• Tips & Opinions

    Recent relatives

    One of the great genealogical research problems, for me, is my recent relatives. The folks I am refering to are either still alive or recently deceased.  In either case, they are near enough that their data is most difficult to ferret out.  Most marriages, births, etc that have occurred in the last 50 years and are hard or REALLY expensive to get. I guess that’s because of identify theft, etc.  In any event, there are times when you (or at least I) need some of this information in order to get accurate genealogical data for select branches of the family.  So are there any tricks?  Well I have come up…

  • Research
    Tips & Opinions,  Tools

    Genealogy, Data Quality

    Data Quality is the first in a series of posts on “Genealogy Gotchas”. (I thought this might present useful tips & pointers to our readers while I await your votes on my little poll.) One of the biggest problems I encounter when using tools like Ancestry, RootsWeb, HeritageQuest, or FamilySearch is that much of the available data is of extremely poor or questionable quality.  Before I proceed any further let me clarify: I do NOT mean the original source data presented by any of the aforementioned sites is of poor quality. Source data from them forms very the background of our on-line life-blood.  We really can’t do without the source…

  • ManyRoads,  Tools

    Genealogy tool reviews

    Based upon an incredible interest (110+ reads in under 24 hours is immense interest in one of my posts!), I thought folks might like to see other reviews. As most of you, I use a LOT of tools and tricks to help me find the people and history around my family.  I am happy to share my experiences and ‘insights’, such as they are, with you. However, I‘d like to take your interests into account as I build my posts- assuming you are willing to share your desires. So…

  • Deyo,  Histories

    A Deyo History- recounted

    This document and information is sourced from email messages sent to Mark Rabideau by Patty Gravel. In 1982 Wilfred Deyo, the son of Richard Deyo and the grandson of Eli Deyo, went to Altona to trace the Deyo family line.  While there he met with family members to gather their oral history. His findings made there way to me via my Mom (Today my Mom is 85; her mother was Mina Deyo Oconnor, the daughter of Eli Deyo and Philomen Lafountain). Here is what Wilfred gave us in his report (although through many years of research on Ancestry.com ,Yahoo clubs,Family Tree maker, and information exchanges with relatives I have met…

  • Expulsion - Vertriebenen

    Chelyabmetallurgstroy of the NKVD of the USSR — The Largest Forced Labor Camp for German-Russians

    revised 19 Sep 2020 due to broken links with additional source documents added. Tscheljabmetallurgstroj des NKVD der UdSSR — das Groesste Zwangsarbeitslager Fuer Russlanddeutsche Genesis, Purpose and Assignments, Structure (Entstehung, Aufgabe, Struktur) Krieger, Dr. Viktor. “Chelyabmetallurgstroy of the NKVD of the USSR — The Largest Forced Labor Camp for German-Russians.” Volk auf dem Weg, June 2006, 20-22. source article used with permission from from the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, North Dakota State University Libaries, Fargo, ND (www.ndsu.edu/grhc) Original articles including images (German): Ein Zwangsarbeitslager in Ural- Dr. Viktor Krieger (no translation) Tscheljabmetallurgstroj des NKWD der UdSSR — Dr. Viktor Krieger (translation below) Below follows a translation from the original…

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  • A memorial for the starved and deceased forced laborers, erected in the early 1990's of the former cemetery grounds of the camp, meanwhile having fallen victim to vandalism and neglect
    Expulsion - Vertriebenen,  Senger

    Chelyabinsk ITL (Gulag)

    This write-up is my effort to document the circumstances and images surrounding the Gulag complex to which Frieda Senger was assigned and interned after World War 2 by the Soviets For more information see: Frieda Senger- Post WW2 Gulag Frieda Senger -Suchdienst & Soviet Records source: Wikipedia.de English: Chelyabinsk was the location of a Soviet Gulag. Chelyabinsk ITL (Work Improvement Camp) was in existence from November 1941 until October 1951. At its height, it held 15,400 persons who were employed building a smelter used for Industrial, Highway, Civil and Residential construction, as well as in open-cast mining. Additionally there was a Prisoner of War Camp #68 for German POWs in…

