Passing It On

Five We Like: Another week of family history goodies

There’s a lot of good family history information available on the Internet. Here are five places we’ve enjoyed visiting recently:

Monster Mash. Just for fun, from those clever folks over at JibJab, a toe-tapping little ditty to celebrate Halloween.

The Last Conversation. What would you say if you knew your conversation with a loved one was your last one? Truth is, many of us never know when that conversation might take place. This poignant post about one woman’s final talk to her mother illustrates the fragility of life.

Volcanoes, 9-11, and Personal History. Fellow personal historian Dawn Thurston reminds us in this blog post that it is important to place our own family histories in the proper historical context.

The Closet. Never underestimate the power of good storytelling as this 1-minute 14-second video shows. Thanks Kat Hansen for the tip.

The Curious Case of Ephraim Vancil. Dale Funston’s quest to learn more about his great-great-uncle Ephraim Vancil, a shoemaker in Iola, Kansas, led him down some improbable paths, raising some intriguing questions along the way.

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

Flickr photo courtesy of OiMax.

Civil War service cements legacy for nurse Sarah Palmer

 

The war was too much for Sarah Palmer.

Pitting brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, the Civil War was a national disgrace. Palmer decided to put her nursing skills to the test. Despite warnings and disdain from those around her, Palmer left her two infant daughters in the care of her mother as she left the comforts of her New York home “to nurse the common soldier,” the frontline casualties of a bitterly divisive conflict.

For three years, Palmer ministered to soldiers in the battlefield, earning the nickname of “Aunt Becky.” After the war, Palmer moved to Iowa with her husband where she lived nearly 40 years before her death in 1906. She is buried in historic Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines and, according to Des Moines Register columnist John Carlson, has been mostly forgotten. That will change on Memorial Day when the Iowa Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will honor her with a 3 p.m. ceremony.

As Carlson’s article points out, Palmer was an American hero. Palmer made a valiant effort to preserve her legacy with an 1867 book called “The Story of Aunt Becky’s Army-life.” The book was published in 2008 and is available at Amazon.com.

In the book, Palmer wrote of her fragile legacy:

"I think, as I dress myself and tidy up my tent, how quickly the years will go away, and no one (will) remember that I ever lived," she wrote in her diary. "I shall die, be buried, and forgotten. My children while they live, will cherish my memory, but it is only one generation, and no one will exist who ever looked upon my face."

Palmer’s book stands as a testament to the power and value of preserving personal history.

Writing prompt of the day: What do you know about the Civil War veterans in your family tree?

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

 

Are your Halloween memories sweet, or on the scary side?

Is Where the Wild Things Are a ghost story? The children’s classic by Maurice Sendak is definitely a romp on the fantasy side, but I’m not sure it qualifies as a ghost story.

This is the week for chilling tales of witches and goblins, but I must confess that such spine-tingling stories were not really part of my own Halloween tradition. The recent adaptation of Sendak’s brilliant but spare (the text is only 10 lines long) work into a feature-length film had me probing my own mind for spooky Halloween memories.

I know my wife read Wild Things to our children when they were young and she reports that they loved it. For my part, my only contribution to the Halloween genre was an extemporaneous rendering of a story about the “Post Toastie ghostie,” of which not one detail do I recall.

When I was a child, Halloween to me meant trick or treating and a sack full of sugary delights. In those days, people still gave out popcorn balls, homemade baked goods and a smattering of coins, usually of the copper variety. We had a strict rule in my family: No trick or treating after age 12. I was sick the night of my final scheduled round, and though I pleaded for it, was denied an additional year of eligibility. I felt cheated for quite some time.

Halloween is much scarier today. First, there are the parents. Today’s kids travel in packs, often ushered by a convoy of parents, ever alert for sabotaged treats and suspicious characters. Then there are the kids themselves. In my neighborhood, even high school age kids hit the streets in search of a sugar buzz. If they’re not on the street, the older kids can pop into the local metroplex and watch ax killers and chainsaw assassins practice their specialties in explicitly gory fashion.

