Dead
Fred's
Meditation
Corner
"A
family
tree
can
wither
if
nobody
tends
it's
roots
"
--Unknown
"We
used
to
think
our
future
was
in
the
stars.
Now
we
know
it's
in
our
genes."
--James
Watson
"People
do
not
live
nowadays.
They
get
about
ten
percent
out
of
life."
--Isadora
Duncan
"The
Supreme
Court
has
ruled
that
they
cannot
have
a
nativity
scene
in
Washington,
D.C.
This
wasn't
for
any
religious
reasons.
They
couldn't
find
three
wise
men
and
a
virgin.
"
--Jay
Leno
If
you
have
a
quote
or
anecdote
for
our
Meditation
Corner,
send
it
to
us
at
meditation@deadfred.com.
Words
From
The
Reunited
I
just
had
to
share.
Right
after
I
started
getting
the
news
letter
from
Ancestry.com
I
was
reading
about
a
site
called
www.deadfred.com.
I
went
in
and
clicked
on
Surnames.
I
hit
K
for
my
maiden
name,
nothing,
I
hit
D
for
my
married
name,
nothing
-
I
then
hit
Y
for
my
mom's
maiden
name.
Dropped
down
to
William,
Pulkaski
County,
KY.
Thinking
how
many
could
there
be.
Opened
up
the
picture
and
low
and
behold
it
was
my
Grand
Dad
Will.
I
have
now
found
some
long
lost
cousins
and
my
mom
and
two
living
sisters
are
estactic.
Thank
you
from
fans
in
Kansas
&
Missouri
-
Is
it
possible
to
find
out
who
the
other
men
in
photo#
314
(one's
last
name
is
HOLLAND;
one
name
is
not
legible)
are?
Knowing
who
the
others
are
would
help
us
to
tell
whether
or
not
the
HOLLAND
belongs
to
our
family.
Thanks
very
much
for
your
help!
Miriam
-
Hi,
by
complete
chance,
I
saw
some
photos
you
purchased
in
Monroe,
LA
of
three
Barteet's
in
military
uniform.
They
are
all
my
uncles,
and
they
are
all
deceased.
Thanks,
Jeffrey
Barteet
-
Mr.
Fisher
C.
Baily,
Photo
#14174,
is
the
man
pictured
in
the
back
row
8
persons
over
from
the
left.
He
was
an
older
(by
about
24
years)
first
cousin,
I
believe,
of
my
paternal
grandmother.
I
have
seen
a
photo
him
from
around
the
same
time
period
taken
in
Ardmore.
That
is
why
I
was
able
to
pick
him
out
rather
easily.
Craig
-
Do
you
have
any
information
other
than
that
listed
for
photo
#13306?
This
is
a
class
photo
of
the
Class
of
1917
from
the
1918
"Illio"
at
the
University
of
Illinois.
Number
4
is
William
Wilson
Anderson
of
Ohio,
Illinois.
This
is
my
Grandmother's
first
cousin.
He
did
have
a
twin
brother
named
Virden
(spelling
is
uncertain),
but
apparently
he
was
not
at
the
same
school.
I
am
interested
in
locating
a
picture
of
his
twin.
Sincerely,
Kathy
Have
you
found
a
relative?
Be
sure
to
write
and
tell
us
about
your
lucky
discoveries
at
DeadFred.com!
Share
your
reunion
experience
here.
Letters
To
The
Archivists
Hello
DeadFred,
Would
it
cost
me
to
be
put
on
the
mailing
list?
I'm
on
a
fixed
income.
Please
email
me
at
your
convenience.
As
always,
Claudia
-
I
just
found
your
site.
I
lived
in
Fayetteville,
AR
for
9
years.
I
now
live
in
Maine.
I
also
have
a
fascination
with
old
photos.
Way
to
go,
Joe.
I'll
be
sending
some
from
my
collection
to
see
if
any
one
can
identify
them.
What
a
great
hobby!
-
GREAT
SITE....
Why
hasn't
anybody
done
this
before?
-
A
reader
"Sandie"
sent
in
this
question
regarding
the
wedding
photo
shown
below.
What
do
you
think?
I
have
a
photo
that
was
taken
in
1890
of
my
great
grandparents,
it
is
their
wedding
photo.
