Thriller Thursday - A Tragic Accident.

First, the Missouri Death Certificates for 1965 are now available online at the Missouri State Archives site here. One of the first things I do is to search for my family surnames. So when I searched for Percival, this is what I found. Five members in the same family died on the same day in a tragic automobile accident. An account of the accident can be found in the June 27th edition of the St. Louis, Missouri Post-Dispatch on the first page.

The first four listed died instantly and it everyone from the Percival car were thrown from the vehicle. The other child, Rebecca died later of her injuries. In addition to these family members, two other children survived with minor injuries. Mrs. Percival's parents were also killed in the accident. Also killed in the accident were Mr. and Mrs. Burgman who were in the other vehicle involved. Mr. Burgman was the only one not thrown from a vehicle. All told, 9 people died as a result of the crash.

This was one instance, when I was glad they weren't my Percivals.

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

They Were From Where?

I saw this meme circulating around Facebook and thought I would give it a try. It's actually a cool way to document migrations. 

Mine

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

What The ??????

My mother's uncle George Zimmeth (he died in 1918 before her parents were married) was married to Julia Blust. After George's death Julia remarried to William McLinden (or McLindon) depending on the record you look at.  I knew from church records that Julia died December 9, 1925.

I finally found her Sunday, by searching not on Ancestry.com but SeekingMichigan.com. Great site. But her death record left me confused. You see, it had her name as Mary June McLinden, daughter of Joseph Blust and Barbara Berger.

So, why does her death record refer to her as Mary June? Maybe an error in transcription from the death record to the certificate?

I always thought that Julia died from being pregnant too much. I found evidence of 12 children. Three lived to be adults. And indeed, Julia had a miscarriage and a D&C on November 30, 1925. But not according to her death certificate. She died of ptomaine poisoning from chicken soup prepared at home. I don't buy it.

Death occurred 9 days after her miscarriage. I'm betting septicemia. Just my opinion.

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

Thriller Thursday: The Real Story?

I finally found newspaper accounts of my great-great-great grandfather's death - Alexander Oliphant that is. Alexander was a surveyor and often traveled into Kansas. These are the accounts of his accident.

From the Leavenworth (Kansas) Times, September 21, 1878:

Out of the Second Story

A Guest at the Continental Falls From the Window of His Room in the Second Story.

Yesterday morning, about four o'clock, Mr. A. Oliphant, of Ray county, Mo., fell from the window of his room in the second story of the Continental hotel, and received injuries, while painful and severe, will not by any means prove fatal. Being unable to unfasten hi door, he went to the window to call the porter, and leaning too far out lost his balance and fell to the ground, a distance of perhaps thirty feet. He was picked up and taken to his room again, where an examination was made, but no bones found to be broken.

Well, okay, doesn't sound too bad, huh? The man was 72 years old, let's be real. Here is the follow-up.

Same paper, September 24, 1878:

Died of His Injuries.

Mr. A. Oliphant, of Ray county, Mo., who fell from the window of his room in the second story of the Continental Hotel, last Friday morning, died from the effects of his injuries on Sunday morning. His son arrived Sunday morning, but after his father's death. The remains were embalmed and shipped to the late home of the deceased in Ray county. Mr. Oliphant was about seventy-six years of age.

So apparently, the first account was not that accurate. The story varies from what my dad's aunt told him, slightly. I like this version better, but who really knows.



Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

Outside Stuff

Last week, we had almost perfect weather. It certainly did not feel like winter at all. DH and I worked outside trying to figure out some gaps between the fence and house (taken care of ), did some planning and leveling to put in a solar lamppost in a planter in our back yard, hubby did some tilling and helped me install a post for the solar lights around our little swing cover (no swing, a glider). We had one day where it hit 84. Saturday was cooler and Sunday it got downright cold (first full day of Spring) and it snowed. Nothing stuck fortunately.

Unfortunately, we use our garage as a staging area, setting up work bench, sawing, drilling and all that great stuff. But hubby shifted enough stuff to get the vehicle in the garage. If the sun comes out again I will get some pictures.

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

Sorry, Wrong Number

From time to time, I get comments on my blog from people who think they might be related. Ninety-five percent of the time they are. The latest one, I was sorry to say was not related, at least that I can document. Spouses are different, death dates are 10 years apart. Nope. So I regretted having to tell him we weren't connected. Hope he finds his connection though.

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

Shared Hints on Ancestry DNA

This is really a nice feature, but why months *after* I made notations on someone with whom I share ancestry am I getting this *new* match? And one of my daughters got a notice too, on something I made a notation of ages ago. Arggh. And my poor hubby still has only 2 shared ancestry hints - our daughters. But more 4th cousins or closer than I do. Not bad for an only child.

And, people, if you don't link a tree to your DNA results, you aren't going to get any shared hints at all. Just sayin'!

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

And Yet Another Zimmeth Relative!

I found another Zimmeth relative, or rather, he found me. And he still lives in Lancaster, New York. I think that's amazing. It's pretty hard to keep track sometimes of the Zimmeth, Zimmeht, Simmet lines all around the country. But it is darn exciting to find a living branch!

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

The Inimitable Shirley Percival, Part Deux

I have loved reading all the comments to yesterday's post, and all the comments on my Aunt's Facebook page. It shows how much she will be missed by friends and family.

I think I have some unusual memories of Shirley. First of all, she was a great cook, and so willing to share her recipes. She made great meatloaf, wonderful breakfasts and hamburg soup. The latter was shared with us several years ago. She used ground beef, I cheat and mash up meatballs. It's what we're having for dinner tonight, as I always have soup ingredients handy. And she collected recipes. I remember a long box of mostly handwritten recipe cards.

Speaking of soup, I'm sure anyone peeking in her freezer will find soup. Maybe even soup made from the carcass of a turkey.

When we were little and would visit, I would search out the bathrooms and marvel that their old house on Lakeshore Drive in Holland, had no tubs. They all took showers! Wow. I remember getting a bath once in the kitchen sink. I was really young at the time. Later, they moved to the house on the lake, which they built. We always had great times with the Holland Percivals.

I also worked with her looking for her Dutch ancestors. I learned how to sort of read the records from the Netherlands.

I will miss her emails. She was a great correspondent.

The photos are from our last visit to Holland in 2013. We had a wonderful time!

Sally & Aunt Shirley

Shirley, Sally, John & me

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

The Inimitable* Shirley Percival

We don't like to think about our own mortality, let alone those of loved ones. However, my Aunt Shirley Percival nee Kardux, passed away in her sleep this morning at the age of 94. I had thought she would live forever because she was very active.

She lost her husband, my uncle John, in 1982, not quite 34 years ago. I mark the date with the birth of my younger daughter, when he fell ill. He died two months later.

She was not one to stay home and whine about his loss. She stayed active. She loved playing bridge, going to Hope College basketball games and traveling.  She dearly loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and still had enough love for her nieces and nephews.

This is one of my favorite photos of my Aunt Shirley. It shows her adventurous spirit, and it was taken when she was 90. She was a lot braver than I am. I will miss her dearly.

*The definition of inimitable is a person or thing that's too good to be copied. That definitely describes Shirley.

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes