"Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure"
-Abraham Lincoln

Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed each year to commemorate American servicemen and women who died in battle. It was established by General John Logan, the head of the organization Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). Logan designated Memorial Day (then called Decoration Day) for decorating and caring for the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers. It is speculated that he choose to observe Memorial Day at the end of May because flowers are in bloom all over the country.

New this week is the 1902 - 1903 PRE-1907 Marriage Index -- about 800+ names...

SURNAME: Added SINGER - researched by Debra Singer-Hanson

And from the Shawano Leader this week... we'd like to pay tribute to the LIVING TREASURES as well...

Six seniors honored as treasures

By Joan Sousek, Leader Correspondent

They might not hear well or walk quickly, but their volunteer spirits shine brightly. They are the 2008 Living Treasures of Shawano County: Robert and Lois Kroenke, Joan Allen, Fred Bowersock, Cecile Engel and Wallace Heling.

On Tuesday as part of Older Americans Month, the county recognized them at an awards ceremony.

In her welcome, Shawano County Aging and Disability Resource director Bonnie Weyers said, “They are rich in experience and most deserving of our respect.”

About 40 friends, family, staff members and former honorees attended the seventh annual Living Treasures event.

Weyers noted 5,760 hours of volunteer service were logged to support Shawano County programs for seniors and people with disabilities in 2007. The six honorees were among those who gave generously of their time.

For the first time, a couple was honored because they had been a “team all their married life,” the program noted.

Robert and Lois Kroenke

The Kroenkes grew up in rural Shawano. After running a successful carpentry business, they served as Lutheran missionaries from 1965 to 1971, mostly teaching people in New Guinea how to build structures. Later, they traveled the United States building churches with Laborers for Christ. On the road, they wrote “Letters from New Guinea.” They also helped build a church in Haiti, then retired for a second time returning to Shawano in 2001. Here, they have been involved with Habitat for Humanity and spent 900 hours helping to build the new St. Jakobi Church.

Wallace Heling

Heling is active in AARP Chapter 186, organizing card parties for many years. Until his osteoporosis became debilitating, he and his wife, Charlene, sang at nursing homes. They also are active at St. John, Hermansfort. Wally serves on the steering committee for the Wolf River Lutheran High School and is a member of the Senior Citizens Commission. They say they are sometimes tired, but never bored and keep busy raising toy poodles and keep busy raising toy poodles and staying involved with family and friends.

Wally, a two-time cancer survivor, said, “I just enjoy doing things for others. I didn’t expect to get recognized. You get the best feeling helping others.”

Fred Bowersock

Bowersock thought it was a joke when he received a call about the honor.

“I thought my kids were playing a prank on me,” he said.

He grew up poor in Ohio, graduating from high school and then working in the railroad industry for 32 years. After retiring in 1996, he and his wife, Lucy, who is from north of Bowler, moved to Gresham. He volunteers regularly at Gresham School where he has been a guest reader, basketball coach, and volleyball supporter. But it doesn’t end there, his daughter Christy said. “If there is a need, he is there.”

Joan Allen

Much of Allen’s volunteer work has been with AARP and St. John Episcopal Church. During the mid 1970s, she drove the first bus for seniors and for many years helped deliver meals to the elderly, taking a personal interest in their welfare. For over 20 years, she has worked at the Civic Center still putting in a full, five-day week, even after funding for her position was cut. She is known for her vast knowledge of the community and ability to remember every senior’s name and personal history.

Cecile Engel

For 26 years, Engel has been helping with funeral meals at her church and is involved in quilting for missions at St. James. Very active in AARP, she served two terms on the board of directors, works on the chapter newsletter and at card parties and membership meetings. She’s been a volunteer at the Civic Center for 20 years, served on the Senior Citizens Commission and on the city election board. She lives at Elizabeth Manor, where she serves on the tenants’ council, helps her neighbors and plays sheephead with special tenants. She also belongs to three card clubs.

“I’m just an old lady trying to stay out of a rocking chair,” she quipped.

Have a SAFE weekend!
Til next time... Anne

• Kolinda D. Jetty-Guerin sent in a beautiful collection of CRAW FAMILY photos which includes a lovely 1908 Wedding Invitation.  Many thanks!
• Rick Raasch sent in a booklet from 1926 Peterson School in Navarino -- very nice addition to the site!
• Kathy F. sent in two MARVELOUS COMMENCEMENT PROGRAMS!  So we made a page for ALL local commencement programs, etc. -- this, too is a great addition to the site and we look forward to adding more of these as they are found & sent in.
• I recently found access to look-ups in the Chicago Tribune -- current to way, way back.  So if your email box seemed bombarded this past weekend, my apologies -- but I "make hay while the sun shines" so I found as many as I could and posted them.  I was very much surprised as to the amount of obits that reflect back to Shawano County from Chgo.  They are all posted on the Shawano Message Board.
• I rec'd this email from Joe with the Shawano County Volunteers Project -- as some of you may remember, Darlene Heller was very instrumental with the Bonduel Community Archives and has now been asked to work on the Shawano Historical Society project... and they can use VOLUNTEERS in the Shawano County area...Great chance to work with some great folks on a great project!  The contact info is at the bottom of the note.
  
  Shawano County Historical Society is looking for volunteers who wish to help us preserve and display the historical roots of Shawano County.  Located on the channel between Shawano Lake and the Wolf River,  Heritage Park houses the Historical Research Center, the Kast House, a log  building, school house and other buildings which display examples of Shawano's history. 
  
  We need volunteers year round with skills or interests in archive work, public relations, fundraising, gardening, building and ground maintenance.  We also need volunteers who could give tours and presentations to the public. We need volunteers with enthusiasm and creativity to make our museum and research/archive area come alive with history! 
  
  We need gardeners and docents immediately to get ready for our summer season.
  
  Contact Darlene Heller or Rich Hoffman at 526 3323 for more information
  Heritage Park is located at 524 N. Franklin St. Shawano, WI  54166

Stockbridge-Munsee Page updated - thanks for letting me know the links weren't working!

NEW ADDRESS:  A few weeks back, I posted a note that we were going to a new domain.  Wisconsin GenWeb now has its own domain and the Shawano website is making the move there.  The new address will be

http://wigenweb.org/shawano/

Meanwhile, we will keep the old page up and running where it is and HOPEFULLY we'll just be updating this page with the new info at the above address shortly.  So update your book marks!  THANKS!

*** HELP! I made every effort to SMOOTHLY move the web pages to the new site but occasionally I run across a glitch.  If you see a page or graphic that didn't make the move to the new domain, email me and let me know which page it was so I can correct the problem.  Mega Thanks!

