Shiloh National Military Park

Pension records for John Henry Smith indicated that he participated in the Battle of Shiloh (also known as Pittsburg Landing) during his Civil War service.  

From the History of Waupaca County: "After the breaking out of the Civil War, Mr. Smith, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, enlisted December 1, 1861 in Company F, Eighteenth Wis., V.I., commanded by Capt. Roberts.  At Milwaukee he joined his regiment which soon afterward went to the front and took part in its first battle at Pittsburg Landing.  He also participated in the battle of Corinth and several skirmishes, after which he was taken ill with fever, and being unfitted for further service was honorably discharged in December, 1862." 

Marker for the 18th Wisconsin Infantry

Wisconsin State Monument at Shiloh

In 2008 we were able to visit Shiloh and Corinth in Tennessee. Shiloh is located just north of the Tennessee/Mississippi border. We used information at the visitor center to find where the Wisconsin 18th took part in the battle.


*52 Ancestors: "Military"

Ancestors' Churches

We were fortunate to be able to travel to the villages in Germany and Switzerland where our ancestors were born. We visited churches in Langenaubach, Breitscheid, Thalwil and Horgen. 

The church in Langenaubach is now the town museum; our friend Rita arranged for a tour when we were there in 2008. We met the curator and talked about the archives. In Breitscheid the church had been restored, and the pastor related how they discovered the paintings in the chapel.

Langenaubach, Germany

Breitscheid, Germany

Chapel in Breitscheid church

We had arranged a family reunion in Switzerland in 2008 during the same trip to Europe. Our group visited the churches in Thalwil and Oberrieden/Horgen, villages where the Staub and Leuthold families lived. We could imagine baptisms and marriages taking place in these churches even if they had been restored since the mid 1800s.  

Church in Horgen, Switzerland

Inside the chapel in Horgen

*52 Ancestors: "At Worship"

Apple Trees

A couple of years ago I learned from Peg that a young man in Waupaca County had begun a mission to save old varieties of apple trees. He has done an amazing amount of research to learn what varieties might have been in existence during the late 1800s and has been contacting residents to find out whether any old trees are still growing on farms in the county. He then visits to cut scions from the old varieties to replant.

The oldest orchard on our farm (located west of the buildings) was supposedly planted by A.D. "Appletree" Barnes, so we did some research into that name. 

First orchard on the farm

From his obituary we learned that "in 1887 Mr Barnes disposed of his interests in Fond du Lac County and came to Waupaca County, where he purchased a farm adjoining the city limits of Waupaca City and established the Arctic nursery. For a number of years he lectured at various places in Wisconsin for the farmers’ institutes and was a member of the State Horticultural Society."

From another source we learned the origin of his nickname.

Why are you called A.D. Appletree, Mr. Barnes was asked.

"Why, some years ago I was appointed one of the first institute lecturers for the horticultural society; later my brother was appointed and he lectured on small fruits and I talked on apple trees, till finally to designate one from the other I was called 'Appletree' Barnes and my brother 'Strawberry' Barnes.

I found the name 'Appletree' rather caught the public and I have used it ever since as a trade mark. It has been a winner. Not long ago a letter was addressed to Appletree Barnes, Appleton, and the postmaster knowing that it was for me sent it right along. The name has been a winner for me."


Most interesting for our family history is an item that appeared in one of his catalogues that is in an archive at the University of Stevens Point. "Mrs. J. Henry Smith planted the seed in a flower pot and when it germinated she planted it in the front yard of the house. It is now a lively tree. Keeps until June without rotting; it is a beautiful reddish brown mottled fair sized apple. 1 mile away from the Granite Quarry."


*52 Ancestors: "Nature"

Serendipity in Stavanger

Our cruise ship was about to visit Stavenger, Norway, back in July 2011. The onboard library had a tourist guide for the city that showed the local Norwegian state archives was located just a few steps from where our ship would dock. Since both Larry and I had ancestors from Norway, we decided to visit the archives before we walked around the city proper.

The research room was on the second floor of the building, and almost the first thing I saw on one of the tables in the room was a pamphlet called "Norwegian Pastor to Portage and Waupaca." Olaus Fredrik Duus was the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Scandinavia, Wisconsin from 1854-1857. He wrote letters "home" to Norway during that time that were saved until being published in 2007.

The pamphlet has two parts. The first is called "Historical Background and Ethnic Information" and is a brief history of Wisconsin's settlement followed by a section telling about the first Norwegian settlers in the area. The second part of the pamphlet contains the letters written by Pastor Duus during the years 1855-1858. 

Who would have imagined finding a booklet containing letters written from a pastor in Scandinavia during the time our Rowe family may have been attending the church in a Stavenger research library?


*52 Ancestors: "Out Of Place"

Katherine Staub Wilcox 1930-2018

Katherine Staub Wilcox passed away in December and we will miss one of our most enthusiastic family historians. It was always a pleasure to visit the Wilcox home, located on land that's been in the Staub family since the 1870s. Katherine and her family hosted three different reunion gatherings at the Wilcox place.

Looking at photos

When we went to see Kathy, she would have a collection of items ready for review on the kitchen table. (I don't know if it is a Swiss trait or a Staub trait, but everything related to family was worth saving!) We looked at photos, photo albums, newspaper clippings, family letters and postcards. My favorite piece of Staub family history was Jacob's record of letters sent and received--to relatives still in Switzerland, his sisters in California and other scattered acquaintances. 

Discussing ancestors

We spent much time trying to solve family mysteries, such as Mina's two marriages to Ivar Bentzel and Rudolf Aeberle, the cryptic letter received from Regula Bentzel after they returned to Switzerland and whether the Laager families located in the U.S. were family connections. After a visit with Kathy, I would always have new ideas for continued research.  


*52 Ancestors: "Love"

Davinity Rutherford 1853-1929

The name Davinity seemed quite unusual to me, and it confused other researchers: their decision to label this child a female caused problems in many family trees! At the time of the 1860 census in Indiana, it was stated clearly that he was a male child. Davinity used "David" most of his life, although he gave his first son in a second marriage the same name.

Davinity first married Olive Petty in Stearns County, Minnesota. Not too long after the birth of their sixth child in 1866, she passed away of consumption. Their son Jesse was my cousin's grandfather.

David married for a second time about 1896. He and Etta Blake, his second wife, became the parents of eleven children.  


*52 Ancestors: "Unusual Name"

Clementina Barbara Zajchowska 1894-1978

One of the brick walls in the family research has always been the grandparents from Lithuania and Poland: Dominic and Clementina Zajchowska Churas.

When we visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City in 2015 I was able to consult with Maria, who is the Polish research expert on the International floor. She spent quite some time accessing online records before admitting there was no information available for the Zajchowski family. There was also no microfilm for that area of Poland.

Maria did have a friend in Poland who was willing look for church or civil records. Clementina's baptismal record stated the parish was Niewodna, although an address from her sister Olympia who corresponded with Grandma Churas was Grodzisko. 

Mieczyslaw spent several weeks visiting different parishes and record offices in the Wisniowa area. Ultimately, he was able to locate four birth records of children born to the same parents. 

Clementina, born 7 Feb 1894                                                    

Jozef, born 10 Sep 1896
Olympia, born 4 Apr 1901, died 18 Jan 1979
Andreas, born 7 May 1904, died 8 Nov 1908

All four were children of Adalbertus Zajchowski, son of Jozef and Agatha Seremet Zajchowski and Francisca Cierpial, daughter of Casimirus and Marianna Gruszczynska Cierpial.

After 20 years of wondering about Grandma Churas' family, we finally had two generations of ancestors!


*52 Ancestors: "Brick Wall"