Wordless Wednesday (Almost) - Niehaus Cousins

  As I participate in the Wordless Wednesday posting prompt, I find it difficult not to say something. So, my posts are never “wordless,” just “almost.”
What a nice crew of cousins!   This smiling group is enjoying the 2006 Niehaus family reunion in Mooresville, Indiana.  They are all grandchildren of Joseph and Gertrude Niehaus, who immigrated to Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1885.  From left to right they are: Harold “Norris” Niehaus, Charlotte Niehaus Baxter (children of John Niehaus), Jane Stull Hickman (daughter of Josephine Niehaus Stull), Larry Niehaus (son of John Niehaus), Alberta Stull Hickman (daughter of Josephine Niehaus Stull), Marie Kirn Dallessandro (daughter of Wilhelmina Niehaus Kirn) and Gert Niehaus Isom (daughter of John Niehaus).  They each in their own way have  provided a strong and loving Niehaus family tradition.  Thanks.


I am happy to share my photo with family.  You might be interested in these family history stories: Niehaus Newsletters.   Or click here for information on family lines.


Copyright 2013, Nancy Niehaus Hurley 

Tuesday Tip - Passing Forward Research and Website Tips

We all should take advantage of the generous genealogy researchers who share so much knowledge and inspiration online.  I am a big fan of the online Moultrie Creek Gazette that Denise Olson publishes.  I look forward to the gems she’s going to pass along in each edition.  There are many great hints on apps, research tips and insights into using technology and writing for genealogy.  This week Denise provided a link to the Genealogy 101 website she just developed on Tumblr for a new presentation she will be giving.  I am again impressed with her creativity in designing this easy-to-use site and her lessons in family research.
No matter how long we are involved in genealogy I believe we can always learn something.  In this instance, after reviewing the information in her series of links on Genealogy 101, I gained a better understanding of the National Archives resources.  Since I’ve not had the opportunity to visit NARA in person, the video she linked to was very informative and I’ll be saving the link for a future visit.
Basically, it’s beneficial to review her Genealogy 101, whether you find a few tips on researching or gather some ideas for organization of a website.  I hope that by passing this forward I am helping another family historian. 
If you might wish to subscribe to Moultrie Creek Gazette, you can do so by visiting the website.  Here’s a link to Denise’s discussion of the genealogy course as well as a link to her creative Tumblr site.
http://moultriecreek.us/gazette/genealogy-101/#comment-1062
http://genealogy101.tumblr.com/

Perhaps you might enjoy these posts as well:
Genealogy on my iPad
Gazetteer at fallingrain.com
Recommended Websites
Discoveries at the Indiana State Archives
Stay tuned for more family research developments here on Indiana Ties.  Remember, I love including all of you who are a part of this history.  Send me your Family Recipe Friday or Wordless Wednesday or Treasure Chest Thursday contributions.   If you are curious about any piece of family history that I might be able to provide, let me know.  Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties.


Copyright 2013, Nancy Niehaus Hurley
Image of the computer screen courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Surname Saturday - Albrecht

Albrecht Name Meaning:  German: from the personal name, composed of Germanic adal ‘noble’ + berht ‘bright’, ‘famous’.

