ancestors

  • Labor Day

    Aug 31

    Labor Day was declared a national holiday in 1894 and is observed on the first Monday in September. The roots of Labor Day grew out of violent clashes between labor and police during the Haymarket Riot in 1886, when thousands of workers in Chicago took to the streets to demand an eight-hour workday. Peter J. McGuire, a carpenter and labor union...

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  • Frisbee

    Aug 29

    Everyone is familiar with the sport of 'Frisbee Throwing'. How it all got started is an interesting story. The first Frisbee’s were actually pie pans- but not just any pie pans. In the 1870s a Civil War veteran named William Russell Frisbie opened a bakery in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His pies were well liked locally and his son Joseph expande...

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  • Life for Our Ancestors in the 1910s

    Aug 27

    It was a difficult time, the 1910s for many Americans. Very little technology, war was ongoing in Europe, and the choices that Americans have come to expect—in their cars, clothes, food, and homes—were preceded by a monotonous consumer economy. In 1915, Americans walked everywhere (or took a streetcar, if they lived in cities), lived in three-...

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  • Slang of the 1960s

    Aug 25

    The 'Swinging 60s' did have their selection of slang phrases and words. You may well remember many of these. Dullsville – This referred to a very boring place, especially many small towns. Grody – Something that was disgusting or gross. Bippy – It was one's backside and became quite popular on the 1960s TV show 'Laugh In' when us...

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  • NYC in 1900

    Aug 21

    New York City has been a major landing spot for both newly-arrived immigrants and for Americans seeking a new life in the big city. Starting in the early 1800s, the city became a hub of activity. Not only did the increasing population mean that there was always something to buy or sell in this large city, but the ports of New York had a steady flo...

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  • Tradition of Dance Cards

    Aug 19

    Decades ago the best place to meet other young people in an area was at a dance. Of course, there were plenty of adults to watch that the young people behaved. Some of the ladies were very popular and all the fellows wanted dance with those girls. To make it fair to the ladies and the fellows, women could jot down the names of their would-be pa...

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  • The Teddy Bear

    Aug 17

    Nothing speaks volumes of one's childhood since 1900 than one's own 'Terry Bear'. I'm sure everyone remembers their terry bear and what it meant to them. German businesswoman Margarite Steiff was stricken with polio early in life, but still received an education thanks to her siblings faithfully loading her into a hay cart and taking her to sch...

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  • Caring for Vintage Jewelry

    Aug 15

    You consider yourself very lucky if you have some heirloom, vintage jewelry handed down over the generations. Even one piece is precious. But any vintage jewelry must be cared for. If a piece has amassed soil or dirt on it, try the following. Soiled items you can use a mixture of baking soda and water, gently scrubbing with a toothbrush, but ne...

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  • Unusual Happenings in Early American Colonies

    Aug 11

    There are many backstories as to why some things happened and what life for the early American Colonists was like. Starting with the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachuettes. It was the summer of 1620 were moved to Massachusetts because they ran out of beer. It began on August 5th, 1620, when they departed Plymouth, England, for a journey across the...

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  • Christening Ships

    Aug 3

    A long-time practice is the christening of new ships using a bottle of champagne smashed at the bow sending the ship into the water. Ususally, the person breaking the bottle at the ship's bow also announces the ship's name. Going back to ancient history, there were tons of rituals and ceremonies that varied in their specifics, but they all had ...

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