In My Life

Wordless Wednesday: Cousins

2012-01-11T07:54:00.000-06:00

"Cousins." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by

Wordless Wednesday: Phyllis and Daughter Cindy, Honolulu 1954

2012-01-04T11:01:00.001-06:00

"Phyllis (Space Bergeron) and Daughter Cindy, Honolulu 1954." Digital Image. January 1954. Original photograph privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski 2012.

Tuesday's Tip: Do You Know Where Your Ancestors Are?

2012-01-03T15:25:00.004-06:00

No, it's not a trick question. If you think the answer to this is as obvious as "who is buried in Grant's tomb," read on.

Do you know where your ancestor's are?

My maternal grandfather would have the short answer, "In the marble orchard." (Grandpa speak for the cemetery.) And while locating the final resting place of our ancestors would be the ultimate, sometimes the road to the marble orchard is a long and winding and far too often a fruitless one.

How Do You Know What You Know?

You know how it is: you're in the zone, chasing down your great-grandfather, documenting the important life events. Birth certificates and a marriage record, tracking him through the census records and finally, his death.

So there it is ... a brick wall. You have exhausted all avenues of research and just can't finds the answer to (insert your research dilemma here). But ... have you looked at the big picture?

How Do You Know What You Know?

One of my favorite tips for proofreading copy is to read what you have written backwards. This is a trick that book publishers use to break the emotional attachment that you have. But before you can proofread copy, you have to have something written in front of you.

Utilizing a time line is the best - and only way - to show you how you know what you know. It shows you where the gaps in your research are, similar to reading copy backwards. It breaks the emotional attachment that you have - the "script" that you recite of what you "think you know" about your research. What has worked for me is to create a word document that lists the year and a list of each life event and instance of the ancestor I'm researching. My timeline would look like this:

1870 Living in Redbank Township, Clarion County, PA w/parents: age 12

Source: Federal Census Record (list identification information)

1879 April 17: marriage to Nancy Ann Stone: Brannan Township, Price County, WI. age 21

Source: Marriage Record filed in Price County Court House

When looking at what I think I know based on what I've found, I am overlooking a gap of 9 years in the life of my great-grandfather. In those nine years he has gone from a 12-year living with his parents in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, to a 21-year old who is now beginning a life of his own in northern Wisconsin. How did he get there? As a fan of cluster genealogy, I will now go back and begin researching - including time lines - of his siblings and cousins. I'll look at the census records for Clarion County and see if any of the neighbors in Clarion County have immigrated to northern Wisconsin. Land records, local history of migration patterns and trends will also be taken into consideration and will all be added to my time line.

Beginnings. The Best Place to Start

2012-01-02T15:13:00.000-06:00

I find it rather ironic that the emphasis for making any type of change is set to begin on January 1st. I confess to spending many New Years days with a list of good intentions. I'm all for taking time out to take a mental inventory, setting goals, discover (or rediscovering) passions in and for life and I have nothing against January 1st. I just wonder why we choose that day out of the many other days that mark a "first."

Apparently the concept of starting over is something that is not new. Throughout history man (and woman) has felt the need to put the past, well, in the past and move forward. Consider the Winter Solstice when we observe the increasing time spent in daylight. I've covered the Winter Solstice in a previous blog post; another previous post celebrates another rededication or a jubilee.

While there is comfort in the knowledge that the need to take an inventory of my life and move forward is following in the footsteps of my ancestors, as the family historian, I cannot totally embrace the notion that one must totally leave the past behind. What appears to e a contradiction is, in fact, the sum of the parts that define who I am and my life's purpose.

As I contemplate the January theme for NaBloPoMo, I come to the realization a beginning is truly ageless. There is no expiration date nor is there a limit on how many beginnings we are allowed. No matter what the outcome of today's beginning may be, I can redeem another beginning tomorrow.

It doesn't matter if we have a new beginnings date circled on the calendar or celebrate each day as a new beginning. All that is required is a desire to be open and follow the words of the King in Alice in Wonderland, "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end ..."

Here We Go A Blog Caroling

2011-12-07T11:33:00.001-06:00

How would you complete this sentence:

It's not Christmas until ........

Did you say when the Christmas tree has been set up and decorated? Or is it when that first magical snow fall? For my friends in southern California and other warmer climes, it might be when your favorite holiday movie has been added to the 24 days of Christmas on "Oxygen."

Well I know it's Christmas when footnoteMaven shares Blog Caroling.

Last year I took a little bit of chiding for my holiday selection ... so this year's selection is a familiar favorite with a decided different flavor: Enya singing Silent Night

Wordless Wednesday: Honoring Those Who Have Served Our Country. Thank You

2011-11-09T08:18:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: Town of Peck Sewing Circle

2011-09-28T16:06:00.001-05:00

"Town of Peck Sewing Circle." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph privately

held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski 2011.

Wordless Wednesday: Wedding at the Cabin, Song in the Meadow

2011-09-07T07:03:00.003-05:00

"Wedding at the Cabin, Song in the Meadow." Digital Image. September 7, 2002.

Original photograph privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Ahnentafel Roulette

2011-09-03T16:20:00.002-05:00

Hey there, genea-lovers, it's Saturday Night - time for more Genealogy Fun!!
Your mission, if you decide to accept it, is to (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):

1) How old is your great-grandfather now, or how old would he be if he had lived? Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."

2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ahnentafel (ancestor name list). Who is that person?

3) Tell us three facts about that person with the "roulette number."

4) Write about it in a blog post on your own blog, in a Facebook or Google Plus note or comment, or as a comment on this blog post.

5) If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then spin the wheel again - pick a grandparent, a parent, a favorite aunt or cousin, or even your children!

Using Randy's formula of dividing the age of my great-grandfather, Allen Zephaniah Space, by 4 resulted in my roulette number 37. The corresponding ancestor on my ahnentafel report is Franziska Roetelmeier, wife of Casper Reinwand but not enough information to share three facts. Fortunately I didn't have to forgo tonight's Saturday Night Fun ... Instead I used a favorite uncle, Earle Clare Bergeron. Born in 1922 Earle would have celebrated his 89th birthday on June 25th. Divide by 4 and my lucky roulette wheel is 22.25, rounded down to 22. The corresponding ancestor is William D. Facer.

1. William D. Facer was born August 1827 in Port Huron, St Clair County, Michigan; the fourth known child of Lewis Facer Sr and Susan Baker. Lewis and Susan were among the earliest settlers in Michigan, coming to the area from Zanesville, Ohio; leaving me to believe that Lewis 's father performed some sort of service during the Revolutionary War. William D. Facer was deaf, and died tragically on 10 July 1907 when he was struck and killed by a passenger train as he walked along the railroad tracks along the Wisconsin River in Rhinelander, Oneida county, WI.

2. William D. was married three times: (i) Elizabeth Calkins (ii) Lucy Jerow (iii) Elisabeth Hornby, outliving all three of his wives. William and Elizabeth Calkins had three children: Louisa, Ezra and Adelia. Only Ezra lived to adulthood. William's marriage to Lucy was a brief duration before she succumbed to one of the many epidemics that swept through the area. William and Elisabeth Hornby were married in 1871; the union produced 7 children but only two survived to adulthood: my great-grandmother Frances Dazie Facer, wife of Cyrus Austin Little, and her brother Burton Wellington Facer. William D and Elisabeth Hornby were married for 23 years before she died in 1894 at the age of 40.

3. William D's family was living on the north bank of the Black River in Port Huron when returning troops infected with cholera began returning to the area. Lewis decided it was time for the family to leave the area; he boarded up the windows and barred the doors, admonishing his wife and son not to let anyone in and headed to St Clair with plans to get a boat and take his family to safety in Lakeport. As recorded in "That Noble Country" authored by Dorothy Marie Mitts, Susan Baker Facer, moved by the soldiers plea handed out cups of tea through the boards on the windows to the soldiers. In return, they tossed coins through the slats resulting in a monetary windfall for the family. (Attributed to "W.D. Facer reminiscences, Miscellaneous Papers, Jenks Collection, Port Huron Public Library.")

Happiness and Loss: Lessons My Dog Has Taught Me

2011-09-03T13:45:00.004-05:00

Life's like that sometimes... Now and then for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him flat ... But it's not all like that. A lot of it's mighty fine, and you can't afford to waste the good part frettin' about the bad. That makes it all bad.... Sure, I know - sayin' it's one thing and feelin' it's another. But I'll tell you a trick that's sometimes a big help. When you start lookin' around for something good to take the place of the bad, as a general rule you can find it. ~From the movie Old Yeller

It's fitting to begin this post with the quote from the movie Old Yeller which is without a doubt, hands down, the saddest book and movie to have ever graced the silver screen.

Ever since man invited the first canine to share his dwelling, dogs have been an integral part of our lives - some more than others. Not everyone is a 'dog person' - I've even met a few and they remained an acquaintance. My friends are those you might call 'dog people' who understand the special relationship that exists between my dogs and I.

Over 20 years ago I became acquainted with my first field bred English cocker spaniel. A client who was the owner of a direct mail veterinary supply company came to review a catalog proof when Al and I owned our advertising agency and brought along Ivy, an 8-week old black and white English cocker spaniel. To say it was love at first sight is an understatement. I had never seen an English cocker, or rather, never really paid attention to them and certainly never was aware there was such a thing as a field bred cocker. My opinion of cocker spaniels was they were nervous little dogs with a lot of hair, prone to ear and skin infections - and they barked a lot. I could not quite believe that this bright, wiggly, adorable little dog was a cocker spaniel.

It didn't take long before I knew that I had to have one and as fate would have it, there was a litter mate to Ivy, now 4 months old, still available. The only obstacle that stood in the way was Al but since he was outnumbered four to one (all three of our boys had come over the side of the English cocker spaniel) it was only a matter of time before he reluctantly gave in.

Chris and I headed off to the kennel to pick up Casey as soon as we could make arrangements. Intrigued with the thought of upland bird hunting I began reading about bird training and seeking out the kennel owner for advice. Before long Chris and I were attending training seminars with Casey, building a working relationship resulting in many wonderful adventures out in the field with her.

When Casey was a couple of years old we received a call from our trainer/breeder friend informing us that he had a litter of puppies and would we be interested. I was reluctant but Al jumped at the chance to have another cocker to our family. Just like children, Emma's personality was entirely different from Casey: she had all the traits you look for in a good upland bird dog including being too smart for her own good. The adage that every dog should have a job was our mantra for Emma. In spite of her trainer, Emma was the ultimate bird dog. Emma never failed to find and return a bird that no one else, man or dog, could locate.

Our relationship with our trainer/breeder and his wife evolved into a friendship, at the heart of which was our love of the Anahar line of English cocker spaniels. Emma was bred with one of the kennel males giving the family four beautiful dogs: Bear, Spencer, Lucy and Angus. Eight years ago Lucy had two puppies: Riley and our Jinny.

A few weeks ago Jinny was delivered of her own litter, two females and a male, via C-section, avoiding a repeat of the heartache we experienced last year when Jinny was unable to deliver her two puppy litter and we lost both puppies.

Having had to say good-bye to our beloved Angus in early July, the puppies helped ease the sorrow. But as Agnes Turnbull said, "Dogs' lives are too short - their only fault..." we lost one of the female puppies to an unknown defect when she was 10-days old. I would have never guessed that another loss was yet to come - and that being the end of our friendship with the kennel owners.

You hear it all the time - especially if you have ever tuned into Judge Judy or The People's Court: always get it in writing. We had assumed that the gentleman's agreement from the time of our first litter with Emma would stand with this litter. When asked what my plans were for the litter I expressed that I had hoped for three puppies: one for our son and daughter, one for the kennel as stud fee and one for Al and I. I was told not to worry about him as "any dog (he) would take would only be another kennel dog." Of course we were always happy to allow our dogs to be part of the kennel breeding program to further the Anahar line. It was a joy to have Jinny deliver the two puppies seen on the x-ray but then to find a bonus puppy. That joy was cut short when we had to put to sleep the little girl that had Emma's markings and was the first to do everything, so like Emma.

The first inkling of trouble came with the email indicating that the kennel would be taking the female puppy and would co-own the remaining male puppy. There had never been any earlier mention or discussion about co-owning any dogs prior to the breeding. If there had, we would have certainly discussed sharing of the medical expenses; once there were puppies on the ground it was too late to discuss the$2,400 in veterinary bills we incurred with this litter. Rather than give the kennel a dog that we had $1,200 invested in and owning only half of the remaining dog, we offered to pay twice the normal stud fee for an unproven dog which was rejected. During a telephone conversation we were told the kennel would not be sending the AKC information on the sire so we could register the litter nor would they accept our offer to have the kennel register the litter and provide us with a Limited Registration of the puppies. "You have two beautiful dogs ...."

There is no doubt that this is a result of an effort to correct a situation that they felt could result in a risk to their business if they continued to offer us Full Registration of the dogs. A number of years ago they changed their policy of offering only Limited Registration to anyone purchasing a dog from their kennel leaving us as the only customers who had Full Registration which apparently left them feeling vulnerable. I would have understood and agreed had I known that is what they wanted and would have been happy with Limited. Apparently this feeling that their business was open to exposure led to anger and feelings of resentment, all of which came out during a telephone conversation. In the end, no amount of talking could bridge the gap.

As a self-proclaimed writer I find it soothing to my injured feelings to write the story where I am the innocent victim and have the story end where it all comes out in my favor. However, to retreat to that place would deny me the chance to come away a better, if not wiser, person. Taking time to allow the heat of hurt and anger to subside would have allowed for cooler conversation. The second lesson: to get it in writing. But the best lesson I have come away from this loss has to do with the responsibility of friendship: we owe it to our friends to speak even when it means telling them a harsh truth. When you know better, you do better.

