Thanksgiving and Weddings...the Best of times!!

Thanksgiving was well to say the least interesting.  We stayed home this year, as my husband had to work.  He worked Thanksgiving Day, so we had plans to celebrate on Friday instead.  Thanksgiving Day the kids and I just hung out at home and had a good day together.  We made a Thankful Tree, watched some T.V. and just had a good day spending time together.  Theron & Madisen had both been complaining of a sore throat and had been coughing all week.  Friday morning we got up nice and early to get the turkey in the roaster and wouldn't you know it all four of us were sicker than dogs.  Well so needless to say it was an exhausting but pretty good day.  Every year we make new memories, and this year will be no different. :D So while I spent the day feeling like I had been run over and listening to my family take turns having coughing fits, it will be a memorable one.

Our Thankful Tree

We spent the rest of the weekend resting...literally.  I don't think we did anything but lay around.  I think it was good for the kids to unwind and just spend time with us.

We put up our tree on Tuesday.  And then...

My wonderful nephew and his beautiful girlfriend decided to take the plunge.  It was a civil ceremony at the local courthouse.  And it was beautiful.  Seeing two people who love each other join their lives together, was just wonderful! I am so glad that I was a part of their precious moment.  Congratulations Wyatt & Brooke!  I love you both and wish you both all the happiness this life can give!!

Wyatt & Brooke m. 28 Nov 2012

I know I repeat myself often but some things are so important that they require repetition. Sometimes, we get lost in learning about our ancestors and researching their families and all they went through.  And that's wonderful! I love every minute I spend chasing down my family.  But we must always remember that we need to make memories with the ones that are here with us still.  Love them, cherish them, participate in them and then record them for our descendants. :D Happy living this holiday season!!

William S. Duel

Here are the newspaper articles that I received last week. 

Democratic State Register 2 Apr 1850

Wisconsin Free Democrat 7 May 1851

The Mauston Star Dec 1859

Black Sheep Sunday - William Shaw Duell

OK, so I have been collaborating with Marlene, who I have mentioned in regards with the Duel Family photo, on our research of the Duel family.  And while I have been preoccupied with Dexter S. Duel and his family, Marlene just mentioned one day that she is still working on William Shaw Duel (our BLACK SHEEP) and if I came across anything... So the other night, I got to thinking that the work on William was going to be time consuming, so I should start getting the ball rolling on his work, while I still work on Dexter or Deck as we now know is what he preferred.

Skeletons....yes, we all have them! But what to do with them...do we quickly stuff them back in the proverbial closet?? do we hold them up as badges of honor?? OR do we tell their stories and count them as part of our history and how we ended up where we are today??

Why yes, everything they did had a role in where we are today.  Even the ones from long ago.  William Shaw Duell is my 3rd Great Grandfather.  He is the father of George Robinson Duel (this is where the second l gets dropped), father of Bertie (Duel) Pattee, mother of Wavel (Pattee) Adamson, mother of Robert B. Adamson, father of yours truly.  Yes, there it is all laid out in black and white, William is my direct line, my Grandfather.  Had I ever heard this name before my research?? No. Had any of my immediate family, including my Father?? No.  And I think with good reason.  I have talked before about how it used to be that people just didn't talk about their families...ok, well maybe not all people, but definitely mine.  Here is why we never heard of him before my research.

William Shaw Duel was born about 1805 in New York, USA.  The son of Abraham & Mary Duell.  On 26 Feb 1824, at the age of 19, he married Mary Almira Sisson in Rome, Oneida, New York, USA.  They had 4 sons: George R., William Warren, Alonzo F., Stephen and one daughter Mary Jane.

Imagine my shock when I go to the census records to find this family and run into the 1850 U.S. Federal Census listing William Duel as being in the Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin.  This was the first time I had run into a criminal on my family tree.  And I thought surely this can't be my Grandfather.  So, I took a closer look at the record and in the box next to his name it says "attempt to commit rape on daughter".  Good Gracious! This really can't be my family! Right???

