My Journey Into My Past

St Antoine sur la Riviere-aux-Raisins is the second Catholic Church in the Detroit Diocese, and the third oldest church in the United States. It stood on the banks of the River Raisin and was the first church in the area known to early French Canadians shortly after the founding of Fort Ponchartrain (Detroit) in 1701. It is on the De Couagne map of 1711.   One September 14, 1786 Francois Navarre obtained a piece of land from the local Native American tribe on the north side of the River Raisin. (Local anomaly: it is never known as Raisin River!   Always River Raisin!) This spot was near the modern Monroe, Michigan.   The purpose was expressly for building a house of worship.   There was even a curse, should anyone use it for any other purpose.   The first attempt at a church failed, and it was later built about 2 miles upriver.   The first missionary and pastor were Father Francois-Xavier Defaux. In 1788 Dufaux noted that there were at least 32 farm...

Prim and proper Miss Webster felt out of place in my grandparents farm house.   She had come to beg for a few more years of education for my father, then in fifth grade.   His father, Frank, felt that once a child could read, write, and do figures, they were educated enough, and the farm could use their help.   But Miss Webster fought hard, and Allie was allowed to graduate from 8 th grade, on June 7 th , 1930, at the one room school in Romulus, Michigan.   Hale School was taught by one teacher, for all eight grades.   My dads’ older siblings had all gone to the school, but he was the only one Miss Webster fought for. In kind words, he was a scamp, always getting in trouble at school, and in worst trouble at home if the word got that far.    He and his friends were caught trying to set off a WWI shell that one of the kids found in their barn.   That led to a whipping at school, and another one at home.   One hot day they were having ...

Before DNA there was BRCA1.   In 2002 my then 23-year-old niece heard a radio announcement about self-exams, so she did one.   She found a lump.   She was not the first breast cancer patient in our family.   In the 50’s my dad’s two sisters had breast cancer, had surgery, and lived good, long lives.   Then in 1990 my dad was diagnosed with breast cancer.   Because of her family history g enetic testing was suggested for Donna, and she was diagnoses with what they called the Ashkenazi Jewish breast cancer gene.   She was asked about her background, and she reported her grandfather’s family had always been Catholic, but they did originate from Poznan, where the gene was thought to originate.   A year later, her mother had breast cancer, so her mom Rose, and 3 of Roses 5 siblings elected to have genetic testing. Rose has the gene,  Linda and I don’t have the gene. My brother Jim does.    Since that time, 2 of his 3 daughters hav...

Barbara has been my biggest brick wall, but there are others as well.   The one I am currently working on is “what happened to my grandfather’s siblings?   I remember my dad talking about his mother’s family: many stories about Aunt Vicky, Aunt Mary, and Uncle Joe.   But I don’t recall any stories about his dad’s family.   Grandpa Frank was born in Detroit in 1875.   I know his sister Mary was 8 years older than he was and probably born in Poland.   Dad did say two of Franks brothers changed their names due to prejudice.   Martin became Burke, and Chestly/Chester became Oblin.   So that was it, two of his uncles changed their name.   No more stories. The 1880 census lists two children; Mary 12 and Frank 4.   The 1900 census lists Frank 25, Mary 15, Eva 9 and Mickey 7.   It stated their mother had 13 children, 6 living. This is what I have found so far; Rose 1896-1896, Annie 1880-1986, Eva 1889-1949, Chester was alive in 19...

                     I recently was given this card, pin, and newspaper clipping.   Thank you, cousin Kathy.   I hadn’t known our grandmother took any sort of training.   I don’t know if she ever held a job.   But it was an interesting part of her history that wasn’t known by me before this was given to me. There was even a newspaper item listing the event and those who earned the card and pin.   There were two other names I knew as well.   Her daughter Mrs. Irving {Teresa}Reaume and another daughter’s mother in-law {Agnes} Mrs. Alois Vandevelde.    It is just amazing the multitude of ways we can find out about our family history!