Family Events ~ November 5 - 11

November 5th ~ This day in 1890 is marked by the death of my great-grandaunt, Barbara Shepard BENZIE in Inverurie at the age of 5.  She is buried along with her parents and several other siblings in Inverurie Cemetery.  I was able to visit there several years ago.

November 7th ~ On this day in 1802 my 3x great-granduncle Alexander BENZIE is "baptised before the congregation.." in the parish of Oyne, Aberdeen, Scotland. 

Also on this day in 1854, Frederick ZAUGG, my 2x great-granduncle is born in Sugar Creek township, Wayne County, Ohio.  Fred is the second child of Jacob ZAUGG and Anna Barbara BARTSCHY and I now believe he is the first to have been born in America.

November 9th ~  On this day in 1778, my 4x great-granduncle, George KIRK is born in Fife, Scotland. 

November 10th ~ On this day in 1780, a woman who is in contention to be my 4xgreat-grandmother, Barbara PORTER is born in Kennoway Parish, Fife, Scotland.

Weekly Events ~ January 24 - 30

January 24th ~ This day is marked by the death of Margaret BEVERSTOCK in 1858 in Durham, England. I believe that she is my 4x great-grandmother.

January 25th ~ On this day in 1921 my grandaunt, Cora Black RITCHIE is born in Cleveland, Ohio. I have no pictures of Cora when she was young. I guess as the youngest of a large family, there was no time for baby pictures! This day is also marked by the death, in 1985 of one of Cora's older brothers, my granduncle, Thomas Albert RITCHIE.

January 28th ~ This day is marked by the death of my great-grandfather, Thomas Leopold RITCHIE in 1953 in Ravenna, Ohio. He was born in St. Andrews, Scotland, came to Canada when he was around 9, ended up working in Massachusetts by 1900 where he met and married his wife and then moved to Ohio where he raised a family of 8 children and lived the rest of his life. I would loved to have talked to him!

January 29th ~ On this day in 1775 Margaret KIRK, my 4x great-grandaunt is baptized in St. Andrews Scotland.

January 30th ~ On this day in 1698 my potential 7x great-grandfather, Niklaus ZAUGG is born in Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland. Also on this day, in 1831 in St. Andrews, Scotland my 2x great-granduncle, Thomas SWINTON is born.

Also born on this day in 1914 is another Ritchie sibling, my granduncle George Foster RITCHIE. Uncle George was definitely a "character."  He was the story teller in the family and he always embellished those stories quite a bit.  He gave me some great information on the family history, but I've had to go over every piece to find the actual truth to the story.  I don't have many pictures of Uncle George - he was one of the younger children in the family of 8.  In the picture to the left I think he looks quite a bit like his older brother, my grandfather David Ritchie.

Finally this day is marked by the death, in 1985 of my granduncle Clair Raymond SAURER.  I always remember that Uncle Clair and Aunt Temp lived next door to my grandparents and they had a dog that was scary!  Uncle Clair loved that dog but we were always warned not to run up to it or even go near it unless Uncle Clair was around.



[this post was originally written in 2010 and has been slightly modified for 2011]

Family Events ~ January 31 - February 7

[Yes, I know - February 6th should be the last day...but I have a special reason for including it here!]

January 31st ~ On this day in 1901 in Edinburgh, Scotland William Hannan RITCHIE, my 2nd cousin twice removed is born. He will only live for 4 days.

February 2nd ~ On this day in 1838, marriage banns are read for David RITCHIE and Agnes GOURLAY in Ceres, Fife, Scotland. They are my 3x great-grandparents. This day in 1993 is also marked by the death of my granduncle, Windsor Benzie RITCHIE in Ohio.

February 3rd ~ This day is marked by the death of James KIRK, my 5x great-grandfather in 1829 in St. Andrews, Scotland. I am fortunate that there is a marker for him in St. Andrews, erected by his son and that I got to see and photograph it! It was an early Tombstone Tuesday post last year.

This day is also marked by the death of Selma EICKELBERG, my great-grandaunt in Denver, Colorado in 1913. She was just 5 days shy of her 19th birthday.

February 4th ~ On this day in 1897 Edna SAURER is born in Dalton, Wayne County, Ohio. She will become the wife of my great-granduncle Raymond GRABER. She will also cause be no end of problems early in my genealogical "career" as she was born Edna SAURER and became Edna GRABER while her sister-in-law, Raymond's sister, is born Edna GRABER and becomes on marriage Edna SAURER!!! Even when people noted names on the backs of pictures it all depended on who was doing the labeling as even after marriage both women might be noted by a maiden name.

