Mad Macedonian

Thanks Ma, I Miss You!

My parents, and yours truly, 1961. ;-D

Those were happy days for this new family.

Dad had been in the US for 10 years, and had a job he loved, as a Groundskeeper at Pomona College, in Claremont, CA.

Little did anyone know the tragedy that was to come 8 years later.

Taken just a few years before her death, in 1990, at 60 years of age, this image shows the humor, and spirit, of a courageous, and energetic, woman, who had spent the 70's and 80's, raising 3 children on her own, as a stay at home Mother, after her husband suffered a mental breakdown.

She gave me my love of books, and the movies, my curiosity, my love of the outdoors, and my sense of humor.

Most important she gave me my sense of the importance of Family, and sticking together through the tough times of life.

Somehow, all that she gave me sustained me through the difficult years after her death, and helped me have the strength, and courage, to finally take steps to change my life between 1998 and 2002, that played important roles in who I am today.

Thank You Mom!

I love you, and I miss you.

There is a wonderful writing exercise that I recommend to budding writers, and especially to anyone researching their family history.

It is one that can be used to write about just the Mothers in your lineage as well. ;-D

Prompting Yourself to Write 5: Where I'm From

Mothers are wonderful influences on our lives, but as I've written about, earlier, our female ancestors can also present some complications, God love'em! ;-D

A Skelton in My Closet Because A Hesson Did Some Messin'?

Neo-Neocon celebrates her Mother, and her Grandmother with some wonderful photos.

Over at Protein Wisdom, Dan Collins shares an hilarious yet, oh, so true image, and a YouTube Video of Al Jolson singing "Mammy" later in his career.

Check out: Happy Mother's Day!

A Tip of the Hat to Instapundit!

National Academy for the Study of UFOs Confirms Existence of UFO Chromosome in Humans

WERE YOUR ANCESTORS BEAMED DOWN BY ALIENS?  

There is new evidence that just may help Genealogists, worldwide, solve this particular Brick Wall in their research.

Scientists at The National Academy for the Study of UFO's have recently confirmed the existence of the "UFO chromosome."   

While most genealogists are aware of the x chromosome, passed from one female generation to the next, and the y chromosome, from which it is possible to determine descent in an uninterrupted male lineage from a common ancestor, the "UFO chromosome" had previously been only speculation.   

Working with DNA recovered from the aliens of the Roswell, New Mexico crash, the scientists have discovered the "UFO chromosome" is also present in some humans.   

This discovery confirms that aliens have been breeding with humans for centuries, and
beaming their progeny back to earth.

For the "low" price of $10,000, they will test your DNA to see if you possess the "UFO chromosome."   

While the test will not tell WHICH ancestor had the "UFO chromosome," there are several ways to identify that ancestor.

For those ancestors to conceal their identity:

1.   They moved every few years, never spending long at one location.

2.   They were the only person of that surname in the county.

3.   The county clerk who was also an alien, assured that your ancestor's marriage bond would "accidentally" be lost, their deeds set aside   and never recorded, and their entire probate file would turn up "missing" even though indexes say it once existed.

4.   The census taker would either not list them, OR he would list them twice, with sleight differences, causing quarrels among descendants whether they are the same person or not.

5.   The family Bible was sent "west" with the youngest unmarried daughter, where she married a "Mr. Smith."

6.   The family cemetery was sold to outsiders, who used the headstones to make a sidewalk.

7.   The church they joined did not believe in recording vital statistics.

8.   They started rumors of how they were related to someone famous, causing   descendants to search the wrong family.

9.   They started rumors of how they were born in England, arrived in Virginia with two brothers (one of whom was born in France, the other in Sweden).   To conceal their identity, one brother moved to Georgia, the other to Maine, while they remained in Virginia.

10. And, when all else failed and they were about to be discovered, the county courthouse would "accidentally" burn.

If you can prove your ancestor was beamed down by aliens, Halbert's of Bath,Ohio has recently prepared a family history of the Alien family, complete with the Alien coat of arms, which you will be proud to display over your fireplace.

All available evidence indicates that this story was apparently first made public, in 2000, by a Fredric Z. Saunders, and began making the rounds of Genealogy Message Boards soon thereafter, especially by the spring of 2001, still popping up occasionally even today.

