Sniff. I am so proud!

Today my youngest daughter asked me to come see what she had created with her Legos.  I thought it would be some incredible car or building, as she usually does, but this time I was surprised to see a Lego family tree.  She explained to me all the couples and children and siblings, etc..  It was impressive!

I am so proud that I am passing my love of Family History on to my children! : )

I am still here

I am still here.  I really am.

I have had woefully little time to do family history lately. :(  I hope that will change soon!

Your Family Tree Explained

Your Family Tree Explained: this is a great explanation of how we are all related! : )

Memorial Day

One, I can't believe it has been almost a year since I updated this blog!

Two, I was surprised that I had not posted this photo before.  I have posted it on my facebook page every Memorial Day for a few years.  It has photos from both mine and Kevin's side of the family.

Left column: Clarence Linenbach (WWII), William H. Nehring, (WWII), Richard Marshall (WWII); center column: David A. Nehring (Viet Nam), Lester A. Morris (WWII), Donald Caman (WWII), Harry B. Abbott, (WWII); right column: Agustus Caman (Civil War), Edgar Abbott (Spanish-American War) and Wilbur Love (WWI).

It is a day to remember and be grateful for those who have served!

Pioneer Day 2013

In honor of Pioneer Day, I thought I would post the photos I took at the Historic Penrose Cabin in Farmington, Utah.  I have been to the cabin a few times, but had never been inside.  

This is me, back in the early 1990s, outside the gate at the Penrose Cabin

This last trip to Utah, we were able to get a hold of the DUP group that cares for the site and they unlocked the gate so we could see the interior of the cabin.

Our group was Marjorie Castle, Kathryn Berkowitz, Rebecca, Katrina and I.  

Charles W. Penrose left England and travelled, as a pioneer, across the plains, arriving in Utah in 1861.  This cabin was built in Farmington, Utah, for he and his family to live until another home could be built for them.  (This cabin is located behind an amazingly beautiful stone chapel in Farmington that I never remember to take a photo of, so I got this off Google Maps!)

There is basically one corner of the museum that has artifacts from Charles W. Penrose:

There are several items, including Charles' "dress suit" (which he is wearing in several photos), his rocking chair, and a portrait.

There were also many histories and photos in a binder on the front table.  To see photos of the histories, and all the photos I took at the cabin, click HERE.

It was lovely to get to see the interior of the cabin!

Rebecca, Katrina and Lora Nehring at the Historic Penrose Cabin

Direct line ancestry: Charles W. Penrose --> Frank W. Penrose --> Lu Penrose --> Kathryn Bond -->  Lora Marshall Nehring

Penrose Family Reunion

The Penrose Family Reunion was held on 18 July 2013 in Utah.  It was held at Mark and Shelly Evans beautiful home in the east Salt Lake area.  This is the second bi-annual reunion and I am SO glad I got to go this year!!  I drove out to Utah with Rebecca and Katrina, and my mom was able to come this year too!!  (She won the prize for having travelled the farthest, from Alaska!)

Cousins!! - Kristen Castle Dean, Jennifer Castle Critchlow, Lora Marshall Nehring, and Laurel Castle DeGroot

It was great to see my cousins and meet so many new ones!  I even found out that I have the "Penrose toe"!  (That is when your second toe sticks up farther than your big toe.)  Who knew?!

The reunion is a gathering of the descendants of the "Great Eight" - the children of Frank and Ruth Penrose: Marjorie, Dixie, Mil, Penny, Lu, Ann, Bud and Jean.  There was great food, swimming, prizes and lots of good conversation and catching up!

To see all the photos that I took at the reunion, click HERE.

The children of the Great Eight:

back row: Lloyd Drecksel (Dixie), Robyn Thompson (Penny), Sheila Penrose (Ann), Samuel Penrose Thomas (Jean), Larry Penrose (Bud), Jeff Thomas (Jean). front row: Kathryn Berkowitz (Lu), Marjorie Castle (Lu), Peggy Smith (Mil), Kathy Jones (Ann)

And the children of the children of the Great Eight:

back row: Lora Nehring (Lu), Shelly Evans (Ann), Patricia Kingston Quirk (Mil), Phyllis Vetter (Ann), Merb Jones (Ann), Erik Kingston (Mil), Kait Kingston (Mil). front row: Kristen Dean (Lu), Julie Smith (Mil), Jennifer Critchlow (Lu), Laurel DeGroot (Lu).

