Sneakeasy's Joint

Sending a Message 6: My Father, the Legal Immigrant

On Friday ( Begin With Chapter 1 ) I went to a rally against the ACLU to represent my Father, on Father's Day Weekend.

In this last post in this series I want you to meet a man who LEGALLY immigrated to the United States, and is my answer to all those who have gotten, and will continue to get, angry over my views on ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Gorge Kundurdziev was born in a small town in the Macedonian part of Yugoslavia, in 1923, immigrated to the United States in 1951/2, had his name involuntarily Americanized to GIorgio Kundurazieff in the process, married, in 1957, fathered a son, and 2 daughters, developed the Mental Illness known as Paranoid Schizophrenia ( a chronic mental illness. ), in 1969, and died, in a hospital, in Los Angeles, in 1988 ( What happened to him, in the end, was not easy to watch happen, and we could only wait for the  final act, knowing he was beyond communicating with us. ).

In between he lived a complicated, and difficult, yet mostly happy life.

The 2 photos here are the oldest family photos our family has of him.

The bottom one is of him, and his Bulgarian Army buddies, early in WW2 ( That's him in the back row, on the left. )

The top photo was taken at an Eastern Orthodox Church, in Glendale Ca., in about 1953.

Dad never talked much about his life before America. The memories were too painful, I suppose.

Mom always said he was in the Bulgarian Airforce, then in the Macedonian Underground, against Tito ( America's Commie of Choice in Europe at the start of the Cold War. ), and that he lost his left eye blowing up a railroad.

She said that when his unit was betrayed he fled the country and spent a few years in Refugee Camps before immigrating to America.

He never saw his parents, and sisters, in person, again, and they apparently spent some time in Concentration Camps because of him.

When he died, in 1988, I was able to get his complete Immigration Files thru a Freedom of Immigration Request.

What I learned there was startling, and intriguing.

While his Immigration was LEGAL there is a mystery in the details that confuses the issue of the life he led during, and immediately after, the war.

He spent time in at least 2 Refugee Camps between 1947 and 1951, and apparently made quite an impression on some people, somewhere, because he eventually gained a sponsor for immigration to America.

The sponsor was part of the American Friends Society, a Quaker Relief Organization.

While Dad never made it into High School, he was fluent in the languages of his country, and even knew some Greek, Italian, and German.

Thus thru his paperwork, I know what day, and year, and who, in what camp, Americanized his name. ;-D

Not knowing any English, he just went with the flow, apparently. ;-D

I know the boat he came over on, and where he went once he got here, and why he ended up in California.

When you supposedly fought in the underground against a country supported by the people you hope will take you in, I suppose being completely upfront, with the US Displaced persons Commission, about your recent life wouldn't be, um, prudent. ;-D

Dad hated Communism, and was a proud Macedonian Nationalist and, as was shown in the 90's life, in the now broken up Yugoslavia, is all bound up in matters of history, culture, ethnicity, and religion.

All Dad knew was that Freedom , and the chance to rebuild his life, lay in America, and death lay behind him.

This 1st page details the story he gave fighting in the Bulgarian Army, spending time in a Forced Labor Concentration Camp, in 1945-6, where he lost his eye, beign transported to a hospital, then  home to recuperate, then making for Greek and Italian, Refugee Camps in 1947, and 1948.

As the 2nd page, attached to this document, states:

"The Commission further states that assurances have been given to the Commision on behalf of the principal applicant by: Mrs. W. M. Storey, Old Mill Farm, Lexington, NY.

That these assurances are in accordance with the requirements of the Act and Regulations, have been approved by the Commision, and bear the Commision Number A-8751.

That the Principal Applicant will be employed as a FArmhelper in NY., that he will reside at Old Mill Farm, lexington, NY, and...

That the Principal Applicant will execute the oath of affirmation required under Section 6 of the Act prior to issuance of Visa.