  • Frieda Recht (Senger) circa 1940 Zuhause
    Expulsion - Vertriebenen,  Senger

    Frieda Senger -Suchdienst & Soviet Records

    Today when I arrived home a letter from the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz- Suchdienst awaited me. I have to admit the contents were, for me, extremely exciting! 19 August 2010 Update: Thanks to my good childhood friend Sharon we now have a translation of these records. (See bottom of page for the complete text.) Frieda Senger before her incarceration in Soviet Gulags, circa 1940. Here are the documents (with the translations I have in English and German). Translation: German, member of fascist organization (abbreviation in the left corner)Dossier/Document about Frieda Senger German Civil Air Defense. Start: 17th of March 1945 End: ….. 19… Übersetzung: Senger Frieda 40 176 876 Reichsluftschutzbund Anfang…

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  • Deyo,  Help Wanted,  Our Families

    The Deyo Mystery… is solved!!

    Note: I have solved this mystery and established the link.  John’s parent’s were, in fact, Joseph Dion (Deo- Deyo) and Julia (Julie/ Julienne) Denis (Denys, Lafay, LaFaille, Dennis). The most commanding piece of obvious genealogical evidence is immediately below (John’s death certificate). As for the rest of the story, I am writing and plan to post a more complete history. My previous post on this subject is below: I am searching to find the parents of one John Deyo. I can find an obvious (but incorrect!) link from him to a set of parents identified in the New Paltz area of New York as Christian Deyo… I think we now…

  • Histories,  Senger,  WW1

    Albert Senger

    It pleases me beyond words to say that I have successfully identified the grave of my Great Uncle and made certain that his grave stone in the battlefields of WW1 France is now updated and complete. Were it not for the wonderful help of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge this would never have been possible.  However, with their initial work and my good fortune in finding Albert’s birth record in the Zeyer ev. Kirche; we have made certain that Albert is fully identified and honored. In October I received this note: From: ilka.borowski@volksbund.de To: mark@eirenicon.org Subject: Antwort: Re: Antwort: Re: Albert Senger, + 03.12.1914 – Vg.Nr. 847.278 Date: Wed, 28 Oct…

  • Expulsion - Vertriebenen,  Histories

    Expulsion of German Nationals from Neissbach

    Contributed by Researcher 230112 People in story: Thomas Fischer Location of story: Neissbach, Grafschaft Glatz Article ID:  A1070371 Contributed on: 06 June 2003

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  • Expulsion - Vertriebenen,  Histories

    Expulsion Summary

    source document link The results During the period of 1944/1945 – 1950, as many as 14 million Germans were forced to flee or were expelled as a result of actions of the Red Army, civilian militia and/or organised efforts of governments of the reconstituted states of Eastern Europe. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Germans were detained in internment camps or sentenced to forced labor, some of them for years. The number of expellees and refugees, whose fate could not be ascertained, was estimated to be around 2.1 million, according to two major studies conducted in 1958 and 1965, which were commissioned by the German Bundestag. Millions of German women were…

  • ManyRoads,  Thoughts

    Zeyer ev. Church Records

    Today is a big day for me. As of this writing I now have full-time access to all but two of the Zeyer ev. Kirche books.  It is like having my mother’s family come home.  Or more precisely, it is more like have them nearer to me. I am now able to go to the local LDS Family History Center (in Parker, Co)  and read the texts, research my family, or reread the texts whenever I have the need or desire. Over the next month or two, I should have the remainder of the Zeyer ev. Kirche records here on a permanent basis.  I am not certain which microfilms will…

  • ManyRoads,  Our Families

    Another Research Success!

    Today was one of those days I enjoy; I spent much of the day doing family research in the local LDS Family History Center. Some of the highlights included: We found another brother of my grandfather Richard Senger- Wilhelm, he lived only 14 days. We identified the correct spelling of my g-g-g-g- grandmother Saenger’s maiden name: Stafast We found a death and burial record for both my g-g- grandparents Michael Saenger and Ester Euphrosina Saenger geb. Landig But the best part of the whole day was that my sister (Linda) had the opportunity to spend the day with me and visit some of old German family members.  Probably the highlight…

  • Expulsion - Vertriebenen,  Histories

    Flucht und Vertriebung Gallerie (German Expulsion Gallery)

