My Sweet Sixteen - My 16 Great-Grandparents

It is time again for Saturday Night Fun - and thanks to Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings we have a nice challenge tonite:

1) List your 16 great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places.

2) Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them.

3) Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each (obviously, this is approximate).

4) If you don't know all 16 of your great-grandparents, then do it for the last full generation you have.

5) Write your own blog post, or make a comment on Facebook or in this post.

Thanks to a recent brick wall coming down, I can now complete these tasks!

My 16 great-great grandparents

1. John W. McEntee is the son of Edward McEntee and Ann E. Freer. He was born on Jan 21, 1840 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA. He died on Jan 21, 1918 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA.

2. Elmira Wood is the daughter of William Wood and Elizabeth C. Unknown. She was born on Dec 10, 1851 in New York, New York, New York, USA. She died on Dec 10, 1882 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA.

3. Jacob L. DeGroodt is the son of Charles C. DeGroodt and Elisabeth Mariah Finehout. He was born on Sep 22, 1860 in New York, New York, New York, USA. He died on Jan 09, 1933.

4. Georgiana Simpson is the daughter of Elijah Simpson and Rachel Unknown. She was born Feb 1862 in New York, New York, New York, USA. She died on Nov 10, 1938 in Walkill, Ulster, New York, USA.

5. Martin Slattery. He was born in Ireland.

6. Margaret Leehive is the daughter of John Leehive and Unknown. She was born Abt. 1867 in Greenwich, London, England. She died Bef. 1900.

7. William R. Krom is the son of Jacob Markle Krom and Jane F. Roosa. He was born on Jun 25, 1847 in Marbletown, Ulster, New York, USA. He died on Nov 19, 1891 in Olive, Ulster, New York, USA.

8. Sarah Ann Christiana is the daughter of Jacob L. Christiana and Mary M. Smith. She was born Abt. 1851 in Olive, Ulster, New York, USA. She died on Feb 26, 1926 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA.

9. William Dence Austin is the son of Ira H. Austin and Hannah Dence. His birth on May 24, 1863 (Boonville, Oneida, New York). He died on Mar 26, 1932 in Bronx, Bronx, New York, USA.

10. Catherine M. O'Keefe is the daughter of David O'Keefe and Catherine Sullivan. She was born on Sep 30, 1862 in Lowville, Lewis, New York, USA. She died on Nov 08, 1946 in Bronx, Bronx, New York, USA.

11. Matthew McGinnis. He was born Abt. 1851 in Ireland. He died on Feb 15, 1899 in New York, New York, New York, USA.

12. Bridget Farren is the daughter of John Farren and Ellen Doherty. She was born Oct 1861 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland. She died Aft. 1930 in New York, New York, New York, USA.

13. Gustavus Henneberg is the son of Gustave Henneberg and Magdalena Schmidt. He was born on Jul 06, 1864 in Germany. His death on Aug 15, 1942 in Queens, Queens, New York, USA.

14. Magdalena Zwicker. She was born on Jun 12, 1864 in Germany. Her death on Feb 10, 1937 in Queens, Queens, New York, USA.

15. Robert F. Pressner is the son of Johann Pressner and Franziska Unknown. He was born on Jun 11, 1858 in Pogwitz, Austria. His death on Feb 07, 1897 in Manhattan, New York, New York, USA.

16. Anna Herring is the daughter of Franz Xaver Herring and Anna Manch. She was born on Nov 13, 1860 in Aixheim, Tuttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Ethnicity

The dominant ethnicity is European - Y-DNA haplogroup is R.

Nationalities

5 Irish (31%), 4 English (25%), 4 German (25%), 3 Dutch (19%).

Justice, Choices and Freedom

Photo: Headstone of Matthew McCrickert, date unknown, Calvary Cemetery, Queens, NY. Digital photograph. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2009.

[This post was written for the 75th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy hosted by Colleen at Orations of OMcHodoy]

As I get ready to celebrate our nation's 233rd birthday, I'm reminded of all my ancestors who were willing to risk their lives in military service defending their country for causes in which they believed. At least I'd like to think that this is the reason they served - they had a strong held belief in the basic tenets upon which the United States was formed: justice, choices and freedom.

If it were not for all my ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War (David Everett, Jonathan Everett, Cornelius Krom, Wigglesworth Messenger, and Frederick Visscher) and the Civil War (Alonso Sylvester Austin, Crandall William Austin, Franklin Duane Austin, Grinman Austin, Harlow Austin, Seymour Austin, Phillip DeGroodt, and David O'Keefe), I along with the rest of their descendants would most likely be living under much different conditions than we are today.

