Madness Monday - The New Craze

Italian Dual Citizenship

There has been a rash of requests for assistance with obtaining Italian Dual Citizenship. Grandpa or Great-Grandpa (or Ma) immigrated to the USA from Italy and you want the papers to not only prove it, you want the benefits of being an Italian Citizen. It is not clear why there are so many recent requests since the Italian law has allowed dual citizenship since 1992, but this has been the new craze on the a3Genealogy desk.

Benefits

As an Italian citizen you can secure an Italian Passport and live and work in any European Union (EU) country. You can take advantage of the free public health care and you can pass the citizenship to your children and take advantage of the Italian free education. These are just a few of the benefits of having a dual citizenship. If approved as an Italian citizen, your spouse and children (under eighteen) are also eligible for dual citizenship.

Documentation Needed

But to qualify for an Italian dual citizenship you need to do a lot of legwork to meet all the regulations in proving “jure sanguinis” (your birthright) through lineage to an Italian citizen who did not renounce their right to Italian citizenship. You will need to gather or hire a researcher to gather your materials. This is an overview of what is needed:

Overview

1) your direct line ancestor, grandfather, grandmother, great-grandfather, etc, emigrated after 1861 and was an Italian citizen..

2) your immigrant ancestor did not become an American citizen before his descendent (your direct line) was born. So if the lineage is from you, your father, and grandfather, your father would have been born prior to your grandfather’s USA naturalization date for you to be eligible.

3) Proof of naturalization date or proof that your immigrant ancestor never was naturalized.

4) Translated Birth certificates for you and your direct line to the immigrant ancestor and spouses as well as your children*

5) Translated Marriage certificates (into Italian) for all mentioned above

6) Translated Death certificates.

*Most translations needed are for the direct line between you and the immigrant.

Eligibility Determination

Meeting the requirements of Items 1-3 (above) normally are the reasons an Italian descendent is not eligible. Therefore, the best thing to do is hire a genealogist that specializes in lineage research to verify these basic eligibility requirements prior to translating marriage and death certificates and searching for Italian birth certificates.

There are other ways to obtain Italian citizenship, but a3Genealogy only works with those obtaining it through “jure sanguinis.”

Buona giornata!

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Sentimental Sunday – The Microfilm Readers

Share My Loss of the Microfilm Apparatus

Probably I am the only genealogist left in this hemisphere that is lamenting the replacement of crank - the - arm microfilm readers with the everyday PC or laptop. As a professional genealogist, I have subscriptions to Footnote.com and Ancestry.com and I have to say I enjoy the convenience, availability, and even the search options, but they do not replace scouring microfilms in a dark room – moving slowly in a forward motion through the alphabet. When given a choice, I don’t even use the relatively new motorized microfilm readers. I prefer the over - the – head loading apparatus, and constant arm motion needed to control the speed and direction, and manually adjusting the lens from blurry to "much clearer."

I want the excuse to pause as I pull and file the little white boxes, reload by coercing the film in the little slot and winding halfway through a 4 inch reel to look for the M’s. I like changing the lenses to enlarge or print, and covering the screen with a yellow colored paper to enhance the faded view while reading. Those will soon be the days of yesteryear.

The excitement of visiting the new NARA Kansas City recently was marred by the obvious absence of head high cabinets of properly filed microfilm boxes. And then the hardest realization of all – the 30 or so readers (could be an exaggeration) were replaced by shiny PC’s. When I inquired, which I surely did, I was told you have to ask for the microfilm in advance and use it on the lone microfilm reader, cornered and slightly hidden in the research room. (Could have been others, but didn’t see them).

This just won’t do. I need the rows of cabinets, the boxes of films, the bulky readers! What if I want to read the Dawes Petitions on every Vann or Landrum surname on a film? I want to be able to pick a reel and enjoy the snowy Tues (or Wed, or Thurs, you get the point) reading every petition, even if not directly pertinent to my research.

In some repositories the transition to totally digitize is being fast-forwarded. I enjoy Footnote.com and Ancestry.com, and they truly have a place for genealogy research, but they are not a replacement for the dear own microfilm apparatus.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Surname Saturday – Unscrambling Landrum

Dawes Rolls and Slave Practices


Those of us who delve into research in the Indian Territory during the 1880s usually end up in the Dawes Final Rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes. Researching in these rolls can reveal your ancestor’s age, American Indian blood percentage, their parents and family unit, whether or not they had been a slave, and verify their roll number. Your ancestor had to be living in the Indian Territory during 1898 and 1914 to be listed on these rolls. But, some family units are difficult to decipher without reviewing the actual Dawes packets and applications of individuals. Such is the case when trying to determine why so many children of nearly the same age declared their father as George Landrum.