When we were taking this photo, someone directed that the people that were 45 and up had to stand in the back.  At first I was kind of bummed to be old enough to stand in the back row.  Then I looked around at the company I was standing with.  All these amazing, gorgeous women!  I suddenly felt very privileged.  We all have all inherited those great Penrose genes!!  (Erik too! : )

Here are the descendants of Dixie:

Alex Drecksel, Jill Drecksel, Paul Drecksel, Debra Howard, Gary Howard, Lloyd Penrose (attended but not pictured: Willie, Linda,  Tristin, Hilary and baby Jaxon)

Mildred:

back row: Ray Kingston, Vicky Kingston, Erik Kingston, Jim Quirk; middle row: Sha-Sha Kingston, Lauren Quirk, Sarah Quirk, Patricia Quirk, Julie Smith, Kait Eckman; front row: Gaylon and Peggy Smith

Penny:

Robyn Thompson, Terri James, Cloe James and Summer Thompson

Lu:

back: Nyle Critchlow, Marjorie Castle, Brent Castle, Kristen Dean, Tyler DeGroot, Laurel DeGroot, Kathryn Berkowitz, Lora Nehring. middle: Jennifer Critchlow, Tate DeGroot, Braxton Dean, Beckham and Brooklyn Dean (twins), Kaitlin Dean. front row: Dallin DeGroot, Brady Critchlow, Max Critchlow, Lucian Critchlow, Parker DeGroot, Katrina Nehring, Rebecca Nehring

Jennifer made these pedigrees of the family members who were there at the reunion

Ann:

Mikey, Mai-Mai, Phyllis Vitter, Gunther, (I don't know, sorry), Merb Jones, Kathy Jones, Sheila Penrose, Shelly Evans, Kelsey, Mark Evans.  (attended but not pictured: Sally and Bill Knowles)

Bud:

Kathy and Larry Penrose

Jean:

Samuel Thomas, Jeff Thomas, Linda Thomas, Wendy Thomas

(I didn't leave Marge out, she didn't have any children.)

We were all asked to bring any Penrose photos, documents, stories, etc. that we could share, as there would be a scanner there.  I had loaded up all my info on a memory stick before I left Kerman, and at the reunion, I went to hand it to Nyle, who was scanning away, and when I opened my thumb drive, I was startled to see only the case!  I traced my steps back to the car and searched it too.  I called home, and Kevin checked the computer, and sure enough, there it was sticking out of the back of the computer!  D-oh!!  So, Kevin loaded it all onto Google Drive and I was able to retrieve it to add it to the mix. : )  Thanks sweetheart!! 

Kevin took this photo of my memory stick, still in Kerman

It was a wonderful evening and I am so proud to be a member of such a great group of people!! 

Earlier in the day, the girls and I had been on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and we took a tour of the Conference Center.  We went through a room that had portraits of all the Apostles and then into a room that had busts of all the prophets.  As we stood there, I could see another room, beyond where we were standing, that had more paintings in it.  I asked our tour guide what was in that room, and she said it was portraits of all the modern-day Apostles.  I said, "my 2nd great-grandfather is in there," and she said, "Go!"  The girls and I hurried down the hall and found the portrait of Charles W. Penrose, and took a couple of pictures.  Perfect timing! : )

Direct line ancestry -->  Charles W. Penrose and Louise Elizabeth Lusty --> Frank William Penrose and Ruth McQuarrie -->  Lu Penrose --> Kathryn Bond -->  Lora Marshall Nehring

Camann photos

Remember how excited I was a while back when I found all the Camann children!

My dad has been visiting us through this summer and he brought a box of family history that his father, Don Caman, had compiled.  I have been going through the box and scanning all the documents and photos, etc.  Yesterday, I came across a photo, and dad and I were trying to figure out who it was, as (sigh!) there was no name or date on the back of the photo.  (SOAPBOX: Write on the backs of your photos people!!)

We could tell it was a Camann, as it bore a striking resemblance to Carl Camann, as seen in this not-so-great copy of a photograph of Augustus Camann (my 3rd great-grandfather) and his brother, Carl Camann (on the right, in the right-hand photo):

But, we decided, the clothes were telling that this was not Carl, so, could it be their father Christoph Friedrich Camann??  His clothes were definitely an older style.

Then I saw this photo!!  I knew who it was before I turned the photo over.  That is what I love about family history!  You connect with people you have never met, and you KNOW them, even though you have not shared the same time on the earth.  I knew!  This is a photo of my 4th great-grandmother, Louise Friedericke Grobengiesser Camann!!

Isn't she marvelous?!!  What a beautiful photograph!  I turned it over and nearly started to cry when I saw her name written on the back of the photo.  I was instantly connected to her and all I know about her and her life!  Wonderful!!

And there was more!  In another file I found many of the other members of the Camann family! 

