My Reply to Richard's Comment on Previous Post

From my research I found that Joseph Carroll Sheehan was enlisted in the U.S.Army during the period of June of 1916 thru Sept of 1920

As fate would have it he was inducted at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri - as an aside, his Mother and his Aunt Bridget died in the state of Missouri -

When separated from Service he held the rank Sgt. and had been assigned to:

Co "A" 8th Engrs Co "A" 1st Bn Mounted Engrs

At the time of my several inquiries to the military archives the only records were of this particular service with no mention of serving in the US Navy.

Also, at the time of his enlistment he had been divorced from Josephine for a couple of years.

Not too long before her passing, Mom told me about her meeting Joe Sheehan prior to her marriage to Dad. She said that he as a good looking man with light hair and perhaps not in the best of health.

As for Aunt Eleanor's supposing that Josephine received a government pension based on Joseph's military service does not ring true - however, remember my last blog post mentioning that Josephine was listed a nearest relative on Peter Brennan's WWI Draft Registration Card, in my opinion it would be more likely that any military widower government pension would have been based on Brennan's service.

The Military Archives would be the place to inquire as to Peter Brennan's military records - these records may include an application for widow's pension with an affidavit from Josephine.

My Grandparents Sheehan

One of the hardest tasks in documenting our ancestors is to place them at a certain location at a certain period of time.

The Internet has opened so many doors of opportunity to assist in this task.

I've found that current dates are one of the hardest to confirm. And when I say current I am thinking the time period from - say - 1890's thru 1940's.

Ron and I have found many, many records for his family in courthouse ledgers from here in Northwest Missouri and Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, to mention a few. Land records, circuit court records, death records, marriage records - all provide a wealth of information for the time between 1790 thru current years. Of course, by the time we've lifted dozens of those heavy, wonderful ledgers off the shelves and onto the counter a couple of days in a row . . . . . who said research was easy.

One of my most exciting recent finds was via The Internet. Clicking a mouse in a way beats the physical workout that county courthouses require. However, it does not replace the hair-raising feeling of reading and touching those brittle ledger pages with the scrolling cursive handwriting - if you've not had the experience you are really missing a thrill of the heart.

My ever-elusive Grandfather Joseph SHEEHAN was -according the the 1920 Federal Census - was in El Paso County, Texas in the El Paso Military District with the 8th Mounted Engineers. I had previously acquired his military record - a synopsis really - providing among other facts, dates of enlistments and discharges, rank, etc., but to be able to fill in one more date and location is good.

My Grandmother SHEEHAN - she insisted that we address her as 'Mom' - while not quite as elusive as our Grandfather has been a bit of trouble to find.

By 1920 my grandmother Josephine and my grandfather had been divorced several years so when I found Josephine HELWICK SHEEHAN BRENNAN BOWRON listed on a WWI Draft Registration Card for Pete Brennan as nearest relative: Josephine Brennan.

Don'tcha just love genealogy ! ! ! ! !

Penal Law

I'm browsing The Internet and came across this article.

I know you all are aware of the conditions that our family lived under in Ireland, however, take a moment to read this article.

"Fitzgerald, James. "The Causes that Led to Irish Emigration". Journal of the American Irish Historical Society, 1911. Vol X. New York: American Irish Historical Society , 1911

