Billy was born the day after his older sister, three year old Dorothy died. I can't imagine how his mother would be happy to celebrate the birth of her new baby son when she was mourning the death of her little girl. This wasn't a happy birth day.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Bittersweet Birthday
On this day, January 29th, in 1927, William Howard Davis was born.
Billy was born the day after his older sister, three year old Dorothy died. I can't imagine how his mother would be happy to celebrate the birth of her new baby son when she was mourning the death of her little girl. This wasn't a happy birth day.
Billy was born the day after his older sister, three year old Dorothy died. I can't imagine how his mother would be happy to celebrate the birth of her new baby son when she was mourning the death of her little girl. This wasn't a happy birth day.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Goodbye Dorothy
86 years ago today, Heaven welcomed a little angel. Dorothy Davis was only 3 years old when she died on this day, January 28th in 1927.
It is time to say goodbye forever. There is nothing else to write. I don't know anything about this little girl other than the place and cause of death which is shown on the death certificate. I have no stories to tell.
Dorothy died in Brooklyn, NY but was buried in the Davis family plot in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery located in Poughkeepsie, NY.
♥ R.I.P. ♥
It is time to say goodbye forever. There is nothing else to write. I don't know anything about this little girl other than the place and cause of death which is shown on the death certificate. I have no stories to tell.
Dorothy died in Brooklyn, NY but was buried in the Davis family plot in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery located in Poughkeepsie, NY.
♥ R.I.P. ♥
Friday, January 18, 2013
Hereditary Headaches
One step forward... two steps back
2013 was supposed to be the year that I get organized with genealogy and update my blog more often including adding photos to accompany my stories. The pain has been holding me back.
I finally visited a neurologist a few months ago to find out why I was getting headaches every day. I was living on painkillers and I would often take two pills as soon as I got out of bed in the morning. It is not normal to take this over the counter medicine as soon as I wake up and then more throughout the day. Why? Why was I always in pain?
The neurologist diagnosed me with Chronic Daily Migraines. I didn't want to think that I had migraines every day so I suggested that it might be stress since I'm not happy with my job. The doctor told me that stress could contribute to migraines but is not the only cause. He also told me that chocolate, Chinese food, and cheese could trigger the migraines. Then he told me that migraines can be hereditary with the women in the family.
What? hereditary headaches ? ? ?
I asked my mother if she ever had migraines or ever had this type of headache when she was younger. My mother told me that she's had a migraine only once in her life. I asked about my grandmother getting headaches but my mother didn't know. She said that MaMa had a very low tolerance for pain. Well, that's no help.
As of this writing, the medicine that the doctor prescribed which came with 6 refills is no longer effective after taking it for two months. I am seriously considering finding another doctor or maybe trying some type of herbal remedy. I need relief from these migraines...
Why did I have to inherit the headaches?
2013 was supposed to be the year that I get organized with genealogy and update my blog more often including adding photos to accompany my stories. The pain has been holding me back.
I finally visited a neurologist a few months ago to find out why I was getting headaches every day. I was living on painkillers and I would often take two pills as soon as I got out of bed in the morning. It is not normal to take this over the counter medicine as soon as I wake up and then more throughout the day. Why? Why was I always in pain?
The neurologist diagnosed me with Chronic Daily Migraines. I didn't want to think that I had migraines every day so I suggested that it might be stress since I'm not happy with my job. The doctor told me that stress could contribute to migraines but is not the only cause. He also told me that chocolate, Chinese food, and cheese could trigger the migraines. Then he told me that migraines can be hereditary with the women in the family.
What? hereditary headaches ? ? ?
I asked my mother if she ever had migraines or ever had this type of headache when she was younger. My mother told me that she's had a migraine only once in her life. I asked about my grandmother getting headaches but my mother didn't know. She said that MaMa had a very low tolerance for pain. Well, that's no help.
As of this writing, the medicine that the doctor prescribed which came with 6 refills is no longer effective after taking it for two months. I am seriously considering finding another doctor or maybe trying some type of herbal remedy. I need relief from these migraines...
Why did I have to inherit the headaches?
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
MaMa, How Old Are You?
It isn't polite to ask a lady her age and I don't mean to be rude but how old are you? The family always thought you were born in 1920.
My maternal grandmother, Eleanor was born on June 2nd to Samuel and Josephine Davis. She was the eldest of five children but what year was she born? MaMa's death certificate shows her year of birth as 1920. We all know that this vital record is only as accurate and reliable as the person supplying the information. Well, I found out that the information was wrong when I saw my grandmother listed as a 12 year old in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census and 2 years old in the 1920 census. When the 1940 census was released last year I was so excited and couldn't wait to find my grandmother. and there she was... a 22 year old grown up young lady living in Brooklyn, NY.
The U.S. Federal Censuses have MaMa's year of birth as abt 1918 and the 1925 New York State Census has the year 1917. I finally accepted the year 1918 and totally disregarded the year 1917 until I stumbled upon a church record which had me doubting 1918.
I don't remember how I found this German Genealogy Group site but it's great. germangenealogygroup.com This is a site for those interested in researching their Germanic ancestors. Among the naturalization and vital records databases for New York City, there are a few church databases. St. Leonard's of Port Maurice R.C. Church in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn is the church that my mother and grandmother attended. They also attended St. Leonard's elementary school. This site that I discovered has baptism, communion, and marriage indexes. It has the years 1872 to 178 for baptism and marriage records and 1920 to 1978 for the communion records. I found baptism and communion records for my mother and aunt and then I struck gold. I found a baptism record for an Eleanor Davis born June 2, 1917. Even though the year of birth is listed as 1917, I know that this is my grandmother because the middle name shown is actually MaMa's confirmation name and the year of this sacrament was 1931 making her 14 years old. I'm guessing this record should have been in an index for the confirmation records and not the communion records.
St. Leonard's is no longer in operation as a church or a school. It was demolished and the records were transferred. The school records are held with the Roman Catholic Diocese in Brooklyn and the sacramental records are at St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church in Brooklyn, NY. I already ordered MaMa's school records and will soon order the sacramental records. When I ordered the school records, I wrote the year of birth as 1918 or 1917.
I'm sure now that MaMa was born in 1917 because I took another look at the 1920 U.S. census which asked for the place of abode on January 1, 1920. MaMa is listed as 2 6/12. She was two and a half years old on January 1, 1920 so she was born in June of 1917.
My maternal grandmother, Eleanor was born on June 2nd to Samuel and Josephine Davis. She was the eldest of five children but what year was she born? MaMa's death certificate shows her year of birth as 1920. We all know that this vital record is only as accurate and reliable as the person supplying the information. Well, I found out that the information was wrong when I saw my grandmother listed as a 12 year old in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census and 2 years old in the 1920 census. When the 1940 census was released last year I was so excited and couldn't wait to find my grandmother. and there she was... a 22 year old grown up young lady living in Brooklyn, NY.
The U.S. Federal Censuses have MaMa's year of birth as abt 1918 and the 1925 New York State Census has the year 1917. I finally accepted the year 1918 and totally disregarded the year 1917 until I stumbled upon a church record which had me doubting 1918.
I don't remember how I found this German Genealogy Group site but it's great. germangenealogygroup.com This is a site for those interested in researching their Germanic ancestors. Among the naturalization and vital records databases for New York City, there are a few church databases. St. Leonard's of Port Maurice R.C. Church in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn is the church that my mother and grandmother attended. They also attended St. Leonard's elementary school. This site that I discovered has baptism, communion, and marriage indexes. It has the years 1872 to 178 for baptism and marriage records and 1920 to 1978 for the communion records. I found baptism and communion records for my mother and aunt and then I struck gold. I found a baptism record for an Eleanor Davis born June 2, 1917. Even though the year of birth is listed as 1917, I know that this is my grandmother because the middle name shown is actually MaMa's confirmation name and the year of this sacrament was 1931 making her 14 years old. I'm guessing this record should have been in an index for the confirmation records and not the communion records.
St. Leonard's is no longer in operation as a church or a school. It was demolished and the records were transferred. The school records are held with the Roman Catholic Diocese in Brooklyn and the sacramental records are at St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church in Brooklyn, NY. I already ordered MaMa's school records and will soon order the sacramental records. When I ordered the school records, I wrote the year of birth as 1918 or 1917.
