Yes, Religion and Genealogy

In my life, I have been confronted at different times by beliefs, standpoints, and "Bible quoters" that present a differing view than my own.  I consider myself an educated person.  Additionally, I have bit of an education in theology and world religions that, to be quite frank, the everyday person probably does not have or even choose to have.  I generally do not talk much about my religion as I do consider it a private matter and would not want to impose my beliefs on someone who thinks differently.  

As I seek my ancestors, I cannot help but delve into their religious beliefs.  From my Roman Catholic ancestors of Ireland to my Evangelical Lutheran's from Germany, the basic belief system of my family lives on in me as a Christian.  However, I am not just a Christian, I am Catholic.  What that means is something others, especially modern day Protestants, other Christians, and non-Christians may not understand....and actually misunderstand.

The choice of my German Lutheran family and their ancestors was to leave behind the Catholic religion that was riddled with indulgences and the sale of forgiveness by God's representatives with gold.  I can't even imagine the initial disbelief of those Catholics faced with the knowledge that people were buying forgiveness for a fee and actually thinking that would absolve them of their wrongdoings.

So, Martin Luther lived during the 16th Century and "protested" against the Catholic Church's selling of indulgences.  I do believe that he was not wrong.  In his quest, he actually got the Catholic Church to reform what they were doing but not before he formed his own church.  That would be the church that my German ancestors belonged to even years later to present day.  I have the utmost respect for the Lutheran Church and think of them as kin within my own Catholic religion.  They are most definitely welcome and, yet, they probably don't want much to do with the Catholic Church.  We are so alike and yet different.

Maybe my great grandparents realized the "alike" part when my own grandparents married.  My Roman Catholic grandfather married my Missouri Synod Lutheran grandmother in 1940.  They had actually eloped to Reno, Nevada, from Napa.  And no, they were not married at a casino or strip mall chapel.  They were married in a Catholic Church in Reno.  I must note here that the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church is much more conservative than the Catholic Church in this day and age but maybe not before Vatican II.

At any rate, my grandmother's Missouri Synod Lutheran parents accepted their Roman Catholic son-in-law without much discord.  Most of the disappointment at the time was because they had eloped.

Religion can be such a sticking point with family and friends, alike.  I must keep that in mind as I seek my ancestors and discover that they were of more than one Christian Faith.  It brings to light another way of looking at information gathered to create my family tree.  

Wordless Wednesday - Stanly Ranch

El Rancho Rincon De Los Carneros - Probably Stanly Ranch, Circa 1880 - Photography by M.Flanagan

Warning! Controversial Post - Family

At times, I am a slow learner, cruising through life thinking everyone is happy and everything turns up roses.  While I may have my own disagreements with people here and there, I sometimes forget that others have those same types of interactions with others that don't include or involve me.  This can especially apply to family.

Family matters take these "disagreements" up a notch.  While I can't imagine that my great aunt on my dad's side would have a conflict with my grandmother, her very own sister, it could have existed.  Heck, it could have divided the family fairly easily and quickly because of the words people say, their actions, and the assumptions they make.  Even a minor "slight" can send some families running in the opposite direction to never meet again, except at a funeral.  Mind you, I am pulling from about a dozen different situations on either side of my family tree - Father or Mother, Irish or German (you can take your pick). 

In completing my family tree research, I have often been asked by others why the families went their separate ways.  Why did the Flanagan's stop getting together?  What was the rift between those Hickey's?  Why did my grandfather not fully realize who his own cousins were on his Maxwell side of the family in the same town (Napa), at the same time?

Well, my answer is complicated.  To my dismay, the simplified version is that it is just too hard.  It's too hard, for example, to drive from Sacramento to the Bay Area.  There's so much traffic on the freeway.  There's no good date and time where everyone can make it.  It takes so much planning.  Then, there is the food and where to actually accommodate each and everyone.  Oh, and the final nail, we don't necessarily have an ongoing relationship with those family members. 

My own rosy philosophy is that if you want something, you can make it happen.  I guess my slow learning curve on this is the daunting resistance of it all.  I am open but find that my immediate family members, sans my husband, are not.  "Oh sweetie, we are just too busy, busy, busy."

I must admit to the frustration.  Maybe my own ulterior motive to get together is to find out more about my ancestors.  That would actually mean that I'd like to know more about my family.  Can you blame me?  While I do know a lot, I love hearing about the past including anecdotal stories.  I like to meet and see who I am related to.  I enjoy a connection to those that I am biologically related to even if we don't see each other very often or maintain a full true relationship.  There is value in knowing where you came from and who you are related to even if you don't have much in common.  Some of us might have more in common than you think.

So, without letting any cats out of the bag on why families went their separate ways, I'd like to express myself here.  My own family basically finds inconvenience in getting together.  It's stressful to plan a flawless visit.  That is the goal, after all, to make it flawless, right?  

I am clearly related to several perfectionists who want an event to be pulled off and perceived as flawless.  As with any event, you want the location to be nice and at its best.  You want delicious food to impress and heaven forbid, you would ever run out of food or drink during the event.  Additionally, convenience is paramount.  You don't want people to hit standstill traffic on Interstate 80 through Northern California.  Okay, that last one is completely beyond anyone's control.

During my life experience with food and drink, I have had the most elaborate, exquisite, exotic, mouthwatering, fancy, expensive food and then there is pizza.  Ironically, pizza and salad can be the most pleasing meal ever.  Accompanied by beer or wine, the crowd overall is generally happy.  Why can't a family reunion have pizza and salad.  It's quick and easy.

I have to add another point here.  I do understand where others are coming from.  Until I was married, I did not quite understand how people could choose to spend the holidays away from their family and basically not really see them any longer.  Well, there's always those people who you are related to by marriage that make you turn and go the other way.  Then, there is the inconvenience of hosting and planning an event.  Even still, it does not have to be an absolute situation.  You can get together with family even if you don't have a true relationship with them but are related to them.  Sometimes the benefit is not to yourself but to your spouse or your own children.

Summing up this post is challenging.  I would love to see all of my relatives from my various lines.  I have a great desire to go back East to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.   My husband and I would like to visit all of our family members on both sides sans the relative that unfriended me on Facebook.  Okay, that's just petty and silly, I know.  That's how it starts though.

Our family in Ireland is also on our list.  Cost and time are our big hurdles right now and that is just being honest.

While others are focusing on the inconvenience of a family reunion, at least I've planted a seed.  The thought of trying to plan a reunion in the coming year is daunting even for me.  I can offer up my home.  It's not anything wonderful but we have had 40 people here all at once with plenty of seating including the outside patio.  We did not run out food either.  And.....The roses were blooming in the garden at time.

Remember.......

Who Do You Think You Are? - First TLC Season

I planned to write a review about "Who Do You Think You Are?" on TLC.  While I enjoyed the current season, it was much more focused on one ancestor story for the individual celebrity.  I found it to be entertaining but at times the episodes were slow.  I am assuming that the production budget for the show is much smaller now that it is on TLC instead of NBC.

I still look forward to future episodes.

Who Do You Think You Are?

A Borchers' Diary

In my attempt to find out more about my great great grandfather, Henry Borchers, I resulted in my finding out more about my great grandfather, his son, Herbert Herman Leonhardt Borchers, Sr.   I recently read through his diary that started on December 23, 1916 and went through December 18, 1918.  He was 19 years old when the first entry was written.  Everyday, he wrote a few lines to describe the basic events of the day.

While most of the notes were about the daily weather, there were other notes about his job, friends, and other activities.  My copy of the diary is typed and I am wondering if it was transcribed and by whom. Maybe my aunt typed it up or maybe my great grandfather typed it himself.  I will have to find out someday.

While this diary does include rather mundane entries about his daily life, there are some more interesting comments along the way that are true "discoveries".  It is clear that letters were written to family back in North Dakota.  Above, he writes a letter to H.L.B.  That would be Henry Ludwig Christian Borchers, one of his older brothers.

A few entries really struck me.  Herb mentions taking his violin to be tuned and taking lessons.  He also indicates playing the piano and buying an organ.  These entries surprised me.  I did not know he could play piano.  Generally, only good pianist who have mastered piano playing even try to play an organ.  Other entries demonstrate his inclination toward music.  He was in the choir for his church.  I wonder if he was the accompanist for the choir.  Interestingly enough, his own daughter plays piano, organ, taught piano, and accompanied many a choir, wedding, and bell ringers.

Herb Borchers, Sr. circa 1918

I knew that my great grandfather was a jeweler, watchmaker and repaired clocks for a living.  He was working for Noack's in Santa Rosa during the time of this diary.  By the beginning of 1917, he had been there for two years.

The diary mentions the war.  WWI begain in 1914 and ran through 1918.  The U.S. joined the war in 1917.  An entry on April 6, 1917 is written as follows:

"Very beautiful day.  Went to church.  Card from Emil G.  War declared.  Was all at J. Wurts in the evening.  Clara was at our house in the P.M." 

The war is mentioned here and there throughout the diary.  Mainly, he mentions when people are drafted, troops from the area left for war, and he even mentions troops leaving from the Presidio in San Francisco.  One entry indicates his brother, Albert Borchers, being drafted into the military.  Herb never did get called up for duty.  He registered for the draft in WWI.  My mom has always indicated that they probably did not want him in the military because he was flat footed.

During 1917, Herb was seeing a lady named Anna.  At one point, he indicates seeing Anna in the evening and the next line states "romance over".  Months later, he is corresponding with Mary, his future wife.  She would write him a letter and he would return correspondence with two letters.

This diary is amazing while it is actually brief in comments and information.  I will read it again in the future.  Who knows what I might discover on a second pass.