The Dreaded Telegram

Adelade Morris Pembleton

A Western Union telegram was sent April 4^th 1947 at 6:12am from Seattle, Washington and was received at 6:39am in Great Bend, Kansas. Addie Pembleton had died. The telegram was simple:

“MOTHER PASSED THIS MORNING 5:00 FUNERAL MONDAY WILL HOLD IF YOU ARE COMING” BENNIE PEMBLETON”

This telegram led us to information on the Morris-Pembleton Family. Adelade Mary Morris married Benjamin Pembleton in 1903 in Anthony, Kansas. But between 1905 and 1908, they headed west to Seattle Washington. Surely, they traveled to Seattle for better opportunities in a “big” city, but actually Benjamin worked as a street cleaner, and later a building cleaner. His hardwork, however, paid off for his sons.

This telegram announcing Addie’s death at the age of 70 was amongst her sister’s (Pearl) belongings. (As most of you, I spend much of my time in basements, attics and storage spaces.) Pearl’s descendants had oodles of family relics.

We were able to piece together the puzzle once we found letters on Pembleton Brothers Gardens' stationary from Seattle. But who were the Pembleton Brothers? Our first clue was in the first few words “Dear Sister Pearl” dated December of 1946, a few months before she died. Sister Pearl probably saved the letter knowing her sister was very ill (as revealed in the letter). The next letter was sent to “Aunt Pearl” and signed by Bennie, (the same who signed the telegram) after his mother's death in December .

This opened the doors to researching not only Addie’s life in Seattle, but that of her four sons: Albert, Thomas, Donald and Benjamin and what dapper looking fellows they were. We were quite impressed also with the family business, Pembleton Brother’s Gardens. They obviously were doing quite well in their business. Money was sent with both letters. The first one had $6.00 in it for Pearl and husband to buy a Christmas gift. The second letter from nephew Bennie had a check!

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com

Stalking Irish Madness and Me

Recently I was listening to National Public Radio as they reviewed the book Stalking Irish Madness with the author Patrick Tracey. In this book Tracey searches for the roots of schizophrenia that has haunted his family for what appears to have been five generations. Most recently two of his sisters have suffered from an onset.

Of course this peeked my interest for two reasons: 1) My Morris family branch DNA results from Family Tree DNA placed our family in haplogroup R1b1, with our most common recent ancestor as being from Ireland, Scotland, England Wales and 2) My Morris family branch has an overwhelming case of mental illness currently affecting six to eight of the family members. (Two are still in denial.)

It is said in our family that we are bound to have one of two issues: 1) a rare blood disease like antiphospholipid antibody syndrome which I acquired, or sarcoidosis which attacked my oldest brother or 2) mental illness which most often shows up as manic depression or schizophrenia.

So with Tracey’s book in hand, I did further research. To Tracey’s claim that perhaps it was an “Irish madness,” I did find that in 1913, 1920, and 1940, studies showed higher rater of schizophrenia among the Irish in the United States. And, according to Behavior: The Irish Disorder, a Time Magazine article written may 24, 1976, Dr Murphy, McGill University psychiatrist, “reported that the incidence of schizophrenia in the Republic of Ireland is nearly triple the rate of the disease among Irish in Canada and Northern Ireland. The article continued to say that “many researchers consider schizophrenia a genetic disorder, while others believe it is produced by cultural pressures.” Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879743,00.html#ixzz0cJuAVfWD

This is not to say that our family mental issues are a result of our Irish ancestry. It may even be coincidental that so many have suffered from it. But, it would be nice to find the root cause of mental illness, especially when it seems to disrupt full family units for generations. Perhaps that is why I love medical genealogy. It just might help the scientist get a closer view of family medical issues and look at both social and genetic patterns.

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com

The Man in the Photo

Matching a picture with a name is much more grueling than just doing the genealogy research. This man's name is William Williams...we were told. We know about the William and Williams surnames. We know that the Williams surname in the United States is common, as it is in England and in Wales. Williams became common in Wales where they added the “s” to denote “son of” to their surnames. However, none of this surname history has helped me identify the elusive William Williams (Bill Williams) or the man in photo.

For this reason, I am calling on all Williams. Can you identify the man in this 1944 photo as having a branch on your tree? With Kansas having its share of Williams, and plethora of William Williams, we need a positive identification of the man in the picture.

What I Know?

William Williams, or Bill Williams, was donning a WWII uniform in 1944 and appeared to be around 50 years old. He was originally from Reno County, Kansas.

What I Need?

A positive identification of this photo with proof of evidence. Truly, military records aren’t needed, unless someone can positively identify this man, or if the military uniform hints to his service.

Last Request

Identify your family pics and put your stories on paper. What good are dates and pictures without the story?

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com

Post Your Blog

Tell us about you and your site on the a3Genealogy Facebook page in 3 sentences or less. Can you do it? Read guidelines below.

Once a month our ProGen Study Group has a class session to discuss reading assignments and exercises pertinent to the professional genealogist.

This month we discussed genealogy columns to include blogs, online articles, columns, etc. A common question that all bloggers have is how to promote their blogs or columns. I realized when I was asked this question during the class, that I didn’t have a 3 sentence or less marketing add that I could spew out. So I did the next best thing…I talked fast as to not fill in more space than a 3 sentence blurb would take. And being hyperactive and verbose, I splattered a lot of energetic words to say… “The a3Genealogy blog is for clients and genealogists to discuss researching tips and quality service expectations. And, the cool part is that readers can toggle right over to facebook to discuss a blog or any other issue” Yep…that would have said it all and in just two sentences.

