Tuesday, March 29, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy - Sweets

Sweets - I can see them now. Carrot Cake, Cheese Cake, and a pumpkin pie dancing in my head (no sugar plums here).  You know I am going to want a piece when I am done here.  Luckily, I don't have any on hand so I can easily tell them "no."

The best sweet treat of all really came from grandma Smedley's cookie jar.  Her homemade chocolate chip cookies.



But the penny candies from aunt Jean's store come in a close second! Yes, I said "penny" candies. Serious, they only cost a penny (I know some of you remember).

When we were in the Bear Lake Valley visiting relatives we never went back home without a little brown paper sack full of penny candies from the Chevron station/store that aunt Jean and uncle Mike used to own. Of course my favorite was the Swedish fish.




Then there were the gummy berries.


Can't forget the Sixlets.


Then there were this yummy licorice treats stuffed with cream filling.  The strawberry flavor had yellow filling and the chocolate licorice had chocolate filling.  They don't make them anymore, but I found something that kind of looks like it:

Word of advice - If you have to have a jawbreaker, DON'T TRY TO CHOMP ON IT (unless you like to go to the dentist)!


And definitely can't forget about the allsorts
When I was in grade school there used to be this old mom and pop store called McMonigal's.  We would go over there at lunch time and buy nickel and dime candy (I know, it sounds weird). My favorite thing to get there was; of course, the above mentioned penny candies and Bub's Daddy bubble gum ropes, Tootsie-pops, Charms sweet and sour pops, Lollies, Pixie Stix, Bottle caps, and Wacky Wafers.

If you there was an Indian chief on your wrapper, you  could trade it for a free Tootsie pop.








If you are ever in the mood for some retro candy, check this site out => Old Time Candy.

Thanks to Amy Coffin at We Tree for coming up with this series.


Thursday, March 24, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy - Movies

The first movie I saw at a drive in theater was CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.




The movie came out December of 1968. That would make me 6 years old. It was at the Starlite drive-in in Chubbuck, Idaho which is no longer standing.  It is part of the mall parking lot now.

Brother, sister, and I were all decked out in our jammies in the back of the 1967 Jeepster. I'ts the only time that dad went with us to the movies (that I remember).

When I was in grade school the PTA sold bundles of discounted movie tickets.  There were probably about a dozen or so tickets, one for a matinĂ©e each week.  All of us friends in the neighborhood would all go together.  The parents would take turns dropping us off and picking us up.


Some of the movies that I remember from those summers are CALL OF THE WILD, SOUNDER, OLD YELLER,  and WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS (are you sensing a theme here?) 









Last month hubby and I went to DRIVE ANGRY 3D. Got to have me some  Nicolas Cage once in a while.







Thanks to Amy Coffin at We Tree for coming up with this series.





Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Paolo Michele Mangiafico Naturalization Papers

Saturday I received the long awaited naturalization papers of hubby's grandpa. I had never seen naturalization papers before so I was excited to see what new information I would learn.

There are  four forms included:

  1. Certificate of Arrival
  2. Declaration of Intention
  3. Petition For Naturalization
  4. Oath of Allegiance


Certificate of Arrival

Declaration of Intention
Petition For Naturalization

Oath of Allegiance

The Certificate of Arrival told me when, where, and how he arrived on this side of the pond.  He arrived in New York under the name of Michele Mangiafico, October 4, 1920 aboard the SS Canada.  No wonder I couldn't find him!  I was looking for a Paolo Mangiafico!

The Declaration of Intention furnished me with his wedding date and a very handsome picture.



It also confused me a little that his daughter was listed as Bridget cause everyone knew her as Bea(trice). But, according to the Italian naming customs it makes sense that her name would be Brigida because she was the oldest daughter named after Paolo's mother.

They also spelled his name wrong - Paulo Michel Mangiofico.

I was finally able to find the ship's passenger list and discovered a cousin.  He was going to Boston to join cousin Rosario Bologna.


Source Citation: Year: 1920; Microfilm Serial: T715; Microfilm Roll: T715_2846; Line: 7; Page Number: 153.
So these papers were very fruitful!  Next item to order -- Giuseppe Bernardo's naturalization papers.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Another Lovely Blog Award

Friday I was surprised to learn that this blog has received A Lovely Blog Award courtesy of Donna from Hanging From the Family Tree.  Thanks Donna, I really appreciate it!


