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~ genealogical history experiment

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Tag Archives: History

Dating Old Photographs

10 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by pastsmith in Ancestors, Photographs, Tips

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Tags

Ancestry, ancestry research, History, research, Tips

Old PhotographsSome researchers have piles of photographs. Maybe they’re organized, or maybe they’re just in a shoe box in the top of their bedroom closet. If your old photos are elsewhere (like a basement, a garage, or an attic), please make time to move them into an area where you actually live. Photographs survive best in the same temperatures and humidity that we enjoy.

Dating old photographs isn’t high on my priority list of ancestral research, simply because I don’t have very many. At all. Those I do have are clearly marked–thank you ancestors, and mostly immediate relatives, 2-3 generations back.

But I have high hopes of running into more…..someday, just as Cathy explained on Opening Doors in Brick Walls in her recent post: Old Photographs Saved From Trash Can. It’s a fantastic story of someone being in the right place at the right time to save photos from being lost forever. If you haven’t seen it, go read it! It’ll give you encouragement in your photo search for missing ancestors.

There have been many blog posts about photographs of relatives, but they don’t know “when” the photo was taken. Not being an expert of fashion over the decades or centuries, how people gauge dates in photographs is of interest to me. My theory has always been, figure out the age of the kids, and then go from there! But if there are no children in the photo, I’m sunk.

This week Ancestry’s blog contained an enlightening description of how to go about time dating old photographs called Historical Fashion Expert Helps Time Date Your Old Family Photos. Seven photos submitted by Ancestry community members were chosen by an expert to share her insight in time dating.feathered hat

The first photo is a lady in a huge, and I mean, mammoth, brimmed hat, about 21-22″ in diameter topped with feathers. When you would date a photograph with a hat like large? I wouldn’t have a clue!

She explains why she believes it was about 1914! Wow, I could barely give a century (told you I’m unenlightened about fashion trends!!). I expected a decade range, but no, she has it narrowed down to a specific year.

In the next six photographs she goes on to explain the clothing and why she can tell what time period it is from. A very interesting blog post.

If you have any photographs that need time dating, they are taking submissions. She will pick some to feature in a later blog post. Let us know if yours is chosen!


~Hat graphic created with free clip art from angiemakes.com and clipartpanda.com

 

Current Book Read: Chats on Costume

27 Saturday Sep 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Books, History

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Tags

Gutenberg, History

London Promenade DressChats on Costume, by G. Woolliscroft Rhead, is an interesting book about costumes over the centuries. It does not go into great detail, but does have a lot of illustrations.  It was published in 1906, so don’t expect anything about 20th century dress. And it goes as far back as the Egyptian and Assyrian period.

Lest you think it’s divided up by period, it is not. It’s more along the lines of the various sorts of clothing, i.e., the tunic, the petticoat. collars and cuffs, or boots, shoes and other coverings for the feet. There’s even a chapter totally on crinoline.

It also reveals some fascinating ideas of the day, like these thoughts about why men go bald more frequently than women:

Dr. Jaeger (“Health Culture”) discusses the probable reasons for the greater prevalence of baldness among men than among women. While rejecting the theory that the competition of the beard is precarious to the hair of the head, abstracting from the latter its due nourishment, and pointing out that the long beards and luxuriant heads of hair of our ancestors refute this theory that the more strenuous head-work which falls to the share of the male sex is responsible for the loss of hair; that the unnatural custom of cutting men’s hair, first adopted when nature was abandoned in favour of the fashions of civilisation, is to blame for it; that drink, dissolute habits, or heredity is the cause—he finds that a far more probable cause is the difference between the male and female head-covering, “which latter is, as a rule, lighter, more airy, and more porous than the usually almost waterproof and exceedingly absurd male head-coverings, such as the stiff felt hats, and high hats, with the strip of leather which encircles the forehead and effectually retains the perspiration.”

~Chats on Costume, by G. Woolliscroft Rhead

Who knew male baldness could be caused by these various things?? A beard draws nourishment away from the hair of the head? Men using their brain more than women makes their hair fall out?!? Cutting your hair makes you go bald?? And finally they conclude, it’s the hats men wore which retained perspiration and thus apparently caused the hair on the head to die. My, my, talk about a totally different culture!

