A New Year and New Goal

Here we are half way through January and I was curious what your New Year's Resolution goal is regarding Family History?  I belong to many genealogical pages on Facebook.  It seems often times they all share the same thing.  So they are not writing any new stuff just sharing from anther's site.  If Family Search makes an announcement, I have at least 20 shared announcements on my feed, and a few emails.  It's almost to the point of annoyance.

So I decided this year I was not going to write on my blog for the sake of writing and sahring, but hopefully I will give you some insight and maybe things you had not thought of before to explore.

Now I know we all know about newspapers.  I think it is one of the sources I usually go to as a last resort, but I need to change that thinking.  Often times if we want to confirm a story or gain a little bit of light on an ancestors life, newspapers are the way to go. 

My favorite site to go to is .http://newspaperarchive.com  I think the site is easy to use and there is a wide variety of papers to select from.  If you are near a Family History Center, it is one of the paid sites you can use from free at the center.

I serve every Thursday in our center here in Utah.  Last Thursday as I was fishing around on the site I found some interesting things.  One item was a legal notice that confirmed what I had been told regarding my grandparents on my Mom's side.  My grandmother, Oh my such a character!  The other thing I found made me laugh!

My grandfather Vernon Moore that I have written about before here was born in Taylor, Texas and lived there for awhile with his wife Grace.  Grace came from a very large and close family.  This newspaper article I found said my grandfather's home was burglarized!  The story goes my grandmother went to Houston to visit family so my grandfather was "batching" it.  But food was not a problem as he had made two pies and even frosted one.  You frost pies?  He put the pies out to cool and then was called away.  I am guessing he was called away for an electrical problem since he climbed electrical poles.  When he returned his pies were gone, but a note was left.  "Thanks for the pies!  They were delicious!" 

I can only imagine the look on my grandfather's face when he came home to this.  Can you imagine if they had surveillance cameras or the technology we have today?  I think there was a practical joke being played here especially if he was called away.  We will never know the rest of the story.

The one thing I love too is I can get a subscription for a month and search for my ancestors in the newspaper. I have done this before and learned interesting things of their death.

So in your research don't forget the newspapers!

More Info for Descendants of Arthur Lee Moore...

Thanks to Cousin Sherry Moore she suggested I try posting a message to my blog to find descendants of Arthur Lee Moore.  Well I already had...but she told me to specifically list I am looking for "Punky Moore".  Okay where are you Punky?????  If this is you or know who he is please have him contact me!!!  Thank you!!

And I will entice you a bit.....here is a picture of Lee Moore and his wife Florence Marrington so you know I really am looking for his descendants!!

Oh Where Oh Where Can They Be???

This morning I was racking my brains and using all the sleuthing skills I had to try and find descendants of a great uncle.  I sent a couple of emails to longshots and then thought WHOA!! Wait a second!!  Let's go back to my blog (that I know) I don't write on enough and put out the plea!!!

So here it goes, I am looking for descendants of Arthur Lee Moore who was married to Florence Marrington.  He had two children Rachel and Arthur Lee Jr.  Rachel married Grant Truax.  Arthur JR married Edna Dorothy Berg.  I have them with one child (I am sure there was more) but he was also Arthur Lee Moore III.  Arthur III married Sharon Lee Mosher/Moshler and they had a daughter Shannon Morie/Marie Moore.  And I am dead end.

Uncle Lee (that his how the family referred to him as) was the oldest of my great grandfather's children who survived.  My great grandfather was married twice, Lee's mother was Rebecca Burleson.

I understand Uncle Lee had alot of the family history and I am hoping it was passed down from generation to generation for starters.  Also, we are writing a family history and want to be able to include HIS story and not the one we are perceiving it to be.  So if you tie into this family please, please, please email me!!!

We have come quite far on this family.  We have pictures of all the surviving siblings (six) and contact with several of the descendants.  We are missing Lee, Jack and Bell's lines.

Also I finally caved in and took a DNA test.  We have broken through another brick wall....kind of!!  We know who Nathaniel's brothers are!!  Okay some of them....but still more than we had a month ago.  So there are lots of exciting things happening in this branch of the Moore's.  And by finding Nathaniel's brothers, we can most likely put together all these stray Moore's like Nathaniel and Uceba Moore and find their place in the family tree.