Based upon the foregoing findings, the Commision determines, and hereby certifies:

That the the Principal Applicant is a displaced perosn, and an eligible displaced person, eligible for consideration for admission into the united States under Section 2(C) of the Act, and that such admission would be in accordance with the regulations of the Commision;

That the Principal Applicant is entiled to: The 1st preference under section 6 (A) of the US Displaced Persons Act of 1948, as amened, because of the nature of his employment.

Therefore in accordance with the regulations of the Commision, this report is submitted to the Officer of the US Foreign Service at Naples, Italy, for consideration in connection with the Principal Applicant's application for an Immigration Visa."

Unlike more than 12 million folks, who shall remain nameless, since 1986, my Dad jumped thru all the LEGAL hoops he was required to to come to The Promised Land, The Land of Opportunity, The Land of Freedom, and Democracy.

Thanks Ma, I Miss You!

Giorgio Kundurazieff, his wife Mary, and yours truly, 1961. ;-D

Those were happy days for this new family.

Dad had been in the US for 10 years, and had a job he loved, as a Groundskeeper at Pomona College, in Claremont, CA.

Little did anyone know the tragedy that was to come 8 years later.

MARY ALICE WELLS KUNDURAZIEFF -- 1929 TO 199O

Taken just a few years before her death, in 1990, this image shows the humor, and spirit, of a courageous, and energetic, woman, who had spent the 70's and 80's, raising 3 children on her own, as a stay at home Mother, after her husband suffered a mental breakdown.

She gave me my love of books, and the movies, my curiosity, my love of the outdoors, and my sense of humor.

Most important she gave me my sense of the importance of Family, and sticking together through the tough times of life.

Somehow, all that she gave me sustained me through the difficult years after her death, and helped me have the strength, and courage, to finally take steps to change my life between 1998 and 2002, that played important roles in who I am today.

Thank You Mom!

I love you, and I miss you.

My 1st Birthday Card: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Your collection of Greeting Cards, given to you over the years, is priceless, so before you decide to toss them out please consider this story.

The oldest Greeting Card in my collection is one my Dad presented my Mom a few hours after I was born on March 5th, 1960.

To appreciate this you must understand that, even after 8 yrs. in America, and 3+ yrs. knowing my Mom, Dear Ol' Dad's grasp of English and of American customs still left MUCH to be desired. :-D

Anywho, happy as a clam at the birth of yours truly, Pops floats on Cloud 9 to the hospital gift shop looking for something to present to Herself who was busily recuperatin' from her recent exertions. :-D

After much (one presumes) thought he settles on a pretty looking card with a white and green flower design on the front and insides.

I imagine it was the sentiment expressed on the inside of the card that got his attention: "Just Couldn't Forget YOU On A Day Like THIS!" The outside of the card said HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! But, of course, what did he know from St. Patrick, right? :-D

To further give you an idea of his state of mind, there's this: In red, but CROSSED OUT in blue, is his signature: Seorgio Kundurazieff...

Underneath that, in blue, he signs it correctly: Georgio Kundurazieff.

The card is a litle brown along the top edge, but, after 47+ years has not lost any of the green color of the flowers. :-D

The card was published by BUZZA-CARDOZO of Hollywood Ca. and its product code number is also clear. The price was all of 10 cents, if I read it right. :-D

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!! ;-D

Proof that Santa Is a Genealogist?

He permitted the Mormons to microfilm his old Naughty/Nice lists.

He has one elf whose only job is checking obituaries.....

If you think those are funny then the folks over at The Genealogue have some more to tickle your funny bone. ;-D

Top 10 Signs Santa is a Genealogist.

Oh, and this just in...

Santa is going to be late....

Deal with it! ;-D

Merry Christmas

I was 9 months old, in Dec. 1960, when I had my 1st meeting with Santa Claus, and by all accounts all went well, and I made a suitably favorable impression  ( As this photo shows ) despite wanting to pull on his beard.

This Manger has been in my family since before I was born, having been bought sometime between my parents marriage in 1957, and my birth. The building, and figurines have held up well over the years.

