GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: WWI Women's Registration Card Collections with Amber Oldenburg

The panel—Melissa Barker, Jenny Hawran, Laura Hedgecock, Shelley Murphy, and I—welcomes Amber Oldenburg to share a record group none of us had ever heard of!

Watch as we learn about the National Women's Committee Registration Cards, their value in our research of the women in our family, and where to look for them.

Have you used these records?

We'd love to hear from you.

If you discover cards, please share where you found them with Amber!

                             "The Spirit of Woman Power" by Paul Honore, 1917.                                                                 http://wwihomefront.pbworks.com/w/page/4050535/WWI%20Posters

 Links in this episode:

One Branch at a Time

https://onebranchatatime.com/

Unveiling the Forgotten Records: The 1917 Registration of Women and its Significance for Family Historians

https://onebranchatatime.com/unveiling-the-forgotten-records-the-1917-registration-of-women-and-its-significance-forfamily-historians/

WWI Woman’s Committee of the Council of National Defense Registration Card Collections

https://www.ggrwhc.org/research/wwi/#toggle-id-3

 Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-Geniebroots

http://www.geniebroots.com/

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

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Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

GenFriends: Researching Female Ancestors with Special Guest Gena Philibert-Ortega

Gena Philibert-Ortega joins Cheri and the panel, Dan Earl, Laura Hedgecock, Shelley Murphey, Terri O'Connell, and Mary Kircher Roddy to learn techniques and tips for finding your elusive female ancestors. Gena specializes in women's studies and social history and has lectured and written extensively on the topics.
Her expertise helps the panelists with questions about where to look for records and information on their female ancestors and will help you too!
Watch as we talk to Gena about the many resources you may have never thought about to help you find your ladies!

Links Discussed in this Episode:
Gena's Genealogy
Archive Grid
Hathi Trust
Gena's Genealogy Women's History Month 2020: Her Voice, Her Vote  
Genealogy Cruise 
Posts on GenealogyBank 




Contact the Panel:
Dan Earl-Family History Guy
Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories
Terri O'Connell-Finding Our Ancestors
Shelley Murphey-The Family Tree Girl
Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy
Cheri Hudson Passey-Carolina Girl Genealogy

 Share the stories of finding your female ancestors!

We'd love to hear from you!

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Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

Friday's Faces from the Past~What is She Wearing?

A polaroid picture of my maternal grandmother, Mary (Baker) Hudson (1920-2010) shows her standing by an advertisement for Allied Investment County of Columbia, South Carolina.
From the background, it looks as if it could have been at some type of exhibit hall.
I am not sure if she is wearing a typical suit from the time period or some type of uniform. 
She was a homemaker and did not work outside the home.
What do y'all think? It was most likely taken in the 1950s.

Mary (Baker) Hudson
1950s
Columbia, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Does this type of outfit look familiar to you? Can you tell me what my grandmother is wearing or why this picture may have been taken?
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

Celebrating Women's History Month-Mini-profile: Grandmom's Obituary

Day 31 Blog Prompt suggested by Liza Also at The Accidental Genealogist:
 Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile. 

 For today, the last day of Celebrating Women's History Month, I thought I would share the Obituary I wrote for my Maternal Grandmother. 

Azile Juanita Daughrity Roberts Sullivan
1921-2009
© Cheri Hudson Passey

 Azile Daughrity Roberts Sullivan, 87, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great great-grandmother, and Aunt returned home to her Father in Heaven on Saturday June 13, 2009. She left this world peacefully due to natural causes with loved ones at her side.

Azile was born in Sumter, SC, on December 6, 1921 to Manning David Daughrity Jr. and Loretta McManus Daughrity. She was the youngest of five daughters. During her growing up years, Azile lived in Sumter, SC. She attended Girl's High School where she graduated in 1939. Azile married first the late Gilbert E. Roberts on October 6, 1940 in Lancaster, SC. They were the parents of two children, Brenda Roberts Hudson and the late Gilbert E. Roberts Jr. After she was widowed in 1944, she then married the late Francis "Frank" E. Sullivan on May 18, 1952. They made their home in Camden, SC for over 50 years.

Azile was a childhood member of First Baptist Church of Sumter and then a member of Northgate Baptist Church in Camden. For the past three years Azile had been a resident of Grand Strand Healthcare in Myrtle Beach, SC, where she was a joy to many and was given kind and loving care.

