#ProjectGenealogy
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Project Genealogy Collaboration - Coming Soon!
So I've been working on a surprise project with some wonderful genealogists over the past few months. A collection of YouTube videos all about genealogy but pertaining to particular topics. Can't share any more than that right now. I hope you will all tune in when it's released. Check back often on all my social media accounts to keep updated on the progress. Won't be long!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AuntieJensFamilyTrees/?sub_confirmation=1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrickards82
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntiejenstrees/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntiejen82/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrickards82
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntiejenstrees/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntiejen82/
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Week 35: At Work
What did your ancestors do for work? Did they have a specialized skill or were they just a jack of all trades? Did they struggle to keep a job or were they employed at the same place for most of their life? Did they love their job or were they in it just for a paycheck? These are all questions you should ask yourself when researching your ancestor's occupations. Some you may not ever find answers to, but some might open your eyes to who your ancestor was and fill in more details about their character.
As a society, we seem to go through shifts when it comes to employment. I've been researching the time period my ancestors immigrated to America; learning more about the culture, customs, and the struggles immigrants went through. This includes their occupations; what was available, did they appear to have any specialized skills, how long did they go between jobs, and even where they lived. The location of their residence will let you know if they were well off, if they were renting, if they were in a lower-class area, etc.
Researching Frank Ilg, my 2nd great-grandfather, I learned about the many jobs he held once he came to the United States. He was a Laborer, Bookkeeper, and a Shoemaker during his short time here in the United States. I say "short" time because he died in 1901, only 13 years after he arrived, from a "supposed" work-related accident. He worked for the Provident Chemical Company at that time, which manufactured medicines. During his life, he and his family moved around a lot to different houses, and they always rented. I have learned that the location of the room they rented determined if they had money or not. They always lived in the "rear" of the building, the cheaper rooms available for rent, which indicated that they were poor. The rear rooms did not have proper sanitation or light making them more affordable than the more desired rooms in front. I studied the conditions of the city during this time from this book here: Housing conditions in St. Louis. After he died, Pauline washed clothes to earn a living, which barely brought in any money.
Years later, her son, Joseph Ilg, after also bouncing around from job to job as a laborer and tool grinder, got a job at the local newspaper: The St. Louis Post Dispatch. He started working in 1923 on a German imported roller press, the first of its kind west of the Mississippi and worked there until he retired in 1964. He had a specialized job and made a life long career out of it. They were able to afford to live in better neighborhoods and have a better life. My grandpa, Les Wheeler, also worked at the St. Louis Post Dispatch as well until he retired. It wasn't his dream position, but it helped his family afford the basic necessities. His love was cars, so on the side, he had his own used car lot along with a garage. See the pictures below.
During my grandfather's and great-grandfather's lives, the economy was focused on finding a good career to have job security and then be able to afford the finer things in life. The American Dream. Through the last 10-15 years it seems, we are going through a shift once again. Most people are not staying in their job for all of their lives. Whether it be from quitting to do something else, finding another job that pays more money or being laid off, we don't have the job security like our ancestors had. College used to guarantee you would get a good job, and keep it for a long time. That just doesn't exist anymore. More people are now skipping college and going more into the trades.
Now I'm not an economist nor do I understand the politics behind it all, but I do see a huge paradigm shift in our economy and am curious to see what the next 50-75 years (if I live that long) bring. For now, I will focus on the employment of my ancestors. What kind of work did your ancestors do?
As a society, we seem to go through shifts when it comes to employment. I've been researching the time period my ancestors immigrated to America; learning more about the culture, customs, and the struggles immigrants went through. This includes their occupations; what was available, did they appear to have any specialized skills, how long did they go between jobs, and even where they lived. The location of their residence will let you know if they were well off, if they were renting, if they were in a lower-class area, etc.