WELL! There it was! Of course, I went looking for a way out of this family story.  And it took days for me to bring the story up to my Dad, to ask if he had ever heard of it.  Which, he hadn't...and was even a little disappointed I think to find this out.  But we have had time to process this sad event in our history.  I started looking at this family about 4 years ago.  Two things about back then: one, I didn't really know what I was doing or where to turn with this information.  How do you go about verifying something like this.  I mean, I could have gotten it wrong...right? And two, I really didn't have the stomach to research something that I felt was very heinous. To wrong a child is one of the worst crimes in my opinion.  So, I put it away and didn't think much about it.  I worked a little bit every now and then on George and Amy Duel.  But it was never any real intense research.

Until, a few months ago when I was contacted by a gentleman researching veterans buried in the Sheridan Masonic Cemetery in Sheridan, OR.  We talked for a bit about George and James Pattee, who is also buried in that cemetery.  And I got to thinking about George and Amy and how I really needed to just buck up and get started.  At the time though, I was working on my Timbrel line and all my picture projects.  Then I heard from Marlene one night who had a thought about George and Amy and wanted my take on it.  And I got the hint...finally.  It was time to get to work.  And now you know how I ended up here.  

I am glad though.  I may not enjoy researching something so sad and hurtful but I am learning a lot.  It also has brought my Dad and I a little closer as we talk about it all and how it has affected us.  And it has...every decision our ancestors have made have shaped us into who we are.  Because it has shaped our parents and their parents.  Just like how the decisions we make today will affect our descendants.  My children have a different life because of my choice to join my church and live where we live.  It even has to do with the little decisions we make everyday...do I go to work or stay home? do we spend all our time watching tv or playing with our kids.  Every decision has ripples in the water.

So back to the research...I have looked at the newspaper databases that I have access to with no luck in finding an explanation in print.  But, I am lucky enough to belong to some great Yahoo! groups and Facebook groups.  I am a "member" of the Wisconsin Genealogy Network on Facebook, and took a chance that maybe someone there would have a better idea of where to start.  Sure enough, those people are great help.  One lady in particular was able to help with some newspaper articles that she had found, and gladly sent them on to me.  I already had a copy of William and Almira's divorce papers from Marlene.  I knew that they divorced in 1859, nine years after he was in jail.  Which Marlene and I both thought was strange that she would wait so long to file for divorce.  Armed with the divorce papers and now the three new newspaper articles, I have joined the Wisconsin Historical Society, to ask for help in finding any court records or anything pertaining to the Wisconsin State Prison.  I am anxiously waiting to hear from their research department.  In the meantime, I will keep working on George and his family.

Here is what we now know:

In April 1850, William was sentenced to 7 years in the state prison.  September 1850 he escapes from the county jail.  May 1850, he is captured and returned to the Dodge County Jail.  The next we hear about him is when Almira petitions for a divorce on the grounds of desertion, which she is granted, on 28 Dec 1859.  What we are trying to figure out is what happens to William after that....

My new adventure....Geneabloggers

Starting this blog in the first place, was a somewhat hard decision for me to make. Because one, who would want to read about my adventures in trying to track down our ancestors.  And two, that means putting yourself out there.  Oh yes, everytime I put my hand to keys, I am putting myself out there for criticism AND praise...which I like a whole lot more.  But for better or worse, I love it! I mentioned the other day about how much I love my blog.  And it gets better everytime I post.  I hear from family members that they love reading about my research and our family.  Sure they probably get bored when I switch to a different line, maybe even frustrated when I haven't finished the line I was on. ;) But  I have only ever gotten good feedback....keep it coming ladies and gentlemen. lol

I had a friend a couple of weeks ago that suggested that I submit my blog to the Geneabloggers website.  A website that collects and helps all blogs family history related.  I was a little worried as I would have other genealogists looking at my work...always comes back to that for me.  You know instead of just the family members that I could hoodwink into thinking I knew what I was doing.. ;) But again I decided to just put myself out there.  I submitted my blog and the next morning I started getting emails and comments.  All positive...hehe!