THE CAUSES THAT LED TO IRISH EMIGRATION.
AN ADDRESS BY THE HON. JAMES FITZGERALD.
I am very thankful to my old and valued friend, your distinguished Chairman, Hon. Morgan J. O’Brien, for his more than kindly introduction, and deeply grateful to you for the cordiality of your reception. We are all to be congratulated upon the opportunity afforded us of participating in the Silver Jubilee of the Mission of the Holy Rosary. The good work the Mission has accomplished for immigrant girls during the past twenty-five years has earned international recognition, and as we listened to the highly interesting and very eloquent address of Father Henry, the history and details of the splendid services performed by himself and his lamented predecessors on behalf of morality and religion, were deeply impressive. We wish the Mission God-speed for the future, and ardently hope that as long as young Irish girls must emigrate, they may find to greet them at the portals of the New World, the good priests of the Mission ready to guard them against the pitfalls of the tempter and profligate, and to point out to them the secure roadways over which they may unfalteringly advance by industry and virtue to win fortune and friendship on these hospitable shores. I have been requested to speak this evening on the causes that led to Irish emigration, and in opening, can truthfully say that with the vast majority, emigration was not a matter of choice. The love of Irishmen for Ireland, their devotion to her history and traditions, their loyalty to her cause under the most discouraging circumstances, their unshaken faith in her future, are all matters so universally recognized as to be considered well within the common knowledge of mankind. The Irishman loves his native soil, he clings to it with tenacity, he parts from it in sorrow. The valleys and mountains, the woods and rivers of his beloved country are endeared to him by the honest of memories, as he is bound to them by the strongest and most enduring of ties. There are no people on earth more deeply rooted in their affection for their native land and the blue sky above it than are the children of the Island of St. Patrick. These qualities have long characterized them; they constitute the indisputable evidence of their patriotism; they are the Heaven-set marks of racial demarcation which make of the Gaels of Ireland a people distinctive and indestructible. When we begin to consider what the causes are that led to Irish emigration, we must eliminate from among those causes any disposition upon the part of the Irish people to voluntarily forsake Ireland; we must look for other reasons to account for that vast out-pouring of the Irish nation which has contributed so largely to the population of North and South America, of Australia and its outlying islands, of South Africa, and, in lesser degree, to that of many other lands, for there does not seem to have been a discoverable spot upon the surface of the earth too remote for the Irishman to settle in; he and his descendants are to be found in far Western isles, as they are traceable throughout all European countries, and the account which they have given of themselves in war and peace, in field and forum, in Church and State, throughout civilization constitutes as proud a record of achievement as is to be found in history. The question of involuntary Irish emigration is an old one; we do not have far to wander in our search for some of its causes, and in tracing them, we must arraign the sister isle, in other words, call England to the bar, for, when we strike the root of Irish trouble, we find it is mainly attributable to injustice and misgovernment.
The Penal Laws.
Religious persecution, as exemplified by the Penal Laws, hardly tended to make Ireland a desirable place to live in for Roman Catholics. By these statutes, a person professing that faith was prohibited from acquiring land in fee or by leasehold; his tenure was at sufferance; he could not hold an estate in land, nor of personal property, nor could he be the owner of a single chattel worth more than five pounds; he could not educate his children under penalty of transportation; he could not worship in the sacred sanctuaries of his Church without rendering himself liable to persecution. He had no property rights, no personal rights, So completely were Irish Catholics, who constituted the vast majority of the population, bereft of their civil rights, so absolutely were they without legal redress to prevent or remedy wrongs that the Lord Chancellor and Chief Justice of Ireland in those days solemnly declared from the bench that "the law does not contemplate the existence of any such person as an Irish Roman Catholic."
Restrictive Trade Laws.
These Penal Laws, which were directed against conscience were supplemented by industrial statutes which were directed against industry and trade. When it was discovered that Ireland could undersell England in woollen fabrics, and thus became her dangerous competitor in the markets of the world, the exportation of woollen cloth from Ireland to any part of the earth other than England and Wales was absolutely prohibited, and a prohibitive tariff was laid upon manufactured woolen goods entering English or Welsh ports. Under those circumstances, is it any wonder that the woolen industry died out in Ireland, and is it surprising that English woolen factories flourished? And then there were the Navigation Laws. With the character of these Navigation Laws, Americans are somewhat familiar, but, thank God, their pernicious effect was summarily ended here when the British connection was severed and the sovereign independence of the United States established in the glorious era of the Revolution. But, to return to Ireland, the English merchants and ship owners wanted no Irish competition in Colonial trade, and by these Navigation Laws, direct trade between Ireland and the Colonies was prohibited. Nothing could be imported into Ireland from the Colonies, except by the way of England, and nothing could be exported out of Ireland to the Colonies except in the same manner. In other words, Ireland could only do business with the Colonies through the agency of English middlemen, and when these middlemen were selfish and avaricious competitors, the prospects of the Irish manufacturer must have been the reverse of encouraging. In theory, Englishmen would have us believe that the relationship maintained between great Britain and Ireland is a kind of mutually beneficial partnership. From their point of view, it is theoretically sublime and practically superb. From the Irishman’s point of view, this relationship is not only galling to national and personal pride but absolutely ruinous to individual advancement or national progress. Under the peculiar articles of this co-partnership, it is provided that all of the benefits and profits shall be received by and paid over to the party of the first part-England, and that all of the disadvantages and losses are to be suffered and borne by the party of the second part-Ireland. This is not an over-statement of the proposition ; it is historically true. Charles II. prohibited the export of cattle, pork, bacon or dairy produce. The Irish people then resorted to wool raising and the manufacture of woolen fabrics, with the result, as I have told you, that it was decreed that Ireland could neither export woolen fabrics nor raw wool. Any attempt to build up industry with promise of success was immediately frustrated by a prohibitory act of Parliament until unjust and arbitrary legislation accomplished the utter annihilation of Irish trade. For over two hundred years, such were the conditions prevailing in Ireland, and is it surprising that the Irish became dissatisfied? English writers throughout all of this time accused them of being lawless. Deprived of property rights and of personal rights, prohibited from trade, persecuted in their religion, without opportunity for investment of capital, without market for labor, subjected to indignities and insults, with the jail and the gibbet as the penalty of even protest, and all of these infamous measures enacted and administered in the name of the law and carried out with all of its pomp and circumstance, is it any wonder that the people of Ireland looked upon the law of the land as an infamous iniquity, and plotted and planned and fought with a fury often wild and irresistible to rid themselves of a system which upon principles of natural justice, it was criminal mockery and sacrilege to dignify by the sacred name of law."