So please come help us expand!!!  If you tie in to the Thomas A Moore and Mary D Williams line, or Nathaniel J Moore and Rebecca lines, save this blog and EMAIL ME!!!  I know the descendants are out there....we just have to find them!!  C'mon let's have an exciting update soon!!!  Happy Hunting everyone!!

Why Having a Family History Blog is SOOO Important!

In 2009 I heard genealogist Crista Cowan speak on the importance of people being able to find YOU.  We always think that we are looking for someone else, why would anyone want to find us?  But in the genealogy world it is VERY IMPORTANT. Her lecture that day was "Hit a Brickwall searching backwards -- Search Forward."  She talked about the importance of a Family History Blog.

I began this blog shortly after moving to Texas; walking, seeing and living as my ancestors had over 100 years before.  Okay maybe not so much the living....but I needed them. I needed their presence in my life. I was at a standstill and didn't feel as though I could go forward.  Moving to Texas was one of the best decisions I ever made!!  It did help me to get to know more about my ancestors and where they lived, what they did, saw etc. 

In the process I have tried to journal my findings and happenings along the way. Today I went back and read my first entry.  Oh how I forgot about that day!  But after reading the entry the flood of memories came flying back.  It also makes me sad, as Ralph Love has passed on.  But what a great source of information he was to me.  It is a similar reason that brings me back to my blog today.

Sometimes when you write you wonder if anyone ever really reads it.  Maybe that is where I got with this blog.  I felt no one ever read it.  Oh how silly I am!!  I have had several contact me because of this blog.  I have written about my Moore Family mostly, but I have also written about my Schoenbohm family which is my grandmother's family.  I had one cousin email me and tell me, "I think we are related but I never knew this about my Great Grandfather!  I am going to ask my Mother!"  She was referring to the story about the "Dueling on the Stairs". Click the link for the story.

One of the posts I added two years ago was that I was looking for descendants of "Woodfren Grady Moore."  I had little hope of ever finding anyone.  Uncle Grady died very young and it seems very suddenly.  I was told he was beaten to death for not joining a union in Minnesota.  But what is on his death certificate and that does not jive.  I knew he had married an Anna Cummings and they had two children.  After Grady's death, Anna remarried, change their names to Thoele and that is where the trail went cold.

A Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago I returned home and found an email with the subject "Are you still looking for descendants of Grady
Moore?"  I sat in shock for a few moments and replied as quickly as I could YES!!!  Re reading the email Paula said she had married into the Moore Family.  I instantly threw up a red flag and tried to make the connection of how she was related to Grady. In going back to re-read the email again I had another message from a Sharon Moore.  In opening it up I gasped!  I had found Grady's Granddaughter, well she found me.

It was so interesting in talking to Sherry because we had similar information and she had documents I didn't have and I have documents she didn't have.  Together I believe we can tell Grady's story.  She even has a picture!!  She said not a good one, but a picture.  I tagged in her a few photos in my Family History Album on Facebook and I knew she had not seen most of them.  She saw photos her great grandparents for the first time.  I love when I can do that for my cousins!  I have been able to do it a few times!!

I will be updating this blog more regularly because there has been much progress and much I need to tell for those who may be searching this line as well.  We have cousins gathering in Taylor, Texas next month that will all be meeting for the very first time. How wonderful is that?  I unfortunately cannot attend due to my health.  But I will be there in spirit.

So please if you are even thinking about doing a blog, DO IT!!  I have people all the time tell me I wish I could find the information you do, or find cousins like you do. You need to put your info out there and when the time is right they will find you.

Stay Calm and Keep Blogging!! 

Teaching Family History

I have been asked to teach the Family History Sunday School Class at my church.  I have been amazed at the turnout and humbled by those who come and have complete faith in me to help them get started with their family history.  I thought I would share here with you some of thing things we have gone over in the class.

Our first week was a simple introduction of me and I had all students fill out a survey.  I think one of the things you must learn in Family History as a teacher is where everyone is, what the goals are, and a little about them (phishing out the fears!) We must be teachable in both directions!  I had to learn form the beginning as I know we all do.  Even 35 years later, I don't know all there is to know about Family History and still stumble when trying to find a record.  It often times take a group effort.

One of the things I love to hear is when someone says they are related to someone, and another will pop up and say, "Hey so am I!"  Been there and done that.  Makes me Snoopy Dance!!

We are very blessed here in Provo (yes I have moved back to Utah) in that we have a wonderful Family History Center at BYU and also have a training center in Provo where classes are only $5. If you ever make a trip to Provo, I highly recommend coming and taking time for these all day classes.  Well worth the time and money!!

/http://www.familyhistorytraining.org/

The instruction part of the class is 30 minutes for each segment, and then you get a hands on trainer sitting next to you for another 30-45 minutes.  How cool is that???

One thing I liked is they have a basic computer class.  For older people, this is beneficial because most do not know how to use a computer. Today we all need to learn how to use a computer to do research.  It will come if you struggle!!  Just keep at it.

What a great resource to have in the community! For any who want to come visit  our beautiful city,  I love to play tour guide!!!  If you come please let me know!!

The second thing is the BYU Family History Center.

There are about 130 missionaries and volunteers who help with the center.  If you have photos to scan, or documents to digitize, it is worth the trip there for help and to get it done!!  The library is also open the 2nd and 4th Sunday for classes and research. 

http://lib.byu.edu/sites/familyhistory/

Also don't forget to check into and join your own local Genealogical Societies.  These societies are so valuable to us as researchers. Often times it is the societies who will go through the records and compile births, marriages, deaths etc.  Please support them!!  Too many are dying out for lack of attendance and support.

Happy Searching everyone!!!

The Characters in My Closet

Many have asked if I could send them my writing on "The Characters in My Closet".  It was selected as one of the top three stories from the Chisholm Trail by the Williamson County Texas Genealogical Society.  Thank you WCGS!!!!  So here is the story.  Remember whenever you find that notorious character in your closet, just giggle and know you are not alone!!!!

The Characters in my Closet

We all have them.  Some call them “skeletons”.  Skeletons to me are scary and have no substance.  Characters on the other hand, are lively, have meat on their bones and get into all kinds of shenanigans.  If this story was about my “Shenanigan Ancestor” it would definitely be about my Grandma Hessie, she tops the list with the most. Although my great grandfather had fewer shenanigans, he had the grandest of them all making national headlines across the country in 1914.

Gerhard John (G J) Shoenbohm was born in Brehem, Germany in 1871.  At just 6 weeks old his parents, Merhring J Schoenbohm and Margaret T Schroeder immigrated to the US through Galveston and settled in Alice, Texas.  Gerhard married Carrie Matilda Gilplin Valls in 1892 and they had six children, four girls and two boys.  My grandmother Grace Linn was the oldest, followed by Monie, Bubba, Lottie, Kakki and Johnny.  Johnny died at two months old. 

After Monie’s death, her daughter found a small auto biography she wrote of her life.  In it, she talked of the love of her father, the distance between her mother, and how the circumstances surrounding their father’s death they were treated as though they had the plaque.  The family eventually was run out of Alice, Texas and settled in Corpus Christi, TX to the end of their years and where I was born.

Aunt Kakki wrote a small history on the Schoenbohm Family stating Grandpa Schoenbohm was a telegraph operator. The railroads were coming and he had a profession that kept him gainfully employed.  Another insight Aunt Kakki gave to me was that Grandpa Schoenbohm’s mother lived with them for 17 years until her death.  She spoke fluent German, and very little broken English.  Family folklore has it that German, Spanish and English was spoken in the Schoenbohm home, but not all together, the Spanish language coming from the hired servants.  My Grandmother Grace and sister Monie made up their own language between the three languages.  Before they could start school they had to learn English.  Creative and lively bunch aren’t they?  So just what did Grandpa Schoenbohm do that caused such a ruckus and run his family out of town?

From the Brownsville, Herald, August 17, 1014, “On a morning of August, 1914, a mysterious man arrived in Brownsville, TX from Alice on the St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico passenger train.  According to T. J. Shanahan, the manager of what is referred to as the Valley Hotel on Levee Street, the man asked for recommendations of somewhere to eat. Mr. Shanahan directed him to a place down the street and the mysterious stranger returned later to the hotel and registered under the name of “Emmett Burgess”.  In registering he smeared his place of residence as if to hide it.  He asked Mr. Shanahan for some stationery and retreated to his room for the afternoon.

At approximately 4:45 that afternoon, Mr. Shanahan had been speaking with Mr. Burgess and then settled down to his desk to take on the day’s tasks.  Mr. Burgess sat on the balcony at the top of the stairs.  Upon hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, Emmett Burgess walked to the balcony overlooking the stairs and began to shoot at the two men.  In a matter of minutes two men were dead and one wounded.

On Monday August 17, 1914 the Brownsville Herald Newspaper Extra headline read:

H. G. Dubose Assassinated – Shot down by G. J. Schoenbohm of Alice.[i] An extra edition of the Brownsville Herald was produced on this day to cover the story that went around the nation.  Stories also appeared in major newspapers across the country including Salt Lake City, UT[ii], Oakland, CA[iii] and San Antonio, TX[iv]. 

According to newspaper reports of The Brownsville Gazette, “H. G Dubose, Chief of the US Immigration Office and his brother E. (Ed) M Dubose, US Customs Inspector, were responding to a note that came from a mysterious Emmett Burgess.  Mr. Burgess claimed on the note that he had some information regarding a case that Ed Dubose was working on. Ed Dubose questioned folks around town, regarding “Emmett Burgess” but when no one knew or heard of him, he acquired the assistance of his brother H G Dubose, and came prepared for a possible ambush.  Ed Dubose escaped with a wounded leg but was charged with killing of G. J. Schoenbohm.  He was later acquitted.  H. G. Dubose had four bullets in him, and was killed.  G. J. Schoenbohm held 15 bullets in his bullet ridden body.  Schoenbohm was also disguised with brown hair die on his hair and eyebrows, was wearing brown gloves, shaved his moustache and wore shaded glasses to complete his disguise.  It was only through a letter on his personage and a casual friend he was able to be identified”. 

On Tuesday, August 18, 1914 the title read, Two Homes Mourn Fathers’ Loss[v]. 

This was my Great Grandfather G J Schoenbohm.  I am not sure how I feel about all this.  Do I label him as a murderer?  Assasin?  Scapegoat?  I get the gut feeling there are some unanswered questions and more to the story than what the newspaper reported. Reports were that his wife was having an affair with Ed Dubose. I believe it has something to do with immigration. I have contacted some DuBose descendants who did not know of this story, but also said, “It does not surprise me.  The DuBose brothers were scoundrels.”  This I do know, it is a part of my history, that I feel needs to be told and most likely would have been lost had it not been for Aunt Kakki’s history. 

In knowing this part of my grandmother’s history, it helps me to understand my life a bit more.  Even in the few short years we were together in Texas, there was never a great bond.  After leaving Texas, I occasionally heard from my grandmother, father and aunts, but years later I would learn that everyone claimed they did not know where we went after leaving Texas.  There are tragedies and circumstances that plague our lives for generations and affect the generations to come.  We do not get to choose the consequences of these actions, but maybe by learning their story we can have a bit more compassion, sympathy, and burning desire to know more than just the names of those who came before us.

---

[i] Brownsville Herald, August 17, 1914, Brownsville, Texas

[ii] Salt Lake Tribune, August 18, 1914, Salt Lake City Utah

[iii] Oakland, August 18, 1914 Oakland, CA

[iv] San Antonio Paper, August 18, 1914, San Antonio, Texas

[v] Brownsville Herald, August 18, 1914, Brownsville, Texas.

Are You Related to Grady Moore?

I am looking for the descendants of W Grady Moore, born June 25, 1890 in Taylor,Texas. He Married an Anna and they had two children,  Patricia and John.   They lived in the St Paul/Minneapolis Minnesota area, but in 1922 Grady was killed.  I so desperately want to find his descendants!!!

I thought I had found a granddaughter, but it was not the right person.  So now I am going to cyblerland in hopes that someone may decide to start working on Grady's tree.  If you are PLEASE CONTACT ME!!  I have much information for you, but not enough for me on Grady!!!  No picture, only bit and pieces of his life. 

By the way, the W in Grady's name stands for Woodfren.  Now you know I am legit!!!  Sorry Uncle Grady for revealing your secret!!!!  Thank you all who have helped in the search thus far!!!