In keeping with the Follow Friday theme, I pose a challenge to you. I am asking all Genealogy Fans and readers to promote a blog and/or column on our Discussions tab. The goal is to get followers who would benefit from your blog/column, so be creative while marketing your site. You must share your information in no more than 3 sentences (plus your link). That is the challenge. To have a 3 sentence marketing blurb that is captivating.

Of course posting information on your email lists, Twitter, and on Facebook (or other social network) to spread the news amongst friends and fellow genealogists is great, we would like to hear new and innovative ideas. So if you want to share something that has worked for you, we welcome that too.

Be sure to post your favorite site on the Discussion board at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kansas-City-MO/a3Genealogy/277085073367?v=app_2373072738.

Take the Challenge!

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com

The 1753 Travel Trunk

Waymire Trunk

From: The Tinberg Tales – Tinberg, Schmotz, Schwarz, Waymire and Sieg Families

Written by Kathleen Brandt

Published by a3Genealogy Publishing, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-9844019-0-1

In the summer of 1753, Johan Ludolph Wehmeyer (later spelled Waymire) took passage at Hamburg on the ship Leathley for the two month voyage to America. The ship Leathley landed on the shores of America in New York, September 19, 1753, with Johan, his wife, two children, two sisters and his father. Unfortunately, his mother did not survive the trip.

With them, they carried a family trunk filled with their belongings. In 1921 the trunk was in the possession of the Wayne County (Indiana) Historical Museum where it remains today. It is covered with the original animal hide and rawhide hinges and straps. One can only imagine the contents and the family value held for generations.

Not only did Johan (John – Americanized) lose his mother on the trip, his two sisters were separated from the family which was not uncommon. Girls of age, or any member of the family, were often offered to the Captain of the ship for payment of passage. Upon the destination’s pier the captain recouped his money by selling them as indentured servants to pay for the family’s voyage. This may have happened to the Waymire family. Needless to say, any memories of the Johan’s mother, and sisters would have been held in this chest.

For more information:

To order: a3genealogy@gmail.com

The Tinberg Tales – Tinberg, Schmotz, Schwarz, Waymire and Sieg Families

Written by Kathleen Brandt

Published by a3Genealogy Publishing, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-9844019-0-1

Facebook for Discussions

Although blogs, and websites, allow for comments and replies to postings, true interactive discussions can be held using social network sites, like Facebook. These network sites are easy to set up and will let you and your clients pass between Blogs and Facebook seamlessly (Just click on the icon as seen above on either page.) It allows the users to use your blogs as a tutorial, and have access to online assistance with their researching woes.

I have recently set up a Facebook page for a3genealogy. I was not happy about monitoring one more information source, but after spending considerable amount of time exploring the benefits, convenience, and ease of sharing information, I have succumbed to the 21st century technology.

I have decided that the best use of my Facebook page is to allow for discussions, as well as, questions and answers postings. I have not committed to a live “online” chat session yet, but may do so if there is a need later.

On Facebook, I have opened up the Discussion box for postings, and I have links to the web postings here, that are relevant. Although I have suggested the first 3 discussion topics, I welcome visitors to post additional ones on the a3genealogy Facebook page.

I hope you all will become a Fan of the page (see the buttons on the Facebook page). The best part of being a fan, is you do not get inundated with information and you visit the site when you wish. We do not push out data to your Facebook Fans. But, what you might find, is that being around fellow “family seekers,” genealogists, and researchers can be stimulating – a great motivator for you on those “brick wall” days.

Click on the Facebook link to the upper left to become a fan and to participate in the discussions.

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com

Mental Health Facilities and the State Hospital Records

Missing Ancestors?

It didn’t take long to figure out that people don’t actually disappear into the abyss. Perhaps my research needed to be more thorough. Had I really researched all of my sources? Two commonly forgotten sources are prison records and mental health facility records.

Not everyone can boast that at any given time one, or more, ancestor was being treated in the State Hospital, but I usually exclaim that my family actually had a wing at the Kansas - Osawatomie State Hospital, also known as the “State Insane Asylum.” (This claim usually gets me off the hook from odd or peculiar behavior.)

I’ve always heard of poor Great-Aunt Hattie and her mental unrest, and I remember dear Grandma Maggie who died in the Larned State Hospital (KS), a psychiatric facility, but what about the others who can’t be accounted for using normal means?

There was the case of 3rd Great-Uncle Willis Cox and his daughter Freddie Reba (Cox) Looney. (I’m not making up that surname). They both disappeared about the same time. Last noted, Willis was living in the Coffeyville, Kansas area and Freddie Reba had left husband number two (Jake Looney) and was living in Washington County, Oklahoma, close to the Kansas border. Both Willis and daughter Freddie Reba dropped off the radar between 1910 - 1920.

By running a quick check with the state hospitals, both were found as patients in the Osawatomie State Hospital. Yes, coincidental (or disadvantaged gene pool), but they were both there.

Finding Records
The biggest issue was not in locating them, but trying to pull their medical records. Osawatomie will not share, or do not own, the patient’s files. However, as luck would have it, Willis Cox’s medical records from the State Hospital were complete with his Civil War Pension records. In the survey for family medical history, a bit of information from the attending physicians was also provided about Freddie Reba’s stay.

I suggest as you expand your research for that missing ancestor, you go a little mental!

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com