Charting My Migration Pedigree

The 2nd biggest hobby in America latest craze that is popping up all over Facebook, is migration pedigrees. What the heck is that? It's a different way to view your family tree; rather than seeing mom, dad and grandpa, it charts of where family came from. 

My chart is pretty boring; as I've said in my classes, my family, most prior to my 2nd great grands, came into the port of Philadelphia migrated to "western" Pennsylvania and never left. Wanting a some more color, I decided to chart my mom and dad.

Well mom's chart doesn't add much color but at least there is a new state. Her 2nd great grandpa (my 3rd gg) was born in Maryland.

Dad's chart on the other hand not only adds color but surprises and mystery. Dad's Campbell family immigrated to Pennsylvania. The family spent a few years in Virginia after the Civil War where dad's grandpa ACJC was born, before moving back to Pennsylvania. 

I was told by my parents that our heritage was English, Scotch, Dutch and Welsh. England is accounted for up there on my chart with my 2nd great grandfather Hudson. Check off Welsh, there is 2nd great grandma Woodward from Monmouthshire on dad's chart. Ireland, at first glance that doesn't fit into the family "story". Upon closer inspection the "Irish" were Forbes hence really Scots-Irish. Next up German, hmm nothing in the family story from my parents; in fact grandma seemed to forget about her German grandma's lineage when dad was applying to the Naval Academy. Grandma's sister Great Aunt Betty revealer of family secrets clued me into the German connection during a European vacation. Oh, so for the "Dutch" we have to go back to a crazy story from mm's side of the family in the 1600s. 

Lastly is my brick wall, the Armstrongs. While ultimately I know the line goes back to Scotland as all Armstrongs trace back to a warrior in the 1200s. For now however, I'm stuck in Pennsylvania searching for the correct John Armstrong circa 1830s who could be from PA, NJ or England.

Have some fun and create your own migration pedigree chart. 

Wednesday’s Child

Wednesday’s Child in the genealogy world is a time to recognize our ancestors who passed far too young. Given the hard life of our ancestors in the 18^th and 19^th and even the early20^th centuries there is no surprise that life spans were far shorter than they are today. Vital records (birth/death records) weren’t officially recorded by the government in most parts of the country until sometime during the 1900s. Before 1850 the US census only listed the head of household, so it is easy to see why finding information on minor children of the time is difficult. Oftentimes the only record of their life is their headstone. So in honor of those whom much is unknown in my own family tree, let me introduce:

Emanuel Hudson – Age 2

Birth 1 Jun 1874 in Hopewell, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA
Death 1 Dec 1876 in Blair, Pennsylvania, USAEmanuel was the youngest of 5 children born to William Alexander Hudson and Eliza Metzger. His father died a mere 10 months after Emanuel was born. He is buried in the Mennonite Cemetery in Martinsburg, PA alongside his mum.

Catherine E Ritts – Age 1
Birth 15 Oct 1906 in Antis, Blair, Pennsylvania, USA
Death 25 Jul 1907 in Antis, Blair, Pennsylvania, USA
Catherine was only the 2nd daughter born to Harry & Lizzie Ritts. The Ritts clan numbered 11 with 9 boys and my nana surviving to adulthood. Catherine's remains lie with her parents, grandpa, and a few brothers in the Antis Cemetery.

Margaret Levenia Campbell – Age 11
Birth 17 Mar 1878 in Buckner, Louisa, Virginia, USA
Death 4 Mar 1890 in Altoona, Blair, Pennsylvania, USA
Maggie C, the eleven year old daughter of Henry J and Tressie Campbell died on Tuesday morning at 20 minutes to 2:00 of pneumonia, super induced by grip and asthma combined. Her demise is a great blow to her parents, she being the youngest daughter. Stevens Mortuary, Altoona, PA 1883-1910, p 31, Campbell, Maggie d 3/4/1890 St Marys; a 11 yrs; d/o Henry & Theresa Campbell; r. 2516 Oak Ave*

* Bakers's Mansion, Altoona Tribune, March 6, 1890, Thursday

200 Years After Sailing to America, Families Unite

Mr & Mrs James Armstrong
(Cristoph Embich & George Greiss decendants)

Christoph Embich and George Greiss sailed to the port of Philadelphia on the Nancy in September of 1752. Christoph Adam Embich was 27 when he left Germany to stake his claim in America, is my 5^th great grandpa from my dad’s father’s line. Geoge Greiss (Grass) as a 12 year old refugee came to America from Switzerland. He is my 4^th great grandpa from my dad’s mom’s line. Presumably during the long voyage and cramped living conditions they probably met, but once arriving in Philadelphia it seems they or their families paths did not cross again my grandparents James Armstrong and Madeline Campbell met and married shortly after high school in 1929.

