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Sepia Saturday 154 ~ On The Road Again

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Sepia Saturday provides an opportunity for genealogy bloggers to share their family history through photographs.
     
Today’s Sepia Saturday photo prompt (at end of post) shows a precarious looking wooden bridge over a river.  There are a few people daring to stand and/or sit on that rickety-looking bridge.


The two photos of bridges I’m sharing with you today aren’t made out of wood and don’t appear to be rickety.

My regular readers may remember that my Grandpa Debs Webster and his family immigrated to the United States from Brazil in 1952.  In the last installment of their immigration story, I shared my uncle’s memories of seeing some curious contraptions used as early air conditioners for cars at that time.  I also found photos of these devices.  For those who missed this post, you can read it HERE.

Well, just a short three years after my Grandpa Debs Webster and his family settled in the United States, he and his wife Willis were on the road again.  This time they traveled down to Mexico.  Debs’ only surviving sibling, Carlota, lived in Mexico City.  The photo below shows Willis, Debs, and Carlota on what appears to be a bridge or roadway near or over water.

1955 Visit to Mexico City Debs and Willis Webster and Carlota Webster Guerrero
Mexico City
L to R - Willis Webster, Debs Webster,
Carlota Webster Guerrero
Click to Enlarge

Here’s a close-up view of the happy trio.

1955 Visit to Mexico City Close Up View of Willis Webster Debs Webster and Carlota Webster Guerrero
Mexico City
L to R - Willis Webster, Debs Webster,
Carlota Webster Guerrero
Click to Enlarge

While Debs and Willis were in Mexico, they traveled down to Chiapas to visit relatives there.  They must have purchased this postcard while on this visit.

Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico Vintage Postcard 1955
Dr. Belisario Dominguez Bridge
at Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico
Vintage Postcard
Click to Enlarge

Upon closer examination of this vintage postcard, I noticed that I could read the sign on the top of the bridge.  Here’s a close-up view.


Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico Vintage Postcard 1955
 
The sign reads as follows -
1913 Puente 1931
Dr. Belisario Dominguez

Puente means bridge in English.  So, this bridge must have been dedicated to Dr. Belisario Dominguez.  I wondered who this doctor was so I did a little research.  He was a  Mexican physician who was born in Chiapas in 1863 and was murdered in Mexico City in 1913.

He served as a Senator from Chiapas during the Mexican Revolution and was killed because of a political speech he wrote following Victoriano Huerta’s coup d'état .    Today, the Mexican Government awards the  “
Order of the Belisario Dominguez Medal of Honor” to eminent Mexican citizens who meet the criteria for this award.

Here's another close-up view from the vintage postcard.  This time, I chose to focus on the car on the bridge.  I thought I'd share this with you just because it's fun to see this old vintage car.


Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico Vintage Postcard 1955

My Grandpa Debs and Grandma Willis took lots of photos and purchased several postcards while on their trip to Mexico in 1955.  And I’m looking forward to sharing more of these with you in the future.

To see what other Sepia Saturday participants have written about, whether it be rickety bridges, water, vintage postcards and cars, or anything else for that matter, just click
HERE.

Sepia Saturday 154 December 1, 2012

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Advent Calendar - December 3, 2012 ~ Tinsel, Glass Birds and Cranberry Garlands

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This is part of the "Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" by Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers. If you'd like to join in the fun, just click HERE.

 

December 3 – Christmas Tree Ornaments


Did your family have heirloom or cherished ornaments? Did you ever string popcorn and cranberries? Did your family or ancestors make Christmas ornaments?

Jana and brothers in front of Christmas Tree
Jana and her Brothers at Christmas
Click to Enlarge

The special Christmas ornaments I remember most from my childhood were the painted glass birds that clipped onto the Christmas tree branches.  You may be able to see them on our tree in the photo above.  (Yes, that’s me in my nurse’s hat with my two brothers in the background.)  The birds were very pretty and had stiff flat plastic bristle-like tails that were decorated with glitter and other pretty things.  My dad liked the look of silver tinsel, which you can see was used to decorate our tree as well.  And, although it is not a tree ornament, I do remember the paper angel sitting on the mantel.  As I recall, it was made of paper and painted gold.

