Sanborn maps not only help you locate your family — their greatest utility lies in decoding your ancestors’ lives. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned researcher, this session
A Genealogist’s Guide to Sanborn Maps. Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society Read More »
I have been fascinated with my immigrant ancestors for much of my life. Like many people I wonder about their motivations for leaving their homeland and taking that chance for a more prosperous and fulfilling life in a new land. Their journeys sometimes were challenging and even life-threatening, but most made it here in the second half of the nineteenth century. This is the first in a series of articles I am writing about my German kin.
On April 8, 1918, the Bank of Florence was founded by a group of local businessmen in Florence, Missouri, a town of approximately one hundred men and women. The organization was formed with H.A. Bremer as president, F. H. Rasa, vice-president, and P.W. Buehler as cashier. Frederick Henry Rasa, (1873-1937) was a farmer, stock dealer, businessman, civic leader, and my great grandfather. While it remained financially sound, the Florence Bank directors made the decision to permanently close the bank on November 9, 1934. At that time the bank held $45,125 resources.
November 5th marked the 135th birthday of Carl Christian Siegel, my maternal grandfather. To celebrate I wanted to highlight one of the things I have noticed while digitizing family photos- grandpa liked cars! There are many photos of Grandpa and his family with cars so I thought I would share a few today. Not being a connoisseur of old cars, I haven’t identified most so if you can recognize the make and model or have a memory related to it, shout it out in the comments. But first a little history behind automobiles….
Fifty-five years ago today, a woman named Corrillie Spencer passed away when she was eighty-six years old. She was the second wife of Richard Allen Spencer (1881-1973), my great grandfather. Recently I have begun to research Corrillie’s life. She was known to my family and many others as “Aunt Rillie” and I had no idea the many trials Rillie had faced. The records have revealed a challenging life in which she outlived three husbands and at least one child. Here is what I have discovered of her story thus far.
Corrillie Fletcher Ray Patterson Percival Spencer (1881-1967) Read More »