So for my friends out there that have genealogy blogs, I say just go for it.  Let other genealogists take a peek at your work.  It's so nice to hear from others in the field.  And everyone else check out the Geneabloggers website and find some cool blogs to watch.

Seely Riedel

This afternoon I got a call from my Dad, who wanted to let me know that our very wonderful cousin, Seely Riedel had passed away recently.  I had only met Seely once, two summers ago.  I had taken a trip to northern Washington with my parents.  On our way home from there we stopped in Portland, OR to see if we could drop in on some family.  That is where my Grandma Wavel's family has lived since around 1902 or so.  After a few quick phone calls, we were able to get a hold of Seely.  He was so happy to have us in his home.  And even happier to talk to us about our family.  He let me bring out my voice recorder so I would be able to go back over everything he had to say.  What a wonderful man he was.  He will be greatly missed.

I think that he must have been happy about my working on the family because he was so willing to talk.  And also because when I asked if I could take pictures of some of his pictures that were hanging on the wall, he walked away and came back with some pictures...for me to keep.  I was so stunned by his generosity, that I almost starting crying right there.  

Seely and Harriet Riedel 1946

Seely Riedel and Bob Adamson June 2011

Seely thank you for inviting us into your home and being such a wonderful person.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family....

    Rest in Peace
Seely Riedel 5 Feb 1923 - 31 Oct 2012

Unknown Solider

THANK YOU! To all the my veteran family and friends that served in our armed forces.  The sacrifices that you have given or are giving are precious.  Thank you for all you do! No words could express how thankful I am for all my freedoms and the freedoms of my family and country.

I would like to honor this unknown soldier from my family.  I am not completely sure if this family member is from the Adamson or Pattee side.   But they were found in with my Grandma & Grandpa Adamson's (Kenneth & Wavel [Pattee] Adamson) photo's.  If anyone knows anything about this solider please email me.

UPDATE: Duel Family photo

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my blog.  Because of my blog I have connected with family members I have never met and reconnected with others.  I have found it is a wonderful way for my family to know where I am working on and what I know.  It's nice having so much connection with everyone as I am working.  :-)

That being said...I was contacted by two cousins in regards to the picture of the Duel family that I posted the other day.  One was Rick Hall who gave me the second copy of the photo.  And the other was Marlene Messler another Duel family researcher, whom I have been in contact with for a couple of years.  They both were able to tell me in which order everyone was in the picture and they had the same data.  So....
Back row, left to right: George Alvin, Manford, Margaret, Bertie
Front row, left to right: Heenan, Deck (Dexter), George and Amy

I am so grateful for them both and all their hardwork and the fact that they so freely share their information with me. 

The fun is the chase...

One of the best things about the work itself, is that sometimes it leads you places you weren't expecting.  Last night, while working on Dexter Duel and his children, I was following his son Albert G. Duel.  I was pretty sure that I had him living in Alfalfa Co., Oklahoma most of his life.  I found on findagrave.com a memorial for Albert.  His census records were a little fishy to me as none of them had a consistent birth year:
1900 - Feb 1881
1910 - 1883
1920 - abt 1890
1930 - abt 1889
1940 - abt 1889

It looks like he makes himself younger and then sticks with it.  His actual birth year, far as I can tell, was 18 Feb 1881.  He was single most of his life till he married Mamie Garvin, who had a couple children of her own, between 1930 and 1940.  Well, so with the dates, I just wanted to make sure that I was really following the right Albert, so I got the numbers for the Alfalfa County Museum and the Carmen Public Library.  Carmen is where Albert was buried.

This afternoon I set out to try to track down his obituary and verify that I had my ancestor.  I called the two numbers listed for the museum and was told that it had closed.  Sad....but I am not one to be dismayed.  I tried the library and the nice lady there was kind enough to give me the number to two ladies that are a bit knowledgeable in Carmen history.  Betty was very kind and looked to see if she could find Albert in the Carmen City Cemetery book.  No luck but she called her friend Rosie (the other lady) and they talked about the Duel name.  Rosie remembered the family, so I was off to call her.  She is 84 and sharp as a whip.  She said "just give me a minute and I will remember" and she meant it.  Finally, the light bulb went off and she remember that there was another lady in town that was related to the Duel's.  Her name is Beverly.  I gave Beverly a call not really thinking about it, just trying to track down someone that could possible verify my Albert.  What a wonderful lady she is.  Turns out she is a descendant of George Alvin Duel also.  She recognized my Great Grandmother's name, Bertie (Duel) Pattee.  George and Bertie being siblings.  She talked with me for about 45 minutes and she was great!  At one point she said to me "I am a talker, I just love to talk!" LOL and yes she did.  After getting to talk with Beverly this afternoon, I spent some time on George Alvin's family.

So what started out as a search to find an obit and possibly verify that I was on the right track, led me to meeting another new "cousin".  I really do love this work!

Never be afraid to call and ask questions.  People will let you know if they don't want to talk or are not interested.  I took a chance and called all over the little town of Carmen, Oklahoma and got to meet some great ladies.  :D

Duel Family

One of the biggest problems with getting sick...well besides the sick part...is my inability to function and write.  I love my work and love writing about it.  But when you are not well, that all gets put on the back burner.  I have a ways to go till I am fully well but I am going to work on being better at getting some work done on the computer even while I am down. :D No worries though I will be up and at 'em in no time at all.

So that is this week's excuse on why I haven't posted in a while.... lol ;)

Two weeks ago, after my last post on William Tribble and his murder, I heard from a "cousin" that I have not met before or even knew of.  His name is Rick Hall and he contacted me with some information on the murder of William Tribble.  He is related through Margaret (Duel) Tribble's brother George Alvin Duel.  George Alvin is his Great Grandfather.  This makes us third cousins. Rick was able to provide me with some more newspaper articles on the death of William Tribble and the following trial of V.H. Albright.  Such a sad tale. Mr. Albright was found guilty of the murder of William Tribble and sentenced to just 4 years! That is crazy to me, for the murder of another person but times were different then.  I think Mr. Albright might have appealed his verdict and it might have gone to the Supreme Court but more research is in order, for me to tell you how much time Mr. Albright really did serve in the en.

Rick has also been so generous in sharing some amazing photo's with me.  And we are planning on working together to break down brick walls.  One of the photo's he shared with me I already had BUT I had a photo copy of a photo copy.  That picture was posted on ancestry.com by another cousin related through George Robinson Duel's first wife.  They had two daughters together and then for some reason George left her and she remarried his brother.  There is more work for me to find out what happened there.  Well, so the photo I have was a good photo just not very clear.  Then I received the one from Rick and it is very beautiful. 

Beautiful! Right....  George and Amy Duel are front right side.  Above them are their daughters Margaret (second from the right back) and Bertie (far right), George Alvin Duel is back far left.  I am not sure which one is which of the other three boys but they are Dexter, Heenan and Manford. 

While researching Dexter, I met one of his descendants and am hoping that she will be able to tell me eventually which one is Dexter.  She is working on getting some family photo's that her Grandma had.  I hope that she is successful, as she wants to preserve them.  I am a full believer in sharing family photo's so that no matter what happens, there is always a copy floating around.  See a photo I have posted and want a copy? Feel free to take it or email me and I will send you one. :D  Preservation is key to these precious gems.

When I did have time, I have been working on George Robinson Duel's children.  I did spend a little bit of time on his first two daughters with his first wife Sybilla.  And I had just moved on to Dexter (while waiting to hear from the Stillwater Library) when I heard from Rick.  In what little time I have had on the computer that has been the focus of my research, Dexter and his children.  Tonight, I got a little side tracked but I will tell you all about that in another post. :)