Covid-19

It's been years since I have written in this blog. Life gets in the way sometimes but currently, the date is May 18, 2020. Years from now people will be talking about this time in the history of the world. This is the time of Covid-19.

The world has been on lockdown since March trying to stem the spreading of the disease and attempting to "flatten the curve". For the past 2 months, we have been at home. Some of us continuing our full-time jobs from our living rooms, kitchens, and home offices. We have learned more about the world of Zoom meetings then we would ever want to know. And, ironically, the value in a roll of toilet paper which continues to be in short supply.

It's hard to document what life is like right now. Anything becomes normal after a time. Only essential businesses are open but visiting a pharmacy or grocery store requires wearing a mask. X marks made with tape are found on the floors with signs reminding you to keep 6 feet between you and the people around you. Limits to the number of people in a place of business means waiting in line outside the store until it is safe for you to enter.

Social distancing has kept us from visiting and hugging our family members. For some, those members are in nursing homes who ceased allowing visitors in March. So many people are fighting for their lives, and some losing that battle, alone in hospitals. Visitors are not allowed.

Weddings, funerals, and baptisms have been canceled. The churches are not open and gatherings of groups are not allowed. This past weekend my University, Notre Dame, held its first-ever virtual degree conferral. There is no commencement for the Class of 2020 around the world.

Large companies like JC Penny and Macy's are filing for bankruptcy. Many small businesses will never reopen. The economy has been hard hit. Even the government has extended tax filings from May 15 to July 15. The US government has issued stimulus checks in the amount of $1200 per adult and $500 per child. There is rumor of a second round of checks being sent.

Such is life during a world pandemic.

We don't yet know what will happen next. Phase 2 of slowly reopening the world has just begun. For those of us living now only looking back from the future will tell us if we have been successful in defeating the disease.

For now, we watch the nightly news and wonder what our new normal will be when we begin to cautiously emerge from our homes. And for those of us who find extra time on our hands we attempt to document for future generations what this time in our lives is like.

May Genealogy Events!

Thursday, May 1, 2014 – Noon - South Bend Genealogy Roundtable.  Join us to discuss your family history search. Share your successes, bring your questions, and have fun! Beginning and experienced genealogists are welcome. You are welcome to bring a bag lunch St. Joseph County Public Library Local & Family History Center, 304 S. Main Street, South Bend, IN  46601. Call 282-4621 for more information.

Saturday, May 3, 2014 – 1:00 – 2:00 pm. - Preservation Basics: Caring for Your Family Treasures.  Bring your questions, your treasures, and your friends and join us for a talk and Q&A with Conservator Liz Dube in celebration of Preservation Week.  Bittersweet Meeting Room, Bittersweet Library, 602 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN.

Saturday, May 10, 2014 – Annual Allen County Public Library Bus Trip.  The South Bend Area Genealogical Society and the Elkhart County Genealogical Society are co-sponsoring a research trip to the Allen County Public Library!  For more information contact Call Bill Minish  (574)-277-1183, email: WHMinish@aol.com. View flyer here.

Saturday, May 10, 2014 – 10:00 a.m. - GENSIG (Genealogy Special Interest Group)-   Please join us, the coffee is always on.  Goshen Public Library 601 S 5th Street, Goshen, IN 46526 contact Young Snodgrass for more  information.young.snodgrass@frontier.com

Thursday, May 15, 2014 – 7 pm - Elkhart County Genealogical Society – Cemeteries – Care and Restoration - Jeanne Regan-Dinus, Director of Special Initiatives for the DNR’s Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, will share information on the care and restoration of cemeteries. She will suggest proper ways to clean tombstones so that permanent damage is not done to the stone. Knowing the proper procedures will help us as we visit cemeteries this summer to clean and document for the updating of our cemetery books and for personal cemetery visits. First Presbyterian Church, 200 East Beardsley, Elkhart, Indiana.  Public is always welcome!   

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 6:30 p.m. - Mishawaka Genealogy Roundtable. Interested in genealogy? Share your story! Beginners and experienced researchers are welcome to chat about their family history and research. Mishawaka Public Library, 209 Lincolnway East, Mishawaka, IN  46544. Contact Deanna Juday for more information. d.juday@mphpl.org

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - 7 pm- Twigs from the Tree of Life - Fold 3 – Learn about this premier online collection of original military records, The Fold3 name comes from a traditional flag folding ceremony in which the third fold is made in honor and remembrance of veterans who served in defense of their country and to maintain peace throughout the world.  Twigs from the Tree of Life meets monthly at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 17195 Cleveland Rd, South Bend, 46637  Instructor Lisa Ellam ellam.lisa@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome!

South Bend City Cemetery - Please join us!

DNA for Genealogy Explained!

 Roberta Estes

Wanting to do your DNA but don’t know how to begin? Having done your DNA, do you understand what you have and how to interpret the results? Come to these two fascinating and informative lectures to learn more about DNA for Genealogy!

