than two monhs after her 54th birthday, and even though I knew I was unlikely to die that young, because I didn't smoke for 35 years, the number still hung over my head until I passed it. After that I could focus on my father, 83; paternal grandfather, 82; and grandmother, 83; and maternal grandfather, 77, and grandmother, 87. That said, I ran my numbers through WolframAlpha's algorithm, and it said my current life expectancy is 86.2 years and that I have a 4% chance of living to be 100.
None of my family events happened on October 29, 1929, commonly known as Black Tuesday and the beginning of the Great Depression. At least so far as I have learned.
Lawrence Everett Hutson, son of Earl Morris Hutson and Catherine Corenne Utley, was born October 29, 1914 in Brookston, White County, Indiana. He is my 6th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Hutsons.
Chester Lewis Appleton, Jr. was born October 29, 1915 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. He was the second husband of Ruth Carrie Stradling, daughter of Charles Cooper Stradling and Anna Gauntt, who is my half-aunt via the Gauntts.
Dorothy Mae Sellers, daughter of Bertram Lynn Sellers and Elizabeth Leatherberry Sundermeier, was born October 29, 1925 in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. She is my half-aunt on my Sellers line.
Hallie Garfield was born October 29, 2001. She is my 4th cousin 1x removed.
Leo David Hannon and Hazel Pearl Gaunt, daughter of Ross B. Gaunt and Mary Ann Dale, were married October 29, 1937 in Jay County, Indiana. Hazel is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Abraham Meckler, son of Morris Mackler (originally Moishe Meckler) and Minnie Zelda Nowicki, and Esther Lillian Gordon, daughter of Joe Gordon (originally Joine Gorodetsky) and Sarah Libby Brainin, were married Octoer 29, 1939 in Bronx, Bronx County, New York. They are my maternal grandparents.
Arnold Lesser and Taube Michels, daughter of Barney Michels (originally Bere Leib Michelson) and Rose Yudelson, were married October 29, 1961 in Manhattan, New York County, New York. Taube is my 2nd cousin 2x removed on my Jaffe line through the Michelsons.
Craig Robert Simpson, son of Robert Simpson and Jean Gaynor, and Carolyn Ann Clare were married October 29, 1966 in Westfield, Hampton County, Massachusetts. Craig is the half 1st cousin 1x removed of my half-sister Laura Sellers.
Robert Simpkins and Shirley Mae Mantell, daughter of Harold Yorkes Mantell and Gladys Mabel Allen, were also married October 29, 1966, but in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey. Shirley is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Allens.
David Matthew Homer and Jenepher Hlynn Ellis were married October 29, 2000. Jenepher is my 2nd cousin 1x removed.
Mary Gaunt Githens, daughter of Thomas Githens and Mary Gaunt, died October 26, 1864, probably in Camden County, New Jersey, at the age of 38. She is my 2nd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
Terrell Crawford, son of Henry Crawford and America Brooks, died October 29, 1933 in Upatoi, Muscogee County, Georgia at the age of 33. He is the great-granduncle of my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams on her Crawford line.
Bennie H. Snellings, son of Doma Snellings and Alice Crawford, died October 29, 1966 in Talbot County, Georgia at the age of 62. He is the 1st cousin 2x removed of my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams on her Crawford line
My Uncle Al was married on the 11th wedding anniversary of his Uncle Moishe. He might have even attended his uncle's wedding.
Mary Rosella Hutson, daughter of Thomas Hutson and Ruth Thackeray, was born October 28, 1855 in Ripley County, Indiana. She is my 4th cousin 3x removed on my Gauntt line via the Thackerays.
Edward Gaunt, son of Clayton Decou Gaunt and Sarah E. Edwards, was born October 28, 1863 in Mantua Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. He is my 4th cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Ida M. Easlick, daughter of Allen Severs Easlick and Mary E. Shemeley, was born October 28, 1890 in Burlington County, New Jersey. She is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.
Denise Fagan was born October 28, 1952 in Mineola, Nassau County, New York. She is the wife of Dale Lederman, son of Victor Lederman and Edith Albert, who is my 2nd cousin 1x removed on my Gorodetsky line through the Ledermans.
Eric Michael Schleinkofer was born October 28, 1971. He is my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Brenten Werner Graef was born October 28, 1973. He is the husband of Eydie B. Yngber, who is most likely my 4th cousin.
George Burns and Elizabeth Gaunt, daughter of Jacob Gaunt and Hannah Holmes, were married October 28, 1817 in Columbiana County, Ohio. Elizabeth is my 1st cousin 5x removed via the Gaunts.
Clifford Barclay Townsend and Beatrice Fannie Allen, daughter of William Daily Allen and Fannie Goldsboro Brown, were married October 28, 1927, probably in Burlington County, New Jersey. Beatrice is my 5th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Allens.
Morris Gordon (originally Moishe Gorodetsky), son of Victor Gordon (originally Avigdor Gorodetsky) and Esther Leah Schneiderman, and Rose Sopher were married October 28, 1928 in Baltimore City, Maryland. Morris is my great-granduncle.
Alexander Gordon, son of Joe Gordon (originally Joine Gorodetsky) and Sarah Libby Brainin, and Roslyn Rubin were married October 28, 1939 in Bronx, Bronx County, New York. Al is my granduncle.
Robert Paul Bukosky and Loretta Ann Carty, daughter of Wilmer Shreve Carty and Etta Marion Allen, were married October 28, 1968 in New Jersey. Loretta is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Allens.
Harvey Kardish, son of Israel Kardish and Eva Feldberg, and Sheryl Berezin were married October 28, 1984 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Harvey is my 2nd cousin 1x removed on my Gorodetsky line through the Kardishes.
Wesley Owen Walker, son of Owen M. Walker and Marguerite Maureen Thackeray, and Judy Kay Bostic were married October 28, 2000 in Batesville, Ripley County, Indiana. Wesley is my 6th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Thackerays.
Sam Meeckler (originally Meckler), son of Morris Mackler (originally Moishe Meckler) and Minnie Zelda Nowicki, died October 28, 1968 in Miami, Dade County, Florida. He is my granduncle.
Clara Calicer died October 28, 1996 in Dade County, Florida. She was the second wife of William Socherman (originally Szocherman), son of Chananiah Szocherman and Rozjla Perlmutter, who is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Nowicki line via the Perlmutters.
Ernest Alan James died October 28, 2009 in Burleston, Johnson County, Texas. He was the second husband of Mary Lou Jocelyn Bowen, daughter of Francis Maria Bowen and Elsie Louise Gaynor, who is the mother of my half-sister Laura Sellers.
I still love the name Dickensheets!
Henry George Dickensheets, son of George W. Dickensheets and Albertine P. Gaunt, was born October 27, 1883 in Gloucester, Camden County, New Jersey. He is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Robert Francis Pellek was born October 27, 1946 in Somerset County, New Jersey, possibly in Bernardsville. He is the husband of Janet Irene Ellis, daughter of Russell Oliver Ellis and Irene Elise Crater, who is my 2nd cousin on my Gauntt line through the Ellises.
William Leonard Herr, son of Leonard Herr and Dorothy Gaynor, was born October 27, 1956 in East Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. He is the half 1st cousin 1x removed of my half-sister Laura Sellers on her Gaynor line.
Tina Rae Alexander, daughter of Phillip Charles Alexander and Jessie Ozley Easlick, was born October 27, 1958 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey. She is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Easlicks.
Jennifer Elyse Rothwax was born October 27, 1982. She is my 3rd cousin.
Joseph Paul Allen was born October 27, 1983. He is my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Jordana Haven Mirsky was born October 27, 1996. She is my 3rd cousin 1x removed.
Sidney Baker and Adele Garfinkel, daughter of Eliezer Louis Garfinkel and Doba Ajzner, were married October 27, 1957 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Adele is my 2nd cousin 2x removed on my Meckler line through the Garfinkels.
Joseph Henderson and Carol Beth Sellers, daughter of Bertram Lynn Sellers, Sr. and Anita Clarice Loveman, were married October 27, 1995 in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida. Carol is my half-aunt on my Sellers line.
Michael Roger Farrier and Belinda Kay Jackson were married October 27, 2007 in Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland. Michael is the brother of my sister-in-law, Sandra Farrier.
This is a follow-up to my Wedding Wednesday post of October 30, 2019, when I wrote about my maternal grandparnets' wedding of October 29, 1939. This Friday is the 82nd anniversary of their wedding day.
I mentioned in the earlier post that I had additional photos of the wedding but hadn't been able to find them. Well, some success!
This is the photo I've shared before, of Abe Meckler and Lily Gordon:
This is of my beautiful grandmother by herself.
And the other photo I found seems to have been taken on a different day. It is not the same photographer, and my grandmother's hair and make-up are different, but stylistically it's similar. Maybe it was an engagement photo? I know those used to be popular.
There is at least one more photo out there related to the wedding. The other one I remember is of my grandmother and her sister-in-law, because it was a double wedding (even if they fudged it a little), both in their wedding dresses. It should be here somewhere!
And maybe one day I will learn why the wedding was in the Bronx, even though everyone lived in Brooklyn.
Apparently the date of October 26, or maybe just the number 26, is significant for my Garfinkel cousins, whether they know it or not, because I had several events for them on today's list, far more than usual.
Elizabeth Kirby was born October 26, 1792 in Salem County, New Jersey. She was the wife of John Gaunt, son of Samuel Gaunt and Achsah Taylor, who is my 2nd cousin 5x removed via the Gaunts.
Beulah Anna Elizabeth Bozarth was born October 26, 1908 in Vincentown, Burlington County, New Jersey. She was the wife of Vinton Thompson Easlick, son of Allen Severs Easlick and Mary E. Shemeley, who is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.
John Glendon Vaughn, son of John E. Vaughn and Bertha Florence Gaunt, was born October 26, 1910 in Lemoore, Kings County, California. He is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Bella Raber was born October 26, 1928 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She was the wife of Harry Garfinkel, son of Eliezer Louis Garfinkel and Doba Ajzner, who is my 2nd cousin 2x removed on my Meckler line through the Garfinkels.
Ellen Hazel Duskin was born October 26, 1944 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. She is the second wife of Murray Lederman, son of Gabriel Murray Lederman and Anna Gordon (originally Chantse Gorodetsky), who is my 1st cousin 2x removed on my Gorodetsky line.
Larry Garfinkel, son of Israel Garfinkel and Marsha Gerb, was born October 26, 1952 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Meckler line through the Garfinkels.
Brian Howard Eckert, son of Roy Howard Eckert and Mary Elma Easlick, was born October 26, 1954 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey. He is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Easlicks.
Stephen David Rudin, son of Raymond Harold Rudin and Ruth Garfinkel, was born October 26, 1958 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line via the Garfinkels.
Michael Reed was born October 26, 1963. He is my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Jerry A. Socherman was born October 26, 1967. He is my 4th cousin 1x removed.
Eli Morton Amron, son of Louis Amron and Fannie Perlman (originally Perlmutter), and Alice "Honey" Gold were married October 26, 1946 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. Eli is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Nowicki line via the Perlmutters.
Clarence Newcomb Lore and Dorothy Mae Sellers, daughter of Bertram Lynn Sellers, Sr. and Elizabeth Leatherberry Sundermeier, were married October 26, 1951 in Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland (or at least that's what Dottie told me once). Dottie is my half-aunt on my Sellers line.
Ernest Alan James and Mary Lou Jocelyn Bowen, daughter of Francis Maria Bowen and Louise Elsie Gaynor, were married October 26, 1969 in Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland. Mary Lou is the mother of my half-sister Laura Sellers.
Harvey Joseph Gauntt, Jr., son of Harvey Joseph Gauntt and Jane Marie Conway, and Glenda Rae Hughart were married October 26, 1986 in Escambia County, Florida. Harvey is my 2nd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line.
Mary Ann Dale died October 26, 1945 in Jay County, Indiana at the age of 88. She was the wife of Ross B. Gaunt, son of John B. Gaunt and Priscilla Dye, who is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Meyer Harold Birnboim, son of Menashe Birnboim and Sophie Garfinkel, died October 26, 1996 in Troy, Rensselaer County, New York at the age of 66. He is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Meckler line via the Garfinkels.
Lillie Dorrell is the granddaughter of Joseph Thackeray and died on the 24th anniversary of his death.