She leaves to cherish her memory her daughter Brenda Roberts Hudson and husband John of Myrtle Beach; daughter-in-law Debbie Massalon Roberts of Camden; granddaughter Cheryl Hudson Passey and husband Paul of Myrtle Beach; grandson John Allen Hudson and wife Karolyn of Albuquerque, NM; great-grandchildren, Andrew Passey and wife Sarah of Albuquerque, NM, John Phillip Passey and wife Stefani of Fuquay-Varina, NC, Shawna Passey Jennings and husband Joseph of Myrtle Beach, Stephanie Passey of Myrtle Beach, and Kevin, Scott, Ryan, Erynn, and Joshua Passey, all of Myrtle Beach. She was also the great-great-grandmother to Abigail, Sophie, Noah and Jacob Passey of New Mexico, Addison Passey of North Carolina, and Madelyn and Sarah Jennings of Myrtle Beach. She was also the aunt of several nieces and a nephew.

Preceding Azile in death were her parents David and Loretta Daughrity; husband Gilbert Roberts; husband Frank Sullivan; son Gil Roberts; and four sisters, Mildred Daughrity Jolly Finfrock, Frances Daughrity Hicks, Lorine Daughrity Robinson and Loretta Daughrity Dennis.

A memorial service will be held at Kornegay Funeral Home in Camden, SC, on Thursday June 18, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. A viewing will be held one hour prior to the service. Pallbearers will include Allen Hudson, Paul Passey. Kevin Passey, Scott Passey, Joseph Jennings and Lee Jolly with honorary pallbearers, John Hudson, Andrew Passey and Phillip Passey. Burial will be in Quaker Cemetery, Camden, SC.




© 2013  Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Women's History Month- Words of Wisdom

Day 30 Blog Prompt from the The Accidental Genealogist

Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your female ancestor? 


I remember once talking to my Maternal Grandmother, Azile Juanita Daughrity Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009), about growing old. She said to me:
 "I don't feel old, I still feel the same as I did as a teenager! My body has just betrayed me!"
  I have thought about that often and realized it's true! Just because you are getting older, you don't have to feel or act old!

Azile Juanita Daughrity
Mid 1920's
© Cheri Hudson Passey

 My Paternal Grandmother, Mary Baker Hudson (1920-2010), put these words into action! Even in her 80's she was always going out somewhere. We would call her and she wouldn't be home because she was going out with friends. My Dad would say," Mother is out gallivanting somewhere!"

Mary Baker
About 1923
© Cheri Hudson Passey

  I hope I can be just like them! To remember that you are only as old as you feel and to keep living and having fun no matter what your age.
 Thanks Grandmom and Mimi for your great examples!

   
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Women's History Month-Fannie's Trading Card

Day 29 Blog Post Prompt from Lisa Alzo at The Accidental Genealogist
Create  a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. 
Tell us about who you've selected and why.

 .

                         

© Cheri Hudson Passey

 One of the oldest known pictures in my collection is that of my Great Great Grandmother Margaret Frances "Fannie" Gibson Thames.

  I wanted to use this picture to make a trading card not only because it is one of the oldest but also because I don't have much information on her Gibson line.  Making and posting this card may lead to a cousin connection  

with a member of the Gibson family.

    

© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Women's History Month- Grandmom's Friends

Blog Prompt for Day 28:

Do you remember your grandmother's best friend? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?

 My Grandmother, Azile Daughrity Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009) grew up on Church St. in Sumter, SC.  She lived there from the time she was born until she got married in 1940.
  Roller skating, hide and seek, blind man's bluff and jacks were some of the games she told me that she used to play with her neighborhood friends. In High School she was on the Women's Hockey Team, in the Sewing Club,Cooking Club and Photo Club.
    
   I have several pictures of Grandmom with some of her friends. I wish she had written who they were on the back of the photons. By the time I found them, Grandmom had been suffering from the effects of Alzheimer's for several years and it was too late to ask her. 
Hopefully someone will recognize her friends and be able to identify them for me.
  I do know that two of her closest friends were sisters named Be Be and Marguerite  I am not sure of their maiden names and I have tried to label them correctly in the pictures.
 Marguerite and Grandmom remained friends throughout their lives. They both married and lived in Camden, SC where they got together frequently. I remember going to Marguerite's house as a child.                                                                                

Azile Daughrity on the left laughing with friend Marguarite
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Azile Daughrity in the middle with friends Be Be.(left) and Marguerite (r)
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Azile Daughrity in the middle of two friends
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Azile Daughrity on the front left, friend Marguerite next to her, sister Loretta Daughrity third from left.
Others not known.
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Azile Daughrity Roberts Sullivan on the Right with childhood friend Marguerite
Beach Trip 1968
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Seeing these pictures and the fun Grandmom is having with her friends brings back memories of her smile and laugh.  How I miss those! 