NEW COLLECTION at the Bonduel Archives... I spoke last weekend with Marge at the Archive and she mentioned a NEW ADDITION -- a collection of old glass negatives was located in an attic in the Bonduel area.  These belonged to Waldo Krueger, an area photographer.  The collection has been printed and the 500+ photographs consist of weddings, children portraits and even family portraits from approx. 1908 - 1912.  About 75% have been identified and all are on display at the Bonduel Community Archives.  I'm personally hoping for just one Blaese photo to be in the collection!  If you are in the area, this Archive is what I call "one of Shawano County's Best Kept Secrets"!  Be sure to check it out!

Received:  
My wife (who is a Wagli descendent) and I are searching for information on the Wagli's who settled in Milwaukee and Shawano Co., Wis.  In particular we believe that Hans Wagli died in Shawano Co. In September 1853, he emigrated with his unmarried children, Anna Maria, Anna, Catharina and Christian to North America eventually ending up in WI.  Have information on the Swiss family as well.  
Thank you   Lyndon Gabriel Vancouver, WA 

And HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Anne

Dorene Lemke Boettcher has identified one of the 1931 Cecil Volunteer Fire Dept. Training -- #6 is Ruben Schmidt -- thanks!

Lois Jensen sent in an updated DESCENDANTS OF CARL OTTO -- thanks again for a well documented chart!

SURNAMES: Falk, Kohn, Erdmann, Borchardt & Kempford by Ann Hayworth ;
NYKIEL & SIWEK by Colleen Dobrzynski

Casey Arrowood sent in 2 marvelous photos of what possibly might be baby pictures Dora Kroening Klosterman -- Casey would appreciate anyone familiar with the Kroening or Klosterman families to take a look and see if these are indeed Baby Dora.  Thanks Casey for the beautiful baby pics!

Jade sent in two photos of her ancestor's Colin & Clorie Angie Mayville's home... we're hoping that someone can identify WHERE it is and if it is still standing today.

And we have another UNKNOWN WEDDING PHOTO -- Lisa was kind enough to send this in as a welcomed addition to the Shawano site... and be sure to check out the bride's very detailed wedding dress!

Til next time...

Anne

SURNAMES: Towle in Birnamwood 1885 - 1950s / Suehring (Suhring), Kraemer, Steinke and Wolff

A while back, I found a TERRIFIC POSTCARD of the 1931 Cecil Volunteer Fire Dept. Training at Camp Tivoli in the Cecil / Shawano Lake area.  I enlarged the photo scan and I'm hoping with some keen expert eyes from the Cecil area, that we'll be able to identify the men in the picture.   These quite possibly might be fathers & older brothers of some of our Cecil area elders.  What caught my interest, besides the very cool picture, was that it was mailed to my Mother's cousin while he was away in the military.

And, also a while back, Darren Mueller sent in 3 old photos from RPPC's.  He's researched one and has concluded it may be Jake & Mary Pettibone and the other two are area post offices.  If you can help identify these pics, we'd greatly appreciate it!  And thanks again Darren for the great addition to the site.

Til next time...
Anne

THANKS! J. T. Sobiesczyk has indexed the 1920 Seneca Twp Plat Map...

And on a sad note, we'd like to extend to Barb Brady our deepest sympathies at the loss of her husband Don earlier this week.  Barb has been a great friend to all of us at Shawano GenWeb and has helped hundreds of people with look-ups and providing obituaries, etc. for the Shawano site.  Barb, take care & our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Til next time...
Anne

And here's the latest updates:

• Wisconsin Formation Map -- thanks Brian for the great link.  You can see the order in which the Wisconsin Counties were organized.
• Gary Wegner sent in Bertha WEGNER nee Maas -- beautiful portrait of Bertha, daughter of William Maas.  Thanks, Gary!
• THANKS! J. T. Sobiesczyk has indexed the 1920 Grant Twp Plat Map... Many thanks because indexing these maps makes it possible for people to locate their families using the Pico Search Engine in the site.  Without indexing, the search engine sees the map as a picture without names.  (And we have plenty that still need someone to index!)
• And we're adding PASSENGER SHIP PICTURES to our Immigration Page.  Even if your ancestors are not listed on the page, but you would like a picture of the ship on the page, just email me...
• And, we updated the SURNAME  Page as well...
• Milton Binon has been identified on our 1935 Pulcifer School Photo Page -- Many Thanks!! Just 4 more to go!!!

Til next time...
Anne

Kathy has sent in her addition to the SUCCESS STORIES page & A GREAT LINK TO A BOOK ONLINE ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS OF WISCONSIN -- Many Thanks, Kathy!

Started a new page about immigration -- this is SHAWANO COUNTY PASSPORT INDEX.  I tripped across this data while searching for another lead I was working on and thought it would be nice to put in the site -- just another form of record that might exist on your ancestor.

And HAPPY EASTER!!!
Anne

IMMIGRATION PAGE has been updated to add a few more names and also, I'm working on adding the actual images of the Passenger Lists that these folks are listed on...and we'll be adding photographs of the Passenger Ships as well.

Til next time... and Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Anne

BEVERSDORF - KRUEGER Photos ( Richmond-Belle Plaine) were sent in by Tom Strauss.

Surnames HAUGEN (HOGAN) & BENJAMINSEN (BENSON) and their immigration data from Norway was added to our IMMIGRATION DATA PAGE by Jane Rollin.

The Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University in Provo has a LARGE DIGITAL ARCHIVE that is online and searchable... You type in "Shawano" in the search engine in the BYU site and every book that has been scanned that has the WORD Shawano in it appears -- and then the next screen will take you to the exact pages... Absolutely WONDERFUL!!!  There are quite a few books up their pertaining to Shawano County, including awesome biographies of the early Norwegian settlers in the Landstad area... The Mormon church is making every effort to get as much of their materials online and FREE for researchers worldwide--i.e. the FamilySearchIndexing Project.  Last week when I spoke to Salt Lake FHL, they were THRILLED they had set an all-time 1 day record of 24,000+ SHEETS of data transcribed on one specific day -- eventually, they will have these documents indexed, and when you type in "Frank TAYLOR" not only will you see the index, but the ACTUAL SCANNED in document, too!  Will keep you posted as to how the projects are progressing...  It would be AWESOME to have Shawano researchers actually transcribing the Shawano 1900 Census.  We'd be sure to get those old German surnames spelled correctly!!!  The site is currently on Marinette County indexing... just a couple counties to go til we do Shawano!

Hope your Labor Day weekend is going great -- weather here is spectacular!!!