Welcome Cousin Anita

I was contacted by Anita via my genealogy website to let us know that she is connected to our family via a common progenitor ca 1750's.

Anita was born in Eidskog, Hedmark, Norway and now lives in Kongsberg.
Our common progenitor is
Amund Persen JERPSET born 1758 and died in 1809 from Ediskog, Hedmark, Norway, who married Olia Andersdatter RUD.
Their daughter Berthe Amundsdatter BERGERUD and Kristian Kristansen VENDOM had Maren Kristiansdatter. . . . and thus down to Anita

We also descend from Amund and Olia's daughter Bertha 1796-1873 and Kristian Kristiansen's son Anders Kristiansen BERGERUD 1825-1904. Anders drown.
Anders married Maren Ulricksdatter NORDLI u TUAGBØL and their daughter Karen Andersen 1853-1917 married Karl Magnus Andressen HELVIK.
Karen [ak.a Carrie] and Karl plus family and extended family emigrated from Oslo February 1882.
Their daughter Josephine Sofia Helwick married Joseph Carroll Sheehan and thus - - - us!

Isn't this a hoot?

And Then There Is This

What do you make of this?

Plus, I've re-posted the documents for September. You should be able to read this easily.

Connecting the Dots

After reading this document not all Naturalization documents provide a cut path to the 'old country' Most are as vague as this one from Des Moines County

City Directories are, in my opinion, a very good resource.

Death Records are another resource that genealogists glean informative tidbits from that lead to yet another set of questions.

Brothers, Cousins, what documents are you willing to add?

A Second Confirming The Link

As a refresher: The law was:

" 1802 - 1906: 5 years residency with 1 year in state where applying and had to be in US three years before making Declaration of Intent."










So . . . . what do you conclude after reading this document?

Comments???????????

Confirming The Link

The was by far the best gift ever. I purchased this Death Record with the funds of a matured Series E Saving Bonds given to me by my mother years ago.

This was a public document that give me more than I had ever in my wildest dreams imagined.

"Cousin" Erin was a wonderful find - she gave me the skinny on 'Skinny' while I gave her Martin's life from birth to the early, early 1900's.

Cuz ME was introduced to me by her brother - he describes her as his 'world-famous- genealogist-sister'. What a hoot ! ! !

I know this document must have brought a million questions to your mind.

Post your comments and questions in my "Comments".

Sheehan DNA

Richard's been keeping busy with Sheehan research after submitting his DNA to the Sheehan surname DNA project. Hope he makes some good connections with 'Sheehan Cousins'. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Deb's finally has her family history transferred onto her new version of FamilyTreeMaker program. What a job that has been for her. I think the luck of the Irish came into play on this one, as well as Deb's stick-to-it-ness!

What else is new along the lines of research?

Comments on Yesterday's Post

Richard commented on 28/7/08 18:17:

Gerry, Good for Kevin. I too got his feeling about Cork and Kerry.

I am waiting for DNA test results. Haven't gotten Gloria to talk much about hers.

I joined a Sheehan DNA group.

Sheehan may be a name others gave us. Seems we may have been an Irish minority group.

Iowa may be the first place our Sheehan's and Carroll's first 'settled.'