Women' History Blog Prompts can be found at The Accidental Genealogist


© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Women's History Month-A "Stormy" Arrival

Day 27-The Blog Prompt for today, provided by Lisa Alzo at The Accidental Genealogist is:
 Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?

The most interesting immigration story that I have found is that of my Eargle Family.
John Micheal Eargle, my 7th great grandfather, was born in 1702 in Germany. He left his country to travel to Rotterdam, Holland and then sailed aboard the ship Upton bound for Charleston, SC in 1752.
According to the Upton's passenger list and Land Grant Documents John, his daughter Eve and his two sons John Micheal, Jr. and Micheal came with him.
There is no mention of his wife.
The Upton arrived in Charleston on 14 Sept.1752. It sounded like a typical immigration story until I read about what happened in Charleston the evening they arrived!

 The South Carolina Gazette Reported the following on  September 19, 1752. :

"A ship is just arrived from Rotterdam with German Servants in perfect Health (not one of them having died in passage). Among st them are Tradesmen of all sorts which will be indented on very reasonable terms. By Austin & Laurens" 
"On the 14th in the evening, it began to blow very hard, the wind being a NE and the sky looked wild and threatening. It continued blowing from the same point, till about 4 o'clock in the morning of the 15th, at which time it became more violent and rained, increasing very fast fill about 9, when the flood came in like a bore, filling the harbour in a few minutes. Before 11 o'clock, all the vessels in the harbour were on shore, except The Hornet, a Man-O-War, which rode it out by cutting away her mainmast; all wharfs and bridges were ruined, and every house and store upon them beaten down and carried away, with all the goods therein, as were many houses in the town., and abundances of roofs, chimneys, etc., almost all the tile or slated houses were uncovered and great quantities of merchandize, etc., in the stores on the bay street damaged by their doors being burst open". 

South Carolina Gazette
19 Sept. 1752
© AccessibleArchives.com

 South Carolina Gazette, Charles-Town, October 30, 1752: 
"Whereas the ship UPTON, Captain Gardiner, has been driven upon a marsh near Wappon Creek by late storm, and it will be necessary that a channel be dug through the marsh of 80 or 100 feet long and about 35 feet wide, and 5 or 6 feet deep. Any person both able and willing to undertake such a business, are desired to offer their proposals to Austin and Laurens". 

 Eve Eargle and her family had survived sailing across the ocean from Germany to Charleston only to experience one of the worse storms that Charleston had seen.! 
Eva and her family eventually settled in the Dutch Fork area of South Carolina.where her father was given a Land Grant of 250 acres. 

What do you know about your immigrant ancestors?
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

Celebrating Woman's History Month-Graduation Pictures

 The blog prompt for day 26 from Lisa Alzo's  The Accidental Genealogist is:

What education did your female ancestors receive?


  Today I would like to share my small collection of High School graduation pictures.

Great Grandmother
Loretta "Etta" McManus
St. Joseph's Accademy, Sumter, SC
1911
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Maternal Grandmother
Azile Juanita Daughrity
Sumter, High School, Sumter, SC
1939
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Paternal Grandmother
Mary Baker
Sumter High School, Sumter, SC
1937
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Mother
Brenda Jean Roberts
Camden High School, Camden, SC
1959
© Cheri Hudson Passey

© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Women's History: Called to the Principles Office!

 Lisa Alzo at The Accidental Genealogist has this blog prompt for Day 25 of Celebrating Women's History Month:

Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?

  My Dad tells a funny story about his mother Mary Baker Hudson.  