Speaking of head attire, we mustn’t skip the ladies. Here’s one illustration of female head-dress representing a ship in full sail!

head-dress-from-Jacquemin

It goes on to explain for the year 1776, fashionable head-dresses were sometimes 2 yards tall! The publications of the day were printing warnings:

A print issued by The New Fashioned Phaeton is a ‘hint to the ladies to take care of their heads.’ The ladies’ head-dress having caught alight from a chandelier hanging from the ceiling of a high room, and people are putting out the fire by means of large squirts.

~Chats on Costume, by G. Woolliscroft Rhead

I think I’d rather go bald, than have my head-dress catch on fire!!

If you’re interested in history or old costumes, it’s a great read. If you’re wondering what era your ancestors’ photos were taken, try one of the other 46,875 free ebooks Gutenberg has!

WWI POW Records

17 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by pastsmith in History

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History, WWI

RedCrossThe International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC, has digitized and placed online World War I POW Records. Eight million soldiers and 2 million civilians were captured and sent to POW camps during WWI. About 80% of these records are online and the database is searchable for free. The other 20% should be online by the end of the year.

The ICRC is over a 150 years old. It was started in 1863, and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. According to their website, “They work worldwide to provide humanitarian help for people affected by conflict and armed violence and to promote the laws that protect victims of war.” They are a neutral and independent organization.

If you know your relative (or friend) was a POW in WWI, you can search and find an index card with their name, service number, birthdate, and a reference number to the list containing their name. You might have to do a little searching after the cards come up. I noticed they are not in exact alphabetical order.

Once you find your person, hover over the card and a message will pop up, “More information about this person.” Click to go to the next page where you need to enter the reference number. It then takes you to the actual record. Some POW’s have more than one record. I got a real eerie feeling when I viewed my first card and record. It’s like a window back in time.

WWI POW record

You can zoom in and out, print it, save it, send to friends or post on social medial. It even asks if you need translation. If you get stuck, or can’t figure out something, there’s lot of help on the website.

There’s three other sections called, “Postcards,” “Camp Reports,” (nice interactive map there) and “Accounts,” where you can learn more about the prisoner-of-war and internment camps through ICRC historical records

If you like history, or want to know more about World War I, then this is the place for you. Lots of things to explore.

It’s great these soldiers and civilians are getting recognition. They deserve our respect and admiration for their courageous duty during a very difficult time in history. If one of your ancestors is in this database, stand proud. The world would be a very different place had they not fought for their countries.

Current Book Read: The Girls of Friendly Terrace

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Books, History

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Gutenberg, History, Illustrations

But there are thirteen of us. Do you think I’d sit down thirteen at the table, and on the thirteenth of the month, too?” Amy was very much in earnest. Her plump, good-natured face was actually pale. “I tell you I wouldn’t think of such a thing.”

“I believe there are thirteen. Rae Fletcher couldn’t come.” Priscilla had recovered herself in a moment. “But that silly old superstition, Amy. You don’t mean–“

“Yes, I do mean it. And there’s lots of other people who feel just the same about it.” Amy suddenly opened the door of the front room. “Come here, Ruth, we want you a minute.”

Ruth made her appearance, expecting to be consulted on a very different matter. Amy’s tragic explanation took her by surprise, and she smiled a little. “O, well,” she was beginning, and then checked herself, as the possibility of turning Amy’s superstitious terrors to good account flashed upon her.

“I simply won’t do it,” Amy was insisting. “And on the thirteenth of the month, especially. I wouldn’t have another peaceful minute all the year. Ruth, why don’t you say something?

Won't Do Thirteen
Such is one of the scenes from the book: The Girls of Friendly Terrace by Harriet Lummis Smith published in 1912.

The story involves four girls who live on a street named Friendly Terrace: Peggy, Priscilla, Amy and Ruth. When a new girl, Elaine, moves into their neighborhood, they find her a little hard to understand. Thus begins a series of mysteries along with good times.

Reading about the description of life then was quite enjoyable and sometimes entertaining. There were a lot of words I had to look up in my reader! Amazing how the words in general conversation or book reading has changed in 100 years. A great glimpse into the lives of teenage girls in the early 1900’s.

