I (blank) Therefore I Blog

Happy Blogoversary ~ It's All Relative!

Before penning my first post two years ago, I read a blog how-to tip that encouraged me to "find your own voice". I might be in the remedial class because I just recently figured out the real reasons I blog:

I want to honor the memory of my ancestors, therefore I blog:

Wednesday February 10, 2010

I find genealogy addicting, therefore I blog:

Sunday October 3, 2010

I like to laugh, therefore I blog:

Monday, December 12, 2011

I share genealogists' idiosyncrasies, therefore I blog:

Monday, March 1, 2010



I still have a lot to learn about myself, therefore I blog:

Monday, March 22, 2010

I like to share cool stuff, therefore I blog:

Monday, September 26, 2011

I wish I was more organized, therefore I blog:

Saturday, July 2, 2011

I love traditions, therefore I blog:

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I adore my grandchildren, therefore I blog:

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

I miss my dad, therefore I blog:

Sunday, October 31, 2010

I appreciate my geneabuddy, therefore I blog:

Sunday May 29, 2011

I hope you find something worthwhile tucked in among these and my other posts. Thank you dear readers for following It's All Relative!

Army Pictures: 1952 Hamkin and Danley

Hamkin and Danley

Hamkin and Danley

See my original post for details about the photos from my dad's Army scrapbook and please let me know if you recognize anyone in these pictures.

Did my dad know your dad?



Daddy and Baggs in Grandma's front yard

My dad loved to take pictures. He took lots of them while he was in the Army from 1949 to 1953. And as you can see from the photo on the left, he labeled them. On the front.

The only scrapbook Daddy ever assembled was the one that began with his Army pictures. A couple years before he died, he gave the bulging book to me.

When I saw those wonderful candid shots of Army buddies relaxing in their fatigues, smoking cigars, playing volleyball and generally having fun, I knew I had to share them. What if the other dads in the pictures shipped off to Korea and didn't return? These images could be among their last.

Enter Wordless Wednesday 2012. I'll be posting photos from my dad's collection once a week for the rest of the year. The pictures were taken between 1949 and 1953 when my dad served in the 17th Company STR in Fort Benning Georgia and Battery D 71st AAA Gun Battalion in Fort Belvoir Virginia.

Did my dad know your dad? If so, he may be in the scrapbook. Stay tuned!

January Birthdays

Happy January birthday to my late grandmother Frances Lois MANGELS born 23 Jan 1911; my sister, my cousin Alexander, and my nephew Eric.

My grandmother's aunt Amanda Ida MANGELS was born 24 Jan 1893 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Amanda testified on my grandmother's behalf when she applied for a delayed birth certificate in May of 1929.

After his divorce from her mother, my grandmother's father Gustave MANGELS married Emilie HEINZELMANN who was born 09 Jan 1899 in Marschalkenzimmern, Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg.

Marie Catherine Gury

Marie Catherine GURY born 11 Jan 1809 in Altroff, Meurthe, Lorraine, France. This photo is said to be of her. The family story is that Marie Catherine first became a nun and later a Mother Superior. I hope to prove or disprove that story this year.

Marie Catherine's niece Pauline GURY was born 22 Jan 1834 in Léning, Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Pauline immigrated to the United States as a child. Another immigrant Pierre Ferdinand SCHMITT (who was born 28 Jan 1843 in Hellimer, Moselle, Lorraine, France) would later become her sister's brother-in-law.

Swedes with January birthdays in my family tree include Raymond Carl Johan TOLF (also known as Unkie) born 09 Jan 1891 in Batavia, Kane, Illinois. Unkie is the ancestor who piqued my interest in genealogy.

Unkie's cousin Pearl May TOLF was born 01 Jan 1883 in Dixon, Lee, Illinois and  Peter August TOLF was born 01 Jan 1858 in Svenarum, Jönköping, Sweden. 

Peter is Unkie's father and my 2nd great-grandfather. He was a blacksmith and foreman for the Wind Engine and Pump Company in Batavia Illinois.

Many of the Tolf men were blacksmiths including Peter's uncle Anders Gustaf TOLF was born 08 Jan 1821 in Lindefors, Jönköping, Sweden.

Foreman Peter TOLF - front and center

Also hailing from Sweden and born in January; Carl Magnus CARLSON born 05 Jan 1871 in Börstil, Uppsala, Sweden.

From my 2012 Burning Questions list;

• Hanna Sophia PETERSON born 09 Jan 1873 and her brother

• Carl Frithof PETERSON born 27 Jan 1877 in Tånnö, Jonkopings, Sweden

A number of my Manx ancestors were born in the month of January including:

• Abigail WALTON born 31 Jan 1836 in Lonan, Isle of Man
• John WALTON born 24 Jan 1841 in Lonan, Isle of Man
• Margaret WALTON born 19 Jan 1845 in Lonan, Isle of Man
• Mary WALTON born 24 Jan 1847 in Lonan, Isle of Man and
• Jane CHRISTIAN born 20 Jan 1812 in Lonan, Isle of Man who married a Walton

Conspicuously absent from my calendar is the birthDAY of my 2nd great-grandfather Peter THOMPSON. All I know as of this writing is that he was born Jan 1857 in Norway.

Are any of my ancestors in your family tree too?

Please contact me at find.an.ancestor [at] gmail [dot] com

Let's compare notes!

Where Are Otto's Granddaughters?

Although nearly 100 years have passed since Otto V Mueller took his own life, he may remain in the memory of more than just one living descendant. I hope to connect with a family member who may know of him on a more personal level.

Otto and his wife Alvina had one child:

1910 Chicago Illinois Census - Otto Mueller and family

Daughter Edith was nine years old when her parents divorced. Edith's mother Alvina moved back to Ohio...

Alvina and Edith Mueller on the bottom of the page

to be near her widowed brother Arthur J. Schmitt:

Arthur is on the top of the next page

Edith married John B. Caine and had three daughters:

The Caine family in 1930 Ohio census

According to the Ohio Division of Vital Statistics. Death Certificates and index, December 20, 1908-December 31, 1953. State Archives Series 3094. Ohio Historical Society, Ohio; John B Caine died at the age of 70 on the 2nd of Jun 1975. Edith died at 79 years of age on the 5th of Sep 1982.

One of Edith's daughters passed away in 1999. The two remaining are surely getting on in years. There's been no response from the contributor of a public tree on Ancestry that includes Edith.

I'm cautiously optimistic that this post will result in a connection with someone whose life was touched by Otto V Mueller. I would like to share the information I gathered and if possible, learn more about this man.

If you know of anyone related to Otto V Mueller, Alvina Schmitt Mueller, Edith Mueller Caine or any of their descendants; please contact me at:
find.an.ancestor [at] gmail [dot] com