Dad and his parents -About 1944
Benjamin Allen Hudson (1918-1976)
Mary Baker Hudson ( 1920-2010)
John Allen Hudson
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Dad was -as he will admit-a trouble maker at school and his neighborhood  My Grandmother, "Mimi" as we grandchildren called her, did her best to parent her strong willed, fun loving son.
 She must have known she was in trouble when in 5th grade Dad decided that his math test was too hard, told his teacher that he had to go to the bathroom, and climbed out the window and ran home! 
 One day when Dad was in High School, Mimi was called in for a meeting with the Principle to discuss my Dad's many absences. He pulled out a pile of written excuses that my Dad had  turned in and asked my Grandmother if it was her signature on each of these notes.
 Well, of course it wasn't-my Dad had been turning them in so he wouldn't get in trouble for skipping school and signing his Mother's name himself!
 He told me that she looked at the papers, looked at him, and then said to the Principle-Yes Sir, that's my signature.
 Ha! Ha! I think my sweet Mimi was an enabler! 
 This close call didn't stop him from his rebellious ways. His stories of pranks and trouble making are family lore. Mimi lovingly stood by him, supported him, and on many occasions covered for him.
  All in all she did a great job. As in the case of most Mothers, she is one of the reasons that he became the man he did. He is generous and kind. A loving father, grandfather and great grandfather. And that rebellious spirit? Oh, it's still in there! I am sure that has something to do with her as well!


© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Family History Month-Family Resemblance

Accidental Genealogist Blog Prompt for Day 24-
Do you share any physical resemblance  with one of your female ancestors? Who? 

 My Baker Line:

Martha Victoria Bradford Baker
1862-1947
Great Great Grandmother
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Emma Ruth Baker Early
1901-1993
Great Grandmother
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Mary Baker Hudson
1920-2010
Grandmother
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Me
Cheri Hudson Passey
© Cheri Hudson Passey

What do you think? Family resemblance?



© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Women's History: Lights, Camera, Action!

Blog Prompt for Day 22 from Lisa Alzo at The Accidental Genealogist
 If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

I have always thought that the life of my Great Great Grandmother Beulah Mae Price Roberts would make a great movie. From running away to get married, to loosing three sons during WWII, there would be plenty of comedy and drama for an entertaining and compelling story.

Beulah Mae Price Roberts (1897-1980)
1914
© Cheri Hudson Passey

Here are some of the events that could be portrayed in a movie based on Beulah's life:

• At age 17 Beulah eloped with boyfriend, William Roberts, after pinching her baby brother to distract her mother so she could get out of the house.
• Her father, Cam Price, disappeared when Beulah was about 22, never to be seen or heard from again. Rumors were that she knew what happened and never told.
• From 1916 to 1928 she gave birth to 12 children.
• Her last three children died as infants. One stillborn girl, and a boy and girl who only lived a few months.
• While raising a large family and she also worked in the Cotton Mills of the Carolina's as a Spooler and Weaver. They lived in "Mill Housing".
• All 5 of Beulah's sons served during WWII. Only 2 returned home. One survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
• The Telegrams informing the family of her son's deaths came just weeks apart.
• In 1948 the bodies of two sons were returned to the US for burial. One son's body was never found, but a headstone was placed as a memorial to him next to his brothers. She endured the funeral for three sons on one day.
• The family was able to purchase a large piece of land to build a home in Camden, SC.Part of that land was given to the city to build a hospital. It is on Roberts Road,  named after the sons that gave their lives for their country.
• Beulah's husband William died in 1959. She lived in her home in Camden, SC with her two unmarried daughters until her death in 1980. One of her granddaughters still lives there today.

Beulah Mae Price Roberts (1897-1989)
1970's
© Cheri Hudson Passey

 Who would I cast to play her? I was stumped until I asked my daughter Stephanie. She suggested Maggie Gyllenhaal. I took one look at her and knew why. Perfect casting.

Maggie Gyllenhaal
Photo Source:Wikipedia

© Cheri Hudson Passey

Celebrating Woman's History Month: A Tender Moment-Saying All She Could

Day 21 Blog Prompt from The Accidental Genealogist
Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.

Azile Daughrity Roberts (1921-2009)
Gilbert Ernest Roberts (1920-1944)

 My maternal grandmother, Azile Daughrity Roberts Sullivan, was widowed at age 22. Her husband, my grandfather, was killed in the South Pacific in August of 1944. He died 2 months before their 4th anniversary.
 Grandmom never talked about her first husband, Gilbert Ernest Roberts.

 My mother, Brenda Roberts Hudson, never really knew anything about her father. She was only 3 and her brother, Gilbert "Gil" Roberts, Jr. was just 5 months old when he died.
There were pictures of him in her grandparents home and although she visited there often, she doesn't remember anyone ever talking about her father other than he died serving his country.

 In the early 1990's I decided to tape record an interview of my Grandmother. I asked her about her parents, her grandparents, friends and other memories of growing up in Sumter,SC.
 Then, I asked about Gilbert. She took a deep breath and told me how they had met on the side walk in front of her house. He and some boys from Camden, SC had ridden over to "see what the girls in Sumter were doing".
 Gilbert had friends that were dating girls from her neighborhood.
  She remembered him coming to visit on Easter Sunday wearing a white suit. She said that he rode the bus from Camden and when she went to pick him up "he was the funniest sight I had ever seen- dressed in a white suit, walking in the snow!'
 Sumter had experienced an unexpected snow fall that day.
  They married after dating for a couple of years and moved to Charlotte,NC where Gilbert and his family were working in the Cotton Mill. The Roberts family would be transferred by the Mill back and forth from Camden,SC to Charlotte,NC.as work became available.
  "What kind of person was he?" I asked her. "Oh", she said, wiping her eyes again,(she had been doing that since she began talking about him) "he was a good father, just like your husband is with your kids. He would get off of work at 2:00 on Friday afternoons, and then Brenda was his. I never had to do a thing for her when he was home. He would take her to the petting zoo in town and to the drug store. He did everything for her while I took care of the washing and everything else until it was time for him to go back to work".

 She never did talk about him enlisting in the Marines,other than he could have been differed because he had children, but "he would never do that" she said.
 She never talked about the time he was away Training Camp.
 She never talked about sending him off to San Francisco where he would leave for the South Pacific
 She never talked about that terrible day she received the telegram informing her of his death.
 She never talked of how difficult life was for many years as she struggled to take care of her children and try to get over her grief. 

She did talk about taking her time in deciding to get married again. She wondered how someone could quickly get over the death of a spouse and move on. She said " I still felt very connected to my first marriage". 
  I believe she always did, and, although she didn't say much, I believe she said all she could. 



© Cheri Hudson Passey
  

Celebrating Women's History: And The Wall Came-A-Tumblin' Down!

The Accidental Genealogist suggests this topic for Day 20 :
 Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

   What had started to become a brick wall for me recently came-a-tumblin' down!
 For years I was looking for anything I could find about my great great grandmother Ellen Caroline Martin Early (1850-1926). I had her Obituary that told me that she died in Columbia, SC, but it said that "it was thought that she would be buried in Statesville, NC".  No information was given about her parents or her maiden name.

 Ellen's Death Certificate was no help. Other than confirming that she was buried in Statesville, NC, it had no information on her family or what cemetery. I discovered Ellen's maiden name, Martin, when I found the Death Certificate for her son, my great grandfather, Jubal Ransom Early (1888-1964).

   Several census records in Iredell County, NC showed an E.C , Ellen C, or other variations of her name, as a child, living in the household of a William and Matilda Martin. 
 This looked pretty promising but I had no actual proof as to whether or not this was the right family. 
Then, I got an email about a possible record match for a Family Tree that I had placed online. The link took me to Find A Grave where I was thrilled to find a memorial for
Ellen Caroline Martin Early!

Find a Grave Memorial Page
Ellen Caroline Martin Early
Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell, NC

    
Ellen is buried in Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Statesville, NC, and her parents were- William A. Martin (1813-1887) and Matilda C. Martin (1812-1876)! 
  The family in the Census Records I had found were indeed hers.
 There is no stone marking Ellen's grave. The information on the Memorial was found in the Church Records of Bethesda Presbyterian Church. I am in the process of trying to locate those records to see what else I may be able to find.
 I added her death certificate and obituary to the memorial and, as you can see at the bottom of the page, the original creator was kind enough to transfer this memorial and others in the Martin family to me. He is not related so I am very grateful that he took the time to add the information from this cemetery to Find A Grave.
 From Ellen's memorial page I was able to locate a memorial for her mother,
Matilda C. Martin.

Find A Grave Memorial Page
Matilda C. Martin
Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Statesville, Iredell, NC

  I love what is engraved on Matilda's headstone: "Her last words to her husband and children and friends were "Meet me in Heaven with Jesus"

 Also buried in the same cemetery with memorial pages are Ellen's father, William A. Martin, two brothers, and other members of the Martin family. There are also pages for Ellen's in-laws that provided several pieces of the puzzle of the Early family as well.

Thanks to the help of volunteers and record matching, I was able to remove the bricks from the wall that was starting to form.

Now to find information on William and Matilda and move on up the tree!

Thanks for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,