And now for the most special days of this week:

February 6th AND February 7th ~ On these days, some years ago, right before and right after midnight my twin nephew and niece are born. My niece, the one born on the 7th used to say that the 6th was always, "the worst day of the year for me" because on that day her brother would tell her, and anyone who would listen, that HE was a year older! "I'm already x but you are NOT" I'm sure any of you with brothers can imagine. While they are teenagers now, I just couldn't resist using their one-year old birthday party pictures.

Happy Birthday Twins!!

Family Events ~ November 15 - 21

[I know it's been awhile. I just have a lot going on in my personal life right now. I guess I'm not really a true blogger because my first instinct isn't to rush out and tell the world...anyway, I've decided to do at least 2 genealogy/blog things. First, I'm going to start posting my weekly family events on Sunday. My family likes those and I seem to get the most comments on those as well. Second, I'm going to pick ONE family name and only work on it and only it - really! (trying to cure my GADD) So, that's it for now.]

November 15 ~ On this day in 1778, my 4th great-granduncle, George KIRK is baptized in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

November 16 ~ On this day in 1746, my 5th great-grandfather, John GOURLAY is baptized in Ceres, Fife, Scotland. This day is also marked by the death, in Chevy Chase, Maryland in 1997, of my brother-in-law's grandmother Vestal [MATHIS] MOUSER.

November 17 ~ This day is marked by the death, in 1800 in Berne, Switzerland, of the man I believe to be my 6th great-grandfather, Abraham ZAUGG. Also on this day in 1838, my 3th great-grandparents James BENZIE and Mary BENZIE [this was her maiden name as well as her married name] were married in Oyne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

November 20 ~ This day is marked by the death, in 1913 in Weld County, Colorado, of my great-great-grandaunt, Mary Ann [AUFLICK] SAUNDERS.

Wow ~ a whole week's worth of events and not ONE picture!! That's unusual for me.

Family Events ~ August 2 - 9

August 3 ~ In 1800, marriage banns were read for my 4x great-grandparents, David GOURLAY & Barbara PORTER in Kennoway, Fife, Scotland.


August 4 ~ In 1886, Paris Roy BUPP was born. Paris was the husband of my great-grandaunt, Hilda GRABER.





August 5 ~ This day was marked by the death of Rudolph GRABER, my great-great-grandfather in 1918 in Apple Creek, Ohio. He will be buried in Apple Creek Cemetery on August 7th.


August 6 ~ In 1863 Elizbeth KIRK, my 4x great-grandmother, would die in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. A picture of her marker was posted in a previous Tombstone Tuesday post.

Also on this day, in 1964 James DUNCAN, my step-great-grandfather, would die in Riverside, California. He is buried in Boulder, Colorado.

August 8 ~ In 1841 Charles SWINTON, my 2x great-granduncle, is baptized in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

Tombstone Tuesday ~ James Kirk, Scotland

MEMENTO MORI
Erected
by
JAMES KIRK Merchant
St. Johns, New Brunswick, North America
In Memory of
JAMES KIRK, his Father
who died 3rd Feb 1829
aged 80 years
ELSPETH RUSSELL his Mother
Died 7th May 1832
aged 81 years

This is another ancestor's gravestone that I was able to visit in St. Andrews Cathedral graveyard. James KIRK and Elspeth RUSSELL are my 5th great-grandparents.

Their son, James KIRK, who erected this monument is the youngest child (I've found) in a large family. I have yet to trace what happened to him in Canada. His much older sister, Elizabeth, is my 4th great-grandmother. There is a memorial to her very near this one which I featured in an early Tombstone Tuesday post.

Tombstone Tuesday ~ SOUTER, Robert & family

TO

The Memory of
ROBERT SOUTER
late Dundee Carrier St. Andrews
who died 29th June 1823
in the 47th year of his age
Also his wife ELIZABETH KIRK
died 9th August 1863
aged 87 years
Also their daughter ELSPETH SOUTER
wife of THOMAS SWINTON
died 14th January 1882
aged 74 years
Also THOMAS SWINTON

Died 19th March 1892 85 years

Last Tuesday's post made me think more about our trip to Scotland in May, 2007. This is another ancestor's gravestone that I was able to visit in St. Andrews Cathedral graveyard. One thing I love about researching my ancestors in Scotland is how women don't lose their maiden names. Many documents will refer to them that way and it makes it easier to find the previous generation.

I am also busy trying to get a time line together for the last mentioned person on this memorial, Thomas SWINTON, as he is going to be my first brickwall ancestor posting. Thomas is my 3rd great-grandfather.