Maria Albrecht was my fourth great grandmother on my maternal side. (The chart that I’m including here provides the ancestry. If you are one of the numerous cousins in the Risch, Kuhn and Weber families, just substitute your own name and parents, and perhaps grandparents, to see your own family connections.)  I don’t have further Albrecht ancestors yet, but will hope to turn up Maria’s parents and more of this family history at some point. 
However, looking into Maria’s life we can follow her from birth to death. According to her death record at the Catholic Church in Hugstetten, Baden, Germany, she was born in 1754.  Those church records also let us know that  she was born in Wendlingen, a village approximately five miles from Hugstetten and 80 miles northwest of Frieburg, near the western border of Germany. 
As a young lady of 17 she married a 43-year-old widower with four children, Urban Risch.  Maria was Urban’s second wife and they married on 29 July 1771 in the Hugstetten Catholic Church.  She gave birth to five children in their home, No 70, in Hugstetten. (1)  ( You can click this link for the previous story about the Risch family that connects with Maria Albrecht.)
Maria Albrecht Risch died on 8 March 1814 at the age of 60.  Her death record, from the Baden-Wurttemberg records at the archives in Freiburg,  was translated for me by the generous members of the Germany Genealogy Facebook page, as follows: 
In the year 1814 the 8th march in night at 10 o´clock died in house nr. 70 and was the 10th. In the evening at 1/2 past 3 o´clock by the below signing buried: Maria Risch, nee Albrecht, old 60 years, the wife of the deceased Urban Risch. Witnesses of the death are Christian Höllstab(?), farmer and Josef Nick(?), bricklayer. J.M. Mießburger, priest.  (2)
Maria and Urban’s youngest son, Mathias,  and his wife, Maria Weiss, emigrated to New Alsace, Dearborn County, Indiana with their seven children in 1828.  It is through this marriage that the Albrecht genetics is passed to those of us in this line.
 
Resources:
1. Zimmer, Mary Cathryn, Louis M. Risch Family and Ancestors, Hugstetten, Baden, Germany, 1708-1828, Dearborn County, Indiana, 1828-1934, 1994, Columbia, MD., copy in possession of Nancy Niehaus Hurley.
2.  Online database of records of the Hugstetten Catholic Church at the State Archives in Freiburg. http://www.landesarchiv-bw.de/web/

Flashback Friday - Hurley Travels and Black Smoke

Today I’m linking to a Flashback Friday story that’s situated over at our Hurley Travels blog.   I think this post crosses over between the two genres, Hurley Travels and Indiana Ties.   So, I’ve decided to give this one double duty.
If you feel like wondering over to the link below for a few moments, you’ll see what I mean.   There’s a video story that’s a brief glimpse at Jerry’s past, while peeking at the guy he still is today.  I know….this is starting to sound like some pretty deep-thinking stuff, right?  Nope.  It’s just about life’s experiences. 
If you would like to see the “Black Smoke” post and the fire video, here’s the link.

Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties.  I would be glad to hear from you.  Leave a message by clicking on “comment” at the bottom of this post or email me at nancyhurley1 at gmail.com. 

Treasure Chest Thursday - Grandma’s Lamp

The treasure I’m posting about this week is completely new to me, and very special.  Thanks to Marilyn (Niehaus) Schuster for the surprise contribution for Treasure Chest Thursday!  As soon as I launched the series last week, Marilyn shared information about a family heirloom she has in her possession.  This lovely table lamp belonged to our grandmother, Tillie (Kuhn) Weber.  Many years ago, at least 50,  Tillie passed it along to her daughter, Gin (Weber) Niehaus.  And, as time went on, Marilyn received it from her mother.
No one knows exactly the age or when Tillie gave the lamp to Aunt Gin.  It could be that this was a purchase soon after Tillie and Harry married in 1913.  Or, is it possible that Tillie’s mother owned it at one time?  Maybe Tillie gave it to Gin when she married in 1942.    It’s fun to speculate! 
Marilyn’s message to me was:  “It was in the cabin for over thirty years.  I have it here in my bedroom.”  Members of this family have fond memories of being at “the cabin” at Prince’s Lake in southern Indiana. Gin and Ed purchased the land and Ed built the cottage early in their marriage.  I’m glad this lamp survived those gatherings that included lots of young people enjoying themselves.  It’s so nice that Grandma’s lamp is still with Marilyn, reminding her of people, places and happenings.   
Oh, by the way, if anyone knows about this type of lamp and would like to contribute to the description, that would be fantastic.  For now, the nice reflections on family history that come “to light” with this treasure is enough. 
Where are your treasures?  Any you want to share here?   After thinking about what items I’ve been saving and where they are in our home, I came up with quite a selection of treasures to photograph last week.  Now I’m thinking of better ways to store these items, maybe a sortof hardware version of this treasure chest. 
Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties.
If you would like to learn more about our Kuhn Weber family, try these links:
Kuhn Weber Descendants
Happy Anniversary to Tillie Kuhn and Harry Weber
Census Sunday - Kuhn, Risch, Scherrer
Tillie Kuhn Weber - Ladies In My Line
Wordless Wednesday - Harry Lawrence Weber, 1887-1946