And last but certainly not least ....Charles Schulz was right: Happiness is a warm puppy.

Russian Dill Pickles

2011-08-30T10:14:00.010-05:00

Whenever I think of my mother-in-law, I picture her in the kitchen: stirring something in a pot or sitting at the kitchen table slicing vegetables or fruit. As the second oldest of 12 children, she was well prepared to raise her own family of 6 children. Growing up in Agenda Township in Ashland county, Wisconsin, she and her sister Agnes not only helped out at home but served as cooks at their father's lumber camp. Later, they worked in Grandpa John's restaurant in Butternut, WI.

I recall Ida telling how disappointed she and Agnes were when they couldn't continue their schooling as their father needed their help at the lumber camps. Ida was always self-conscious about her perceived lack of education and penmanship.

Ida's father, Johannes Hoefferle was born in Austria and her mother, born in Grundy county, Illinois, was a first generation American. John Hoefferle immigrated to northern Wisconsin with his siblings and married Rose Schaper in 1907.

Ida's family Prussian heritage and that of her German husband insured that many of their children's comfort foods would lean towards pork, sauerkraut, pickles and fruit desserts.

Late summer traditionally was a busy time for Ida; "putting" up jars of pickles, including pickled beets; jars of fruit to be used for pies during the winter months and choke cherry syrup. Of all the comfort foods that Al recalls from his childhood, the one he has missed the most are his mother's homemade pickles. It has been a number of years since I have done any preserving but the sight of pickling cucumbers and fresh picked dill at the local Farmers Market found me returning home with ingredients for a batch of Ida's Russian Dill pickles.

While I didn't realize it at the time, I have a family treasure of having Ida's handwritten instructions for her pickles. I don't recall how it came to be that we were given the recipes but they have laid in my recipe box for years until recently. I know that they were written during "pickle season" as I recall her saying that she would measure out the ingredients and write them down since she rarely measure anything on the dishes that were her family favorites. When I pulled the recipes out of the box I was dismayed to read the instructions "...with dill and a little alum and pickling spice in each jar." Ida was not known for her portion size - her idea of a little was always generous to say the least. After searching other pickle recipes, I settled on a 1/2 tsp of pickling spice and an 1/8 tsp of alum.

It seems that alum has gone out of favor with many pickle recipes and I debated on whether or not to use it but in the end decided Ida used it for a reason and was true to her recipe.

I made a small batch of the Russian Dills, in the event I needed to adjust the ingredients. It was a very long week's wait before we opened the first jar: Ida must have been guiding my hands as the sweet dill taste with the crisp crunch was exactly as he remembered.

We now have a number of jars of Russian Dills along with garlic dill and pickled green and yellow beans in our downstairs to carry us through the winter and I understand Ida's satisfaction of seeing the jars filled with the green and white spears resting on a head of dill with spices working their magic. Bread & Butter Refrigerator Pickles with red peppers are being enjoyed as well.

Another recipe handed down from Ida are Cherry Dill pickles; for the past two weeks chunks of cucumbers, dill and choke cherry leaves have been marinating in a brine of salt water. Later this week I'll follow her instructions for making the brine and pack the pickles in jars with additional dill and leaves. Let's hope they are as successful as the Russian Dills.

Wordless Wednesday: If I Kept That Puppy I'd Name Him Angus

2011-07-27T07:34:00.000-05:00

"Angus at 8 weeks." Digital Image. November 1997. Original privately held by

Wordless Wednesday: Welcoming the Newest Additions to the Anahar ECS Family Tree

2011-07-20T07:20:00.001-05:00

"Anahar's Flower of Scotland; Call name Jinny and her puppies." Digital Image.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday Michelle

2011-06-15T10:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Michelle. I love the woman you've become but recall so many fond memories of a time when we were both a lot younger.

"Mike & Michelle Cutting Wedding Cake." Digital Image. Date: July 30, 1994. Original photograph

Wordless Wednesday: A Tribute To A Loving Military Dog - Oscar

2011-06-01T07:48:00.000-05:00

Al's faithful companion during his tour of duty in Vietnam 1971-1972.

"Oscar." Digital Image. Undated. Photographer: Al Scherwinski. Original photograph

Wordless Wednesday: Stormy Weather, Rattlesden, East Anglia, England

2011-05-25T07:27:00.005-05:00

My uncle, Leland Keith Bergeron (fourth from the left, front row). WWII veteran serving in the 8th Air Force, 440th BG based out of Rattlesden Field in East Anglia. This B17 crew came together at Moses Lake, WA, for training. They then flew to England and went on to complete their required number of missions with everyone continuing to serve in the position that they were assigned with the same unit of men. Something that rarely happened during WWII and a source of pride of all the crew members. This crew was regularly assigned to aircraft known as Stormy Weather and American Maid. Lee served as the crew's engineer (top turret gunner). Proudly remembering Uncle Lee and his crew this coming Memorial Day.

"Stormy Weather." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by

Treasure Thursday: Charles Polar's Magnifying Glass

2011-05-19T19:45:00.002-05:00

On Monday's post I shared a memory of my grandfather Harley Space at the writing desk which housed my great-grandfather's magnifying glass. While I had planned a different subject all together for today's blog post, it seemed appropriate to share Charles Finley Polar's glass instead.

I'm reminded of how blessed I have been to have had time spent with great-aunt Leona Polar Belott to help fill in the empty spaces of our Polar family history. So much of our family history would have been lost had it not been for Aunt Leona. Losing my grandmother to Alzheimer's long before her death in 1987 would have meant the loss of so many stories had it not been for Aunt Leona.

During one of our visits, she reminisced about her childhood, sharing their family had "The History of the World," a large set of books that her father read several times over. Aunt Leona mentioned the magnifying glass used by her father and her thought that possibly it had been in the possession of my grandmother; I was able to confirm that it had been at "the farm" and was now in my possession. She was glad to know that it was one of the things I requested and after that, it took on new meaning.

Up until then my memories of the magnifying glass were associated with my grandparents: my grandfather using it to augment his glasses when reading the newspaper, on occasion my grandmother using it in the reference books she had on hand when working crossword puzzles. I also recall taking it outside to get a closer look at the ants marching on Gram's peony bushes or the inside of the Morning Glories after they had opened.

Now I think about the childhood memories it brought back for my grandmother and what she thought about and felt whenever she picked up the magnifying glass or saw it in the hand of her husband.

"Charles Polar's Glass." Digital image. Dated: 19 May 2011. Magnifying glass and Bible

Amanuensis Monday: Letter From Grandpa Harley 1984

2011-05-16T09:00:00.004-05:00

Written and mailed on the morning August 15, 1984, this letter is one of several letters received from my maternal grandfather Harley Space.

While it as been almost 24 years since his death, I can picture him sitting at the desk, deep in thought, writing a reply but keeping a watchful eye on my grandmother. By the time this letter was written, my grandmother's memory failure had not quite become the debilitating descent into Alzheimer's that was yet to come, release coming with her death 11 months after this letter was written.

I find it comforting to read Grandpa Harley's letters despite the fact this period of his life was heartbreaking and yet, I have many wonderful memories of time spent "at the farm." I remember when you walked into the dining room from the kitchen, the floor made a cracking sound where the linoleum had a permanent buckle. The windows faced south and in August the sun would have not quite reached the back wall; Grandpa would be anxious to get the letter written and out to the mail box before the arrival of the mail lady.

The desk was situated in the dining area facing the north wall; after all these years, it's only now that I wonder who owned the desk before Gram and Grandpa. There were three drawers down the left-hand side, several of which were difficult to open but always a source of curiosity to granddaughters at any age. Stamps and the "glass" could always we found in the long top "draw." The glass being a magnifying glass that belonged to Grandma's father, Charles Finley Polar. Today "the glass" resides in a "draw" on my desk, one of the many family treasures in my life.

Wed A.M.

Dear Cindy & All!

We got your nice long letter and enjoyed it very much.

We are going to town this P.M. and get some things & get Grandma out for her ride. She expects a ride every day and I try to do it for her if I can.

We had or I did some company last Sat. & Sun. One person was a son of his father that was borned on this place here, and he & I had a real visit as he wanted to know of things that happened before he was born and I could tell him of what he wanted to know, as he was the same age as Bud, born in 1922.

I'm real lucky that my mind is sure good and I feel so sorry for Grandma that can't remember but I have to remember for her & I hope I can keep it up.

Tell Al we got bear hunters around setting out bait for them when the season opens. The two Sykora boys I gave them permission to set baits in the woods out here so maybe I will get some bear tracks to eat. Ha.

Did I tell you, we saw an old mother bear on Monday going up to Summit Lake, and also a big timber wolf west of our place.

We were at a birthday party last Sat. at Millie Somers son-in-law, Hank Holy. His Dad and I was real good friends when he was alive & I remember Hank was born in 1917 as I was logging for his grandfather and they use to bring him up there to visit but he's a grandfather also now. Time marches on and if you live long enough you can see the changes and it all makes memories to think about.

It was nice Mother & Dad could get away for a few day, as that is nice to relax for awhile.

About a year ago we were in Montana for the James [family] reunion which I sure glad we went. Guess it is over with by now and they wrote wanted to know if we would be able to come but I said it was too far for us old people but I sure would have like to go if we were younger. I guess I could stand it but Grandma would want to come home soon after we would get there. I know she can't help that but she can walk around better than I can.

The boys will be going to school soon, so will Lori also the summer sure is going fast. I hate to think of the winter. I saw a woodchuck out here on the well platform the other morning, I guess he is the only one around.

Mother called us when they got back last Sat.

It sounds like Las Vegas got another bad rain storm which is the second one, as Sis wrote and said that they were O.K. from the other one.

Well Cindy, thanks for such a nice letter & write when you get time.

Love from Grandma & Grandpa

"Letter From Grandpa Harley." Digital image. Dated: August 15, 1984. Original

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-05T06:50:00.000-05:00

"Happy Mother's Day." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately

Wordless Wednesday: I've Been To London To Visit The Queen

2011-04-27T08:56:00.000-05:00

"I've Been To London To Visit The Queen." Digital Image. June 1992. Original photograph

Tombstone Tuesday: Karoline

2011-04-26T12:40:00.000-05:00

One of the many disappearing grave stones in the Merrill Cemetery (Lincoln county, WI)

"Karoline." Digital Image. Undated. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Easter Sunday 1965

2011-04-20T07:10:00.000-05:00

"Easter Sunday 1965." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held

Wordless Wednesday: Sandhill Crane Minuet

2011-04-06T07:31:00.000-05:00

Tombstone Tuesday: Alonzo B. Polar

2011-04-05T10:40:00.003-05:00

Alonzo B. Polar is my reminder that when researching, one should never ever assume that an unfamiliar name in vital record index is not related to your family line. That statement bears repeating as I have fallen into this trap on more than one occasion but I'll spare you the repetition. (I've come to the conclusion that the definition of the word assume is where the term "taking a wild a$$ guess" is derived, both resulting in the same conclusion.)

A number of years ago, I discovered that my great-great grandfather, Rancellor Polar, for a period of time, lived in neighboring Waupaca County, which is a lovely place to research. Waupaca is the heart of the Chain Of Lakes, the perfect setting for a day spent searching for records with a break for lunch at a favorite lakeside restaurant.

My Polar family research would be incomplete if it weren't for the efforts of a second cousin who began his research long before Ancestry and Footnote; writing letters, filling out family sheets in longhand, keeping copious and meticulous notes. Additionally I consider it a blessing for my family history that my mother paid attention when her mother and Aunt Leona talked about their Polar family history.

Going through the records at the Waupaca County court house, Mom and I were aware of the children of Rancellor Polar and Mary Jane Carson: Charles Finley Polar, father of Alma & Leona; their Uncle Giles and Aunt Adelia; Uncle Clarence who was deaf; Uncle Warren and sister Aunt Alice who married siblings of the Jones side of the family; Aunt Emma who married a brother of the Clarke relation; Aunt Phebe affectionately known as Aunt Pheb. Land records yielded an array of additional Polar's giving us several clues to possible siblings of Rancellor.

Alonzo Polar. "Mom, do you recall Gram or Aunt Leona mentioning an Alonzo Polar?"

Nope ... can't be our Polar. Alonzo is defiantly not one of our family names.

Fast forward a few years and a wiser family researcher who resists the temptation to assume. Suffice it to say that, yes, Alonzo belongs in the Rancellor Polar family. While he is not in my direct family line, as an avid and enthusiastic believer in Cluster or Whole Family Genealogy, every now and then, Alonzo gets my undivided attention.

Alonzo B. Polar as born 1812, in the state of New York. The oldest child of Simeon Polar and Charlotte Pooler/Poler? eight known children. The name Benjamin appears in several of the family lines leading me to surmise that the B stands for Benjamin.

In October 1843 Simeon and Charlotte Poler of Royalton, Niagara, New York purchased 320 acres of land from Joseph and Betsy Compton. In October 1844 Simeon and Charlotte sold 40 acres to their son Alonzo Poler; the remaining 280 acres was sold to their son George W. Poler in December 1844. The addresses of all parties is recorded as Leslie, Ingram, Michigan. This is the last recorded land record found listing Simeon and Charlotte.

Records indicate that at the time of Alonzo's death, he was a resident at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in the town of King, Waupaca county, WI. A request of these records provided very little family information as I had hoped, but they indicated that when he became a resident of the veterans home he brought with him his wife Cordelia.

Alonzo served the state of Wisconsin during the Civil War and is found listed in Ancestry's database including American Civil War Soldiers which indicates Alonzo was a residence of Wautoma, Waushara County, WI. He enlisted as a private on January 20, 1862, in 8th Light Artillery Brigade and received a disability discharge on January 21, 1863.