1. Frederich August Camann

2. Augustus William Camann

3. Wilhelm Julius Camann

4. Louise W Camann - no photo

5. Charles (Carl) Gotthilf Camann

6. Johannes Heinrich Camann

7. Paul Leberecht Camann - no photo

8. Augusta Louise Camann

9. Anna Lydia Camann

10. Martha Henriette Camann

And then, a few folders later, I found this paper, that confirms that the original photo we found was, indeed, Christoph Frederich Camann!

It is so thrilling to find wonderful photographs like these!! I love the photo of a young Augustus William Camann and the Civil War photo of his brother, Wilhelm!

I know this one is not a Camann (although her daughter would be by marriage), but I had the same reaction to this photo as I did to the one of Louise.  I am fairly certain that this is a photo of Anna Teressa Halligan, my 2nd great-grandmother. 

This photo looks very much like the photos I have of her daughter, Annie, but again, the period clothing make it seem more likely that this is Anna.  

What an absolute thrill!!  These women are so important to me and I am so happy to be able to have faces to put with the names!!

Direct line ancestry: Christoph Friederich Camann --> Augustus William Caman --> William Harrison Caman --> Clarence Chapman Caman -- Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Thomas Halligan and James Costello

With the help of my Halligan cousin, Cynthia, we think we may have found the name of Thomas Halligan's father.  And, his wife, Ann's, father as well.

This is from the website www.mayoancestors.com (The Mayo is for Mayo County, Ireland) and it shows the marriage between Thomas Halligan and Ann Costello.  Listed as witnesses 1 and 2 are James Costello and Thomas Halligan.  On another record it refers to them as "pt" instead of witness.  Cynthia and I are speculating that "pt" stands for parent, as it is completely reasonable that the fathers would stand in as witnesses.  So, it would seem that Thomas Halligan is Thomas Halligan's father, and James Costello is Ann Costello's father.

Direct line ancestry: Thomas Halligan:James Costello --> Thomas Halligan:Ann Costello --> Anna Teressa Halligan --> Annie Marie Sammon --> Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Teressa Marshall Nehring

Pioneer Rebecca

It's Rebecca's turn to do a pioneer trek this year.  The Fresno West Stake is putting on a "two" day Youth Pioneer Handcart Trek up at Millar Ranch in Coarsegold, California.  They went from Friday evening to Saturday late afternoon.  Amanda is out of town for  State FFA Finals and couldn't go......besides she already experienced the four day trek and didn't want to listen to kids whine about being out for only one day.  : )

It all began well, but when they started the trek on Saturday morning, Rebecca's allergies overcame her and she couldn't breathe!  She had to stop and wait for a vehicle to take her back to the base camp.  She ended up being one of the pioneers who "died" on plains.  Poor Rebecca.  She said she had fun though.  At least we know it is good she was not out for four days with those allergies.

Funerals are really just Family Reunions

I am not a big fan of funerals.  Let me rephrase, I am not a big fan of viewings.  I have never been comfortable with the idea.  I have told my husband repeatedly, my funeral -- no viewing!  The deceased never look like themselves, and they aren't there anyway.  Take my Gma Lu's funeral, for example.  My grandmother always had a beautiful olive complexion, yet the funeral home put peach colored make up on her.  I took one look and said, that is NOT my grandmother.  I have other ways of honoring the dead than by "viewing" them.

Anyway, I digress.

I am a fan of funerals, for the fact that I get to see so many family members.  It is like a reunion sometimes and I love that!  I am grateful for any opportunity that gets my spread-out family all in one place.  Such was the case with my Gma Willie's funeral back on 17 December 2012.  (Yeah, I know it has been five months, but I have been busy with everything except family history.  Sigh.)

The morning of the funeral, my Aunt Lindi had us all meet at Sandy's Country Junction, as that was Gma Willie's favorite restaurant.  My youngest brother, Jeremy, asked what Gma's favorite was, and so he ordered a BLT sandwich in her honor.  Cool!

We went out the the Sanger Cemetery for the funeral.  It was one of those days that is threatening rain, but the sun shines while you need it to.  It was a lovely day!

I gave the Eulogy for my Gma:

Eulogy for Wilburta “Willie” June Love Linenbach - 17 December 2012

Wilburta June Love was born on 20 September 1922 in Glendale, California to Wilbur Ticknor and Florence Faye Alkire Love.  She was the second of two girls born to the Love family.

Wilburta was named after her father.  “I’m proud my parents wanted to name me after my dad, but I wish his name hadn’t been Wilbur.  Nobody could spell it and half the people couldn’t say it correctly.  I think my family started ‘Willie’ for my sake.  My father, bless his heart.  It never was a secret that he wanted a son.  He never, ever made me feel like I should have been a boy, except once.  I wasn’t too old but he told my mom one day that he’d take me for a haircut.  He did ask me if I would try a ‘boy’s bob’.  I know I did not want one but I said yes to please him and then I think I cried for 24 hours.  My mom felt sorry for me.”