The great mystery is why the Mainstream Media did not pick up the story, and run with it, and why Hollywood, considering the popularity of certain Sci-Fi films as far back as the 1950's, didn't secure the rights to make a film related to the subject.

It's a given that Government Agencies would stay mum on the subject of this report, of course. ;-D

Just in case you haven't figured it out it...yet, this story is my way of spreading the word about being aware of Genealogy Scams on the Internet (And clue you in on some really cool websites for Family Roots Digger-Uppers, too!).

Happy hunting! ;-D

Finding Aunt Golda 3

Finally at long last I had the death certificate of Golda Dougherty Sweatt, and it was fascinating to read.

April 9, 2002:

Hello everyone,

Tomorrow morning I will go and pay my respects to my AUNT GOLDA.

Today I received her DEATH CERTIFICATE in the mail, and all is finally revealed.

GOLDA SWEATT died on March 7, 1964.

The time was 1:45am

The location was Los Angeles County General Hospital 1200 N. State Street, Los Angeles, Ca..

The immediate cause of death was Myocardial Infarction DUE TO Arteriosclerosus Coronary Thrombosis.

Aprox. interval between onset and death: 1 day.

LAST RESIDENCE: HODGES REST HOME- 3991 DALTON AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA...

Name of Informant: Hospital Records.

BURIAL: QUEEN OF HEAVEN CEMETERY Date of Burial: March 26, 1964.

FUNERAL DIRECTOR: Los Angeles County General Hospital. Not embalmed.

DATE OF BIRTH: 4/13/1892 in KY.

FATHER: William Dougherty.

MOTHER: Minnie Fraze.

LAST OCCUPATION: Housewife.

Length of stay in California: 12 years.

Length of stay in County of Death: 7 yrs.

Social Security #: None.

Document filed: May 1, 1964 by Ray E. Lee, County Recorder.

Well, there ya have it.

I checked the THOMAS GUIDE Map Book and found the location of her last residence.

The street is a few short miles west of USC, off Martin Luther King Blvd. in Los Angeles.

The REST HOME no longer exists, though the building is still there as a single family home, and from what a neighbor told me, the facility had disappeared from the scene by 1970.

The Cemetery is in Rowland Heights, just a couple of miles southeast of the Puente Hills Mall.

It is interesting that her mother's name is listed as Minnie. This raises the question of mispelling since everyone has always said her name was Mittie.

I am going to the cemetery in the morning, and in the afternoon will make my way to the Dalton Street address to see if the Rest Home is still there or a successor, and see what else I can find out.

I will also contact the Little Sisters of the Poor again with the info I have to see if they were ever connected with the Rest Home and have records under the name she goes by on her Death Certificate.

The next morning I hopped the bus and travelled to the cemetary, half expecting ol' Golda to pipe up, upon my arrival, "About damn time, young feller! What took ya so long?". :-D

LAST RESIDENCE: HODGES REST HOME- 3991 DALTON AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA...

Name of Informant: Hospital Records.

BURIAL: QUEEN OF HEAVEN CEMETERY Date of Burial: March 26, 1964.

FUNERAL DIRECTOR: Los Angeles County General Hospital. Not embalmed.

DATE OF BIRTH: 4/13/1892 in KY.

FATHER: William Dougherty.

MOTHER: Minnie Fraze.

LAST OCCUPATION: Housewife.

Length of stay in California: 12 years.

Length of stay in County of Death: 7 yrs.

Social Security #: None.

Document filed: May 1, 1964 by Ray E. Lee, County Recorder.

Well, there ya have it.

I checked the THOMAS GUIDE Map Book and found the location of her last residence.

The street is a few short miles west of USC, off Martin Luther King Blvd. in Los Angeles.

The REST HOME no longer exists, though the building is still there as a single family home, and from what a neighbor told me, the facility had disappeared from the scene by 1970.

The Cemetery is in Rowland Heights, just a couple of miles southeast of the Puente Hills Mall.

It is interesting that her mother's name is listed as Minnie. This raises the question of mispelling since everyone has always said her name was Mittie.

I am going to the cemetery in the morning, and in the afternoon will make my way to the Dalton Street address to see if the Rest Home is still there or a successor, and see what else I can find out.