I don’t know if my
Grandma Ingrid Gilberg used tinsel or glass bird ornaments to decorate her Christmas trees when she was a girl.  But, I’ve been able to read about some other decorations she and her family used to decorate their Christmas trees.  In her vocal history, recorded by my father, Grandma Ingrid reminisced about the traditions she and her Swedish immigrant parents shared at Christmas.  Among these were how they decorated their tree.
She recalled,
"It was a tradition that we make garlands for our tree.  We would decorate the ceilings with paper from corner to corner.  We would polish apples and hang them on the tree.  We did not have popcorn at this time, but we would string cranberries and hang them around the tree.  Then when Christmas Eve came, we would light our candles because there were no electric tree lights at this time.  At Christmas Eve, we would all gather around the room and we would dance around the tree and there was a little step we would dance to and we would sing a Christmas song."

"Now it is Christmas again,
Now it is Christmas again,
And after Christmas comes the New Year,
Yes it is so,
Yes it is so,
After Christmas comes the New Year."
So that you can get an idea of how these ceiling decorations may have looked, here’s a photo from Grandma Ingrid and Grandpa Arthur’s wedding reception.  I’m assuming this looked similar to how the ceiling was decorated with paper garlands at Christmas.

Arthur Iverson and Ingrid Gillberg Wedding Photo
Arthur Iverson and Ingrid Gilberg
on their Wedding Day
Click to Enlarge

At this special time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I'd like to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Advent Calendar–December 4, 2012 ~ Christmas Cards Past and Present

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This is part of the "Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" by Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers. If you'd like to join in the fun, just click HERE.

December 4 – Christmas Cards

Did your family send cards? Did your family display the ones they received? Do you still send Christmas cards? Do you have any cards from your ancestors?


My parents did send and receive Christmas cards.  And they were displayed in our home.  As you can see from the photo below, one of the ways my mom displayed them was by attaching the cards to a ribbon which was then attached to the wall.



I don’t display my Christmas cards the same way my mom did, but I have kept up the tradition of sending Christmas cards to family and friends.   Lately though, I’ve started sending those fun Christmas photo cards from Costco instead of traditional Christmas cards.  I also include a Christmas letter updating the happenings of our family.

You could say that my Grandma Ingrid sent a type of photo Christmas card as well in 1939.  Here is a cute little Christmas card I found in one of my Grandmother Ingrid’s Books of Remembrance.  Pictured are my Grandpa Arthur and Grandma Ingrid Iverson with their three children.
 


Iverson Christmas Card from 1939
Arthur and Ingrid Iverson Christmas Card from 1939
Click to Enlarge
At this special time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I'd like to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Advent Calendar - December 6, 2012 ~ A Visit to Santa Claus

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This is part of the "Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" by Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers. If you'd like to join in the fun, just click HERE.

December 6 – Santa Claus

Did you ever send a letter to Santa? Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?” Do you still believe in Santa Claus?


Jana and her Brother
Visit Santa Claus
Click to Enlarge

As you can see from the photo above, my brother and I did make a visit to see Santa Claus.  Unfortunately, we didn’t look all too happy to see him.  I was three years old and my brother was two years old at the time.

Between the two of us, I’d say my younger brother was the braver child during our visit, as he had the courage to actually look at Santa.  Whether or not I ever gathered up enough courage to look at Santa, I really don't recall.  Oh well, at least we weren’t screaming our heads off.  And for that, I’m sure Santa was very thankful.

At this special time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I'd like to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading!



Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for December 7, 2012

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My Fab Finds for this week are (in no particular order) -
  1. Looking at the news sites AND Copyright and the lost letters by The Legal Genealogist
  2. Finding Your Family History Voice by The Armchair Genealogist
  3. Happy Blogiversary to Me! by ABT UNK
  4. Sepia Saturday #154 - Our Fishing Boat by Guacamole Gulch
  5. Why Newspapers.com? by Kimberly Powell
  6. Is it OK to Borrow That Blog Post? by Michelle Goodrum at The In-Depth Genealogist
  7. WikiTree Announces “Cousin Bait” Toolkits by GeneaPress
  8. How Much Did a Haircut Cost in 1935? by Cross Connections
  9. How to Find Great Genealogy Blogs AND Map My Surname by FamilySearch Blog
  10. Anatomy of a Social Security Number by Rootsonomy
  11. Advent Calendar of Memories: Outdoor Decorations by Jollett etc.
  12. Family History - Why Aren't You Writing from the Heart? by The Ancestor Hunt
  13. The Book of Life:  A Journey Through My Family History on Prezi by Family History with the Lineagekeeper
  14. James Wesley Blacketer's Story Continues... by Family Stories
  15. Create Your Own Ancestors -- Really? by Lost Family Treasures

New Blog Discoveries

Need a good chuckle?  Then #4 and #11 are must reads.