Also found on Ancestry is a listing for Alonz[o] B. Polar in Headstones Provided for Deceased Civil War Veterans, 1879-1903, confirming that he is buried at the Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery.

A lovely afternoon spent strolling the cemetery grounds yielded the grave of Alonzo Polar with wife Cordelia's grave located in the vicinity.

On their application to the WI Veterans Home, they indicate that Cordelia was born March 21, 1828, in Ohio. She does not list her maiden name, they have no children and were married in October 1873 in Kilbourneville, Racine County, WI. Cordelia's death certificate does not list her parents names, probably due to the fact that they are not listed on her entry application. Cordelia died on March 14, 1908.

Cordelia was not Alonzo's first marriage, thanks to cousin Harold, we know that Alonzo's first marriage was to Mary Ellen Palmer on May 6, 1840 in Rochester, Monroe County, NY. Mary Ellen was born September 29, 1823, in Rochester. They had one child, Mary Helen Palmer, born July 7, 1841, in Rochester. Harold indicated that Mary Helen married Nicholas Scharding on September 20, 1858, in Yolo County, CA, but I have not been able to document this fact.

Alonzo and Mary Ellen parted ways sometime between 1841 and 1850. Mary Ellen married George W. Brown and is found living with Mary Ellen Polar in Somerset Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan in the 1850 Federal Census.

But was there another Mrs. Alonzo Polar in addition to Mary Ellen and Cordelia?

Listed in Wisconsin Marriages, Pre-1907 is Alonso B. Polar, married on February 23, 1894, in Columbia County. This record indicates a marriage 21-years after the date given by Alonzo and Cordelia as their marriage date and comes only three years prior to Alonzo's death in 1897.

What about the family of A. B. Polar found living in Dakota Township, Waushara , WI?

Or is there another Alonzo B. Polar?

Well I'm sure that he can't be related to my line of Polars.

Wordless Wednesday: Don't I Look Cross?

2011-03-29T18:56:00.000-05:00

"Don't I Look Cross?" Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held

Tombstone Tuesday: Matilda Besoni

2011-03-29T18:45:00.000-05:00

Matilda Besoni, second wife of my great-grand uncle Alvin Stone. The marriage record of Alvin and Matilda states she and Alvin were married June 19, 1905 in Lac du Flambeau, Vilas, WI. Her death certificate states she was born in March 1894 in Peroza (?) Italy.

While she and Alvin had no children, someone cared enough to create a marker for her grave in the Lac du Flambeau cemetery.

"Tombstone Tuesday: Matilda Besoni." Digital Image. Undated.

One Lovely Blog Award

2011-03-23T08:39:00.002-05:00

Imagine my surprise when I sat down this morning to (finally!) spend quality time "In My Life" to discover that fellow bloggers Karen at Genealogy Frame of Mind and Leslie Ann at Lost Family Treasures left comments that they were nominating my blog for the One Lovely Blog Award.

Now how great is that? Personally I think it is a really big deal and am feeling more than a little pleased. After all, who doesn't enjoy applause and a pat on the back from people whose work you admire and want to encourage other bloggers? Reason enough for a happy dance.

Now comes the fun part .... I get to make 15 other bloggers just as happy but I guess I am getting ahead of myself.

Before I can display my gorgeous pink and white award In My Life, I need to:

1. Acknowledge the award by posting to (your) my blog.
2. Nominate 15 other blogs that I think are lovely (gosh .. only 15??)
3. Contact each person to let them know that they have been nominated.

There are so many wonderfully talented and creative people who inhabit the blogisphere, selecting 15 lovely blogs really is going to be difficult but I'll abide by the rules and list my 15 nominees:

1. Blind Pig & the Acorn

2. Blue Ridge Blog

3. Cher's Shots

4. Dar's Stuffings

5. DearMyrtle's Genealogy Blog

6. Finding Eliza

7. Genealogy & Me

8. Moultrie Creek Gazette

9. Preserving Heritage

10. Random Relatives

11. Reflections From The Fence

12. Roots and Stones

13. Small-Leaved Shamrock

14. Tour Scotland Photographs

15. Twig Talk

I hope you will visit my 15 One Lovely Blog Award selections and, like I have, become inspired by their creativity. After all ... aren't we all just children at heart who refuse to put down our digital crayons?

Wordless Wednesday: Alice

2011-03-23T06:18:00.000-05:00

"Alice." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph

Tombstone Tuesday: Willard Ackley

2011-03-22T22:31:00.007-05:00

There is saying attributed to Lois Wyse that says in part, "A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future ..." As I've researched my ancestors and widened the research net to include the siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts, I am reminded every now and then that there are others who shared their lives - those we call friends. My selection for today's Tombstone Tuesday, Willard Ackley, falls into that category.

Willard Ackley was among the first white settlers in what is now Langlade County, Wisconsin, and appears in concert on several documents (including land and marriage records) with my maternal great-great-grandfather Isaac Stone. Rounding out the third of my family's version of the Three Amigos is John Hogarty, another early settler in this part of the state.

According to his death certificate Willard was born William in 1818 in England. His family immigrated and settled in Chenango County, New York, his last known place of residence prior to his arrival in northeast central Wisconsin.

Oral history and legend states that the original spelling of the surname was ACLY, but a feud with his family, who remained in the east, caused Willard to adopt the spelling ACKLEY. As the story goes, this separation of the Acly/Ackley family was said to be due to Willard's marriage to Ma-Dwa-Ji-Was-No-Quay of the Ojibwe band of Native Americans. A common theory but unsubstantiated.

Ackley, Hogarty and Stone all appear to have been actively logging in this area around 1850 and all three worked at one time or another for Charles Hazeltine in Kelly in Marathon County.

Ackley built a cabin and homesteaded on what is now part of the Riverview Golf Club outside of Antigo, WI. Ackley also had a logging camp along with the cabin site on the 1851 government survey map. The camp was listed as Ackley and "Hoyaroy" farms which I believe is a misspelling of Hogarty. Hogarty, Ackley and Stone, as stated earlier, were close friends and at one time or another, business partners. All three men had trading posts and had supplies brought in from Stevens Point at the same time.

During the time that Ackley, Hogarty and Stone were engaged in logging, the venture wasn't very profitable as the price for pine was so low it barely paid for the supplies. When the men first arrived, the logs were hauled to the Eau Claire River on a travois pulled by oxen; a distance of about a half mile. Later, horses were used and the logs were hauled two or three miles in winter to streams. Logs were floated down the river to Kelly, then Schofield at the mouth of the Wisconsin River.

Each camp had their own logs marked so when they reached their destination, they could be sorted out. Records indicate that Ackley preferred to release his logs ahead of the other loggers to avoid mixing them with those sent down the river by Isaac Stone and Jesse Boyington, another early settler.

Willard Ackley and John Hogarty shared more than business ventures: they also shared wedding anniversary. A family history told by a granddaughter of Ackley recounts that Ackley and Hogarty married women from the Sokaogan Chippewa tribe near Post Lake. The men first walked to Post Lake to the home of their brides and then the two couples walked to Wausau where they were married by a Justice of the Peace. Witness to the marriages? None other than Isaac Stone.

Willard Ackley's wife was the daughter of the chief of the Sokaogan tribe of the Chippewa, Me-gee-see, known as Great Eagle. He lived a very interesting life which must have been evident to everyone he met: he lost his nose and one eye during of the many battles he had taken part in between the Ojibwe and the Sioux. A treaty signed in 1825 bears his signature.

By all accounts, the Ackley's were very kind to the early pioneers of Langlade County. Many of the early settlers lived with the Ackley's until their homes could be built and much has been written of Willard's generosity and willingness to help his neighbors. One settler wrote of Willard "[he] was a prince among men."

Willard's wife, who took the name Mary following her marriage, was also generous to her neighbors. It is noted she never turned down a call for help in case of illness, using her knowledge of medicinal herbs and acted as mid-wife, helping to bring many of the pioneer children into the world.

Willard was small in stature, weighing approximately 130 pounds but he is said to have had a booming voice. Hearing him speak, people expected to see a man "... who weighed 400 pounds." The Chippewa called Ackley "the little man with the big voice."

On the tax rolls, Willard paid the highest in the area. He owned more horses and buggies than his neighbors and kept two or three canoes on the Eau Claire River but never went farther than one and a half miles from Hogarty in Shawano County.

Willard Ackley's death is recorded in the Langlade County Death Records, Volume 1, Page 44: Wm. L. Ackley; white male; page 76; farmer; born in England; date of death Nov. 25, 6:00 a.m. 1894.

His obituary in the Antigo News reads, "The first of the week, Willard L. Ackley, undoubtedly the oldest settler in Langlade County, died at his home, about four miles west of Antigo, at the age of 77 years. Very little is known of the early life of the deceased, but the memory of man in this section runneth not to the time when he was not located on the bank of the Eau Claire River. As near as we can learn, he lived there fifty years, most of the time with no other companions than the Indians. He lived with them and was one of those erratic individuals, who for some unknown reason, preferred their company to that of the whites. He was a familiar figure among old residents and those who lumbered on the Eau Claire."

Mary Ackley died on March 8, 1899. Her death certificate states she was 97-years old at the time of her death placing her year of birth 1802. Her maiden name is listed as Mary White Eagle; father Great Eagle and mother Roaring Water.

Willard, Mary and a granddaughter, Lillian McDonald, are buried in the Antigo Cemetery in Lot 1, Block 9; just south of the main gate.

The name of Willard Ackley isn't found listed in my family tree but I've discovered he was someone my great-great-grandfather called a friend, earning him a place of importance in my family history.

Digital Images. Undated. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Phyllis Jean Space, Graduation

2011-03-16T07:08:00.000-05:00

"Phyllis Jean Space, Graduation." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately

Orphan Photos

2011-03-14T19:11:00.003-05:00

There are only two references that help place these photos. One is the identification of the photography studio placing my "orphan" as being in Antigo, Langlade county, Wisconsin.

On the back of this photo was a faded written notation, so faint I almost missed it. After viewing it under a desk lamp, I was able to read a date: 1926.

A relative or neighbor? My plan, on my next visit to Antigo is to check church records. My grandmother, Mildred Little Bergeron, was a long-time member of the Methodist church. Could my "orphan" be a godchild?

"Orphan Photo(s)." Digital Image. 1926. Original photographs privately

held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Marian Jean Bergeron

2011-03-02T05:45:00.000-06:00

"Marian Jean Bergeron." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph privately

Tombstone Tuesday: Charles and Gertrude Jones

2011-03-01T17:33:00.001-06:00

The progenitor of my Jones family line is Charles Jones, born June 1802 in Lancashire, England. Charles's known marriages were to (i) Jane and (ii) Gertrude. My family line descends from James H. Jones, the oldest son of Charles and Jane.

Charles and Jane are found in the 1841 census UK (England), living on School Lane in Rochdale, Lancashire, England. Their listing in this census is one of the few lucky happen-stances; the family immigrated to the United States in 1842 and, to date, I have been unable to find them in any of the federal census records until 1860 when the family is found living in Winchester, Winnebago, WI.

The listing in the 1841 census confirms Charles' wife as Jane and confirms that their youngest child is daughter Jane.

Listed in the New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 list on Ancestry.com, is the family of Charles Jones age 40,"Mrs [ditto]"age 40, James age 20, Susan age 17, Joseph age 9, Edward age 6, Abraham age 4 and Jane age 1. The family arrived in New York City on July 1, 1842, on board the ship The Importer.

The next record documenting Charles Jones doesn't occur until the 1860 federal census when Charles Jones is found living in Winchester, Winnebago, WI, with wife (ii) Gertrude, and children Charles, Alice and John.

While there has been a lot of speculation about the migration of the family from the time they disembarked The Importer, there is no documentation as to where the family spent those 20 years. A popular theory written and published by other Jones family researchers is that this family line settled in Worcester County, MA, near the family of Thomas Ashworth.

Edward Jones, brother to Charles, formed a business partnership with Thomas Ashworth. While there is a collateral connection, there is no documentation that the family of Charles Jones spent time living in the area or working at the Ashworth & Jones woolen mill.

A clue may be found in the listing of New York as the place of birth of John Jones, youngest son of Charles Jones. However, I believe there is an error in this census, recording Gertrude's place of birth as England when other sources cite her place of birth as New York. Could it be that John's place of birth is in error as well?

Charles and Gertrude continued to make their home in Winchester for another 20-years until Charles's death on March 17, 1885. According to his obituary in the March 18, 1885, issue of the Neenah Times: Mr. Jones, of Winchester, and father of Receiver Jones of Menasha, died yesterday from the effects of a fall from a sleigh. His age was 84-years. He was well known and highly respected in this county. The funeral is on Friday morning."

Gertrude survived her husband for almost 4-1/2 years; she died on August 8, 1889. Both Charles and Gertrude are buried in the Winchester Cemetery, also known as the Jones Cemetery, on Grandview Road in Winchester Township.

SNGF: Count Your Trees

2011-02-26T19:57:00.002-06:00

Who doesn't enjoy a little Saturday Night Fun? Especially when it involves genealogy. Randy Seaver offers up his weekly SNGF via the always fun Genea-Musings and for once, Saturday night finds me at home where wireless high-speed Internet resides so I can participate.

This week's challenge:

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) Open your genealogy database in the software of your choice, and use the Help function to determine if your software can count the number of separate family trees you have in that database.

2. Follow the directions if the program can do it, and Count Your Trees.

3) Tell us about how many trees you have, and who is the "root" person in the biggest tree. Tell us if you have any big surprises - did you find any disconnected trees that should not have been disconnected?

4) Write your own blog post, write a comment on this post, or write a Facebook status or comment.