Til next time -- Drive careful this weekend! -- Anne

If you have been following the BAEHR (or BAHR) 1891 newspaper clipping, we've found out additional info, thanks to Barb, our local genealogy P.I.  -- she's VERY GOOD -- did I ever mention she is VERY GOOD???? (grin).  Wilhelmina BAEHR is released on a Governor's Pardon for a crime she did not commit in 1907, the murder of Mr. BAEHR's ex-father-in-law, Michael SELL or ZELL.  Shortly afterwards, she marries the widower Christof DRUCKREY of Pulcifer.  We are currently trying to put the pieces of the story together -- she had one son with Mr. BAEHR that survived -  Albert.  Still looking for the BAEHR children from Mr. BAEHR's first marriage.  If you have any additional info, please contact me.  Thanks in advance.

And be sure to post your QUERIES, OBITUARIES, PENSION FILES, WILLS, etc. to our Message Board -- if you prefer, you can send them to me and I can post them for you.  Mega thanks to Tasha for her daily updates to the Message Board with local obits -- we're now at 12,660 individual messages! (This is where I go when I'm looking for more info on Shawano ancestors...)

Working on a family history and not sure how to get it online and to preserve it for safe-keeping?  Send us a copy and we'll put it online -- that way, if your computer crashes, etc., it's tucked away safely on the Shawano site.

Well, til next time...
Anne

• While I was browsing the web the other night looking for stray obits, I came across an article that caught my eye in the Trenton Evening Times -- the article about a Shawano resident made the national newspaper wires -- I transcribed it from the newspaper and posted it to the Shawano Message Board -- if anyone knows "the rest of the story", I'd love to add it.  I'm curious as to what eventually happened to Wilhelmina & her child...
  
  Trenton Evening Times -- Trenton, New Jersey
  September 9, 1907
   
  Child-Wife’s Life is Spoiled by Greed of Her Aged Husband
   
  Madison, Wisconsin September 9 -- After serving 16 years in State's prison one half of her life, Mrs. Wilhelmina Baehr is at liberty by the pardon of the governor.
   
  She entered prison of girl wife ignorant of the law - unable to speak English.  She left it a broken faded woman.  Half of her life had been sacrificed to the greed of a husband old enough to have been her grandfather.
   
  In 1891 Wilhelmina came to Wisconsin from Germany.  She was then scarcely 15 years old.  Her parents took a farm in the woods in Shawano County and a few months afterward she married a widower named Baehr because her parents told her to.
   
  Baehr was 25 or 30 years her senior and had children older than she.  He was known as a grasping man willing to do anything to get money. Wilhelmina became his household drudge.
   
  One night a traveler Michael Sells stopped at the Baehr home for the night.  Apparently he had money.  The greed of the old man Baehr was excited and he resolved to put Sells out of the way.  Accordingly he told Wilhelmina to put poison in the food she gave Sells for supper and he died the next day.  Baehr put the whole blame on his child wife and she was arrested.  When her trial was called, her husband advised her to plead guilty telling her that if she did so she would escape with a light sentence in jail.
   
  The girl did as she was told.  Instead of giving her a light jail sentence the judge sentenced her to State’s prison for life.  Even then she did not realize how great her punishment was to be and on that day that she was taken to prison she told her friends she would be back in seven months.
   
  Soon after she entered the State penitentiary her husband committed suicide driven to it,  it is claimed by remorse for his act in compelling his wife to poison Sells.
   
  After Baehr’s death, the case of the girl-wife and the State penitentiary was forgotten and she was left without friends.  Two weeks ago several wealthy and influential citizens of Oconto County interested themselves in her behalf and a petition for her pardon reciting the facts of the case, was laid before Governor Davidson.  He investigated for himself and became convinced that justice had been satisfied.  Hence her pardon.
   
  Transcriber’s note: the 1900 Federal Census and the 1905 State Census lists Wilhelmina BAEHR as an inmate/convict at the Waupun Prison in Dodge County.  The 1900 census says that she was born Sept. 1865 and was a widow – she had been married only 2 ½ years, but it lists her as having had 2 children with 1 living in 1900… her maiden name is possible BREHMER, daughter of Carl & Wilhelmine but this is just an assumption….
• Remember to add your surnames to our SURNAME PAGE -- and if yours are already there, remember to UPDATE your email address if it changed recently, allowing other researchers with the same family name to be able to connect with you.
• Added a page that explains the BONDUEL COMMUNITY ARCHIVES resource.  Not the official BCA page, but it does give a little more information about what I consider to be one of Shawano's Best Kept Secrets for genealogists!  And it's just not BONDUEL records -- they cover Advance, Briarton, Cecil, Landstad, Navarino, Zachow, and surrounding areas. They also offer some GREAT BOOKS in their bookstore that are available at the BCA or can be purchased through the mail!  See the site for the list in pdf form.
• I recently came across a 1935 Pulcifer Graded School Picture - Grades 1-4 -- Miss Mabel Koske's class.  Miss Koske meticulously numbered each child and then added the names to the corresponding numbers.  There are 4 children that the complete name is missing so if you can identify them, email me so we can update the page.

Til next time...
Anne
 

Have a great summer!
Anne

Thanks to Tasha's keen eye (and willingness to start driving to local church buildings) to help identify our UNIDENTIFIED STEEPLE RAISING -- the church is St. John's UCC in Cecil -- across the street from my grandparent's house!!!  Tasha found it on her first stop!  If you compare it to the pic on the St. John's UCC page, it is definitely the same building, MINUS the steeple in the picture.

Tom and Mary Strauss have added the following new surnames to our SURNAME PAGE:

Gary Lloyd Pegelow sent in a detailed Family Record - Ancestors of AUGUST MELCHERT and Descendants of August Melchert -- thanks, Gary!

And thanks to Sue Ebert for the great addition to the church histories.  St. Paul Lutheran in Bonduel is building a new church adjacent to the school -- the new church is almost completed and in honor of the cherished old building, the church members put together a History of St. Paul Lutheran booklet.  I've added a webpage for it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!  It lists the different changes made to the church itself -- it consists of 16 very well-written pages, my only comment is that I wish they would have had made it 100 pages instead!!

Til next time... Anne

Received the following emails from researchers:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"The information provided below is certainly subject to revision by person or persons wiser than myself and certainly by those who know better.

My grandfather, Magnus Albert Benjaminsen (son) later to be known as Benson, was born 6 April, 1862 in Bronnoysund Parish (Velfjord), Nordland, Norway.
He immigrated to Waukechon Township, Shawano, Wisconsin on  or about 28 July 1888.  IN ALL LIKELIHOOD HIS TICKET AND THAT OF HIS WIFE Julie STFFENSDATTER AND THEIR CHILD (CHILDREN) WAS PAID FOR BY A GENTLEMAN NAMED PAULSON WHO WAS MARRIED TO MY GRANDFATHERS OLDER SISTER.  Julie died on 9 March, 1891 at Lunds is Shawano.  On 3 FEB. 1894 MY GRANDFATHER (with child/children) married HERMINA JOSEPHINE IVERSON on 3 FEBRUARY 1894.

Shortly thereafter they moved to Pensaukee? and then Peshtigo.  My father, Dewey P. Benson was born in Peshtigo and he married my mother, Lilian L. Oseth, who was born in Marinette, Wisconsin.

I hope this is of some small help and I hope that some of your readers may be able to clarify some of this little information that I have on my family.

Thank you for all that you do,
Best wishes,
Ken Benson"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Surnames being researched by Colleen Dobrzynski are SWITEK, NICHOL, NYKIEL, NICKLE, NICKEL and SKOMRA from the Angelica Twp area -- 1900 - 1930.

• 1930 Federal Census for Angelica Township - (1500+ names)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And here's where I need your expertise this week... A few years back, I collected some postcards from the Bonduel area.  Some had names on them, some did not.  Having attended St. Paul's in Bonduel my entire childhood, I was 100% sure I had a post card of St. Paul Lutheran in Bonduel -- their steeple raising about 1915/1916 -- up until I saw a booklet of St. Paul's History that a dear friend sent me... Now, I'm wondering what church is on the postcard!  I'm attaching the link below and I'm hoping one of our building experts out there can solve the mystery.  It is not Frieden's Slab City -- any suggestions are GREATLY appreciated!

UNIDENTIFIED STEEPLE RAISING

Til next time,
Anne

Latest additions:

• 1910 Indian Census - Ho-Chunk (1200+names)
  Census of the Winnebago Indians of the Wittenberg Agency taken on June 30  1910 by E. J. Bost  Superintendent
• 1930 Federal Census - Maple Grove Twp. (1400+names)
• Looking for NATURALIZATION or CITIZENSHIP RECORDS for Shawano County?  The original Shawano County records are housed at the Cofrin Library at UWGB -- they are not in Shawano County any more.  Cofrin Library at UWGB is the Area Research Center for Northeastern Wisconsin which houses these documents for Shawano County 1858 - 1949.  They will search their records and send you a copy of the documents they have for $5.00.  Hey, $5.00 doesn't even get you a meal at McDonald's anymore...lol... I personally prefer this avenue to obtaining the records as the archivists are very thorough and you know that they won't come back to you with additional postage and copying charges or try to sell you other services that you might not need or cannot afford.  This is quick and easy -- fill out the form, send the $5 for each person you are requesting records for and they will mail the results to you... doesn't get any better than this folks!  This is where I found my ancestor's immigration papers several years back... The following is a pdf form that you can print, fill out and mail.  TIP: If the surname is spelled several ways, you can include that information to help the Archivists find your documents.  i.e. LAEDTKE was spelled Ludtke, Ledtke, Ladke, etc.

  CITIZENSHIP RECORD SEARCH AND COPY REQUEST FORM

  Til next time -- stay cool...

  Anne

• Old World Naming Patterns lists naming patterns that were used by our ancestors in choosing names for their children.  Some families followed these, other's improvised... but if you are at a dead end with trying to locate family, this might be of interest...
• We are VERY fortunate to have a copy of the St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Church in Hofa Park (Maple Grove Twp.) Diamond Jubilee Book -- sent in by Mary Schelm.  This is a GREAT history of the Hofa Park area and has an EXCELLENT plat map of Hofa Park.  Thanks, Mary!!!
• And, we have a old KRUEGER FAMILY GERMAN BIBLE looking for a new home with its rightful owners... The Bible belonged to Frank & Minnie (dau. of Ed. KORTH & Anna KLUG) KRUEGER...the couple married just before 1900 in the Embarrass area and later family members resided in Richmond Twp.  The couple had 5 children: Leonard, Emil, Paul, Franklin and Alma.  If this is your family -- you are in luck!! Email me with the information identifying this as your family.  The Bible is in an Archive right now and will remain there until the proper owners can be found.

And have a HAPPY and SAFE 4th of JULY!!
Til next time.. Anne

This week we've "launched" a new page for IMMIGRATION... "They Came in Ships" includes 2 pages -- the first has hints and tips on Passenger Lists, Emigration and Immigration Research and the second page is where you can add your surnames and immigration information -- and thanks to the "pioneers" who have already sent in their data!  Since county borders changed over the years and people moved freely from the neighbouring counties in/out of Shawano, we've extended the database to include the neighbouring counties as well.

Til next time... Anne

• Updated CHURCH PHOTO PAGE... be sure to send in a pic in of your church if we don't already have it online!
• Paul, from St. James in Shawano sent the following info in:
  Note from Paul (5/2007):
  Our earliest records (St. James) go back to 1873 and before.  The original baptismal and marriage records for the very first years of the congregation have been transcribed and reside at the Bonduel Archive thanks to Darlene Heller and her crew. 
  Thanks for the update, Paul!
• Added 2 new pages to our POSTCARD PAGE
• SURNAMES ADDED: WIRTZ, WILT, RADES
• Gary Pegelow has updated his BONNIN FAMILY PAGE... Gary has done a most thorough job and if you have BONNIN connections, be sure to check it out.
• Calyn Akstulewicz sent in more AWESOME pictures of VINTAGE LEOPOLIS -- many thanks, Calyn!  And some could use your expertise to help identify them for Calyn.
• Did some "routine housekeeping" on the Cemeteries page -- linked the Jung Cemetery in Herman Twp (thanks, Dave) and also St. Lawrence in Navarino Twp.  And thanks Eugene for the email regarding it.

NEW PAGE STARTING -- I've been "tossing this one around" (bad pun!) for about 2 years now... one of the best attended classes/seminars I used to teach was "They Came in Ships" and seeing that most of our Shawano County ancestors did come in ships, I'm working on a page that will list hints and tips, as well as WHERE SOME OF OUR ANCESTORS CAME FROM... and for this part, I need your input.  If your ancestors immigrated to the US and settled in Shawano County, drop me an email with the following:

• FIRST and LAST NAME
• WHERE THEY CAME FROM (if they came from Germany, Norway, etc. and if you know the province or town, GREAT! Otherwise, Germany, Norway, etc. will suffice)
• YEAR THEY ARRIVED
• SHIP'S NAME (if you know it)
• EXAMPLE:
  Carl & Henrietta BLAESE and their family immigrated to North America from Pommern, Germany.  They were onboard the SS Frisia 26 March 1884 Hamburg, Germany to NYC.
• Send the email to me at: czaplewska@aol.com

And until next time ..... Anne
 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  While the official start of summer and Opening Day with the BBQ Grill is important and let's not forget the Indy 500, let's take a few minutes to remember the real reason for Memorial Day.  Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves.  I received a great email late last night from a VFW member from the Gresham area and I just wanted to post a few good links to help bring Memorial Day back into this three day weekend.

• HELP RESTORE MEMORIAL DAY
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Wisconsin: Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865
• World War II Registry Online -- here you can view/search names and also add your WWII veteran's name and hometown, etc.
• THE POPPY STORY
• Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Memorial Day Page

And here's a page that we had completed but the search engine did not locate.. thanks Eugene for calling this to our attention...

• Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery, Caroline, Wisconsin - est. 1864. -- thanks Mark & Eugene!

New this update are:

• DESCENDANTS OF CARL OTTO was sent in by Lois Jansen.  Lois has done a great job with sending in a beautiful wedding photo, the wedding invitation, the land patent of Carl Otto and a detailed DESCENDANCY CHART of Carl OTTO & his bride Dorothea APPLE -- the family resided in Herman Twp. in the Gresham area -- thanks so very much, Lois!  Lois also cleaned up the 1911 Red Springs/Herman Twp. Plat Map for us (VERY NICELY DONE!) and has included the following link to a very interesting article: Lois writes: The article "Lyndhurst and the Coming of the Railroad" by my cousin Vicki Buettner is online.
• LOOK-UP OFFER: Determined to use my subscription to the max up at ancestry.com, I'm offering to do look-ups in the 1895 and 1905 STATE census -- the 1895 just lists the head of household, but the 1905 lists EVERYONE... email me at czaplewska@aol.com with your wish list...
• SUCCESS IN IDENTIFYING OLD PHOTOS -- I received this great email from Audrey: 
  
  I find the most useful information from the obituaries my grandmother saved, which is filled with family background or I would have no other way of knowing. As far as the photos, #1 by A. F. Andrews - Jonathan Waite Curtis, who married Lydia Jane Lake in 1852.  They had three children, Henry Adelbert (my great-grandfather), Myrtle May (Yvonne's grandmother) and Clinton D. Curtis. Photo #3 - Yvonne is correct in the assumption it is her grandmother, Myrtle Curtis Gjermundson, in the middle.  Her brother, Henry Adelbert Curtis is on the right and his wife (my great-grandmother) Eoline Calhoun Curtis. I don't know the next two photos although I believe I have copies of them also.  The photo of the six children are from the family of Ray and Grace (Buck) Curtis.  Ray is the son of H. A. and Eoline Curtis, along with a brother Don and sisters, Maude Curtis Fink and Roberta Curtis Christensen (my grandmother). I believe the children to be the first of 13 children born to Ray and Grace; namely, Muriel, Duane (Wayne), Clifford, Kenneth, Beatrice and Laverne. I cannot identify anyone in the final photo either. I do have much more information on the Curtis family but would not know where to start with the history. I would like to hear from Yvonne, if possible, since I remember her and her brother, Billy, from when we were children, and her lovely mother, Delilah, and father, Sprague, who I remember as being an artist. If you need more information, I will try to provide it to you. 
  Sincerely, Audrey Christensen Nelson
• Donna Lipper is researching BOMKE and SCHEIL in Belle Plaine Twp and sent the following information on church records:

  The 1911 & 1920 Plat maps for Belle Plaine, in section 16 indicate a church.  The old church was near the current Friendship Rd and Hwy 22.  I found out that the church was called Friedens Lutheran Church and that the old church records were transferred to Christus Lutheran Church, 120 N. Main St., Clintonville, Wi.  54929.  The original records are in a safe, but they have photocopies that they will let you search through.
  Hope this helps,
  Donna

And thanks so much for the feedback on the pdf file question -- since MOST people can access it easily and "It's a good thing", I'll be posting data in pdf files when possible.  I will also try to post the same info in jpeg or gif (what we currently do) because some of the feedback from dial-up researchers commented that larger pdf's cause their systems to lock-up or freeze.  If you have any problems viewing any of the Shawano pages, just email me and I'll try to help!  I try to make the website USER FRIENDLY and EASILY ACCESSIBLE and if there is a problem, I'd like to know so I can address the issue.

Again, thanks and HAPPY MOM'S DAY!!!
Anne

• Surname HAYES is being researched by Margaret Kennedy -- Specifically Julius Hayes. The area of Hutchins from about 1880-1925.
• PRE-1907 MARRIAGE INDEX is online and complete for years 1904 & 1905.  This is an ongoing project and earlier years will be added...
• Calyn Akstulewicz sent in some AWESOME pictures of VINTAGE LEOPOLIS -- many thanks, Calyn!
• ASCENSION LUTHERAN CEMETERY in Navarino Twp. has finally made the site...

• History of Pulaski from newspaper clippings
• BOMKE CEMETERY - aka BELLE PLAINE CEMETERY updated by Donna Lipper -- Thanks, Donna!
• PRE-1907 MARRIAGE INDEX is online and complete for years 1906 & 1907.  This is an ongoing project and earlier years will be added...
• HAVE A FAMILY REUNION PLANNED FOR THIS SUMMER?  Send us an email with the specifics and we'll post it to the site!!!

A while back, I made some queries to the Shawano Mailing List as to your comments regarding the Circuit Court Indexes.  I had rec'd an email that prompted the query as to your opinions on the addition.  I value your opinions -- each and every one -- and when all were read, the consensus was to keep the webpage up just as it is and that it was an appropriate and valuable addition to the site.  My offer to modify an entry that pertains to your ancestors that you would prefer not to be online, still stands.  I can easily do this and would appreciate you contacting me DIRECTLY at czaplewska@aol.com with your request. 

And I just wanted to say THANKS again for all the thoughtful emails and e-cards that were sent this past week in regards to my Dad's passing -- I truly appreciate each and every one of them.

CLARIFICATION: The Shawano GenWeb Project is not directly affiliated with the Shawano Family History Center.  We refer researchers to the FHC as a resource for their research and thank the staff at the FHC (both past & present) for their contributions to the Shawano GenWeb Project, as we thank ALL the contributors & volunteers to the Shawano GenWeb site.

Thanks again! Anne

• WWII ARMY ENLISTMENTS FROM SHAWANO COUNTY -- 1000+ names
• PRE-1907 DEATH INDEX is online and complete -- 2900+ Names
• PRE-1907 BIRTH INDEX is completed -- 8200+ Names

And remember to post your queries and obits to our MESSAGE BOARD -- and thanks Tasha for updating our Shawano Leader obits daily!

Surname DAMP has been added to our SURNAME page by Dianne Hedervare.  Orville Damp was a physician in Birnamwood about 1930.

PRE-1907 BIRTH INDEX is online for surnames A - H... please note that the spellings are not always correct so you will need to search for variations.  Also, MOST Shawano County Births for this time period were HOME BIRTHS and many did not get reported.

Researcher Tom sent in EXCELLENT information about St. John UCC in Cecil...  I've updated the cemetery page and also we created a page for St. John's UCC -- very interesting church history and again THANKS Tom for a job well done!

1920 PLAT MAP for HUTCHINS TWP is indexed... and we have a few more plats up there that could use volunteer's with some free time to index...

And, several months ago I purchased a 1963 Shawano City Directory on eBay... we posted it in two different ways.  The EXACT page scans are online but, because a page scan is seen as a picture, the search engines will not read the text names that are on the pages.  To allow our search engine to locate the individual names, you either retype or OCR scan the image in -- I opt to OCR (grin).  Optical Character Recognition, usually abbreviated to OCR, is a type of computer software designed to translate images of typewritten text (usually captured by a scanner) into machine-editable text -- GREAT INVENTION but... it's not 100% and it does have problems with recognizing symbols, etc.  The City Directory pages do have the OCR feature, but it also has mistakes... mostly of symbols.  What I have done is to list the actual scanned page image first and then the text after for each page.  Hence, if you see your surname, go back UP the page to the link (marked with apples!) that will take you to the exact image with the correct entry.  Hard to explain, but once you get to the page, you will understand what I mean... The actual CITY of Shawano is done and online, consisting of about 87 page scans.  The Shawano RURAL ROUTE directory is on deck.  Also, I loved just browsing through the pages and "walking down memory lane"... Senior pics at Trapp Studios, Bilmay Restaurant, Mason's Flower / Greenhouse, shopping at Chaimson's, Spurgeon's, Lauerman's...  ENJOY!

Til next time... Anne

The last few weeks I have been working on a project SHAWANO COURT CASE INDEX.... I debated about adding this large database (approx. 10,000 names) to the site... the PROS: lists mortgage fulfillments, divorces, etc. that is of help in locating ancestors and providing leads to other records.. the CONS: lists a multitude of charges & crimes, etc.  This info is not new to the web -- I actually found it all online -- it is ALL PUBLIC RECORD.  And some of the charges that were made THEN wouldn't cause a person to bat an eye NOW.  Please also keep in mind that divorce in Wisconsin back then required FAULT -- you had to have CAUSE and there were only a handful of acceptable CAUSES -- this seems a little odd to us when we are used to NO FAULT but back then, you had to list the cause.   I opted to list the files with the NOTATION: If you find ANY ENTRY about your ancestor that you would like deleted from the Shawano Court Index page, email me and we'll try to accommodate you.  I can't delete the entry from other databases online nor can I change ANYTHING associated with the case.. this is just an index of cases that were filed DECADES ago... and do keep in mind this is an INDEX OF CASES THAT ARE PUBLIC RECORD -- this does not reflect how the case was resolved or who won the case... it is merely an INDEX.

And, this is an ongoing project -- I just have a few of the pages up and running at present...

If the page has been of benefit to you, email me as I would like to know this in determining if we'll keep the pages online.

ALSO, additional illustrations pages have been added to the 1898 PLAT MAP...

Thanks,  Anne

1912 Class of Lake May School, Town of Hutchins was prepared and sent in by Karolyn Roberts -- her nicely done home page is at:
http://members.surfbest.net/krob/mansson1.htm

Linda sent in some great pictures -- and some are not identified.. yet.  We're hoping you can help with this!
STOGBAUER, FISH, VERNIER, WESTCOTT, & McCORKLE from the Aniwa/ Birnamwood area

SURNAME ADDED: Amber Mehlberg is researching the Surname Bohr.  They immigrated to Shawano County and lived in Waukechon Township in 1881. 

CEMETERY UPDATE: Jenny Hoffman, aka jensearch, has been photographing cemeteries.  Jenny regularly posts these to the www.findagrave.com site and sent us the update on Pella Evangelical Cemetery, now known as Riverbank Cemetery.  We've updated the page and MANY THANKS Jenny for the great job! 

PLAT MAP INDEXED: 1920 Maple Grove -- thanks Mary Schelm.  This truly is a big help as you know, Maple Grove had quite a few Polish surnames... and the plat map had quite a few misspellings...

Til next time.... stay warm!  Anne

Leland Fischer, aka Antigo Genealogy Gopher, compiled a chart of Historical Schools in Shawano County -- we've updated our SCHOOLS page and if you know of the NAMES of these schools, please email me so we can complete the chart.  Thanks Leland for a job well-done!

And, we've also updated the 1930 census project to include an index for PELLA TOWNSHIP -- it'll be online shortly.

Thanks again for all your help and support in making this a great resource for Shawano genealogy researchers...

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY 2007!

Anne

A BIG THANKS go out to all of the researchers who posted to our MESSAGE BOARD -- we now are over 11,000+ -- BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.  I rec'd an email from Dave Maas regarding this and I do believe the Shawano Message Board has hit a record in the county boards for Wisconsin!! Thanks to all of you!!! (Quick note for any newcomers -- you must go to the Message Board and search for the name -- the Pico Search in this site DOES NOT search the boards.)  And thanks to Tasha for her patience with posting the Shawano Leader obits to the board -- it was down for a while a few weeks back...

1920 Germania Plat Map has now been indexed by Mary Schelm -- thanks Mary for a great job!!

1920 Bartelme Plat Map is indexed and up & running -- we had a AOL crash here and so I lost the email of the person who sent it in -- please contact me if you sent this!!!

And yes, AOL problems again (sigh!) -- if you sent any emails in the last few months and have not heard back from me, please resend them!!!

Now, back to writing the family newsletter and addressing Christmas cards!!!  Happy Holidays to you and yours!!!

Til next year!!! -- Anne

A BIG THANK YOU to Mikki for all her help with the various look-ups and projects over the past few years (including the 1947 City Directory).  Mikki is taking time off to spend with her family and if you need items looked up at the Shawano Public Library, please visit their direct link for their policies and fees.

The past month has been busy with updating our MAP collection.  The 1898 plats are complete and we've been busy adding photos and the extra little tidbits that are included in the 1898 plats.

And, we've added the following maps:

• 1878 Shawano County Township Map
• 1884 Shawano County Map
• 1889 Shawano County Map
• 1899 Shawano County Railroad Map
• 1904 Shawano County Map

Although they do not show property/ownership (these are not plat maps), they do show the then ever-changing borders with Shawano's neighbouring counties, as well as a few of the town names that no longer exist.

If you haven't checked out the MESSAGE BOARDS recently, do stop up there for a quick check on your surnames.  Tasha keeps us up to date on the current Shawano Leader obits (many thanks Tasha!) and there is plenty of room up there to post YOUR OBITS and QUERIES.  With the thousands of visitors each month to the site, this greatly improves your chances of someone else working on your same lines!  Great opportunity so do take advantage of it.

Til next time...
Anne

We have more unidentified photos -- and gorgeous ones at that!! Please check out Yvonne's CURTIS - GJERMUNDSON Family Page to view them all -- thanks Yvonne for the lovely photos.

Our SHAWANO COUNT MARRIAGE PAGE is being updated with 1939 Marriage Licenses... it's ongoing and we hope to have most of 1939 completed soon.

SURNAME LIST UPDATES:

Chris Lewis Gaffron sent in the following:
Surname: Reiland, Dora 1880-1905, Shawano area Surname: Cleveland, Loal 1880-1905, Shawano area

Lisa Broder sent in:
Surname: BRODER - Shawano Area

Ken Benson sent in:
Benson (Benjaminsen) and Iverson (Everson)  This is my fathers parents who came from Velfjord and Sømna in Nordland, Norway in the late 1800s to Waukechon township, Shawano.

Til next time....

We rec'd the following questions -- if you can help, just email me and we'll post the answer in the next update!

RESEARCHER QUERY: My relatives and I own the building that used to be the Bluebird School House. I am wondering if anyone would have a picture of it when it was the school. (We had several relatives attend there).

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

RESEARCHER QUERY:  I am trying to make contact with a descendant of Frank and Effie (CLEVELAND) HITZKE of Shawano Co., WI.  They had the following children:

Louis b. 1890 m. Myrtle FULSHER
Ida b. 1891 m. Walter BERKHAHN
Mark b. 1893 m. Lillian HOPPE
Ethel b. 1895 m. Henry GERONDALE
Hazel b. 1897
Crystal b. 1899

Effie (CLEVELAND) HITZKE was my g.g.grandmother's half-sister.  I would be very interested in sharing and swapping information.

I appreciate any help you can offer!

Karla
inthepastlane@bellsouth.net

Til next time -- Anne

And, I just rec'd this email today regarding Shawano research:
Please post the following question on the Shawano site:  I am looking for relatives of Robert Menning that many have information regarding the marriage of Olga  Gatz Menning  to Charles Archibald.  At the time of Olga's death in 1945 she was living in Minneapolis, MN.  I am also working on information regarding the Gatz/Papke and Matz/Eickstaedt lines.  Both the Gatz's and Matz's lived just outside of Birnamwood, WI.  Relatives of both families still currently live in the Birnamwood and Shawano area.  Pat Menard email:garymenard@earthlink.net

Donna Hance sent in a sketched map of the layout of the Forest Home Cemetery to add to our site -- THANKS, DONNA!  The map is basic but shows where the new graves are as opposed to the older graves, etc.  A nice addition!

SPECIAL THANKS to Myke Rachu for indexing the 1920 Pella Twp. Plat Map for us!! Job well done!!  And we still have more plats available for volunteers to index.

Jenny Hoffman sent in an update to the Roosevelt Cemetery in Gresham -- this was the former LDS Cemetery on the corner of Roosevelt & Campground Roads.  There is also a link on the website to www.findagrave.com where there are pictures of individual headstones for this cemetery -- very nicely done, Jenny!

REUNION!  Rec'd this in the emails and sent it out to the lists but wanted to post it here, too:
There is a Jeske/Rusch reunion June 25, 2006 11:00 a.m. to dark.  It is held at the Shawano athletic park by the children's play equipment.  Bring a dish to pass; coffee, iced tea and water provided.  Bring your own soda and beer; no glass bottles. Plates, napkins and plastic cutlery is also provided.  We eat at noon.  There are books for each family to add info re: births, deaths, address changes, marriages, etc.   I can be reached at 715-623-6329  or email me at nordar@dwave.net.  Thanks. Darlene Schreiber
Good luck, Darlene!

QUESTION:
Is there anyone on this list who lives in Shawano County who might be able to check a local calendar for me?

I understand that the little Norwegian Lutheran Church out in Navarino has a special service once a year around the beginning of July.  My great-grandfather (Rasmus Paulson) was a woodworker who built the steeple, baptismal font & communion rail in the church and is buried in the little cemetery there.  I would like to find out exactly when the service will be taking place as that little church is apparently opened only on this one day during the year.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks...   Linda  geniemamma@yahoo.com

And, last but not least, we've finally got our SUCCESS PAGE up and running.  The page is an opportunity to post some of the GREAT emails I read to the site for the other volunteers as well as other researchers to read.  This will allow you to share your success stories and tips/hints with other researchers allowing them to get fresh ideas and new motivation -- we all need new approaches and ideas to some of our literal DEAD ENDS.  We appreciate our volunteers and this is a great way to let them know what materials/look-ups helped you and how...just email me as usual and let me know you'd like it posted to the SUCCESS PAGE.

Again, til next time... Anne 

Many thanks to Karen (Schlemmer) Baker, Sue & Arlene Ebert for sending in the 1964 - 1965 class photo from St. Paul's in Bonduel.  We have not posted the identities of each person due to privacy issues but have added the pic to our site.  If you have any old class pictures, send them on in and we'd LOVE to post them!!!

WWI Draft Registration Index -- this is an INDEX only for Shawano County.  The actual documents are available online, through microfilm or if your wish list is short, I'll be happy to help out with look-ups.

Not sure what the WWI Draft Registration Index is?  On 6 April 1917, the United States declared war on Germany and officially entered the Great War. Six weeks later, on 18 May 1917, the Selective Service Act was passed, which authorized President Woodrow Wilson to increase the military establishment of the United States during the war. As a result, every male living within the United States between the ages of eighteen and forty-five was required to register for the draft.  Each card lists information regarding the person's birth date, birthplace, citizenship status, personal features (Height/Build/Eyes) and includes the person's signature.  The person did not have to serve in the War in order to be listed and have his information in the Index Cards.

And last but not least, another tip for searching military records: CIVIL WAR records are available from the National Archives.  Here's a link to search for your ancestor: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/index.html

And if you wish a copy of these records, there are TWO types available -- the service record and the pension record.  The service record tracks the movement of the soldier and his regiment during the war -- the REAL GENEALOGY is in the PENSION RECORD -- here's where you will find marriage and death info of the soldier and/or his spouse/dependents as it pertained to his government pension.

NARA-Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60629-5898.
Phone: 773-948-9000.

State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 816 State St., Madison, WI 53706. Phone: 608-264-6400.

ENJOY and stay safe til next time!  Anne

Warm welcome to our 2 latest volunteers Tracy and Tammie -- both will be helping out with postings and transcribing items for the Shawano GenWeb site -- WELCOME ABOARD!

NOTE: Shawano GenWeb Project is a non-profit website -- all of our time is volunteered.  We have a VOLUNTEER LOOK-UP PAGE for FREE HELP -- our awesome VOLUNTEER LOOK-UP staff donate their time and we greatly appreciate EACH AND EVERY ONE of them! Occasionally, we notice mass advertisements on the mailing lists/message board for products and/or services that are in violation of this core belief.  If you have encountered ANY violations of this policy on our website or message boards, please contact me immediately so that appropriate action can and will be taken. 

And let's keep MEMORY a big part of MEMORIAL DAY!  HAVE A SAFE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!!!

Til next time.... Anne

Thanks Shawano FHC for the photo of Adam Dingeldein and family.  I've also included some genealogy on the family and if you can add to it, just email me.

And... the PRE 1907 MARRIAGES have been added to the Wisconsin Historical Society -- Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index -- this is SUPER COOL as it has the PRE-1907 Marriages for SHAWANO COUNTY!! Prior to this, ancestry.com didn't even have the early Shawano marriages available on their system... Be sure to check it out!!

Bay Area Genealogical Society now has a website.  The GraveSiteSearch feature has been activated. For free you can see if a person is buried in any of the Brown County, WI cemeteries. This is a site that does have a subscribe feature, but the index and some dates are FREE -- and one of the cemeteries just over the county line from Shawano is St. Mary's Cemetery - Assumption BVM.

The Slab City Night Club 1897 photo -- Slab City is located just south of Bonduel on Hwy 47 -- years ago it had a gravel pit, lime kiln, Frieden's Ev. Church and Cemetery.... and "establishments"... including 4 taverns and 1 brothel... yes, in Shawano County...

Just finished adding some more pages scans to 1947 Shawano City Directory, sent in by Mikki.  Originally I was retyping the pages so the names would be searchable in our Pico Search Engine.  We've modified our aspirations somewhat and have posted the actual scanned pages for you to use in your research while we are working on retyping the scans.  The City Directory is pretty cool -- it lists the occupants of the houses -- head of household plus minor age children... occupations and it even lists businesses.  The residential names are alphabetical and also street by street...

Stacy & Leslie have photographed 3 cemeteries in the Gresham area -- we've updated the cemetery web pages to show the links.  I also have the photographs of headstones done by Jenny Hoffman for St. Francis Solanus in Gresham that we'll be adding as we get time, along with St. Mary's in Leopolis.

And, if you have a photo of a headstone in Shawano County, we'd love to add it to the site.  I know that I have pics of grandparents' headstones but never photographed the ENTIRE cemetery.. no worries, we'll add a photo at a time... just send them to czaplewska@aol.com -- jpeg, gif or bitmap and the larger the pic the better!

And relatively NEW from the Wisconsin Historical Society -- Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index -- They began the index with nearly 1 million birth records and are excited to announce the addition of nearly 400,000 Wisconsin death records.  Check it out at: www.wisconsinhistory.org/vitalrecords

And.. be sure to check out our MESSAGE BOARD for obits & queries.  We have over 10,000 pages of obits up there and it grows by the day!!! Every day obits are added and if you have obits you would like to share, just go to the Message Board and add yours!  It's easy!  And many thanks to Tasha who diligently keeps adding the Shawano newspaper obits online...

One of the programs I work with is RAOGK -- Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness.  The theory behind it is that if you ask a favour (look-up) then you are to make yourself available to do a look-up for someone else...so, in keeping with the program, I'm offering look-ups in the WWI Military Draft Registrations for Shawano County.  If you have a name you would like checked out, just email me and I'll see what I can find.

Looking for several people to help enter data from scanned documents to the Shawano site.  What's cool about volunteering is that you work when you have some free time and there's little pressure!  Since the GenWeb Projects are done solely by VOLUNTEERS, we know first-hand that you have work, families and other commitments, too.  We're happy to have whatever free time you can spare!  And these projects can be emailed ANYWHERE -- you don't have to be in the Shawano area... Just email me if you are interested. 

Til next time... ATCz

The more recent updates include:

1884 German Confirmation Hermann BULL -- Pella Opening Lutheran Church.  Aimee in PA ran across this GREAT document and is trying to find the family it belongs to and return it.  I've posted it and any clues or tips would be GREATLY appreciated.  Thanks again, Aimee!  We LOVE these old documents and if anyone else has some to post to the site, WE'LL MAKE A PLACE FOR THEM!!!

St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery, Pella Opening has been added -- thanks to the Shawano FHC and my daughter Cobi for graphics' help.

Til next time!  Anne

Family Pages have been added for POULSON from Pulcifer area by Robin Paine, as well as BRUMM from the Birnamwood area by Jessica VanHove.  Jessica also sent in Family Group Records, too.  Deb Walsh has sent in two photos of the SPERBERG's from Red River that she needs your help putting names to the faces.  Karen Hansen sent in photos of the Kielman - Parmer family...all these are linked on our PHOTOS page.

Paul Wollangk posted some old histories of St. James Lutheran Church and School in Shawano, Wisconsin on the church's web site.  The address is www.stjameslutheranchurch.com.  Click on meet the staff then click on "From the Archives". -- also, there is information about their sister parish St. Jakobi there also.  NICE WEBSITE, Paul, and thanks for the link!

After 30+ years of great, dedicated service, Marge Stoehr retired last fall from her calling as Director of the Shawano Family History Center.  Marge has done an excellent job and I personally would like to give her a BIG THANK-YOU HUG for all the countless hours she has given to making the FHC one of THE best in the country -- I've been to quite a few, worked as Asst. Director in the largest one in New England and nothing compares to the Shawano FHC.  The new director, Pat Stephenson, has been working on organizing the FOUR long drawers of family group records.  If you haven't been to the FHC lately, it is well worth the trip as they have extensive data and microfilm resources.  Our best wishes to Pat in her new calling and MEGA HUGS to Marge for a job well-done!  We love you!!!

Til next time!! -- Anne