The 70th Anniversary of Anna's Passing

70 years ago this morning my great-great-grandmother, Anna Ritschard Glossner, died.  She is the most intriguing of all my ancestors, so much so that I am writing a book about her.  Born in Switzerland, she appears to have been well educated there.  She immigrated to New York in 1884 as a young woman, and quickly married another immigrant and occasional mill worker, had 11 children and was predeceased by all but the oldest 5.  She certainly does not fit into the stereotypical American Dream, but she was a survivor and did what she could to keep her family fed.  I have been immersed in research about her lately, so stay tuned for the biography!

The Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread

I love Irish soda bread, or at least the kind I have made in the past and that is readily available in our local grocery stores this time of year.  It is so easy to make that I never buy it.  I was looking for a recipe for this year and ran across this site: The Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread!  Even though I love caraway seeds and currants, I decided to experiment this time by following the guidelines for real soda bread and just using flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk.  I have a really hard time following recipes, but the only change I made to this one was to use 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour.  I did not knead it on a floured board but just pulled it all together with my hands.  I did put a cake pan cover over the bread while it was baking, and I did not put any butter in it.  The temptation was great to add the beloved caraway and currants, but I resisted, and thankfully so.  The bread is wonderful.  I have been cutting pieces off all afternoon, and at this rate there will not be much left for St. Patrick's day tomorrow.  But I still have enough pastry flour and buttermilk for a second loaf... maybe I will put some currants and caraway in that one, for variety! 

My new publication: The Ancestry of Anne Bretherick and David Greer

My new book, The Ancestry of Anne Bretherick and David Greer, is available for purchase on CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5661888.  It is the genealogy of Anne Bretherick and David Greer, including their Stott, McKnight, Mainwaring, and Steinmetz ancestors of Pennsylvania, Lancashire, England, and County Donegal, Ireland.  If any of these names ring a bell, this book might be for you, too.

Happy Birthday!

For my nephew's 21st birthday, I researched his paternal grandparents' family history and published it.  The book is available for purchase on CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5661888. 

My heritage without DNA testing

I recently watched an episode of "Finding Your Roots", and I was very impressed that Henry Louis Gates Jr. called his one guest, rather than surprising him on camera, to tell him that they discovered something very surprising when they did a DNA test.  As a professional genealogist, I recognize that DNA testing for genealogical purposes is a science unto itself, and I prefer to leave it to its own experts.  I enjoy the sleuthing through old records and articles to piece together histories. 

That said, the engineer in me has to break things down into numbers.  Based on the research I have done and my family before me has done on my ancestors, this is my genetic breakdown without DNA testing:
     56.25% German
     25% Sicilian
     6.25% Swiss
     6.25% Irish
     6.25% English

Maybe some day I will have DNA testing done to see if the research matches the test results, but for now I am more than happy to concentrate on telling these ancestors' stories.

Small World...

I am just home from the New York State Family History Conference, and I did meet or renew acquaintances with a lot of people from the area or who I have crossed paths with in the genealogical field.  It was a great networking event! 

However, there were a few instances where I just scratched my head and thought, "small world".  I met a family with my mother's maiden name, and they lived in Rochester at a point, so surely we are distant cousins, possibly going back to Germany.  I have to check my notes and get back to them!  I met a woman who had an aunt who lived on my street, and the funny thing is that my street is a dead end in a village that is one square mile, and there are only about 20 houses on the street.  As we are having our annual street party this weekend, I will ask if anyone remembers her!  Then I met a very kind woman who diligently tracked down someone who could help me with some Swiss research.  She used to live in this area, went to the church I was baptized in, had sisters who went to the college I went to, and her aunt lived on the street that was around the corner from a house my aunt used to live in. 

New York State Family History Conference

Next week, yours truly will be an exhibitor at the New York State Family History Conference in Liverpool (Syracuse), New York.  This means I will have a table set up in the Vendor Hall, where I can talk with other attendees and potential clients, and I will also be able to attend workshops and lectures.  If you are in the area stop by- the Vendor Hall is open to the public!