On Saturday April 12 in the Colfax Auditorium, the St. Joseph County Public Library, in collaboration with the South Bend Area Genealogical Society, will present two lectures from national speaker Roberta Estes, an expert in the use of DNA testing for genealogical purposes.

For the first, DNA Testing for Genealogy Explained, Ms. Estes will discuss the types of DNA testing available and how these tests can serve the genealogical researcher. Her title for the lecture is DNA and Genealogy Introduction, and it will begin at 10:30.

For the second, DNA Test Results Explained, Ms. Estes will cover interpreting DNA test results. Her title for the lecture is Yikes, My Results are Back! Now What?  This presentation is for both Y-line and mitochondrial DNA. It will begin at 1:30.

You may reserve your space by calling 574-282-4621, or at http://www.libraryforlife.org/

Roberta Estes is a professional scientist, business owner, and genealogist. She excels at explaining difficult technical subjects in an understandable fashion to a nontechnical audience. She founded DNAeXplain in 2004 to provide analysis and interpretation of genetic genealogy DNA test results. Her website is http://www.dnaexplain.com/

April Genealogy Events in Michiana!

Spring is here!  (at least the calendar says so) and my April calendar is overflowing with genealogy events to choose from!

I want to highlight two events taking place this month.  Be sure and join me at the Main Branch of the South Bend Library on Saturday, April 12th to hear from Roberta Estes on Genealogy and DNA Testing.  She will be giving two talks at 10:30 and 1:30.

Come out on Tuesday, April 22nd to Christ the King Lutheran Church on Cleveland Road in South Bend to hear about the preservation efforts taking place in the historic South Bend City Cemetery.  You may just be inspired to join the effort!

See you out and about in April!

Thursday, April 3, 2014 – Noon - South Bend Genealogy Roundtable.  Join us to discuss your family history search. Share your successes, bring your questions, and have fun! Beginning and experienced genealogists are welcome. You are welcome to bring a bag lunch St. Joseph County Public Library Local & Family History Center, 304 S. Main Street, South Bend, IN  46601. Call 282-4621 for more information.

Saturday, April 5, 2014 – Indiana Genealogical Society Annual Meeting and Conference – Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN – J. Mark Lowe will be the featured speaker.  For more information http://www.indgensoc.org/conference.php

Saturday, April 12, 2014 – 10:30 a.m. -  Not Just Playing god – Genealogy and DNA Testing - Roberta Estes - Colfax Auditorium, the St. Joseph County Public Library, in collaboration with the South Bend Area Genealogical Society, will present two lectures from national speaker Roberta Estes, an expert in the use of DNA testing for genealogical purposes. Join us in theColfax Auditorium of the St. Joseph County Public Library, Main Street, South Bend, IN.

 For the first, DNA Testing for Genealogy Explained, Mrs. Estes will discuss the types of DNA testing available and how these tests can serve the genealogical researcher. Her title for the lecture is DNA and Genealogy Introduction, and it will begin at 10:30.

 For the second, DNA Test Results Explained, Mrs. Estes will cover interpreting DNA test results. Her title for the lecture is Yikes, My Results are Back! Now What?  This presentation is for both Y-line and mitochondrial DNA. It will begin at 1:30.

 You may reserve your space by calling 574-282-4621, or at http://www.libraryforlife.org/

Saturday, April 12, 2014 – 10:00 a.m. - GENSIG (Genealogy Special Interest Group)-   Jim Mathias will discuss the books "Homo Ludens" by Johan Huisinga.  The study of the play elements in culture.  During Jim's trip to his Aunt's home they found a drawer filled with trinkets from a lifetime of memories.  Everyone has such a collection, it's sitting down and analyzing their meanings.  And the book "Computer Spyware."  There's a new software package called "Discover.me" that shows you all the software that's tracking you on the internet and "slowing down the internet!!!"  Sometimes dozens of cookies are looking at you depending on where you are! Please join us, the coffee is always on.  Goshen Public Library 601 S 5th Street, Goshen, IN 46526 contact Young Snodgrass for more information.young.snodgrass@frontier.com

Thursday, April 17, 2014 – 7 pm - Elkhart County Genealogical Society – “Getting to Know Our County Seat”. Wanda Hoffman, Historian and Library Coordinator for the Society, will present some of the folklore and facts about Goshen and its early settlers. She will give the history of the county court houses from the beginning in 1830 through the present courthouse built in 1905. Included will be interesting tidbits such as its tunnel under 3rd St., its monuments, and its old fence. Information on Goshen’s cemeteries will also be discussed. Ms. Hoffman knows Goshen well. She is a member of the local historical societies and is a volunteer at the Elkhart County Historical Museum and the Goshen Historical Society Museum. Please join us as we learn about our county seat. All meetings are free and open to the public. Bring a friend! First Presbyterian Church, 200 East Beardsley, Elkhart, Indiana. Use the East door.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 7 pm- Twigs from the Tree of Life – Save the South Bend City Cemetery!   Learn more about the efforts to document and preserve the historic South Bend City Cemetery and how you can contribute to this important project.