45 yrs. to the day of our 1st meeting Santa and I get re-acquainted in the most amazing place: My Baby Sisters Christmas Party! Luckily for me, though he remembers me after all these years, he had no recollection of my wanting to yank on his beard, so I'm still on his Nice List.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 5: Readers Thoughts

The Beginning is here.

I want to thank those folks who have been stopping by to read this series, and especially those who have left comments, and sent me e-mails.

It just confirms what I've learned since going online with my research in 2001: Genealogists are a curious, encouraging, and helpful species of the Human Family. ;-D

I want to share with you the response I got, from a reader named Sharrie, regarding   Pt. 4 - Questions:

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 4: Questions

20 QUESTIONS regarding the death of William Jennings Wells - 7/8/1937

The only, DOCUMENTED AT THE TIME, detailed report of the incident and its aftermath that I have found, SO FAR, is from the Newspaper coverage of THE OWENSBORO MESSENGER, and THE OWENSBORO INQUIRER ( begin here ), and it DOES raise many questions.

So let's play 20 QUESTIONS!

Well, actually many more than that. :-)

1. Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and
followed over several days?

2. Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those
of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

3. Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning
around and returning the shorter distance home?

4. Orville said the headlight snapped off. The sheriff said there was a dent
in the fender and the light was damaged. They can't both be right, can they?

5. If the light snapped off Orville MUST have stopped briefly to retrieve it
and put it back. If so how could he miss seeing a body?

6. Considering the damage, either way, how could he honestly say he didn't
know he hit someone?

7. Witnesses claim the truck almost stopped, then started ahead again. This
indicates an impact of some sort. Yet Orville claims he didn't know he hit
something. It's obvious that, at the least, the headlight DID NOT snap off
as he claimed, because he didn't stop long enough to get out of the truck to
retrieve it, and the Sheriff said it was damaged NOT missing. Why the
contradictions?

8. Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or
in cahoots somehow with Orville?

9. Who were the 3 unidentified folks in the photo?

10. Why was Business Man George Medley there and identified in the picture?
Was he just at the Kentucky Inn, maybe a passerby, or was he called, or even maybe
aware of what could have been a planned encounter with Granddad?

11. Was Granddad just a victim of an incident of harassment gone terribly
wrong? If so, why?

12. Why, after covering this story for days, is there no newspaper mention
of the case ever being dismissed or even tried, with or without a verdict?

13. Why is Orville's occupation never mentioned?

14. Why is Orville’s bond paid  by L. N. CECIL? And who IS he, anywho?

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 3: A Son Remembers

Arriving in the middle? Start at the beginning.

Here is what PAUL JENNINGS WELLS, age 68, oldest Son of William Jennings Wells ( 1898-1937 ), had to say, in a letter to family members on 3/26/02, about his Dad's death:

I know that you have heard a lot of stories about my dad's death. Well, do not believe all that you hear.

This event is one of my earliest memories......

I was 4 years, and 2months old almost to the day. I remember Mom had gotten us kids ready for bed. I remember that because she always said our night prayers with us.
Just as we finished our night prayer there came a knock on our door. I remember Mom went to the door and I was holding on to her dress, she opened the door and a man was there, and there was a big black car.

The man said, "Are you  Mrs. IVA Wells?" Mom said, " I am."

This man said there has been an accident we need you to come with us. Your husband was involved! Mom started to cry and asked if he was dead.
The man said, "If he is your husband he is dead." Mom said that I had to go with her and my sister Mary Alice was to watch my brother who was the baby. She took me with her because I was the one who always caused trouble when she was not around.

It was warm that night and we rode for what seemed like forever to a 4 yr. old boy. The car stopped and we got out. There on the side of the road lay something covered with a canvas. As we got closer I will never forget that I saw 2 feet sticking out from under that canvas. One had a shoe on it, the other did not.