"Well ... Isn't this a timely genealogy mission?" she says with a smile.

Having lived my past life on the side of the PC world, I recently became apple-cored. My conversion was totally unexpected - iPhone, iPad followed by FTM for Mac for my new MacBook Pro. Having new techie toys is almost as much fun as finding the document that either gets you through the brick wall, over the pond, or points the way to gr-gr-gr-grandmother Abigail's resting place. With that in mind I couldn't wait to open my FTM program (feeling smug that I knew exactly where to find it!) and count my trees.

So much for the walls of Jericho tumbling down ...

If you have read Randy's post, you will have all ready surmised that Family Tree Maker does not have a function to perform this sort of task. But it was a good way to delve into the upgrade of FTM as I was running an earlier version prior to making the upgrade in order to migrate my family information to the Mac.

While I was unable to complete my "mission" it was fun to participate in SNGF. As always, thanks Randy!

Wordless Wednesday: Easy Does It

2011-02-23T20:12:00.000-06:00

"Easy Does It." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by

Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History: Week 7: Toys

2011-02-17T13:09:00.001-06:00

As a girl growing up in the 1950's and 60's, some of my fondest memories center around playing Barbie's with my friends. No matter where we lived, I could always count on finding common ground as the "new girl in the neighborhood" thanks to Barbie and Ken. Packing up Barbie and Ken in my white Barbie trunk and heading off to a friends house for the afternoon helped me fit into a new community, making new friends with Barbie as the mediator.

I recall having one of the early Barbie dolls: blond hair in a pony tail with a black & white zebra striped swim suit, open toed shoes (never to be seen again) and sunglasses. Later on, I received a Barbie that came with three wigs: blond, dark brown and red. While I still have this Barbie, sadly, only one of her wigs remained with the doll.

When I was younger my most treasured Barbie outfit (beside the wedding dress) was the ice pink satin gown that came accessorized with a faux fur stole, opera length white gloves and, as I recall, a white pearl choker.

But after forty-plus years, I am thankful to have one of the outfits lovingly made by my Grandma Bergeron. Even after all these years, the sweater and pants fit Barbie like a glove and if I do say so myself, she is stunning as she prepares to head down to the fire pit after an day on the slopes.

I don't know how she does it - she doesn't look a day over 19.

Copyright (c) 2011 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Wordless Wednesday: Before There Was Super Bowl Heisman Was King

2011-02-09T09:03:00.000-06:00

"Before There Was a Super Bowl Heisman Was King." Digital image. Undated.

Wordless Wednesday: Logging In Wisconsin Early 1900s

2011-02-02T05:59:00.000-06:00

"Logging in Vilas Township (WI) early 1900's." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph

privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011.

Tombstone Tuesday: Olive Space Kesler

2011-02-01T16:17:00.001-06:00

Olive Mabel Space, born 26 March 1878, in Merrill, Lincoln, WI; the only child of Zephaniah Allen Space (1826-1902) and Harriet Armanda Fryer (1854-1940).

Zephaniah and his first wife, Margaretta Ann Shankle were one of the early pioneers who immigrated to Wisconsin's northwoods "pinery" in the mid 1840's prior to Wisconsin's admission as the 30th state in the union. They established one of the first hotels in Jenny, now Merrill, WI; the couple divorced in 1877.

Harriet Fryer was the third of Francis Fryer (1829-1907) and Lucinda Hart's (1831-1912) eight children. Francis and Lucinda were married in Frankfort, KY, in 1850. The couple came to Wisconsin, settling in Oshkosh before immigrating to Minnesota before the family settled in Langlade county. Harriet married Stephen Dunbar in 1873; the couple had one child, Royal Ainsley Dunbar born 14 May 1875 in New London, Waupaca, WI. Following his mother's marriage to Zephaniah, Royal was adopted by Zephaniah and he took the Space surname. It is unclear if the adoption was part of any official process as no documentation has been located.

Zephaniah, Harriet, Roy and Olive settled in the township of Morley in Langlade county. Morley's modest beginnings were as a log building built by Edward and Jean Morley in 1881. The two brothers operated a post office, stage stop and store. The "Morley Territory" was located in what is now the Town of Vilas and the western portion of the Town of Peck and a small portion of the Town of Ackley. It was also a part of the Town of Pine River, Lincoln county. Still later, it became a part of Ackley, Langlade county before finally being subdivided into the towns of Vilas and Peck. (A nightmare for genealogists researching their family connections in this part of the county!)

Like her father, Olive taught school and was interested in historical events and served as the "custodian of the Historical Society Museum" in Antigo.

Olive was married to Willard Lloyd (1869-1906) in 1897, the couple had two children, the youngest was 16 months old at the time of Willard's death. Olive married Lafayette Kesler (1866-1937) in 1915 and had two children including a daughter, Harriet Lethe Kesler named for Olive's mother.

Olive Space Lloyd Kesler died at the Langlade Memorial Hospital on Sunday, 28 January 1968 and is buried in the Antigo Cemetery.

"Tombstone: Olive M. Kesler." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph

privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski as part of the Space Family Papers.

Wordless Wednesday: Harley Space 40 lb Sturgeon Icefishing

2011-01-19T07:58:00.001-06:00

"Harley Space 40 lb. Sturgeon." Digital Image. Undated. Original photography privately
held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011

52 Weeks Personal Genealogy & History: Winter

2011-01-09T08:36:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Amy Coffin of We Tree Genealogy members of the geneabloggers family will be embarking on another year of recording our personal family history. This week's challenge has to do with winter and offers the prompt:

What was winter like where and when you grew up? Describe not only the climate, but how the season influenced your activities, food choices, etc.

Being a life-long resident of the upper Midwest, winter is a season I literally have lived with my entire life. It is kizmet that the subject of my first blog post of 2011 is winter; winter was also the subject of a couple of Wordless Wednesday posts, including a photo of my grandfather during the early 1900s.

Long before the term global warming became part of our vocabulary, my childhood memories of winter is that the snow was deeper, the temperatures colder and winter seemed to last far longer than it does today. But then again, my winter memories may be a bit spacial challenged. In my minds eye, Christmas trees were at least 10 feet tall and the depth of the snow had to have been no less than six or seven feet deep. Photographs tell a different story.

While I have come to accept - and embrace - winter, I have age (!) as well as technology to thank for this being a peace with Old Man Winter. Memories of playing outside immediately bring to mind frozen fingers and toes - sometimes to the point of tears. The handmade mittens my Grandmother Bergeron made were no match for today's dry technology, wicking away persperation and keeping my fingers toasty warm.

Bulky snowsuits were a godsend back in the 50's and 60's and extended our time spent outside until enough snow and persperation increased your weight by at least five pounds! Remember the scene of Randy being dressed by his mother in the holiday classic Christmas Story : "I can't put my arms down." That scene, repeated in my family kitchen is why I fondly remember my first pair of 'bib' snowpants, not to mention the fact a decrease in the chance of snow escaping past the waistband of my snow pants.

Pulling on a pair of boots in the 1950's was a lesson in patience. As if it wasn't difficult enough getting your shoes inside the boots (the rubber reaching out and grabbing your shoe) or that at some point during your winter adventure, your sock would begin to creep down your foot, past your ankle and bunch up somewhere around the arch of your foot - getting your shoe back out of the boot when you are cold and wet was misearble. If you were lucky, your foot immediately came out of your shoe, leaving you (or Mom!) to work the shoe out of the boot at a later time.

All that winter brings with it - snow, cold, ice - was accepted as part of life. Our activities may have included more time spent inside than we did during the rest of the year but it brought with it enertainment we looked forward to and enjoyed: skating, skiing, sledding, building forts and having snowball fights. Catching snowflakes on your tongue, during the spring 'maple syrup run' my grandfather use to scoop snow into a bowl and drizzle maple sap or syrup for a wonderful treat.

I recall my grandfather saying that January was his least favorite month as this is the time of the year when temperatures in northern Wisconsin often are below zero for days at a time. I'm sure this is a sentiment today's dairy farmers and loggers still share. When we are into our third day of minus wind chill even I am dreaming of a sun, white sand beaches - and warmth!

There is beauty in a winter landscape when we choose to view our surrounds as a gift. When I think of my winter childhood memories I am reminded of the poem by Bill Morgan, Jr.:

Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.

With the exception of Bill Morgan's poem, all text and photograph is

In Celebration of Winter Life

2011-01-05T15:39:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure when I made peace with winter. Rather than a singular moment noted on a calendar, it is more likely it was a slow evolution when my complaining, lamenting, whining and self-absorbed hissy snits at the seemingly endless months of cold, dark, freezing cold was replaced with acceptance.

It could have been when I strapped on my first pair of snow shoes and ventured out beyond the plowed and shoveled walkways and into the quiet winter landscape. Deer, porcupine, mice, weasel and fisher leave trails across the winter landscape. Chickadees and nuthatches call out from the leafless branches, Blue Jays sound the alarm joined in by Red Squirrels.

Cold, colorless and devoid of life? Hardly.

I'm not surprised that we pay more attention to nature when it is ablaze with color. During the spring and autumn we look to the sky to watch the flocks of geese and cranes as they make their annual migration, marking the change in the seasons. But in the quiet of winter we become the final destination of many migrating birds: Trumpeter Swans find their way to this section of the Wisconsin River either on a stop-0ver or to spend the winter months.

Northern Hawk Owls and Snowy Owls, a bird that breeds and nests in the Arctic also migrate south. Finding a Snowy Owl perched on a fencepost or the small Northern Hawk Owl in the top of a balsam is a breathtaking moment.

The lesson I take back home is that too many times we fail to see the beauty of life even when it is right in front of us. In fact, how much of life's beauty do we miss because we are busy having our own hissy snit fits?

I wonder ... what would happen if I spread out my research brick walls and looked at them with a new attitude? If I put aside what I think I know about my ancestor and see what happens?

52 Weeks to Better Genealogy - Week 51: Goals for 2011

2010-12-30T21:57:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! In a few short hours most of us will gather with family and friends to ring out 2010 and welcome the new year. Thanks to the wonder of technology, we can literally celebrate the new year as it makes it way around the world. As I reflect back on the 2010, I find myself counting the many blessings that I have been given and thinking about the moments that were, well, feeling anything but a blessing. And yet, I realize that even these moments were in my life for a reason, a lesson that I have yet to realize.

As we make our way towards that new page in the calendar it is inevitable that we feel the need to make resolutions that will make our lives - and ourselves - better: kicking the tobacco habit, losing weight, eating better, engaging in regular exercise. Amy Coffin encouraged family historians in The We Tree Genealogy blog to look beyond our immediate horizons and stretch our researching muscles with 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy all designed to help make us better family historians. In week 51 she challenges us to think about our goals for 2011 and to write them down.

2011 is designated as the year I stop collecting and begin organizing, writing and sharing.

While there are several members of my family tree who are on my Most Wanted list, my most pressing goal for 2011 is to organize, scan and share with my family the wealth of family photographs in my possession. Some of them need to be identified with family members, several of them will require some serious work in Photoshop but all of them have a story to be told and I look forward to sharing these stories.

There are many of my ancestors stories that I have discovered that need to be put down: Lizzie Goldrick's trip to England to make a withdrawal on a reported bushel of gold, my uncle Earle Bergeron's military service and time spent as a Flying Sergeant and there are several of Grandma Space's journals waiting to be transcribed.

To quote Edith Lovejoy Pierce: We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec 16 School Pageants

2010-12-16T10:29:00.005-06:00

What did you do to celebrate Christmas at school?

Were you ever in a Christmas Pageant?

I consider myself fortunate to have childhood memories that include Christmas celebrations as part of our education curriculum. Following the return to school from our four day Thanksgiving vacation, the classroom displays of black construction paper Pilgrim hats and paper plate turkeys were replaced with the start of the wondrous celebration of Christmas.

The only thing that could distract me from the waiting and counting down the days until Christmas morning was the joy of rehearsing for our Christmas pageant. Music was always a favorite class but especially true during Christmas.

Music teachers distributed mimeographed sheets with our Christmas songs that we would be presenting at our school pageant; looking at the new songs we would be singing for the next three weeks was almost as good as Christmas morning.

"Oh ho ho - who wouldn't know? Oh ho ho who wouldn't go? Up on the rooftop, click click click ..." I must have been in the third grade when we sang this song as I recall watching my sister Lisa in her kindergarten class singing Jingle Bells during the same program.

I vividly recall memorizing "A Visit From St. Nicholas" when I was in the fourth or fifth grade which our class was going to recite at that year's pageant. We were memorizing the lines where St. Nick is calling out the names of his reindeer: "Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!" I recall it was a very sunny day and the sunlight was hurting my eyes; I felt very cold and wanted nothing more than to put my head down on my desk and take a nap. When I didn't want to get up the next morning my mother discovered a few small red pimples - chicken pox. I missed the school pageant that year, much to my dismay. Mom brought home a copy of the poem (probably from the public library) and helped me memorize the rest of the poem.

When I was in the 7th grade I tried out for the school production of Amal and the Night Visitors. I was disappointed when I wasn't chosen as the young crippled boy but was named the understudy - it is a good thing "Amal" was able to perform as the understudy never did learn Amal's lines (all though she knew all the songs!)

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Dec. 15 Hoiday Happenings

2010-12-15T17:30:00.002-06:00

Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year holidays. So we're going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.

Thanks to Randy Seaver for his Saturday Night Genealogy Fun posted on his blog Genea-Musings. Earlier this year he asked everyone to create a calendar then post the results. When I read the prompt for today's contribution, I had to think that Santa Randy was probably having the last laugh.