I will also contact the Little Sisters of the Poor again with the info I have to see if they were ever connected with the Rest Home and have records under the name she goes by on her Death Certificate.

The next morning I hopped the bus and travelled to the cemetary, half expecting ol' Golda to pipe up, upon my arrival, "About damn time, young feller! What took ya so long?". :-D

Finding Aunt Golda 2

After months of inactivity I took up the search again, for Golda Dougherty Sweatt, and one day...

"Hello Aunt Goldie! We thought you was lost to us..."

AS E-MAILED TO MY RELATIVES THIS AFTERNOON:

I FOUND AUNT GOLDIE!!!
I FOUND AUNT GOLDIE!!!
HALLEFREAKINLUJAH!!!
I FOUND AUNT GOLDIE!!!

Hi there everyone, TODAY is a very important day in our family history.

I am crying tears of joy as I write this...

I have spent the whole day checking out the KENTUCKY DEATH INDEX 1911- PRESENT online. I found more info on the names I wrote to ELMWOOD about. I will write to you all tonite about what I discovered. THIS couldn't wait, however. I said to myself: SELF, YOU MORON, how about seeing if you can locate a CALIFORNIA DEATH INDEX? I found it through a free site.

I typed in SWEATT in the criteria for last name and came up with a list of names.

I then went back and typed in the first name as found on the list, as well, so I could copy THE FOLLOWING out and paste it here for you all to see and print out if you can: Needless to say I will send for the death certificate, and use the info there to find where she is buried, and pay my very long awaited and overdue respects.

IF she's buried in Los Angeles County, that is. :-D

I will also re-contact the Little Sisters of The Poor. Anyway, here, say hello to AUNT GOLDY... :-D

And there she was:

Sweatt, Golda

Born: 4/13/1892

Mother's last name: Fraze

Sex: Female

Birthplace: KY.

County of Death: Los Angeles

Died:3/7/1964

Social Security #: Unknown

Age: 71

To be concluded...

I have spent the whole day checking out the KENTUCKY DEATH INDEX 1911- PRESENT online. I found more info on the names I wrote to ELMWOOD about. I will write to you all tonite about what I discovered. THIS couldn't wait, however. I said to myself: SELF, YOU MORON, how about seeing if you can locate a CALIFORNIA DEATH INDEX? I found it through a free site.

I typed in SWEATT in the criteria for last name and came up with a list of names.

I then went back and typed in the first name as found on the list, as well, so I could copy THE FOLLOWING out and paste it here for you all to see and print out if you can: Needless to say I will send for the death certificate, and use the info there to find where she is buried, and pay my very long awaited and overdue respects.

IF she's buried in Los Angeles County, that is. :-D

I will also re-contact the Little Sisters of The Poor. Anyway, here, say hello to AUNT GOLDY... :-D

And there she was:

Sweatt, Golda

Born: 4/13/1892

Mother's last name: Fraze

Sex: Female

Birthplace: KY.

County of Death: Los Angeles

Died:3/7/1964

Social Security #: Unknown

Age: 71

To be concluded...

Finding Aunt Golda

Every Genealogist has his or her Brick Walls.

Probably more than a few, if truth be told.

Brick walls are those family mysteries needing solving, those ancestors, lost in the mists of time, whose records are hard to come by, and so much more, as varied as can be.

One of my Brick Walls involved an Aunt. My Grandmother Iva Dougherty's older sister, to be exact.

I began to delve into this mystery in 2001, and solved it in 2002.

This is the story of my search for Golda Dougherty Sweatt, as told through various message board entries all those years ago (The only Photo I know of has her posing with my Mother, Mary Alice Wells, age 27/28, sometime in the Spring of 1957, in Pomona, CA.):

August 15, 2001:

"Genealogy goes Twilight Zone"

Good evening everyoone!

I'm barely at this genealogical thing again for a month and things are already going TWILIGHT ZONE on me. ;-D

I don't know what it means yet.

To wit:

As you know I decided, on the spur of the moment, to dash off to the CHICAGO SHINDIG next month.

As you also know I've revived my Genealogical searching.

One person I'm looking for was last seen, and heard from, in 1958 as she left Pomona, Ca. to go to THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR in Los Angeles.

