Tika Stays Home While I Go Teach

Tika must stay home with Handy Man while I travel west to Port Townsend to spend Saturday with the Jefferson County (WA) Genealogical Society. We're having an all day seminar on Emigration-Immigration & Migration. Did you know that a favorite movie, "Officer and A Gentleman" was filmed (parts of it) in and around Port Townsend??? I enjoy going to the Olympic Peninsula to see my genealogy friends and to visit family living in Port Angeles. Tika would enjoy the beach romping but not the bath that would certainly result. So better she stay here ........ and keep blogging.

Tika and the Wind.

Tika, like most dogs, does not like to be outside in the wind. I think it is because in the wind dogs cannot hear or smell as well and so are sort of "blind." Here she sweetly sits, looking out the window, waiting patiently for spring. But I, on the other hand, am making great progress is cleaning up and cleaning out my office. I challenge you: I've tossed three big black garbage bags....... want to top that??? This sort of major office-cleaning has to be done periodically and why not as we wait for spring??? Beats just sitting in a chair and gazing out the window.

Tika Helps With "Messy Desk Syndrome"

Went the other day to help a friend sift, sort, re-file, toss, give away and generally give a good CLEAN UP to her genealogy room. We made a great start and will have a follow-up session.... call it "Messy Desk Syndrome Therapy."

Tika has been sitting by my feet encouraging me to be just as brutal in cleaning out my messy-desk-bookshelves-floor office. Several garbage bags have gone out, several boxes of stuff given away......... oh! And there are two tote-bags of genealogy "good stuff" for our society's Swap Meet upcoming. Boy but it feels so good to shed that kind of extra weight!!

My desk did not look this bad but it was on its way to becoming this mess. I caught it in the nick of time..........thanks to Tika prodding me! She is a neat-nick, did you know?

Are YOU suffering from "Messy Desk Syndrome?"

Tika & Seaborn Phillips

Tika always likes me to cuddle and pet her and tell her a story. Today it was about Handy Man's great-grandfather, Seaborn Phillips. Born in Georgia on
9 March 1844, Seaborn served the Confederacy well. According to his obituary he was at Gettysburg and suffered a "mini ball through my lung" but lived to be with Lee at Appomattox. (Or so he told the story.) Georgia being devastated, and having no money to pay pensions, Seaborn moved his family to Hill County, Texas, and there applied for a pension. He lived until 1910.

"Now it's your turn," I told Tika. "Tell me his genealogy story!" For his ancestry is still a mystery to me........... Scots-Irish frontiersmen, I'm sure.

While this is not a photo of Seaborn, I would rather guess he looked somewhat like this, tall and proud. And bet he liked dogs too.

Tika & EWGSI

Tika is bored with statistics, especially after I told her all about FamilySearch, but I just HAD to tell her about the stats from our Eastern Washington Genealogical Society website. According to Cecily our webmaster, here are the figures:

*****Nov we had 438 unique visitors and 572 visits

*****Dec we had 376 unique visitors and 586 visits
*****Jan we had 532 unique visitors and 896 visits

*****Feb we had 789 unique visitors and 1158 visits

While most of our visits are from the US, we also have had visitors from China, Russia, Nigeria, Canada, Germany, Romania, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Thailand, Great Britain, Ukraine, Israel, and South Korea.

I would challenge any other genealogical society (of our size) to match that!

Go take a look for yourself: www.EWGSI.org

Tika & New FamilySearch

To be totally honest, Tika does not care a dogbone
about New FamilySearch, but are you aware of the
recent statistics about how many do care about this?

Launched in 1999, here are the stats as of March:

Number of names in databases: 1 BILLION +
Number of hits per day: 10 million +
Number of pages viewed per day: 1 million +
Number of registered users: 1 million +
(and now anyone and everyone can register)
Number of hits since launch: 15 BILLION +
Number of visitors since launch: 150 million +

That speaks loudly to the credibility and general
usefulness of this website. If you're not using the
New FamilySearch website, Tika and I both urge
you to start..... answers await.

Tika Does "Hearts"

Well, not really........ Valentines Day is past but looking at my notes, Tika and I meant to tell you about the three ancestors born on February 14th. First was Lydia TEMPLE, born in 1839, who married into my POTTER line. Most darn mysterious thing about her is she died 13 Jan 1877 in St.Clair Co, IL..........and I know this from hubby's Civil War pension papers....... but I cannot document this otherwise. And 1877 in Illinois?? I think he buried her in the backyard.Next was Magdalena REGNER, born in 1851 in Alzey, Germany. When she was 14 she came all by herself across Germany, across the Atlantic, to join a married sister in St.Louis, MO. Would you today let your 14yo daughter undertake such a journey??? Would have taken weeks!

Last was Charles Wilbur GURNEY, born in 1864 in Valpariso, IN. He died in 1923 in Illinois of a goiter. I have a photo of him (handsome tall dude with lots of white hair) and this ugly goiter on his neck is very obvious. Living in the midwest all his life, where no salty ocean breezes blow, he never got enough natural iodine and so died from a goiter. That's why we now have iodized salt.

As for Tika and hearts.......... she likes salty things, sweet things and especially heart-shaped doggie treats.

Tika Finds Genealogy Stories Boring

Here is the look I get when I try to tell Tika about all the wonderful things upcoming and going on with EWGS........... "ho hum." But I'm excited and so I just push her to her side of the chair and keep talking. On Saturday, March 5th, we will cancel our regular EWGS meeting so all our members can participate in the Bing Crosby Family History Event. Did you all know that Spokane is Bing Crosby's hometown? Gonzaga University, his alma mater, is staging this free event and EWGS was invited to come and to be part of the day. Then on Saturday, April 9th, EWGS will be hosting Dan Lynch, author of Googling Your Family Tree. Check our www.EWGSI.org website for details (and be patient). I guess Tika's lack of enthusiasm is due to knowing that dogs, even Tikas, are not invited. "Did Bing Crosby have a dog?" Tika asks.

Dachshund History Book

Tika was so excited when I called and explained to her that in the Family History Library (where books on mostly on the history of people), I found a book on the history of dachshunds! What I did not tell her was that it is a childrens' book and it was a listing at Amazon.com and not a book in the Library. But still. A dachshund story or history book is a good thing. Tika agrees.

Tika Loves FamilySearch

Tika loves FamilySearch, especially when I tell her all about it with a dog cookie in my hand....... my-oh-my is she attentive. There really is so much new to tell about FamilySearch........ one most helpful part of this "umbrella" website is a part that teaches us how to use and incorporate technology into our genealogical research. Click to www.familytech.familysearch.org ....... and then click away and start learning. I'm struggling to learn and keep up with all the technology advances and I'll bet you are too. Tika does not really care about what I'm telling her....... but as long as I say it with a cookie she's all ears.

Tika & The Family History Library

RootsTech is over; just called Tika and explained I'd be gone for another few days working with a delightful group of 12 folks doing genealogy here in the Family History Library........ which (news flash!) is apparently now going to be called the Family Search Library. (This image is a pin; I love pins.) You, too, right along with this group, can access much of the wealth of help by clicking to www.familysearch.org . If you've not been there in a while, you'll be amazed and excited about all the new resource and research opportunities. Tika says "big deal" but you and I know better.

Tika Told Me: Enjoy RootsTech

While I do miss my family hugs and my doggie kisses, being in Salt Lake City attending RootsTech is a wonderful experience. We who enjoy the hobby of seeking ancestors are so excited to realize that more and more and MORE information is becoming easier and easier and EASIER to find out there using the Internet. Why you can Google just about anything, including ancestor's names, and discover "good stuff." What a wonderful age and world and day we're living in.

I told Tika that the only dog I petted today was one of those silly battery-operated little fuzz-balls that giggle and roll around on the floor (that was advertizing a vendor's booth). Tika just snorted her disgust.

Tika & Beach Rocks & Immigration

Tika was really bored these last few days for I've been working to update a presentation on Emigration & Immigration to America. I love to begin with a jar of beach rocks that I collected myself.... rocks of all colors, rather like the photo above. I compare this bunch of rocks to the American people. We are a nation of immigrants. Like these colorful rocks, we have many different ethnic backgrounds but we are all "in the jar" or "on the beach" of America as equal folks with all ethnic differences worn away. (Or should be.) This comparison rings true with me.

Tika asked, "which rock is me?" The big bright red one, I tell her, as she is a bright little red dog.

Do Dogs Have Blood Types Like Humans?

Today Tika stayed home while I visited the Inland Northwest Blood Center (local blood bank) and upon donating, received my 15-gallon donor pin. I'm a bit proud of this....... and consider it a small contribution to my community. Got me to thinking......... do dogs have blood types and if so, what is Tika's type? Thanks to WiseGeek for this answer:

Yes, a dog does have a specific blood type, although its not the familiar ABO system used to determine human blood type. The actual number of blood type combinations in dogs is still a matter of dispute amongst experts, but the basic blood type test for canines allows for a minimum of eight distinctive results. Some experts suggest that dogs may actually have 12 or more blood types, but only one blood type is considered universally acceptable for unmatched transfusions, a type known as DEA 1.1 negative. Dogs who test negative for another antigen called DEA 4 are ideal donors, but this is the equivalent of finding a rare AB negative blood type in humans.

I know I have blood type A+ and I'm quite sure that Tika's blood type is RED. Good enough.

Tika & Teeth (George Washingtin's Teeth)

Tika has a terrible underbite......... she is no show dog for sure. But since she does not know any different, she does okay. But being February, I was looking at her mouth and got to thinking about George Washington and his teeth. Did he really have false teeth made of wood?

Well, no they were not wooden but they were clunky and uncomfortable. At least one set contained animal teeth, a tooth made of hippopotamus ivory, lead, springs and bolts. No wonder the dear man never smiled in his portraits! George lost his teeth at a young age (probably due to poor dental hygiene) and had several sets of false teeth...... all probably very unkind to wear.

One set of his teeth are on display at the museum/visitors' center at Mount Vernon and I was lucky enough to see them............ poor dear man! I would not want those in my mouth. Neither would Tika.

Tika & I Do Bottles

You might find this odd, but Tika and I take long walks and look for bottles.......... glass bottles. And (dangnabbit!!!) there are plenty of them to be found along our roads. We look for different shapes and colors but most of them are the colors you see above. And why do we do this? And what do we do with them? We make bottle sculptures! Bottle trees and bottles on stakes and anything else that creates a sun catcher. Newest idea is to stud a tall pine with bottles.... think that will work? My favorite is my Blue Bottle tree made from special wine bottles given to me by friends. (And it's been snowy here!) So now you know how Tika and I spent a sunny afternoon.

Tika Says: Do More Genealogy!

According to my calendar, Handy Man's ancestor Cornelius Berrien was born on 30 January 1735 in Newtown, Queens, New York. He died there in 1810; he married Jane Warner. Their son, Samuel, is John's ancestor.

Big deal. I know Cornelius' birth and death date, birth and death place and who he married. But how much do I know about Cornelius the man.........and his life and times? Nothing!

A quick Google search found "The Berrien Family Genealogical Website." Tika's barks in no uncertain terms told me to get to work and go learn more than just the skeleton facts on this Berrien family. And I really should, don't you think?

Point of this story really is: If you've not worked on a particular line for ages, there is a whole wide world of resources out there just waiting for you to come see. Get to work!

Tika Goes Visiting

Tika and I went visiting yesterday! We went to visit Bailey and Coco so the three doggers could have a play day while Cecily and I worked on a computer project. Yes, the photo is a little blurry but getting three very active little dogs to be still was impossible! Luckily, our computer project was not and we nearly completed a draft for an updated EWGS membership brochure.

P.S. Tika in the middle, Coco is the dark one and Bailey on the right.

Tika Remembers..... And We Research Together

Today, but 139 years ago, on 24 January 1872, Handy Man's grandfather, Charles Robert Phillips, was born in Georgia. He is one of my most-researched-but-little found ancestors. He was born in Georgia but soon his father migrated to Texas where there was money to pay pensions for Confederate soldiers. He did marry "Lillian" back in Georgia, but was she Lillian Stout? They did have Charles Alexander Phillips in 1906 in Toledo, Ohio......... Chuck always cited that, but I've never found any proof. They did have two more children, Margaret (born in "Mexico?") and James, born in Illinois. I do find Charles Robert and Lillian in the 1900 census in Payne Co, Oklahoma and in 1910 they are in Lake Co, Illinois. By the 1930 census, Lillian is long dead and the family stories kick in revealing a very "colorful" character. How could a "tent and awning salesman" with several "wives" and children not be colorful? He died in 1938 in Seattle and while he was not a Catholic, his funeral and burial (in a potters field) was conducted by the cathedral parish. So many interesting "leads" here and believe me, Tika has suggested to me 100 things to try. I know we'll only fail to find the answers if we fail to keep looking. Wish me luck..... and Tika and I both wish you luck with your tough-problem ancestors.

Tika Gets Fresh Water..... Would Our Ancestors Had Same

Tika is picky; she is a picky drinker and I'm delighted. If there are "floaties" in her water bowl, she looks up at me as if to say, "You expect me to drink that??" So I keep her water bowl shiny clean. Good for her.








Wish our ancestors had been so lucky with getting clean water. And because they could not, and had to drink contaminated water all too often, they suffered and died terribly and miserably from cholera. Cholera is an infection of the small intestine caused by a bacterium. Cholera's main symptoms are profuse diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. A person afflicted with cholera "may produce around 10 litres of diarrhoeal fluid a day." (Wikipedia) That equates to almost 3 gallons........... 21 pints........... 42 cups. No wonder children died so quickly.

Our ancestors, drinking from polluted watering holes on their western treks, would contract cholera and within a day become dehydrated to the point of death. Awful, awful. And to our ken, so treatable...... if only they had known to avoid drinking this water but apparently they did not.

Aren't we lucky doggers and people these days?