Personally, I prefer the Sendak variety of scary, or staring into the predictably evil eye of the swamp witch in Big Fish. While popping a few Milk Duds, of course.

Writing prompt for the day: What’s you favorite family story about Halloween?

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

Flickr photo courtesy of oskay.

Five We Like: Another week of family history goodies

There’s a lot of good family history information available on the Internet. Here are five places we’ve enjoyed visiting recently:

Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History. “The night my grandfather tried to kill us, I was five years old, the age I stopped believing in Santa Claus, started kindergarten, and made real rather than imaginary friends.” That’s just one sentence of Helene Stapinski’s book about growing up in Jersey City. “People didn’t settle in Jersey City,” writes Stapinski, “they settled for Jersey City.”

Antsy McClain - Falling in Love in America. Some will find this country-tinged YouTube video to be on the sappy side, but it effectively weaves old family photos with its uplifting lyrics. Worth a visit.

Blaze devours family history but not family spirit. A sad tale of how Richard Beck rescued a cache of family history from an uncertain future only to have it erased by fire as he was hundreds of miles away, recreating a cross-country journey by his grandparents.

Davina’s old postcards inspire a family history. Trevor Harris was on holiday in a small English village when he bought 36 old postcards from a shop. It wasn’t the pictures on the front that drew his attention – it was the messages on the back. After a bit of research, Harris turned his find into a book.

Only The Good: Tracing Family History. Shelly Kneupper Tucker’s folksy blogging style is always a fun read. In this post she writes of her love-hate relationship with her de facto role as her family’s historian.

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

Flickr photo courtesy of dedrawolff.

Are you destined to be a hole in your own family history?

 

My great grandmother, Lillie Ellen Myers was born on July 5, 1876, in Nickerson, Nebraska, and died on January 5, 1914, in North Bend, Nebraska, where she is buried. Her father, John C. Meiers, was born in Canada on Aug. 2, 1833 and her mother, Lydia Louisa Foster, was born August 13, 1840 in Ohio.

Sadly, that’s everything I know about her. No pictures, no stories, nothing. At the time of her death at age 37, my grandfather had just turned 15. I don’t recall him ever mentioning her and he died when I was just 13, well before I was interested in such matters. She died six years before my Dad was born.

Since it is unlikely that any diaries, clippings or letters that include Lillie will show up nearly a century after her death, this will probably always be a gap in my own family history. I wish she would have left something more of her life but I’m certain that, with four young boys to raise and given her death at a relatively young age, passing on family stories was not a priority.

A key goal of my personal history business is to make it possible for anyone to collect and save their own family stories for future generations. Think about that a moment. Don’t you want your life to mean something, even after you’re gone?

I cringe when I think of my great grandchildren knowing me only by the dates of my birth, death and marriage. I may not have solved world hunger, stopped global warming or ended armed conflict, but I’d like to think the values I taught my children and the direction I provided to help make them productive and honorable adults counts for something.

Whatever else I may accomplish, that is my true and lasting legacy.

Writing tip of the day: What are you doing to ensure your descendants know something about you and your life?

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

 

Are you chasing your history or the latest widget?

How are you saving your family’s history?

Do you use a genealogy program like Family Tree Maker to collect information about your ancestors? Or, maybe you prefer one of the online networking sites like We Relate, where you plug in information for others to see and share.

Heaven knows there are many options to choose from today and there will be even more tomorrow. While researching, saving and sharing family information may be easier than ever in this digital age, just getting to the point of productivity often means navigating a confusing minefield of ways to accomplish our goals.

It’s easy to be seduced by the latest tools that are dangled before us. Most are easy enough to use and the cost is usually right, often free. But, just as you get familiar with one, another comes along to entice us down another path.

It doesn’t need to be that way. The only requirement for saving one’s family history is a desire to do so, moderate research and organizational skills and a means for saving what we learn. A pencil and paper works quite well when combined with an inquisitive mind and a persistent attitude. Wouldn’t you be satisfied if your ancestors had saved their stories for you in just that way?