They lifted the canvas and I saw my dad's face lying there. My Mother became very upset and had to be prevented from getting down on the ground where he was. This memory has been with me very vividly through my life even today it seems like only yesterday......................
 
The newspapers were in error when they said dad was a farmer. You have to remember that the country was in the great depression at that time. Dad took whatever kind of work he could find. He worked on the RUDY FARM when there was work for him, or in the JOHN MCNULTY COAL MINES. Dad had been working at the OWENSBORO CLAY PRODUCTS CO. for about 6 months at the time of his death.

Dad belonged to the Union, and Orville Faught and Old Man L.N. Cecil wanted to get rid of the Union so they planned together to scare Dad so he would quit the Union. They were driving on the Highway and saw Dad, they were drinking a lot and when they drove the truck toward him they lost control and hit him.

He was wearing overall and the straps of his overalls got caught on the truck. They dragged him quite a ways.

I think the rest of the story was a cover-up by a bunch of good ol' boys to keep Orville Faught from going to prison. Remember all of them were in on the cover-up. Delbert Glen was the Coroner, and also owned the Funeral Home, Orville Faught's kinfolk were part owners and big shots at the brickyard.

When they came to my Mother and said sign this, and we will take care of everything for you, Mom signed away her right to do anything about what happened to Dad.

Anyway, I hope this helps you understand just what happened that night so long ago. Some of what I have written are just my thoughts, but what happened that night that Dad was killed is a fact and I will never forget what I saw that night.

I have never talked with anyone like I am talking to you about this because it hurt too much.

But I feel you have a right to know what I know. I am the only one left alive that can shed any light on what I saw that night.

Someday, when the time is right, you may want to let your children know what happened to their Great-Grandfather.

There is nothing that anyone can do about it now, it was such a long time ago, but I know there is a Just God that will handle everything in his own time.

Love always, Dad. :-)

Transferred to a WORD DOCUMENT by myself, KIRIL KUNDURAZIEFF, from an e-mail sent to his children, and me, on 3/26/2002 BY PAUL JENNINGS WELLS.

Read Part 4.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 2

Read Part 1.

THE STRANGE DEATH OF WILLIAM JENNINGS WELLS AND ITS AFTERMATH

AS REPORTED IN THE OWENSBORO MESSENGER JULY 9, 1937 THRU JULY 11, 1937 and IN THE OWENSBORO INQUIRER ON 7/13/37.

1. OWENSBORO MESSENGER 7/9/37—FRONT PAGE HEADLINE

Pedestrian Is Killed By Hit-Run Truck Here.

2. FRONT PAGE PHOTO HEADLINE

Hit-Run Truck Kills Pedestrian.

3. PARAGRAPH ACCOMPANYING PHOTO:

Coroner Delbert J. Glenn, at the extreme right, and others attracted to the scene of the accident in which William Wells, 35, farmer, was killed last night while walking along Highway 60, a mile west of Owensboro, are shown looking at the sheet covered form of the dead man. In the center, backround, with his hat on his knee, is H. T. Krahwinkle, a witness to the mishap. George Medley is between Coroner Glenn and Krahwinkel.

4. ARTICLE HEADLINE

William Wells, Farm Worker, Is Mishap Victim.

Deputy Sheriffs Simon Smith and L. I. Dishman Arrest Orville Faught In Case; Fatality Occurs Mile West Of Owensboro On Highway 60.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells

For the Genealogist, or Family Roots Digger-upper as I jokingly call myself, researching ones family history involves more than just names, and dates, who married who, and a Good Book comparable roster of Begats.

There are the documents, and photographs ( Click to enlarge image, and even see the words on the building - Dark Tobacco Growers Co-Op Association, Owensboro, Kentucky )  , of course, but most importantly there are also the memories, and stories handed down from generation to generation, and the times you discover that your ancestor wrote a book, or 2, or had some books written about them.

There are also the times you discover your ancestor in the newspaper.

One such case of newspaper celebrity is at the center of the story you are about to read.

