Throw Back Thursday: Hadrian's Wall

Recently I came across this photograph, taken probably 15 years ago on a visit my mother and I made to Birdoswald Roman Fort in England's beautiful Cumbria. 

Thanks to a very kind soul who offered to take the photograph - one of only a hand full that I have of Mom and I together on film.

"Standing on Hadrian's Wall." Digital. Undated Digital Image.

Copyright (c) 2015. Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski.

The View Outside My Christmas Past

Feeling rather nostalgic on this snowy winter morning. I recall my Mom having this set of stencils and using a spray on "snow." It was probably difficult to remove but we put them up every year.


Thanks Mom.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Valentines Day Honey! Love, Phyl

"Happy Valentines Day Love Phyl." Digital Image. February 1951. Original photograph privately held

by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Phyllis and Daughter Cindy, Honolulu 1954

"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.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Mother's Day

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

held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. (c) 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Phyllis Jean Space, Graduation

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

held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday Mom

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.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Treasure Chest Thursday: Baaaa

My contribution for this Treasure Chest Thursday blogging prompt is as old as I am.

Don't bother checking my Facebook page to see if I've inadvertently listed my year of birth ... I'll save you the trip: 1953

At the time of my birth, my Dad was serving in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Japan while my mother (and eventually yours truly) were at her parents outside of Antigo. I'm convinced this is the reason I am so drawn to this piece of property, which my husband and I now own. Call it good vibrations, feng shue, karma ... whatever it is, it was where I spent my first few weeks of life and apparently it made an imprint on my life.

To mark the occasion of the birth of his first child, my Dad ordered flowers, pink and white carnations, and they arrived in this lamb vase.

Fast forward some 19 years later to the arrival of my first child and the new father, fulfilling a promise he made to the new grandmother, arrived with carnations for the new mom in the appropriate color (in this case, blue and white) in the lamb vase. Following it's first appearance in 19 years, the lamb vase and its blue and white bouquet made two more encore appearances.

Maybe this year we'll celebrate my birthday with a sentimental vase filled with pink and white carnations.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Sharing Memories (Week 27): Childhood Pets

Lorine at Olive Tree Genealogy counts down week 27 of Sharing Memories - A Genealogy Journey with the blog prompt of childhood pets. A topic near and dear to my heart as almost all creatures great and small have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

During their childhood, my parents shared their lives with dogs and cats. My father speaks fondly of Spike, the German Shepard who would (with a bit of coaxing from my dad and his siblings) climb a ladder into the hay loft in the barn - and jump to the ground. As a child my mother immortalized her terrier mix, Bingo, in a painting that is a family treasure. I cannot help but smile at the thought of my mother as child, making clothes for her cats, dressing them up and pushing them around in the doll stroller.

Our first dog was a terrier mix we named Sammy. My memories of  him are of a dog fiercely protective and, knowing what I know now about dog behavior, definitely an alpha. Whenever we would visit my maternal grandparents on their dairy farm, my grandfather delighted in having Sammy 'round up the cows.' He had a natural ability to herd, nipping at the heels of a cow who refused to move and instinctively knowing to duck to avoid a hoof to the head.

While scanning these photos, I noticed for the first time, that I had written on the back of this photo: November 7th 1965 Sammy died. He had run away from home and was hit by a car. Funny how I had not thought about that morning, looking down the street and seeing him laying on the side of the road until now. We buried him in my mother's flower bed in the backyard. A number of years later my family named another of 'our' dogs, Sammy, I like to think in tribute to Sammy number one.

It was a number of years before my parents added a dog to our family. It wasn't that neither of them didn't want a dog because they are animal lovers and it certainly wasn't because my sister Lisa and I didn't bring it up whenever we could. Think Ralphie in The Christmas Story and his not-so-subtle hints about wanting a Red Rider BB gun.

One night my Dad came home from work carrying a fluffy ball of apricot poodle puppy. To say it was a surprise is an understatement. The entire house erupted into unabashed joy. We still recall that moment when Dad brought Kila home, Mom burned the Hollandase Sauce and Lisa, holding the puppy exclaimed, "Dad! I thought we'd never get a dog!" It was agreed the as yet unnamed dog would sleep in the room Lisa and I shared with the stipulation that the dog would not sleep on the bed. Of course from that moment on I don't think Kila ever slept on the floor.