My
great
grandfather
(the
groom)
and
another
male
in
the
photo
have
their
hands
over
their
hearts.
Could
you
tell
me
what
this
may
have
signified
?
Or
where
I
can
find
information
about
this?
Thanks
much
for
any
help
you
can
send
my
way,
I
have
your
site
book
marked,
glad
to
know
there
are
people
out
there
placing
lost
photos
on
line.
Whether
you
have
a
bone
to
pick
or
a
eulogy
to
offer,
send
your
thoughts
to
letters@deadfred.com.
Pick
and
Shovel
Highlights
Subject:
WWII
Sailors
Honolulu
Hawaii
1944
Author:
Joe
Date:
11/9/2002
12:33
am
CST
Just
posted
a
photo
dated
1944
taken
in
Honolulu
Hawaii
of
four
sailors.
Three
are
identified:
Bob
Baughman,
Len
Guida,
Rodney
Luter
http://www.deadfred.com
Subject:
Seeking
Photos
for
Sloan's
from
Nova
Scotia
Author:
Marta
A.
Sloane
Date:
11/14/2002
3:08
pm
CST
I
am
looking
for
photos
of
my
great
grandfather,
Harry
P.
Sloan,
born
in
Nova
Scotia.
He
also
had
eight
brothers
and
sisters.
I
would
love
to
have
photos
of
him
or
his
siblings,
and
photos
of
my
other
great
grand
parent
-
his
wife,
Sarah
Dunne
Fitzgerald
Sloan{e}-she
added
an
e
to
her
name.
Harry
was
born
about
1868-he
was
three
in
the
1871
Canadian
census.
His
parents
were
Patrick
and
Catherine
Sloan.
Catherine's
maiden
name
was
Henessey,
and
she
was
born
in
Canada.
Patrick,
who
we
believe
was
an
Ulster
Scot,
was
born
in
Ireland
and
immigrated
to
Canada-year
unknown
at
this
point.
I
am
compiling
the
family
history
for
my
branch
of
the
Sloane
family-we
kept
the
*E*,
and
any
and
all
photos
would
be
very
welcome.
I
also
have
several
pages
of
Sloan/Sloane
information
I
trace
in
Canada,
and
would
be
willing
to
share
it-it
is
from
Nova
Scotia
Sloans/Sloanes.
Harry
was
also
in
Massachusetts
living
in
Lynn
and
according
to
the
census
from
1920,
was
naturalized
in
1900,
the
same
year
my
grandfather,
William
Edward
Sloane
was
born.
Feel
free
to
contact
me
if
you
need
more
details/information.
Thanks!
Marta
Subject:
Looking
for
photos
of
Myrtle
Budnik
(Budnick)
Author:
Linda
Nardecchia
Date:
11/14/2002
8:04
pm
CST
My
Grandmother
was
Myrtle
Budnik
daughter
of
Vincent
and
Rose
Budnik
(Chmielewski)
of
Alpena,
Michigan.
Myrtle
was
born
in
1987
and
in
June,
1916
she
married
Joseph
Deneau.
When
Rose's
family
first
came
to
the
United
States
the
family
name
was
Chmielewski
and
was
later
changed
to
Maleski.
I
am
trying
to
find
a
photo
of
Myrtle
as
my
mother
has
no
pictures
of
her
mother.
I
would
greatly
appreciate
any
help
anyone
could
give
me.
Subject:
Family
photos
Author:
leila
sansote
Date:
11/14/2002
8:34
pm
CST
I
am
looking
for
pictures
of
my
family
who
came
to
the
U.S.
in
1840
aboard
the
ship
"Concordia".
The
Ship
came
from
France,
with
mostly
French
farmers
aboard.
The
name
of
the
family
is
Sausote
but
may
be
spelled
Saussotte
Sossotte
or
Sausotte;
head
of
the
family
was
Francois
age
40-41,
wife
Mary
Francis
age
38-40
and
eight
children
ranging
in
age
from
18
to
less
than
a
year.
Their
arrival
was
in
June,
1840
in
New
York.
The
family
stayed
in
Ohio
for
a
short
time
and
then
moved
on
to
Indiana,
Allan
county
to
be
exact.