    Ich habe eine kleine Flucht und Vertriebung Foto Gallerie auf ManyRoads gestellt. (I have placed a small Photo Gallery on the German Expulsion on ManyRoads.) Bitte besuchen Sie es zu Errinerung. (Please feel free to visit it and remember.) Fals Sie andere Fotos haben oder davon wissen bitte benutzen Sie unser Contact page. (If you know where I might find additional photos to add to the gallery, please use our Contact page to let me know.) …mark

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  • ManyRoads

    ManyRoads Update

    A lot has happened during the past few weeks on ManyRoads.  In order to keep things brief I just list them out: We found a new generation of Sengers — a VERY exciting happening– thanks to our LDS Zeyer ev. Kirche records ManyRoads has added a professional German/English- English/German translation service offering A ‘bunch’ of ‘new’ pictures have been added to Elbing Damals We added a Print function to our Posts * Pages (I hope that makes reading long articles easier). Our site is now easy to follow on Twitter (we are at… http://twitter.com/eirenicon ) We added our name to Genealogy.org and now appear 65 sites, as they list them…

  • ManyRoads,  Services,  Site

    Translation Service (Fee based)

    ManyRoads is pleased to anounce a new translation service for German/English and English/German.  And… For those of you who have read my German, you know it can’t be a service provided by me! Truthfully… if you seek professional and expert “English to German” or “German to English” translations (old German & Fractur/ Gothic script included), please use our Contact form for an for an estimate.

  • Help Wanted

    a little help???

    Unfortunately my LDS ev. Church books for Zeyer – Ellerwald (West Prussia) are reaching an end…I’d love to hear from you if you have any pointers  as to where I might look for earlier data (pre-1774). I am looking for information on the following family members: Esther Adelgunde (geb Grindemann) Kiehl (Graudenz Tiegenhof area) 1810-1850 Erdmann Kiehl (Graudenz) 1810-1850 Anna Christina Wilhelm (Zeyer-Ellerwald area) 1720-1800 George Poek (Zeyer-Ellerwald area) 1720-1800 Wilhelm Landig (Zeyer-Ellerwald area) c. 1720-1800 Heinrich Heyn (Zeyer-Ellerwald area) 1720-1800 Michael Saenger (Zeyer-Ellerwald area) 1700-1780 Judith Saenger geb. Sufust???(Zeyer-Ellerwald area) 1720-1790 …mark UPDATE: I just received the following note: Hallo! Für Ellerwald waren die evangelische Kirchen in Elbing zuständig:…

  • Our Families,  Thoughts

    A wonderful day of research!

    I guess this is what makes genealogy addictive… I found another generation of Saengers in my mother’s family.  Not only did I find a set of g-g-g-g-parents but I found all of their children as well as the spouses of these children. I am always amazed at what original source documentation provides in terms of insights and clues to the past.  In spite of bad handwriting, blurry photos and water damage, ancestors just seem to jump off the page at me.  It is a true journey into the past.

  • ManyRoads,  Thoughts

    Spectacular resources for reseach

    I have come across a few extra-special web based resources for genealogy and history research.  The resources include: The Internet Archive-“The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public.” europeana-“a place for inspiration and ideas. Search through the cultural collections of Europe, connect to other user pathways and share your discoveries.” dlibra– “dLibra is used by institutions such as academic and public libraries to make stored digital publications available on the Internet. These institutions by using PIONIER network and dLibra software create…

  • Quebec History

    Quebecois Filles du Roi and Filles a Marier

    Because many of our visitors have been attempting to read the postings of our Filles a Marier and Filles du Roi, I am attempting to gain permission for web publication of the data I have.  Unfortunately much of our current data is extracted from the fine work of Peter Gagne and we must respect his copyright(s). Until permission is obtained we are unable to make our information ‘generally available’.

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  • Europe,  Iowa,  Mennonites

    Eicher Mennonites

    Source: For access to the original article on the Henss/Rich family sect of Mennonites please visit this Rootsweb article.   MENNONINTE HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY AREA by Melvin Gingerich This is a series of articles written by Melvin Gingerich, a well know Mennonite minister, and, I believe Bishop. The series was published on a weekly basis in The Wayland News until its conclusion. — Ann Miller White. – 1/9/1931 – Wayland News   Coming of Amish Mennonites to this Community Practically all of the Mennonites of the Wayland community are of Swiss blood although their ancestors may not have come directly from Switzerland . Fierce persecution of Mennoniteism from 1526…