WEDDING WEDNESDAY~Marion Long & Delphine Fink–My husband’s Aunt & Uncle

Today’s post is about my husband’s maternal Aunt & Uncle.  While Marion & Delphine may have been their given names, to everyone who knew them, they were Aunt Honey & Uncle Bud.

“Bud” was born 2 Nov 1914 in Cumby, Hopkins, Texas to parents Francis Marion Long and Lillian Gertrude Taylor.  By the time of the 1940 census he can be found living with his mother and his sister, Buna, in San Diego, California.

“Honey” was born in Buffalo, Erie, New York 26 Sep 1919 to parents Heinrich August Fink and Freada Emma Doller.  Her family moved to San Diego, California in 1935.

Bud had enlisted in the Navy as an Apprentice Seaman on 4 Jan 1934.  Is that what brought he and his mother and sister to California?  Bud reenlisted 13 Jan 1942.  That was just a little over a month after the bombing at Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II.

According to their daughter, Tammy, this couple met in 1938. On 14 Nov 1943 this engagement announcement appeared in the San Diego Union newspaper.

The couple was married at Rolando Methodist Church in San Diego by Methodist Minister, James F. Robert.  Witnesses listed on the marriage certificate are Honey’s sister Dorothy and her brother Elwood Fink. Their daughter, Tammy, was married in the same church 26 years later.

Their first child, a son, Kenneth Joy Long was born 27 Aug 1945 (died 2 Jan 2006). A daughter, Tamara Gail was born in 1947 and a son, Robert Dale in 1951.

This marriage lasted for 61 years, until Bud’s death in 2005.

Both of these people were a lot of fun.  Honey had a great sense of humor and could always be found with a smile on her face.  Uncle Bud was a great cook and enjoyed gardening.  They were both very big personalities.  Time spent with them was always memorable.

I honor them here today.  And want them to know they are missed by so many.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2021   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SEMINARS ~ A Day with Warren Bittner at the San Diego Genealogical Society

Warren Bittner, C.G.

There are many reasons to join a genealogy society.  Attending seminars and classes ranks high on that list.  To read more about why I believe it is important to belong to and support our genealogical societies read this post SEMINARS, WEBINARS, SOCIETIES–WILL THEY HELP YOUR RESEARCH?

Yesterday I attended our annual January seminar.  The San Diego Genealogical Society has been putting on twice a year seminars for, at least, the 10 years I’ve been a member.

 

Here’s the thing about classes or seminars.  Even though you may think the subject matter is not of interest, or not pertinent to your own research, you will ALWAYS learn something of value.

This seminar was the perfect example.  The subject was all about researching in German records.  I only have ONE line that is German.  At least so far.  That would be my 7th great grandparents Johannes WUNDERLICH and Anna Barbara DENSLER.  Read more about my Wunderlich family Family History Library Trip - Day 2 - A Red Letter Day! or Surname Saturday - Wunderlich - Johannes (1700-1760) my 7th great grandfather 

Here’s what I learned and why it’s of value and can be applied to other regions of the world.

Session 1 – Meyer’s Gazetteer:  Gateway to Germany 1871-1918

• This Gazetteer lists all towns in Germany as they existed in 1910
• You can find population data, political jurisdictions, transportations and communication information and whether the towns included “dependent” villages.

Mr. Bittner explained in excellent detail how to use this information and helped us to understand the various German words.  Decipher the colons and semi colons and break down all the great information included in this resource.

Here’s a new website that can help you get started.  And…the good news, all the levels of jurisdiction are given in English https://www.meyersgaz.com

WHY WOULD THIS INFORMATION BE OF VALUE IF I DON’T HAVE GERMAN ANCESTORS?

• Because Gazetteers can be found in many countries, including the United States – we learn the value of one, we are learning the value of all of them.  Certainly an underused resource in my genealogy journey.

Session 2 – German Maps and Territories (You can’t do research without them)

• An overview of German boundary changes – And let me tell you there have been plenty.  How do they affect your research?
• Techniques to find where any village would be on a map, even the very small villages.
• How to find a Nobility Region of a town
• And, Mr. Bittner gave us a list of 10 sources for locating Maps & Territorial Histories.

Session 3 – German Marriage Laws and Customs

This was the after lunch session.  You know, that time when all of us are full and perhaps a little sleepy.  Let me tell you.  There was no sleeping during any of the sessions as Mr. Bittner kept us all intrigued and interested.I’ll condense this session as follows: 

• There were so many forces that had input into whether a couple was allowed to marry, it was incredible!  I never suspected there could be so many outside sources that would influence a couple’s right to marry.

Here are examples of some of them:

Noblemen, Parents, Church, Town or Village, Courts, Craft Guilds and Territorial States 

And a big influence was your “place” in the particular town or village.  A couple was supposed to marry within their own social class.  Weddings went on for as long as 3 days, with engagements, posting of banns, exchange of vows, feasts, a procession of the bride’s dowry, the “bedding” event (not something that was the actual consummation of the marriage), the feasts and various other traditions.