Current Book Read: The Civil War Through the Camera

21 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Books, History

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Civil War, Gutenberg, History

Civil War Through The Camera

The Civil War Through the Camera by Henry W. Elson, Professor of History, Ohio University. Published 912: Patriot Publishing Co., Springfield, Mass.

Described as “A Complete Illustrated History of the Civil War,” this book contains hundreds of vivid photographs taken in Civil War times.

Reading descriptive letters written during the Civil War by my 3rd great Grand Uncle is one thing. Actually seeing the battlefields and the destruction rendered is quite another.

What I like about this book is the fact that it was published closer to the event than modern books. Of course, I love old books, so I am more likely to search at Gutenberg for my historical topic than the local bookstore.

Whether you call it “The War of the Rebellion,” “The Civil War,” “The War of Secession,” or “The War Between the States,” these photos bring home all too clearly the bitter, gritty side of war.

The Union mustered 2,865,028 men according to official reports. In the Adjutant-General’s report after the war (February 7, 1869), 303,504  of these men died:

  • 61,362 were killed in battle
  • 34,773 died of wounds
  • 183,287 died of disease
  • 306 were accidentally killed
  • 267 were executed by sentence

Nearly a third of a million Union lives lost, on the battlefields, in the forests, under tents, in hospitals, or in prison. The number is mind boggling.

ConfWhile browsing the book I learned a few interesting things. Did you know a child was imprisoned in Washington, D.C.?

This is Mrs. Rose O’Neal Greenhow, the Confederate Spy, with her daughter in the Old Capitol Prison. She remained jailed there until April, 1862 when she was sent south of the lines of the Union Army.

I can’t help but begrudge her, considering the part she may have played in the war which contributed to my 3rd Great Grand Uncle’s death. But we must remember each side thought they were in the right.

20 gun

A 117,000 pound gun, the only 20-inch gun made during the war — the biggest gun of all.

It was made at Fort Pitt, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1864, and then put in Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor.

This mammoth gun was only fired four times during the war on account of the tremendous size and destructive effect of its projectiles. It was almost impossible to get a target that would withstand the shots and leave anything to show what had happened. Can you imagine sailing into the harbor and seeing that thing pointed at you?

Vain Ride

The caption under this photo says “A Vain Ride to Safety.”

The injured men were loaded onto this railroad flatbed car to be taken for help, since their comrades were forced to fight rather than treat their wounds.

Sadly, Lee’s forces fell upon the Federal rear guard, and instead of being transported to safety, they were railroaded towards the field of carnage. Their companions, of necessity, had to retreat, thus leaving them behind.

Louisa May Alcott

photo from Wikimedia Commons

Her [Louis May Alcott ] diary of 1862 contains this characteristic note: ‘November. Thirty years old. Decided to go to Washington as a nurse if I could find a place. Help needed, and I love nursing and must let out my pent-up energy in some new way.’

She had not yet attained fame as a writer, but it was during this time that she wrote for a newspaper the letters afterwards collected as Hospital Sketches.

All in all, a very enlightening, albeit sad, book about the Civil War. One hundred and fifty years later, we need to remember this part of our country’s history. Thanks boys — to those who returned home, and those who gave their lives for the cause.

Civil War Relative-Part 2

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Genealogy, History

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Tags

Civil War, History, relatives

CW Graphic

Graphic from Wikimedia Commons

On June 7, from a camp near Fair Oaks, Virginia, just outside of Richmond, Alpheus wrote home to describe the details of the battle of May 31 at Fair Oaks.