I wouldn't mind some hints how I might more effectively cooperate with our search of our background

Does KPF have anything to do with fried chicken?

Gloria said 28/7/08 22:51...
Wow, this is cool.

I met a woman when I was in Israel. She lives in the City of David with her husband. She is from County Kerry and said it was very beautiful.

I will share my DNA results with Richard, after I find them. Basically, the maternal DNA had no mutations that were not fast acting. It is subtype H, maternal. The lineage to date is from the Iberian Peninsula. That is a all the test told me. It would have been better had I had some mutations. Oh well,

Thanks for the info and I wish cousin or 2nd cousin Kevin the best of luck.

Hey, guys, thanks for posting your comments. Richard, I understand 'the feeling' - had the same 'feeling' when Cousin Harald sent a photo of a particular neighborhood in Nesodden. We later discovered it was the neighborhood and the very house our great grandparents Karl and Karen lived in.

This also happened in Burlington when Ron and I met our Cousin ME [a CARROLL descendant and our 3rd cousin [that's 3rd cousin once removed for Glor and Deb]] for the first time. I found ME using the Internet and writing letters to several individuals. We decided for an eye-to-eye meeting and we decided to meet in Burlington so we could prowl around and see where our ancestors lived for over fifty years.

Anyway, while the four of us [ME and hubby & Ron and I] were on the way to the cemetery to pay our respects we found ourselves going through a neighbor hood when I knew we were on very street our great grandparent and grandparent lived. We stopped the car and got out and ME asked the kid in the yard if his Mom was home and could we speak with her. Well, as it turns out the gal was as generous as could be when she told us she had in her possession the title search for the house in her safe and would we like to see it. We left that day with over 76 pages of that title search photographed. Once the film was processed and prints made many, many interesting facts were revealed and open a whole new can of worms.

While there is no indication that Martin and family immigrated to any other locale in America, however there is some indication that William SHEEHAN may have migrated to Iowa from elsewhere.

Both Martin & family and William SHEEHAN arrived in Iowa during the mid-to late 1850's.

And, before you inquire about their military duty during the War Between the States, I'll tell you there is no evidence indicating that. Rather records show that Wm. was a hostler and teamster during that period with Martin, as usual for him, no occupation listed.

Cousin Kevin your relationship:

**to Richard, Gerry, Gary and Dorian and Cousin ME:

1st Cousin once removed, half 6th Cousin 4 times removed and 8th Cousin once removed

**to Glor and Deb:

1st Cousin, half 6th Cousin 3 times removed and half 8th Cousin

The reason for the multiple cousin relationships is of course inter-marriage of cousins some place along the line. Not to worry - the occurred more than a century or two ago.

RENEWED INTEREST IN OUR CARROLL GENEALOGY

Well, gee, aren’t hand-knitted sox just what you expected to see on my genealogy blog? Have got to be awake more often when I post.

Anyway to get back on track, here some genealogy!

Received an e-mail from Cousin Kevin this week that has prompted me to post, and I have to say it’s about time I did.

Kevin has given his permission to post his e-mail so that I may respond here, via my blog, to give all our SHEEHAN/CARROLL cousins can participate in this renewed interest.

Portions of Kevin’s e-mail messages:

" . . . . . . . . . . .You probably have seen this information but I will send it along just in case something is new or useful. If we can find a town or village that our ancestors are from in Ireland I will go there and do what ever research is feasible . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . I have spent many hours searching for family connections on line, looking at a great variety of sites, from vital records to passenger lists to random searches, I have found Carrolls and Sheehans in nearly every county in Ireland and over half the world. Unfortunately my searches have not been systematic, I lack the knowledge to organize and keep track of sites and searches . . . . . . .

. . . . . I was intrigued to find Carrolls in Iowa at about the same time as our ancestors, there must be some record that lists their town or village of origin. I do want to go back to Ireland with this knowledge to reclaim our rightful position or at least know where our blood is from. The O'Carrolls were high Kings in ancient Ireland, we must share some of that blood, in Ireland there was a merger of social classes due to the English persecution. Most Irish Catholics share the blood of Kings and peasants. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . .I hope we find more information soon. If I had the funds, I would search every parish in Ireland until I found our ancestors. While traveling the border area of West Cork and Kerry I have had the strongest sense that I was very near that place that I have been searching for. This first happened in 1970 and then again in 2007. I knew the back roads while traveling at night even though I had never been there and I am not usually gifted with a great sense of direction. My sense of blood and spirit are strong and Ireland has drawn me all my life.
I think we we are close to finding the missing information. . . . ."

Cousin Kevin’s current interest in the point of emigration of Martin CARROLL and wife Margaret so that we can better get an idea from which County in Ireland our CARROLL and SHEEHAN lines originate.

My search began by confirming the link from our parents to grandparents to our great-grandparents to establish a firm and confirmed connection. As you may already know I accomplished by searching as many public documents, church documents, etc., as was possible. Some of the ways I accomplished this:
-The Internet,
-written correspondence,
-hiring of several genealogists,
-in-person visits to Historic and Genealogical Society’s libraries, as well as pubic libraries,
-viewed LDS Family History Library records,
-in-person visits to known family neighborhoods and gravesites,
-telephone conversations fellow CARROLL/SHEEHAN descendants.

Kevin forwarded the following solid suggestions he received from a fellow CARROLL surname genealogist:

KFP wrote: ". . . . . . . I think you are asking me how to find out where your Carrolls originated from in Ireland, correct?
First off - have you contacted all relatives whether you know them or not, the older the better, for any old info./ pictures/ records on your Carrolls? - they may have that one clue you need.
Do you have. . . . . . .
-Obits for Martin and wife Margaret?
-Were their children also born in Ireland and who did the girls marry? The obits for this family (including their children) may indicate where they were born,
- death certificates usually list where they were born.
-Sometimes the cemetery records will have info. on where they are from too.
-I looked Martin up on the original census records that ancestry has and I also looked at genweb
-Naturalization Index and Declaration of Intent.
-Tax records
-Probate Records - Wills - Martin Carroll may have left a will. . . . . . ."

During my years of researching I’ve taken advantage all of KFPs suggestions has made and have come up with so many answers and at the same time a multitude more questions. [This is the way of genealogy.]

However, new researchers may uncover just the info we need to further our story.

Kevin, you say that every County has both SHEEHANs and CARROLLs listed as inhabitants, Using a valuable research tool - The Householder’s Index - I’ve found that to be true even on Parish levels [both church and civil]. Nearly impossible to vector our surname to any one County, let alone Parish, with our current knowledge.

Let me get this much posted before so that I may gather some data to blog that may be of interest.

BROTHERS, COUSINS, I VALUE YOUR COMMENTS SO FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR COMMENTS TO MY BLOG SO THAT WE ALL CAN SHARE OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT.

DNA and interesting marriage record

Seems like DNA is the newest avenue in genealogy. Though I'm not certain just how it will paly out in our[genealogists] search. Any database that connect related descendants will have to inter-act with other database since there are many doing the same thing independent of one another. Well, perhaps some day it will all be compiled so that will be only one place to search for connections.

Was online in the middle of the night and did a little searching in Cook Co [IL] records and came up with a marriage record for a Paul A Helwick who married a Elsie A McGinty in 1934. Now I do know that the surname Helwick in Cook Co is not common. In fact, in all my research I've found only one - that is Paul Alfred Helwick [1892-1945] son of Karl and Karrie Helwick my great-grandparents. At the time of his death Paul's wife is listed as Marie - Paul's military papers state in 1930 his closest living relative is his sister. Try as I might I can not get 'Marie' from Elsie A.

Headstone Photos

I know I have more shots of Joe Sheehan's headstone. I believe at the time they were taken with my 35mm camera rather than a digital so I'll have to scan the additional photos and post them. Perhaps they view with more detail, if you're interested.

Joseph Carroll Sheehan

Joseph Sheehan

U S ArmyVeteran

S Sgt C0 A 8 Engrs

Birth: August 26 1884

Death: December 10 1940

Interment: Buried: Sec 7 Site 29A

Wood National Cemetery

Service Dates:

1916-Jun-06 to 1919-Oct-12

1919-Oct-13 to 1920-Oct-02

Serial/Service #: 1095837 -

Rank/Grade: Sgt

Inducted at Jefferson Barricks, Missouri

Assignments: Co "A" 8th Engrs; Co "A" 1st Bn Mounted Engrs

Decorations & Awards: Mexican Service Badge

Separated at Fort Bliss, Texas

Last known- address: Chicago, IL 863 N. Dearborn St

1940-Dec-10 Downey Veterans Administration Hospital Lake Co Illinois

Inventory Report of Personally Owned Effects

2 belts

1 cap

1 overcoat

2 coats

4 drawers

9 handerkerchiefs

1 hat

6 ties

5 shirts

1 pr shoes

1 pr slippers

17 pr socks

1 suspenders

4 trousers

3 unionsuits

1 vest

additional effects deposited or stored:

1 ea Chain, belt, for watch;

1 ea watch, Walth__, yellow metal, case #2 550 078, works #E402 795 3

Cash: noneOn deposit:

Funds - Personal source $-0, Government $110.08

As this information was obtain through government records/reports, there are conflicting data. Generally, this is some information about my grandfather, Joseph Sheehan

Edel/Ethel 1930 and 1945

1930 Federal Census CA Kings Armona Twp

THORNE,

Edward D, hh, age 37, first married at age 28; CA-NY-IL; farmer - farm; Veteran WW

Ethel, wife, age 30, first married at age 22; IL-NOR-NOR;

Douglass, son, age 1 1/12; CA-CA-IL

1945 December 28 Chicago Tribune Friday

page 10

HELWICK, Paul A. Helwick, Dec. 26, 1945, late of 4826 Sheridan road,

beloved husband of Marie,

fond brother of Josephine Bowron, Ethel Thorne, Charles Helwick and the late Marie McCarthy.

Funeral Friday 2:30 p.m., at chapel, 5149-51 N. Ashland avenue, at Foster.

Interment Elmwood.

Member of North Shore post, No. 21, American Legion. Longbeach 5147

Edel, re-visited

1910 Federal Census IL Cook Co Chicago
2132 North 40th Ave., [appears to be a duplex]
HELWICK,
Charles M., 62 ys, married 35 ys, Nor Nor Nor, 1882 yr immigrated, Naturalized, Fish packer Wholesale grocer for Wages, Owns Mortgaged Home.
Karey, 56 ys, married 35 ys, 10 children/6 living, Nor Nor Nor, 1882 ys immigrated.
Charles S., 24 ys, single, IL Nor Nor, Waiter Refreshment store.
Paul A., 17 ys, single, IL Nor Nor, Clerk Clothing store.
Roy O., 15 ys, single, IL Nor Nor, Errand boy Factory.
Ethel Th., 10 ys, IL Nor Nor.
- - -
Just seven years later this obit appeared:
1917-Aug-01 Chicago Daily News Wednesday page 20
HELWICK -Carrie (nee Anderson), beloved wife of Carl N., fond mother of Charles, Mrs. Mary Murphy, Mrs. Josephine Brennan, Paul and Ethel.
Funeral Friday Aug. 3 at 1 p.m. from her late residence 3810 W. Fullerton Ave., autos to Mount Olive.
For Seats call Canal 1344.
Oakland (Cal.) papers please copy.(Ref: Oakland (Cal.) papers please copy.

[My notes written at the time I acquired this obit:
. . . . of the five children listed those probably not in California are Josephine, Paul, Mary and most likely not 18 yr old Ethel. . . . .
Well, thank goodness I didn't assume this guess was the answer because as it turns out Edel/Ethel was in California at the time of her mother's death. Also, as you can see Roy Ole had passed away during the interim.]

Edel Helwick

Edel, the younger sister to my grandmother Josephine Sofia Helwick Sheehan Brennan Bowron and the youngest of ten children of Karl and Karen, was born in 1899 in Chicago. She lived the majority of her life in Santa Cruz County, California where she died in the fall of 1976.

Some of the notes from my research of her life follows:

1900
[an e-mail from Cousin Harald Lorentzen dated 02-Nov-96 [a partial quote] . . . . . .
"I do not know if I told you that I found your family in the church book for the Hauge church in Chicago. This was in the year 1900 they went out of the church after some years.The church book said that the family was:
Karl M Helwich born February 17, 1848
Karen S Helwich born September 18, 1853
Karl S Helwich born August 10, 1885
Marie E Helwich born January 6, 1888
Josephine Helwich born May 29, 1890
Paul A Helwich born July 29, 1892
Ole Le Roy Helwich born December 18, 1896
Edel Therese Helwich born September 19, 1899"