It is the fascinating story of the death, on a dark, and lonely road, of a simple family man, and farm laborer, one night in 1937 Owensboro, Kentucky.

It is the story of my Maternal Grandfather, William Jennings Wells.

It is also the story of a man named Orville Faught, and of a small cast of characters better known to the wider community than these 2 men ever were, or would be.

Thank You, Dear Myrtle

For 10 years DEAR MYRTLE has been "Your friend in Genealogy" on the Internet.

With a Subscriber only Daily Online Column ( It's Free! ) that can be read through a Blog, or an RSS Feed, and an E-mail List on Rootsweb, amateur Roots Digger-uppers have benefitted from the advice they have gained.

But, as I'm discovering, there's more!

An Internet Radio Show called the Family History Hour.

Dear Myrtle Books one can purchase.

But most importantly there are the Beginning Genealogy Lessons!

35 of them, and 13 related ones.

Print them out! Myrtle Insists!

This website is just one of many in my new Genealogy Blogroll, and While I had planned to introduce it 1st of all of them, I had no idea that something I wrote to Myrtle, earlier in the week, would be a part of that introduction,

Then I checked my E-mail this morning.

Roots added to Menu

When your Mother told you to always "Eat yer Veggies!" I'll bet you never had a thought about the joy of digging around for roots, did you? ;-D

As regular visitors to the Joint know I have, in the past, posted a lot about my quest for my family history, and the stories can be found in a Genealogy Archive.

For a while now I felt something was missing among the "Menu Choices" of this fine establishment, and with a new focus being put on my genealogical research I figured out what it was.

The result can be found in the right sidebar, and more sites will be added.

My lineage, thru my Father ( Kundurdziev, Kundurdzievic, Kundurdzieva, Kadiev, Kadievic, Kadieva ), comes from a small town in the Republic of Macedonia, a former part of the nation of Yugoslavia, and a region heavily influenced by associations with Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.

As complicated as that may sound it, so far, appears less confusing than my red-blooded American Roots. ;-D

The Lineage of my Mother goes thru Kentucky ( Daugherty or Dougherty, Fraze, Tanner ), and Indiana ( Hesson, Wells ), for sure, and possibly back to Pennsylvania ( Wells ) in the 1700's.

Or there could be a lineage back thru 700 years of British history ( Skelton ), including 1 dude who was briefly hitched to Ann Boleyn.

And therein lies the rub: 1 much married woman ( Hesson ) has stalled my research at 1900 as I try to sort out the paternity of her only son, a Maternal Grandfather ( Wells or Skelton? ).

I once wrote a little ditty that is not quite appropriate for this situation, but gives you a general idea of the fun one can have sorting out family history.

Hello, My name's McLemire
There's some confusion of which I tire
I'm your Uncle and your Cousin
And I've got offspring by the dozen
Genealogy

Oh, joy!

Hurricane Katrina and Preserving History

Dick Eastman, of the indispensible Eastman's Online Genealogy, reports on a story of concern to genealogists, and historical preservationists.

The Mississippi Heritage Trust has placed online photos of before and after damage to many of Mississippi's historic structures affected by Katrina. Some have both before and after photos; some have only one or the other. They have also set up a fund to assist in the recovery of damaged historic structures.

You can see the pictures and learn more at Mississippi Heritage Trust.

Those photos will touch your history lovin' heart.

Dick Eastman: Hurricane Katrina and Historic Preservation.

Future Pro Football Star born in Costa Mesa!

As previously announced: A persistent sperm, and a willing egg, met somewhere in my sisters mid-section, set up shop, and settled in for a major 9 month construction project expected to be completed between February 22 and March 1st of this year.

Sister Deputy, and Deputy Brother-in-Law ( so nicknamed due to their profession, as regular readers know ), went thru a relatively un-eventful pregnancy, with only 1  brief scare brought on by a very minor traffic accident ( caused by someone else's driving ) a couple of months ago.

Sister Deputy had been getting antsy in recent weeks, eagerly anticipating the day when her freedom from Big-Belliedness would blessedly arrive.

Be patient, I told her, Deputy Fetus is no doubt packing his bags, ordering his affairs, and planning the details of his Big Entrance, and will let you know, in no uncertain terms, when he's ready to make his debut.

Turns out he was impatient to get his show on the road...

New Blog Roots Around for Genealogy News and Info

There is a new weblog out there that anyone doing genealogical research owes themselves to bookmark.

Produced by the folks at HeritageQuest Magazine and HeritageCreations this place is 2 months old, and already has proved itself a goldmine of fascinating stories, information, book reviews, and links to other websites.

The Census Taker and the Questioned

Let's take a moment this Holiday Season to remember our ancestors, and how important a role their answering questions on the Census plays for us who are amateur Genealogists in learning about our past, and how we, the current generation, can help our far off decendants in, say 2150, when they start digging around looking for proof of their connection to us.

A Genealogist's Christmas Eve

'Tis 11 days before Xmas and all through the land Roots Researchers are pleading with relatives to give them a hand....

There's a poem in there somewhere, and someday maybe I'll even write it...

But for today I wish to share 2 versions of A GENEALOGIST'S CHRISTMAS EVE, posted on a Rootsweb E-mail list , this week, by a contributer named Valentine.

The Last Male Kundurdziev?

Who am I?
What am I?
Where am I from?

I am Kiril Giorgio Kundurazieff, of Costa Mesa, Ca. USA.

With a healthy dose of humor I proudly call myself a 1st Generation Maceyugoserbulgarigreekadonian-American. :-)

For those of us with a Macedonian Heritage figuring out our past can be quite a puzzling exercise.

As far as I know, at age 43, I am the LAST MALE Kundurdziev on the planet.

This is MY heritage, and my QUEST for knowledge:

Searching for Aunt Golda 4

The story so far...

Aunt Golda 1.

Aunt Golda 2.

Aunt Golda 3.

Finally at long last I had the death certificate of Golda Dougherty Sweatt, and it was fascinating to read.

April 9, 2002:

Hello everyone,

Tomorrow morning I will go and pay my respects to my AUNT GOLDA.

Today I received her DEATH CERTIFICATE in the mail, and all is finally revealed.

GOLDA SWEATT died on March 7, 1964.

The time was 1:45am

The location was Los Angeles County General Hospital 1200 N. State Street, Los Angeles, Ca..

The immediate cause of death was Myocardial Infarction DUE TO Arteriosclerosus Coronary Thrombosis.

Aprox. interval between onset and death: 1 day.

Searching for Aunt Golda 3

After months of inactivity I took up the search again, for Golda Dougherty Sweatt, and one day...

March 24, 2002:

"Hello Aunt Goldy! We thought you was lost to us..."

AS E-MAILED TO MY RELATIVES THIS AFTERNOON:

I FOUND AUNT GOLDY!!!
I FOUND AUNT GOLDY!!!
HALLEFREAKINLUJAH!!!
I FOUND AUNT GOLDY!!!

Hi there everyone, it's KIRIL, and TODAY is a very important day in our family history.

I am crying tears of joy as I write this...

Searching for Aunt Golda 2

Continuing the story of the search for Golda Dougherty Sweatt:

Aug. 16, 2001:

Well, I talked with someone in PALATINE.

She took my information and request, and offer to come to them if they are not allowed to copy and send me all the info they have.

She will pass it to the SISTERS, and someone will do the research and call me back.

Searching For Aunt Golda

Every Genealogist has his or her Brick Walls.

Probably more than a few, if truth be told.

Brick walls are those family mysteries needing solving, those ancestors, lost in the mists of time, whose records are hard to come by, and so much more, as varied as can be.

One of my Brick Walls involved an Aunt. My Grandmother Iva's older sister, to be exact.

I began to delve into this mystery in 2001, and solved it in 2002.