Dear Sister Delie — I wrote to Harriet a few days ago to let you know that I was safe, until I could get time to send you the particulars of the battle, which I know you will all be anxious to hear. The newspaper reports are not altogether reliable, as they are more or less interested in distorting, hiding or misrepresenting the facts in the case. Newspapers are like men, each has its particular prejudice and interest to support, and must puff everything on its side, and blow everything on the opposite side, at least this is too much the case; and it is best for wise men to sift the true from the false, accept the truth let it out where it will, and discard the false let it have been ever so long a cherished falsehood. The newspapers we have received since the battle, all seem to be viewing with each other into puffing it into a great victory. The simple truth of the matter is that they made a sudden, unexpected and concentrated attack on our left wing, with the hope of turning it, which if they had been successful would have ruined us. They drove us in the course of the day about two miles, and darkness put an end to the fight. During the evening and night reinforcements came to our help, and the next morning we drove them in turn and recovered our lost ground. They failed in the accomplishment of their object, and so far it was a victory for us, but they had the best of the first days’ fight. Sunday evening after the fight our lines were almost exactly where they were Saturday morning before the fight began. The general disposition of the forces on our side before the battle, so far as I could see, I consider to be good.

Gen. Casey’s division held the front. — Gen. Crouch’s division next — and Gen. Kearney’s [sic] (our own) immediately within supporting distance, in the rear. The enemy had made an attack upon Casey’s pickets for four or five days previous to the real attack, at just about the same time of day, and when the real attack came, the mend had grown careless. Some of them were washing their shirts, some had them on the bushes drying, expecting the attack was a feint, like the previous ones. A fatal mistake for them. — As the enemy was upon them in overwhelming numbers, Casey’s division was driven back, a mob, instead of a division of fighting men. They lost everything, artillery, camp equippage and all. Some of the regiments ran without firing a gun, others made slight resistance, but not enough to stop the enemy a moment. — Couch alarmed by the firing and the fugitives, got his division under arms and here the enemy met the first serious resistance. And although Couch outnumbered, outflanked and driven from position to position, yet he gave back blow for blow, shot for shot, and held them until we came up to his support. We got there not a minute too soon; his men were breaking and giving way in every direction. The enemy flushed with his success was pressing them back in every direction. Our regiment led the brigade, and were ordered to the left, into the pine woods, and we piled in without much order or regularity, but finally got into something of a line, and let me assure you that for an hour it was no child’s play. Our loss tells its own story. Old Kearney [sic] is the most notorious fighting man in the army, and he declared on the battlefield that he was satisfied with the conduct of our regiment. After the first hour the enemy’s fire slackened in front of our position, and we held the ground until dark. But in the meantime the enemy had turned our right [flank], and our brigade fell back to the line from which we had marched to support Crouch’s division. At this place we had a good position, and expected to make another fight in the morning.

But when daylight came we found old Dick’s division in front to relieve us, and our part of the work was done. The fight on Sunday was soon over, our troops drove them at every point of attack, and by the time you at Middleville were wending your way quietly to church, everything here was quiet also. On Monday we buried our dead. I was so used up on Saturday that Id did not have the heart or strength to go out on the battlefield a second time. Those who did go out report the loss in killed to be very large on both sides, and that there was nearly two rebels to one of ours lying on the ground, though I think perhaps some allowance must be made for such reports.

Today [June 7] the field of battle can be smelled for a mile. The enemy buried but few of their own men and left part of their wounded although they had possession of the field all of Saturday night and part of Sunday. We found a few of our own wounded who had been missed Saturday night in the darkness and hurry. One poor fellow of our company had been forty-eight hours badly wounded before we found him, and then he was found by men of another regiment. O! the horrible, terrible, sufferings one such an action as this entails upon its victims. Imagine to yourself every house and dooryard in Middleville filled as thick as they can lay on the floors and grass, and have the attendants pass among them; some groaning in their agonies, others lying quietly and apparently easy, but the quickening breath and glazing eye tell their own sad tale of approaching death.

Ab. has just come in from Fortress Monroe where he had been in care of our wounded. He looks strong and healthy, and I think will get through all right. From his position as musician he is not very much exposed to the dangers of the battlefield, his duty being to carry off and care for the wounded. Many of the newspapers seem to carry the idea that the great battle is fought. I don’t think so. I think our last action was the skirmish which precedes the main battle. And there is every indication that it will come off immediately, perhaps before you receive this. We are gradually tightening our lines around the city [Richmond] step by step, today the division in front of us advanced to a new position. One or two moves more and we shall be within shelling distance of the capitol of the Confederate States. McClellan tells us that we must expect to fight and I think he is right.

