Friday, March 15, 2024

50 Miejsc - Konin

 

W Koninie nigdy nie byłam. Bywało, że przejeżdżałam przez Konin pociągiem. Nie miałam jednak powodu, by wysiąść na przystanku Konin.

Jakie miejsca w Koninie poleca w swojej serii slajdów Pani Alina? Zobaczcie sami (kliknij na pierwszy slajd, by powiększyć obraz).

 

I jeszcze wiadomosć od Pani Aliny.


 Cd nastąpi...

Więcej o Autorce możesz dowiedzieć się w jednym z poprzednich postów - czytaj tutaj.

 --

Bibliografia będzie podana na zakończenie serii.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

I for (Texas) Independence Day

 

Texas Declaration of Independence was signed on March 02, 1836.

The Texas Independence Day is observed annually in Luckenbach, TX. The ceremony is Texas Patriotic and quite uplifting.


 It all starts with the Texas song and clapping.

Then comes the hymn.

The first responders, Texas Rangers, the military, Border Patrol, and teachers are appreciated. 

 

 

Next, the history part comes - the Alamo is mentioned of course.



 

Every year, among others, an old Texas flag is taken down and retired in a very solemn mode. It is followed by putting up a new flag. 
 
 
There is also Pistol Packing' Paula, presenting her skills.



More about the Texas Declaration of Independence - History Facts: HERE.

Friday, March 8, 2024

Danish Family Story

 This is a family ancestry story shared by late Ms. Karna Ch., a dear Friend of Denmark.

"Ready for a true (or almost true) story ??????????

Find Vejle on the map. The mansion Tirsbæk is situated near that city. This mansion was once owned by a gentleman named Niels de Linde (1678 - 1746).

Map of Denmark - Vejle marked in red

"Lind" is the Danish word for the tree Linden.

There were many people in the household, of course. One of them was a girl named Maren, who took care of the hens and milked the cows. She was the daughter of a very poor shoemaker.

Maren was very beautiful, which was soon noted by Sir Niels. He promoted her to a position inside the mansion.
(If you now have naughty thoughts – it's YOUR problem!!!!! I never even whispered anything!!!!)
Christen de Linde was the son and heir to wealthy Tirsbæk. He saw Maren's beauty too and fell so much in love that he wanted to marry her.

Tirsbæk Gods manor house, situated in Egnum Parish, Hattum Herdeg, Vejle Municipality. The farm is mentioned in the document written in 1410, however, the main mansion building was built in 1550. Seven years later a park (12 hectares) was created around the house. The entire estate covers 414 hectares.
In the 1770s Niels de Linde modernized and beautified the building structure. He also built a big barn around the mansion and turned the hill around Tirsbæk into an impressive, Italian-style garden.

The entire family and nobility opposed the idea – even hinted that Maren had had an affair with Christen's father – it turned into a major scandal, but they were married in 1752.

 The Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen, DK -Christen and Maren were married there.

The property had a riding bailiff of course. His name was Jørgen Hvas, and he was a handsome guy.
We'll never know the true story about the events that now happened, but:
Somehow a big spike went through Christen's scull.

Somehow Maren and Jørgen were married about a year later.

Jørgen got a new name more fit for nobility and bought new titles. He was ennobled in 1761 and was from then on 'Chancellery Council and Council of Justice Sir Jørgen Hvas de Lindenpalm'.

They donated lots of valuables to the local church and other charities, BUT Maren may – just MAY – be the one who hammered the spike into the skull, and that's why she to this day can be seen at Tirsbæk as a ghost called 'The Grey Lady'.
 
Jørgen turned out to be a poor businessman and managed to lose all his money and properties before he died."
 
Dear Karna, thanks for sharing the story! 
The additional info (in green and below) added by myself to complete the family tale shared by my Friend.

-----
More about the people mentioned above:

Christen de Linde was the son of Niels de Linde (b. 1678/d. 12 August 1746, Engum, Hatting, Vejle, Denmark), nobleman and his wife Karen Andersdatter Rosenkrantz (b. 1694/d. 6 May 1736 - Tirsbæk Gods, Engum, Hatting, Vejle, Denmark).
 