Q Are you a son of George and Cassie Landrum? A I am a son of George and Peggy.
Q You and this applicant are not full brother and sister then?
A No, sir, half brother to her, my mother was Peggy and her mother was Cassie.
Q Was your father married to Peggy before he married Cassie?
A Yes,sir
Q When did he marry Cassie, was it in slavery days? A Yes sir
Q Was Peggy dead then? A No sir he had two wives.
Q Were both of his wives slaves? A Yes sir.
Q Did he pretend to live with both of them at the same time?
A Yes sir.
Q Was that sort of thing permitted in that day? A Yes sir that was the go in them days, nigger babies is what was wanted.

(Dawes Packet Cherokee Freedmen D683-D71 D701, Jim Landrum; pg.11)

George Landrum appears to be the father of both Peggy and Cassie Landrum's children while enslaved in the Indian Territory. In reviewing the applications it is possible to believe that George’s purpose was to breed slave babies. Slave breeding was not only a common practice, it was accepted. Jim Landrum best explains it in his application, (Dawes Packets, Cherokee Freedmen, D683-D741 D701, pg. 11). Through this application, it is verified that the same George Landrum was the father of Peggy and Cassie's children.

Happy surname hunting!

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Follow Friday - Ginisology and The Wall of Honor

Celebrating American Immigration

Gini of Ginisology reminds us of the pride that comes in verifying our Ancestor's point of entry. Through posting a certificate on http://ginisology.blogspot.com, we are all able to be reminded of the journey each of our ancestor's had to bear to reach our shores.

The certificate, posted by Gini, documents the addition of Marie Beekman Webb's entry on the Ellis Island American Immigrant Wall of Honor. This Wall of Honor is rather unique in that it represents even "those who endured forced migration from slavery" and ..."our own earliest settlers, the American Indian." You can visit the American Immigrant Wall of Honor at Ellis Island in New York Harbor or visit them on their website. With over 700,000 names, including Marie Beekman Webb’s, you may find your ancestor, or you may wish to add an ancestor’s name ($150.00). For more information: http://www.wallofhonor.org/wall_of_honor.asp

When an ancestor's name is included, a certificate, like that of Marie Beekman Webb’s, documenting your ancestor’s entry is generated. A copy of this certificate is on http://ginisology.blogspot.com or on the Wall of Honor Commemorative Gifts link.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Treasure Chest - 805 Pioneer Infantry A.E.F.

"Victory – History of the 805^th Pioneer Infantry American Expeditionary Forces"

There’s an old cedar chest in my living room from my great grandmother Underwood that is used to protect valuables, especially around the holidays when the house is filled with “handlers and touchers.” But, a couple of days ago I went to retrieve an old picture, and felt something hard under the quilts and blankets. It was a long forgotten box - never been opened. In there was an old Bible, some letters and notes, and this semi-hard cover book from 1919 with worn leather and an imprint of “805^th Pioneer Infantry A.E.F.” and the American Eagle perched on top. (Click on book to left to see cover clearer). In the right hand corner was “July 5^th 1918 July 8^th 1919.” There even appeared to be an autograph. The Book was titled “Victory – History of the 805^th Pioneer Infantry American Expeditionary Forces” authored by Major Paul S. Bliss in 1919.

I knew Great-Uncle George Strader served in WWI, his service folder was destroyed in the NARA St. Louis file. And, I didn’t have any particulars about his service, so I thought. But, Victory gives a thorough overview of the duties, challenges and environment of the 805 Infantry during this one year span as they were transported from Kansas to Europe and mobilized throughout France. It also had a small picture on page 108 when Great Uncle George served in France at the

Mouzon-Tower, and his name is listed as a Corporal of Company D on page 112, which corresponds with family folklore.