In case I should get wounded I shall try to get to Washington or Baltimore. Harriet could not get here if she was to try, they would not let pass Fortress Monroe, unless she could get strong influence in official quarters. If I should get wounded I have not much expectation of surviving it, because I have not strength. My vitality seems to be expended. The coming battle will no doubt be decisive of the war, should it prove to be so, sick or well, I shall go home as nothing would induce me to stay here a moment beyond the actual necessity of the case. 

I have just received two letters from home, one from Albert and one from Harriet and Lottie for which I am much obliged and will answer as soon as possible. Enclosed Ab. sends to grandmother a ball which passed through the leg of one of our poor fellows. Good-by, a kiss for little May. 

Sometime in the summer of 1862 Alpheus became seriously ill and was reportedly hospitalized in August and September of 1862. By October was on detached service in Michigan, apparently recruiting for the Regiment in Barry County. While Alpheus was at home recruiting, a curious story appeared in the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune on December 20, 1862, which reported that one “Alpheus M. Hill, of Middleville, Barry County, who served for some time as a private in the 3d Michigan regiment, has been commissioned a Captain in the 7th cavalry, and will raise a company in Barry County.”

In fact, Alpheus remained with the Third Michigan and was reported on recruiting duty in Michigan from through April of 1863 when he probably rejoined the Regiment.

Alpheus was admitted from the field to Douglas general hospital in Washington, DC, on June 12, 1864, suffering from “typhoid pneumonia,” and he died of “typhoid pneumonia” on June 16, 1864, at Douglas hospital. It was noted by the hospital that his sister sent his remains home, although the War Department reported that he was buried on June 18 in Arlington National Cemetery. In fact there is a marker for him, along with his wife and son, in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Middleville, Barry County.


It appears as though my poor 3 great grand Uncle had little incentive to live from his statement that if he was wounded, he didn’t think he would survive. I attribute this to losing his wife and only child a few years before he enlisted, plus it seems the war was not at all what he thought it would be. Although he was not wounded in the war, he caught an illness that was the death of him. He said he would come home, sick or well, but instead he came home to be buried beside his wife and son he mourned. May he rest in peace – his service to our country will not be forgotten.

The above is a reblog from The Men of the 3rd Michigan Infantry: The Life Stories of the 1,411 Soldiers who Served in the 3rd Michigan Infantry Between April of 1861 and June of 1864. Alpheus M. Hill was posted on February 25, 2009.

My thanks for the many hours of research represented on this website.

Civil War Relative

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Genealogy, History

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Civil War, History, relatives

CW Graphic

Graphic from Wikimedia Commons

On July 26, 1861, from Arlington, Virginia, Alpheus wrote home, describing about the federal debacle on July 21.

I suppose that before you receive this you will have learned from the papers that we have suffered a defeat. The causes which led to this are several. In the first place we were over confident of success, and underrated the enemy. A large portion of men thought they had nothing to do but to make a triumphal march through the country, and many began to think there would be no fight at all. That illusion is pretty well disposed of, and the men who were loudest in their braggadocio were the first to run from the field of battle.

In the next place we were out-Generaled. The position of the enemy was as strong as nature and the best of military skill could make it, and he had his batteries so covered [masked] and concealed that it was impossible to tell where they were until they opened on you. Then the batteries were placed one above another so that when driven from one he fell back into another and so on for miles.

Some of the regiments behaved well and did all that could be expected of men; there were others who disgraced themselves and the country. At 2 o’clock we had the day and everything was favorable but at this time the enemy got large reinforcements from Manassas Gap while we could not reinforce without endangering our left wing and having our retreat cut off.

The Fire Zouaves and two or three other regiments charged and carried battery after battery, and suffered terribly, but was of no use, when they carried one they only found another in their faces.