My research of the Federal census reveal this info:
1900 Federal Census IL Cook Co Chicago
1038 Ballou
HELWICK, Carl, Feb. 1846, 52 ys,
married 25 ys, Nor Nor Nor [this refers to Karl's birth and his Father's and his Mother's birth],
1887 yr immigrated, 13 ys in this country,Naturalized, Occup: Weigher
Carrie, Sep. 1853, 46 ys,
married 25 ys, Nor Nor Nor {refers of Carrie's birth as well as her Father and Mother],
1887 ys immigrated, 13 ys in this country.10 children/6 living [this reveals that she had ten children with 6 children now living,
Charles, Aug. 1885, 14 ys, single, Chicago Nor Nor, Office boy.
Marie, Jan. 1888, 12 ys, Chicago Nor Nor, At school.
Josephine, May 1890, 10 ys, Chicago Nor Nor, At school.
Paul, Jul. 1892, 7 ys, Chicago Nor Nor, At school.
Roy, Dec. 1894, 5 ys, Chicago Nor Nor.
Ethel Th., Sep. 1899, 8/12 ys [8/12 means Ethel was 8 months old at the time of the census], Chicago Nor Nor

Just a glimpse of my research notes. All the information I've compiled have been gleaned from public records, as well as church records, as the knowledge of my father's family was was scant to say the least. My dad's generation was not a sharing lot and since my father has passed away prior to my earnest interest in genealogy all that information was lost for all time.
Luckily, a copy of a note hand written by Josephine. I assume for her daughters Eleanor and Virginia, was sent to me by my Aunt Virginia just prior to her passing. This note was the basis for my research in Norway.

More to come - - - - -

Another Helwick Descendant

A cousin who descended through Edel Helwick - sister to my grandmother Josephine Helwick Sheehan - has contacted me this past week. Am I ever excited about this ! ! !

Am anxious to exchange family stories regarding Edel, or as kjnow to our knew cousin - Ethel.

In the days to come I'll be posting tidbit regarding Edel that I've gleaned from Public records, both here and in Norway.

Norwegian Ancestors

Time for a change of pace so that our Norwegian ancestors to make themselves known.

My Dad's parents were first-generation Americans from immigrant Irish and Norwegian parents.

That makes me, my brothers and you, cousins, third-generation Americans.

Let's begin with Per Larsen from SÆTER farm. He was the son of Lar's who must have been born somewhere around 1611 or so.

Per-SÆTER Larsen was born ca 1631 and died in 1702 in Hedmark, Norway. He is my 8th great-grandfather [as well as my brothers', and Kevin and Geofry's, and the Brennan siblings' 8th great-grandfather].

Herman Olsen is also our 8th great-frandfather.

Since I began my reseach into our Norwegian background I've begun to teach myself to read Norwegain ! ! ! and below is my attempt to translate information from a local history regarding our ancestors.
It'll take your imagination to fill in the gaps where my knowledge of the language lacks. However, you'll no doubt get the geist of the reports.

Before you become too engrossed let me say the naming practice during this period was to use the father's name as what we call the surname - along with this the farm name is usually attached so as to clarify which Per Larsen we're talking about. If it's a male he is Lars, son/Larsen, if female, Lars' daughter = Larsdatter or shortened to Larsdtr.

SÆTER, TORP, PRAMHUS, MIDTSKOG refer the name of the farm where they are living at the moment.

KLOKKER usually refers to a church deacon .- - - -

This information was taken from the local history of Eidskog which is located in Hedmark Fylke [fylke is equal to our county].

The information in this publication is taken from public and church records by impartial local historians.
It appears that the first several entries were taken from tax records.
Beginning with the 1677 entry appears to have been gleaned from another means. ????
At anyrate, here is some information about OUR 8th GREAT-GRANDFATHER ca 1631 thru 1702 - Now who sez they didn't have long lives? Looks like old Per lived 71 years.

Eidskog BygdebokVol. III pg. 472 & 473- - - - -

Vol. III pg 472

Hermann Olsen was 26 year in 1664 - d. 1706 in Magnor, 69 years old he was enebruker by tax rolls/land registry in 1667,

but by manntalletin 1664 second-hand[used,use] had 2 huder and Iver Olsen KLOKKER 1 hud.

In 1667 eide enough Hermann the most of TORP, but Iver Olsen and Lars Lilleset ifra Odalen eide approximately 1/3 tilsammen.

In 1672 give mortgage or security[pawn] Lars Lilleset their[glide slowly,sink down,cause pressure,feel heavy] 5 1/2skinn and tredjeårstake in TORP to Iver Olsen KLOKKER, and he was thereby owner of tilsammen 11 skinn.