Visitors will include: Elicia Feasel - Assistant Director Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County, Oliver Davis - City of South Bend 6th District Council Member,Jonathon Geels - Project Specialist at City of South Bend , Deb Kuehn - GIS Manager at City of South Bend and Steve Nemeth – Cemetery Sexton.

Twigs from the Tree of Life meets monthly at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 17195 Cleveland Rd, South Bend, 46637 For more information contact Lynne Wolfgang lynnewolf@aol.com  Everyone is welcome! (Please use the single door entrance in the back of the church)

Thursday, April 24, 2014 – 6:30 p.m. - Mishawaka Genealogy Roundtable. Interested in genealogy? Share your story! Beginners and experienced researchers are welcome to chat about their family history and research..Mishawaka Public Library, 209 Lincolnway East, Mishawaka, IN  46544. Contact Deanna Juday for more information. d.juday@mphpl.org

Saturday, April 26, 2014 – 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – Family Research.  Interested in family research but don’t know how to start?  Join us as we show you how to begin researching your ancestors.  We will also look at the resources that the library has available to aid you in your research.  Training Lab, Mishawaka Library, 209 Lincoln Way East, Mishawaka.

For information: 574-259-5277 ext. 215 or www.mphpl.org

Saturday, April 26, 2014 – 2:30 p.m. - Grave-Robbing Cemetery Tour South Bend City Cemetery.  South Bend has its own history of grave robbing.  Discover our sordid past in South Bend's City Cemetery with Travis Childs from the Center for History who leads an exploration of our area's somewhat sketchy buried secrets.  This tour requires a fair amount of walking over uneven ground.  No pets please.  No registration necessary.

214 Elm Street, South Bend (corner of W. Colfax Street and Elm)

SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday, May 10, 2014 – Annual Allen County Public Library Bus Trip.  The South Bend Area Genealogical Society and the Elkhart County Genealogical Society are co-sponsoring a research trip to the Allen County Public Library!  For more information contact Call Bill Minish  (574)-277-1183, email: WHMinish@aol.com. View flyer here.

The Tragically Short Life of the Other Ralph Ellam (1823-1859)

My last post revealed the short life of Ralph ELLAM (1907 - ca. 1919) who died of a broken neck when he fell out of an apple tree.

This post deals with another tragic death of a Ralph ELLAM.  This Ralph ELLAM is my husband's great-great-great grandfather (and also the great-grandfather of young Ralph above).

Born 1 May 1823 in St. Helens, England, Ralph was one of 9 children born to Ralph ELLAM (1788-1846) and Elizabeth HUGHES (1791 - ?).  He grew up poor and illiterate, never learning to write his own name.

On 1 Jan 1853 at the age of 29 he married Elizabeth GREENALL in the Chapel of Farnsworth, Prescot, Lancaster, England.

After his marriage he continued his work as a miner and he and Elizabeth welcomed three children:

Alice born in 1855
Elizabeth in 1857
William 29 Jul 1858 (my husband's great-great grandfather)

Tragedy struck on Tuesday, 12 Apr 1859.  On that day Ralph reported to work at the Broad Oak Mines in St. Helens, England.  Sometime during the day he fell off a roof in the mine causing instant death.  He was 35 years old.

An inquest was held on 14 Apr 1859 (the same day he was buried) and found the death was accidental. William was only 9 months old at the time of his father's death.

Ralph is buried in St. Helens Cemetery and his Find A Grave memorial can be found here.

Elizabeth remarried one year later to Lambert HEATON, the only father William knew.

18 years after his death Elizabeth finally received the effects of Ralph's estate.  Effects valued ess than £50 (less than $82 US today).

The (Almost) Forgotten Ellam Brother

My brick wall is my husband's grandfather, John ELLAM (24 May, 1908 - ?)

For years the information I had for John was:

Father - John ELLAM (1883-1933)
Mother - Ada Bailey ELLAM (1886 - 1967)

Brother - William H. ELLAM (1909 - 1969)

Recently I discovered there was another brother!

Ralph ELLAM (1907 - ?)

I found Ralph's birth record in the England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915.

I also found an immigration record of his arrival on 3 Jun 1911 along with his mother Ada and brothers John and William:

What I can't locate is his date of death.  Family lore says young Ralph fell out of an apple tree around the age of 12-13, broke his neck and died.  That would place his date of death between 1919-1920.  I can find his parents John and Ada in the 1920 census in Bridgeport, CT.  However, none of the boys are listed with them.

Where and when did Ralph die and where is he buried?  The search continues....