 Niels de Linde's parents: Christen de Linde (1626/1706) and his wife Dorothea Nielsdatter Solgaard (1639/1685) - the epitaph in Holstebro church, Hjerm, Ringkøbing, Denmark

Church in Engum

Christen de Linde was born  in 1725, in Kærgårdsholm, Håsum, Rødding, Viborg, Denmark. When he was 27, on 5 January 1752, Christen married Maren Jørgensdatter Loss (b. 1721/d. 1778, Horsens Købstad, Nim, Skanderborg, Denmark). The marriage took place in the Church of Our Lady (the cathedral) in Copenhagen (1). Christen was 31 when he died. The man was buried on 10 May 1756 in the Engum church, Hatting, Vejle, Denmark.

Sir Jørgen Hvas de Lindenpalm and Maren had a daughter Christine Linde Hvas de Lindenpalm (born on 9 September 1758). On 23 January 1774, Christine married William Halling, a landowner who was known to be "a peasant tormentor". Halling bought the Tirsbæk and Bryskesborg mansions from Christen's father when the latter was in financial distress. Tirsbæk was named Williamsborg then.

de Linde family tomb in Holsterbro church


Additional Source:

Geneanet.org,
Wikipedia
1. "Denmark Marriages, 1635-1916", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FKS9-6W1: 20 February 2020), Maren Jorgensdr Lohs in the entry for Christen Linde, 1752.
: 20 February 2020), Maren Jorgensdr Lohs in entry for Christen Linde, 1752.

Photos:

  • Map of Denmark: Hubertus, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons,
  • Tirsbæk Gods manor house: JEK, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons ,
  • The Church of Our lady, Copenhagen: Photo: by Yalcin, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons,
  • Niels de Linde's parents: Jürgen Howaldt, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons,
  • Engum church: Photo: Bococo, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons,
  • de Linde family tomb in Holsterbro church: Jürgen Howaldt, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

My British Associations - A

If you follow my blog, you probably notice I enjoy doing "alphabets" - compilations of posts on a certain topic.
This one is a follow-up to the alphabet challenge taken up by Viola, a colleague blogger, and the author of "My British Journey". I have challenged Viola to write entries of the alphabet series related to her life in the UK.

She agreed and asked her readers to share their associations with the country. Since I challenged Viola, I thought I should answer her.


So here it is.

I need to add that, contrary to Viola, I have not lived in GB permanently. My associations are based on my life in Europe and a few visits to the country.
 
A
 
At first, Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery, came to my mind. He is a British character, but fictional, created by American filmmakers. I guess it does not count, then.
 


A British A? Alan Parsons Project has already been mentioned on this blog.


Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Peter Metzger & Family

Peter Metzger was born on 10 March 1861, north of Fredericksburg.  His birthday is coming soon.

Peter was the second youngest child (the youngest son) of Jakob Metzger and Anna Maria Trumm. Peter's grandparents, Catherine Leyendecker and Friedrich Metzger, were mentioned in the previous post dedicated to Johann Leyendecker


Baby Peter was about 17 months old when his father died. Jakob Metzger was a farmer. The man owned 113 acres of land, which he claimed on 24 September 1857 (1).

👉 Census 30 June 1870 - Peter, his mother Anna (age 44), and his siblings were recorded by a Census clerk, Rudolph Runge. They lived in the Fredericksburg Valley, Gillespie County, Post Office Fredericksburg (2). Anna ran the family farm with the help of her children Johann (age 20), Wendelin (age 19), Adam (age 16), Friedrick (age 15), Christian (age 12), Eva (age 7), and 9-year-old Peter. The boy's grandfather Friedrich (age 89) lived with the family as well.
 

 

A few months after the census, on ♦ 9 February 1871, Friedrich Metzger, the patriarch of the Metzger family, passed away.

On 12 February 1874, Peter's eldest brother Johann started his own family and left the family home. Johann's spouse was Elisabeth Kunz (3).

Wendelin, the second eldest brother of Peter, married their sister-in-law, Anna Maria Kunz, on 13 November 1877 (4).
 
When Peter grew up, he continued to help his mother run the farm and earn money to make ends meet. At the age of 17, he hauled hay for his brother (on a wagon with a team of 8 oxen) to Fort McKavitt and Fort Concho.

 
At the age of 24, on 9 September 1885 (5), Peter married Miss Emma Sophie Houy (born on 22 August 1862). She was the daughter of Ernst Houy and Dorothea Mengis.

 
 
Peter and Sophie moved to the Cherry Mountain area. The young man bought 320 acres from his father-in-law and built a log house there. It had two rooms and a dirt floor.

Children were born to the couple:
  • Alvin August - born on 4 June 1887 (6),
  • Edward - on 9 November 1888 (7),
  • Hulda - 23 December 1895 (8),
  • Dorothea - 18 October 1899 (9).