Researching Frank Ilg, my 2nd great-grandfather, I learned about the many jobs he held once he came to the United States. He was a Laborer, Bookkeeper, and a Shoemaker during his short time here in the United States. I say "short" time because he died in 1901, only 13 years after he arrived, from a "supposed" work-related accident. He worked for the Provident Chemical Company at that time, which manufactured medicines. During his life, he and his family moved around a lot to different houses, and they always rented. I have learned that the location of the room they rented determined if they had money or not. They always lived in the "rear" of the building, the cheaper rooms available for rent, which indicated that they were poor. The rear rooms did not have proper sanitation or light making them more affordable than the more desired rooms in front. I studied the conditions of the city during this time from this book here: Housing conditions in St. Louis. After he died, Pauline washed clothes to earn a living, which barely brought in any money.
Years later, her son, Joseph Ilg, after also bouncing around from job to job as a laborer and tool grinder, got a job at the local newspaper: The St. Louis Post Dispatch. He started working in 1923 on a German imported roller press, the first of its kind west of the Mississippi and worked there until he retired in 1964. He had a specialized job and made a life long career out of it. They were able to afford to live in better neighborhoods and have a better life. My grandpa, Les Wheeler, also worked at the St. Louis Post Dispatch as well until he retired. It wasn't his dream position, but it helped his family afford the basic necessities. His love was cars, so on the side, he had his own used car lot along with a garage. See the pictures below.
Les Wheeler working
St. Louis Post Dispatch
Les Wheeler Auto Sales
During my grandfather's and great-grandfather's lives, the economy was focused on finding a good career to have job security and then be able to afford the finer things in life. The American Dream. Through the last 10-15 years it seems, we are going through a shift once again. Most people are not staying in their job for all of their lives. Whether it be from quitting to do something else, finding another job that pays more money or being laid off, we don't have the job security like our ancestors had. College used to guarantee you would get a good job, and keep it for a long time. That just doesn't exist anymore. More people are now skipping college and going more into the trades.
Now I'm not an economist nor do I understand the politics behind it all, but I do see a huge paradigm shift in our economy and am curious to see what the next 50-75 years (if I live that long) bring. For now, I will focus on the employment of my ancestors. What kind of work did your ancestors do?
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Week 34: Tragedy
This week's prompt is Tragedy. There is no other ancestor that comes to mind except for William Ilg. His whole life could be written as a tragedy. From the time he was born, until his untimely death three days before the end of World War I. I've dedicated a lot of hours of research to his life trying to memorialize him in any way I can. The links in this post are all about William Ilg.
William Ilg, the gone but not forgotten Uncle
https://auntiejenstrees.blogspot.com/2018/11/william-ilg-gone-but-not-forgotten-uncle.html
William Ilg, eligible for a medal?
https://auntiejenstrees.blogspot.com/2018/11/william-ilg-gone-but-not-forgotten-uncle.html
The Day The Ilg's Lives Changed Forever-100 years later
https://auntiejenstrees.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-day-that-changed-ilgs-lives-forever.html
William Ilg, the gone but not forgotten Uncle
https://auntiejenstrees.blogspot.com/2018/11/william-ilg-gone-but-not-forgotten-uncle.html
William Ilg, eligible for a medal?
https://auntiejenstrees.blogspot.com/2018/11/william-ilg-gone-but-not-forgotten-uncle.html
The Day The Ilg's Lives Changed Forever-100 years later
https://auntiejenstrees.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-day-that-changed-ilgs-lives-forever.html
William Ilg, you will never be forgotten.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Week 33: Comedy
Romantic comedies are my favorite type of movie genre. I am such a romantic deep down, always have been. I also love to laugh. So it just makes sense that I love romantic comedies. My husband and I have a few movies that are our favorites. He will tell you when it comes to romantic comedies, I love one with great dialog. One of the best examples that is one of my favorite movies is "When Harry Met Sally." I love the dialog all throughout. The way they joke about things, make each other smile, how extremely comfortable they are to say anything, etc. That is the type of relationship I always wanted. I always said the one who will win my heart will be the one who can make me laugh and whom I am very comfortable with. From the very beginning of our relationship, my husband has been that person.
Mark and I met in 2001 while working at One Way Bookshop in Ballwin, Missouri. We instantly hit it off as friends. There wasn't anything we didn't talk about. Music, movies, hobbies, thoughts, feelings, etc. We were scheduled to work together all the time. I never had so much fun working at a job before. I always said it never felt like work; it felt like just hanging out. He always knew just what to say to make me laugh.