Surname Saturday - Our Niehaus History by Charles

Thanks Charles!  Your family history gave us a much clearer understanding of who we are.  
Charles was the son of Ben and Kate Niehaus of Indianapolis, Indiana.  However, to help in his large family, he was raised by his aunt and uncle, Lena and Fred Kleinsmith.   In 1955, at the age of 32, he made a trip to Germany to see the area where his father and aunt were born.   He visited with the descendants of the one son of Joseph and Maria Anna (Beerman) Niehaus who did not emigrate to America. After making his trip Charles wrote the first Niehaus family history of which I am aware.    
Copies of the history have been circulated throughout this Niehaus family since that time. I'm not sure when Dad (Frank Niehaus) gave me a copy. As far as I remember, he passed this along to me in the 1970s, after I was a young adult.  He told me about the origin of the family and who wrote this story.   I never knew a great deal about his cousin Charles and I wish I had asked more.  This is an example of the many topics I would have talked with Dad about if I had realized in my younger years how curious I would become about everything surrounding family history.  He loved his family and I am sure would have answered any of my questions….if only I had asked.  Regardless, Charles's story gave me an important beginning.
In the last twenty years or so other cousins have traveled to the Niehaus family’s towns of origin, Riesenbeck and Emsdetten in Westphalia, Germany.  Others have researched from this side of the pond. And they are all very generous in sharing what they experience or uncover.  I would venture to say that Charles Niehaus’s decision to make this record of the family history 58 years ago has resulted in many sparks of interest.  I know for a fact that the story has been discussed at family reunions over the years.  
I am posting here a scan of my original copy of The Niehaus Family Story, written by Charles Niehaus. This is the version that was passed along to me by my father.  There’s my note on the first page and a few written corrections on the family chart that could have been written by Dad.  Every detail shared in some way adds to our personal story.     

I am grateful to family members who provide me constantly with new background, stories and personal impressions as we build on Charles’s first history.  These pages of Indiana Ties are all about that! 
(Click on the Genealogy tab at the top of this page or the topics at the left to find family pedigree charts, stories and more photos that expand on Charles's research. Also, I am happy to email a copy of this history to anyone interested. ) 

Family Recipe Friday - Grandma Weber’s Icebox Cookies

      This is just what I hoped would happen.  I had come to a dead end on finding Grandma Weber's (Tillie Kuhn Weber) recipes.  There weren’t any of her cookbooks in anyone’s possession.  Nor did I locate a 3x5 box of her handwritten cards with instructions for her grape jelly or hasenpfeffer or cookies……. (By the way, I just used Mom’s dictionary to spell hasenpfeffer. Page down to the last blog post if you are wondering.)
      But, as I was saying last week, my sister, Marti came through.  She found  several of Grandma’s recipes that she (Marti) had typed into her own notebook many years ago.  Yay!!  Now I'm ready to post a second selection. These Icebox Cookies  definitely are on my planning list for the next family gathering.

    Thanks Tillie and Marti for another contribution to our family cooking history! 
   (This photo shows Grandma Weber with several of her grandchildren.  My sister, Martha Niehaus, is the second girl from the right in the front of the photo.  This photo also shows signs of our mother, Rose Weber Niehaus, recording family history. When you look closely you can see that she has written the names of each cousin on the front of the person.  That’s not the best way to preserve,  but it’s a special touch in this case.  )
(For further genealogy information, Tillie’s descendant list is at this link. )

Treasure Chest Thursday - Mom’s Way With Words

Treasure Chest Thursday is the latest family history series appearing on Indiana Ties.  What should be the focus?  Valuable artwork? Don’t have any…..Expensive jewelry? Don’t have any….War relics passed down from ancestors? Don’t have any of those either. 

But over the past year or so it has occurred to me that there are many valued treasures in our family, even though they may not rate an astonished WOW! on the Antiques Road Show.  These items are the ones we save for sentimental reasons.  They are books a grandparent kept, the pocket knife or wallet your dad carried, costume jewelry from your aunt, the hand knitted child’s sweater from a friend and just all kinds of mementos we keep in a drawer or the attic.  The memories attached to each piece are what it’s all about.  I have several of those kind to add to this collection!  And I would welcome other family members contributions of a photo and your thoughts.  Then, we could all enjoy them together on Indiana Ties.    And there’s a bonus -- if something get’s misplaced, at least we will have the memories preserved.  Oh well, quit jabbering (as Mom would say).  Let’s try creating our Treasure Chest.

I had several options for the first cherished item.  How to choose?  What better to begin though than with my “Mom’s Way With Words.”  I can’t remember when Rosemary Ethel Weber Niehaus wasn’t reading something, usually stories in the Reader’s Digest or articles in two or three magazines, with pages marked.  And she always had a dictionary handy.  She wanted to learn about whatever unfamiliar term she came across.  So it’s no surprise that she had this American Heritage Dictionary with her own homemade cover protecting it.  The copyright is 1970 and it is still very helpful when I’m writing and want that old fashioned way of finding a definition quickly. 

One of the best parts of this particular treasure is that Rose typed out her own definitions and inserted them, on pieces of 3 x 5 cards, when she didn’t find the definition in this dictionary.  Knowing her, she had other books where she found those definitions, but she wanted to have them handy inside this one main reference.  Besides, this one is the paperback edition…easy to carry with her.

Here’s an example in one photo where she typed the definition of the term “Oceania.”  There are many cards inserted throughout the book, containing the meanings of words such as humanoid, imprest and Tyrrhenian Sea.  (“Part of the Mediterranean Sea, between the West coast of Italy and the Islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily.”)  On the photo of the outside of the dictionary it shows her front label (still somehow attached with scotch tape), the cover made of a plastic coated, padded material and the alphabet tabs she attached to make it easier to use.  

I can’t recall how I came to have this treasure.  But I am so glad that I do.  I use it often.  And I know that my mother’s hands and her caring for words are involved.

Family Recipe Friday - Grandma Weber’s Divinity Fudge

All different kinds of surprises occur when we get into family history!  This might be called a generational food discovery.
So far, when I’ve asked around for any recipes from Grandma Weber (Tillie Kuhn Weber) no one in the family knew of any that survived. Today I was talking to my sister, asking her to share one of her own favorites for Family Recipe Friday.  She casually mentioned that I should use one of the recipes of Grandma Weber’s that she had given me.   Oh no, not this girl.  I sure don’t have any!  You know how sisters are though.  After our discussion went into “yes, I did.  And, no you didn’t” she very kindly scanned them in and emailed them.  Yay!  Thanks Marti. You're a great sis.
I chose to share the Divinity Fudge recipe today since it had to be one of our mother's favorites. I would say it spans several generations.  Grandma Weber perfected it; Mom (her daughter, Rosemary Weber Niehaus) loved to eat divinity fudge; then somehow, my sister (Marti Niehaus Fleetwood) preserved the recipe; and I am positive this one will be sampled in many cousins’ homes very soon, and passed along to the next generation.
What a gift….Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday - Wedding Day 30 Sept 2000

September 30, 2000, was a day that changed my life forever, in a fabulous way!   I married Jerry Robert Hurley.  We celebrated our 13th happy wedding anniversary this week.