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Sepia Saturday 155 ~ Two Pairs of Overalls and a Dress - Circa 1940

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Sepia Saturday provides an opportunity for genealogy bloggers to share their family history through photographs.

Today’s Sepia Saturday photo prompt (at bottom of post) challenges us to find photos with people in overalls or any kind of working apparel.


Jan Albert Iverson and Siblings Circa 1940
Jan Albert Iverson
and Siblings - Circa 1940
Click to Enlarge

I'm sure these three cute kiddos were not about to head off to work.  It's much more likely they were headed outside to play.  This is a photo of my dad, Jan Albert Iverson, with his sister and brother.

My Dad's the one on the far left sporting the more traditionally-styled overalls.  They look like what I picture when I think of overalls.  His little brother, on the other hand, is wearing a different style of overalls.  They remind me of vintage bell-bottom sailor’s pants.  Aren’t they cute?

This photo was taken around 1940, so my dad would have been about four years old.

To see what other Sepia Saturday participants have written today, just click
HERE.


Sepia Saturday 155 December 8, 2012

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Tech Tuesday ~ Watermarked Photos

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I’ve been asked recently about how I put a watermark on the photos I use within my blog.  And since more than one person has asked me this question, I thought I’d go ahead and write a blog post about how I do this.

One of the genealogy bloggers who contacted me said she’d had a couple of her photos “borrowed” from her blog. Hopefully using watermarks on your photos will help to stop this from happening.

The process I use is really very simple.  I use
Windows Live Writer to compose my blog posts.  Windows Live Writer is part of the Windows Essentials suite.  I’m currently using Windows 7 and there was a rumor that Windows Live Writer was going to be discontinued with the Windows 8 update.  But happily, it looks like Live Writer has been continued in the new Windows Essentials 2012 Suite.

Windows Live Writer has a built-in watermark feature.  So, here’s how it works and what the program looks like:

This is what the start-up page looks like for my blog.  Your blog's settings and template will cause it to look different for you.


 


Windows Live Writer 1
Click to Enlarge

When you are ready to add a photo to your blog post draft, click on the "Pictures" tab in the toolbar and insert your photo.

Windows Live Writer 6
Click to Enlarge

Once you’ve added a photo to your blog post draft, just click the "Watermark" tab in the toolbar.

Windows Live Writer 2
Click to Enlarge

The Watermark dialog box will appear.  Type your copyright statement in the Watermark text line.  As you can see, there are different options available:  font family, size, and position of your watermark.  Once you’ve created your watermark, press OK.  And here’s a nifty little feature.  When you press the "Set to default" tab, Windows Live Writer will automatically add the watermark you just created to each photo you upload in the future. 


Windows Live Writer 3
Click to Enlarge

And here we are!  Your photo now has a watermark.  It’s just that simple!

Windows Live Writer 4
Click to Enlarge

After completing your blog post draft, press the "Post draft to blog" tab in the toolbar.  Your blog post should then be sent over to your blog.  (Check first before exiting Windows Live Writer.)

Windows Live Writer 5
Click to Enlarge

I use Blogger.  And when I write my blog posts, I will usually tweak them in Blogger once the draft has been transferred over from Windows Live Writer.

Of course, there are other ways to add watermarks to photos.  I’ve used Photoshop to add watermarks to the photos I’ve uploaded to Pinterest.  But for adding watermarks to my photos within my blog posts, I prefer the simplicity of Windows Live Writer.

Thanks for reading!



Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for December 14, 2012

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My Fab Finds for this week are (in no particular order) -
  1. An Example of a Record Found in the British Army Pensioners – Royal Hospital Kilmainham Collection at Findmypast.com by GenBlog
  2. Viivo Adds Security to Saving Your Data in the Cloud by Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
  3. Advent Calendar: Other Traditions by Jollett etc.
  4. Not Everyone Is Hip by Larry Cragun Family And Genealogy Blog
  5. What do I Need to Restore Damaged Photographs? Part One by FamilySearch Blog
  6. Blogging for Cousins? How about blogging for help? by Desperately Seeking Surnames
  7. 13 Easy & Free Ways To Watermark Photos by MakeUseOf (Thanks Thomas MacEntee for sharing this post on Facebook)
  8. NARA’s Bill Mayer Speaks About Genealogists by The Ancestry Insider
  9. Create Your Own Genealogy Blog Stock Images by Ancestral Breezes
  10. Batch Download FamilySearch Documents With FastFilm and Decrease Your Genealogical Research Times by We are Cousins – South Texas And Northeastern Mexico Genealogy
  11. Let’s Talk About Who’s Stealing Blog Content by Clue Wagon
  12. Fab free resource by Android Genealogy
  13. Invite an Ancestor for Christmas Dinner by The Olive Tree Genealogy
  14. FamilySearch Forums Closing ~ 31 Dec 2012 by Family History With The Lineagekeeper

JUST A NOTE:

I’ve never mentioned one of my own blog posts in my weekly Fab Finds list before.  But I thought I’d go ahead and mention one today.  (And, no, I'm not saying my post is a Fab Find.)  It's a post I wrote this week about watermarking photos and is an alternative method to those listed in #7 above.


So, if you’re interested, here’s the link to my post:  Tech Tuesday ~ Watermarked Photos

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for December 21, 2012

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Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas

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I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

I'm so thankful for this time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope you enjoy this special Christmas video.





Merry Christmas!

Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for December 28, 2012

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My Fab Finds for this week are (in no particular order) -
  1. Letters from Germany - The 90 Year Saga Continues by Braunhart Mania
  2. Genealogy – more than names and dates by Cindy Freed's Genealogy Circle
  3. My Top & Favorite Posts of 2012 AND Dear GeneaSanta, How About Some Research Help by GenBlog
  4. Which #Hashtag is Right For Me, Revisited by Ancestral Breezes
  5. A Year in Review by A Family Tapestry
  6. Christmas Tree Decorations A Hundred Years Ago by A Hundred Years Ago
  7. The Lives of Our Immigrant Ancestors by FamilySearch Blog
  8. Dear Ancestry.com AND Review of Blog Stats for 2012 by Desperately Seeking Surnames
  9. 2012 Genealogical Year in Review by Genealogy's Star
  10. Top Ten Articles Shared in 2012 from Finding Forgotten Stories AND My Top Ten Blog Posts for 2012 on Finding Forgotten Stories by Finding Forgotten Stories
Thanks for Reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Ancestor Landing Page ~ Debs Webster Family Immigration Story

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I really enjoyed reading Caroline Pointer's blog post Blogging Genealogy: How to get visitors to read more.   She had some great suggestions for the genealogy blogger.  One of those suggestions was to create an Ancestor Landing Page for an ancestor or family that we write about often.

I've been writing a series of posts about the immigration story of my Grandpa Webster and his family, who emigrated from Brazil to the United States in 1952.
 
webster family before leaving for US 1952 Color Adjusted
Webster Family Photo
Before Leaving for the United States
June 10, 1952

So, I decided to create an Ancestor Landing Page for their story - Debs Webster Family Immigration Story.

And, I'll probably create an Ancestor Landing Page for my Great-Grandpa Frederick Webster, a.k.a. "The Traveling Dentist" in the future.  I'm fascinated by his life and many travels.

Thanks Caroline Pointer for your awesome suggestion about Ancestor Landing Pages!

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Those Places Thursday–Webster Family Road Trip: California ~ A New Home

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This post is part of a series dedicated to the immigration story of Debs Webster and his family.

It's been a few weeks since the
last installment of my Grandpa Debs Webster's Immigration Story.  In that post, I shared my uncle's memories of traveling across the country in a crowded unairconditioned car in the middle of summer.  I also shared some photos of an interesting early air conditioning system that some people were lucky enough to have on their cars.

During this long trip, Grandpa Debs Webster and his family had many exciting experiences and visited some very interesting places as they immigrated to the United States from Brazil.  It was really quite an adventure!

But it was probably a bit sad as well.  They had to
say goodbye to the only home most members of the family had ever known.   That must have been very difficult.  But, they said their goodbyes and looked forward to whatever adventures awaited them.

As it turned out, these adventures included: 
a port of call in Trinidad on their voyage to America, arriving in New York City in July, and staying in an unairconditioned upper floor hotel room, buying a car and camping equipment in New York in preparation for their cross-country trip to California, and foraging for watercress to add to their picnic meals

After about a month's travel time by ship and automobile, Grandpa Webster and his family finally arrived at their destination in Glendora, California.


When my Grandpa Debs Webster and his family emigrated from Brazil to the United States, they had a Sponsor named Mr. West.  He and his family lived in Glendora, California along Historic Route 66.  Mr. West graciously let my Grandparents and their family live in a house on his property.

The photos below are some of the last ones in my Grandpa Debs' 1952 Photo Album.  I'm so glad he put this album together which photographically documented their immigration trip.

See the house behind the shed?  (The shed is the building in the foreground next to the huge tree.)  That house is where my Grandparents' family lived until they bought a house of their own.

I think this photo is especially fun because it shows my uncles learning the All-American sport of Baseball.


  
See the car parked next to the shed in the photo below?  That's the 1951 Chevrolet Sedan Grandpa Debs bought in New York before their cross-country trek to California.

  
After arriving in California, it was time for the Webster family to see the sites in their new home state.  Here they are visiting the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  My two uncles are the little boys in the photo and my Grandma Willis is to the left of them.

 The Webster Family in Hollywood California 1952

I hope you've enjoyed reading the Debs Webster Family Immigration Story as much as I've enjoyed sharing it.

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for January 4, 2013

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I have an unusually long list of Fab Finds this week.  It seems that many Geneabloggers have been quite active this past week, now that the Christmas and New Year's holidays are behind us.

So, without further adieu, my Fab Finds for this week are (in no particular order) -
  1. Blogging Genealogy: How to get visitors to read more by BloggingGenealogy.com
  2. Locating Ohio Obituaries Just Got Easier by The Corn and Cotton Blog
  3. The Whys of It All by A Southern Sleuth
  4. The Time is Now to Find Your Japanese Ancestors by Japanese Genealogy Blog
  5. With a Little Help From My Friends... by Adventures in Genealogy
  6. Who crossed your Civil War ancestor’s path? by Poore Boys In Gray
  7. A Favorite Christmas Gift! You might want one, too! by Nutfield Genealogy
  8. Where Were They? Turn of the Century Mark by Ancestral Breezes
  9. Taking up fly-by-night genealogy by Dear Myrtle
  10. Is Your Blog Shareable? Make It Easy On Your Readers. Motiviation Monday by Finding Forgotten Stories
  11. New Help for Genealogists on Twitter by Marian's Roots & Rambles
  12. Using DropBox to Backup and Share your Important Files – or Why I Don’t Bother Carrying a Flash Drive Anymore AND Using the National Genealogical Society Book Loan Collection by FamilySearch Blog
  13. I Am Your Audience by Sally Searches
  14. Copyright and the pen name by The Legal Genealogist
  15. Ancestry.com Discloses 2013 Plans by The Ancestry Insider
  16. But I Don't Know Who They Are by Desperately Seeking Surnames
  17. Ohio Genealogical Society–6th Annual Writing Competition by Writing Your Way to the Past
  18. 75 Best State Websites Now Available Online by Genealogy Insider
Several Geneabloggers wrote posts in which they looked back at 2012 and looked forward to 2013.
  1. 2012's Most Popular Posts on "My Ancestors and Me" by My Ancestors and Me
  2. Looking back at 2012 by The Legal Genealogist
  3. Genealogy Goals for 2013 by The Corn and Cotton Blog
  4. 2012 In Review by Begin with 'Craft'
  5. 2013 Genealogy Priorities: Birk, Mahler, Jacobs Families by Climbing My Family Tree
  6. Knowing when to tip over or How I plan to write more this year. Tuesday’s Tip by Finding Forgotten Stories
Jill Ball at Geniaus put together a Geneameme called "Accentuate the Positive 2012."  Many Geneabloggers participated.  I've listed three geneabloggers' posts, but there are so many more.  Jill's post (#4) lists all of the Geneameme participants.
  1. Accentuate the Positive - 2012 Geneameme by Twigs and Trees
  2. Accentuate the Positive 2012 Geneameme by Adventures in Genealogy
  3. Thankful Thursday - Accentuate the Positive by The Last Leaf On This Branch
  4. 2012 - A Very Good Year by Geniaus

New Blog Discoveries

Whew!  Okay, so that's it for this week's Fab Finds.  Have a great week everyone!