We were friends with no interest in a romantic relationship with each other. Although, many people used to ask if we were dating with how well we got along. Finally, six months later, we decided to start dating, and then 2 months later, we eloped. I know, I know, how insane in that? You can read the story about our wedding day here: Our Wedding Day. From day one, he was always making me laugh. Even still to this day. He always tells me, "The day you stop finding me funny, I'm in trouble."
So, it just made sense for this week's prompt to be about my husband. After 17 years of marriage, most couples stop finding each other funny and start getting annoyed at their spouse's antics. Not me. He can still make me laugh. Whether it's just a look, a quote from one of our favorite movies, or a funny story, he can always find a way to bring a smile to my face. Just to give you an insight into my what I'm talking about, here are some fun photos of my hubby. I hope they bring some laughs to you as they do to me.
These are just some of the funny moments captured on camera. There are still plenty more memories I have that are not on the computer. I love him dearly... and I do hope that I never stop finding him funny because he definitely makes life more enjoyable. Love you Mark, my personal comedian.
Mark and I met in 2001 while working at One Way Bookshop in Ballwin, Missouri. We instantly hit it off as friends. There wasn't anything we didn't talk about. Music, movies, hobbies, thoughts, feelings, etc. We were scheduled to work together all the time. I never had so much fun working at a job before. I always said it never felt like work; it felt like just hanging out. He always knew just what to say to make me laugh.
We were friends with no interest in a romantic relationship with each other. Although, many people used to ask if we were dating with how well we got along. Finally, six months later, we decided to start dating, and then 2 months later, we eloped. I know, I know, how insane in that? You can read the story about our wedding day here: Our Wedding Day. From day one, he was always making me laugh. Even still to this day. He always tells me, "The day you stop finding me funny, I'm in trouble."
So, it just made sense for this week's prompt to be about my husband. After 17 years of marriage, most couples stop finding each other funny and start getting annoyed at their spouse's antics. Not me. He can still make me laugh. Whether it's just a look, a quote from one of our favorite movies, or a funny story, he can always find a way to bring a smile to my face. Just to give you an insight into my what I'm talking about, here are some fun photos of my hubby. I hope they bring some laughs to you as they do to me.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Week 32: Sister
Being an only child, I never had the privilege of having siblings. Some have told me I'm lucky. Maybe. But I also missed out on the benefits as well. The giving & receiving of sisterly advice. The sharing of secrets & clothes. Someone to lean on during difficult times. Although I never had biological sisters, I've been blessed with having close girlfriends I consider sisters. So I'd like to dedicate this post to them.
My first best friend who was like a sister to me was Sarah McKeever. My mom used to babysit her when we were little. She held that position in my life for quite a long time. We've got so many memories from our times together. Sadly, I am not connected with her anymore. We have both gone our separate ways, but I will treasure the time we spent together.
My first best friend who was like a sister to me was Sarah McKeever. My mom used to babysit her when we were little. She held that position in my life for quite a long time. We've got so many memories from our times together. Sadly, I am not connected with her anymore. We have both gone our separate ways, but I will treasure the time we spent together.
My second best friend who was like a sister to me was Crystal McDaniel. We've been friends since the 3rd grade. For years, we were inseparable. She literally became part of our family, always staying the night, going on vacations, spending every waking & sleeping moments together. Just like sisters, we had our fights, but we also had our tender moments. I have so many great memories of our time together. We lost contact for a while, but have reconnected.
My most recent best friend and sister is Sarah Hitzfelder. I met her through my husband, and we've been close ever since. My daughter knows her as Aunt & her kids know me as Aunt. Honestly, something I treasure very deeply. We've made many memories together, taken vacations, helping each other through difficult & challenging parts of life, spending holidays together, etc. We may not live close in proximity, but nothing will change our relationship. I'm blessed to have her in my life. Through ups & downs, good times & rough, she is my sister.
Pics
These are just three ladies who have made an impact on my life who I was/am blessed to have as sisters. That doesn't mean others haven't been special to me. There are others who are close like sisters and whom I consider close friends. You all are my Sisterchicks.
Thank you, everyone, for being a part of my life & for allowing me to be a part of yours.
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