Looking at my December and January calendar created in Family Tree Maker I was surprised to see the number of my first and second cousins; once, twice and a couple three times removed who were celebrating birthdays and anniversaries during the holiday season. To those wonderful relatives, many of whom have sent their Christmas greetings, I wish you happy birthday or congratulations on achieving another anniversary milestone. No need to mention you by name but I hope you know I am thinking of you.

There are a couple of events I would like to pay special tribute to, listed here in chronological order:

Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held

by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Happy Birthday Grandpa Charlie. Born December 2, 1887, in Ham Lake Township, Anoka Co., MN, my paternal grandfather would have celebrated his 123rd birthday earlier this month. The oldest son of Francis Xavier Bergeron (1863-1953) and Mary Elizabeth Reinwand (1865-1951) Charles Edward Bergeron is seen in the above photo with my grandmother Mildred Eileen Little and cousin Connie.

Digital Image. Dec. 8, 1951. Original photograph privately held

by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Happy Anniversary to my parents who celebrated their 59th anniversary on December 8th. I love this photograph and can recall trying on my mother's wedding dress which was heavy white satin. My parents were married in a candlelight ceremony at the First Methodist Church in Antigo. They recall that it was a bitterly cold night with several feet of snow on the ground.

Having posted today's Wordless Wednesday as a birthday tribute to my sister Lori I won't embarrass her with any more cutsie photographs.

Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held

by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Christmas Eve 1976 will always be remembered as the year we attended the funeral of my 13-year old cousin Becky Lynn. Becky was killed on December 21, 1976, when she and several of her friends climbed over a chain link fence intent on crossing Interstate 694 in Minneapolis during rush hour traffic. I've often thought about the driver of the car who was drawn into the decision the three friends made that night. It wasn't just my family whose lives were forever changed. Becky Lynn would have been 47 years old.

Digital Image. Oct. 11, 2009.. Original photograph privately held

by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

My youngest son celebrates his birthday in early January so it is a bit early to wish him Happy Birthday; he'll just have to wait! To say that he is a joy is a serious understatement. Funny, smart, honest and giving almost to a fault, he makes me laugh and proud to be called Ben's Mom. My Dad has told me many times how proud his brother would have been to know that we gave Ben the middle name of Earle. I agree, I believe he is.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday Lori

2010-12-14T19:23:00.000-06:00

"Happy Birthday Lori." Digital Image. Dated Dec. 1965. Original photograph privately held

by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec 14 Fruitcake

2010-12-14T16:00:00.000-06:00

Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes?

Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake?

Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?

Fruitcake. Was your first reaction to shutter, swallow hard and think, "no way." I confess to being a johnny-come-lately fruitcake-er.

I recall my family receiving Fruitcake as a gift, probably around 1963. I don't know what happened to the alleged Fruitcake but a call to my mother might be in order!

As mentioned in the December 2nd Holiday Foods post, for a number of years I thought my mother's Fruit Bread, which was a holiday tradition, was Fruitcake.

December 2nd posting left me wondering about my Mom's Fruit Bread Christmas tradition and following some good old-fashioned detective work, I found the recipe. Maybe you'll join me in a new - or renewed - Christmas tradition.

Fruit Bread
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. salad oil

* * * *
1/4 cup diced candied citron
1/4 cup dried currants
2 Tbsp. finely diced candied cherries
2 Tbsp. diced candied lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine eggs, milk and salad oil; add to flour mixture, beating well (about 1/2 minute). Stir in fruits and nuts.

Turn into greased 9x50x-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven about 50 minutes or till done. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Wrap and store overnight.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 11 Other Traditions

2010-12-11T14:53:00.002-06:00

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there...

Clement C. Moore, A Visit From St. Nicholas

For as many Christmas's that I can remember, we celebrated St. Nicholas Day. It wasn't until I was in junior high school (now referred to as middle school) that we had a fireplace; until that time, our stockings, made by my mother, were hung wherever possible on December 5th in anticipation of the arrival of St. Nick.

According to Wikipedia the legend of St. Nicholas has its roots in Greece. Like most legends, the story behind the how and why St. Nicholas delivered gifts seems more suited to Criminal Minds than Disney. My family's observance of St. Nicholas Day have strong ties with the German traditions of celebrating Nikolaus leaving me to believe they are traditions from my maternal Germanic side of the family.

In Germany, children place a boot outside their front door on the night of Decemer 5th when St. Nikolaus arrives to fill them with small gifts and treats. It is also during this time when St. Nick checks to see if the children have been behaving. Sometimes a disguised St. Nick will visit the children at their home or school to get a report. If you did not receive a satisfactory passing grade, depending on where you lived dictated what St. Nick left as a warning. In many countries he left a switch or a stick and in others a lump of coal.

As stated in a prevous post the true identity of Santa Claus has a family connection and it makes perfect sense that this fact wasn't known to one and all. My grandfather did have a wonderful sense of humor.

When my youngest sister was probably three or four-years old, Grandma and Grandpa Space came to visit coincidentally as we were getting ready to celebrate St. Nick's Day. As this was the house with the fireplace, we were even more excited to have our stockings hung by the chimney with care. Grandpa began quizzing the youngest sister about St. Nick, what was all this about stockings and why would we be getting presents when it wasn't Christmas. As my sister's frustration grew, Grandpa did not let up on his questioning, "Who is St. Nick?" and was finally bested by my sister's answer, "He's Santa Claus's brother you dummy!"

It was a moment that my Grandfather remembered and laughed about for the rest of his life.

With the exception of "A Visit From St. Nicholas" all copy and photograph

Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Dec. 10 Gifts

2010-12-11T11:30:00.002-06:00

What were your favorite gifts, both to receive and to give?

Are there specific gift-giving traditions among your family or ancestors?

I firmly believe the topic of Christmas traditions is something soon-to-be newlyweds need to discuss before they say I do. Christmas traditions is something my husband and I failed to discuss until we had celebrated our second wedding anniversary. We would have discovered how different our Christmas traditions were much sooner had it not been for the fact Uncle Sam decided our first Christmas as husband and wife would be spent with Al in sunny South Vietnam.

Al's family opened their gifts on Christmas Eve, my family on Christmas morning. Al, the youngest of six children was a 'late in life' child with his siblings living away from home during his childhood. I am the oldest of four girls therefore had siblings to feed into the Christmas frenzy. There couldn't have been a more different Christmas gifting experience.

Al's family opened gifts after church on Christmas Eve leaving him to get up Christmas morning and enjoy his train set in peace. Meanwhile at my house, by the time Christmas morning arrived we were seriously sleep deprived . The first Christmas Al and I spent with my family he experienced severe sensory overload. Frank Sinatra on the stereo, coffee and egg nog with a plate of cookies and breads while the decibel levels gradually increased the closer we got to gift unwrapping. I vividly recall my youngest sister jumping up and down on the couch singing to Sinatra. Throughout the years, memories of Al helping my Dad assemble a doll crib (which included having to drill new holes for the railings) and a refrigerator with 'ice cube' maker that had to be assembled in the middle of night have become the wonderful laugh till you cry stories we never get tired of telling.

Bride dolls, ice skates, guitars and record albums (Glen Campbell and Jimi Hendrix are the two that immediately come to mind) are a few of the gifts I recall receiving but the one gift that stands out in my memory is my first 'real' Mom gift.

Long before anyone considered the implications and effects Styrofoam meat trays would have on our environment, the boys youth group at our church used them to make a Christmas tree for Mom. Somewhere along the way a few of the glass decorations were broken and the tree topper is missing but I can still recall the look on Chris's face when he presented me with his gift and recall it was wrapped in green tissue paper decorated with gold and red star stickers.

But Mary treasured all [these words] and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

FM Tradional Blog Caroling: Sir Paul McCartney Having a Wonderful Christmas Time

2010-12-11T08:51:00.002-06:00

For someone born and raised in Wisconsin, Christmas just wouldn't be the same without snow and a Christmas tree. A large part of my traditional Christmas celebrations is music: nothing can keep the spirit of Christmas burning more than singing a Christmas carol. FootnoteMaven's annual Blog Caroling sing-a-long is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a holiday favorite or discover a new favorite such as The Huron Carol on Jenn's Roots and Stones blog.

There are so many wonderful Christmas songs that it is difficult to select just one to blog. Enya's beautiful Oíche Chiúin (Silent Night) is something I could listen to for hours on end. Christmas and winter music on my iPod ranges from Mannheim Steamroller, Josh Groban to Bing, Frank and Rosemary. So now what to choose ... a classic or somewhere in between?

For FootnoteMaven's hot toddy, jammie wearing, bring your fuzzy slippers sing-a-long I have chosen Sir Paul McCartney's Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time. I am reminded that when White Christmas debuted it was an instant hit but it took a number of years to become a classic. There are those Christmas carols that are meant to be sung at a midnight service on Christmas eve and those you sing on your way to the store. May you enjoy a toe-tapping, hum the tune until you get to the chorus to sing along new Christmas favorite:

Wordless Wednesday: Lucky Foresters Club Christmas 1984

2010-12-08T15:05:00.000-06:00

"Lucky Foresters Club Christmas." Digital Image. Date 1984.

Original photograph privately held by (name withheld).

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 8 Cookies

2010-12-08T12:38:00.001-06:00

Christmas cookies have been a large part of my childhood Christmas traditions, in fact, I included a few of my favorites in the December 2nd Advent Calendar under the Holiday Food category. Considered a major part of the Holiday Food Pyramid, it might be sacrilegious not to share a couple of our traditional Christmas cookies.

Sugar cookie cut-outs not withstanding, a staple in our family Christmas cookie jar were the cornflake cherry dot cookies. All the rage during the 1960s, I believe these were my sister Michelle's favorite:

2-1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup finely chopped, pitted dates
1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
2-2/3 cups crushed corn flakes cereal (crushed to make 1-1/3 cups)
15 maraschino cherries, cut into quarters

In mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large electric mixing bowl, beat butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat well. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture, combining thoroughly. Stir in nuts, dates and the 1/3 cup finely chopped cherries.

Portion dough using a level tablespoon. Shape into balls. Roll in crushed corn flakes. Place on greased cookie sheet 2-inches apart. Top each cookie with a cherry quarter.

Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove immediately from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

Pecan Sandies are another favorite that I looked forward to at Christmas time. I've tried substituting margarine for the butter resulting in a 'grade' of C-

1 cup butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. water
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar; add 2 tsp. water and vanilla; mix well. Blend in flour and nuts; chill 4 hours. Shape in balls or fingers. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325 degrees about 20 minutes. Remove from pan; cool slightly; roll in confectioners' sugar.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 6 Santa Claus

2010-12-08T08:19:00.001-06:00

Did you ever send a letter to Santa?

Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?”

Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

I had an advantage when it came to making out my Christmas list: I knew Santa's true identity.

Everyone else thought Santa spent the 'off-season' lounging around the North Pole, or maybe taking a holiday to Maui (where else would the Big Man of Christmas go but the Big Island??) I knew what Santa really did in the off season: he was a dairy farmer in Langlade county, Wisconsin. The secret can now be revealed: my grandfather was Santa Claus.

I'm not sure how old I was when I realized the truth but there were a lot of clues. Tracks in the snow by the back door of the farm house that could only be made by a sleigh, hearing my grandfather getting up during the night, obviously to begin his trip around the world delivering packages, and not hearing him come back to bed. Who else could Santa possibly be but my grandfather who loved children and he knew so much about nature and could identify so many sounds at night.

There was never a doubt that my annual letter to Santa would get delivered; my mom and grandmother exchanged letters on a regular basis so I knew my Mom had the secret address so my letter didn't have to go to the North Pole before being forwarded to RRI Deerbrook, WI. The letters of the Bergeron girls went directly to Santa.

I have never lost my faith and while there were a few years when I thought I might have been mistaken in my belief, I have since realized how true it is to follow your heart.

While assisting my good friend Joyce compile the history of Vilas Township a few years ago, one of the life-long residents wrote a piece recalling her memories of growing up in the township which included her fond memory of Harley Space passing out gifts at the township Christmas pageant "dressed up as Santa Claus."

Do I need to say anything more?

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Dec. 5 Outdoor Decorations

2010-12-05T07:40:00.003-06:00

Did people in your neighborhood decorate with lights?

Did some people really go “all out” when decorating?

Any stories involving your ancestors and decorations?

Outdoor decorations were few and far between when I was growing up, at least what I can recall. It seems to me that most "outdoor decorations" were Christmas trees set up in front of the living room window, facing the street, with the drapes open.

My paternal grandparents had electric set of three candles that were set in one the dining room windows that faced the alley. Do you remember alleys from your childhood? Gram's faced the Olson's; my sister Lisa took her first road test down this same alley when she was quite young but that story is for another post.

When we lived in Green Bay during the early to mid 1960s, outdoor decorations became more prevalent. I can recall my parents taking my sisters and I out for nighttime drives to "look at the lights." Today, our local newspapers print a list of outdoor holiday decorations complete with addresses for those who still enjoy this Christmas tradition.

"Remember when the Hanson's Christmas lights kept us up at night?" One of the Bergeron family stories involves a family in our Green Bay neighborhood who kept their Christmas lights up all year long. That in itself wasn't so bad but even I could not find that warm fuzzy Christmas spirit when the lights were on when the heat and humidity of July made it impossible to sleep at night. It was necessary to keep our bedroom windows open for the chance of a breeze (slim to none) but the full glory of the Hanson Christmas in July celebration, complete with the family singing carols, loudly, filled our room.

As much as I love tiny lights on a Christmas tree, I become nostalgic at the sight of "old fashioned" red, green, blue and yellow lights strung on an evergreen on display. Our first home had two yew trees on both side of our front porch, the perfect size for a string of outdoor lights. For this Wisconsin native, born and raised in the upper Midwest, the sight of the lights glowing in the dark with a covering of snow in the month of December touches my heart at Christmas.

