Fearless Females: The Wedding of Frances Pressner

[This post is part of the Fearless Females series of blogging prompts created by Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist as part of Women's History Month


March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.]


My great-grandparents Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner were married on Sunday, 16 April 1911 in the Bronx, New York at the Immaculate Conception church.

The photo above was probably sent out to family and friends either as a "thank you" for attending the wedding or as part of the wedding announcement.

Here is the marriage certificate which I obtained recently with the help of my cousin Wendy:

According to the marriage certificate, the wedding took place about 5:00 pm and the witnesses were Adam and Julia (Pressner) Beyerman with Julia being Frances' sister.

Photos: 1) Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner, about 1911, Bronx, New York.  Digital image.  Thomas MacEntee private files, Chicago, IL; Hennberg/Pressner Marriage Certificate, filed 9 May 1911, Bronx, New York.  Digital image. Thomas MacEntee private files, Chicago, IL.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

German Genealogy Group Makes Major Database Updates

My readers know that I have German ancestry on my mother's side - namely her mother Anna May Henneberg as well as Anna's mother Frances Pressner. The German Genealogy Group has been a great FREE resource for me during my research - so much so that I decided to join this genealogy society even though I am nowhere near its usual meeting places in New York.

Well the GGG (as I commonly call it) has some great news about updates to its databases:

• 13,087 names from 54 yearbooks have been added to the yearbooks database which now contains over 140,000 names in 426 yearbooks from around the country.
• The Southern District Naturalizations database has been updated to include 6,331 repatriations, 2,381 WW II naturalizations, 856 Korean War naturalizations and 209 transferred naturalizations.
• Joining all the other databases on this site is the index to 735,333 New York City birth records, all Counties, for the years 1901 through 1907.

The German Genealogy Group website offers over 30 different databases and all at a great price: FREE.

I urge you to look at GGG especially if you have German ancestry from the New York City area but also for any ancestry from NYC as well. And if you've found valuable information, think about joining them. Membership is only $15 a year.

© 2009, copyright Thomas MacEntee

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%).

High-Ya! Kicking Down That Brick Wall

Photo: Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner, abt. 1911, Bronx, New York. Digital photograph. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Chicago, Illinois, 2009.

[This post was composed for the 22nd Edition of The Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy hosted at Al's Polish- American Genealogy Research blog]

Last month I posted about how after many years I was able to break through my Pressner brick wall and I wanted to bring my readers up to date on some more breakthroughs involving my Pressner and Henneberg lines.

Anna May Henneberg (1912 - 1965) was my maternal grandmother who lived in the Bronx, New York and died in 1965 - thus I don't have many memories of her or her family. Anna Henneberg's parents were Richard Henneberg (1988 - 1941) and Frances Pressner (1889 - 1960) and for years I was unable to identify the parents of Frances.

I've been working with my 2nd cousin Wendy who I met on Facebook and we've been sharing Henneberg and Pressner data for months now. We also both have our family trees posted on Ancestry so we can keep tabs on each other's progress.

Wendy also is the one who has been handling requests with the New York City office of Vital Records to obtain death and marriage certificates. She and I have been using Stephen P. Morse's One Step website to identify the exact certificate numbers and then she takes care of placing the order. And then the waiting and waiting takes place.

Remember what it was like to get something fun in the mailbox? Well Wendy knows that and the anticipation involved - she says it is exciting and she can't wait to see which mysteries will be solved when the certificates arrive.

Well Wendy hit the jackpot last week. The marriage certificate arrived for Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner which revealed the name of Frances' parents (Robert Pressner and Anna Herring) as well as confirming the maiden name of Richard' mother (Zwicker). Also key were the names of the witnesses - Adam and Julia Beyerman. Subsequent census searching revealed that Julia was in fact Julia Pressner and the sister of Frances Pressner.

And if that were not enough, further research of census and immigration records has brought us the name of Robert Pressner's parents (Johann Pressner and Franciska ______ from Austria) as well as Anna Herring's parents (Albert Herring and Emily _____).

By getting copies of the marriage certificate and then supplementing it with further research, my cousin and I could add two more generations to our family tree. As a side benefit, I've gotten Wendy interested enough in genealogy (and she is so good at the research) that she thinks genealogy might be a new profession for her!

Leaving no stone unturned, getting out and doing non-Internet based genealogy research, and being persistant is the key to breaking through those brick walls!

Summertime for My German Ancestors

[This post is part of the 21st Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy hosted here at Destination: Austin Family]


The theme for this edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy is summertime - how your ancestors spent their summers both here and back home in the Old Country. While I don't have much information about how my Henneberg and Pressner ancestors spent their summers in the Sachsen (Saxony) area of what is now present day Germany, I do know how the summers were spent in the Bronx, New York where they settled.


My research indicates that when the Hennebergs and Pressners arrived in New York in the late 1860s and 1870s, The Bronx was a very different place. In fact The Bronx was more of a suburb with cows and pastures than it is today. But with the immigrant population explosion which began in the 1880s, New York added more people. These immigrants tended to live within their own ethnic communities and The Bronx had a very large German-American population.


As the population grew there was less and less room for trees and parks. I am certain that the humidity levels increased over the years, and that all the cement sidewalks and brick buildings made neighborhoods feel like absolute ovens during the summer.


In the photo above, left to right, are Ethel Henneberg, unknown family friend, Richard Henneberg. This photo was taken in front of their apartment building at 405 E. 162nd Street, the Bronx, around 1927. The kids grew up about 10 blocks from Yankee stadium!


And while where I grew up (in the Catskill Mountain/Hudson Valley region) about 100 miles north of New York City would become a summer get-away for families looking to cool off, this was not yet the case in the 1920s. It wasn't until the late 1930s when improvements had been made to the automobile and the highway system that families like mine - with limited economic resoures - could afford to spend a weekend, a week or even the whole summer in The Country.


[Photo: The Henneberg Family, abt. 1927, Bronx, NY. Digital photograph. Courtesy of Ray Henneberg.]

The Pressner Brick Wall Has Fallen

And although you may not be able to tell, I am doing a mad genealogy happy dance as I also try to type this post!
I received an e-mail from my 2nd cousin Wendy (whom I've only met on Facebook - go social media!) late this afternoon with some very interesting information based on the marriage certificate for Frances Pressner and Richard Henneberg, my great-grandparents:

• Frances' father was Robert Pressner . . . and his name was spelled "Pressnir", which may have been a shortened version of "Pressnirvinsky".
  
  
• Frances' mother was Anna Haring, but misspelled "Herring" on Frances' marriage certificate to Richard Henneberg.

Wendy provided much more information than I can digest and include here right now. I will follow-up with more information later in the week but I can now say that I have the names of all 16 of my great-great-grandparents!

Summers in "The Country"

Photo: Anna Henneberg and Alfred Austin with children Patricia, Joan, Josephine and Judy, 1940, Grahamsville, NY. Digital photograph. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2009.

[This post was written for the 74th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy hosted by Jasia]

This year's swimsuit edition of the COG does not focus on me at as it did last year - but on my family and how they escaped the heat of New York City during the summer. While they came up for the summer, as it turns out, they stayed for a lifetime.

Summer has always been a magical season especially in those unforgiving places like the Catskill Mountains where I grew up. It was unusual, but not out of the realm of possibilities to have snow for Halloween and still have snow for Memorial Day. So when summer burst forth in all its glory so did the residents of "the country" as it was called, both permanent and temporary.

My mother was one of those "city people" as we used to call them but after over 50 years of living in the Catskills I think she and most of her siblings qualify as "country people." The Catskills have long been a haven for residents of New York City during the summer, especially those seeking to escape the heat and humidity of the city. What started out as a cure for tuberculosis residents in many places like Loomis Sanitarium in my hometown of Liberty, New York turned into a lifestyle especially after the turn of the 20th century.

Many residents discovered that "city people" would pay a premium to rent rooms or outbuildings on their farms as long as they could enjoy the fresh air and the fresh food. Once the concept caught on, many farmers built boarding houses to handle the large number of guests and even advertised in the New York newspapers.

Bungalow colonies like Lansmans started with small single room buildings constructed around a lake or swimming pool. These "resorts" were "self-catering" meaning that they had a small stove and a sink where meals could be prepared. Usually there were activities organized for the children and it was common to have mothers stay with the children all summer while the husbands came up from "the City" on Friday evenings and returned on Sunday nights.

The photo above shows my grandparents Anna Henneberg and Alfred Austin at a location near Grahamsville, NY that advertised itself as "cabins." For many people, a bungalow colony was patronized by mostly Jewish or Polish immigrants and was way too social and crowded. Some like my family preferred cabins that were close to a lake or river and you didn't feel like you had to get to know your neighbors - it was up to you. There were no organized activities such as bingo nights or movie nights, but if you wanted to set up a firepit when the chill set in, that was a good way to socialize and get to know others. And kids never lacked for things to do or other children with whom to play.

In the photo above my grandfather would have been about 33 years old and was following in a tradition that his parents, John Ralph Austin and Therese McGinnes had started more than 15 years earlier. In the photo below, my grandfather is shown in a rowboat on a lake with his brothers Gregory (left) and Malcolm (right). Judging from Malcolm's birthday I would put this photo at about 1934.



Photo: Gregory, Alfred and Malcolm Austin, abt 1934, location unknown. Digital photograph. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2009.

It appears that men were still wearing the one piece wool bathing suits that they did in my great-grandfather John Ralph Austin's time as shown here below:



Photo: John Ralph Austin, abt. 1913, Coney Island, New York. Digital photograph. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2009.

In my great-grandfather's time, the best getaway was Coney Island which was much closer to the Bronx where he was living with his parents William Dence Austin and Catherine O'Keefe. For many, getting up to "the country" in the Catskills was either done by train or involved an all-day trip by car.

Summers were always too, too short when I was growing up and perhaps that is just the perspective of a child. The season holds such vivid memories for me especially the time spent at my great-grandparents farm house in Grahamsville, New York. While bathing suits were common and they were often seen laying out on stone fences or clothes lines to dry, the cool country air meant that you sometimes needed something more to keep you warm.

A Great Find - German Genealogy Group

Two weeks ago when I was working on my Henneberg line, I stumbled upon the German Genealogy Group's website and I can't tell you how helpful I've found it. So much so that I sent off my $15 check for membership even though the group is based in the Long Island area of New York and I doubt I'll ever attend a meeting.

But this is why you might consider bookmarking the GGG or even joining:

When I couldn't access some of the New York City Bride and Groom Indexes via Steve Morse's One Step site (using connection from Italian Genealogical Group), I was able to access these same indexes through GGG's Naturalization/Vital Records Databases. I have found it to be a valuable backup when I can't get access through Steve's site.

In addition to the New York City database access, they offer a bulletin board with postings on German surnames; they offer a translation service and help on writing to government offices and churches in Germany to request records; and the newsletters are chock full of interesting data on German provinces and cities.

Make a visit to the German Genealogy Group today. And consider joining - many genealogy societies need our support and GGG is proof that genealogy societies can be based locally but still have a web presence and an impact on the advancement of genealogy research.

Frances Pressner - My German-American Great Grandmother

[This post is part of the 17th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy hosted at CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt']
Frances Pressner is one of my great-grandparents (she is the mother of Anna Henneberg who was my mother's mother) and married Richard Henneberg on April 16, 1911 in the Bronx, New York. Richard had arrived in the United States on April 25, 1891 at age 11 months along with his mother Lena Henneberg and older brother Walter, age 3.


On the 1930 US Federal Census, Frances Pressner is listed as having been naturalized in 1892 and her birth is estimated as 1889. So I assume that she arrived here in the United States around the same time as her husband, approximately 1890-1891.


Frances Pressner and her husband raised a family of five children in the Bronx, and at one point lived not far from Yankee Stadium. She died on March 10, 1960 and is buried at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in White Plains, New York, along with her husband.

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.

Tombstone Tuesday - Gustave Henneberg Jr

Photo: Headstone of Gustave Henneberg, Jr. (1889 - 1955). Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, Nassau County, New York. Digital image. Privately held by Wendy Henneberg, New York. 2009.

Gustave Henneberg, Jr. was my great-grand uncle and was born in Leipzig, Germany on September 12, 1889[1] to Gustave Henneberg (1864 - 1942) and Lena [Unknown] (1864 - 1937). Gustave Jr. arrived in the United States at New York in 1891[2].

Gustave Jr. married Margaret [Unknown], date unknown. She was born April 10, 1896[3] and died on July 30, 1974[4] at Massapequa, New York.

Gustave Henneberg Jr. died on February 17, 1955[5] in Miami, Florida. He is buried at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.

Notes

[1] United States, Selective Service System, Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration ((Online: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007)), NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed February 13, 2008, citing Roll: WWII_2371484; Local board: Queens, New York.

[2] U.S. Customs Service, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897 ((Online: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006)), NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed February 13, 2008, citing Year: 1891; Arrival: New York , United States; Microfilm serial: M237; Microfilm roll: M237_566; Line: 41; List number: 537.

[3] National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 ((Online: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006)), Long Island National Cemetery
2040 Wellwood Avenue Farmingdale, New York 11735-1211 Section X Site 718.

[4] Social Security Administration, Social Security Death Index, Master File ((Online: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007)), (http://www.ancestry.com), examined for any reference to "Margaret Henneberg," accessed February 13, 2008. Number: 080-22-3600; Issue State: New York; Issue Date: Before 1951.

[5] National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 ((Online: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006)), Long Island National Cemetery
2040 Wellwood Avenue Farmingdale, New York 11735-1211 Section X Site 718.

My Brick Wall Ancestor: Frances Pressner

[Note: I am utilizing a structure and format suggested by Miriam Midkiff Robbins over at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors]

Name: Frances Pressner

What I Want To Know: Frances Pressner is my great-grandmother and I would like more information on her parents, her siblings, when she arrived from Germany or Prussia and her marriage to Richard Henneberg.

Known Information - Positive:

New York City Grooms Index: married in the Bronx, New York on April 16, 1991.

Source:  New York City Health Department, New York City Grooms Index, 1908 - 1936, (http://www.italiangen.org>, examined for any reference to "Henneberg," accessed February 8, 2008. Certificate #794 Bronx County.

1920 Federal Census:  living with her husband, Richard Henneberg at 405 East 162nd Street, Bronx, New York.  Age listed as 32 (birth date abt. 1889), keeping house, born in Germany, speaking German and English.   Also listed are: 

Richard Henneberg, head of household.  Age 31.  Occupation: Clerk.  Born in New York, speaks German and English.

Anna May Henneberg, daughter.  Age 7.  Goes to school.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Richard Henneberg, Jr., son.  Age 5.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Ethel Henneberg, daughter.  Age 3.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Charles Henneberg, son.  Age 1.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Source: 1920 US Census, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed February 10, 2008, citing Census Place: Bronx Assembly District 1, Bronx, New York; Roll: T625_1131; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 79; Image: 572.

1930 Federal Census (listed as Hennaberg):  living with her husband, Richard Henneberg at 1165 Morris Avenue, Bronx, New York.  Age listed as 41 (birth date abt. 1889), keeping house, born in Germany, speaking German and English.   Year of immigration listed as 1892, not a naturalized citizen.  Also listed are: 

Richard Henneberg, head of household.  Age 42.  Occupation: Salesman, Werth Baking.  Born in New York, speaks English.  (Note: the occupation information has been placed in the space for Frances not Richard)

Annie Henneberg, daughter.  Age 18.  Goes to school.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Richard Henneberg, Jr., son.  Age 15.  Goes to school.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Ethel Henneberg, daughter.  Age 13.  Goes to school.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Charles Henneberg, son.  Age 11.  Goes to school.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Edward Henneberg, son.  Age 6.  Goes to school.  Born in New York.  Speaks English.

Source: 1930 US Census, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed February 10, 2008, citing Census Place: Bronx, Bronx, New York; Roll: 1467; Page: 42B; Enumeration District: 149; Image: 850.0.

Known Information - Ambiguous:

World War I Draft Registration Card: dated January 5, 1917, Richard Henneberg is listed as age 28, living at 423 East 162nd Street, Bronx, New York but was born in Liepetiz, Germany, January 26, 1888 and a naturalized citizen.

Source:  World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918  (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed February 10, 2008, citing M1509, 4,582 rolls.

Negative Searches:

There seems to be no Social Security Death record for Frances Pressner (searching under Frances and Francis)

Also tried to find the German equivalent of the name Frances or used Frannie, Franny, etc. for searches.

No immigration or arrival records are apparent.

Also have tried the last name Preusner.

Possible Resources and Suspicions:

I really don't have much to go on right now.  I've tried almost every combination in names and I keep finding possible matches but either the birthplace is New York (instead of Germany) or the birthdate is too late (1897, etc.)

Brick Wall Update

I was thinking last night about some of my "brick walls" or "road blocks" in my genealogy research. Some I've had for years and others just cropped up. While I am hitting my head against these barriers to expanding my tree back a few generations, I thought that I just need to put them in writing - get them into a blog post every few weeks and perhaps another researcher will come across them. So here goes:

DENCE

William Dence was my 5th great-grandfather. I descend along the Dence line as follows:

William Dence (1778 - 1862)
David Dence (1802 - 1841)
Hannah or Huldah Dence (1834 - 1907)
William Dence Austin (1863 - 1932)
John Ralph Austin (1896 - 1976)
Alfred Austin (1916 - 1984)
Jacqueline Austin (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

The Dence name may be Welsh in origin and may have variations such as Dens, Denys, Dance or even Dennis. The first five generations of this line were all born and/or died in Lowville, Lewis, New York.

PRESSNER



Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner. Photograph. Abt 1910. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008

Frances Pressner was my great-grandmother and was married to Richard Henneberg (1888 - ?). The Hennebergs lived in The Bronx, Bronx, New York and continue to do so today.

I descend along the Pressner line as follows:

Frances Pressner (abt 1889 - 1960)
Anna Henneberg (1912 - 1965)
Jacqueline Austin (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

HENNEBERG

Gustave Hennberg was my great-great grandfather. He married Lena (Magdalena) _________ about 1885 and immigrated to the United States from Germany landing in New York around 1891. Three of his sons (Walter, Richard and Gustave) were all born in Liepsig, Germany. The remaining children (John, Lena, William and Frederic) were all born in New York City.

I descend along the Henneberg line as follows:

Gustave Henneberg (1864 - 1942)
Richard Henneberg (1888 - ?)
Anna Henneberg (1912 - 1965)
Jacqueline Austin (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

LEEHIVE

John Leehive was my great-great grandfather. Born in Ireland, it is not clear when he arrived in the United States. He lived in Ulster County, New York.

I descend along the Leehive line as follows:

John Leehive (1883 - ?)
Margaret Leehive (1867 - bef. 1900)
John Vincent Slattery (1888 - 1939)
Loretta Margaret Slattery (1920 - 1986)
Richard MacEntee (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

More brick walls will be posted later and I'll will try to do this about four times a year with updates.

Wordless Wednesday

Family Portrait - Wedding of Ethel Henneberg and Raymond O'Brien, abt 1936, Bronx, New York

Names I Used for Grandparents

Randy at Genea-Musings brings up an interesting topic in the genea-blogsphere: What names did you use in addressing your grand-parents while growing up? What do or did your children use? Your grandchildren?

Abraham MacEntee (paternal grandfather)
I never had the privilege of meeting my grandfather on my father's side. I do know that he and my grandmother may have been separated since when I saw my grandmother, she was on her own.

Loretta Slattery MacEntee (paternal grandmother)
I only met her a few times, despite her living about 40 miles away. It probably had quite a bit to with the fact that my mother had divorced my father and we really didn't stay in touch with my father's side of the family except for a few of his brothers and sisters.

Alfred Austin (maternal grandfather)
I knew my grandfather somehwat and called him Grandpa. Other of my cousins used the word Poppy. Using Grandpa was confusing since that is what I called my great-grandfather, John Ralph Austin, with whom I was much closer.

My family has a very tortured (literally) past with my mother's father. It is difficult to go into and is almost never discussed by the family except for a brave few. My mother saw to it that there was little interaction between her father and my brother and I with good reason due to sexual and physical abuse issues in the past. I never understood the distance as a child but I now realize not only what my mother endured as a child, but also what she did to protect her children.

Anna Henneberg Austin (maternal grandfather)
My grandmother died when I was 2 1/2 years old but I do remember her being called Nana or Nanny. This was probably due to her German background. My grandmother had been abandoned by her husband, Alfred Austin, and died of a cerebral hemmoragh at age 53.

Jean Rose Austin (maternal grandfather's second wife)
Soon after my grandmother Anna Heneberg Austin died, my grandfather married Jean Rose, making her his second wife. I called her Aunt Jean and was told to do so by my mother. Because of the distance between me and my grandfather, naturally I didn't get to know Aunt Jean very well. Secretly, I liked her but sadly wasn't allowed to express that as a child. She was a spit-fire! Short, about 5 foot tall, smoked unflitered cigarettes like a chimney, and was not shy about sharing her opinion. My kinda gal!! Although I might not agree with her, she had spunk and was what we called "ballsy."

John Ralph Austin (maternal grandfather's father)
One of the biggest influences in my life and I called him Grandpa. I consider myself fortunate to have had him in my life before he passed in 1977. He and my great-grandmother would tell me stories of life in New York during the first half of the 20th century and I was always enchanted. Curiously, my mother (and her 11 siblings) called him Pa.

Therese McGinnis Austin (maternal grandfather's mother)
An even bigger influence on me than her husband and I called her Grandma while my mother called her Ma. She taught me how to behave, which fork to use, how to be excused from a table, how to greet adults, etc. Spending time with her - be it an overnight or two weeks in the summer - was like going to charm school and college all wrapped into one.

An imposing person at over six feet tall, she was like Julia Child but much funnier in my view. She always had an opinion on something and had great stories to tell. Her 1840s farmhouse was my second home and I miss both her and it. What I remember most is her smell - she wore Emeraude and you could always smell it, faintly like a light touch, when you went to hug her.

Nowadays if a woman walks past me wearing Emeraude, I go into a trance and am transported back to her dining room with its banjo clock, green floral wallpaper, blue ceiling and old dutch plank doors. I can almost hear myself saying, "Grandma tell me about the time . . ."

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.

Another Alzheimer's Diagnosis in the Family

I was hesitant to post this what with all the fun Christmas stuff going on here so I wedged it in between two posts farther on down the page. I wanted to post this as close to the date when I received the news that another one of my mother's sisters was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

So out of 12 kids and the 8 girls in my mother's immediate family, there are now 3 who have either had or are living with Alzheimer's: my mother Jacqueline, her sister Pat (deceased) and now her sister Joan.

Today I've been emailing distant cousins in the Henneberg line (my mother's mother was Anna Henneberg Austin) to ask if other women in the Henneberg family had ever shown signs or been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I will see how this search turns out. I just spoke to one of my other aunt's and I could just tell in her voice that there is some fear that this strain of the disease is truly genetic among the females and that it is just a shadow, getting longer and longer until it touches you.

I received the phone call yesterday and it was really heart wrenching to hear the news. I have to say I was impressed at how composed my Aunt Joan was. But I could tell she is still in the acceptance stage and that things will probably deteriorate over time. I just hope that the knowledge that I and the rest of the family have gained can be used to make the journey a bit easier.

Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner

Ok, time for me to get down off my soap box, editorializing on topics such as DNA and LGBT, and present some more of my ancestors.

Today it is something from the Henneberg side of the family. My mother's mother was born Anna May Hennberg, in the Bronx, New York on May 1, 1912. Her parents were Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner Henneberg, both born around 1888.

I am always trying to find out more about the Henneberg side of my mother's family. The photo: Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner, circa 1910. This is one of my favorites thanks to Ray O'Brien who is my first cousin once removed. Ray got in touch with me through my Ancestry profile and we started corresponding. Next thing you know, I have all these other relatives I never knew about. And boy does Ray have great photos of the Hennebergs!