I have learned in my work as a personal historian that what most people need more than the latest genealogical or historical widget is someone to give them appropriate tools and steady encouragement while directing them to an uncluttered path that will take them toward their own goals.

Writing tip for the day: Review your own personal history plan. Is it clearly designed to achieve a specific goal, or have you been sidetracked by technology (or anything else)?

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

Flickr photo courtesy ofkurtthomashunt.

Come on little angel, he’s a rebel, this I swear

Today we wrap up the countdown of music I enjoyed in my youth but that you rarely hear on the radio, with my Top 10 songs:

10. What's A Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You?)-Timi Yuro (1962). In the early 1960s, when pop female singers like Connie Francis dominated the charts, along came Timi Yuro to blow them away with her powerful pipes. This wasn't her biggest hit, but it was her best recording.   
9. This I Swear-Skyliners (1959). Pittsburgh group hit big time months earlier with "Since I Don't Have You.'' Jimmy Beaumont's silky vocal carries this follow-up.   
8. Bop-A-Lena-Ronnie Self (1958). One of the most frantic rockabilly numbers to ever make the charts. Oop scooby dooby, Lena, go gal go.   
7. Every Breath I Take-Gene Pitney (1961). One of the most distinctive voices of the early rock era, this Phil Spector production reportedly benefitted from Pitney's bad cold which made possible a powerful falsetto ending and a preview of Spector's "wall of sound.''   
6. Transfusion-Nervous Norvous (1956). An ode to safe driving by novelty singer Jimmy Drake. The first rock song to successfully rhyme claret/Barrett and crimson/Jimson. "Pop the fluid in me, Louie.''   
5. Beechwood 4-5789-Marvelettes (1962). The first Motown girl group to perfect the pop hook (Please Mr. Postman, Playboy). Great lead vocal by Gladys Horton.   
4. Suzie Q-Dale Hawkins (1957). Early southern rock at its purest. A searing effort by the session guitarist of the early rock era, James Burton.    
3. He's a Rebel-Crystals (1962). Written by Gene Pitney, sung by Darlene Love, produced by Phil Spector. Irresistable.   
2. Shake Sherry-Contours (1962). The hardest-rocking of Berry Gordy's early Motown groups, this follow-up to "Do You Love Me'' has a killer bass line.   
1. Come On Little Angel-Belmonts (1962). Even without Dion, the Belmonts showed they could crank out teen hits. Carlo Mastrangelo cooks on this one.

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

Trouble in paradise, Bobby’s girl is at my front door

Continuing the countdown of music I enjoyed in my youth but that you rarely hear on the radio, here are the next 10 songs:

20. At My Front Door-El Dorados (1955). Plucked from the pool halls of Chicago's south side by Vee Jay records founder Vivian Carter, this group should have had a longer career.   
19. The Girl of My Best Friend-Ral Donner (1961). Elvis soundalike's first hit set stage for career capped by appearance in film, "This Is Elvis,'' 20 years later. Died in 1984 at age 41.   
18. I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday-Fats Domino (1959). True to his word, Domino charted with "Rockin' Bicycle'' two years later.   
17. Trouble in Paradise-Crests (1960). Pure teen pop, Johnny Maestro in top form.   
16. Somethin' Else-Eddie Cochran (1959). An almost-Iowan born in Albert Lea, Minn., this was his last U.S. hit, co-written with fiancee Sharon Seeley months before his death.   
15. The Class-Chubby Checker (1959). Originally recorded as an audio Christmas card for Dick Clark. Checker's imitations of Fats Domino, Elvis and the Chipmunks effectively halted his career in a Philadelphia chicken market. Within months, Clark had Checker cover Hank Ballard's "The Twist.''    
14. I Love Mickey-Teresa Brewer/Mickey Mantle (1956). Ms. Brewer had three Top 20 hits in the summer of '56 as Mantle was winning the American League's triple crown. In the fall, they struck again, as a team.   
13. Bobby's Girl-Marcie Blane (1962). "If I were Bobby's girl, what a grateful, thankful girl I'd be.'' Winner: Helen Reddy Hear Me Roar Award; runners-up: Johnny Get Angry-Joannie Sommers (1962), I Will Follow Him-Little Peggy March (1963).   
12. Little Queenie-Chuck Berry (1959). Nobody distilled the teen-age experience into 2 minutes on vinyl better than C.B.   
11. Anna-Arthur Alexander (1962). Hotel bellhop strikes gold with this soulful ballad, later covered by Beatles.   

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

Woo Hoo, keep your hands off my gas money

Continuing the countdown of music I enjoyed in my youth but that you rarely hear on the radio, here are the next 10 songs:

30. Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes-Chuck Willis (1958). Two weeks before this song charted, Willis collapsed onstage and died.   
29. Surfer Joe-Surfaris (1963). Cheesy, sure, but look at Joe-uh-oh go-oh-uh-oh. 
28. Little Town Flirt-Del Shannon (1962). The only popular singer to incorporate the name Larry in a hit ("Hats Off to Larry''), Shannon also became the first artist to chart a Beatles song in the summer of 1963 with "From Me to You,'' six months before the Fab Four mugged the charts.   
27. Woo Hoo-Rock-a-Teens (1959). Early garage instrumental - heavy on drums, sax and guitar.   
26. The All American Boy-Bill Parsons (1958). This send-up of Elvis' career is really Bobby Bare. The mix-up by his label delayed the start of Bare's career by three years. On the other hand, whatever happened to Bill Parsons?   
25. Keep Your Hands Off My Baby-Little Eva (1962). Strong follow-up to "Locomotion'' for Carole King's baby-sitter.   
24. Break-Up-Jerry Lee Lewis (1958). As Jerry Lee's career was unraveling, radio stations refused to play his songs and his own label gave up promoting him. But old Jer never stopped torturing the ivories, as this song plainly shows.   
23. Gas Money-Jan & Arnie (1958). "If you really want to go, you've got to come up with the dough.'' While future partner Dean Torrence was off with the Army Reserves, Jan Berry and neighbor Arnie Ginsburg bagged a couple of hits with this and "Jennie Lee.''   
22. Skinny Minnie-Bill Haley & His Comets (1958). "...she's not skinny, she's tall, that's all.'' A strong comeback effort by Haley near the end of his career, but a follow-up with the same theme, "Lean Jean,'' doesn't fare nearly as well.    
21. Stubborn Kind of Fellow-Marvin Gaye (1962). Less than 2 years after marrying Motown founder Berry Gordy's younger sister, Gaye had his first charted song, with Martha and the Vandellas making their debut on backing vocals.   

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.

I’ve got that itchy twitchy, foot-stomping feeling

Continuing the countdown of music I enjoyed in my youth but that you rarely hear on the radio, here are the next 10 songs:

40. I Don't Want to Cry-Chuck Jackson (1961). Early soul effort by often-overlooked stylist.   
39. Buzz Buzz Buzz-Hollywood Flames (1957). L.A. group featured Bobby (Rockin' Robin) Day and Earl (Harlem Shuffle) Nelson.
38. Itchy Twitchy Feeling-Bobby Hendricks (1958). Infectious, great sax.   
37. Mary Lou-Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks (1959). Country rock with a bite.   
36. Betty Lou Got a New Pair of Shoes-Bobby Freeman (1958). Potent r&b rock.   
35. Foot Stomping- Part 1-Flares (1961). Easy to dance to.   
34. High Sign-Diamonds (1958). Great, deeeeeep bass.   
33. The Gypsy Cried-Lou Christie (1963). His first hit, co-written with a psychic.   
32. Pipeline-Chantays (1963). Surf's up. Bitchin'!   
31. Mama Didn't Lie-Jan Bradley (1963). Melodic soul collaboration with Curtis Mayfield.   

Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand --  Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.