My Mothers Aunt (My Grandma's sister) was in her late 50's/early 60's at the time.

This morning I did a 411 and was given a phone number, not in Los Angeles, but in San Pedro to the south.

I called:

It seems the Sisters moved from L.A. in 1979.

There were no Sisters from the 50's or 60's there, and according to the lady I talked with, any records of residents and their fate would be housed in the MOTHER HOUSE.

While she didn't have at hand the former addy in L.A. she did give me the MOTHER HOUSE addy.

Doing an Internet yellow pages search I got the phone number.

I will call first thing in the morning, trust me.

Here's where it gets really interesting:

The MOTHER HOUSE is located outside CHICAGO.

In PALATINE, to be exact.

Am I meant to pay a visit to this place?

I don't know.

It is my hope that any records they have can be copied and mailed to me.

I will begin to learn more tomorrow.

I know a commuter train goes to PALATINE, and if I need to go there for some reason I will do so on MONDAY the 10th since my flight home is an evening flight.

There is REAL HOPE, after 43 years, that Aunt Goldie, who was lost and nearly forgotten, will be found.

The Sisters run a FACILITY for Seniors and when someone dies they are buried according to their wishes, tombstone and all.

To my way of thinking she is either buried in Los Angeles, or back in Owensboro next to her husband, Albert R. Sweatt (Abt. 1892 - 6/29/39), with whom she had no children.

Tomorrow morning ought to be interesting. ;-D

It was...

August 15, 2001:

"Genealogy goes Twilight Zone"

Good evening everyoone!

I'm barely at this genealogical thing again for a month and things are already going TWILIGHT ZONE on me. ;-D

I don't know what it means yet.

To wit:

As you know I decided, on the spur of the moment, to dash off to the CHICAGO SHINDIG next month.

As you also know I've revived my Genealogical searching.

One person I'm looking for was last seen, and heard from, in 1958 as she left Pomona, Ca. to go to THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR in Los Angeles.

My Mothers Aunt (My Grandma's sister) was in her late 50's/early 60's at the time.

This morning I did a 411 and was given a phone number, not in Los Angeles, but in San Pedro to the south.

I called:

It seems the Sisters moved from L.A. in 1979.

There were no Sisters from the 50's or 60's there, and according to the lady I talked with, any records of residents and their fate would be housed in the MOTHER HOUSE.

While she didn't have at hand the former addy in L.A. she did give me the MOTHER HOUSE addy.

Doing an Internet yellow pages search I got the phone number.

I will call first thing in the morning, trust me.

Here's where it gets really interesting:

The MOTHER HOUSE is located outside CHICAGO.

In PALATINE, to be exact.

Am I meant to pay a visit to this place?

I don't know.

It is my hope that any records they have can be copied and mailed to me.

I will begin to learn more tomorrow.

I know a commuter train goes to PALATINE, and if I need to go there for some reason I will do so on MONDAY the 10th since my flight home is an evening flight.

There is REAL HOPE, after 43 years, that Aunt Goldie, who was lost and nearly forgotten, will be found.

The Sisters run a FACILITY for Seniors and when someone dies they are buried according to their wishes, tombstone and all.

To my way of thinking she is either buried in Los Angeles, or back in Owensboro next to her husband, Albert R. Sweatt (Abt. 1892 - 6/29/39), with whom she had no children.

Tomorrow morning ought to be interesting. ;-D

It was...

Dear Myrtle: A Genealogical Advice, News, and Information Resource

For 13 years DEAR MYRTLE has been "Your friend in Genealogy" on the Internet.

With a Subscriber only Daily Online Column ( It's Free! ) that can be read through a Blog, or an RSS Feed, and an E-mail List on Rootsweb, amateur Roots Digger-uppers have benefitted from the advice they have gained.

But, there's more!

Podcasts, and article archives.

Dear Myrtle Books one can purchase.

But most importantly there are the Beginning Genealogy Lessons!

35 of them, and 13 related ones.

Print them out! Myrtle Insists!

This website is just one of many in my Genealogy Blogroll.

In 2005 something I wrote to Myrtle was shared by her with her readers on Rootsweb.

