My Grandchildren, My Cousins?

Ten years ago when I was married for the second time I had no clue that my new husband was already a part of my extended family tree. Our families were joined by marriage when my son was married in 1995 and by blood when my first grandchild was born!

My father-in-law and my son's father-in-law were first cousins. I knew that there was a relationship between my husband and daughter-in-law, but I thought it was a distant one, since their families both lived on Pelee Island and they say everybody from the island is related.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago when my daughter-in-law shared some pictures on Facebook that I realized how they were related. she posted a photo of her great-grandparents and they were Charles and Alzina Bradt, my husband's great-grandparents! My grandchildren are related to me by marriage as well.

centre, Charles and Alzina Bradt on Pelee Island.

Ancestral Notes by Earline Hines Bradt U.E. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

Follow Friday - Madeline's Essex County - A History of Canada's Deep South

I must admit, I may be a bit biased in reccomending this genealogy blog since I have lived all my life in Essex County, but this blog is unique in that the author, Madeline Wallace, is no longer with us, and her daughter, Victoria Fenner, has created a blog for her mother's memoirs and research to be shared with the world.

 Madeline's Essex County is worth checking out, the stories are interesting to read even if you're not from Essex County. Thank you Victoria for sharing with us.



Ancestral Notes by Earline Hines Bradt U.E. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

A New Year, New Genealogy Goals

Reviewing 2011, it was less than eventful here at Ancestral Notes, there wasn't much blogging done compared to the year before. I want to thank all of my readers for hanging in there, 2011 had a lot of family happenings that occupied my time. I've decided to make this a goal for 2012, to start blogging at least bi-weekly.

I did achieve one of my most important goals, I have proven that I am descended from Joseph Haines, Sr., UEL and Nathaniel Haines, UEL. I am the first of what I am hoping will be many of Nathaniel Haines' proven descendants. I feel that my research has paved the way for other family members and future generations to prove their descent without much difficulty. Now I am honoured to be able to use the only Canadian hereditary title "Unity of the Empire" or U.E. with my name.

Another goal I achieved was to get more involved in the Bicentennial Branch of the UELAC. As of the first of this month, I am the new editor of our branch's quarterly newsletter. I have big shoes to fill, the last editor, Bonnie Schepers U.E. is now the Dominion Vice-President. It will be a challenge for me, but with the War of 1812 Bicentennial activities there will be no shortage of articles to share. My goal is to continue to publish the newsletter as it has been in the past, informative, educational and entertaining.

I am also sewing my own 18th century wardrobe as well. The most difficult part of this was all the research I had to do to pick out the correct fabric for the period. I found one print and two linen fabrics suitable for the time period but I will have to order shoes online. I would like to have an ensemble ready for the next meeting in March. I am also sewing a summer outfit to wear at our picnic in June. I will be chronicling my progress on another blog, Crafted By Hand

My genealogy hopes for 2012 are beyond my control. I just have to hope that the remains of my loyalist ancestors will be returned to close to their original burial site, overlooking Crystal Beach at Point Albino. If not, they will be re-interred at a cemetery in Fort Erie: Pioneer Graves
Previous blog posts on the topic:
Sarah's Bones
Sarah Will Rest in Peace, Thank You Fort Erie

I have also discovered an interesting twist in researching my husband's loyalist Bradt family that is winding up with more research of my own descendants' ancestors. I will be posting the loyalist research on my dedicated UEL blog as well.

We are going to be holding our 2nd Fairbairn Family Reunion this summer and preparing for the Haines Family Reunion next summer. I think 2012 will be a busy year.

Ancestral Notes by Earline Hines Bradt U.E. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

Advent Calendar - Dec. 3rd - The Evolution of My Christmas Ornaments

When my sons were little maybe I was a little over-protective I guess, or my boys were a little rambunctious, but I didn't put any glass ornaments on our tree. Everything had to be edible, or at least non-toxic when they were babies, so I decorated with strings of popcorn, candy canes, gingerbread and sugar cookie cut-outs.

As the boys grew out of the "mouthing" stage, I made salt dough ornaments which I painted with enamel so that they would last a few years. We made tin foil and construction paper chains for garlands and and glittery Chinese lanterns with a gold cardboard star on top.

The first hint that I had that the kids were getting tired of the same thing is when they went to "The House of the Christmas Mouse", a kids' Christmas shopping event that the Community Centre had that year, no adults allowed in. They came home with Christmas ornaments made from walnuts so I bought some walnuts so we could make ornaments.

The boys were growing up and I started to make Victorian crochet ornaments to replace the crumbling salt dough ones, I could finally have a grown-up tree, still with the unbreakable ornaments in case they started wrestling around the tree and knocked it over.

My kids grew up and went out on their own so finally, I started collecting glass ornaments, my first ones were clear hand-painted blown glass and then I started collecting vintage ornaments. I found a Christmas mouse pompom decoration that I hung from a bottom branch for the cat to play with, she swatted it around when she walked by but didn't touch any other decorations, just hers. We have always had cats so needless to say, tinsel is taboo on our tree so I have acquired a lot of crystal prisms from old chandeliers to hang on the tree. I can"t put anything edible or chewable on the bottom of the tree so that the dogs will leave it alone, no cookies, no wooden ornaments, no pompom ornaments, no popcorn, but I still hang candy canes up out of their reach for the kids.

I enjoyed it for one year, then the grandchildren started arriving and I had to change how I decorated the tree, the glass ornaments were put out of reach and I found some pompom reindeer and hung them as well as some vintage brushed aluminum bells and vintage plastic balls that I had. I hung all of the chidrens' crochet ornaments, teddy bear, snowman, toy soldiers and some photo frames where they were visible to them and it looked nice.

As my grandchildren are growing up, they make ornaments for the tree as well. I have had a blue construction paper snowman adorning my tree for a few years now and I hang miniature birdhouses that they painted surrounded by some bird ornaments I have, they really like that.

I usually get one new special ornament for the tree, I have a snowman with shells on it that I got the year we lived by the lake, I have a Hallmark Dumbo that the kids like a lot, it looks like a soap bubble. Last year I bought an ornament at the craft fair, five penguins, and I had the grandkids' names put on it and they loved it.

I am in the process of putting my tree up this week and I am finally getting around to putting the ornaments on the tree. There are so many. I think I'm going to have to start putting up more than one tree so that I can use all of my ornaments.






Ancestral Notes by Earline Hines Bradt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

Contacts Are A Blessing

Where would I be without my contacts? Contacts are essential in my experience, I don't know where I'd be in my research without them. they expand your vision worldwide. I'm not talking about the kind you wear, but they do improve your vision. If they come across something of interest to you they don't hesitate to share it.

Genealogy contacts are a blessing! I would not have many of my ancestors' photos without them. It would have taken a while longer to find out that I was searching for wrong surnames, wrong locations, wrong parents etc. I may never have discovered my loyalist ancestry.

The only thing better than Genealogy contacts is finding out that they are members of your family!


Ancestral Notes by Earline Hines Bradt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

Sad News - Pattison Family Cousin - Barbara Burt Brown 1923-2011

I had no idea when I read about genealogist Barbara Burt Brown's death that it had any impact on me personally. She was known in the genealogy world, a published author of "The Abraham Family of Lengerich, Germany and the Abrams Family of America, with the Blodgett Ancestry of Eliza Jane (Blodgett) Abrams" in 2008.
Her death was a loss for Michigan genealogy but I have found that she was also a cousin. This is what I found this morning posted by a new-found cousin on my Facebook newsfeed:

In memory of a grand lady who was an inspiration in my life and helped me solve many genealogical mysteries. She was my father's second cousin, a granddaughter of Eliza Pattison-Burt who was a sister to my great-grandfather George Pattison.

My cousin's great-grandfather, George Washingtron Pattison, was my 3rd great-grandmother, Catherine Pattison Robbins' nephew. So Eliza, Barbara's grandmother, was also Catherine's niece. So Barbara Burt Brown was my 3rd cousin twice removed. I admit, I had to use my genie program to figure it all out, way too confusing for a Monday morning. I am going to be busy updating my genie program with all of the new data today. Now I am taking a more personal interest in the work of this great lady.

Barbara J. (Burt) Brown

  |   Visit Guest Book

Barbara J. (Burt) Brown Age 88, died August 25, 2011; Barbara was born in Battle Creek, MI, on April 4, 1923. She was the only child born to David C. Burt and Zada E. Abrams. In 1936 the family moved to Jackson, MI where she graduated from high school in 1941. Barbara then attended Michigan State University for two years, and went on to become a Cadet Nurse at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, during World War II. On January 10, 1948 she married Donald F. Brown. They continued to reside in the Chicago area where their two children, Kyle and Craig were born. In 1966 the family moved back to MI, settling in Okemos. While living in Lansing, Barbara served for over 30 years as a Sparrow Hospital Gift Shop volunteer. In 1985 she became the President of the Talbert and Leota Abrams Foundation, which was created by her Uncle and Aunt in 1962. In addition she served as President and Board member for Abrams Arial Survey Corporation in Lansing, until its sale in 2003, after 80 years as a Family owned business. During Barbara's 26 years as the President of the Abrams Foundation, she has become a leading Philanthropist within MI. Both via the Foundation, as well as personally, Barbara has given back to the people of MI in numerous ways. She has supported many Nursing scholarships at Lansing Community College, United Way, The Abrams Planetarium at MSU, Starr Commonwealth, MI and New England Genealogical Societies and the Veterinary School at MSU, to name just a few. For over 30 years, Genealogy has been a passion and a lifestyle for Barbara. To say that she had done extensive research on her ancestral lines was an understatement. When asked how far back she had gone, she simply laughed. For her the search was not only about going back, but about branching out in every direction. She loved her research; to her it was a never-ending puzzle of information. During her Genealogy career, she published two books; "Descendants of Christian Geiger, the Immigrant, 1700-1779" and "The Abraham Family of Lengerich, Germany and The Abrams Family of America". In addition, Barbara's work on the Abrams Foundation built "The Abrams Genealogical Collection" at the Library of Michigan. The "collection", one of the top ten Genealogy Collections in the country, was one of Barbara's proudest accomplishments. Barbara's personal Genealogy Collection will be on indefinite loan to the State Archives of MI. In 2001 Barbara and Don moved to Rochester, MI to be near their family. Don died in October of 2002, and Barbara remained at Sunrise Assisted Living in Rochester, where she resided with her best buddy, Beau the cat. She loved her "tree house" at Sunrise, as she had a room with all windows, looking out over Paint Creek Trail. Barbara's greatest passion and most proud accomplishment was her family. She is survived by her daughter, Kyle Abbott of Rochester and her son, Craig Brown of Florida, as well 2 Grandchildren, Tiffany Patzer of Shelby Township and Shane (Marcy) Patzer of Hartland. In addition, Barbara was blessed with three Great-Granddaughters, Sophia Patzer (Tiffany) and Riley and Breanna Patzer (Shane). Visitation will be Sunday 1-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Pixley Funeral Home, 322 W. University Drive, Rochester; Funeral service Monday 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Prior to her death, Barbara asked that those considering a gift of flowers, please consider a donation to the Michigan Humane Society or American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Both organizations were close to Barbara's heart and ones that she personally supported. Please leave condolences at www.pixleyfuneralrochester.com

Ancestral Notes by Earline Hines Bradt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.