Christoph Embich a carpenter by trade, Lutheran by faith, settled in Lancaster where he married and had 10 children with Mary Elizabeth Kriter. Christoph fought as a Patriot in the Revolutionary War. His descendants followed in his footsteps as carpenters and farmers, patriots serving their country in times of war in Pennsylvania for many generations.

George Greiss’s path is much less defined until he appears on the 1800 census in Cambria County with his wife and 9 children. Cambria County in the early 1800s was an untamed wilderness that the Greiss/Krise family set out tame. Active members in the Catholic Church, they participated in establishing the religion in Cambria County including building St Augustine Church.

Below is an excerpt from the "Pennsylvania Germans Pioneers” listing the men on the Nancy:

[List 186 C] At the Court House in Philadelphia, Wednesday, ye 27 September, 1752.

Present: Joshua Maddox, Esquire. The Foreigners whose Names are underwritten, Imported in the Ship Nancy, Captain John Ewing, from Rotterdam and last from Cowes, did this day take and subscribe the usual Qualifications. No. 83.

Jacob Schweude	Michael Eyroh	Jacob Schmidt
Joseph Steüdel	Jonas (X) Bastian	Johan Ludwig Seiler
Jerg Hauher	Christian Homberg	Jacob Friederik (X) Danninger
George (X) Grass	Jacob Mussgenug	Jacob Dietrich
Carl Frich Siebert	Joseph (X) Bernhart	Philipp Jacob Wunder
Joseph (X) Bernhart, Junior	David Xander	Hans (N) Kintz
Johann Michale Haas	Joseph ( ) Kintz, on board	Samuel Musse
Johannes (HIM) Herman	Johan Philipp Bietighoffer	Johanis (X) Shwitzer
Philipp Mall	Jacob Junchfer [?]	Konradt Weiss
Hans Georg Kautz	Andres Bastian	Jacob Kautz
Adam Friederich Weiss	Hans Jacob Lersch	Johann Georg Friderich Bayer
Jaque Peirot	George (+) Wenig	Jaque Molac
Jacob Bauerschmid	Frantz (X) Saltzman	Jacob Bauerschmidt
Lutwig Thüringer	Gerg Friderich Jauss	Peter (X) Heatteman
Christoph Rothbaust	Johann Martin Doser	Matheas (X) Dywel
Michael Doser	Friderich Baisch	Balthas Bauman
Jacob ( ) Basich, on board	Christoph Embich	Johan Andereas (X) Rothe
Christian Mühlheim	Christoff Kreiser	Israel Eberlin
Johann Friderich Uhlandt	Fillib Follen	Jacob (X) Armbruster
Joh. Jacob Ernst	George Michael (X) Spatz	Hans Jacob Neusterdt
Johannes Butz	Vallendin Hagner	Jacob Stützmann
Hans Jerg Heudekel [?]	Ludwig Neitz	Christoph ( ) Mast, on board
Jerg Balthas Ernst	Paul Waag	Casper Underweg
Hans Georg ( ) Krebs, on board	Mardin Fromm	Hans Paul Henrich
Andreas Jäger	Rudolph (+) Klarr	Johan Max Klopfer
Hans Stös	Johann Martin Rädelmeyer	Hans Michael (X) Weller
Abraham Birkenber[g]	Johann Georg Braun	Henry (+) Shleghter
Johannes Griess	Herman (+) Matsh	Jacob (HK) Kautz, Junior
Georg Friederich Schwartz

                 

Mailbox  Beth Bostian ©1997 Beth Bostian

Source: Strassburger & Hinke,"Pennsylvania German Pioneers", Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1980, Baltimore, Volume I, p.491.