Family Tree Grows into a Forest of Families

When my grandmother fell ill and eventually passed a little over a year ago, at the incredible age of 98, I regretted not having asked to her to tell her story in her own words. I wish that I had done that and asked about others in our family and taken the opportunity to document the history of our family from someone who not only knew it personally but lived for nearly a century of it. She was born into a privileged family with an interesting and long history and lived her life with as much enthusiasm as those that came before her. She was a great woman who I not only loved but admired for all that she did not only for me but for all those she came in contact with. She truly was a bright light in the lives of many people. She has left a legacy for us all to maintain and to enhance with our own story.

I can recall many a story about all the different relatives whom she spoke fondly off but never had I asked about how they all fit together. While some relationships were obvious others were not and to honor my grandmother I decided that I would research as much as I could about my family and all the families whose trees intersect with ours and put this amazing puzzle together.

It was a long process to validate and verify each person and as I got deeper and deeper I discovered more then I ever thought I would. I learned that some of the stories told were myth and other amazing things had gone untold. Rather then create a traditional tree I opted instead to create a forest of families all intertwined by marriage. It resulted in a large complex non-traditional group of trees.

I traced my family on my father's side back to 1570 starting with Esther Stedman and Jehu Burr and along the way discovered many interesting individuals such as Aaron Burr, Former Vice President of the United States, Tapping Reeve, founder of the Litchfield School of Law, as well as such notable families such as the Lockwood, Burr, Jenning, Wakemans, Jessup, Olmstead, Smith and Baker families from whom my Grandmother was born into.

On My mother's side I was able to trace the family back to 1738 in Canada. Our French Canadian heritage was again something I knew but had limited knowledge of. What I found most interesting on my mother's side was how the family names were truncated and simplified many times until what we are left with today.

In addition to just building my tree I have collected information about as many of those found in the tree as I could and captured as much of that information in a journal. It is my hope and goal for my research to be a guide to those that follow about our family and what makes us who we are today.

While I have exhausted my patience at the moment I am sure I will return to the tree once more and dig deeper on both sides. History is an amazing thing and knowing who and where you came from in an invaluable resource.  I will certainly not abandon this project and I will ensure that generations to come after me have the information I have collected.



 

Task 64 - Create a Cookbook

While working on my family tree and attempting to compile some family history I knew I wasn’t capturing everything. There is always more to a person than the history books and records can collect. They don’t capture the essence or the personality of a person. Those details are often hard to remember and often forgotten from generation to generation. Sometimes the greatest gifts a person has isn’t something that is recognized as an inheritance because it isn’t monetary. I struggled for a way to try and piece some of those details together but the idea struck me as I sat down for dinner at my parents. 

My mom had made her amazingly delicious corn pudding. While it isn’t a fancy dish it is always included in every holiday meal or special event. I know I had asked my mother before for the recipe but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered its origin.

She hadn’t dreamed it up or adapted it from a cookbook as I had expected. Instead I learned that it was a side dish her mother had always made for her. While my grandmother passed away when I was only four and I don’t remember her I came to the realization that a little piece of her personality and spirit is on the table each and every time my mom makes that dish.

It was then I realized that like my mother I too had memories of meals that she made for me. Those meals where made with love and she has spent countless hours nurturing my body and mind with those delicious dished. 

I decided that before it was too late and those meals were lost or forgotten I would collect and combine those recipes into a family cookbook. I asked my mom for both of my grandmother’s cookbooks and learned that they too had written down recipes from past generations. 

I have digitized and printed a copy for myself, my mother, and my brother so that they those recipes will live on for more generations to come. Rather than have it bound I opted to go with 3 ring binders so that recipe’s can be added.


 

2012 : In Review

I had many exciting adventures in 2012 like skydiving from 13,500 feet, biking across the golden gate bridge, and completing the Doug Flutie 5K (my first official 5k). I also finished some much needed home remodeling projects such as installing the new baseboards, crown molding, adding a breakfast bar and giving the whole place a much needed paint job. I got my first retail part time seasonal job at Sur La Table and worked 219 hours and 35 minutes in the last 2 months of 2012. 

I posted 111 blog entries and completed 19 of my 101 things in 1001 days. With those 19 under my belt I am left with 71 more tasks to complete. Many of the 71 are multi part and have begun. I just need to make sure I stay focused and complete them.

I also completed my condo refinance which cut my monthly mortgage payments significantly. This has helped me get closer to reaching my goals of significantly cutting debt and helping me gain more financial freedom. My days of carefree spending are long over and today I enjoy finding a deal and saving money more than I ever enjoyed spending it. While I went over budget last year I think I have made enough adjustments that 2013 will be the year I stay on budget and finish strong.

2012 also had its many challenging events and setbacks for both me and my family. The biggest and most significant loss we had was the passing of our family matriarch and my grandmother. She passed away at 98 years old after complications related to a blood clot and pneumonia. This loss was devastating for both me and my family but especially for my father who has only had one parent for most of his life after losing his father at a young age. For me it was hard because she was the only grandparent I have had for the past 28 years and I have so many fond memories of my time spent with her. She will be missed greatly and will always hold a special place in all our hearts.