I
am
also
interested
in
finding
a
picture
of
a
man
named
Benjamin
Franklin
Landers
and
his
wife
Desmondia.
Thanks
for
any
help
you
can
give.
Subject:
Found-Pics
of
Lauren
&
Laurie,TWINS-RI,1962
Author:
Donna
Date:
11/15/2002
6:31
am
CST
In
1998,
I
found
a
photo
album
in
a
second
hand
store
in
Pelham
NH...w/a
parent's
wedding
picture
&
twins
Lauren
&
Laurie
newborn
pics-1962-up
to
around
8
yrs
old.
Possibly
from
Providence
RI.
Anyone
know
of
these
two?
I
couldn't
bear
to
let
it
be
thrown
out.
Subject:
George
T.
Cobb,
Stroudsburg,
PA
circa
1910-1920
Author:
Andrea
Cobb
Date:
11/15/2002
9:17
am
CST
George
was
originally
from
Parsippany,
NJ,
first
married
to
Alice
Predmore
with
whom
he
has
a
son,
George
B.
They
lived
in
Washington,
NJ
for
a
while.
Their
son
died
and
he
and
Alice
split
up.
Then
he
moved
to
Analomink,
PA
where
worked
for
the
railroad
and
then
the
East
Penn
Lumber
Company.
He
married
Lizzie
Kresge,
had
five
children,
and
was
the
justice
of
the
peace
there
before
he
died
in
1920.
We
do
not
have
any
photos
of
him.
Since
he
was
a
justice
of
the
peace
we
were
hoping
that
perhaps
there
could
be
a
photo
of
him
in
that
regard
(wedding
or
political
function
maybe?).
Thanks
in
advance!
Andrea
Cobb
Subject:
Robert
Beecroft
Author:
Edie
Date:
11/15/2002
9:54
pm
CST
I
have
a
old
studio
photo
taken
from
a
antique
oval
frame
with
a
convex
glass.
Handwritten
on
the
back
is
the
name
Robert
Beecroft
or
Beecraft
born
1863
in
Council
Bluffs,
Iowa.
Are
there
any
relatives
out
there?
I
would
love
to
reunite
this
photo
with
them.
Thanks
Subject:
Looneyville/
Looney
family
Author:
Vivian
Looney
Date:
11/16/2002
9:01
am
CST
I'm
searching
for
any
family
photos
from
a
small
place
in
east
Texas,
this
place
is
called
Looneyville.
The
Looney
family
live
there
for
many
years.
My
gggrandfather
was
A.C.
Looney
and
I
would
like
to
recover
a
picture
of
him.
thanks,
Vivian
Subject:
Grandmother-Rose
HAZLETT/BILLINGSLEY
Author:
Ethel
McCarthy
Date:
11/16/2002
6:40
pm
CST
My
Dad's
mother,
Rose
(HAZLETT)
BILLINGSLEY,
died
in
1902
in
Carbon
Co.
MT,
when
he
was
about
2
years
old.
He
had
one
photo
of
his
mother
which
he
was
carrying
in
a
suitcase
in
about
1925-1930
when
he
was
in
a
2nd
floor
hotel
room
in
Tulsa
OK;
the
hotel
caught
fire
during
the
middle
of
the
night.
He
threw
his
suitcase
out
the
window
and
jumped
after
it.
When
he
hit
the
ground,
the
suitcase
was
gone.
We
do
not
know
Rose
Hazlett
Billingsley's
family,
so
have
never
had
a
picture
of
her.
If
anyone
knows
anything
about
this
family,
or
such
a
photo,
I
would
really
love
to
hear
from
you.
Grandmother
Rose
was
born
in
Illinois
in
1872,
married
in
Bates
Co.,
MO
1897;
died
Carbon
Co.
MT
1902.
Subject:
Walter
Melvin
Norris
Author:
Diann
Hale
Date:
11/18/2002
3:19
pm
CST
I
am
looking
for
any
information
on
Walter
Melvin
Van
Dean
Norris.
He
was
from
Chatooga,
GA.
Subject:
Samuel
Frye,
Van
Buren
Co.
Michigan
Author:
Amanda
Daigle
Date:
11/18/2002
8:16
pm
CST
I'm
looking
for
a
photo
or
tintype
of
Samuel
Frye
who
died
in
1874
in
Van
Buren
Co,
Michigan.