There are three simple rules for accepting this award:


  1. Acknowledge the award by posting on your blog.
  2. Nominate 15 other blogs that you think are lovely.
  3. Contact each person to let them know that they have received the award.
I have been blog jumping all day and found the ones that I want to pass the award to.

  1. Our Georgia Roots
  2. Life From the Roots
  3. Journey to the Past
  4. R.I.P.
  5. My Tapley Tree...and it's Branches
  6. Mary's Musings
  7. Beaudoin-Laroche
  8. Famhist
  9. Family Matters
  10. 100 Years in America
  11. Families of Old Hawaii
These next blogs are not necessarily "genealogy" blogs, but they are packed full of wonderful photos, postcards, and other ephemera that could very well help someone in their genealogy and family history research. I know you will enjoy them are lovely!


Friday, March 18, 2011

I Wont Bite - I promise

Have you ever read Amy Coffin's "Fun With Search Terms" posts over at The We Tree Genealogy Blog? If not, you should head on over there and check it out.

Like her, I tend to get a little bummed when people don't leave comments after arriving at one of my blogs after a little googleing.  I have to say that the search terms that land on my blogs aren't near as interesting as the ones Amy gets.

Anyway I am just here saying that if you are one of my cousins and you land on one of my blogs, sure would be nice if you would leave a comment, or send me an email and say, "hey cuz!" I promise, I wont bite!

Maybe we have the same 9th great-grandpa, or we are 15th cousins thrice removed. We can't know if we don't communicate. I promise, I wont bite!

Even if you're not related and you Google my grandma, let's talk about her.  I promise, I wont bite!

Maybe we can help each other out.  I haven't posted everything yet. I may have something you are looking for. I promise, I wont bite!

And to whoever Googled my aunt from Meridian, Idaho - she is going crazy wondering who is searching for her!  You know I had to tell her.


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Fearless Females - Day 15

In honor of Women's History Month, Lisa Alzo, The Accidental Genealogist, has brought back by demand: Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts.


March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.


Rebecca Hannah Bake Madsen
A friend to everyone she meets.



Monday, March 14, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - Enlistment Contract

It was back in 2001 when I found hubby's father.  Unfortunately he had passed away in 1992.  Since then I have tried to find anything I can to shed some light on who he was.

This first document that I obtained was his death certificate, followed by his social security application.  In 2002 I was fortunate enough to get his military personell  file as well as his medical records.  Within these files is a wealth of information, with a hint of family history.

I decided to transcribe some of these records Amanuensis Monday and I want to start with his first enlistment contract dated October 29, 1957.




Enlistment Contract

1. Service Number: 9028255
2. Name: MANGIAFICO, Joseph Leonard
3. Rate Abbrev.: SR
4. Years Education: 7
5. Place of Birth: Boston, Mass.
6. Date of Birth: 20 Aug 39
7. Religion: Catholic
8. Citizenship: US
9. Marital Status: Single
10. Home Address: Everett, Middlesex, Mass.
11. Social Sec. No.: xxx xx 2684
12. Date of Enlistment: 29 Oct 57
13. Enlisted/Reenlisted in U. S. Navy: First enlistment
14. Branch & Class: USN
15. Term of Enlistment: 04 years
16. Enlistment Code: 1
17. Date Mil. Obl. Incurred: 29 Oct 57
18. Mil. OBL. Designator: A
19. Name of Activity Effecting Enlistment: US NAV CRUITSTA & ONOP     BOSTON, MASS
20. Accepted at: Chelsea, Mass
21. Enlisted at: Boston, Mass.
22. Entitled to reen Bonus: No
23. Selective Service Local Board Number: 103, Everett, Middlesex, Mass.
24. Selective Service Number:
Not Assigned
25. AFQT Score: #6-32%
26. Prior Mil. Service: No
32. Active Duty Base Date: 10-57
33. Date Transferred: 29 Oct 57
34. Transferred to: NTC GREAT LATKES, ILL.
36. Description-Race: Caucasion Sex: male Color Hair: brown Color Eyes: brown Height: 64 1/2 Weight: 124 Complexion; ruddy
37. Marks and Scars: VSULA;S1/2"Forehead; OPS-RLQ;S1/2"RtKnee:

Signature: Joseph Leonard Mangiafico
29th day of October 1957

Report of Medical Examination

1. Last Name-First Name-Middle Name: MANGIAFICO, Joseph Leonard
3. Identification No. 9028255
4. Home Address: 13 Timothy Ave., Everett, Mass.
5. Purpose of Examination: Enlistment USN
6. Date of Examination: 16 Apr 57
7. Sex: M
8. Race: Cau
12. Date of Birth: 20 Aug 39
13. Place of Birth: Boston, Mass.
14. Name, Relationship and Address of Next of Kin: Paul Mangiafico (F) Same as #4
15. Examining Facility or Examiner and Address: AF ES, Army Base, Boton 10, Mass.
39. Identifying body Marks,Scars, Tattoos: VS ULA S1*2" forehead APP: scar solid S1/2" rt knee TT: Eagle and Clasped Hands and "Joe" RUA
44. Remarks and Additional Dental Defects and Diseases: Acceptable
45. Urinalysis: 1.016
46. Chest x-ray: AF ES Boston 16 Apr 57 neg
47. Serology: Hinton- neg mf
51. Height: 64 1/2
52. 124
53. Color Hair: brown
54. Color Eyes: brown
55. Build: slender
56. Temp. N
57. Blood Pressure: 110/60
58. Pulse: 72
59. Distant Vision: 20/20
64. Color Vision: normal BY AOC 1940
70. Hearing: 15/15
77. Examinee: is Qualified for Enlistment in the U.S. Navy for duty at sea and for foreign service.
79. Typed or Printed Name of Physician: CARL YUNGHANS, LT (MC) USNR



Thursday, March 10, 2011

Weekend Adventures in Deciphering Passenger Lists

Last weekend we rode the trike down to Daytona for Bike Week. We always stay with cousin John in Palm Coast when we go down.  Cousin John is actually hubby's father's first cousin which makes them first cousins once removed. When we first met him back in 2003 I was explaining to hubby how they were related and one of the sisters said, "You can't be removed from an Italian family!" I will never forget that, I thought it was funny.

Anyway, Cousin John and his wife Denise have become interested in their family history so her and I spent quite a few hours on Ancestry looking through the passenger lists. Let me tell ya, it sure makes it a lot easier muddling through Italian passenger lists when you are with someone who is familiar with Italy!

So we found a passenger list for hubby's great-grandfather, Gieseppe Bernardo. It was indexed on Ancestry like this:


Name:Giuseppe Bernardo
Arrival Date:9 Mar 1915
Age:33
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1882
Gender:Male
Ethnic Background:Italian (South) (Italian)
Port of Departure:Palermo, Italy
Ship Name:Canopic
Port of Arrival:Boston, Massachusetts
Friend's Name:Salvatore Bernardo
Last Residence:Sieania
Birthplace:Biels, Satania


Source Citation: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, 1917-1943; Microfilm Serial: T938; Microfilm Roll: 231.




First of all folks, there is no such place as Sieania, Biels or Satania in Italy.  I don't know how the indexer got "Sieania" when it clearly says Siracusa on the image.  It took many searches and trying to read the handwriting to figure out the birthplace.  Cousin Denise finally figured out that it says Riesi.




And it was only by accident that I discovered that there was a second page to this list.




Another entry that drove us crazy trying to figure out is column 17 - Whether ever before  in the United States: and if so, when and where?  The entry read 909/913.  We finally figured out that it meant 1909-1913.  Why in the heck couldn't they put the 1 in front so we knew they were talking about years?!


So here is what we learned about great-grandpa  Bernardo from line 21 of this passenger list:


1. Bernardo
2. Giuseppe
3. 33
3. male
4. married
5.Laborer
6. could not read
7. Could not write
8. Nationality - Italy
9. Race - South
10. Last permanent residence - Canicattini, Siracusa
11. Left wife Michela Lombardo back in Canicattini.
13. Final destination - Salem, Mass
14. Did not have a ticket to destination
15. Paid his own way.
16. Was in possession of $20
17. Was in U.S. before from 1909-1913 in Salem.
18. Going to join brother Bernardo Salvatore residing at 810 Mill St Salem, Mas
19. Never been in prison
20. Is not a polygamist
21. Is not an Anarchist
22. Was not coming by means of any offer or agreement
23. Good mental and physical health
24. Not deformed or crippled
25. 5'3"
26. Natural complexion
27. Chestnut hair and eyes.
28. No identifying marks
29. born in Reisi, Caltanissetta  


So the new discoveries we made from this list was that he had a brother named Salvatore, and that this was not his first trip to the U.S.  A couple of days ago I was finally able to find his first trip listed under Bennardo.


So for those of you who poke around on Ancesty.com and aren't familiar with passenger lists, don't forget to check the next page.



Thursday, March 3, 2011

Fearless Females - Continued From Day One

..Continued from Day One - Favorite Female Ancestor ...
Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

I meant to do this yesterday, but things just didn't go the way I planned.

Mary Edwards White Cannon married for the third and final time, Charles Barber Taylor December 27, 1847 in St. Louis, Missouri. He then took the role of father to 2 year old Elizabeth. In 1849 they had son Charles Edwards Taylor. The family of four traveled west with the Pioneers in 1850.

It was in April of 1865 on board the ship Belle Wood on his return from a 3 year mission in England that Charles met Martha Burrows. From various accounts of this passage, these two apparently shared a whirl wind romance. Now this didn't sit too well with me when I learned of it. His wife and children have been patiently awaiting his arrival back home to Utah and what does he do? He brings another woman home and marries her in polygamy! Charles and Martha were married 1866 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I have seen other accounts of this romance somewhere, but I can't seem to find them now.


Charles filed for divorce April 30, 1885 complaining that "Mary acquired the habit of drinking intoxicating liquors about the year 1860."  He stated that "the habit grew upon her so that for his own welfare and happiness he separated himself from her in the year 1866 and has not lived with her in the marrital relations since." Gee, 1866 -- that's when he took his second wife. Go figure.

There's something about this whole divorce that seems strange.  Why wait 25 years to get a divorce?  Why bother getting divorced at all, just stay at your other wife's house. I find it hard to believe that Mary was an "habitual drunkard".

Here is my theory: Charles Taylor had money and other assets. It is my opinion after reading several articles about second wife Martha B. Taylor and law suits regarding his estate, that he filed the divorce so Martha would be recognized as the legal wife. I believe he did so with pressure from her.  Mary never contested the divorce.

Mary was a strong, loving, and happy woman.  I can sense this just by looking at her photo.  She was also very talented.  Below is a sample of her beautiful needle work.



One of the goals I have is learning more about her ancestry, which is kind of hard since her father never spoke to her again after she joined the Mormon Church and left England.

Her tombstone reads: A Devoted Mother, A Friend to the Poor, May she rest in peace.



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Fearless Females - Day 2 - Blanche Theora Barker

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?


This is my grandmother, Blanche Theora Barker. I posted it because I think it is a beautiful picture of her and she reminds me of a flapper girl from the movies. I am not sure when it was taken,but I am going to guess sometime in the late twenties.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Fearless Females - Day One - Favorite Female Ancestor

In honor of Women's History Month, Lisa Alzo, The Accidental Genealogist, has brought back by demand: Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts.


The female ancestor I feel drawn to the most is my third great-grandmother Mary Edwards.




You may recognize her as the face of the "Ancestor Approved Award". Mary was born September 30 (my birthday), 1810 in North Wales to Thomas and Elizabeth Davies Edwards. 


She married Joseph White. The two of them joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then set sail for America in 1843. Joseph died before they reached Nauvoo. We do not know whether he died at sea, or after arriving in America. Mary stayed with John and Leonora Taylor when she arrived in Nauvoo.


Mary married my 3rd great-grandfather, George Cannon Feb 24, 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois. Six month later, George headed for St. Louis, Missouri to find work. Unfortunately he died just after he reached St. Louis, leaving Mary a widow yet again. Six months later her fatherless child was born, my 2nd great-grandmother Elizabeth Edwards Cannon.


In ransacked Nauvoo, there was an incident that immortalized mother and daughter in Mormon lore. When the people were driven out, Mary Cannon, leaving baby Elizabeth on the west side of the Mississippi, decided to cross back, hoping to be able to get a cow which had been left behind. After completing her errand she headed back to find a mob that took possession of the river crossing cutting off her return.


It is not difficult to imagine the anxiety and angush of the parent, her babe on one side of a broad stream, she on the other and a merciless enemy between. 



Noticing her distress, one of the mob approached the almost frantic mother and asked what was her trouble. She told him the cause of her worry, and also gave him her name. Yelding to an impulse of humanity, he placed her on a part of the ferry boat concealed among the guns and ammuition; and when the one in charge inquired what was on board, the answer was: "Nothing but Cannons." Thus the mother was taken across to her helpless baby.



Here is the rest of the story => Fearless Females ~ Continued From Day One. 

Here are some other posts about her:


Treasure Chest Thursday -- The Salt Lake City 14th Ward Album Quilt, 1857



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