Today's featured relative in my database is my maternal 10th-great grandmother, Elizabeth Scott.
Elizabeth was born November 18, 1623 and was of Rowley, Essex Co., MA, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Strutt) Scott. Elizabeth married 1645 in Rowely, Essex Co., MA to John Spofford, son of John Spofford. John was born between 1611-1612 and was of Selby, Yorkshire, England and died November 6, 1678 in Rowley, Essex Co., MA. Elizabeth died February 10, 1690/91 in Bedford, Essex Co., MA.
I descend from John and Elizabeth (Scott) Spofford through their son, Samuel, as follows :
Elizabeth Scott and John Spofford
Samuel Spofford Sarah Burpbee
Thomas Spofford and Bethiah Hazeltine
Elizabeth Spofford and Bennett Field
Bethiah Field and Seth Pierce
Gordon Pierce and Thirsa Smalley
Francis S. Pierce and Rebecca Page
Edmund G. Pierce and Catherine Groenendyke
William Francis Pierce and Clara Pennisten
Edna Muriel Pierce and Virgil Lee Wright (my great-grandparents)
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Today in my database : Christena Graber (b. November 17, 1603)
Today's featured relative in my database is my paternal 9th-great grandmother, Christena Graber.
Christena was born November 17, 1603 in Sumiswald, Switzerland, the daughter of Vinzenz and Barbara (Berger) Graber. Christena married Ulrich Grundbacher, probably in Sumiswald. Ulrich was born February 25, 1598/99, probably in Sumiswald.
I descend from Ulrich and Christena (Graber) Grundbacher through their son, Michael, as follows :
Christena Graber and Ulrich Grundbacher
Michael Grundbacher Anna Brand
Barbara Grundbacher and Ulrich Schürch
Ulrich Scherch and Anna Swarr
David Shirk and Barbara Erb
David Shirk and Eve ________
David Sherrick and Susan Jacobs
Mary Jane Sherrick and George Washington Haley
Eli Weldon Haley and Cora Belle Metzner (my great-grandparents)
Christena was born November 17, 1603 in Sumiswald, Switzerland, the daughter of Vinzenz and Barbara (Berger) Graber. Christena married Ulrich Grundbacher, probably in Sumiswald. Ulrich was born February 25, 1598/99, probably in Sumiswald.
I descend from Ulrich and Christena (Graber) Grundbacher through their son, Michael, as follows :
Christena Graber and Ulrich Grundbacher
Michael Grundbacher Anna Brand
Barbara Grundbacher and Ulrich Schürch
Ulrich Scherch and Anna Swarr
David Shirk and Barbara Erb
David Shirk and Eve ________
David Sherrick and Susan Jacobs
Mary Jane Sherrick and George Washington Haley
Eli Weldon Haley and Cora Belle Metzner (my great-grandparents)
Educational Level of Our Ancestors
One of the more interesting tidbits of family history I have been dealing with recently has been the various educational levels of my ancestors and family members. In looking at the census images from 100+ years ago, I find it fascinating to see the differences between life in the 1900s (and earlier) and life today.
Today we take it for granted that the majority of our citizens can read and write or speak English. Yet many of the family records that I have been working with, particularly in the rural areas, the educational opportunities were severely limited. Many times the wife was the one who could read and write, and perhaps the children already had jobs working on the farm by the time they were sixteen or so. Contrast that with today and my own children, who do not have a job at that age, but yet have been receiving an excellent education.
Most of the families I've been dealing with have been native born, so speaking English was not a problem. Yet I wonder how they were able to communicate in their daily lives when so many of them could not read or write. I imagine that for many of them, the Bible was their primer, and they were self taught or taught by other relatives, as the demands of farm life didn't allow for organized schooling.
Today we take it for granted that the majority of our citizens can read and write or speak English. Yet many of the family records that I have been working with, particularly in the rural areas, the educational opportunities were severely limited. Many times the wife was the one who could read and write, and perhaps the children already had jobs working on the farm by the time they were sixteen or so. Contrast that with today and my own children, who do not have a job at that age, but yet have been receiving an excellent education.
Most of the families I've been dealing with have been native born, so speaking English was not a problem. Yet I wonder how they were able to communicate in their daily lives when so many of them could not read or write. I imagine that for many of them, the Bible was their primer, and they were self taught or taught by other relatives, as the demands of farm life didn't allow for organized schooling.
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