I'm sure now that MaMa was born in 1917 because I took another look at the 1920 U.S. census which asked for the place of abode on January 1, 1920. MaMa is listed as 2 6/12. She was two and a half years old on January 1, 1920 so she was born in June of 1917.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
January 5th Birthday Boys
Today is my son Gregory's 6th birthday (no pics of Greg for his protection). It is also Greg's great-great grandfather's birthday.
Samuel George Davis, my maternal grandmother's father was born in Ohio on this day in 1885. He was the oldest of three children for Daniel and Flora and their only son.
In mid January of 1899, young Samuel was an inmate at the Boys Industrial School, a reform school in Lancaster, Ohio. He was admitted for incorrigibility and truancy. The school records described my great-grandfather as having a pleasant, bright face who didn't drink or smoke. Was it his home life that caused his mischief? His parents were deaf and his father liked to indulge according to the school record which described Daniel as intemperate. Maybe there wasn't much discipline at home? Samuel was released from the reform school on August 9, 1900.
By 1910, Samuel was living in Brooklyn, NY with his parents and younger sister. On the 12th of September in 1918, Samuel filled out the draft registration card for World War I. He is described as medium height and build with gray eyes and brown hair. It doesn't state his complexion but that is listed as fair on the school records. I love how some of the records I've found for ancestors have physical descriptions. Samuel's draft registration card also states that he has a "loss of thumb and first finger on left hand". interesting...
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Samuel with his wife and two children (my maternal grandmother and her younger brother) still living in Brooklyn but not for much longer. The 1922 city directory for Poughkeepsie shows Saml. G. Davis living on South Cherry Street which was the home of his parents.
Poughkeepsie, New York in Dutchess County is where my great-grandfather spent the rest of his life. He died on July 15, 1947 and is buried in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.
Happy Birthday in Heaven to Samuel George Davis.
Happy 6th Birthday to my beautiful little boy Gregory. ♥
Samuel George Davis, my maternal grandmother's father was born in Ohio on this day in 1885. He was the oldest of three children for Daniel and Flora and their only son.
In mid January of 1899, young Samuel was an inmate at the Boys Industrial School, a reform school in Lancaster, Ohio. He was admitted for incorrigibility and truancy. The school records described my great-grandfather as having a pleasant, bright face who didn't drink or smoke. Was it his home life that caused his mischief? His parents were deaf and his father liked to indulge according to the school record which described Daniel as intemperate. Maybe there wasn't much discipline at home? Samuel was released from the reform school on August 9, 1900.
By 1910, Samuel was living in Brooklyn, NY with his parents and younger sister. On the 12th of September in 1918, Samuel filled out the draft registration card for World War I. He is described as medium height and build with gray eyes and brown hair. It doesn't state his complexion but that is listed as fair on the school records. I love how some of the records I've found for ancestors have physical descriptions. Samuel's draft registration card also states that he has a "loss of thumb and first finger on left hand". interesting...
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Samuel with his wife and two children (my maternal grandmother and her younger brother) still living in Brooklyn but not for much longer. The 1922 city directory for Poughkeepsie shows Saml. G. Davis living on South Cherry Street which was the home of his parents.
Poughkeepsie, New York in Dutchess County is where my great-grandfather spent the rest of his life. He died on July 15, 1947 and is buried in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.
Happy Birthday in Heaven to Samuel George Davis.
Happy 6th Birthday to my beautiful little boy Gregory. ♥
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year, it's a Boy !!!
a new year, a new decade, a new baby for my 3rd great-grandparents
William and Emily Davis welcomed their newborn son, Daniel on January 1, 1860 in Milton, NY.
Daniel J. Davis had two older sisters waiting for him when he arrived in the world. When he was about 7 years old he had 'brain fever' causing him to lose his hearing. I found him listed in two special censuses for deaf people.
Daniel met a girl from Ohio. I don't know if he met Flora in New York and travelled back to OH with her or if he was already living in that state when he met her. Daniel married Flora Braught in 1884 and soon after had three children - a son,(my great-grandfather), Samuel and two daughters.
Daniel and his family moved back to NY. They settled in Poughkeepsie (after a brief stay in Brooklyn) where he spent the rest of his days, until he was struck by a train and died on May 29, 1937.
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Daniel J. Davis
Daniel and Flora Davis mid 1930's