There were other losses too although far less devastating. The family suffered a significant financial setback as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The sea wall in front of our beach house was severely damaged and has resulted in very costly repairs what will take months to complete.

I also had an unfortunate expense of my own caused by a bad mechanic and a poorly installed timing belt which forced me to replace my car engine in early November. This was not an expense that I had planned for and caught me off guard. The good news is that I have nearly recuperated from the expense in large part to my seasonal part time job.

We finished off the year with one final setback. My brother discovered at the tail end of the year that his job was being eliminated while they shifted the company offices and reduced the number of regions from 8 to 3. While this has the opportunity to bring a new and exciting chapter in his life the unexpected change will definitely impact his family.

While 2013 was a roller coaster for me and my family it was a year of both great achievements and personal loss. It was a year I won’t say I wasn’t happy to see end. I am looking forward to 2013 with hope and excitement that it brings great times with friends and family but less loss and distractions. I hopeful that the as the first year of the Fire Cycle signified by the Black Snake in Chinese Astrology 2013 will bring me good luck and prosperity. My lucky element is wood and I will have to focus on it to better position myself for good fortune. Spring will be my lucky season and my lucky direction is east. Hopefully living in the north east will bring a spring filled with good vibes.

Task 13 - Visit a National Park (Ellis Island)

(13) Visit a National Park

Name: Ellis Island

Rating: 3-Stars

Ellis Island wasn’t always known for its history as the gateway to America for immigrants from far and wide. Before being designated as the site of the first Federal immigration station by President Benjamin Harrison in 1890, Ellis Island had a varied history. The local Indian tribes called it "Kioshk" or Gull Island. Due to its rich and abundant oyster beds and shad runs it was known as Oyster Island during the Dutch and English colonial periods. By the time Samuel Ellis became the private owner in the 1770's, the island had 5 different names. In this way, Ellis Island developed from a sandy island into a hanging site for pirates, a harbor fort, ammunition and ordinance depot named Fort Gibson, and finally into an immigration station.

Like the growing list of names used to reference the island its land size also grew from an original 3.3 acre site to a 27.5 acre island. It was enlarged mostly by landfill obtained from ship ballast and possibly from the construction of the New York City subway system.

From 1794 to 1890, Ellis Island played an important military role in United States history. When the British occupied New York City during the duration of the Revolutionary War, its naval fleet was able to sail unimpeded directly into New York Harbor. Therefore, it was deemed critical by the United States Government that a series of coastal fortifications in New York Harbor be constructed before the War of 1812. The Federal government purchased Ellis Island from New York State in 1808. Ellis Island was approved as a site for fortifications and on it was constructed a parapet for three tiers of circular guns called Fort Gibson.

Prior to 1890, the individual states regulated immigration into the United States. Castle Garden served as the New York State immigration station from 1855 to 1890 and approximately eight million immigrants, mostly from Northern and Western Europe, passed through its doors. With an increased number of immigrants flooding into the US it became apparent that Castle Garden could not continue to handle immigration.

The Federal government intervened and a new immigration station was built on Ellis Island. The new structure was built of "Georgia pine" and opened on January 1, 1892. Ellis Island didn’t coast smoothly into history however. On the evening of June 14, 1897, a fire on Ellis Island, burned the immigration station completely to the ground along with many years of Federal and State immigration records dating back to 1855. The United States Treasury quickly ordered the immigration facility be replaced under one very important condition. All future structures built on Ellis Island had to be fireproof. On December 17, 1900, the new Main Building was opened and 2,251 immigrants were received that day.

The great steamship companies played a significant role in the history of Ellis Island. First and second class passengers who arrived in New York Harbor were not required to undergo the inspection process at Ellis Island. The scenario was far different for "steerage" or third class passengers. These immigrants were transported from the pier by ferry or barge to Ellis Island where everyone would undergo a medical and legal inspection.

If the immigrant's papers were in order and they were in reasonably good health, the Ellis Island inspection process would last approximately three to five hours. The inspections took place in the Registry Room (or Great Hall), where doctors would briefly scan every immigrant for obvious physical ailments. The ship's manifest log contained the immigrant's name and his/her answers to twenty-nine questions. This document was used by the legal inspectors at Ellis Island to cross examine the immigrant during the legal inspection.

Despite the island's reputation as an "Island of Tears" only two percent of the arriving immigrants were excluded from entry. The two main reasons why an immigrant would be excluded were if a doctor diagnosed a contagious disease that would endanger the public health or if a legal inspector thought the immigrant was likely to become a public charge or an illegal contract laborer.

During the early 1900's immigration was on the rise and in 1907, more people immigrated to the United States than any other year; approximately 1.25 million. Hospital buildings, dormitories, contagious disease wards and kitchens were all were feverishly constructed between 1900 and 1915.