The control and restrictions of marriages went on until 1918 with the end of the second empire.  Just think.  Until just over 100 years ago, a couple could not decide for themselves to get married.

• We also learned that there are dozens of places you can find marriage records.  Not always in churches or courts. 

Another subject that was discussed was the many illegitimate births that were common place.  Is it any wonder that many of us are discovering that our DNA tests are leading us to unexpected turns in our family trees?

Session 4 – The Fisherman Who Wanted to Marry the Executioner’s Daughter

This was a true story.  The Fisherman was in a class above the Executioner’s daughter and everyone from parents to the Fisherman’s Guild, the courts and the Town Council objected to this union.  They were finally allowed to marry, but only after both attempted suicide.

Warren Bittner, our SDGS President Diane Lott and me

In closing.  If you get a chance to hear Warren Bittner, C.G. speak, I would highly recommend you attend.  Whatever subject he may be speaking about, you will find him very knowledgeable, affable and entertaining.

I have an entirely new outlook now on what may have influenced my ancestors in their journey through life.  Whether or not they were in Germany or another part of Europe, Canada or even here in the U.S. I know I can be a better researcher with this information.

I’d love to hear about the classes, seminars, conferences or webinars you’ve attended or watched that have changed or influenced your research strategies.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

ANCESTORS IN THE NEWS ~ Gordon Charles Hall–my father-in-law, makes news in high school–San Diego, CA., 1935

If you read my blog regularly, you will know that newspapers are a favorite source of information for me.  They cover everything from births to deaths and all the happenings in between.  You can fill in that dash in someone’s life by finding them in newspapers.

 

Gordon Charles Hall is my father-in-law, now deceased.  Naturally, I’ve written about my husband’s parents before.  You can read about their marriage here CHURCH RECORD SUNDAY–Gordon & Dorothy Hall and their burial here THOSE PLACES THURSDAY ~ Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery–San Diego, California.

Today I decided to conduct a search of Genealogy Bank, since they contain many editions and years of the San Diego Union and Tribune.  I am usually searching for marriage announcements or obituaries.  But, today, I decided to see if my husband’s father, who was born, lived and died in San Diego, California, had been mentioned at other times in his life.

BINGO!  Here’s what I found.

Gordon & other boys were given the opportunity to “rule” San Diego government for a day.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

Published in the San Diego Union, 20 Dec 1934, page 7

An article published in January shows a photo of Gordon Hall sitting at a table with other boys.  This group was appointed as the Board of Education for a day.

Published in the San Diego Union, 6 Jan 1935, page 5

Here's the news article associated with the photo above.

Gordon attended San Diego High School and would have been 17 at the time this occurred, probably a Senior.  I expect it was a fun day for all the boys.

Little did Gordon know, at the time, that his son, born 15 years later, would spend a career working for the City of San Diego.

 

What fun newspaper articles have you located for your ancestors?  I’d love to hear about them.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY ~ My husband’s grandparents–Charles S. Hall (1878-1953) and Daisy F. Bright (1882-1953)

Charles Schuyler Hall born 5 Mar 1878 in Saratoga Springs Co., New York to parents Thomas Cornelius HALL and Cora E. BROWN.  He was the only known child born to this couple.  He married Daisy Fern BRIGHT born 19 Apr 1882 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania on 15 Oct 1903.  They were married in her birth place as that was where the Hall family had moved to from New York.

Daisy was born to Ellmer Bright & Malissa HUNT.  She was the only surviving child of 3 born to this couple.  By the age of 10, Daisy had lost her twin (died at birth), a younger sister, and both parents.  You can read her story here Surname Saturday – Who was Daisy Bright?

Charles Hall & his wife Daisy had 3 children, 2 boys and a girl; Dorothy Louise, Robert Walton and Gordon Charles (my husband’s father). 

Charles died on 25 Mar 1953 in San Diego, San Diego Co., California.  He had just turned 75.  Had he lived just 7 more months, he and Daisy would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Daisy, sadly, died just 7 months after Charles, on 23 Oct 1953, at the age of 71.

I imagine it was a sad time for their 3 children, extended family and friends.

Charles and Daisy are buried together at Mt. Hope Cemetery in San Diego, California.  My husband and I have been to their gravesites to visit them.

You may visit their memorials here – Charles #31821717 and Daisy #31837077

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

Appropriately for upcoming July 4th holiday here’s a previous post that mentions the Hall family

DR. JEREMIAH HALL WRITES TO GEORGE WASHINGTON ~ Celebrating Our Founding Fathers

CIVIL WAR PENSION FILE ~ Cora E. Hall widow of Thomas C. Hall ~ What gems does it contain?

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION