First memory- Dad

I remember playing in the parkway behind our apartment. We lived in an apartment building, which was part of a long row of 6 story apartments. Behind there was a parkway with small play area, trees and a stream. I remember my dad hitting baseballs to me in this parkway.

What is the first memory of your parents?

It just seemed to begin; I'm not sure when. I remember mom taking me to play in the parkway behind our apartment. I can remember dad building a toy cabinet. (one is in our garage) I "helped." We built it in our living room. We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment and I slept in the same room as mom and dad until we got a 2 bedroom apartment down the hall.

First Memory- mom

My earliest memory is of the National Guard coming to our house on Holland Street in Danville. I was very sick and the doctors were afraid I would not make it. Dad had requested a leave to come help take care of me but they refused. With my mom being so beside herself, my dad stole an army jeep and came to my bed-side. I don't remember being sick, but I do remember the MP's taking my dad away. My grandpa was very angry (as we lived with him), my mom cried, but my dad, My DAD kept telling them "I had to come make sure my baby girl was ok." And then they took my daddy away. I remember standing on the back of the couch watching my handcuffed daddy being driven away. He served time in the brig for coming to take care of me and probably for stealing an army jeep. Dad always said it was the captions fault as he told him if they didn't let him go he would steel a jeep and go anyway. And he did. No regrets. Its interesting that that is my earliest memory and the earliest memory of my parents. I was around three years old according to my mom.

I remember another time when I was awaiting my fifth birthday. I was getting my first party. But as like so many other times in my life there was a hitch! My mom wanted me to get my hair permed. My grandma Laura was to do the dastardly job. I threw a fit. Only to hear the words, "No perm no party." That setteled the problem, I would get my hair permed. I cried and fidgetted many times only to be threatened, No perm no party. I lived through the ordeal but came out with a head full of fuzzy hair. My grandma and mom laughed untill they were crying. They pulled the sides back with red ribbons and called it cute. I had my party

My parents

This is my attempt to see who my parents are! So I have devoted this blog to the history I have learned of my family, beginning with my parents. And any pictures that I could find! I'll begin with the basics.

Dad, when and where were you born?

I was born in Bronxville, NY
February 29th, 1944. Bronxville is a suburb or New York City.

Mom: I was born in Danville, Vermilion, Illinois on November 5, 1951 at Saint Elizabeth Hospital.

Questions?

I need some good questions to answer. What would you like to hear about or know more about? I am going to run out of things to say......

This week I have a goal of calling for information about a grave I am looking for. So be prepared to hear all about the journey to find the missing Civil War Grave of Myron Ames. I figure if I write the goal down then I will have to do it!

The naming game part 3

German Naming Pattern

Pattern A

1st son=father's father
2nd son=mother's father
3rd son=father
4th son=father's father's father
5th son=mother's father's father
6th son=father's mother's father
7th son= mother's mother's father

1st daughter=mother's mother
2nd daughter= father's mother
3rd daughter =mother
4th daughter=father's father's mother
5th daughter=mother's mother's mother

Pattern B

The pattern is the same for the sons but different for the daughters.


1st daughter=father's mother
2nd daughter=mother's mother
3rd daughter= mother
4th daughter =mother's father's mother
5th daughter=father's father's mother


Pattern C

1st son=father's father
2nd son=mother's father
3rd son=father's oldest brother
4th son=father


1st daughter=father's mother
2nd daughter=mother's mother
3rd daughter= mother's oldest sister
4th daughter =mother

German children had the same first names, but went by their middle names. First name is usually a saints name.

If a child dies young the next child is names the same.

The term cousin is widely used for any relative.

And remember Van is Dutch and Von is German

What is in a name....part 2

Irish Naming Pattern

1st son=father's father
2nd son=mother's father
3rd son=father
4th son=father's eldest brother
5th son=mother's eldest brother

1st daughter=mother's mother
2nd daughter=father's mother
3rd daughter= mother
4th daughter =mother's eldest sister
5th daughter=father's eldest sister

If the father remarries after the death of his first wife the first daughter to the new union is often named for the first wife.

If a child dies young the name is often used for the next child of the same sex, thus honoring the child is named for.

The Irish used this pattern into the 20th century; especially those families who came over from the potato famine.



Dutch Naming Pattern

Van is Dutch Von is German

1st son= fathers father
2nd son= mother's father
3rd son= father

1st daughter= mother's mother
2nd daughter= father's mother
3rd daughter= mother

The Dutch sometimes named daughter's after grandfathers using feminine versions of a name.

Sometimes when a mother's family is more prominent mother's names would be used first.

The naming game

I have a few family lines that drive me crazy. Everyone is a John or Andrew. Even cousins born the same year have the same name. So the next few posts will naming patterns. They can be helpful. Just remember it is a pattern and not always used. So we will start with ....

English Naming Pattern

1st son = father's father
2nd son= mother's father
3rd son= father
4th son= father's oldest brother
5th son= father's second oldest brother or mother's eldest brother

1st daughter=mother's mother
2nd daughter=father's mother
3rd daughter= mother
4th daughter=mother's eldest sister
5th daughter=mother's second oldest sister or father's oldest sister

This pattern continued to about 1870


Colonial America

New England's first settlers gave three different types of names:
1. English origin
2. Hebrew/ bible names
3. Names associated with moral qualities: Patience, Mercy, Charity, Thankful

In New England, Virginia and later in other colonies it was common to see surnames as a middle name.

Southern names typically use basic English names such as Mary, Richard. However, regional names did develop such as Ashley, Courtney, Tracy, Shelby. Also two word names are Southern such as Billy Bob, Betty Jean. There is a French influence in the south from Louisiana such as Beau, Paulette.

Quakers and Puritan especially used the biblical names. Puritans would often open the Bible, close their eyes and point to a word at random. Thus you had such names as Maybe, Freegift etc.