As the United States entered World War I, immigration to the United States decreased. Numerous suspected enemy aliens throughout the United States were brought to Ellis Island between 1918 and 1919. During this time, regular inspection of immigrants was conducted on board ship or at the docks. In 1920, Ellis Island reopened as an immigration station and 225,206 immigrants were processed that year.

After World War I, the United States began to emerge as a potential world power. United States embassies were established in countries all over the world, and immigrants now applied for their visas at American consulates. After 1924, the only people who were detained at Ellis Island were those who had problems with their paperwork, as well as war refugees and displaced persons.

Ellis Island still remained open for many years and served a multitude of purposes. During World War II, enemy merchant seamen were detained in the baggage and dormitory building. The United States Coast Guard also trained about 60,000 servicemen there. In November of 1954 the last detainee, a Norwegian merchant seaman was released, and Ellis Island officially closed.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson declared Ellis Island part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Ellis Island was opened to the public on a limited basis between 1976 and 1984. Starting in 1984, Ellis Island underwent a major restoration, the largest historic restoration in U.S. history. The $160 million dollar project was funded by donations made to The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service. The Main Building was reopened to the public on September 10, 1990 as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Today, the museum receives almost 2 million visitors annually.

Ellis Island is likely to connect with more of the American population than any other spot in the country. Over 62 years, more than 12 million were to follow through this port of entry. It has been estimated that nearly half of all Americans today can trace their family history to at least one person who passed through the Port of New York at Ellis Island.



Task 12 - Visit the Statue of Liberty & Climb to the Crown

The Crown as viewed from the Pedestal.
Nikon D80 170mm f/5.6 ISO-200 1/500sec.

Of 850+ photos this is the photo I am most proud of.

(12) Visit the Statue of Liberty & Climb to the Crown

Rating:4- Stars

The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was a gift of friendship from the people of France over 100 years ago to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol and icon of freedom and democracy in the world. It was given in recognition of a friendship established during the American Revolution.

The idea of the Statue originated around 1865 with Edouard de Laboulaye who saw the United States as a country that had proved that democracy was a viable type of government after having just survived a Civil War and abolished slavery. De Laboulaye also saw the gift as a way to reflect his wish for a democracy in France.  

Artist Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who was known for large-scale work, was commissioned to design this sculpture. Nothing happened for some time, but finally (in 1874) Bartholdi came to the United States to look for a location for his monument. He saw Bedloe's Island from his ship as he sailed into the New York Harbor, and realized it would be a perfect location - since here his statue would always have an audience.

"Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World", which is the full title of Bartholdi's work was fashioned in the style of Greco-Roman art. Bartholdi used a technique called repousse to create her copper skin - hammering out each piece of copper until it was only 3/32 of an inch thick. Bartholdi recruited French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel to build a skeleton for his statue. Eiffel designed a massive iron pylon and secondary skeletal framework which allows the Statue's copper skin to move independently- yet stand upright. This flexibility is needed to allow the Statue to sway in the sometimes violent harbor winds.

Since the Statue was a joint effort between America and France, it was agreed that the American people were to build the pedestal, and the French people were responsible for the Statue and assembly. In France, public fees, various forms of entertainment and items with the Statue on it were ways to raise money. This was also tried in the United States- but with limited results. Joseph Pulitzer stepped in and was able to raise the remaining money for the pedestal using his newspaper "The World".

He did so by offering to print the names of anyone who donated money. This was a win-win for him and the statue because each donation also lead to the sale of more newspapers of families wishing for a copy of the paper with their names printed.

The Statue was completed in France in July of 1884, then disassembled and shipped to the United States. She arrived in NY In June 1885. Once the pedestal was finished, the statue was re-assembled in four months.

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. She was cared for by the Lighthouse Board, the War Department. In 1924 she was designated a National Monument and then cared for by the National Park Service after 1933

Bedloe's Island was renamed Liberty Island in 1956 in honor of its most famous resident and in 1965 President Lyndon B Johnson added Ellis Island to the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

Standing 305 feet from the ground to the tip of her torch, Lady Liberty has welcomed immigrants and visitors to New York for well over a century with the lofty words carved into the base: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

In May of 1982, in anticipation of the Statue's 100th birthday a restoration project was initiated. At the start of the Statue's restoration, the United Nations in 1984 designated the Statue of Liberty as a World Heritage Site. The newly restored Statue opened to the public on July 5, 1986 during Liberty Weekend, which celebrated her centennial.

The tragedy of September 11, 2001 resulted in the closure of Liberty Island. The island re-opened after 100 days, however the Statue remained closed until August 3, 2004 when the pedestal level was opened for visitation. On July 4, 2009, the Crown of the Statue of Liberty was reopened to the public. Visitors must make a reservation to climb to the top of the Pedestal or to the Statue's Crown.   

The Statue of Liberty Museum

The Statue of Liberty Museum still encases the original torch, a wonder of glass and steel. The core of the museum, the Statue of Liberty exhibit, is located on the second floor in the pedestal of the Statue and offers historical context, photos, prints, videos, and oral histories of the people who came to these shores. 

Panorama taken from the pedastle of the Statue of Liberty