I
would
also
be
interested
in
his
wife
Elizabeth
Bittner
Frye.
If
anyone
can
help,
please
contact
me!
Their
children
were
Margaret,
Almira,
Delila,
Henry,
Daniel,
Mary,
Samuel,
Lydia
&
John
Charles.
I
would
love
to
hear
from
the
descendents
of
any
of
these
children.
Subject:
Abel
Russell
&
Elizabeth
Shelly,
GA-IL-IA-OR
Author:
Amanda
Daigle
Date:
11/18/2002
8:21
pm
CST
I
am
looking
for
photos
of
this
couple.
Abel
died
in
Weston,
Umatilla
Co,
OR
in
1879,
and
Elizabeth
died
in
Pleasant
Hill,
Lane
Co,
OR
about
1885.
Their
children
were
John
Abel,
William
Thomas,
Charles
Silas,
Elizabeth,
George,
Catherine,
Almira,
Austin,
Enoch,
Miranda,
Timothy,
Milton,
&
Epham.
If
anyone
can
help,
thank
you!
Subject:
Thomas
Madison
Barry
Author:
Mary
Mills
Date:
11/24/2002
8:46
am
CST
Searching
for
grandfather
who
was
born
in
?,
GA
and
died
in
Santa
Barbara,
CA.
Trying
to
link
him
with
George
Madison
Berry
of
KY
to
OK
for
the
Centennial
OK
Encyclopaedia
Subject:
c1890
Family
Photo
Album
Chicago
Posted
to
Archive
Author:
Joe
Date:
11/24/2002
5:37
pm
CST
I
just
uploaded
a
c1890
Family
Photo
Album
Chicago
Illinois
to
the
Archive.
Thereís
about
20
photos
unfortunately
no
surnames.
To
See
the
Album
go
to
http:www.deadfred.com
>
Alphabet
Listing
>
Click
on
P
and
scroll
down
to
the
listed
Photo
Albums
Subject:
Bowers
/
Citron
Author:
Debbie
Date:
11/29/2002
10:09
am
CST
I
am
looking
for
my
great-grandmother
Lucinda
(Lucy)
Citron
who
married
Giles
Bowers.
They
lived
in
Boydsville,
Arkansas.
I
am
looking
for
any
information
about
her
family.
She
lived
from
1872-1905(C)
She
was
born
in
Missouri.
Thanks
for
any
information.
Dead
Fred's
Pop
Quiz
This
month
I
have
decided
to
ask
you
a
question
in
regards
to
your
family
genealogy.
I
look
forward
to
hearing
from
you
at
claire@deadfred.com.
While
searching
your
family
genealogy
have
you
come
across
any
surprises?
Here
are
the
results
from
last
month's
poll/question:
Some
families
have
a
Black
Sheep
in
the
family.
Wordsmyth
(The
educational
dictionary-thesaurus)
defines
this
person
as
one
who
differs
from
and
is
an
embarrassment
or
disgrace
to
his
or
her
family
or
group,
because
of
disreputable
behavior,
lack
of
worldly
success,
or
the
like.
Who
is
the
black
sheep
in
your
family?
A. Yourself
B. Spouse
C. Sibling
D. Parents
E. Other
My
spouse
is
the
black
sheep.
Recently
we
have
found
out
that
his
family
is
related
to
Jessie
James!
-PST
Where
do
I
begin?
My
uncle
Jack
who
demanded
payment
from
my
father
returning
from
WWII
for
my
upkeep
after
my
mother
abandoned
me?
How
about
one
of
my
daughter's
who
stole
my
vehicle,
forged
documents
to
make
it
her
own
then
ruined
it
in
2
months?
Those
are
just
an
example
of
each
of
the
black
sheep's
antics
in
my
family.
A
couple
of
years
ago
I
discovered
that
President
(now
Nobel
Peace
Prize
Winner)
Jimmy
Carter
is
my
Father's
Sixth
Cousin
(therefore,
my
Sixth
Cousin
Once
Removed).
I
asked
my
Father,
a
staunch
Republican,
what
he
thought
of
that.
He
said,
"It's
fine
except
that
means
so
is
Billy!"
