Theopolis Deneau

Well, because I continue to hit brickwall after brickwall with my GG Grandparents Charles and Katherine Ball, I have decided to change course for a short while. Believe me, I am not giving up on researching Charles and Katherine, just taking a short break from their branch of my family tree.
Theopolis Deneau or Theophile Deno (Denno) is another one of my maternal GG Grandfathers. Theopolis married Belle Boudreau in January of 1881 in Newton County, Indiana. Unfortunately he died in June of that same year. At this point in time it seems that there is no death certificate for Theopolis. His death is not listed on the Newton County death index. I have been in contact with Newton County, Indiana GenWeb Coordinator Beth Bassett who has been an absolute gem! I asked Beth if there may have been a death notice published in the local Kentland, Indiana newspaper. The reason I was focusing on the Kentland area was because Theopolis and Belle Deneau's daughter Eva Belle was born in Kentland, Indiana in December of 1881. Despite researching the Kentland Gazette for the entire year of 1881, Beth was unable to locate any information on my GG Grandfather. Beth informed me that newspapers "very seldom printed obits for people unless they were business people, or church people." I cannot thank Beth enough for all the time and effort she put into to helping me with my family research. Theopolis may have died in a different town or even a different county in Indiana. I really don't know. I believe that he is buried in the Dehner Cemetery (AKA, St. Anthony's Cemetery) in Benton County, Indiana. Without a death certificate or a published death notice I might not get too far, so my next area to research will be the Dehner Cemetery. Cemeteries should keep burial records, I might just get lucky. A burial record may also give me the town Theopolis resided in at the time of his death. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I may learn more about another GG Grandfather! A road trip may be in my future!

Mother's Day, 2008

Lucille Hanaway Guinee

1912-1998

Yesterday would have been my grandmother Lucy's 96th birthday! I am very fortunate to have MANY wonderful memories of my grandmother. My mother, sisters and I grew up less than five miles away from her home. After church on some Sunday's we went to her home where we enjoyed a fried chicken dinner, homemade mashed potatos, sweet corn, salad-with her own homemade oil and vinegar dressing and of course dessert--homemade chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. I can still see the blue metal cake saver sitting on top of the cart in her small breezeway kitchen. My mother and grandmother would chat with each other while my sisters and I went to the park or played outside.

On most Sundays though, we went out to visit our relatives in Indiana. My grandmother Lucy was born and raised in Indiana and that is where even to this day, most of my relatives live. We would travel to Gary, Crown Point, and Hebron visiting my Aunt Mabel, Aunt Toots, Aunt Berniece, Uncle Homer, Uncle Jim, and my grandmothers other siblings and all their families. There are a lot of relatives in Indiana! Many of my relatives were farmers so this "city girl" loved the "country". I loved playing in the barn, swinging on the truck tire swing, running in the crops, getting close (but not too close!) to the farm animals. Little did I know how much those visits would mean to me someday!

So, to my grandmother, my beloved mother, my many aunts, my sister, thank you for the memories! Thank you for being terrific role models of mothers! Happy Mother's Day!

Chicago Genealogy

It appears that Gussie L. Sommer may not be related to my family after all. I requested her marriage certificate and she and Paul were married at St. Paul's Church in Chicago. So, no double wedding for my Katharine and Gussie. I looked up Gussie and Paul's marriage on the Illinois State Marriage Index and found the certificate number. I recently found a more reasonable resource for obtaining a copy of vital records found in the Illinois State Archives. This resource is Chicago Genealogy. This resource is extremely fast, less expensive than the Cook County Clerk's office and super convenient! I emailed my request in the afternoon, received an invoice that evening, made a PayPal payment immediately and the next morning I received links to my vital record requests! Talk about service. No running to the mail box waiting for snail mail. Great job Chicago Genealogy ! Thank you.