👉 Tax Records 1896 - Peter had bought more land (160 acres) from Sophie's father. Those acres were of better quality than the 320 he got previously as the record informs the 160 were worth $500 and the 320 only $400. In that year Peter also paid taxes for 4 horses and 15 head of cattle (10).

Mr. Peter Metzger was a farmer. Besides cattle, he also raised sheep and hogs. His additional job was cleaning out dirt tanks (with a horse and a scraper) for the public.

 

👉 Census - March 1900 - the family was registered during the census in Justice Precinct #4, Gillespie, TX. 80-year-old mother of Sophie, Dorothea Houy, lived with Peter, Sophie, and their children (11).

After about 17 years in the Cherry Mountain area, Peter Metzger sold his land and purchased 640 acres in Mason County, between the Union Community and Fly Gaps. The family moved to the new place on 28 December 1901.

Alvin August was married in about 1909 to Annie Mary Jung (born on 14 January 1896, Gillespie, TX). She was the daughter of Jacob Rudolph Jung and Maria Hartmann.
1909 - Ed (Edward Arnold) was married to Alma Alice Brown (born on 14 May 1890, Mason County, TX), the daughter of Robert Leonardo Brown and Elizabeth Adella Fleming (12).

Sophie's mother, Dorothea, passed on ♦ 19 February 1910.

👉 Census 7/8 May 1910 - Peter Metzger (age 49), his wife Sophia (age 47), and their two daughters, Hulda (age 13), and Dora (age 10) lived in the household in 🏡 Justice Precinct #8, Mason County, TX (13).

After 12 years in Mason County, Peter sold half of his acres to Ernest Leifeste. The sons Alvin and Ed were given 160 acres each. Peter, his wife, and their daughters moved to Fredericksburg.

29 December 1913 - 19-year-old Hulda married 27-year-old Mr. Harold Edward Stork (14). He was born on 11 July 1886 in Gillespie, to Adolph Stork and Angelina Markwardt Stork.

 👉 12 January 1920 - another census - Peter, Sophie, and their youngest daughter Dorothea lived in Justice Precinct #1, Gillespie, TX (15).

In the same year, on 28 April (16), Dorothea (age 20) married a year older Edward Louis Woerner (born on 23 December 1898). Dotothea's in-laws were Mr. Louis Woerner and Mrs. Kornelia Treibs Woerner.

 

Peter Metzger lived in Fredericksburg with his wife until the day of his passing, which came at 7:05 PM, on ♦ 11 April 1937. The man lived 76 years, 1 month, and 1 day (17). His body was buried at the City Cemetery in Fredericksburg.

Peter's wife Emma Sophie passed about a year later, on ♦ 13 February 1938 (18).
 


---

This post is part of our series "They lived in Texas".

Sources:

  • "Mason County Historical Book", Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976.  
  • Findagrave.com

1. Cushing, E. H. The Weekly Telegraph (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 29, No. 15, Ed. 1 Tuesday, June 23, 1863, newspaper, June 23, 1863; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth236238/: accessed February 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.
 2. "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXL5-J5D : Tue Oct 03 23:17:57 UTC 2023), Entry for Anna Metzgar and John Metzgar, 1870.
3. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FX3B-YXS : 22 January 2020), Johann Metzger, 1874.
4. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-K7S : Thu Nov 30 11:49:30 UTC 2023), Entry for Wendelin Metzger and Anna Maria Kunz, 13 Nov 1877.
5. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-9VBQ : Thu Nov 30 11:52:17 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophie Hauy, 09 Sep 1885.
6. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6P9-SL2 : 13 February 2020), Peter Metzger in entry for Alvin August Metzger, 1887.
7. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LKL-TK6Z : 14 February 2020), Edward Arnold Metzger, 1888.
8. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6PM-74N : 13 February 2020), Peter Metzger in entry for Hulda Emma Metzger, 1895.
9. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6PM-3Y6 : 13 February 2020), Peter Metzger in entry for Dorathea Metzger, 1899.
10. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-TP7X : Sat Dec 16 08:23:52 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger, 1896.
11. "United States Census, 1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3GZ-7DB : Fri Oct 06 07:59:37 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophia Metzger, 1900.
12. Mason County Marriages
13. "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2QH-Q1K : Fri Oct 06 08:54:35 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophia Metzger, 1910.
14. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-9G2W : Thu Nov 30 02:13:28 UTC 2023), Entry for Harold E. Stork and Hulda E. Metzger, 29 Dec 1914.
15. "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9C-SMQ : Thu Dec 07 23:02:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophie Metzger, 1920.
16. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-95VZ : Thu Nov 30 11:48:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Erwin L. Weerner and Dorothea Metzger, 28 Apr 1920.
17. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3H5-2HH : Fri Feb 16 21:35:29 UTC 2024), Entry for Peter Metzger and Jacob Metzger, 11 April 1937.
18. "Texas Death Index, 1903-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZDV-VLB : 24 May 2014), Emma Sophie Metzger, 13 Feb 1938; from "Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2006); citing certificate number 7623, Gillespie, Texas, Texas Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Austin. 
 
Photos: August 2020

Monday, February 19, 2024

O for ORP Orzeł

 


I mean the Polish submarine "Orzeł" ("Eagle") that was built in 1936/commissioned in 1939 and proudly served in the Polish Navy during WWII. My Grandma's cousin was one of the crew members on the vessel. Unfortunately, my Mom cannot recall his name.

 

In June 1940, the submarine did not return to its base. The circumstances of its disappearance are not clear. Probably, it was hit by a sea mine, or struck by an aircraft. Anyhow, "Orzeł" was lost at sea, and all its crew perished.

After WWII, several expeditions were organized to find the submarine or its remains. 
 
 
I think it will be found. I had a dream in which I attended an event celebrating the find. A local women's choir sang there. The women were wearing long dresses with long aprons on them. I could hear a man's voice announcing that the pieces of the submarine were found 300/400 meters under the sea surface level, near the defensive ramparts of Finland. The vessel was buried in a hole in the sea bottom, covered by sand. The announcement was not in Polish, though. I am not sure why.
 
 
 
The submarine you can see in the photos was built in Riga in 1986. It is the third "Orzeł" submarine that has served in the Polish Navy. 
 
 
The photographs were taken during the send-off event celebrating another ORP "Orzeł" search expedition (Balexmetal 2008).
 
Inside the expedition ship

 

Research equipment
---

"My Polish Alphabet" is a posts series related to things, places, and people that come to my mind when I think about Poland.

Friedrick Luther Bracher

Frederich Luther Bracher was born in Fredericksburg, TX, on 28 December 1917. His parents were Frederick Albert Bracher and his wife, Emma Hardt. Rev. F. A. Bracher started his ministerial service at Zion Lutheran church in the town in the very same year.

Frederick Luther grew up in Fredericksburg.  In 1920, the boy lived with his parents and five siblings in Justice Precinct #1, Gillespie, TX (1). Having completed his education in Fredericksburg, F. L. Bracher studied at Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, Texas, Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa as well.

The man's WWII Military Draft Registration inform about his whereabouts at that time (2).
 

 
On June 4, 1942, young Mr. Frederick married Miss Gladys Bauer. The ceremony took place in Iowa. 
 
 

 Clippings source: The Harper Herald (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, June 19, 1942, newspaper, June 19, 1942; Harper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth896910/: accessed June 14, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Harper Library.

 
A few weeks later, on June 21, Frederick Luther Bauer was ordained by his father, Rev. F. A. Bracher, in Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg.
 
 
Rev. F. L. Bracher's first call place was  St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Sagerton, Texas. Subsequently, the Pastor worked at the following churches:
  • Trinity Lutheran Church in Haskell, Texas,
  • St. Peter Lutheran Church in Spokane, Washington,
  • First Lutheran Church in Avoca, Nebraska,
  • St. Paul Lutheran Church in (Shive) Hamilton, Texas,
  • Trinity Lutheran Church in Pottsville, Texas,
  • St. John Lutheran Church in Bartlett, Texas, and
  • Salem Lutheran Church in Welcome, Texas.
 
The minister passed on August 28, 1987, in Gillespie, TX (2). His body was laid for eternal rest at the Greenwood Cemetery in Fredericksburg.
 
 
Sources:
1. "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9C-8B2 : 3 February 2021), Frederick L Bracher in entry for Fred A Bracher, 1920.
2.
"Iowa, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9Q-SK3K : Sat Feb 10 07:17:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Frederick Luther Bracher and Theological Student, 16 Oct 1940.
  3. "Texas Death Index, 1964-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JVTN-KPG : 5 December 2014), Frederick Luther Bracher, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing Department of State Health Services, Austin.

SWT Synod

Photos included in the posts - from our walk on 12 August 2010.