We have always hung a wreath on the front of our house. When the weather has cooperated and Al has had the time, we have had outdoor light displays: one year we had blue lights along the roof line prompting our neighbor to call and tell us how much he enjoyed the view out his front window. "Peaceful" was the word he used.

One of my favorite outdoor decorations is the year Jeff and Al strung my favorite outside lights at the cabin. It isn't something that we do every year so this scene, like my childhood memories, is one I carry with me. Thanks to Nikon, I'm able to enjoy the memory whenever the spirit moves me.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 4 Christmas Cards

2010-12-04T09:03:00.003-06:00

Did your family send cards?

Did your family display the ones they received?

Do you still send Christmas cards?

Do you have any cards from your ancestors?

I have enjoyed reading the posts of my Geneablogger friends who are taking part in this years Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. The consensus is, like egg nog and mince pie, unless you grew up with a family that embraced the Christmas card custom, the tradition of sending Christmas cards is more of a chore than a joy.

While my grandparents and great-grandparents (especially my maternal side of the family) were fond of collecting post cards from their travels, they saved birthday and anniversary greetings but I do not have any Christmas cards.

Count me among those who sent cards and eagerly anticipated receiving cards. If we didn't receive a card from one of 'our regulars,' several phone calls were usually made to inquire as to the health of that person. Growing up our cards were kept in a sleigh made of wicker. Try as I might, I could never find a sleigh to hold the Scherwinski family cards; I don't know when I found this Christmas cottage basket but it has become our family's traditional card holder.

I love writing. From the tactual feel of a good pen and the flow of ink on paper to the forming of the idea to set down on paper. I was never a fan of the typewriter as the stopping to correct my errors, which usually occur because my fingers can't keep up with my thoughts, was too inhibiting. But oh how I love computers.

I have always looked forward to sitting down with boxes of cards and my address book. The cards would end up in two piles: one where a handwritten wish for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year would suffice and those who would find a note written on their card. Yes, I also have resorted to the dreaded Christmas letter. It is a challenge to share the accomplishments of our children without sounding as if we are bragging but I rationalize this with the thought that family & friends realize I am addicted to family history - therefore the Scherwinski family Christmas letter is nothing more than family history.

With a shared passion for photography our Christmas cards now feature original photography. From my vast collection of poems and prayers there is always one that is 'perfect' to accompany the photo.

I'm pleased to share a few of my favorite photos that have graced our Christmas cards over the past few years. I'll spare you the Christmas letter but wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming New Year.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Dec. 3 Tree Ornaments

2010-12-03T19:52:00.001-06:00

Did your family have heirloom or cherished ornaments?

Did you ever string popcorn and cranberries?

Did your family or ancestors make Christmas ornaments?

Having reminisced about the Christmas tree and the memorable holiday delicacies, I'm glad we are getting around to putting some bling on our Christmas tree.

I love unwrapping the ornaments and seeing them again after spending almost a year safely tucked away out of sight but still have the ability to bring a smile to my face when I welcome them to this years Christmas celebration.

I can recall only one time when my family attempted to engage in recreating a Little House on the Prairie Christmas and stringing popcorn and cranberries. It isn't as easy as you think. The popcorn has to have aged - making it undesirable for eating but perfect for stringing. As long as you have the correct gauge needle and you place the needle just so ... probably one of the reasons why we only did it once and as I recall, the (very short) string of popcorn and cranberries adorned the outside shrubs with the rationalization that the birds would enjoy having a Christmas treat.

When Al and I celebrated our first Christmas together I recall being more than a little disappointed at the lack of Christmas decorations for our tree. Like so many young married couples we didn't have the funds for a tree let alone ornaments but somehow we managed to afford a couple packages of gold garland and a few boxes of ornaments. As I recall, my parents gave us a couple strings of lights.

It was during this first Christmas that my mother gave us our first heirloom tree ornaments: two glass ornaments given to her by Mr. and Mrs. Olson, neighbors of my paternal grandparents. The Olson's, immigrants from Sweden by way of Chicago, were an elderly couple whose house my sister Lisa and I loved to visit whenever we could. Mr. Olson smoked a pipe and the smell permeated the entire house and it seemed as if they always had a litter of kittens, which was always a delight to two little girls.

I'm not sure how my mother ended up with some of the Olson's Christmas ornaments but they are my most treasured holiday decorations. They are placed high enough on the tree to be well out of the reach of those cocker tails which are in perpetual motion. You may have noticed on the ACCM December 2nd post, the ornaments on the Christmas tree with the adorable English cockers sitting underneath, are placed well above cocker head-level and for good reason.

Here is a Christmas ornament I made at sometime during my elementary school career; a toilet paper roll covered with heavy foil paper and my initials written on with gobs of Elmer's glue and sprinkled with glitter. I know I am going to sound like an old lady ... but they don't make glitter like that anymore.

This Santa ornament is as old as my wedding dress. Two weeks after our wedding in September 1971, Al was shipped overseas for a tour of duty in Vietnam. My mother purchased a small artificial tree, made a number of felt ornaments to withstand the time in transit and sent it on its merry way. It meant so much to him but unfortunately the Army would not allow Al to bring the tree and ornaments home. He gave the tree and the ornaments to one of the Vietnamese women on base, except for one and smuggled this Santa home.

I love the myriad of Christmas decorations and ornaments that my mother has painted and presented to us over the years. She is a gifted artist and I look forward to sharing my mother's talents during other ACCM posts.

Ornaments in the cherished category, without a doubt, are the ones made by my children during their childhood; made of felt and Popsicle sticks, gold and silver sprayed macaroni in various shapes and sizes, they are all treasures. Certainly many of these fall into the category of ones that "only a mother could love."

I think about another ornament I made as a child - two sections of an egg carton glued together and decorated with glass balls and, once again, my name written in Elmer's glue and red glitter. It has been many, many years since anyone has thought of me as a child but when my parents are trimming their Christmas tree, when that ornament is unpacked and placed on a branch,I know they are transported back to a time when their oldest daughter was a skinny little girl who could barely contain her excitement waiting for Christmas.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 2 Holiday Foods

2010-12-02T12:13:00.007-06:00

Did your family serve traditional dishes for the holidays?

Was there one dish that was unusual?

I believe it speaks volumes that the Christmas food traditions I recall have nothing to do with the main course of a holiday meal. It was never a hard and fast tradition that we had 'thee' Christmas ham or turkey; I recall one Christmas enjoying a Crown Roast of Pork.

But Christmas would not have been the same without the many delectable baked goods my mother made. I think about the pounds of powdered sugar and gallons of food coloring we must have gone through over the years making the icing for sugar cut-out cookies. Coated in colored frosting they were covered with decorative colored sugar, heart shaped cinnamon, sprinkles and, my personal favorite, the silver balls.

Two of my favorite cookies were Spritz cookies and a date-filled cookie that I've never been able to duplicate.

During Christmas, my mother baked small loaves of date bread made with nuts and candied fruit. For years I thought that this was the traditional fruit cake and could not understand why everyone thought it was a joke to receive a fruit cake ... I loved my Mom's and why wouldn't everyone else want to receive such a tasty treat? Like the discovery that my grandpa Harley wasn't Santa Claus, it was disappointing when I received my first fruit cake.

Two holiday tradition my family carries on today: Buche de Noel and egg nog.

My nieces and nephews who have spent many of their Christmas's at their Gram and Grandpa Bergeron's couldn't imagine Christmas without Buche de Noel.

I've come to discover that egg nog, like religon and politics, is most definitely a personal choice. Some recipes call for raw eggs (ewwww), the mere thought of consuming raw eggs triggers my gag reflex. For years my mother made her special egg nog from a recipe that called for cooking the egg mixture, folding whipped egg whites into the cooled mixture. This holiday treat was served only on Christmas Eve and it wasn't until I was married and received the recipe that I discovered why: "... cook over low heat, stirring continuously until mixture coats a metal spoon (about 45 minutes.)" 45 minutes? Are you kidding me?? No wonder we only had it once during the holiday season.

It wasn't until the cost of microwaves became something the common masses could afford that I began experimenting with Mom's egg nog recipe and came up with the perfect upgrade. When our son's lived at home, it was tradition to have egg nog on the day we trimmed the tree and again on Christmas Eve. The tradition wasn't complete until the nog was served in special Santa mugs.

During one of the Christmas's before I was the Big Sister, my Mom had found matching Santa mugs, a large size mug she personalized with my Dad's name and a smaller version with Cindy added in gold lettering. The first Christmas Al and I spent in our new home, a box arrived from my Mom with my Santa mug filled with holiday greenery. Fast forward a few more years and her grandson's all have their own Santa mug with their name in gold on the handle.

Before you pass on the nog ... consider making a half recipe. You might be surprised.

1 quart milk (I prefer 2%)
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped (optional)

In microwave, heat milk on medium high for 10 minutes; stirring after 5 minutes.
Separate eggs; set aside 2 whites.
Beat 1/3 cup sugar into egg yolks. Add 1 cup of hot milk into egg yolk mixture.
Whisk egg yolk and milk mixture into remaining milk.
Simmer 5 minutes. Stir. Simmer additional 5 minutes.
Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until cold.
Beat 2 egg whites and vanilla until foamy. Gradually add the 3 Tbsp sugar until soft peaks form.
Fold into custard mixture and mix thoroughly.
Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream if desired.

Wordless Wednesday: Deer Camp 2010

2010-12-01T10:34:00.001-06:00

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 1 The Christmas Tree

2010-12-01T10:09:00.003-06:00

Christmas. The mere mention of the word brings to mind a flood of emotions and memories all of which are tied to the sights, smells and traditions unique to each of us and shared with family. Central to our Christmas decoration is the tree and for that, we owe a debt of gratitude to Prince Albert for popularizing Christmas tree decorations. In 1841, following the German custom of his homeland, Prince Albert set up a tree at Windsor Castle. The London News published a now-famous illustration of the Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle which set the standard for how a tree might be expected to look. It wasn't long before the standard of the Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle replaced the custom of the Kissing Bough: a mixed piece of greenery which included mistletoe, evergreens, candles, apples and cinnamon sticks.

In 1854 a huge Christmas tree was placed at the site of the 1851 Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, a personal triumph for Prince Albert, which help increase the demand for Christmas trees. But the association of the fir tree with Christianity began long before Prince Albert. Tradition says St. Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity almost 1,000 years ago, came across a group of pagans worshiping the oak tree and in anger cut down the tree. In its place a fir tree is said to have sprung up from the roots of the oak which St. Boniface took as a sign of the Christian faith.

From Illustrated London Times, 1848

There is a long line of cultures what have treasured the evergreen and have included them in their celebrations. On the arrival of the winter solstice, ancient Egyptians brought green date palms into their homes; the Romans celebrated Saturnus, the god of agriculture, by decorating their homes with greens and lights; the Druids of Great Britain used evergreens during their winter solstice rituals and used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life and placed evergreen boughs over their doors to keep away evil spirits.

During the American Revolutionary War, Hessian troops introduced the custom to the fledgling American population along with German immigrants in Pennsylvania and Ohio but the custom was slow to spread. Puritans banned Christmas in New England; schools in Boston stayed open on Christmas Day until 1871, students who stayed home were sometimes expelled.

So with a tip of the crown to Prince Albert, here are a few of my favorite Christmas tree photos and memories.

One of my earliest memories of Christmas, celebrated at 'the farm' in 1958 with my maternal grandparents, Harley and Alma Polar Space. I am in the middle clutching my bride doll, my sister Lisa on the right, age 10-months, and second cousin, Patty, on the left. I vividly recall not being able to get to sleep on Christmas Eve and my father bringing me downstairs with the hope I would go to sleep in my grandmother's room. Fat chance of that happening after I caught a glimpse of my doll, in all her wedding glory, front and center under the tree.

Christmas 1966 in Madison, WI. This began the Bergeron family tradition of having two trees: one in the living room and the other in the family room. This was the upstairs living room tree. That is me, sporting the Twiggy hair style showing off my guitar to my youngest sister Lori while adorable pixie bob Michelle looks on.

Christmas 1970 in Madison, the downstairs tree.

Christmas in Eau Claire at my parents house, circa 1990, the upstairs tree overlooking the wonderful mayhem of Christmas morning.

The one and only Christmas we spent 'up north' at our cabin, about 1991. Al, Chris and Jeff headed off with the four-wheelers to cut down the tree with Christmas snow falling. No lights or ornaments, I had brought up every one's stockings and garland but it is one of my fondest Christmas memories.

Our millennium Christmas taken in our family room in Plover. All I've ever wanted for Christmas: cockers under the tree.

My fondest childhood Christmas memories are wrapped up with my paternal grandparents, Charles and Mildred Little Bergeron. Bubble lights in the front window and the Christmas tree in the corner. My grandmother had a set of village pieces that she set up on the buffet in the dining room. A precursor to Dept 56 pieces and one of traditions I continue with my own collection of Dickens Village pieces. But that is for another post.

"Every day, during the week the tree stood there, Francie put on her sweater and stocking cap and went in and sat under the tree. She sat there and enjoyed the smell of the dark greenness of it. Oh, the mystery of a great tree, a prisoner in a tin bucket in a tenement front room!" Excerpt from "The Christmas Tree in Brooklyn. Betty Smith. 1943

Lessons Learned Thanks To Grandpa

2010-11-30T14:08:00.004-06:00

Grandparents have been described as "one of nature's way that we often feel closer to distant generations than to the generation immediately preceding us." (Igor Stravinsky). I know this is to be true. Time spent with my grandparents gave me a wonderful foundation for my family history research. But in the midst of recounting the names and stories of ancestors I discovered lessons learned from my grandparents.