So,
for
each
"white"
sheep
in
the
family
comes
a
"black"
sheep,
too!
Barbara
Sibling(s)
actually
two
of
these,brother
was
for
awhile
but
he
was
such
a
good
person
that
our
sister
was
later
elected
and
holds
that
title
today.
Sandra
Our
whole
family
is
rather
different
from
the
norn.
It
started
with
my
parents
and
goes
on
from
there.....
Bonds
Black
sheep?
I
have
a
whole
flock!
My
mother
swore
that
in
every
generation
of
my
father's
family
there
was
one
"ne'er
do
well".
Generally
an
alcoholic
or
unemployed
wastrel
etc..
In
mine
it
was
a
brother
commonly
referred
to
by
his
surviving
siblings
(me
and
3
others)
as
"the
demon
seed".
Even
he
would
laugh
when
we
called
him
that
to
his
face.
Of
course
Mom
forgot
to
mention
her
own
father
who
left
3
kids
in
the
aunts'
care
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Since we are celebrating the holidays I wanted to share with you my top picks for Christmas gifts. If you have any other suggestions I would really like to hear from you.
1. A computer
2. A scanner
3. A digital camera
4. Family website URL
5. Vacation to your homeland
If you have any other great gift ideas please send them to gift ideas.
Here's a new challenge. Joe seems to think the subjects of these Archive photos look a lot like...well, we'll let you decide for yourself.
Give it your best shot. Send your feedback to lookalike@deadfred.com.
As Christmas approaches, we often cast a nostalgic eye back to our childhoods. I find myself hearing about how this friend learned the truth about Santa Claus, or which festive cookie was the favorite of another.
The family of Marcia Gevers, a vocational rehabilitation teacher for the blind here in Fort Wayne, had a Christmas custom that was quite new to me.
About a week before the big day, Santa Claus would make a pre-Christmas visit. It was his task to put up the tree and decorate it. The three Gevers sisters would leave him some treats in anticipation of his visit, and would receive some small token in return. They would find the tree in its full glory, the result of Santa's labours.
I found it interesting that Mr and Mrs Gevers had devised a plan which actually created more surprises for the children than usual.
Once Christmas Eve itself came, the Gevers family all went to their community church for a service which featured performances by the children. It was very exciting.
As an extra treat, the girls were allowed to ride home with their grandparents after the service. Grandpa was a careful driver at the best of times, but with his precious cargo on this night, he seemed to drive slower than ever. Sometimes, Marcia says, her grandmother would have to urge him to hurry on a little.
But eventually they would arrive home and, what a wonder! Santa had come while they were at church. The excitement of Christmas morning for many of us would happen, in the German tradition, on Christmas Eve at the Gevers house.
Christmas Day would be spent visiting aunts and uncles, where there would be a great exchange of cookies and fruitcakes. It was not part of Mrs Gevers' tradition to make fruitcake, but one or more of the aunties would have done so, and would share.
Fruitcakes were definitely part of our family tradition. My 2001 cakes are currently wrapped in rum-soaked cloths ripening in a cool place. I even make them in my mother's sixty year old special fruitcake pans, used only once a year.
Have you noticed that the fruitcake has a bad reputation nowadays? Television sitcoms and greeting cards are full of rude references to how to use them as filler for potholes or for building outhouses.
Fruitcake does not fit into California cuisine. My theory is that the lettuce-nibblers in Hollywood have brainwashed the younger generations into thinking that fruitcake is not the tasty thing it is.
The daughter of a friend observed her mother's cherry and peel filled creation and said, "That sort of thing is just for older women, Mom."
It may be full of sugar and a dozen eggs, but there will always be a place for a fruitcake in my Christmas larder. Over the holidays and into January, there is the prospect of sitting down with a fat slice, a matching piece of cheese and a glass of sherry or a cup of strong coffee, to be consumed during a favourite old movie. All worthwhile despite the inevitable lecture from the doctor.
Marcia and her family will be spending Christmas Eve at the same community church as forty years ago. I am looking forward to seeing my grandnephew with his pile of presents, creating traditions with his parents which he can remember half a century from now. Perhaps I will have the chance to hold my new grandniece on my knee during part of the celebration.
May all the varied joys of Christmas be present at your house this season.
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