The other eide Hermann.

In 1677 be inactive/rest TORP leave[vacuate] and desolate[desolately] p.g.a. krigshandlingene, and Hermann Olsen moved in this tidsrom to Magnor.

Iver KLOKKER moved also in the course of 1680-åra and his gjenfinnes on Midtskog.

Hermann be obliged to have to in 1671 out with fine because he had been in slagsmål with Arne Arnesen PRAMHUS like that[such] that deen was bedridden. Hermann's wife had taken from him one knive before he =rekke=extend/reach to use[using] it[was,that,the] on Arne.

- - - -

It[Was,That,The] as overtok after Hermann Olsen was Per LarsenSÆTER, Vinger [born ca 1631] - d.1702, 71 years and g.m .Anne Hansdtr [born ca 1629] - d.1707, 78 yrs.

A pantebrev from Herman Olsen to Per LarsenSÆTER of 2 hudder 1 skinn for 220 rd is dated November 18,1670 and tgl. March 07, 1682.

Actually was[be] this[these] ei agreement between Hermann and Per as pass over (of time)[attend,go, go on] out on that Per shall[could,would,will] have[having] TORP on 9 åremål, and if some of Hermann's heirs then wish to overtake TORP, then they shall the 220 rd as well as replacing rydnings- and bygningsretten and others expenses.

page 473

This[These] was actually ordnet on it[was,that,the] the manner[manner] that child[children] of they[those,the] respective giftet itself with each other.

Thereby was the[it,they,there,that] smaller expenses.

A pantebrev dated November 26, 1688 and tgl. April 22, 1689 on 84 rd., was taken to brukelighet of Per Larsen and the[it,they,there,that] was[be] issued of Iver Olsen Midskog, thus Sexton, and thereby eide Per totality TORP.

- - - -

In 1690 kvitterte/receipt Lars Persen too[of,at,to,for,feed,feeds] wife's inheritance orverfor the father-in-law[father-in-law] Hermann Olsen on Magnor.

**********

Looks as though 1671 was an interesting time for Herman's wife, Anne.

Martin B. Madden

Here's some facts regarding our Martin Madden aka Martin B. "Skinny" Madden

Martin B Madden, born August 17, 1871 in IA; died July 23, 1912 in IL Cook Co Chicago.
He was the son of Daniel Madden and Bridget Carroll.
He married (1) Laura Flannery May 15, 1902 in IL Cook Co Chicago. She was born October 1875 in IL, and died June 16, 1907 in IL Cook Co Chicago.
He married (2) Florence Bell Miles September 13, 1909 in IL Lake Co Waukegan. She was born Abt. 1889 in IL, and died Aft. 1912.

Martin's parents and siblings:
Father: Daniel Madden, born Abt. 1848 in Ireland; died October 06, 1912 in IL Cook Co.
He married Bridget Carroll April 18, 1869 in IA Des Moines Co Burlington.

Mother: Bridget Carroll, born Abt. 1843 in IRELAND; died December 23, 1910 in MO Callaway Co Fulton State Hospital #1.

Children of Daniel Madden and Bridget Carroll are:
Bernard Madden, born February 09, 1870 in IA; died February 05, 1909 in IL Cook Co Chicago.
Martin B Madden, born August 17, 1871 in IA; died July 23, 1912 in IL Cook Co Chicago; married (1) Laura Flannery May 15, 1902 in IL Cook Co Chicago;
married (2) Florence Bell Miles September 13, 1909 in IL Lake Co Waukegan.
Edward Madden, born Abt. 1872 in KS.
James Madden, born February 1874 in KS; died Aft. 1928.
Margaret Madden, born June 1878 in KS; died Bet. 1913 - 1920;
married William P McCain Abt. 1902 in IL ?Cook Co?; born Abt. 1876 in IL.
Julia C Madden, born September 1881 in KS, Shawnee Co, North Topeka;
died March 06, 1930 in IL Cook Co Chicago;
married Kenneth Rathbun September 11, 1907 in IL Cook Co Chicago; born August 24, 1880 in WI Geneva; died June 26, 1959 in IL Cook Co Chicago.
Mary Madden, born May 1886 in MO ?Jackson Co Kansas City; died Aft. 1919;
married Joseph J McGrath Abt. 1910; born Abt. 1877 in IL; died Aft. 1928.