My mother was an only child, her parents knew each other all their lives and married when they both were well in to their 20s: they were married ten years before my mother was born. When they became grandparents, it was apparent their granddaughters were going to be the center of their world.

Some of my fondest memories are of the times I spent on my grandparent's dairy farm. Learning how to call in the cows for milking, riding along with Grandpa on the tractor while he mowed, tapping maples in the spring and cooking down the sap to make syrup, picking hazelnuts and butternuts in the fall, catching night crawlers to fish. My grandmother shared her love of history and books - my grandfather his love of nature. Both gifts I still carry with me today.

Fast forward forty years: our family vacation home, a four-season log 'cabin' located on the original dairy farm where I spent my childhood years remains the place central to my life. Earlier this month my family gathered for the 9-day gun deer season at our cabin, a tradition I know my grandfather would have been pleased to know was being carried forward. Hunting was a major part of my grandfather's life; being out in woods with friends who also looked forward to time spent "at deer camp." He lived long enough to see his grandson-in-law establish shared hunting traditions at 'the farm' and his great-grandson's first hunting seasons. I wish he had lived to see his oldest granddaughter shoot her first buck.

Wisconsin Gun Deer Season, November 1945. Harley Space far left in black/white coat. Digital Image.

Original photograph privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Recently a friend lamented the coming of winter, in addition to the cold, chapped hands and lips, she said she "hated that there was no color in the world" until spring. While walking out of my deer stand, I was struck by the beauty of the woods: the many shades of brown in the leaves covering the ground, remnants of last night's sleet among the moss on an oak tree, ferns refusing to relinquish their grip even in the midst of snow. I can hear my grandfather's voice pointing out the beauty of 'the out of doors."

Thank you Grandpa.

Tombstone Tuesday: Milton R. Black, 1924-1945

2010-11-30T11:27:00.003-06:00

You won't find the name Milton R. Black listed among the branches of my family tree however, our families share a common denominator: that being the loss of a family member in service to our country.

Like all family historians, I am drawn to cemeteries. Unlike my second cousin who finds my interest rather ghoulish, a stop to 'visit the relatives' brings a sense of peace and having taken on the responsibility of being my family's "Keeper of Everything," I can't help but feel joy having had the chance to get to know them. So it was with Milton beginning the day I convinced my husband to stop at the small cemetery on the outskirts of Kempster in Langlade county, Wisconsin.

Kempster, a small community of less than 1,700, is home to many of my paternal grandfather's nieces and nephews and their families. Both my grandmother Alma Polar Space and great-aunt Leona Polar Belott, taught in the Kempster schools at one time or another during their long teaching careers. Kempster is also one my favorite 'back way' trips to Elcho during our summertime ice cream road trips. My acquaintance with Milton Black began with a stop at the cemetery on one of these return trip from the Elcho Ice Cream Shop. The cemetery, located north of the intersection of county roads J and B with a view of pretty Sunfish Lake, has always been on my to-visit list but as any genealogist will tell you, making a request for a cemetery visit when traveling with family members, timing is everything. On this day, my husband was agreeable to a stop to wander among the stones. Success!

Set apart from the rest of the markers stands a red granite monument with a large Flag of the USA. While the cement mortar is need of repair, the artificial flowers and flag show recent visits to this particular marker. The placque reads:

In Memoriam

Milton Black

August 27, 1924

January 23, 1945

The dates are similar to those of my uncle Earle Bergeron and I surmise that they more than likely knew each other as they would have attended Antigo High School, Earle being two years ahead of Milton. Earle, born in June 25, 1922, enlisted in the Army Air Corps in July 1940 immediately following graduation and became one of the Flying Sergeants who flew "The Hump" in the China Burma India theater during WWII. He died on April 23, 1943, when the C-47 he piloted crashed on take-off.

Looking at the dates we wonder if Milton died during the Battle of the Bulge. I take a couple of photographs of the memorial and file it away as the perfect post for an upcoming Tombstone Tuesday.

It isn't until weeks later, sitting at the film reader at the Antigo Public Library looking at Milton's obituary in the March 5, 1945 edition of the Antigo Daily Journal that I learn how much he and Uncle Earle had in common :

     Sgt. Milton R. Black, 19, son of Robert R. Black, of Kempster, was killed in action Jan. 23 over Burma, the war department has notified his father.
     Sgt. Black was an aerial engineer for a troop carrier squadron of the 10th air force which operates against the Japanese throughout the India-Burma theater. He had been credited with 25 combat missions and 275 combat hours, and had been awarded the air medal for meritorious achievement in aerial flight.
     The Kempster airman was born Aug. 27, 1925 in Green Bay. He attended the Kempster school and was graduated from Antigo high school in 1942. Enlisting in the service in December 1942, Sgt. Black received his training at St. Petersburg, Fla., Gulfport, Miss., Buffalo, N.Y., Kansas City, Mo., and Love field, Tex. He went overseas June 19, 1944.
     Sgt. Black's mother died April 28, 1942. Besides his father, he is survived by two brothers, Maurice of Kempster, and Pvt. Milo Black, who is stationed at Amarillo field, Tex., and one sister, Mrs. Vernon Keen, Koepenick.

Three days later a photo of Milton Black with a revised reprint of the complete obituary was run on the front page of the Journal; ironically, adjacent to the photo is a sub-headline: "Success Reported Against Japanese On Many Fronts."

A search of Ancestry.com listing of WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casualty Listings shows the family indicated their wish to have Milton buried in Honolulu, Hawaii in the National Memorial Cemetery of Pacific, Territory of Hawaii; resting in Plot P, Row O, Grave 800. This record reveals Milton served with the 9th Squadron, 3rd Combat Cargo Group. His list of awards includes the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.

A further check of Ancestry.com U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 shows Milton enlisted on December 10, 1942, in Milwaukee, WI. His enlistment record lists his civil occupation as "semiskilled mechanics and repair[men]". His height was recorded as 65 and weight 145.

I locate the obituary of Milton's mother Ida Sievert Black in the April 29, 1943, issue of the Antigo Daily Journal and discover another sibling, Robert, who died in 1928 at the age of six months.

I find myself thinking about how much these two young men had in common and the stories and experiences they would have shared had Earle and Milton lived to attend a high school reunion.

I think about how young they were when they went off to war, never to return, and am reminded of the quote by Henry David Thoreau: The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.

Follow Friday: Moultrie Creek Gazette

2010-11-05T07:23:00.001-05:00

I know I am not the first family historian to ponder the wonders of the digital age in relation to how computers, the Internet, Apple and IBM have changed our lives and wish for the opportunity to ask our grandparents for their take on this explosion of technology.

As the newsletter editor of my chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution I am always looking for inspiration and ideas on how to keep our members interested. Like newsletter editors everywhere, I look to other newsletters for fresh ideas to incorporate into our newsletter. You don't have to be a newsletter editor to be inspired by Moultrie Creek Gazette, which I am pleased to feature for Follow Friday.

Denise Olson has created an on-line publication that is consistently my go-to whenever I am looking for inspiration or just to browse the articles or I want enjoy the first-class photography. A few of her recent articles that grabbed my attention: using your own family ephemera to create custom graphics for family history projects and building a blog network. I highly recommend both articles but don't just take my word. Spend a few minutes and I guarantee you'll become a follower as well.

A post to Creekside Chatter, an online service from Moultrie Creek, asks the question, What will the Future of Business Cards Look Like? has my attention. As a former owner of an ad agency and hubs involved in social media in his career, this is a topic that recently came up over our morning coffee. I'm anxious to see what the rest of the blogisphere thinks.

Moultrie Creek Gazette gives me a chance to stretch my creative wings, learn something new about this wonderful digital age but I confess to printing out my favorite articles. Something I'll bet my grandparents would have done as well.

Keep up the great work Denise!

Wordless Wednesday: Mildred Little Graduation

2010-11-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

"Mildred Eileen Little Graduation." Mildred Little (back row, far right). Digital Image. Undated.

Original photograph privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010.

Follow Friday: Genealogy and Me

2010-10-29T07:02:00.000-05:00

If I haven't suggested Lori Hellmund's blog Genealogy and Me blog until now ... my apologies.

There are so many wonderfully creative and informative genealogists in the blogosphere that it is difficult to 'just pick one' so I always enjoy the opportunity to feature a blog on my reading list.

If I had to sum up why I follow Genealogy and Me, I would say it is because Lori reminds me that family history isn't just looking back at our family history found in census, tax and land records. Family history is found in what happens in our family at this moment.

Lori's "Fearless Females" was a month long event during Women's History Month. Engaging and fun event - a lot like the author!

Lori is also proof that yes, you can have a chance meeting over the Internet and develop a friendship, getting to know someone through their writings and willingness to share the important things in their life.

Wednesday's Child: Andrew Charnley

2010-10-27T10:51:00.002-05:00

Andrew Charnley, son of Charles Charnley and Ann Jones. Born February 6, 1846, in Winnebago County, WI, Andrew was the oldest child of Charles and Ann's nine children. Charles and Ann immigrated to America from England in 1842 and settled in Winchester Township, Winnbago County, WI, with Ann's family.

Andrew died at the age of 16 on November 6, 1862, and is buried in Winchester Cemetery in the Charnley family plot.

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween at Badger School

2010-10-27T10:33:00.002-05:00

"Halloween at Badger School." Vilas Township, Langlade Co., Wisconsin.

Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Wednesday's Children: Fremont and Orvelle Jones

2010-10-20T07:17:00.001-05:00

Tombstone marking the graves of Fremont and Orvelle Jones, infant sons of James H. Jones (1821-1900) and Esther T. Clarke (1828-1898) buried in the Winchester cemetery, Winnebago County, WI.

Fremont Jones born 02 Oct 1856 in Winchester, Winnebago, WI, died at the age of five weeks on 09 Nov 1856.

Orvelle Jones born 30 Aug 1863 in Winchester, died on 20 Aug 1864, ten days short of his first birthday.

At the time of Orvelle's death, his sister and my great-grandmother, Agnes Josephine Jones was only 6-weeks old.

Tombstone Tuesday: Margaretta Shankle Space

2010-10-19T10:54:00.000-05:00

Second great-grandmother, Margaretta Ann Shankle, was a pioneer in every sense of the word.

The second child of the eleven known children of Jacob Shankle and Rachel Click, Margaretta (aka Margaret) was born 17 April 1828 in Pennsylvania. The family is known to have been living in New Bethlehem, Clarion county, PA, by 1842. Margaret married Zephaniah Space on 19 Nov 1847 and by the early 1850's Margaret and Zeph emigrated to northern Wisconsin with their two children, Allen Zephaniah and Sarah Etta, settling in the village of Jenny on the shores of the Wisconsin River.

Zephaniah and Margaret ran one of the early boarding houses before building one of the first hotels which they named "The Clarion House." For unknown reasons, the name was changed afterwards to "The Eagle House." Land and court documents show the couple preferred to sign their names as 'Z. Space" and "M.A. Space." As the logging industry began to expand in this area of the state, relatives on both sides of the the family relocated to Jenny, now known as the city of Merrill. While some remained for a short time or a 'season', many put down roots and settled in what eventually became Lincoln county. Two of Margaret's sisters, Catherine and Sarah, both called Jenny home but only Sarah remained a resident. Catherine's daughter, Sarah Etta Frazier, and two nephews, Oscar Luzerne Frazier and William Marvin Andrew Frazier all made Jenny their permanent home.

Margaret and Zephaniah were granted a divorce on 16 April 1877, the day before Margaret's 49th birthday after almost 30 years of marriage. As part of the settlement, Margaret became the sole owner of The Eagle House as well as the title to a number of land purchases she had made over the years; enough to have a subdivision named "M.A. Space" as well as prime land along the Wisconsin River. Following the death of her daughter in 1903, Margaret amended her will to include the directive that upon her death, the land along the Wisconsin River would be sold and given to her granddaughters as they would need to have money of their own "apart from their husbands."

Money Margaret had received as part of her inheritance from her father was used to purchase land in north central Iowa, where Margaret, son Allen and his family relocated in the late 1880's until 1894 when the family returned to northern Wisconsin. While Margaret no longer had a home in Merrill, she divided her time between her two nephews, Allen and Nancy's home in Langlade county, as well as numerous trips to visit daughter Sarah Etta McCord, now living in the territory of Arizona, as well as lengthy trips back to Clarion county, PA.

Margaret died at the home of Allen and Nancy on 27 Nov 1904.

Wordless Wednesday: A Girl and Her Pony

2010-10-13T10:51:00.000-05:00

What every little girl dreams of - a pony of her very own - thanks to her grandparents. Cindy and the pony Ginger, formerly known as Danny, circa early 1960s.

Tombstone Tuesday: Random Act of Cemetery Kindness

2010-10-13T10:42:00.000-05:00

Soon to be brought to the attention of the Langlade County Genealogial Society as a project for a "Random Act of Cemetery Kindness."

SNGF: I Like It In The DAR Library

2010-10-09T17:02:00.003-05:00

Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings posted: Hey genea-philes, it's Saturday Night - time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) A Facebook meme for women went viral this week - the "I Like It" meme which garnered responses like "I Like It ... On the Couch" or "I Like it ... on the Table." The subject was "purse" - where to put their purse. The mind boggled for awhile with some of the responses from supposedly proper genealogy ladies.

2) Please write an "I Like It" post on the theme of "I like doing genealogy research" someplace, and why.

3) Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post, in a comment or note on Facebook.

I like it in the DAR Library.

Did you hear that thump? That would be the collective sound of Daughters across the blogesphere succuming to the vapors ... however, this would be my answer to where I like doing genealogy research.

While genealogy and the DAR go hand in hand (or to quote Forrest Gump, "...like carrots and peas") genealogy and the preservation of historic documents are only two activities of the DAR.

Founded in 1896, the DAR Library was established to fill a need of the Society's growing genealogy department. From what the DAR called its modest 600-book beginnings, the Library has grown to include specialized American genealogical and historical manuscripts and publications that total over 180,000 volumes, 300,000 files and 65,000 microfilms.

While there may be a few larger genealogical libraries, the DAR library contains a wealth of material and definatley should be at the top of your list if you are visiting our nation's capital.

The DAR Library is located in Memorial Continental Hall in the DAR Headquarters complex, 1776 D St. NW, a short distance southwest of the White House. DAR members support the Library with membership dues; non-DAR members visiting the library pay a small user fee to help maintain the collections. Members of the Sons of othe American Revolution, Sons of the Revolution and Children of the American Revolution are exempt from the user fee, provided you can show a current membership card.

Additional information on the DAR Library is available on the DAR public web site.

There is also an awesome DAR Library presentation on YouTube on the Official YouTube Channel of the DAR.

A Time of Reflection and Jubilee

2010-10-09T11:11:00.003-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me how smart my parents have become! My Dad is famous for his "ism's," several of which I have shared in my blog. Some of them are parental ("you'll appreciate this as you get older"), a couple apply to any situation in life, such as the time I was losing my patience with a customer visiting our family's women's retail store to which he replied, "Remember, she is someones grandmother. How would you like your grandmother to be treated?" Several, such as "Plaid or Plain?" and his reply of "Well, I won't walk across the street for it" in response to being asked how he liked a new recipe - are now Bergeron family standards.

Sitting down to write this post, I was genuinely surprised to find my last blog post was August 25th. Where did the time go? In answer to my own question, I recall my Dad commenting on how much faster time seemed to go the older he got. I also remember rolling my eyes whenever he uttered that sentiment.

Reflecting over my morning coffee, I am amazed at how quickly the past few days and weeks have become months. It isn't until now that I see how I have allowed commitments both from within and without my life to take up so much of my time and attention. I also realize those decisions of how to spend my day rests with me. I've not listened to that voice that reminds me that no matter what I may plan for this afternoon, tomorrow or next week, all I am guaranteed is this moment. Even with Cindy's Birthday Celebration Month set to kick off tomorrow, I will be grateful for the celebration of this moment and set a course for a Jubilee year.

The Big Site of Amazing Facts (c) describes Jubilee as "a season of rejoicing" and comes from the ancient Hebrews. The site describes the history of Jubilee as "Fifty years after the Jews were freed from Egyptian bondage, they created a semi-centennial festival that lasted a full year within which all land would be left fallow and returned to its original owners."

My Jubilee is being observed by a re-dedication of living in the moment, listening to the inner voice that reminds me when I becoming caught up in the extra-curricular that fill up my days but can threaten to overtake my life.

The changing of the seasons is marked by the length of sunlight, the migration of the birds, the "jubilee" of the leaves of the trees and the passing of the summer flowers. My first act of celebration is to post a new blog header photograph, taken a few weeks ago from the 'front porch' of our cabin. As we make our way towards the winter solstice, the constellations take up new positions in the night time sky but even as they move, I can count of the north star to point me in the right direction.

Time does seem to be passing by much faster now that I am 57. It's amazing how smart my Dad has become as he prepares to celebrate his 81st birthday.

Wordless Wednesday: Back to School

2010-08-25T16:08:00.000-05:00

Elmwood School, Vilas Township, Langlade County, Wisconsin. If only the walls could talk ...

SNGF: Those Wild and Crazy Researchers

2010-08-21T21:55:00.002-05:00

Genea Musing's Randy Seaver issues the weekly blogging prompt courtesy of Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist titled: Monday Madness - The Craziest Thing You've Done in the Name of Genealogy?

What is the most wild, crazy, off-the-wall, or really stupid thing you have done in pursuit of your ancestral families and their family history? Tell us about it in your own blog post, a comment to this post, or a comment or status on Facebook.

Twenty plus years of family history research has given me more than a few moments of crazy and off-the-wall stunts - such as a visit to my great uncle's grave in Michigan's Upper Peninsula which turned into a "I Love Lucy" adventure, as Mom and I took turns 'digging' a hole with a ballpoint pen in order to place artificial flowers on uncle Ralph's grave. I've also, on occasion, used a pen while copying records in a court house and been known to laugh out loud while reading obituaries at the library.
The craziest thing I've ever done in the name of family history was in pursuit of my Stone family history.

Isaac Stone arrived in northern Wisconsin during the early 1840s, according to his daughter Nancy, from the state of Maine. One of the first white settlers to begin logging in this region of the state, Isaac married a woman from the Lac du Flambeau band of the Ojibwe. Nancy was my maternal great-grandmother and the youngest of their three children; Nancy's mother, "Elizabeth", died shortly after Nancy's birth. The lack of records during this period of time in Wisconsin's history made documenting this family legend difficult.

When the Lac du Flambeau reservation was formed, records were created when members of the Ojibwe filed for land within the reservation. After years of having my request to view the records being denied I decided to try a new approach ... rather than someone pursuing their family history, I called and said I was writing the history of early settlers in the Price, Lincoln and Langlade county area and wondered if I could view information on Isaac Stone. Imagine my surprise when I was asked when I wanted to look at the records. While I was not allowed to make photocopies of the affidavits documenting the wife of Isaac Stone as a member of the LdF band, I was able to view the documents and make notes ... all the while the theme of "Mission Impossible" playing in my head.

Oh wait ... I think that might have been the theme from the Pink Panther.

Does your dog bite????

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Day

2010-08-18T06:42:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday: A Day Spent Fishing

2010-08-04T07:03:00.000-05:00

Much to the chagrin of my family, I still enjoy wearing jeans with rolled up cuffs while out fishing. An undated photo taken by my grandmother Alma Polar Space at Townline Lake located in Langlade county.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Wordless Wednesday: Mildred Eileen Little's Baptism Portrait

2010-07-14T07:48:00.005-05:00

Paternal grandmother, Mildred Eileen Little, b. 26 Oct 1899

Photograph in possession of Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Tombstone Tuesday: Elizabeth Maines Space

2010-07-14T07:46:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth Maines, 1783 - 30 Jul 1853. Wife of Manus Space (1775-1852); married 20 Aug 1800 in Sussex County, NJ. Buried in Sussex County, NJ. Manus was the son of Peter Space (c 1744-1849) and (ii) Katherine. Peter was the brother of John Space who is the progenitor of my Space family line.

Photograph in the possession of Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Space Family Papers

Wordless Wednesday: Salute to the Tour de France

2010-07-07T05:41:00.000-05:00

June 1963, love at first bike.

Photograph in possession of Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Follow Friday: Cher Shots

2010-07-02T07:06:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am fond photography and collecting quotes ... nothing fills the 'something's missing' from a piece of creative writing quite like a photograph, quote or 'ism. Which brings me to my selection for Follow Friday, Cher Shots.

I love this blog ... an eclectic mix of recipes (the woman can cook!), stories, memories and photograph's. Her posts make me feel as if I have taken a walk down the road for a visit - an invitation to sit in her kitchen or out in the garden with something cool to drink and a genuine interest in "what have you been up too?"

Cheryl ... I do have to ask ... who keeps the dust from your beautiful crystal/glass collection??

Wordless Wednesday: The "Surrey" With The Fringe On The Horse

2010-06-30T05:22:00.000-05:00

Ed Doucette and Gertie Wirth in a photo dated 1913. They were residents of Vilas Township (Langlade county, WI) and friends of my maternal grandparents, Harley and Alma Polar Space.

Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture: I Speak From Experience

2010-06-29T15:10:00.005-05:00

Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end. Will the day's journey take the whole long day? From morn to night, my friend. Grantland Rice

Smallest Leaf has graciously extended the deadline for the latest Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture in order to include a contribution by a family researcher with a french Canadian maiden name searching her Irish family history. Go raibh maith agat

The latest Carnival is a return to genealogy and asks us to "Speak From Experience."

Have a time-saving suggestion that helped you blaze ahead in your Irish research? Let us know how you did it. Have some personal failures you can share with us to save other researchers the same fate? We'll be grateful to hear your story. Want to recommend a particular type of record to shed insight on the Irish family tree? A certain repository or library, or way to organize your research? Let us know - tell us the tip and give us the story behind it. How did it help (or not help) you and why do you recommend (or not recommend) it?

I have posted about my Little family history and have come to categorize this line of research as my favorite brick wall. The place where I spend a warm summer afternoon - sitting on top of a stone wall; feeling the warmth of the stones and the breeze on my face, looking at the place where my Irish ancestors were born. The problem is - I have no idea where in Ireland this wonderful place is. So we continue the uphill climb.

"But first, Are you experienced?" asked Jimi Hendrix. If it isn't the destination but rather the journey of Irish family research then, yes, I am experienced. My lessons, which have yet to come together, remind me of a mismatched tea set: functional but not much to look at.

Irish Children Naming Patterns: a tradition that a large number of Irish families followed in the 1800’s and 1900’s, My great-grandfather had six siblings and naming patterns have been my road map for culling lists of possible Little and Gallagher family connections.:

1st son was named after the father’s father
2nd son was named after the mother’s father
3rd son was named after the father
4th son was named after the father’s eldest brother

1st daughter was named after the mother’s mother
2nd daughter was named after the father’s mother
3rd daughter was named after the mother
4th daughter was named after the mother’s eldest sister

Did you know ... it was not unusual for a mother-to-be to journey to her parents' home village to give birth to her baby? When searching documents it means, a child appearing on a census record may not have been born in the village of the record at the time of the census. The family could have immigrated to the village after the child was born, prior to the census being taken, or the mother may have returned to her parents' home to give birth. At any rate, a record search in locations beyond the census recorded place of residence should be considered.

Did you know ... English translations of Irish village and town names have taken on different spellings over the years? During the early 1900s map surveyors traveled throughout Ireland, translating Irish place names into English, which can cause considerable confusion when trying to place of birth, marriage or baptism if you don't take this bit of information into consideration.

Don't bother trying to locate your Irish ancestors ... all birth records were destroyed in the Dublin Four Courts building fire during the Irish civil war in 1922. The Truth?? All Irish civil registration of birth, marriages, and deaths has survived intact. Although birth records were destroyed in the Dublin Four Courts fire, copies of the same birth records were kept in Counties' records offices throughout Ireland.

What family researcher doesn't dream of the day they not only make the leap across the pond but find themselves sitting on the stone fence next to the sign post of the village I can call my ancestral home.

Tombstone Tuesday: Frances Facer and Cyrus Little

2010-06-29T11:23:00.001-05:00

Today's edition of Tombstone Tuesday chronicles my paternal great-grandparents, Cyrus Austin Little and Frances Dazie Facer. They are buried in the Aniwa Cemetery located off of Hwy 45 in the township of Aniwa, Shawano county, Wisconsin.

Cyrus Austin Little was the son of Andrew Little and Mary Ann Gallagher; my Irish ancestors who remain my favorite brick wall. Cyrus was born 22 Feb 1856 in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. The youngest of Andrew and Mary Ann's eleven known children who immigrated to the United States prior to the 1880 census where the family is found living in Port Huron, St Clair, Michigan. It is here Cyrus married Francis Dazie Facer on 15 June 1892.

Francis was born 8 Feb 1875 to William D. Facer and Elisabeth Hornby in Port Huron. Francis Dazie was the third of William and Elisabeth's seven children; all of whom, with the exception of Frances's brother Burton Wellington Facer, died during the numerous epidemics during the 1870s and early 1880s.

Around 1892, Cyrus and Frances Dazie have immigrated to Aniwa, Wisconsin. Accompanying the couple are Frances's brother Burton, Frances and Burton's father (a widow for the third time) William D. Facer, Cyrus's sister Elizabeth and her husband George Goldrick and bachelor siblings Robert Little and Mary Little (affectionately referred to as Crazy Aunt Mary). Land and tax records lead me to conclude that George Goldrick was responsible for the Facer and Little family exodus from Michigan as he began purchasing land for logging purposes and is found paying taxes to show he and Elizabeth were residents of the area.

Cyrus and Frances Dazie would not begin their family until the birth of their first known child, William D. Little in 1893; my grandmother, Mildred Eileen, in 1899 and her sister Florence Elizabeth in 1907.

Cyrus died at the age of 77 in 1933; Frances was 73-years old at the time of her death in 1948. Their graves are adjacent to the Goldrick and Bergeron family plots.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday Mom

2010-06-23T11:02:00.000-05:00

Shamlessly using Wordless Wednesday blog prompt to wish my Mom a happy birthday a day early with a photograph taken on her very first birthday a few years ago. I love you, Mom.

Tombstone Tuesday: Forest View Sewing Circle

2010-06-22T19:35:00.000-05:00

Located in the northeast corner of the Town of Peck cemetery in Langlade county, WI, this flower planter sits as a monument to the Forest View Sewing Circle. The group, like so many other rural traditions is becoming a thing of the past.

The Town of Peck cemetery was formerly known as Badger Cemetery; originally the site of the Badger School. Situated at the corner of several boundaries, as the boundaries of the townships changed, Badger school and later Badger cemetery can be found listed in the townships of Ackley, Peck and Vilas.

My maternal grandmother, Alma Polar Space, was a long-time member of the Forest View Sewing Circle. How I wish I had the chance to ask Gram about the Sewing Circle. Fortunately I was able to glean some information from Gram's sister Leona. The group met usually once a month and worked on a sewing project; during the war they made the usual clothing items for the soldiers. There was always a social hour; sometimes an afternoon of visiting and then lunch was served.

While making the traditional Memorial Day visits to the area cemeteries, this year someone placed a floral memorial in the Forest View monument urn. I'm certain I heard my grandmother laugh.