This is the story of my search for Golda Dougherty Sweatt, as told through various message board entries all those months ago:

My Father Gorge

Back in September I wrote a poem about my Father:

My Father, the Legal Ca. Immigrant.

Way back in 2001 I wrote about my Father on a message board:

Family Bible Yields Treasures

When I took it into my head to get back to Genealogy research, in May 2001, One of the first things I did was root around, page by page in an old family bible, from the 1950's, that at one time belonged to my Grandmother Iva Francis Dougherty Wells, and handed down to my Mother Mary Alice Wells Kundurazieff.

Why I Like April Fool's Day

I have an official copy of my Birth Certificate.

A couple of items of note:

1. It was Officially filed on April 1, 1960.

2. Someone, maybe my Mom since she was the one to sign the document, put my Fathers country of birth down as GREECE.

I always knew I liked APRIL FOOLS DAY for a reason. ;-)

It is possible, based on the towns location, that in 1923 it was part of GREECE. I will have to investigate. ;-)

Re-visiting St. Andrew's #2

12/22/2001: A visit down memory lane

On that Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago, I arrived at the church about 10 minutes early.

At the gate was a well muscled chap of serious demeanor, in his 60's.

I introduced myself, and tell him Father Nikita was expecting me.

After grilling me on why I was there, and even my Fathers nationality, the susicious ol' Gent let me in and led me to the front door.

Suspicion is understandable because the church has been in the news in recent years because of a minor dispute with some cantankerous neighbors with no respect for those there before them.

Anyway I entered and stood just in the door in what I vaguely remembered was the same spot I last stood in 33 years previously. ;-)

There were 2 elderly Ladies standing inside.

So I stood too.

Re-visiting St. Andrew's Russian Orthodox Church #1

In Spring 2001 I jump-started my Genealogical researching once again, and one of the most exciting events of this restart took place in December of that year:

The following posts appeared elsewhere at that time:

Missing Mom at Xmas

In the greatest American Tradition, I'm beginning my Christmas Celebrating early. :-)

Like, before Thanksgiving. :-)

I've been going through old posts I wrote at my favorite message board, since 2001, looking for genealogical related posts of mine to share here, and found this one from 12/18/2001:

Where I'm From

Have you ever thought about your origins?

How aspects of your life history, and that of your ancestors, conspired to make you what you are today?

Fred, from Fragments From Floyd, has issued a challenge to fellow bloggers.

He begins this way:

"George Ella Lyons is an Appalachian author with a long list of children's books to her credit. Her poem, WHERE I'M FROM, begins in this way:

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the black porch.
(Black, glistening it tasted like beets.)

Each of us is from a place that is more than a dot on the map. Every experience that we can recall has left its mark on who we are. Nobody is from Clorox, but can't you smell the laundry room at the author's house as a little girl?

I'd like to make a suggestion-- not just to the 'writers' who read this, but to everyone."

Go read Where are you from?, and the related links, to learn more about how YOU can participate.

THEN come back here to read MY contribution:

My Father, the Legal California Immigrant

Since I've been writing about Immigration I have had my Father in my thoughts.

One of the things I want to write about on this site is my Genealogy, my Family History.

My Father's Macedonian story is a fascinating one, and one I know very little about other than that he came to America for a life of freedom, and had no intention of living here ILLEGALLY.

Let me introduce you to my Father:

My Father fought Socialism and Communism,
And that's ok.
He sabotaged one of Tito's Railroads,
And lost an eye that day!

My Father wanted to be free,
So he could live his life his way.
He fibbed to Yugoslavia's backers,
And came to the USA!

My Father immediately got his Green Card,
So he could legally stay.
He believed in Democracy,
And earning an honest living all the live long day!

Speaking of the Dead...

A few of my ancestors have been known to pay visits to the living when they should be off presumably struming a harp somewhere.

My Mom swore that she saw a ghostly figure at the foot of her bed looking into the cradle where my newborn oldest sister was peacefully asleep in 1965.