What I can gather is the 805th Pioneer Infantry Regiment, AEF, known as the Bearcats, was a "colored" unit formed at Camp Funston, Kansas. This unit served with the 1st Army and Advance Section Command in France during WWI and was a labor force of ditch diggers, undertakers and railroad mechanics. The 805^th landed in France on July, 1918 and served in Europe until July 1919; and supposedly saw 39 days of action.

Although Victory gives details on all of the companies, my interest is on Company D, that Great Uncle George served. Company D, traveled from Ft. Riley Camp Funston 25 August 1918 to Kansas City where they boarded the Wabash train to Detroit. They were able to stop in Moberly, Mo. for a proper military send off by the “colored citizens” of the town. From Detroit, they took passage by ferry to Canada, stopping in Niagara Falls for a short visit before reporting to Camp Upton, Long Island, 30 August 1918. On Sept. 1, they were shuffled off to Montreal Canada where they were shipped to Camp Romsey in England. Having yet to arrive in France, they crossed the English Channel for France on 28 September. (pgs 107-111)

The Bearcats were most proud of their undefeated baseball team where they played at the diamond at Chateau de Chehery, on the eastern edge of the Argonne Forest. According to page 205, the diamond field was built “between the road and the Aire River.” The 805 also had boasting rights for their “Regimental Band.” The organized band was “sent out to various companies of the regiment and to other organizations…”(pg.209).

Wishing all happy treasure hunting.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Wordless Wednesday - As Remembered

Part II Great-Grandma Strader

(Mary E. Gaddis 1865-1968)
91 years old in photo

Mary E. (Gaddis) Strader born August 1865/66 was the daughter of General Jackson Gaddie and Ellen Fox. She married James Strader in Hart County Kentucky in about 1891. She had ten children, three died stillborn. She and husband James, married in about 1891, migrated to Lyons Kansas, Rice County, about 1900 (based on children’s births). Mary E. died June 17, 1868 in Ellsworth, Kansas.

Part II As Remembered - Don't Forget Family Stories

Our memories, true or not, are part of our family history. Of course verifying the facts are vital, but the memories should not be forgotten.

Great Grandma claimed she was born in 1865, but there were no documents to prove it, however, the 1870 census agrees. Her parents, Ellen Fox and Jackson Gaddie, were both slaves from Hart County, Kentucky and could not read or write and did not have a Family Bible. So when it was time to get social security Great Grandma had to use her school records to prove her birth year which complicated things as they had her birth year as 1865, 1866, and 1867. To make it easy, they took the middle ground and settled on 1866 which agreed with her first job as a school teacher. The letter, which I remember seeing as a child is now lost, but Great Grandma was a school teacher at the age of fourteen, having completed up to 8^th grade. It was a one room school house that housed first through eighth grades, and she was the only employee. Mother liked to say she was “the teacher, the principal, and the janitor.”

Even with the knowledge that Great Grandma was an educator my mother, having married into an “ex-slave” family, was no more fond of the Strader’s family traditions. One weekend, while in Lyons, we visited Great Grandma at her 5^th St. house, which had great family memories. Her youngest three children were born in that home with no running water, and until her death in 1868, it still did not have running water. This bothered Mother, but us great-grandchildren loved the idea of being able to use the water pump outside the door even for baths. Baths were taken on Saturday in the kitchen, in the tin tub; once a week was enough for Great Grandma.

The Saturday before the once-a- month church service was special. Once a month, a roaming African Methodist Episcopal (AME) pastor would come to Lyons and preach in the little white house, Grant AME Chapel, used as the”Lawd’s Temple.” All the “coloreds” from the several counties would come. Great Grandma would bake all day, preparing her famous German Chocolate cake or pound cake. Mother, with a Home Economics degree and Foreign Language degree would call the cakes “heavy, hard and always dry” in English, French and Spanish. This was in spite of the pound of butter used, but probably due to the fat cream she used instead of milk, said Mother. Daddy disagreed and would flush his big slice down with more milk.

Often, after our special pre-church day dessert, Daddy would take us to the outhouse, wipe our behinds with pages from the Sears catalog, (toilet paper was a waste), and we would follow the path back to the house for one of Great Grandma’s stories of the homeland, in this case Kentucky. She was a great storyteller with no regard to the age of the child, so we were usually haunted by nightmares of people falling into open wells, and such.

She on the other hand, would get a good nights sleep, for her “performance” in church, as mother liked to call it. Although Great Grandma migrated to Kansas in around 1900, she still couldn’t say “Lord”, it sounded like “Lawd,” which she would proudly shout out with praises of Amen, and “Preach on, Lawd, preach on” as her black straw hat, regardless of the season, barely sat on top of all that thick hair.

In 1966, Great Grandma got a letter from President Lyndon B. Johnson congratulating the Centurion. It was the same year she got family-diagnosed pneumonia, and needed care. Plus, children and grandchildren were fussing about her using the open fire in the kitchen. In spite of her protest, she was moved from Lyons, Kansas to Ellsworth to live with Great-Aunt Can where there was running water and indoor plumbing.

She also enjoyed real coffee. Great-Aunt Can would make it on day one, on day two Great Grandma would add a few more grinds and water, and on day three just a few more grinds to freshen up the pot. And then start all over. I think Mother kept a calendar on the fresh pot coffee day. Keep in mind this had nothing to do with financial needs, Great-Aunt Can was a fairly well-to do widow. It was just one of her “peculiar ways” Mother would say.

When I was eight years old Great Grandma died, after being in and out of the Ellsworth County Veterans Memorial Hospital. Having never been hospitalized before, we knew it was the end. She was at least 101 yrs, 9 months and 20 days old. 102 if you used her original birth date. Her service was in the little white church house in Lyons, where she used to praise the Lawd. And Mother proudly read her eulogy.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Tombstone Tuesday – As Remembered

Don’t Forget Family Stories – Part I of Great-Grandma Strader

Our memories, true or not, are part of our family history. Of course verifying the facts are vital, but the memories should not be forgotten. There are several ways to celebrate your ancestors. One is to state the facts:

Mary E. (Gaddis) Strader born August 27, 1865, was the daughter of General Jackson Gaddie and Ellen Fox. She married James Strader in Hart County Kentucky in about 1891. She had ten children, three died stillborn. She and husband James migrated to Lyons Kansas, Rice County, about 1900 (based on children’s births). Mary E. died June 17, 1868 in Ellsworth, Kansas.

The other way to celebrate this matriarch's life is to tell a story:

Mother, who married into the Strader family, liked to say, Great Grandma Strader "brought her Kentucky ways with her all the way to Kansas.” But, Great-Grandma was born right after slavery, barely being saved by the civil war in 1865; whereas Mother, having been educated with the Mennonites in Buhler Kansas, a product of a rather refined free-colored family with generations of educated folks, was not accustomed to the Strader’s simple traditions. Yet, as a child, I was always fascinated by them.

To her seven children, Great Grandma ,who was a 5’10, large bone woman, with the largest hands you’d ever see, was bigger than life. To her grandchildren, she was the best German chocolate cake baker in the world, and to her great grandchildren, she was the oldest person on earth. She was 91 years old in the photo and lived another 11years, until 1968, just so we would have memories. She had a bald spot on the top of her thick head of hair, moles on her face, and had weird eating habits.

Every day, like clock work, she’d wake up, put on a feed-sack flowered dress, which she seemed to have and endless supply of, accessorize with heavy cotton beige stockings, even in the summer, and enter the kitchen, where she'd put a feed-sack apron over her ensemble. Every day she’d prepare oatmeal with sugar and milk and 2 slices of fat side back, also called, fresh side meat (non-cured bacon) that she rolled in flour and fried in the skillet using the pan grease to make a milk gravy over biscuits or bread. She’d eat it while sipping that God-awful Postum, a Kraft substitute for coffee that was some sort of suspicious powdered roasted grain.

She was never heavy, but a rather perfect size for her tall body, probably because at 2:00pm every afternoon, she’d set out to the post office, walking from 5^th street to the Lyons, Kansas square, about a half a mile away, to pick up her mail. No one offered her a ride, even though she was almost one hundred years old, because they knew she wouldn’t accept it, not even in 100 degree, mosquito ridden weather. So, they just waved as they passed. Sometimes they waited for her to arrive at the post office so they could have a brief chat.

This routine, added with her daily work in the garden keeping her potatoes, turnips and onions perfect and weed free, did not end until she was practically 100 years old and had to move from Lyons to Ellsworth to live with her youngest daughter.

Those are just some of my memories. And with a little help from Mother, I'm able to picture it like it was yesterday.

More to come on Mary E. Strader and the family in Part II of Great-Grandma Strader.

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com