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Hurray! It's Time To Do The Genealogy Happy Dance!

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Thanks to Jen Baldwin at Ancestral Breezes, I was able to do the Genealogy Happy Dance yesterday.  On Facebook, Jen posted a link to the Colorado Statewide Divorce Index, 1900-1939 on FamilySearch.org.

I clicked the link to start searching for a divorce for my Great-Grandfather Frederick Emory Webster, a.k.a.
"The Traveling Dentist."  Why was I looking for a divorce record for him?  Because he was married twice.  Ya, I hadn't mentioned that little fact on my blog yet. I descend from his second wife, Esther Matus Villatoro, who was from Mexico.  His first wife was Kate E. Woodhouse.  She was from England.  Kate and Frederick married in Denver, Colorado on December 10, 1888.

I discovered that Frederick had a first wife some time ago.  After learning this fact, I  was really hoping that he hadn't just left the United States and married again without getting a divorce first.

Would you believe I found Frederick and Kate's Divorce Record Report in less than half an hour?  Yep, it was absolutely time to do the Genealogy Happy Dance!!  There is no index in this record set, but it is alphabetized, which does make it easier to peruse.

I have to admit, I was quite relieved to find the Divorce Record Report for Kate and Frederick yesterday.  Thank you again Jen!  You helped me check off one of my research goals for Frederick.  Finding a divorce for Frederick and Kate was on my To-Do List.


Divorce Record Report for Frederick Emory Webster and Kate E. Woodhouse
"Colorado Department of Health. Colorado, Statewide Divorce Index, 1900-1939," images, FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org: accessed 6 January 2013), image 1569 of 4516 images, Frederick E. Webster and Kate E. Webster, 1899, Colorado Department of Health and Environment, Denver, Colorado.
As you can see from this divorce report, Fred and Kate had two children together – Myrtie Edna Webster and Earl Webster.  This fact isn't new to me and I've done quite a bit of research about them.  I've found a lot of information on Earl, but not so much on Myrtie Edna, or as my records show, Edna Myrtie (don't know which is right on this one).

Webster Dental & Photo Boats 1896 to 1902 at Lake Charles Louisiana
Webster Dental and Photo Boats circa 1896-1902
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Click to Enlarge

And the Date of Decree is March 14, 1899.  I'm not familiar with divorce lingo, and I'm not a lawyer, so I wasn't sure what a Decree was.  I did a little research online and it looks like it means the divorce is final.  I could be wrong though.  If anyone knows the answer to this, please let me know.  I'd really appreciate it.

Also, it looks like Kate was the one who filed for divorce from Fred.  Now I want to know why.  Was he negligent?  Did he travel too much?  Did she travel with him or was she left at home to care for the kids by herself?  I'm hoping that I can locate the actual divorce records to answer these and other questions.

Assuming the Decree date is the actual date the divorce was final, I was curious to see where Frederick was at that time.  So, I looked at my timeline for him and this is what I found.  I have a photo dated 1896-1902 showing Fred Webster's Dental and Photo Boats at Lake Charles, Calcasieu, Louisiana.  I also have another photo with boats with a date range of 1890-1902 in Morgan City, Louisiana.


Is Kate one of the people in this photo?  If not, just who are all of those people with Frederick?  Perhaps Kate didn't like this bohemian lifestyle of Fred's and called it quits.

Whatever the reason for Fred and Kate's divorce, I'm just so glad to find evidence that there actually was a divorce.  And that Fred didn't just sail away in one of his dental boats to a new life without the proper legal separation from his old life.


Thanks for reading!

Copyright © Jana Last 2013

Three Blog Awards, Kindly Given

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Within the last few days, my blog has been nominated for three different blog awards!  What a fun and humbling surprise!  I am quite honored to receive these awards from my fellow bloggers.

The initial happiness at receiving these awards soon evolved into a bit of anguish about who I would subsequently nominate or "pay the honor forward."

I really don't want to hurt anyone else's feelings by not nominating their blog.  There are so many deserving bloggers out there and I hate leaving anyone out.

With this in mind, I hope my fellow bloggers who have not been nominated by me at this time will accept a well-deserved honorary award nomination.

Yvonne at Yvonne's Genealogy Blog has given me the great honor of nominating my blog for the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award.  Thank you Yvonne!

award-wonderful-team-member-readership-award

The creator of this award said, “As bloggers, we are also readers. That is a part of blogging as listening is a part of speaking."

RULES:
(i) Don’t forget to thank the nominator and link back to their site as well;
(ii) Display the award logo on your blog;
(iii) Nominate no more than fourteen readers of your blog you appreciate and leave a comment on their blogs to let them know about the award;
(iv) Finish this sentence: “A great reader is…”

"A great reader is one who takes the time to read the words of others, and then replies with words of kindness and encouragement."

The following award nominees have consistently left kind and encouraging comments on my blog. 

  1. Celia at Twigs and Trees
  2. Mariann at Into the Briar Patch
  3. Debi at Who Knew?
  4. Laura at Branch and Leaf...a family history blog
There are so many other bloggers who have also done the same. And for that I thank them too.



My blog was also nominated to receive the Liebster Blog Award.  Liebster in German means "dearest."  How sweet is that?  Thank you Laura at Branch and Leaf...a family history blog for this honor.


liebster-blog-award-small

I had never heard of this blog award.  After doing a little research, I found that there are differing rules accompanying this award.  Some require that the nominee answer a set of questions.  But I found another that doesn't mention any questions.  I think I'll go with the no-questions set of rules.

Liebster rules:  1. Thank the one who nominated you by linking back. 2. Nominate five blogs with less than 200 followers. 3. Let the nominees know by leaving a comment at their sites. 4. Add the award image to your site. So, here are my nominees for the Liebster, or "Dearest" Blog Award (in no particular order):
  1. Shelley Bishop at http://www.asenseoffamily.com/
  2. Kathy at http://www.abbieandeveline.com/
  3. Michelle at A Southern Sleuth
  4. Cindy at http://rosehavencottage.blogspot.com/
  5. Nancy at http://nancysfamilyhistoryblog.blogspot.com/


The third award my blog was nominated for is the Blog of The Year 2012 Award.  Thank you Sue at Family History Fun for this great honor!

blog-of-the-year-boty-1star

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:1. Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award.

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3. Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4. Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them.

5. If you choose, you can now join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.

6. As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars for every time you are nominated. For further information on collecting stars, just click on the link provided in Rule 3.

So, without further ado, here are my nominees for this award (in no particular order).
  1. Jen at http://ancestralbreezes.blogspot.com/
  2. Gini at http://www.ginisology.com/
  3. Jacqi at A Family Tapestry

Please take a moment to visit the blogs I've nominated for these three awards.  They are very well written and enjoyable to read.

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2013

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for January 11, 2013

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My Fab Finds for this week are (in no particular order) -
  1. Two Brothers Had TB, One Survived, One Didn't by Documenting the Details
  2. FamilySearch Introduces Two New Search Features by FamilySearch Blog
  3. Top 100 Genealogy Websites for 2013 by GeneaPress
  4. Accentuate the Positive 2012 GeneaMeme by GenBlog
  5. Three Kings Day AND She lived “between the stairs”: reminiscing about my Grandmother’s stories during the “Downton Abbey” premiere…. by Nutfield Genealogy
  6. Cousin Bait Strategy Needed by Nuts From the Family Tree
  7. Sepia Saturday – A Parade of Musical Memories by Abbie and Eveline
  8. Researching Our Mutual Ancestor: Mother Nature by Ancestral Breezes
  9. Write Soon Please by A Southern Sleuth
  10. FamilySearch Mobile Indexing App Withdrawn by The Ancestry Insider
  11. A Little Girl’s Daddy by A Family Tapestry
  12. "Downton Abbey" and Family Photos by Photo Detective – Maureen A. Taylor
  13. New Haley Page Added by Are You My Cousin?
  14. Technology Tuesday - Pulling Evidence from Thin Paper by The Last Leaf On This Branch
  15. We're Off. . . on the How to Archive Family Keepsakes Blog Book Tour by The Family Curator
  16. The drafty Ohioan by The Legal Genealogist
  17. A Family Story by Tall Tales of a Family
  18. The Family History Writing Challenge Returns! by The Armchair Genealogist

New Blog Discoveries

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2013

Sepia Saturday 159 ~ A Trip to Sunset Beach

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Sepia Saturday provides an opportunity for genealogy bloggers to share their family history through photographs.