Our Brigade was posted on the left wing with the view of preventing the enemy from turning that wing. All day long we lay under the brow of a hill listening to the fierce conflict going on at our right. Occasionally we sent our skirmishers into the woods to wake up the enemy, and as often as they showed themselves our batteries would open on them. This was about all the share we had in the battle until about 5 o’clock when the news came that the right wing was defeated, when instantly the woods and ravines in our front were alive with the enemy. They rushed forward with the view of taking our field pieces and driving us back so as to take possession of the road about a mile in our rear and thus cut off the retreat of our right wing. But after trying it about fifteen minutes they gave up and fell back into their batteries. At this time we were all ordered back to Centreville, a small village about five miles from Fairfax; here we met the column of fugitives, and such a sight! everything was confusion and not the leat [sic] show of order remained; regiments, officers and men all mixed up and running for life. Most of them had thrown away their arms and accouterments. Many had nothing on but their shirts and pants. The sun was pouring down terribly, and the atmosphere was thick with dust. 

The regiments that were not entirely broken up took up position in line of battle to beat back pursuit, but after the attack on our left the enemy fell back to their entrenchments and lay there without any attempt to disturb us. After dark the different regiments were formed into two squares and we lay down on the ground as we supposed for the night, but about 11 o’clock we were waked [sic] up with as little noise as possible and ordered to retreat to Fairfax. Our regiment formed the rear guard. We reached Fairfax about sun rise, supposing that we here to get rest and something to eat, but we fund [sic] nothing but orders to continue on to Arlington Heights. — About 9 o’clock [Monday] it began to rain and continued all day and I was soon wet to the skin. For three days and nights the only rest I had was to throw myself on the ground in my shirt sleeves without covering of any kind and sleep as I could; and when you consider that we fought a battle and marched about forty miles without food or rest and at night when we came to this place wet to the skin and our only bed was some hay we pulled from an old barrack, I think you will say that we have had something of a time.

I could write for a week of the incidents of this trip, but forbear. My health for a day or two is improving and I hope to get my strength soon. 

Although Alpheus’ health remained weakened, he apparently remained on duty with the Regiment throughout the winter and was present during the opening phases of McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign in the spring of 1862.


Alpheus M. Hill is my 3rd great grand uncle. He was 41 years old when he enlisted on May 13, 1861. He had lost his wife in 1855, and his little boy in 1856. He wrote the above letter to his sister, Frances. A second letter was written to his sister, Delia, which I will share tomorrow.

The above is a reblog from The Men of the 3rd Michigan Infantry: The Life Stories of the 1,411 Soldiers who Served in the 3rd Michigan Infantry Between April of 1861 and June of 1864. Alpheus M. Hill was posted on February 25, 2009.

My thanks for the many hours of research represented on this website.

Huh? Curling is in my Ancestry??

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Genealogy, History

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

genealogy webinar, History, Scotland

Gotta say, curling is not high up there on my sports to watch, mostly because I know nothing about it. So I was surprised to read a few days ago that curling started in Scotland.

Curlers in Scotland

1860: Curlers on the ice in Ayrshire, Scotland

Until early adulthood, I can’t say I’d even heard of the game. But other Scottish hobbies or traditions were not passed down, so why should I be surprised about this? My Scottish ancestors were only 4 generations back, yet while growing up I was never told about them.

It wasn’t until I got into genealogy that I discovered my Scottish heritage. I was almost shocked because other nationalities WERE discussed and taught to me as a child.

Odd WisconsinBut I digress. According to Odd Wisconsin, a part of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s website, curling’s roots started during the 19th Century in Scotland. It was brought over by Scottish immigrants. For a period curling nearly died out in America, but when ice-making was invented in the 1930s, it’s popularity was revived.

In Wisconsin it used to be played on the rivers. On New Year’s Eve in 1850, the first curling match supposedly was played on the Wisconsin River by “a reminiscing band of Scotsmen, full of nostalgia and perhaps of New Year spirits!”

Play started in DePere on the Fox River when Robert Jackson, a Scotsman, brought it over when he immigrated from Scotland in 1848.

By the early 1890s, the first granite stones were imported from Scotland. Modern curling stones are still made of granite from Scotland (Ailsa Craig, an island off the Ayrshire coast) or Wales (the Trefor Granite Quarry).

All of which makes me wonder, did my ancestors play curling in the Old World? If so, did the tradition carry over in the New World? Did they become too busy eking out a living to continue their old games? Or did they just become Americanized?

Curlers in Scotland

1853: Curling club in Perthshire, Scotland

You can read the whole Odd Wisconsin curling article here.