John Gaunt, Jr., son of John Gaunt and Ellen R. Bannon, was born October 25, 1862 in Union Township, Camden County, New Jersey. He is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Mildred Hoffman Childs was born October 25, 1912 in Derby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. She was the wife of Irving Lester Gauntt, son of Joseph L. Gauntt and Rebecca Elizabeth Coverly, who is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line.
Gary Yale Greenberg was born October 25, 1948 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is the husband of Ellen Kardash, daughter of Louis Kardash and Mary Udashkin, who is my 2nd cousin 1x removed on my Gorodetsky line through the Kardashes.
Stacy Ilene Gordon was born October 25, 1968. She is my 1st cousin 1x removed.
Angela Farkas was born October 25, 1982. She is the wife of Alana Ronite Fiks, who is my 4th cousin 1x removed.
August K. Baumgart and Ruth Edna Gantt, daughter of Daniel Taylor Gantt and Phoebe Thomas, were married October 25, 1913 in Crete, Saline County, Nebraska. Ruth is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gantts.
Irving Lestter Gauntt, son of Joseph L. Gauntt and Rebecca Elizabeth Coverly, and Mildred Hoffman Childs were married October 25, 1930, probably in Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Irving is still my 4th cousin 1x removed.
James Marshall Allen, Jr., son of James Marshall Allen and Eileen Catherine Dallas, and Deborah Jean Bogner were married October 25, 1986 in Moorestown, Burlington County, New Jersey. James is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Allens.
Benjamin Franklin Gaunt, son of Benjamin Franklin Gaunt and Elizabeth K. Frazer, died October 25, 1856, probably in Burlington County, New Jersey, at the age of about 2. He is my 2nd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Rachel Carl died October 25, 1863, possibly in Perry County, Pennsylvania at the age of 58. She was the wife of John Gantt, son of Joseph Gaunt and Mary A. Lobaugh, who is my 1st cousin 5x removed via the Gaunts.
Joseph Thackeray, son of James Thackeray and Jane Gaunt, died October 25, 1881, probably in Ripley County, Indiana, at the age of 80. He is my 2nd cousin 5x removed via the Gaunts.
Moses M. Gaunt, son of Moses Gaunt and Rachel, died October 25, 1890, possibly in Camden County, New Jersey, at the age of 54. He is my 1st cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
Lillie Belle Dorrell, daughter of James Dorrell and Florence Thackeray, died October 25, 1905 in Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana at the age of 36. She is my 4th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Thackerays.
Daniel H. Bowker died October 25, 1961 in Lumberton, Burlington County, New Jersey at the age of 61. He was the husband of Bertha Dunstan, daughter of Frederick Dunstan and Anna Waltz Horner, who is my 1st cousin 2x removed on my Dunstan line.
Dale Gordon Allen, son of Clarence Allen and Mary Elizabeth Stradling, died October 25, 1997 in Burlington, Burlington County, New Jersey at the age of 62. He is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Allens.
Betty Lorraine Ellett died October 25, 2006 in Redding, Shasta County, California at the age of 71. She is the mother of Jeff Gordon, my 1st cousin 2x removed on our shared Gorodetsky line.
Because Anna Marshall Gauntt and Benjamin Franklin Gaunt were both my 3rd cousin 4x removed, I checked to see how they were related to each other and discovered they were 2nd cousins.
Eveline Stokes Githens, daughter of Thomas Githens and Mary Gaunt, was born October 24, 1828 in New Jersey, possibly in Camden County. She is my 2nd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
John A. Gaunt, son of Hananiah Selah Gaunt and Abigail Atkinson, was born October 24, 1848 in New Jersey, probably in Burlington County. He is my great-great-granduncle.
Viola Votaw, daughter of Daniel W. Votaw and Louisa Gaunt, was born October 24, 1875 in Wabash County, Indiana. She is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Ervie Oscar Higgins was born October 24, 1889 in McKenzie, Carroll County, Tennessee. He was the husband of Elizabeth Opal Gaunt, daughter of Charles Edward Gaunt and Sarah Malinda Kennedy, who is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
David Halbrich was born October 24, 1950 in Haifa, Israel. He is the husband of Gail Madelaine Garfield, daughter of Harry David Garfield (originally Garfinkel) and Susan Loffler, who is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line through the Garfinkels.