Men like my cousin Matthew McCrickert who died on July 11, 1946 in a military plane crash in Freehold, New Jersey served in peace time as well, not only to pursue a career but also to make certain that the freedoms for which my ancestors had fought remained in place.

Whether their surnames were Austin or Everett or McCrickert, whether they had been in this country since its founding or had just arrived from distant shores, these men had commonality in this:

that in order to ensure that future generations are allowed the same opportunities of justice, choices and freedom, one must be willing to put one's life in jeopardy in defense of those opportunities

I am certain, like my cousin Kenneth VonRonn who was killed in Iraq in 2005, the choices were not easy. Families were left behind, careers were disrupted, and some never came home. But those choices continue to exist - for me and for all - only because of the sacrifices made by these men.

Wordless Wednesday

Photo: Georgiana Simpson (1862-1938) and husband Jacob DeGroodt (1860 - 1933), my 2nd great-grandparents. Digital image. Privately held by Dan MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] New York, 2009

MacEntee and DeGroodt Ancestor Photos

I wanted to give a big thank you to my newly found cousin (we are in fact 2nd cousins) whom I've never met in person but who found me online because of this blog (as well as my overall web presence).

Dan MacEntee and I began emailing in May 2008 after I posted my series about whether or not the MacEntee and McEntee families of New York's Hudson Valley are related. Over the past few weeks he has been speaking with his 94-year old grandmother, Mary MacEntee, who married my Grand Uncle, Harold MacEntee. They have been reviewing old photos and Dan has been good enough to write down identifications of the people in the photos, possible dates, etc.

And then as a bonus he scans and sends me a few photos each week. The photo above is simply amazing to me: it depicts all seven sons of Elmer MacEntee and Margaret DeGroodt, my great-grandparents, who also had five daughters.

They are, from left to right, in birth order: John MacEntee (1901 - 1984), Harold MacEntee (1906 - 1979), Myron MacEntee (1907 - 1981), George MacEntee (1909 - 1965), Elmer MacEntee, Jr. (1911 - 1971), Abraham (1913 - 1977), and William, the youngest in the front (1925 - 1987).

One thing I notice and it would help if readers could take a look and give me their opinions: it appears that John, the eldest with the large ears, looks like Myron but not like Harold right next to him. John and Myron look like me and all the males that I know in the MacEntee family including my father. I also think that Harold and the other brothers who look like him resemble the DeGroodt side of the family and all look alike.

Judging from the age of William, or Billy as he was called, I would say he is about six or seven so this photo is dated 1931 or 1932. Other evidence which backs up my theory: I also received a photo of Jacob DeGroodt (1860 - 1933) and Georgiana Simpson (1862 - 1938), my great-great grandparents, which was taken on the same day as this photo. Since Jacob DeGroodt died in 1933, I think I am on the right track as to the date. I will put the DeGroodt photo up tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday.

Thanks Dan!

Names, Places & Most Wanted Faces

Craig Manson over at Geneablogie has started a new meme which I think is important since it gets the surnames in my genealogy research info out into the blogosphere.  As Craig put it:

"List the surnames you are researching and the general localities. Then tell the names of your “Most Wanted Ancestors,” that is, the ones you most want to find behind that brickwall."

Note: I have been particular with the formatting of the information below and use ________ Surname hoping this will allow more people using Google and other search engines to find my post. Also I am using _______ County for the same reasons.

AUSTIN Surname: New York (Jefferson County, Lewis County, St. Lawrence County); Rhode Island (Kent County, Washington County)

CHRISTIANA Surname: New York (Dutchess County, Ulster County)

CRANDALL Surname: Rhode Island (Kent County, Washington County)

DEGROODT Surname: New York (Dutchess County, Ulster County)

DENCE Surname: New York (Lewis County)

FARREN Surname: New York (Bronx County, Kings County); Ireland (Belfast)

FINEHOUT Surname: New York (Dutchess County, Ulster County)

HENNEBERG Surname: New York (Bronx County, Kings County, Queens County, Nassau County), New Jersey (Essex County, Hudson County)

KROM Surname: New York (Dutchess County, Ulster County)

LEEHIVE Surname: New York (Ulster County)

MACENTEE Surname or MCENTEE Surname: New York (Dutchess County, Orange County, Ulster County)

MCGINNIS Surname or MCGINNES Surname: New York (Bronx County, Kings County), Ireland (County Monaghan

PRESSNER Surname: New York (Bronx County, Kings County, Queens County)

PUTMAN Surname: New York (Albany County, Montgomery County, Schenectady County)

SLATTERY Surname: New York (Orange County, Ulster County)

MOST WANTED ANCESTOR: Frances Pressner, my Great Grandmother, born abt 1889 in Liepsig, Germany, died March 10, 1960, Bronx County, New York. Having her parents info would allow me to know all 16 of my great-great grandparents.

On This Date: August 17th

Births

Eleanora Fiscella, my 2nd cousin twice removed, was born on August 17, 1938 in Ardonia, Ulster County, New York to Primiano Fiscella (1913 - 1976) and Florence Elizabeth DeGroodt (1918 - 1987).[1]

Notes

[1] Times Herald Record, Online: Middletown, NY, (http://www.record-online.com/) accessed on June 23, 2008 citing Obituaries, August 16, 2005.

On This Date: August 14th

Deaths

Eleanora Fiscella, my 2nd cousin twice removed, died on August 14, 2005 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess, New York.

Eleanora "Ellie" Carlson, a real estate agent at Venables Century 21 in New Paltz, NY, and resident of the area for many years, died Sunday August 14, 2005 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. She was 66.

The daughter of the late Primiano Fiscella and the late Florence DeGroodt, she was born August 17, 1938 in Ardonia, NY Ellie was a member of St. Joseph's Church in New Paltz; MLS and National Association of Realtors; and was a former school teacher for the Wallkill School District. She was a graduate of SUNY Oswego.

She married Darold John Carlson on November 3, 1962 in New Paltz, NY, who survives at home. She is also survived by three daughters: Lisa Ann Carlson of Clintondale; Danielle Carlson-Murphy and her husband, David Murphy, of Gardiner, and Kimberly Carlson-Dimitri and her husband, Michael, of High Falls; one son, Christopher Carlson and his wife, Lisa Jo, of Highland; one sister, Florence Jesse of Clintondale; three grandchildren: Caroline Murphy and Patrick Murphy, both of Gardiner, and Ashley Carlson of Highland; one nephew, Mark Waldron of CA; and family pet Bingo Bailey.

Calling hours will be held from 5-8 PM on Wednesday August 17, 2005 at the Copeland Funeral Home, Inc., 162 S. Putt Corners Rd. in New Paltz, NY. The funeral will take place on Thursday, August 18 at 10 AM in St. Joseph's Church, S. Chestnut St., New Paltz, NY Burial will be in St. Charles Cemetery in Gardiner, NY.

Memorial contributions may be made to Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 4065, La Grangeville, NY 12540.
Arrangements were made by the Copeland Funeral Home, Inc.[1]

[1] Times Herald Record, Online: Middletown, NY, (http://www.record-online.com) accessed on June 23, 2008 citing Obituaries, August 16, 2005.

My Ancestors In 1908

Lisa over at 100 Years In America poses a "family history challenge" as it were: Where Was Your Family in 1908? Since Lisa has asked me to "thrown down," here's what I can relate about my ancestors and that year:

John Ralph Austin - my great-grandfather would start the year off turning 12 in late January downstate in the Bronx, New York. While he grew up in Lowville, Lewis County, New York, he and the rest of the family closed the butcher shop they owned off of State Street to resettle in New York City. The Lowville Journal-Republican has several articles mentioning Ralph visiting his grandmother, Catherine Sullivan O'Keefe during the summer of 1908. He probably arrived and departed via the New York Central & Hudson railroad which went on to Ottawa, Canada as its final destination.

Therese Rose McGinnes- my great-grandmother and wife of John Ralph was about to turn 14 years old in Manhattan, New York where she had lived all her life. Her father had already left their mother, Bridget Farren, and the six girls to fend for themselves.

My great-grandparents Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner had met in Germany and were married right around 1908 in the Bronx, New York. Over the next 15 years they would welcome six children into the fold.

My great-grandparents Elmer A. MacEntee and Margaret DeGroodt were living about 90 miles north of New York City, in the Ulster County region, mostly Ellenvile and Shawangunk. By 1908 four of their 11 children would have been born.

My great-grandparents John Vincent Slattery and Loretta Margarete Dorothea Krom were located one county over, in Orange County, New York but had not yet even met. They would be married within the next five years.