ancestor

  • Development of French Fries

    Jul 19

    Potatoes originated in North America but was soon taken by the Spanish Conquistadors to be in Europe as people loved this food item. It soon spread to many locations in Europe. However, in those early years in France the was potato was grown and feed as animal feed, especially to the hogs. It was Antoine-Augustin Parmentier while in a prison in...

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  • Homemaker Gadgets of the 1960s

    Mar 29

    Many of our female ancestors (mothers, grandmother and aunts) still remained at home as homemakers in the 1960s. Also in the 1960s came on the market, new and labor-saving devices for the homemaker. See if you remember any of these devices. The wall-mounted spice rakes or shelves. There were several same-sized containers all labeled to which th...

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  • Ordering SS Applications Online

    Nov 21

    One of the best original sources for information on a relative or ancestor, especially if they lived after 1900 is the U.S. Social Security Application. To get a copy of those applications, there is a new ordering form known as SS-5. From the Social Security Administration. It is now a bit easier to order those applications. There is a fe...

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  • Political Graveyard

    Aug 31

    You may well have had an ancestor who served in some governmental or political position (Mayor, Senator, state legislator, judge, delegate to a national political party convention, Governor, etc) and you never knew it. With the online site 'Political Graveyard' you can find the listing of some 302,477 political names of real people covering m...

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  • A Photo Can ‘Speak’ Volumes

    May 11

    During the time frame just before the outbreak of the Great War (World War I), every lady wanted to dress properly, no matter what her station in life allowed her husband to afford. So was the case for Leila Rue Heinke, born 1890 in Indiana. She had married in 1906 to a young fellow she grew up with, Harry S. Heinke. Her husband was a salesman...

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  • Describe Your Ancestors

    Oct 31

    It is great to have at least one photo of your ancestors, several over a period of time is even better but guess what, it can be interesting to also be wonderful for your family history to have a written description. It is a bit like a writer describing a character using solely words. So here is how to approach it. Start off with in...

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  • Family Ephemera

    Oct 25

    Something intended only to last a couple of days. That is what the term ephemera means. Those short-term items might just be an important part of your family history. Some examples of ephemera items you may have and overlooked are: postcards, matchbooks, business cards, ticket stubs, calling cards, funeral pamphlet or card, food ration cards...

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  • Occupation—Iceman

    Oct 15

    The idea of the ice-delivery man flirting with stay-at-home wives was such a trope that it inspired a hit song. Composer J. Fred Helf left Kentucky for New York in the 1890s to try his luck as a writer and seller of sheet music. In 1899, he scored his first big success with “How’d You Like to Be the Iceman?” It became a pop culture phen...

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  • U. S. Post Office Workers

    Sep 9

    Mail delivery has been available in the United States since the late 1700s. It began in 1775 with Benjamin Franklin appointed as the first postmaster general. A full Post Office Department of the government was created in 1792. Mail in those early years was paid for by the person receiving the letter or package not the sender. In 1...

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  • Masonic Records

    Aug 19

    Often overlooked resources are Masonic records. Many of your ancestors may have been members of a local Masonic Lodge in their hometown. The Masonic Lodge has been a staple organization in many local communities for decades. This organization includes the ladies, who are members of the Order of the Eastern Star (men can also belong to the East...

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