Shira Rebecca Lerner was born October 24, 1989. She is my 4th cousin 1x removed.
Elliott Kushner, son of George Kushner and Ruth Rebecca Segal, and Leslie Ellen Shear were married October 24, 1975 in Los Angeles County, California. Elliott is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line through the Kushners.
Frederick John Collier and Nancy Patrice Rudin, daughter of Raymond Harold Rudin and Ruth Garfinkel, were married October 24, 1980 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Nancy is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line via the Garfinkels.
John Oren Clark, son of Gilbert Lewis Clark and Helen Opal Abbott, and Nora Joan Cushing were married October 24, 1981 in Ohio, probably in Montgomery or Clermont County. John is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Clarks.
Bradley Owen Walker and Rebecca Ann Stachler were married October 24, 2003 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. Bradley is my 7th cousin.
Phoebe Gaunt, daughter of John Gaunt and Jean Satterthwaite, died October 24, 1811 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey at the age of 34. She is my 1st cousin 6x removed via the Gaunts.
Anna Marshall Gauntt, daughter of Dellaplain Gauntt and Mary Isaac, died October 24, 1892 in Chester, Orange County, New York at the age of 41. She is my 3rd cousin 4x removed on my Gauntt line.
Benjamin Franklin Gaunt, son of Samuel Gaunt, Jr. and Ann Horner, died October 24, 1906 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania at the age of 66. He is also my 3rd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
The traditional 10th anniversary gift is tin, but Benny and Dobby Kushner got a daughter instead. I wonder how she was wrapped?
Ella Daisy Gaunt, daughter of William Allen Gaunt and Mary Ann Parrott, was born October 23, 1873 in Wabash County, Indiana. She is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Richard Wright Gaunt, son of Elmer Boone Gaunt and Edna Wright, was born October 23, 1905 in Tulare County, California. He is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Elaine Lorie Freitag, daughter of Benny Freitag and Dobby Kushner, was born October 23, 1959 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line via the Kushners.
Matthew Brian Gaunt was born October 23, 1969. He is my 5th cousin 1x removed.
Melissa Nicole Rothwax was born October 23, 1984. She is my 3rd cousin.
Walter Beckworth and Rachel Anna Armstrong, daughter of Joel Armstrong and Sarah Ann Deacon Lippincott, were married October 23, 1894 in Burlington County, New Jersey. Rachel is my great-grandaunt.
Benny Freitag and Dobby Kushner, daughter of Myrim Kushner and Chaye Golubchik, were married October 23, 1949 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Dobby is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Meckler line via the Golubchiks.
Marvin Elkins, son of David Elkins and Edith McStroul, and Ethel R. Gardner were married October 23, 1955 in San Diego, San Diego County, California. Marvin is the 1st cousin of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the 1st cousin 1x removed of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler and my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams.
John Gaunt, son of Joseph Gaunt and Elizabeth Borton, died October 23, 1828 in New Jersey, possibly in Haddonfield, Camden County, at the age of 61. He is my 4x-great-granduncle.
Laura May Armstrong, daughter of Joel Armstrong and Sarah Ann Deacon Lippincott, died October 23, 1970 in Niceville, Okaloosa County, Florida at the age of 88. She is my great-grandmother.
Leonard Emil Herr died October 23, 1981 in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey at the age of 58. He was the husband of Dorothy Gaynor, daughter of John Francis Gaynor and Wally Mary Ruppert, who is the half-grandaunt of my half-sister Laura Sellers.
Jessie Naomi Gaunt, daughter of William Alvin Gaunt and Mamie B. Mitchell, died October 23, 1992 in Calaveras County, California. She is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
I wish I knew where my photo is for this week's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun with Randy Seaver!
(2) Share it in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post, or on Facebook. Be sure to leave a comment with a link to your blog post on this post.
I know there is a photo of me at about three months, because I've seen it. My grandmother submitted photos of me and, the next year, of my brother to a newspaper, and they were published. I think it was the Miami Herald, but I'm not 100% sure of that. I always wondered why there wasn't a photograph of my sister, but maybe my grandparents had moved from Florida to Las Vegas by then.
Anyway, I have a copy of the newspaper clipping of my photo, but I don't know where it is. So I'm sharing ths one of my brother, Mark:
It's from July 1963, and he was born in April. Isn't he adorable?
I do have a photo of my mother, Myra Meckler, when she was only a few months old:
This is from early 1941. The woman holding her is my grandfather's youngest sister, Elsie Meckler.
All of the deaths in today's list are spouses who married into the families in my tree.
William Kester Allen, Jr., son of William Kester Allen, Sr. and Eleanor Louise Black, was born October 22, 1929 in Bordentown, Burlington County, New Jersey. He is my 5th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Allens.
Wilma Rachel Haslet was also born October 22, 1929, but in Deer Creek, Carroll County, Indiana. She was the wife of Donald Earl Hutson, son of Earl Morris Hutson and Catherine Corenne Utley, who is my 6th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Hutsons.
James R. Prass Upper, biological son of Richard Neil Prass and Laura Jane Gaunt and adopted son of Maynard Dale Upper, was born October 22, 1947 in Indiana. He is my 6th cousin via the Gaunts.
Tina Irene Render, daughter of Bertram Ruthledge Render and Ruth Schumeister, was born October 22, 1959, probably in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. She is my 4th cousin on my Nowicki line via the Schumeisters.
Tyler Layne Bartolome was born October 22, 1995. He is the 1st cousin 2x removed of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the 2nd cousin 1x removed of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler, my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams, and Mindy McStroul.
Jacob C. Thackeray, son of Ezra Thackeray and Phoebe Cramer, and Nancy J. Brooks were married October 22, 1857 in Franklin County, Indiana. Jacob is my 3rd cousin 4x removed on my Gauntt line through the Thackerays.
Sidney Alan Gaunt, son of Nolan Sidney Gaunt and Marjorie Ellen Harris, and Marilyn Adelle Young were married October 22, 1961 in Napa County, California. Sidney is my 5th cousin 1x removed via the Gaunts.
Doma Snellings died October 22, 1937 in Juniper, Talbot County, Georgia at the age of 62. He was the husband of Alice Crawford, daughter of Henry Crawford and Amanda Brooks, who is the great-grandaunt of my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams.
Nellie Doctor died October 22, 1955 in Bronx, Bronx County, New York at the age of 72. She was the wife of Max Joseph Brainin, son of Morris Brainin and Rose Dorothy Jaffe, who is my great-granduncle.
Ella Ritchie Mingen died October 22, 1968 in Pemberton, Burlington County, New Jersey at the age of 79. She was the wife of Daniel Leon Easlick, son of Allen Severs Easlick and Mary E. Shemeley, who is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.
Agnes Lucille Fry died October 22, 1996 in Washington, Daviess County, Indiana at the age of 72. She was the wife of Lee Gaunt, son of Walter Clayton Gaunt and Lulu May Sherman, who is my 5th cousin 1x removed via the Gaunts.
My parents were married five days after my father's divorce from his first wife was finalized. Not that they were in a hurry or anything.
Mary Scott Selvidge, daughter of Scott Selvidge and Lenore Corinne Gaunt, was born October 21, 1927 in Marietta, Love County, Oklahoma. She is my 5th cousin 1x removed via the Gaunts.
Jeffrey Lawrence Kushner, son of John Kushner and Shelley, was born October 21, 1961 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line through the Kushners.
Sindy Lynn Allen was born October 21, 1979. She is my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Dillon Tryce Lore was born October 21, 1992. He is my half 1st cousin 2x removed.
Noah Hall was born October 21, 1999. He is my 3rd cousin 1x removed.
Bertram Lynn Sellers, Jr., son of Bertram Lynn Sellers, Sr. and Anna Gauntt, and Myra Roslyn Meckler, daughter of Abraham Meckler and Lillyan E. Gordon, were married October 21, 1961 in Miami, Dade County, Florida. They are my parents.
Ner Gaunt, son of Ner Gaunt and Agnes Corwin, died October 21, 1894 in Lawrence County, Tennessee at the age of 52. He is my 2nd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
Daisy May Gage, daughter of James W. Gage and Mary Rosella Hutson, died October 21, 1950 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio at the age of 75. She is my 5th cousin 2x removed on my Gauntt line via the Hutsons.
Ruth Pollack, daughter of Isaac Pollack and Bessie Brainin, died October 21, 1998, possibly in Little Neck, Queens County, New York at the age of 72. She is my 1st cousin 2x removed on my Brainin line.
Vinton Thompson Easlick had a nephew also named Vinton Thompson Easlick. I'm pretty sure they are the only two people in the history of the world with that name.
Jacob B. Gaunt, son of Benjamin Gaunt and Sarah C. Plume, was born October 20, 1869 in New Jersey, probably in Burlington County. He is my 2nd cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Richard Wright Gaunt, Jr., son of Richard Wright Gaunt and Abbye P. Faulkner, was born October 20, 1929 in Los Angeles County, California. He is my 5th cousin 1x removed via the Gaunts.
Norman Farbman, son of Murray Farbman and Etta Millstein, was born October 20, 1943, probably in Bronx, Bronx County, New York. He is my 2nd cousin 1x removed on my Gorodetsky line via the Millsteins.
Michael Leonard McStroul, son of Darwin Monroe McStroul and Rose Ruth Bloom, was also born October 20, 1943, albeit in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He is the 1st cousin of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the 1st cousin 1x removed of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler, my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams, and Mindy McStroul.
Shirley Hunt, daughter of John Hunt and Lois Adele Weaver, was born October 20, 1950, probably in Burlington County, New Jersey. She is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Weavers.
John Facenda Hall, son of William George Facenda, Jr. and Mabel Ellen Elizabeth Brickel, was born October 10, 1955 in Alexandria, Virginia. He is my 3rd cousin on my Armstrong line through his mother.
John Randell was born October 20, 1965. He is the 3rd cousin of my half-sister Laura Sellers.
Mary Eileen Wickham was born October 20, 1969. She is also the 3rd cousin of my half-sister Laura Sellers.
Benjamin Franklin Gaunt, son of Isaac Gaunt and Susannah Webb, and Elizabeth K. Frazer were married October 20, 1839 in Gloucester County, New Jersey. Benjamin is my 1st cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
William Edward Gaunt, Sr., son of Samuel Gaunt, Jr. and Ann Horner, and Frances E. Fithian were married October 20, 1853 in Gloucester County, New Jersey. William is also my 3rd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
Vinton Thompson Easlick, son of Allen Severs Easlick and Mary E. Shemeley, and Beaulah Anna Elizabeth Bozarth were married October 20, 1926 in New Jersey. Vinton is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.
Kenneth Michael Meraw II and Maryann Austria Leoncio were married October 20, 2007. Kenneth is my 2nd cousin 1x removed.
John Gaunt, son of Reuben T. Gaunt and Hannah Lewallen, died October 20, 1821 in Burlington County, New Jersey as an infant. He is my 1st cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
Harry T. Gaunt, son of Isaac H. Gaunt and Emma Trowbridge, died October 20, 1918 in Camden County, New Jersey, at the age of 52. He is my 3rd cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
Garry Travis Doerner died October 20, 2012 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas at the age of 29. He is my nephew.
Of these thirteen events, only two are not connected to my Gaunt/Gauntt line.
Susannah Horner Gaunt, daughter of Samuel Gaunt, Jr. and Ann Horner, was born October 19, 1823 in Mullica Hill, Gloucester County, New Jersey. She is my 3rd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.
Rebecca C. Zulker was born October 19, 1886 in New Jersey, probably in Waterford, Camden County. She was the wife of William Bounds Gauntt, Sr., son of Robert Lewallen Gauntt and Lucy Bounds, who is my 3rd cousin 3x removed on my Gauntt line.
Jay Charles Dubell, son of Charles Barton Dubell and Myrtle Lydia Allen, was born October 19, 1949, probably in New Jersey. He is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Allens.
Thomas Michael Spencer was born October 19, 1977. He is my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Susan Jeanette Swaim was born October 19, 1978. She is also my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Francis Marion Thackeray, son of Selector Thackeray and Louisa Moody, and Emma Sophia Busch were married October 19, 1897 in Marion County, Indiana. Francis is my 4th cousin 3x removed on my Gauntt line through the Thackerays.
Cecil Thurman Phillips, Jr. and Martha Ann Surran, daughter of William Earl Surran and Martha Ann Naylor, were married October 19, 1946 in Clark County, Indiana. Martha is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Naylors.
Joseph Roger Cucinotta and Nancy Jernee Ellis, daughter of Samuel Naglee Ellis and Eleanor Jernee Thomas, were married October 19, 1968 in New Jersey. Nancy is my 2nd cousin on my Gauntt line through the Ellises.
Randy William Hutchison and Deborah Lynn Lore were married October 19, 1985. Debbie is my half 1st cousin.
Joseph Gilbert Bonifas, son of Joseph W. Bonifas and Delores Gilbert, and Catherine Sue Goshorn were married October 19, 2001 in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. Joseph is my 6th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line through the Bonifases.
Wilbert R. Warner died October 19, 1910 in Baltimore, Maryland at the age of 43. He was the second husband of Rachel Anna Armstrong, daughter of Joel Armstrong and Sarah Ann Deacon Lippincott, who is my great-grandaunt.
Charles Edward Gaunt, son of Ner Gaunt and Elizabeth G. Miller, died October 19, 1913 in Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Tennessee at the age of 44. He is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.
Susan J. Yates, daughter of Charles Yates and Grace Allen, died October 19, 2015 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey at the age of 63. She is my 5th cousin 1x removed on my Gauntt line via the Allens.
Four of the five marriages for today are for the Jewish side of my family, which is a far higher percentage than usual. That is because the number 18 is considdered lucky in Jewish tradition. What's interesting, however, is that two of the weddings appear to be a double wedding, which is bad luck in Jewish superstitions.
Orville James Gage, son of James W. Gage and Mary Rosella Hutson, was born October 18, 1897 in Ohio, probably in Hamilton County. He is my 5th cousin 2x removed on my Gauntt line via the Hutsons.
Ellen Gilfix was born October 18, 1962. She is the wife of Barry James Garfield, son of Irwin Garfield (originally Garfinkel) and Lenore Schachter, who is my 4th cousin on my Meckler line through the Garfinkels.
Tammy L. Shepard was born October 18, 1963. She is the wife of Lawrence Matthew Gordon, who is my 1st cousin 2x removed.
Christopher Simpson was born October 18, 1982. He is my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Kari Eileen Ebeltoft was born October 18, 1983. She is also my 5th cousin 2x removed.
Jacqueline Randall was born October 18, 1985. She is my 3rd cousin 1x removed.
Frederick Cleworth Dunstan, son of Richard Dunstan and Jane Coleclough, and Martha Winn, daughter of Thomas Winn and Mary Parr(?), were married October 18, 1858 in Manchester, Lancashire, England. They are my great-great-grandparents.
Sam Lieff and Libby Kardish, daughter of Dovid Kardish and Etta Gorodetsky, were married October 18, 1942 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Libby is my 1st cousin 2x removed via the Gorodetskys.
Samuel Kardish, son of Dovid Kardish and Etta Gorodetsky, and Tillie Steinberg were also married October 18, 1942 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Samuel is also my 1st cousin 2x removed via the Gorodetskys.
Dave Lalonde and Cindy Kardish were married October 18, 1996. Cindy is my 3rd cousin.
Steven Mitchell Bergeson and Deborah Ellyce Birnboim were marrked October 18, 1998. Deborah is my 4th cousin.
Ernestine Krebs, daughter of Isaac Krebs and Frederika Weiss, died October 18, 1962 in Bronx, Bronx County, New York. She is the grandaunt of my aunt Mary McStroul and her sister Jean McStroul and the great-grandaunt of my 1st cousin Todd Meckler, my not-quite-cousin Angela Williams, and Mindy McStroul.
Lawrence Charles Gaunt, son of Calvert Gaunt and Annette Pearson, died October 18, 1980 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana. He is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.
George Kushner, son of Myrim Kushner and Chaye Golubchik, died October 18, 1995 in Riverside County, California. He is my 3rd cousin 1x removed on my Meckler line via the Golubchiks.