This was the first (and last) dog my parents had that was registered with the AKC. We spent days contemplating what to name our new puppy. Looking at the pedigree Lisa and I decided the name Kila was perfect and while my parents initially had reservations the name must have grown on them (or could have been their four daughters began calling the puppy Kila and decided they were going to lose that battle). Someone really wanted to name the poodle Pierre and combined with the regal sounding name of our street (we were the only house on the one block street) we ended up with Tequila Pierre of Yorkshire.

Another wonderful childhood dog ... he endured being dressed up in just anything and everything we thought would look adorable on him. He was a wonderful companion and traveled with us on family vacations: camping in the Black Hills of South Dakota as well as Estes Park Colorado. Our confirmation, graduation and wedding photos all include Kila, he was a gentle funny dog who loved root beer and running through sprinklers. It's no wonder Hollandase Sauce conjures up happy memories of Tequila Pierre.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Sharing Memories: A Genealogy Journal Week #9 Birthday Parties

Lorine Massey at Olive Tree Genealogy has created a year-long Genealogy Journey in Genealogy Journal Writing. Having my grandmother's travel journals and a diary among my family papers and treasures, I can appreciate the different perspective someone will have years from now with a glimpse into my life in the early years of the "new millinieum" as opposed to my view of  "who would be interested"?


On the highlight reel of my life, birthday's rank high on the list of celebrations. During my childhood, the countdown to October 10th began somewhere around July 4th. By the time we were in the single digits, I could barely sleep at night. During this period of my life we called October 10, 11 and 12, Birthday Week. My birthday was the 10th, my father's on the 11th; not only was my maternal grandmother's birthday October 12th, but she and my grandfather were married on October 12th in 1922. My father's mother, Mildred Little Bergeron, was born on October 26, 1899, and his sister, Marian, was born on October 23rd.

The memory that immediately comes to mind when I recall childhood birthday memories is the one captured in the photograph above. Taken at our apartment on First Avenue in Antigo, Langlade, Wisconsin, are the three birthday cakes my mother use to make. On the far left is the birthday cake for my grandmother, Alma Polar Space. On the right, my father's birthday cake with his birthday gift wrapped in what was probably the beginning of the tradition of asking if the gift was 'plaid or plain'. My cake is in the middle ... how I looked forward to those wonderful doll cakes! I don't know if my mother, who is wonderfully creative, thought of this herself or discovered it in a magazine but the decorating is the result of her sense of color and design. As I got older, the dolls 'aged' as well. I recall a birthday party at my grandmother Bergeron's house with friends from Antigo's Sixth Ward School; the cake being a harbinger of the Barbie doll in a decorated cake dress Scarlett O'Hara only dreamed of.

I cannot imagine the time - and expense - of making and decorating three cakes, can you?

In the fifty plus years that have passed since this photo was taken, my life has been blessed with the addition of brother-in-laws, nieces and nephews as well as my being welcomed into the Scherwinski family. The addition of my beautiful daughter-in-law is a blessing that, like the three son's I gave birth to, cannot be measured in words.

Now, Birthday Week has been expanded from October - with the addition of two brother-in-law's sharing their October 11th birthday with my father and other family members who share our opal birth stone - to February Birthday Week's celebrations that includes my sister, Lisa, oldest son, Chris, nephew, Chad and enough other family members to cause a spike in the profits of the Hallmark card company.

This past October my Dad celebrated his 80th birthday. The celebration marked the first time in several years our entire family gathered together and while we blew out candles on a shared birthday cake, we all looked forward to the birthday tradition we've begun since the time of doll birthday cakes - the tradtional birthday pie.


Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Make A Calendar!

Live! From central Wisconsin! It's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun (insert applause here).

After last week's SNGF step back and learn about our fellow genealogists and family historians, Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings takes us back to research with tonight's challenge:

1) Open your genealogy software or family tree program of choice and make yourself the highlighted person.

2) Find out how to create a Calendar to show birthdays and/or anniversaries of yourself and all of your ancestors (or all relatives, or all persons - your choice!). The "Help" button is your friend here!!! It can be done in all of the current software programs.

3) Create your calendar. Pretty it up if you want. Save it. Can you show us a page from your calendar  - say January 2010?

4) Which of your ancestors (or relatives or descendants - your choice!), if any, were born 30 January?

Have fun with this. How can you use this in the coming year?

No need for those round-nosed scissors and paste with this project nor do I have to worry about ending up with bits of paper clippings stuck on my fuzzy slippers.

This is a feature of my family tree program of choice, Family Tree Maker, that I make 'regular' use of; the current edition that is on my computer is Family Tree Maker 2009. Pictured above is the screen snapshot of my January 2010 calendar page.

What I am unfamiliar with is the calendar 'pretty up' feature. I have, however, used a background when creating family group sheets - usually the tree silhouette provided from the drop-down box but on occasion I have used one of my personal photographs. But back to the calendar.

I was a bit frustrated not being able to immediately scale the background to the calendar even using one of the provided backgrounds. I then used one of my personal photographs but was disappointed and frustrated when I spent too much time 'futzing' to get the background scaled to my liking. If I were to print out the calendar I would opt for the default, generic background and use one of my photographs and place it above the calendar page for the pretty factor.

I have two relatives listed on my calendar page as having been event dates that occurred on Jaunary 30th: George T[homas] Armagost, born 157 years ago and the marriage of Etienne LaFond and Marie Boucher who would have celebrated their 365th anniversary on 30 Jan (you have to love those French Canadians who knew how to record every event and store them in stone churches.)

The Armagost family married into my Space and Shankle family lines (my mothers paternal family); all from the Clarion County, PA, area. Etienne LaFond, born about 1615 in France, and Marie Boucher, born 21 Jan 1629 also in France, were married 30 Jan 1645 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Their daughter, Francoise, born 8 Jul 1658 in Trois Rivieries, Quebec, was my 7th great-grandmother. This is my father's paternal family line.

So how can I use this throughout the coming year? A number of years ago I gifted my parents with a relative/descendant and ancestor calendar using the calendar feature from FTM as a reference. I purchased a caledar that featured one week per page with large rectangle boxes for each day. This allowed me to fill in the dates with my choice of whom to include, the event date and how many years ago that event occurred. The first calendar included individuals and dates from both of my parents family lines. They enjoyed it so much that I would present them with an updated calendar every few years. A few years ago my father called me and asked if I would make a calendar for him with his family's information as he was disturbed to realize he could not remember the dates of his grandparents and other family members. Since that time I've made a calendar for each of my parents.

Thank you, Randy, for the gentle reminder that 2010 should be the year I update those calendars for my parents as I am blessed to be able to gift an updated one to them.


Copyright (c)2010  Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

What I Do When I'm Not Doing Genealogy

Aren't you thankful that Saturday Night Genealogy Fun is hosted by Randy Seavers instead of NBC? Who needs all that drama!! We can always rely on a good time - and no Sunday morning hangover! This week's mission (which I hope everyone has decided to accept is:


"Tell us about your "other" hobbies or interests outside of genealogy and family history research, writing, speaking, etc."


I'm a born-again stay at home Mom ... only in this chapter of my life, I am enjoying my role as Mom to adult children. Our oldest son (soon to be 36) and our beautiful daughter-in-law live in Michigan's Upper Penisula; son's #2 (age 33) and #3 (age 31) live nearby which allows for a lot of time to tell them how much their Mom loves them.


Photography is an activity I enjoy and share with my husband of almost 38 years, Al. Combined with outdoor activities, I am rarely without my camera.


I love to travel .... I have been fortunate to have made several trips to England and Scotland with my favorite traveling companion - my mother. Memories of each trip never fail to bring a smile to my face. It is a rare moment when I am in front of the camera so photo's such as the one below - taken at (one of) our favorite restaurants in London, Pont de la Tour, are special.

Dogs - like genealogy and family history research - has taken on a life of its own. From the moment I laid my hands on my first field bred English cocker spaniel, I knew they would always be a part of my life. It was also my introduction to the world of dog behavior and training. We purchased Casey from Badger Kennels in 1991 which was the start, as they say, of a beautiful friendship. Jim became my mentor, introducing me to upland bird hunting, something my husband had always enjoyed but now we added a merry little cocker to the hunting team. I will always be grateful for Jim sharing his wealth of knowledge on dog behavior and helping me understand the order of the pack. Our lives have been forever changed by each one of the cockers who have come into our live, each one unique and a joy to train and work with. The Anahar line was established in Scotland by Denis and Dorothy Douglas; having several of his dogs earn the title of Field Trial Champions. Now in their 80s, Denis and Dorothy have graciously opened up their home in Laurencekirk in Kincardineshire to Mom and I on several of our trips. Sixteen years after our first introduction to the Anahar cockers, we continue to work with Badger Kennels to keep the Anahar line of cockers going. Our son Jeff took the Anahar line in a new direction when, at his mother's insistance, he entered his dog Riley in a Dock Dog event. Proving little dogs can fly, Riley held the #2 position in the nation for dogs 17" and under, two years ago placing 7th at the national event.

                                                                              Photographer: Al Scherwinski

When the entire family gets together, a bit of dog hair in your potato salad is to be expected. In 2009 we lost two of our beloved dogs - matriarch, Emma (second from the left) at the age of 14 and her 12-year old girl, Lucy (far right). Seen in the photo below with my nieces, Alissa and Becky, is our son's Flat-Coated Retriever who is convinced she is one of the cockers.

When I'm not filling up my digital card and computer with photographs or running Camp Cocker - I am involved with the D.A.R. The Daughters of the American Revolution is a volunteer woman's service organization dedicated to historical preservation, education and patriotism. I made my application on John Space, who served from the state of New Jersey. John was a descendent of my mother's father's line. After informing my Mom we were making our application to DAR, she has enthusiastically added "Daughter" to her life description.

While it seemed as if helping others with their membership application and genealogy was a perfect fit for me in DAR - I have really enjoyed exercising my creative side. I am the editor of our chapter newsletter (which of course allows me a venue for my photographs as well as a chance to share my love of nature and silent sports). During the past state administration I served as editor of the state newsletter, created a monthly e-letter for the state regent, created all the handbooks for state events, magazine ad's ... if it looks like public relations and media, I have a hand in it. I also played a role in our state regent's successful campaign for the national office of Vice President General in 2009.

During this time, I produced two full size, full color calendars that were sold to benefit the State Regent's project. I was especially proud of the last calendar which was dedicated to our veterans. Between the State Regent and I, we were able to assemble our special family relics that spanned four generations of military service to our country for the cover shot.

Dubbed "the Daughter with the camera," I'm known for catching those moments that are not the standard "stand and smile" photographs - such as the petal perfect butter rosettes on our table during the State Officer Dinner.

Finding beauty in the ordinary and sharing my love of nature - passed on to me by my grandfather, shared with my husband and children - is what helps define who I am and keeps me centered when I'm not tracking down those elusive ancestors.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Treasure Thursday, 29 Oct 2009

Among the many treasures in my life, I count time spent traveling to England and Scotland with my Mother as some of my most cherished memories.


Over the years my Mom has gifted me with paintings she has created chronicling some of our favorite holidays. The Abbey Hotel in Cornwall and St. Catherine's Lighthouse on the southern tip of the Isle of Wight.


Shells gathered on walks on the beach fill the Ball jar that once belonged to my grandmother Mildred Little Bergeron. The shells, mixed together in the jar, represent visits from Lands End to John O'Groats, Dover and St. Ives to the Orkney Islands.

Copyright © 2009 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Happy Birthday Dad

It's the annual October occurrence, known simply as Birthday Week. Birthday's in rapid succession: my birthday, Dad's and my maternal grandmother which also is - was - their wedding anniversary. Also sharing the October birthday month was my Dad's sister Marian and my paternal grandmother. For years it was just the three of us until the addition of spouses and their families: two brother-in-law and a great-niece sharing my Dad's birthday and a host of other family members adding to Hallmark's bottom line on my behalf.


2009 marked a milestone anniversary, Dad's 80th birthday. For the first time in fifteen years, our family gathered together to mark the occasion and rediscover the bonds that hold us together.


Laughter, food, hugs, smiles - shared by other family gatherings throughout history in small towns and large cities. Inside jokes, those special stories that end in gales of laughter no matter how many times the stories are told make each family unique and ours is no exception.


Dad - Happy Birthday and thank you. For your love and support, both given unconditionally and in generous amounts, "pressed down and running over." Thank you for providing your daughters with a firm foundation as well as sharing your love of Big Band music, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett - football, cribbage and holiday traditions - memories of camp fires and tiki lights - Christmas carols and baptisms - all of which are now part of the fabric of who we are. Individually, we each share our own special memory of walking down the aisle on your arm.

As parents we have discovered yet another gift you have given our family - memories of time spent with Grandpa John.





In childhood, we press our nose to the pane, looking out. In memories of childhood, we press our nose to the pane, looking in. ~ Robert Brault

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. ~ Clara Ortega

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever. ~ Author Unknown

My mom is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~ Graycie Harmon

We are inclined to think that if we watch a football game ...

we have taken part in it. ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I love my father as the stars - he's a bright shining example and a happy twinkling in my heart. ~ Adabella Radici

Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures. ~ Thomas de Quincey

Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. ~ Simone Signoret

A man knows he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.

~ Gabriel Barcia Marquez

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's wordswhen he talk to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.

~ John Gregory Brown, Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery, 1994

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~ Jane Howard




Photographs Copyright © 2009 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Celebration of Winter Solstice and the beauty of Maeshowe

Photo: http://www.maeshowe.co.uk

Quirky. In my younger years, "quirky" would describe my delight in the arrival of the shortest day of the year. No one actually celebrates the Winter Solstice. At least not in my recent memory. If you did, you were rather - quirky.

I could never quite understand why December 21st brought a sense of wonder. Being a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, it could have something to do with the fact that December 22nd brought with it one minute more of daylight. But the date always seemed to hold more of an inner rejoicing rather than having 60 seconds additional of daylight.

More likely than not, my celtic ancestors celebrated the arrival of the Winter Solstice with bonfires, bringing in of the greens and music and dancing to celebrate the arrival of the Oak King.

The Holly King and the Oak King were twin gods seen as one entity. Each of the gods rule for half of the year, fight for the favor of a goddess and dies. But the defeated twin is not truly dead but merely withdraws for six months. The belief of some was that the defeated twin retreated to Caer Arianrhod, the Castle of the ever-turning Silver Wheel - the Wheel of Stars. Caer Arianrhod, the Aurora Borealis, is the enchanted realm of the Godess Arianrhod, ruler of the astral skies where she rules as the goddess of reincarnation.

The Oak King, who is the light twin, rules from midwinter to midsummer. The Holly King, the dark twin, rules from midsummer to midwinter.

For centuries we have marveled at the existence of stone circles and henges scattered around the world. The one that immediately comes to mind is Stonehenge located in southern England. June 21st finds Stonehenge invaded by druids and tourists waiting to catch a glimpse of the rising sun aligned perfected among the Bluestones. I had the opportunity to visit Stonehenge when visitors were able to walk among the stones. Dispite the carnival tourist atmosphere it is spectacular. But it is not the Summer Solstice nor Stonehenge but rather the Winter Solstice, the light twin, that my thoughts turn to in the far reaches off the coast of Scotland.

Photograph Copyright © 2008 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Maeshowe is a neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave located on the mainland of Orkney. Believed to have been constructed over 5,000 years ago it is also the largest of the many tombs located in Orkney. A grass mound hides the complex chambers and passages constructed of flagstones, some of which weigh upwards of 30 tons. According to the Orkneyinga Saga, the Vikings looted Maeshowe, probably taking with them many artifacts but left behind a series of runic inscriptions - basically graffiti - on the stone walls. As our guide pointed out, while Vikings from the north invaded Scotland, not all Norsemen were Vikings.

Viking runes aside, the amazing part of Maeshowe occurs on the shortest day of the year. On December 21st, the setting sun aligns directly over a neighboring stone, called the Barnhouse Stone. The passageway into Maeshowe is aligned so that for a few minutes the setting sun illuminates the passageway and the rear wall of the central chamber.

It is a feat that I cannot begin to fathom has having been constructed 5,000 years ago, before the construction of the Great Pyramids of Egypt, to celebrate the return of the light.

Photograph Copyright © 2008 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

While I may be sitting in my family room in north central Wisconsin my thoughts are thousands of miles away. Thanks to technology I watch the web cam from Maeshowe. At 14:28 GMT the fading light has begun to illuminate the passageway and central chamber. I celebrate by placing a piece of oak on my yule fire.

Blessings of light and life.

For The Record

Wise Geek describes an epiphany as "as a moment of self-realization or discovery that enlightens or reveals the person’s character." The site goes on to state that some compare an epiphany as a "Gestalt", an "Ah-ha" moment when things become clear. My friend Maureen and I call these "mascara moments" for the fact that they seem to drop down (or pop up) at the most unexpected moments - such as when you are concentrating on applying mascara. My latest mascara moment occurred on a 'hit and run' trip to the Langlade County court house.

It was during one of those rare three-day week-ends 'up north,' with the colors of early autumn splashed across the landscape and a clear blue sky. When I should have been out walking with my camera, instead I found myself on my way into town for groceries.


"If I take the back way into town, I can stop at the court house for a few minutes, hit the library if I uncover anything interesting and still get to the grocery store with the majority of day left for photography." I felt confident that I could stick to my plan of spending just a few minutes at the court house due to the fact my research folder was not in the same county. Not to mention that over age fifty brain fade lending me powerless to recall more than one research subject (pardon the pun) off the top of my head.


My intention was to check collateral lines (cluster genealogy) in search of additional information on former neighbors of my father's parents. The Olson's gave my mother several glass Christmas ornaments, two of which hold places of honor on our Christmas tree, high above the reach of cocker spaniel tails. Hoping to learn more about the Olson's, I reached for the marriage index which fell open to the section of grooms names in the 's' section. I was surprised to see the index page listing the marriage of mother's parents, Alma Loretta Polar and Harley Allen Space. A few pages later is the index marking the marriage record of my parents, Phyllis Jean Space and H. John Bergeron. My 'Ah-ha' epiphany mascara moment was the realization that contained within the marriage records of Langlade County were three generations of my family: my grandparents, my parents and my oldest son and daughter-in-law.








How many times have I advised family historians to research beyond their direct lines - look in surrounding counties - look for clues to other family members who may be living in the same area. My epiphany - my ah-ha moment - was the reminder of just how alive history is. This was not something that had occured in the past but it was history that was occuring at this very moment. I have many vivid memories of my grandparents, I am blessed to have both of my parents to share and make new memories with as well as with our son and daughter-in-law. Family history is not static but rather something to be looked at in wonder - it is not something that just happens a long time ago, it is happening right now and tomorrow will create today's history. My family history became something more real - it reminded me of the blessing we received during the evening celebration following Chris and Ashley's wedding.


Chris and Ashley chose to exchange vows on the lawn of our beloved 'up north.' A place my grandparents called home after relocating to the original forty acres after a fire destroyed their home and farm during the early 1940s. Where my mother spent part of her life, the place I was brought to after my birth in 1953 and where Al and I spent a portion of our honeymoon.


This was the first time many of their friends had been out on a moonless night, away from any ambient light. While many of them had been to an outdoor wedding, those had occured at a park, not in the middle of 240 acres. They were amazed to see so many stars and the Milky Way as it was meant to be seen - spread across the sky in a band of pale light. Around 11:00 a soft glow began in the northern sky and spread until the entire sky was alight with dancing and flickering northern lights. Nature's fireworks. Elusive, ever changing, unpredictable. I could be describing family research.

Copyright © 2008 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Congratulations Mom!

Congratulations! Earlier today I was informed that a program my mother and I wrote and presented to our Daughters of the American Revolution chapter was selected by the National Society DAR as one of the latest additions to the NSDAR Program Collection. The program, which was submitted to the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution and forwarded on to the national level, will be added to the manuscripts section of the members' web site that can be downloaded and printed by chapters for their use.


The program titled Ojibwe Heritage was presented at the November meeting as part of the DAR celebration of American Indian Heritage. For my mother and I, this was sharing a part of our family history, claiming our heritage as Anishinabe which translates as "the original people."