Current Book Read: Ruth of Boston

08 Saturday Feb 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Books

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Colonists, Gutenberg, History

Ruth of Boston:  A Story of the Massachusetts Bay ColonyI choose a book from Gutenberg related to history called Ruth of Boston: A Story of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The author is James Otis and it was published in 1910.

Although written for children to introduce them to the facts of home life in the colonies, I enjoyed this book very much. It was written from the perspective of a 12 year old girl who came from London to American in 1630.

This was quick read for me. Maybe because it was written for children. Or perhaps because the chapters were so short, it seemed to go faster. Either way, it gave me a glimpses into everyday life for the colonists. I came away with a greater appreciation for their sacrifices and hardships.

Here’s the Foreword:

The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, and even those who have already taken up the study of history, the home life of the colonists with whom they meet in their books. To this end every effort has been made to avoid anything savoring of romance, and to deal only with facts, so far as that is possible, while describing the daily life of those people who conquered the wilderness whether for conscience sake or for gain.

That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they are told from the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been related by a child. Should any criticism be made regarding the seeming neglect to mention important historical facts, the answer would be that these books are not sent out as histories,—-although it is believed that they will awaken a desire to learn more of the building of the nation,—-and only such incidents as would be particularly noted by a child are used.

Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people to read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came into a new world to build up a country for themselves, and such homely facts are not to be found in the real histories of our land.

If you have colonial ancestors, or you just want to learn more about their lives, download the book, or read it online. The author is right, it covered things I didn’t learn in my history classes.

Current Book Read

25 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Books

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

England, Gutenberg, History, online books, Scotland, Scottish history

In Freedom’s Cause: A Story of Wallace and Bruce

In Freedom's Cause

Being of Scottish descent, many of my ancestors are named William Wallace. Although I’ve heard much about Wallace’s life, watched Braveheart (not truly accurate, altho it is based on facts. Guess you have to embellish to sell tickets), I’ve been curious to read his life’s story. And to have it tucked neatly in with Robert the Bruce was too great a temptation to resist.

On my reader, the book totaled 258 pages. Not only did it give a lot of details about their battle and resistance strategies, there are descriptions of what life was like way back then. It held my interest all the way through, and on various nights, kept me up past my bedtime!

Here’s the author’s preface:

MY DEAR LADS,

There are few figures in history who have individually exercised so great an influence upon events as William Wallace and Robert Bruce. It was to the extraordinary personal courage, indomitable perseverance, and immense energy of these two men that Scotland owed her freedom from English domination. So surprising were the traditions of these feats performed by these heroes that it was at one time the fashion to treat them as belonging as purely to legend as the feats of St. George or King Arthur. Careful investigation, however, has shown that so far from this being the case, almost every deed reported to have been performed by them is verified by contemporary historians. Sir William Wallace had the especial bad fortune of having come down to us principally by the writings of his bitter enemies, and even modern historians, who should have taken a fairer view of his life, repeated the cry of the old English writers that he was a bloodthirsty robber. Mr. W. Burns, however, in his masterly and exhaustive work, The Scottish War of Independence, has torn these calumnies to shreds, and has displayed Wallace as he was, a high minded and noble patriot. While consulting other writers, especially those who wrote at the time of or but shortly after the events they record, I have for the most part followed Burns in all the historical portions of the narrative. Throughout the story, therefore, wherein it at all relates to Wallace, Bruce, and the other historical characters, the circumstances and events can be relied upon as strictly accurate, save only in the earlier events of the career of Wallace, of which the details that have come down to us are somewhat conflicting, although the main features are now settled past question.

Yours sincerely,
G.A. HENTY.

If you’re interested in history, particularly the early Scottish vs English conflict, it’s a great book to read. At one point it talks about some Scotts visiting Ireland to get their chiefs to side with the Scottish fight for independence. The description of the differences in their fighting was enlightening, as well as how they viewed defeat. Their chiefs basically said they didn’t see eye-to-eye on battle strategy, nor did they see the point of continuing to fight after they lost a battle.

After finishing the book, I have a new admiration for the people who fought their first war for independence. If Braveheart made your eyes tear up, this book may make you weep over their indomitable spirits.

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