In 1930, the Love family moved from Glendale to Reseda.  Willie said “ I was broken hearted, but it turned into memories that I'll never forget."  Willie loved animals and they raised dogs and chickens and other animals.

As a child Willie had a lot of fun, playing with friends and her many cousins who lived near by.  She loved school.  “I [sometimes] had to sit in a special chair in the hall for talking too much.  Parents used to visit school once in a while. Just drop by.  One time I was in ‘the hall chair’ and my mom dropped by.  She couldn’t believe it.  I think she almost laughed.  I’ll never forget it.”     

Willie attended Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California.  She did well in school and was the Honorary Major of the ROTC Drill team, and the Captain of the Rifle Team.  She was an excellent shot and won many competitions.  She graduated from high school in 1940.

Willie intended to go into the field of nursing, but when World War II started everyone’s plans changed.  She always felt badly about not following that dream.  Willie credited the development of her intense patriotism to her dad.

After high school, Wilburta joined the Glendale Women’s Ambulance Corps, where she served as a First Lieutenant.

While in high school Wilburta was friends with a man named Donald Caman.  They were married in 1942.  Donald went to France during the war and Willie was pregnant with their son, Donald Caman, Jr.  Donald returned to the United States and told Willie he had met someone in France and wanted a divorce.  Willie moved back to California to live with her parents, and there she met Richard Marshall.  They were married in 1947 and Richard adopted Don.  Richard had a son, Darryl, from his previous marriage.

The family moved to Fresno, where Lindi was born.  Willie took up golf and found it to be a sport that she loved very much.  In 1961 she was the Women's Champion at the Belmont Country Club.   Richard and Willie were divorced, and Willie went to work for Northrup King and then for the Fresno Unified School District as the Principal’s secretary at Ewing Elementary School.  

Willie finally found her true love, and in 1974 Willie married Clarence “Linn” Linenbach.  They shared a love of golf and traveling, and after she retired in 1976, they spent a lot of time on the road in their RV, visiting golf courses around the country.   They also went on cruises and travelled abroad, visiting Germany and Hong Kong.

Willie took up sewing as a hobby and sewed clothes for her family.  I remember matching light blue velour sweaters she made for my dad and I.

She and Linn spent thirty-three happy years together, until Linn passed away in January 2007.  

Sadly, in her later years, Willie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was not able to remember her full life.  Those who visited her were always greeted with a smile and a "Hi honey!"  She did not always remember our names, but she did know that we were connected to each other and that she loved us and we loved her.

I am grateful for the time that I got to spend with my Gma Willie in this life and I am comforted by the knowledge that when I see her again, she will remember me, and all of us, having been made whole again through the grace of Jesus Christ.

My cousin, Kerri June Reynolds Thomas, shared memories about her "Gram":

My Aunt Lindi, Uncle Rich, and my dad, Don Marshall, all shared their memories and feelings:

Darryl Marshall shared a scripture that he read from a Bible that belonged to Willie's mother:

And then we all got to stand around and talk and laugh and remember.....and that is the part I love the best about funerals!  Family!

left to right: Ginnie Westfall (Willie's sister's, Juanita, daughter), Suzanne Mello (Ginnie's daughter), Rich Clark (Lindi's husband), Darryl Marshall (Willie's son), Don Marshall (Willie's son), Lindi Clark (Willie's daughter), Jason Hunt (Lindi's son), Kerri Thomas (Lindi's daughter), Joseph Thomas (Kerri's son), Hayli Thomas (Kerri's daughter), Cheryl Hunt (Jason's wife), Michael Thomas (Kerri's husband), Jared Hunt (Jason's son), Justin Hunt (Jason's son), Lora Nehring (Don's daughter), Jeremy Marshall (Don's son), Rebecca Nehring (Lora's daughter), Katrina Nehring (Lora's daughter), Kevin Nehring (Lora's husband), and Amanda Nehring (Lora's daughter) -- Wilburta "Willie" Linenbach's funeral - Sanger Cemetery - 17 December 2012

Cousins: Jeremy Marshall, Lora Marshall Nehring, Kerri Reynolds Thomas

Siblings: Darryl Marshall, Lindi Marshall Clark, Don Marshall

Last month I went out to the Sanger Cemetery again and was able to get a photo of the Linenbach headstone:

I think about my Gma Willie a lot.  I used to see her every Friday morning, so often, especially on Friday mornings, I think about her.