According to their tradition and from recordings in birch bark scrolls, many of the Original People came from the eastern areas of North America, or what the original people called "Turtle Island." These original people traded widely across the Continent for thousands of years, and knew of canoe routes west, and of a land route to the west coast. Some of the first maps of the inland rivers and lakes were made by the Ojibwe made on birch bark maps and preserved by the elders along with the history of the original people, Anishinabe.


Legend says seven great "radiant beings" appeared to the peoples in the Land of the Dawn - the eastern lands - to teach them of the ways of life. These seven great beings established clans - or dodems - for the people of the east. The original Anishinabe were the crane, loon, fish, bear, bird and marten and the thunderbird.


After a time, the great beings returned to the sea and the people prospered - drawing on the bounty of the eastern forests and lakes. In these early years, one version of the legend said the Original People "were so many and powerful that if one was to climb the highest mountain and look in all directions, he would not be able to see the end of the nation."


Then came a warning from a prophet to the people: "If you do not move, you will be destroyed." The prophet urged the Anishinabe to seek out an island in the shape of a turtle; this would be their first stopping point. There would be six more, and each one would be revealed through a sacred sign in the form of a cowrie shell that first emerged from the great salt sea.


During their long journey, which lasted many generations, the Anishinabe encountered enemies and subdued them. At night it was said their campfires flickered like stars for as far as the eye could see. All the campfires were kindled from one sacred fire, which had been carried from the land of the rising sun and was never allowed to die.


At their third stopping place near present day Detroit, the Anishinabe divided into three groups and went their separate ways, with each group assuming a different responsibility for sustaining the culture. One pledged to safeguard the sacred fire, these people became known as the Potowatomi. Another group agreed to carry out major trading expeditions, these became known as the Ottawa. The third group who's duty was to protect the spiritual beliefs of the Anishinabe emerged as the Ojibwe. Before separating, they formed a confederation called the Three Fires, and met each year to renew their alliance.


Continuing westward the Ojibwe settled farther to the north, along the north shore of Lake Superior. After parting from the others, the Ojibwe continued to be guided by the sacred spirits. In time, a new sign appeared to them at another place of beauty and bounty, the strait where waters from Lake Superior rushed down to the lower-lying Lake Huron and whitefish choked the rapids. It was here the Ojibwe paused and established a village they called "Place at the Falls." This was not only a splendid fishery but also a hub of water-borne trade. French explorers and traders who arrived there in the 17th century called the local Indians Saulteurs, an adaptation of the French word saut, or "falls." This place became known to the French as Sault Ste Marie. At that time, the village had a permanent population of several hundred people, a number that swelled to two or three thousand each summer as Ojibwes and others from surrounding areas congregated there to fish, trade, hold diplomatic councils and join in ceremonies.


By the time the Frenchmen reached Sault Ste Marie, many Ojibwe were fanning out around Lake Superior. According to legend, those who ventured to the western end of that lake were again blessed with a vision. That sign appeared to the people for the last time at La Pointe Island, or Madeline Island as it is known today, where the Ojibwes founded a bustling village that emerged as the spiritual center of their culture.


One of the foremost scholars and researchers believes the migration of the Anishinabe began around 900 AD and took approximately 500 years to complete.

It is from this group of the Ojibwe that my mother's family descends. My great-great grandmother was a member of the Lac du Flambeau band, which translates to "Lake of the Flaming Torches." Early French explorers used the term to describe how the tribe often fished at night by torchlight. While my gr-gr-grandmother's name was been long forgotten, she is included in the early rolls of the reservation as the wife of Isaac Stone, the first white man to settle into this area of Wisconsin. She has been found listed as "Elizabeth" on a vital record but very little is known about her other than she died in June 1858 shortly after giving birth to my great-grandmother, Nancy Ann Stone. Elizabeth is buried in an unmarked grave in the village of Hogarty, Shawano Co, Wisconsin. On Memorial Day, my mother and I honor the memory of Elizabeth by placing flowers in the section of the unmarked graves in the Hogarty Cemetery.

My grandfather, proud of his heritage, made sure that this pride was passed on to his daughter and to his granddaughters. I credit this with helping to kindle and fan the flame of my interest in family history.

I am sure that both he, Grandma Nancy - and Elizabeth - are pleased to see that their story, which we continue to share within our family, is now part of a larger audience.

Copyright © 2008 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski