Final Day of FGS2011

I must admit my last day at the FGS conference is mostly a blur. The day was primarily spent working as a volunteer monitoring various sessions or helping out at the ISGS booth. Happily our booth had plenty of traffic.

Monitoring the rooms was lots more fun than I had anticipated and it caused me to sit in on some sessions I might not otherwise have attended. I took away new and useful information for each even when the topic wasn't specific to my personal research.

In the evening after the clean-up, I had the opportunity to dine with genealogy friends, some new, some recently met. How exciting to hear how much everyone enjoyed the four/five days we'd spent together. Most of us had helped in one capacity or another; we all had stories as well as new and exciting information/knowledge to share.

Now it's time to evaluate what we've learned, organized our thoughts, and put some of that newly gained "stuff" into action. As for me, I can't wait to try out me new Flip Pal scanner! Maybe I'll get more of my personal family pictures scanned now that I can do it pretty much anywhere anytime!!

(I have no affiliation with the Flip-Pal company other than being a new owner of the product.)

ISGS Luncheon at FGS2011

In my previous blog post, I promised a few pictures from the ISGS Luncheon.

As mentioned our speaker was Dr. Mike Lockett and here he is in his Union Soldier regalia informing and amusing us with his wonderful, unique stories.

Most important to me - not just because I had the privilege of making the introductions - was the honoring of this year's ISGS award recipients.

Marla Vizdal accepted the Volkel Hall of Fame for Libby Grimm,
Mary Matson Hawk & Donald Schmidt received the Writer's Award
Harold Workman received the Special Recognition Award
Robert Buecher  received the Community Service Award
Nelda Ravens received the Community Service Award

Gary Hargis accepting for Sandra Hargreaves Luebking
the Volkel Hall of Fame Award from
ISGS President Jance Fritsch

For those who may not be aware, the Volkel Hall of Fame is a posthumous award. The names of our two recipients for 2011 will be added to the plaque placed at the entrance to the reading room at the Illinois State Archives.

Congratulations to all the recipients and thank you from ISGS and the genealogy community for all you've giving us in time and effort.

FGS Conference Day 2 and Part of 3

This is going to be short and sweet; well, maybe just short. I'm writing this at the Cyber Cafe at the back of the exhibit hall in the Prairie Conference Center. The interent connection here is very slooow - no pics this time but there will be more later! My computer is back at the hotel and I'm tooo tired to walk across the street to get it.

Yesterday was so full and enjoyable I didn't have time to post an update last night.

The hightlight of our day was the ISGS luncheon. The speaker, Dr Mike Lockett, told some wonderful, unusual stories about the Civil War while dressed as a Union Soldier. Then, during the ISGS luncheon I had the previledge to announce the recipients of this year's ISGS award recipients. It was a grand time and I'll post more about it later.

For the rest of the day, it was monitoring or attending sessions and wondering around the exhibit hall. I had the opportunity to talk with lots of vendors, local society leaders, and happy attendees. I also got the down-low on the Flip-Pal scanner and I broke down and bought one today!! I can't wait to try it out.

Today has been spent working at registration, monitoring sessions, spending more time in the exhibit hall, and having great fun meeting and greeting so many fellow genealogists.

Tonight is the big gala for the 35th anniversary of FGS. I'll post an update on that as soon as I can.

Day One at FGS2011

I had every intention of blogging during the day yesterday but for several reasons - too busy, media area not open until Thursday... - it had to wait until this morning. Fortunately, I have a few minutes this morning before heading over the hear the keynote address from David Ferriero, the Archivist of the United States. Can"t wait to hear what he has to say.

So here I was yesterday morning getting ready to start the day. I'm not going to show you how I looked at the end of the day 'cause that's just too depressing.

The beads are from Geneabloggers as is the large pin - thanks Thomas.

I'm staying at the Hilton which is just across the street from the Convention Center. Once I got over there my day turned hectic - great fun, very information, lots of new ideas to take back to my local society, Elgin Genealogical Society - but hectic.

The evening was the best part, though. The Illinois Genealogical Society (I'm on the board) hosted a Prairie Social with our sponsor FamilySearch. What great fun!! Besides the ice cream sundaes, popcorn, and desserts, there was music from period musicians, a prized wheel, local society tables, and Fox Valley Genealogical Society hosted the Geopardy Game and, of course, our special guests: President and Mrs. Lincoln!

Some a of host members and attendees were attired in period dress as well. You can see for yourself a good time was had by all.

Jane Halderman, Larry Pepper, Janice Fritsch, David Kent Coy,
Dan Dixon, and Suzie Pope

"Mollie" Lincoln, Abe Lincoln, Suzie Pope

And this is me manning the EGS table. We had an excellent turnout with great traffic. It was great to meet so many genealogists!

I Made to the FGS Conference 2011

Well my Dear Husband (DH) and I left home bright and early this morning, dropped the dog, Bessie, at Bark Avenue for her boarding days (This was not without some reticence on her part once she figured out this trip wasn't just for daycare.), and set out for Springfield, Illinois. The FGS Conference starts tomorrow but volunteer orientation was today.

Oriene Springstroh and Becky Higgins

We arrived in Springfield with just enough time to grab a bite of lunch and then head over the the Convention Center for our orientation. While getting briefed on how to man the Registration Desk, Oriene Springstroh of Fox Valley Genealogy Society on I had our picture taken. She wanted to prove to her DH that she isn't the only person wearing a genealogy shirt; not only a shirt but the same shirt!! - I've simply got to remember to comb my hair before the camera is snapped. UGH!!

Later DH and I completed our registration, got our bags - very nice ones - and organized our schedules with the additional information in our Guides.

We've had our dinner and later I'm going to try to find my way into a gathering which includes many of the bloggers who will be here for the next few days. I'm anxious to meet some of the wonderful people I follow on a regular basis.

That's it for now. I'll keep you posted as best I can as the days go on.

The Donner Party and the Blue Family

As my husband said yesterday, "You just never know who you're related to until you find out."

If you’ve had any interest in the American migration west, you’ve heard of the tragedy of the Donner Party. I had heard bits and pieces about this throughout my life. Was the first time in school while studying the Oregon Trail? Perhaps. Anyway, then  it was simply History – not my favorite subject.

If the details of the Donner Party are vague in your mind check out the well-documented Wikipedia entry or this wonderful PBS film from The American Experience.

I recently received The Chalice, the quarterly newsletter from the Blue Family Association and there was a wonderful article, “The Donner Party Revisited” by Kenneth Blue of Grass Valley, California regarding the Blues who were part of the Donner Party. You haven’t heard of them because, of course, the Blues are on the maternal side and we all know what happens to female surnames.

Even though I have to go back nine generations to our common ancestor, John Blaw of Sommerset County, New Jersey, I am still a distant cousin to the families that made that perilous journey back in 1846/47. Now it’s about Family, not just History; now I feel connected.

Below, Kenneth lists our Blue family as associated with the Donner Party:

The DONNER Family

George Donner’s second wife was Mary Blue, daughter of Solomon and Telitha Ann (Morris) Blue:

Mary BLUE, m1.1828 Charles R. TENANT, m2.1829 George DONNER (b.1784?-1847). Both of her marriages took place in Sangamon Co. IL. Mary was the second of the three wives of George DONNER, leader of the tragic Donner Party. Presumably, she died before his third marriage, to Tamzene or Tamsen (EUSTIS) DOZIER in 1839. Mary's two children survived the ordeal during the winter of 1846/7. George died at Alder Creek Camp, Nevada Co. CA, as a result of an infected hand.

First marriage [of Mary Blue]: No issue.

Second marriage [of Mary Blue]:

1. Elitha Cumi DONNER (1832-1923), m1.1847 Perry McCOON (ca1821-1851), m2.1853 Benjamin R. WILDER (1821- 1898).

2. Leanna Charity DONNER (1834-1930), m.1852 John Mathias APP (1821-1898).

Mary died before the westward trek, but her two daughters made the journey and mercifully they both survived to make lives for themselves in California.

Mary's sister, Elizabeth, and her family were not so fortunate. Elizabeth had married Jacob Donner, George's brother, in 1835 and they had five children:

Elizabeth BLUE (d.1847), m1.1829 James HOOK, divorced, m2.1835 Jacob DONNER (ca1790-1846). Both of her marriages took place in Sangamon Co. IL. James abandoned his family and Elizabeth divorced him. Jacob was a brother of George DONNER, second husband of Elizabeth's sister Mary. Elizabeth and Jacob died with the famous Donner Party at Alder Creek Camp, Nevada Co. CA.

First marriage [of Elizabeth Blue]:

1. Solomon Elijah HOOK (1832-1878), m.1866 Alice M. ROBERTS.

2. William HOOK (1834-1847). Died while with the Donner Party.

Second marriage [of Elizabeth Blue]:

3. George DONNER (ca1837-1874), m.1862 Margaret WATSON.

4. Mary Martha DONNER (ca1839-1860), m.1859 Sherman Otis HOUGHTON (1828-1914).

5. Isaac DONNER (ca1841-1846/7). Died while with the Donner Party.

6. Samuel DONNER (ca1843-1846/7). Died while with the Donner Party.

7. Lewis DONNER (ca1844-1846/7). Died while with the Donner Party.

Elizabeth (Blue) Donner, her husband Jacob, and all seven of her children were members of the

Donner Party. Of this group, only three of her children survived, Solomon Hook, George Donner and

Mary Martha Donner.

More fortunate was George Donner’s daughter from his first marriage, Susannah Donner. In 1835 she

married Barneybeth Marshall Blue, brother of Mary and Elizabeth (Blue) Donner. Susannah and Barney stayed behind in Illinois, then in 1850 they moved to Missouri.

Grandma Stewart's Biography

I have been agonizing over writing the biography of my grandmother, Clara Elizabeth "Lizzie" Stewart, for a long time now. I have very few, and I do mean very few, personal memories of her. I've felt quite badly about that until recently.
You see our family moved from Indiana to Illinois when I had just turned ten years old. I thought surely by the age of ten I should have gathered lots of memories of family by then. And I had. I have some wonderful remembrances of my Grandma Miller and that whole family; but I can barely recall the other side.
As it turns out, however, there weren't that many opportunities to develop recollections of the Stewart grandparents because our family didn't visit there all that often. We weren't as embraced as the other siblings families so we stayed away. I don't need to go into the whys of that here as I've already dealt with it in my Dad's bio but at least I don't feel like a such dunce any more.
My little brother - 3 years older than me - remembers more and has promised to share so I'll be able to flesh out some bones with his stories. My big brother - 6 years older than me - doesn't remember any better than I do!
Bottom line, I think I'll be able to get that write-up done soon and be able to move on or rather back into the Leisure line.