Then there was 1972, the year my Paternal Granma died and decided it was the perfect time to immigrate to America.

There I was minding my own busines practicing my Violin in my bedroom one evening...

Mom was in the kitchen.

Dad, well Dad was ensconced in a Mental Hospital.

There were 3 loud knocks at the front door.

Naturally I took advantage of the interruption to beat my mom to the door. Only there was no one there. We checked the yard, and the street, but both were empty.

3 days later it happened again. This time we walked up and down the street and knocked on neighbors doors to see if they saw anything unusual.

Nothing...

A week later we get a letter from Yugoslavia from my Grandfather, addressed to my Father.

Luckily Dad was well enough to read the letter so he translated the contents upon our next visit.

It was sad news. His Mother, whom he'd not seen, in person, since the mid- 1940's had passed away.

He took it hard.

The odd part was revealed when we learned the dates of her death and burial.

Yes, you guessed it! She died the day of the first knocks, and was buried 3 days later on the day of the 2nd knocks. :-)

Then there's the story of a group of the family, sometime in the 40's, sitting together after someones funeral when a flame appeared under their chairs.

The flame went from person to person before stopping under a chair. Turns out this person was the next to kick the bucket.

The person who told me that story is long dead and though I don't remember who the members of the group were, they too are all long gone.

GENEALOGY! Another Jingle Inspired By Burma Shave

Aunt Bessie lies under the ocean
Aunt Bessie lies under the sea
Aunt Bessie slipped on a bottle of lotion
She should never have gone sailing with Uncle Lee
Genealogy

GENEALOGY!: Ditties Inspired By Burma Shave Signs

One evening, recently, I was riding my bike around filing job applications, hither and yon, when, riding down an old street behind Ontario Int. Airport, which passes what remains of a 118 year old ranch and it's still flourishing vineyard, I noticed something...

A series of 5 faded red iron poles, with 11x17 faded red iron tops, next to the fence by the Vineyard.

In white block letters was the following:

I use it too
The bald man said
It keeps my face
Just like my head
Burma Shave

The next day while riding the bus around, filing more job applications, for some reason I got to thinking about that Jingle, and about my hobby of Genealogy, and all of a sudden this popped into my head:

Digging Up Roots in the Family Garden

Shovel in hand, about to eagerly set off on a grand adventure, did you ever stop to ponder the why's, where's, what's and how comes?

Why are you doing this?

Why now and not before?

How come you didn't think to commit all the family stories to paper, tape, or video until nearly everyone was dead?

What lead Auntie G to disappear and where did she end up?

What was the reason Grandpa's killer got off the hook and where can you find the records?

Where in the Sam Hill is everyone buried?

Where's my sanity for even attempting this enormous undertaking?

Well, let's NOT delve into that last one, heh, heh. :-)

Roots!

BUSY WEEKEND!

Ok, a hectic weekend is FINALLY over with, & NO, it didn't take me that long to well, um, anyway the DRUG TEST went off without a hitch, okay? :-)

What REALLY kept me occupied, especially all day yesterday is dealing with the responses I've been getting to posting queries on a couple of Message Boards on the Genealogy website, ROOTSWEB.

I had planned to talk in more detail about my genealogy hobby soon, but it may take a little longer before I do since several researchers have stunned the heck out of me by finding a bunch of folks in various census records that are related to me, going back as far as the late 1700's.

I spent all day yesterday absorbing this news, and pencilling new FAMILY GROUP SHEETS, CENSUS FORMS, & updating my ancestral tree chart as well.

To any newcomers to Genealogy, like me, that may read this, let me say that posting your queries, especially your BRICK WALLS, or supposed lost causes, just may bring you some suprising results.

I am very grateful to those researchers who were intrigued enough by my brick wall to do the neccessary digging by using their access to ONLINE Census Records and Indexes that I can't get to becaue it costs $$ to access them.

I will be getting back ontrack with the next installment of my GETTY CENTER visit later on tonight, I promise. :-)