SUCCESS.......... CONTINUED

  I emailed the person in charge of the "George Otis Willard Family Tree", who called himself "Computer Archivist", and heard back MORE details.
  Come to find out, he is the (ironically) computer archivist for the The Willard Family Association, & he started the tree on Ancestry.com to "help solve a research puzzle" one of the members of the association had posed to him.  The puzzle was about where George Otis Willard was buried, and they found out the answer before they knew about the family bible, BUT the bible confirmed their suppositions.  
   They held a small ceremony last month at his unmarked grave site, so The Willard Family Association is going  to help get a stone carved and placed.............
  How GREAT that the family has their own association ?  I wish WE did..... Actually, I guess I do........ I'm descended from John M. Mendenhall (1659-1743).  He was my 8th great-grandfather.  The Mendenhalls have their own association......
  I have two more pieces that I'll be adding soon...... GREAT pieces.........

  Lest you forget,
  Michael

ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY...........

  Last night I was looking on Ebay for family bibles, YES, Ebay sells family bibles...........  Anyway, I came across a bible that belonged to a Lucie Willard, who's father was a man named George Otis Willard.
  I looked on Ancestry.com and found a family tree titled "George Otis Willard Family Tree"...... WHAT WERE THE CHANCES ?
  So I sent one of my KOOKY emails, ("I know this is going to sound strange, but.........."), in the wee small hours of the morning.......... and got an email back 28 MINUTES LATER saying "Thanks! I just bought it..." I can't even begin to tell you how happy that makes me.
  Having YOUR family bible on Ebay is such a fleeting moment, because once it's sold, it's going into someone's collection........... probably NEVER to be seen or heard of again..........  So pay attention people, LOOK on Ebay every once in a while....... OR you can just wait with baited breath for one of my KOOKY emails, "I know this is going to sound strange, but.........."
  I can't wait to hear back from her to let me know more specifics.

  Lest you forget,
  Michael

THE STRINGER FAMILY BIBLE.....REVISITED

  I contacted Marie Stringer though Facebook on July 11, 2012.  She said later that she thought that it sounded a little crazy, BUT all the information was correct, and the bible that I had was indeed her husband's family bible.
  Her husband is Ken Stringer & Ken's father, Harry was VERY interested in doing his family tree and had been doing the research for years.  It was Harry's family tree on Ancestry.com that led me down the right path to find Ken, and his wife, Marie.
  One thing you might not know about family bibles, is that they ALWAYS started when someone got married.  That was the jumping off point for their family, and this was how & where people kept all the most important family information. This bible was started when John Edward Stringer &  Sarah Hoffmaster, Ken Stringer's great-great-grandparents were married on March 3, 1868. With each child that was born, it was added in the bible.  With each relative that passed, it was added in the bible.  With each child that got married, it was added in the bible.
  ONE of the incredible things about this story is that Harry's passion for his family history was passed down to his grandson, Ken, Jr.. Then Ken, Jr. got married TWO DAYS after I sent Marie my first message that I had found their family bible.
  There is NOTHING that is coincidence or accidental............
  Ken, Sr. & Marie plan on coming to the shop with Ken's mother, Barbara after Labor Day.
  I'll let you all know how that visit transpires.

  Lest you forget,
  Michael

 

MY DAGUERREOTYPE OF CATHERINE GOETSCHIUS

  This was my find on yesterday, Sunday, August 12, 2012.  It was at the end of the day at Lambertville, New Jersey's Golden Nugget Flea Market, and I had found just one hand-made twig basket and NOTHING with heritage...........
  In the LAST row, I saw a slew of pictures, and Deguerreotypes in little hand-tooled leather books, but pictures are almost impossible to track UNLESS there is something written in or on them.  THEN...... I saw one with a note....... "Raymonds Great Great Grandmother name Elizabeth Ann Sutherland Shuart mother".  I thought that this picture & it's note would be pretty easy to track down.......... and I was right.
  We went to The Lambertville Station for brunch and I took out my iPad and found her right away....... ACTUALLY, I found Elizabeth Ann Sutherland Shuart, because I read the note incorrectly...... but also found her mother at the same time.
  And now to find HER family.................  I put a tree on Ancestry.com & attached her picture there.  Hopefully someone wants her........
  AGAIN, I DO NOT WANT MONEY FOR ANY OF THESE ITEMS, I just want to return these articles of heritage BACK to their families...........
  HEEEEEEEEEERES, Catherine !!!!!!
  She lived from 1793-11 APR 1859..........
  I guess 60 looks VEEEEERY different NOW, than what it looked like in 1853, or so...........

Here is the whole book with the note...........
I'll keep you posted........

  Lest you forget,
  Michael

  

THE STRINGER / BURCHFIELD FAMILY BIBLE

  This bible was also bought at The Golden Nugget Flea Market in Lambertville, NJ.  I purchased it on 15 JUL 2012.
  It starts out with John Stringer and Sarah Hoffmaster getting married on 03 MAR 1868.  John was a minister and (this is my FAVORITE part of this whole bible) he mad his wife & two children sign "The Family Temperance Pledge".  Here's the picture:

This is what it says......................

Family Temperance Pledge

  "We, the undersigned, do solemnly Promise to keep, hence forth and forever, a triple pledge against Liquor, Tobacco, and Profanity.

  We Promise not to Make, Buy, Sell, or Give as A Beverage, Intoxicating Liquors while we live.

  From All Tobacco we will Abstain, and Never take God's name in vain."

WOW, that must have been a REALLY fun house to grow up in.........

  I tracked this family FORWARD using Ancestry.com, and EVENTUALLY Facebook..............

  So I ended up contacting the great great great grandson of John Stringer (1840-1931), and they are coming to get the family bible this week at my store, Kelly-Cataldi HOME in Keswick Village, Glenside, PA.  I'll let you know how it goes.

  Lest you forget,

  Michael

THE PURSEL FAMILY BIBLE

  These are pictures of the TWO Pursel Family Bibles that I purchased at The Golden Nugget Flea Market just outside of Lambertville, NJ in January 2011........ I've connected with a few people interested in the bibles, but they seem to disappear after a few emails. 

  I think the point that they're missing is that I trying to reunite their family's heritage with THEM....... 

 I DON'T want any money, I just want to return it to their family..........  I'm hoping by starting this blog that people will realize just what's out there.

  ALL these picture are of these two bibles, and paperwork & pictures that were inside.  

The top bible was for William Pursel (02 JUL 1811-?) & Mary P. Hough (21 DEC 1818-24 JUL 1877), and they married 21 JAN 1837

This second bible belonged to John Pursel (22 APR 1844-30 JUN 1926) and  Martha T. Slack (14 FEB 1842-21 FEB 1926) and they were married 14 FEB 1866

"It is with joy mingled with sadness that we inform you of the presentation of a bright little girl 2 A.M. Tuesday Oct 31st-1882.  All doing well so far.  Come and see baby- Mother keeps well, love to all- write soon.  Hope you are all well, good wishes.                                                                                                                           Friend Anna McLaw                                                                                                          828 Franklin St. Phila "

John & Martha Pursel

Of particular interest to me was this poem called "Policits At Home"........ I'm pretty sure that it's supposed to be "Politics At Home"...........  This is how it reads:

We've had the worstest time at home,

  since Ma's begun to vote.

First one an' then the other tries

  to get each other's goat.

An' every day it's just the same,

  I don't know where I'm at,

                                                                               Cause Pa's a strong Republican, 

an' Ma's a Democrat.              

I hear em' in the morning first

  when Ma's a fryin' cakes,

an' late in the evening when they're in bed

  until the baby wakes,

At dinner time an' supper time,

  an' all the evening through,

They tell each other horrid things

  that both parties do.

If I's a man I'd be ashamed

  to vote most either way

'cause both of 'em should be in jail

  a judgin' what they say.

I don't know which one's goin' to win -

  I sympathize with Pa,

But more I hear their arguments

  I'll stake my "dough" on Ma.

MARRIAGES

John Pursel & Martha T Slack
14 FEB 1866  

Franklin Pursel & Hattie F. Paxon 
01 JAN 1891 

 R. Randolph Pursel & Charlotte W. Scott 
18 SEP 1911

BIRTHS

John Pursel - 22 APR 1844  

Martha T Slack - 14 FEB 1842  

Franklin Pursel - 20 JAN 1867  

William Pursel - 06 MAY 1869  

Louis Pursel - 13 NOV 1875  

R. Randolph Pursel - 22 OCT 1891 

Eleanor E. Pursel - 22 JAN 1896    

DEATHS

William Pursel - 03 MAY 1874  

Louis Pursel - 15 NOV 1875  

Martha T. Pursel - 21 FEB 1926  

Ephraim Slack - 23 JUN 1872  

Charlotte Marie Pursel - 21 FEB 1915 - 24 FEB 1915  

Frank Pursel - 23 NOV 1923  

John Pursel - 30 JUN 1926

DEATHS

Harriet F. Paxon Pursel - OCT 1928  

Martha Jeanette Pursel - 05 MAR 1947  

R. Randolph Pursel - 01 AUG 1954  

Eleanor E. Pursel - 26 JAN 1972    

BIRTHS

M. Jeanette Pursel - 17 JUN 1917 

 Edward R. Pursel - 13 OCT 1919

MARRIAGES

William Pursel & Mary P. Hough 
21 JAN 1837  

William Wilson Pursel & Emma Jean Dilmars 
27 JUN 1877  

Anna M. Pursel & Rev. Chas. Wesley Todd 
25 DEC 1861  

Paxon Pursel & Mary H. Rich 
08 FEB 1865 

 J. Thomas Pursel & Sallie Eva Stroud 
09 FEB 1875

BIRTHS

William Pursel - 02 JUL 1811  

Mary P. Hough - 21 DEC 1818 

 Mary H. Rich - 16 SEP 1838  

Martha T Slack - 14 FEB 1842  

Paxon Pursel - 10 NOV 1837  

Anna M. Pursel - 07 OCT 1839  

Oscar Purcel - 02 JAN 1842   

John Pursel - 22 APR 1844    

BIRTHS

Jonathan Thomas Pursel - 21 AUG 1847  

Wm. Wilson Pursel - 09 SEP 1849  

Mary Ellen Pursel - 26 APR 1852  

Richard H. Pursel - 21 JUN 1853

DEATHS

Oscar Pursel - 03 JAN 1842  

Richard H. Pursel - 22 JUN 1858  

Mary P. Pursel - 24 JUL 1877  

William Wilson Pursel- 09 DEC 1906





Now I'm just looking for it's family.......................
More later......................

  Lest you forget,
  Michael

HERITAGE RETURNED.........Why ?

  Genealogy is my passion, & I've done my family tree AAAALLL the way back to 800AD, but what I don't have are artifacts of my heritage. OK, OK, I have a Mission rocking chair that was my great-uncle's & my father's 78 records, but that's about it.  That's just how it is. So when I started seeing family bibles & photos at flea markets, as well as engraved items like "loving cup" or presented pieces, it upset me. It upset me enough to action...... Then I realized that I could reunite articles of heritage with their families...........
  This is what I have done so far....... I bought two bibles that belongs to the Pursel/Hough/Heston/Slack families in Bucks County, PA & one bible that belongs to the Stringer/Burchfield families of Philadelphia, Chester County & Lancaster County, PA.  
  This past Sunday, I went up to The Golden Nugget outside of Lambertville, NJ looking for some thing that I could reunite with their families.  I found a picture in a little tooled leather book from the mid-late 1800's with a note pinned on the velvet inside.  It had someone's name, so it was a PRIME piece to research.  By the time we had ordered brunch at The Lambertville Station, I found her on Ancestry.com: 
Catherine Goetschius........mother of Elizabeth Ann Shurly Sutherland Shuart.......
  This is just my first post......getting my feet wet....... the NEXT posts will be of the individual pieces & their stories........

  Lest you forget,
  Michael