This is part of a series of posts dedicated to the immigration story of Debs Webster and his family.

Today's Sepia Saturday photo prompt (at end of post) provides the perfect opportunity to share two photos from my Grandpa Debs Webster's 1952 photo album.  I would describe this album as a photographic travelogue about his family's emigration from Brazil to the United States.

The previous
installment of the Debs Webster Family Immigration Story showed that Debs and his family had safely arrived in Glendora, California.  This is the city where their Sponsor, Mr. West and his family lived.  Mr. West kindly allowed Debs and his family to live in a house on his property.

It turns out that Mr. West also owned a beach house.  It was located on
Sunset Beach, which is in Huntington Beach, California.  The two photos below show this beach house during an outing which included both the West and Webster families.

 





I asked my mom about these photos.  She couldn't remember exactly when this outing took place.  But, since the next photo in my Grandpa Debs' 1952 photo album shows the family at Thanksgiving, I think it's safe to assume they went sometime before school started for the kids.

The Webster family arrived in Glendora in August of 1952 and my mom started school that fall, so perhaps they had a little beach getaway sometime in August or on Labor Day weekend.  No matter when the trip occurred, it must have been so fun!

For those unfamiliar with Southern California, this map shows where both Glendora and Huntington Beach are located.


Glendora to Huntington Beach Map
Googlemaps.com

Below is a photo from Wikimedia Commons showing Sunset Beach in 2009.
 
Sunset Beach 2009 Wikimedia Commons - Author Regular Daddy
Sunset Beach 2009
Wikimedia Commons
 Photographer - Regular Daddy

If you'd like to take a virtual trip to the beach, be sure to check out what the other Sepia Saturday participants have written by clicking HERE.


 

Sepia Saturday 159 January 12, 2013
Thanks for reading!

Copyright © Jana Last 2013

May I Introduce To You…Me

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In November of 2012, Gini at Ginisology surprised me with a request to interview me for the "May I Introduce To You" series at GeneaBloggers.  What an honor!

The "May I Introduce To You" series provides a wonderful way for us to get to know our fellow geneabloggers.  Gini does a fantastic job with these interviews.  I'm sure it must take a great deal of time on her part to put these all together.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Gini for giving me this opportunity, and Thomas MacEntee for publishing this series on his GeneaBloggers website.

If you're interested, you can read my interview by clicking this link ~

May I Introduce To You...Jana Last

Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2013

Follow Friday–Fab Finds for January 18, 2013

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My Fab Finds for this week are (in no particular order) -
  1. Sepia Saturday: Christine Forever 24 by Jollett etc.
  2. Now It's Six by Kinexxions
  3. Torn and Ragged by Ancestral Breezes
  4. Wedding Photo Challenge! AND Where Was This Picture Taken? by Past – Present – Future
  5. You Genealogists with More Experience than Me, ... . . . may I please have a moment of your time?  I have a question for you. by My Ancestors and Me
  6. Duck and Cover ! by Maybe someone should write that down…
  7. When a Genealogy Hobby Digs Up Unwanted Secrets by Sue Shellenbarger - The Wall Street Journal
  8. Welcome to a New Year of Indexing by FamilySearch Blog
  9. Giving Our Ancestors a Second Chance by The Spiraling Chains: Kowalski – Bellan Family Trees
  10. A Blast from the Past! by Nutfield Genealogy
  11. Treasure Chest Thursday- Help Needed! Can You Date My Ancestor's Furniture? by Carolina Girl Genealogy
  12. In Response to Comments on Family Tree by Genealogy's Star
  13. Family Recipe Friday: Abuelita's Mexican Rice by Many Branches, One Tree

Concerning Blog Awards…some food for thought
  1. Blogging Genealogy: Blog Awards & SEO by Blogging Genealogy
  2. TO AWARD OR NOT TO AWARD???… by Seeking Susan ~ Meeting Marie ~ Finding Family
  3. Blog awards - what do you think? by Leaves For Trees

On Saturday, January 12, 2013, I received a press release from Jen Baldwin announcing major changes to The In-Depth Genealogist Digital Magazine.  I encourage you to check out these exciting new changes by clicking on the link below. 


Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2013

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