One day Myrtle had asked readers what they would tell beginners, in the way of advice:

If you heard of someone just starting out, WHAT would be your advice? What pitfalls would you advise them to avoid? What organization tips have helped you the most?

Even though I'd been at this, sporadically, for 18 years, I still considered myself a "beginner", but I felt I had something to contribute, and that maybe Myrtle might agree.

I've edited my original letter to leave in that worth sharing all these years later:

Dear Myrt,

I don't know why I'm responding to your request since, hell, I consider myself a beginner, despite sporadic digging since 1987. :-D

Life, little time, and resources, and not getting a computer until 1999 slowed me down.

While I did solve a family mystery, on my own, a few years ago, and have notions about solving another, it was thanks to the help of others met through Rootsweb and Ancestry, that  I have new info that adds more mysteries for me to solve before I can proceed beyond 1900.

My advice to newbies, like myself, is to read, and use, all the websites, books, and articles, you can to help you learn, but also don't be afraid to DO, if you have the time, and means.

Participate in Message Boards, and e-mail lists.

The rewards might suprise you.

As you learn more about your ancestors, and discover mysteries, and supposed Brick Walls, don't give up. Study, and think about, all you know, ask questions, be persisitent, and you will be rewarded.

Another bit of advice pertains to using creative writing as a tool in your research:

If you discover a writing exercise that might help you, or other family members, remember, and subsequently share thoughts, memories, and stories go for it!

I did with the exercise called "Where I'm From".

Now THAT made my whole day! ;-D

I was not the only one to write in, and Myrtle  shared several of those, along with mine:

It seems your responses fell basically into 3 categories:

-- cite your sources (title page and publication date)
-- interview older relatives
-- be persistent
-- develop an organization system

4 particular letters, deserve as wide an audience as possible:

For 13 years DEAR MYRTLE has been "Your friend in Genealogy" on the Internet.

With a Subscriber only Daily Online Column ( It's Free! ) that can be read through a Blog, or an RSS Feed, and an E-mail List on Rootsweb, amateur Roots Digger-uppers have benefitted from the advice they have gained.

But, there's more!

Podcasts, and article archives.

Dear Myrtle Books one can purchase.

But most importantly there are the Beginning Genealogy Lessons!

35 of them, and 13 related ones.

Print them out! Myrtle Insists!

This website is just one of many in my Genealogy Blogroll.

In 2005 something I wrote to Myrtle was shared by her with her readers on Rootsweb.

One day Myrtle had asked readers what they would tell beginners, in the way of advice:

If you heard of someone just starting out, WHAT would be your advice? What pitfalls would you advise them to avoid? What organization tips have helped you the most?

Even though I'd been at this, sporadically, for 18 years, I still considered myself a "beginner", but I felt I had something to contribute, and that maybe Myrtle might agree.

I've edited my original letter to leave in that worth sharing all these years later:

Dear Myrt,

I don't know why I'm responding to your request since, hell, I consider myself a beginner, despite sporadic digging since 1987. :-D

Life, little time, and resources, and not getting a computer until 1999 slowed me down.

While I did solve a family mystery, on my own, a few years ago, and have notions about solving another, it was thanks to the help of others met through Rootsweb and Ancestry, that  I have new info that adds more mysteries for me to solve before I can proceed beyond 1900.

My advice to newbies, like myself, is to read, and use, all the websites, books, and articles, you can to help you learn, but also don't be afraid to DO, if you have the time, and means.

Participate in Message Boards, and e-mail lists.

The rewards might suprise you.

As you learn more about your ancestors, and discover mysteries, and supposed Brick Walls, don't give up. Study, and think about, all you know, ask questions, be persisitent, and you will be rewarded.

Another bit of advice pertains to using creative writing as a tool in your research:

If you discover a writing exercise that might help you, or other family members, remember, and subsequently share thoughts, memories, and stories go for it!

I did with the exercise called "Where I'm From".

Now THAT made my whole day! ;-D

I was not the only one to write in, and Myrtle  shared several of those, along with mine:

It seems your responses fell basically into 3 categories:

-- cite your sources (title page and publication date)
-- interview older relatives
-- be persistent
-- develop an organization system

4 particular letters, deserve as wide an audience as possible: