VISITING COLOGNE - THEN AND NOW

Part 7 of the series on Retracing Their Footsteps 

[Charles Sherlock with Richard Nebgen and his brothers in 1961]

Charles and Theresa Sherlock arrived in Cologne, Germany at 6pm on 30 May 1961. They met Richard [Nebgen] [son of Adolph Nebgen – Grandma’s paternal side] and his brothers – Gunter, Sieglinde and Alfous Nebgen. Altogether there were 12 people.  They had drinks, dinner and singing.  They then got into 4 cars [18 people by now – probably spouses and other relatives] for a tour of Cologne. They also took a walk on the promenade and then went to Richard’s house.  Later, Richard drove them back to their hotel – Hotel Augustinerplatz in Koln. “They are wonderful people" is what Theresa wrote in her travel diary. [This was probably the first time that Theresa had met her German Nebgen relatives.]

Before leaving Cologne the next morning, Charlie and Theresa visited the Kolner Dom, the Cologne Cathedral.  Grandma Theresa (she's in the light red coat in the photo) wrote in her travel diary, that this was the "most beautiful cathedral".  

The first time I viewed the slides of Grandpa Charlie's and Grandma Theresa's month-long trip to Europe in 1961, I was in awe of the photo of my Grandma standing in front of the grand Cathedral in Cologne.  As time passed, the Cathedral and the city of Cologne was not only placed on my "bucket list" but was placed near the top. So, you can only imagine how excited I was to visit the Kolner Dom on our Rhine River Cruise trip in 2015. 

We arrived at the Cathedral in Cologne (High Cathedral of St. Peter & Mary) at 10am on a Sunday [23 August 2015].  Since Mass was being celebrated in the Cathedral, we were only allowed to visit in the back of the cathedral. Since we couldn't visit more of the Cathedral that morning, we took a walking tour of the city.  Cologne was once a Roman settlement called "Colonia Agrippina".  Old Roman ruins remain in this city and we saw some of them.

After lunch, we had the opportunity to explore more of the Cathedral in Cologne.  We saw the beautiful stained-glass windows and ornate gold shrine on an elaborate altar.  I thought the Cathedral was very impressive.   I have read that this is the most visited spot by tourists in Germany.  I can understand why!

The Cologne Cathedral was started in 1248 but the construction was halted in 1473.  Then in the 1800’s the construction was once again started and finally completed in 1880. The Cologne Cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe.

Of course, we took some photos re-enacting some of the ones my Grandma was in 1961.  I purposely brought a photo or 2 of my Grandma in front of this magnificent cathedral with me on the trip. I always liked this photo of her (in the red coat) in front of the Cathedral.  The problem was there were way too many people walking back and forth to take a photo where you would see us.  So instead we stood closer to where the photographer took the original photo.

From the two photos you will notice that things have changed.  There is no longer that small patch of grass in front of the cathedral.  Also, there is no longer a street in front of the cathedral but rather a "plaza" where people walk through or gather.

I loved my short visit to Cologne and to its magnificent cathedral!  

CRUISING THE RHINE RIVER

Part 6 of the series on Retracing Their Footsteps 

Once in Amsterdam, my Grandparents [Charles and Theresa Sherlock]  boarded a steamship for a river tour down the Rhine River.  They weren't on a river cruise like the ones offered by Viking and others these days.  Theirs was more of a "hop on, hop off" boat ride. 

While my Grandparents began their trip down the Rhine River in Amsterdam, that’s where we ended our river cruise.  

In 2015, my brother, his wife, my husband and I took a Viking Cruise, beginning in Basel, Switzerland and ending in Amsterdam. We made stops in Breisach, Germany [for the Black Forest]; Colmar, France; Strasbourg, France;Heidelberg, Germany; Rudesheim, Germany; Koblenz, Germany; Cologne, Germany; Kinderdijk, Netherlands and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Charlie and Theresa stopped for lunch in the town of Elten, Germany, which was a part of the Netherlands from 1949 -1963.  Our stop before Amsterdam on our 2015 Rhine River cruise was at Kinderdijk, which is 1 hour and 15 minutes north and west of Elten.

  

RETRACING THEIR FOOTSTEPS - BRUSSELS AND AMSTERDAM

Part 5 of the Series on Retracing Their Footsteps

On 28 May 1961, Charles and Theresa flew to Brussels and had lunch in Brussels.  They traveled by bus to Amsterdam, arriving at their Hotel Suisse at 7pm. They took a walk with another couple. The next day they went sightseeing – on a boat trip on the Rhine River. They visited the old St. Nicholas Church in Amsterdam.  On their visit to Amsterdam, they bought a ceramic windmill that played music for each of their sons' family.  As a child, I remember ours sat on our TV in the living room.  

In 2015, my husband, brother and sister-in-law visited the city of Amsterdam. We walked to the flower market and then back to our hotel, the Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel.  Our hotel was 2 streets west and a few blocks north of their hotel – Hotel Suisse.  We enjoyed a canal dinner cruise on our first night in Amsterdam.

The following day my husband and I took a tour that included the towns of Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken [which are all north of Amsterdam].

So, one of my objectives when I visited Amsterdam was to find and purchase a ceramic windmill to display in our home.  I found the perfect one at Delft Blue.  Now, every time, I look at it in our entertainment center, I think about my Grandparents and about our 2015 trip to Amsterdam. Such great memories!

RETRACING THEIR FOOTSTEPS - LONDON, ENGLAND

Part 4 of the Series on Retracing their Footsteps

Theresa and Charlie arrived at the Regent Palace Hotel in London, England at 10:30pm on 26 May 1961. The next day they hired a cab for three hours and saw Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria’s statue, House of Commons, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.  They also saw in London the following sites – House of Parliament, Tower of London, London Bridge, Thames River, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Piccadilly Square.

So far, my experience of being London, consists of spending a few hours in the London Airport with my daughter on our way to Milan in July 2019.  Hoping to someday spend some time in London and see the sites.

RETRACING THEIR FOOTSTEPS - COUNTY MEATH, IRELAND

Part 3 of the Series on Retracing Their Footsteps

May 26, 1961 – “Pat Sherlock picked us up.  What a ride in the country we had. We visited more Sherlocks, Christian and his wife, then to Dad’s father’s old homestead.  It was lovely. The people who live there did some changes [Charlie’s father Edward lived there in the 1870’s and 1880’s] but the lady let us take pictures and look around.  There was over 60 acres and all the land was green”.

Pat Sherlock, their driver, is the son of Patrick Joseph Sherlock.  So therefore, a sister to Agnes Sherlock and 1^st cousin to Charlie. Edward Sherlock’s old homestead [probably the house he grew up in] was in Demailestown [in Wilkinstown] but at some time they also lived in a house in Ladyrath [in Wilkinstown].  That seems like a place they were at for a shorter time.

“We went to Pat Sherlock’s for lunch. We saw his land and cattle then took another trip around to the Carey’s. Also saw the Ladyrath home.  We sure covered a lot of ground, beautiful roads and farms”.

Demailestown and Ladyrath are very close to one another. Actually, both of them are included in the bigger town of Wilkinstown.  While they are listed as townlands, they are more like housing developments.  So, think of a housing development in a rural setting with a few houses. Demailestown and Ladyrath are west of Drogheda, east of Kells, and north of Navan and Kilmessan.  I looked at both Demailestown and Lady Rath on Google Earth and couldn’t find a house like the one in the above photo.  Of course, this photo is from over 50 years ago and the house very likely could have been torn down and a new one built.

While we were in County Meath in 2015, I tried to find these townlands in person, but it is much harder than trying to locate places on Google Earth.  Oh, if it could be just that easy! Of course, it didn’t help that we didn’t have GPS, so it was rather like looking for a needle in a haystack!  The roads were tiny rural roads and there were not many signs. We drove past Lobinstown, Wilkinstown, Slane Castle and Navan.  Lady Rath and Demailestown is to the east of the main part of Wilkinstown.  So, alas, I did not actually get to see Lady Rath or Demailestown despite our efforts. But since Ladyrath and Demailestown is in Wilkinstown we came very close to it.  It really helped Charlie and Teresa that they had a driver who was very familiar with the area to take them to these townlands in 1961.

The Carey’s are the children/descendants of Elizabeth Sherlock [sister of Edward] and her husband Nicholas Carey.  I am not sure which Carey’s, Theresa and Charlie met with on their trip.

“We picked up Pat’s wife of 4 years and went to see Agnes who has 9 children.  Her husband was 50 years old [when they married] and she was 20.  He is now 70 and she is 40 years old.  After visiting Agnes, they visited Mary Glacken in Navan, who had dinner ready for everyone.”

Even though Charles and Theresa only spent two days in Ireland, they met a lot of relatives and visited several their homes.  Charles and Theresa also visited the old homestead of Bryan Sherlock and Margaret Caffrey Sherlock in Demailestown, where Charlie’s father Edward Sherlock was raised.  Edward died when Charlie was just a baby, so I am sure that their visit to the old homestead was rather emotional for Charlie.

I would not only have loved to visit the townlands of Demailestown and Lady Rath, but also meet any remaining Sherlock/Caffrey/Carey relatives still living in the area

RETRACING THEIR FOOTSTEPS - IRELAND

Charlie and Theresa started off their trip in Ireland after stopping briefly in London.

Charles and Theresa arrived about 5pm [25 May 1961] in Dublin and took a taxi to the Shelbourne Hotel [which was not too far from St. Stephen's Green (a huge luscious green park-like area in the middle of Dublin)]. They first saw two of Charlie's relatives when they spotted two women at the hotel -- a Mary Glacken and an Agnes Sherlock.

According to my research, Mary Glacken is the daughter of Patrick Glacken and Mary Ann Sherlock.  She would have been a first cousin of Charlie [Charles’ father Edward and Mary’s mother Mary Ann were siblings.] I have not figured out how Agnes Sherlock was related to Charlie.  However, I am now thinking perhaps that Agnes is the daughter of Patrick Joseph Sherlock and Mary McCullagh [who are also the parents of Patrick Sherlock, who is mentioned later.] Agnes would be a 1^st cousin of Charlie too. There is a mention of a Margaret Sherlock. 

In 2012, while visiting Ireland for the Notre Dame vs. Naval Academy football game at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, my husband and I walked past St. Stephen’s Green to go shopping. St. Stephen’s Green is so gorgeous and very green!

Grandma Theresa doesn’t write much about visiting spots in Dublin itself. From her diary, it seems like they spent most of their time in the smaller villages, even though they stayed the two nights at a hotel in Dublin.

                                          [St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin in 2012]

In 2015, we did spend a short time in Dublin.  My son flew in after we had already gone to visit the Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park.  We picked up my son from the Dublin Airport and stayed overnight at the Ashling Hotel in Dublin. We visited the Guinness Warehouse and the Jameson Distillery in Dublin. So, I guess both my grandparents and us used Dublin more as a place to arrive and leave, rather than a destination to explore. 

                                        [The River Liffey in Dublin]

RETRACING THEIR FOOTSTEPS - INTRODUCTION

Fifty-eight years ago, my paternal grandparents Charlie and Theresa Sherlock went on this incredible European trip.  I have since dubbed it "Their Grand European Adventure". They left Burbank, California on 22 May 1961 and arrived back home a month later.  Of course, since I was only six years old at the time, I don't really remember much about it.  It started with a "Send Off " picnic at North Hollywood Park with family and extended family members.  However, after my Dad's death in 2001, I inherited the travel slides and Grandma's travel diary from that trip.  I have looked at the slides numerous times, throwing out the ones with scenery but no people, which was a huge mistake!  I also have read Grandma's travel diary too many times to count trying to piece together the photos with where they were taken.  I have tried to figure out who were the relatives (ones I have never met) in the photos.  I have used Wikipedia and Google Maps, but things have changed a lot in the past 58 years.

Ever since I saw the slides and read the travel diary, I have had this burning desire to re-trace as many of their European Adventure steps as possible. I know that I won't get it all done in one trip but that it may take a number of trips across the Pond, which will give me great joy!

Not only am I trying to continue my quest of re-tracing their footsteps, but I also want to write about it - comparing my visit with theirs (what they saw, activities they participated in and people they met). I will use the itinerary order of their trip.  Sections directly from Theresa's travel diary will be in italics.

Let me end this introduction with a travel quote that sums up my view of travel from an unknown source --

"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer".

HAPPY 120TH BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA THERESA

Today, my paternal grandmother Theresa Barbara Ann Nebgen Sherlock would be celebrating her 120th birthday.  Theresa was born on 13 November 1899 in Chicago, Illinois to Peter Joseph Nebgen and Theresa Homrich Nebgen.  She had two older sisters, Helen and Anna, and an older brother Emil. As the baby of the family, she out lived her parents and her siblings, as probably expected.  However, she lived 10 years past the death of her remaining sibling.

Theresa got married when she was 18 years old and her spouse was only 17 years old. Even back then, her parents were not amused by their elopement and made each of them live with their own parents for a few years. If they still felt that way later, they could be together.  Well, they did feel that way and they stayed together for a very long time.  We celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1968 with a weekend long celebration.  Ten years later, we celebrated their 60th anniversary with the same enthusiasm but less partying!  Two months after their 65th anniversary, my Grandpa Charlie died.

My Grandpa Charlie seemed to be larger than life so he tended to get all of the attention. Theresa, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy going along for the ride. Theresa and Charlie did have some great adventures, including their month long trip to Europe in 1961, which I like to call "Their Grand European Adventure".  They also took shorter trips to Hawaii and Mexico.

 Theresa did have a long life, living to the age of  93, dying in June of 1993.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA THERESA!!

LENNY SACHS

Every now and then, instead of discussing one of my ancestors, I write about someone who had some sort of impact on my ancestors.  Today I am writing about my Dad's (Donald Sherlock) godfather.  I thought it was very appropriate, especially since we are in March Madness (yes, the tournament is longer these years, lasting into April) and that the team from Loyola Chicago is playing in the Final Four.

Growing up, my Dad told me that his godfather was Lenny Sachs, a basketball coach for Loyola Chicago.  According to him, he was rather legendary.  My Dad said that when he was a kid, that Lenny had brought his team out to Los Angeles to play the UCLA Bruins (okay, that is my team!) and that my Dad was the ball boy for the Loyola team.

I thought I should research Lenny Sachs to find out what I could learn about him.  I learned that he earned 11 varsity letters in high school.  Okay, that is impressive!   After graduating from high school, Lenny joined the Navy (this was during World War I).  After his stint in the Navy, he returned to Chicago to attend college and coach high school basketball.

Okay, here's where it gets interesting and even more fascinating!  While attending college, he also played in the NFL for the Chicago Cardinals.  Lenny even scored the first points in the history of the franchise. 

After he graduated from college, he became the college basketball coach for Loyola.  At the same time we was still playing in the NFL.  After a few years, he decided to just focus his energies on coaching basketball, which unsurprisingly got better when that was his sole focus.

Lenny used a 2-2-1 zone defense that was so successful, a goal tending rule was adopted in 1937.  That didn't really stop Lenny and Loyola since they were 21-0 before losing in the NIT Championship game in Madison Square Garden in 1939. 

Lenny became Athletic Director for Loyola in 1935 after earning a graduate degree there. He also coached a high school football team and at the age of 45 had a heart attack at the high school.  He died on 27 Oct 1942 at the age of 45.  Nineteen years later, Lenny was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

One has to wonder what other great accomplishments he could have achieved, had he lived longer.

Reference: "Loyola Hall of Fame Coach Lenny Sachs" by John C. Thomas, Ramblermania, Ramblermania.net

CHARLES AND THERESA'S 100TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

One hundred years ago today, Grandpa Charlie Sherlock crossed state lines with his sweetheart Theresa Nebgen and were married. While they lived in Chicago, Illinois, they were married in Crown Point, Indiana.  Charlie was 17 years old and Theresa was 18 years old.  Upon arriving home and notifying their parents, I am guessing they may have been a little surprised to find out that their parents thought they should each live with their own parents.  If they still had marriage on their minds and love in their hearts, they could live as a married couple in a few years.

In the 1920 census, Charles was living with his mother Bridget Chambers Sherlock Gary, his step-father Joseph Gary and brother Joseph Gary while Theresa was living with her parents Peter Nebgen and Theresa Homrich Nebgen and brother Emil Nebgen. I find it interesting that Theresa is listed as married and with her married surname while Charles is listed as single.

Not quite sure when the couple actually started living together but they did have their first child Charles Sherlock in January of 1922.  Well, their rocky start didn't predict the longevity of their marriage!  In March of 1968, the entire family -- 3 sons and their wives and many grandchildren and some great grandchildren celebrated their 50th Anniversary for an entire weekend.

Ten years later in 1978, we celebrated again their anniversary -- although the celebration wasn't as large this time.  The last anniversary they celebrated together was in 1983.  Charlie died in May of that year. 

HAPPY 100TH, GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!

WHO WAS THE BIRTH MOTHER OF ANNA SIMON?

Problem #3 researched at the Family History Library:  Who was the birth mother of my 2nd great grandmother Anna Simon Homrich?  Anna Simon was born 6 years before the marriage of her father Joseph Simon to Catherine Schneider.  So even though she is listed on later documents as her mother, was there really someone else who died when Anna was very young?

Background information:  Anna Simon's father Joseph Simon was born in 1818 in Prussia.  He immigrated to the United States in 1952 with his wife Catherine Schneider and their children - Phillip (17), Anna (16), Mathias (13), Peter (8), Nicholas (5) and a 2 month old baby.  In the 1900 US Census, it was reported that Joseph and Catherine were married for 50 years and that Catherine gave birth to 7 children with 2 still alive.  According to Joseph Simon's death certificate from 1906, he was the father of 12 children but only 4 were still alive at the time of his death.

Findings: I located a German marriage record for Joseph Simon and Catharina Schneider which states they were married on 4 August 1850 in a Catholic church in Mehring, Rheinland, Prussia.  I had been told that Anna Simon was from Bavaria, but this record shows that there is another town named Mehring and is located in the Rheinland area of Germany.

I also located a German marriage record for Joseph Simon and Anna Maria Josepha Kesten.  Could this be the missing mother?  According to the record, they were married on 1 Dec 1841 in Mehring, Rheinland, Prussia.  In addition, I found a baptism record for Joseph Simon, the son of Joseph Simon and Maria Josepha Kesten.  This Joseph Simon was born on 8 October 1848 and baptized on 12 October 1848 in a Catholic church in Mehring, Rheinland, Prussia.

Going back to the clues from the 1900 US census, the two children of hers that were still living were Peter Simon (1852-1943) and Nicholas Simon (1853-1936).  So far I can only find 3 of the 7 children that she gave birth to -- Peter, Nicholas and the infant named in the 1860 census.

Now, for Joseph Simon, who was the father of 12 but only 4 were alive at his death in 1906 -- those alive would include Anna (1844-1914), Mathias (1846-1922), Peter and Nicholas. If you add to these names, Phillip Simon (1843-1863), the infant and Joseph Simon, there is still 5 more names of children that I am missing.  Of those children, 4 of them were the children of Catherine Schneider and 1 of them was from Maria Josepha Kesten.

So, my plan is to look for birth records for the other children in both Germany and the United States records. I also need to research Maria Josepha Kesten further to see if I can find out who her parents were and if there were any siblings.

The more information I discover, the more questions I have ...

THOMAS MYLES - MY 6TH GREAT GRANDFATHER

The second problem that I researched at the Family History Library was regarding my 6th Great Grandfather Thomas Myles and his spouse Miss Kendall.

Some background information:  My 3rd great grandmother Barbara Dever was the daughter of Elizabeth Myles (the first of my ancestors that I found originated in a county in Ireland other than Mayo or Meath).  Elizabeth Myles (my 4th great grandmother) was born in 1744 in County Limerick and was the daughter of Zachary Myles and Katherine Conyers/Conner (1727-1835).  According to a record I found in the "Ireland, Select Births & Baptisms" database, Elizabeth was baptized at St. John in Limerick, Ireland.  Her father was listed as Zachary Myles (FHL film #874438).  Zachary Myles was the son of Thomas Myles and Miss Kendall.

So, my plan was
1. Look for the Baptism Record of Katherine Conyers/Conners
2. Look for records (birth and death) for Zachary Myles (1725-1840)
3. Look for any records for Thomas Myles and Miss Kendall

My findings at the Family History Library, included finding an article titled "Limerick's Forgotten Son: Sir Thomas Myles" by Padraig Og de Bhaldraithe.  According to this article, the Myles family had been in Ireland since the days of Cromwell and resided in County Limerick since a generation or two after Cromwell.

I found a baptism record for John Miles, which states that his father is Thomas Miles.  John Miles, was christened on 28 Feb 1707 at St. John in Limerick, Ireland.  I also found records for possible siblings -- Mary Miles and Eleanor Miles.  I found records of Katherine Connor's siblings on Ancestry.com.  Charles Connors was baptized on 8 Dec 1729, David Connors was baptized on 6 Nov 1726 and Patrick Connor was baptized on 28 Jan 1735.

PATRICK "PAUDEEN" CHAMBERS AND THOMAS CHAMBERS

The first problem that I worked on while researching at the Family History Library was about Patrick "Paudeen" Chambers and his son Thomas Chambers and the lack of documentation that I have for them.

Some background information: Patrick Chambers was supposedly born in 1716 in Abbotshall, Fife, Scotland to John Chambers (born in 1682) and his wife Bessie Fair (born in 1680).  Patrick's son Thomas Chambers was born in 1774 in Glenna Bo, Newport, Mayo, Ireland.

Findings: I did locate a record "Scotland Births and Baptisms" on FamilySearch.org for Patrick Chalmers.  According to this record, he was christened on 25 Mar 1716 in Abbotshall, Fife, Scotland.

Plan: To continue to look for documents pertaining to Patrick Chambers and his son Thomas. I am interested in finding out why Patrick would move from the East coast of Scotland to the West coast of Ireland.  I also wonder if Patrick had another family before the birth of his son Thomas (who was born when he was 58 years old).  I also need to look for possible other children of Patrick, both in Scotland and in Ireland.

DREAMING OF A TRIP TO THE FHL

Ever since I started researching my family history on a regular basis (probably in the early 2000's) I have longed to visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  With their vast resources, of course, it was near the top of my "Genealogical Bucket List".  While I longed to visit the Library, it almost felt like a daunting task.  How could I prepare enough so that I wouldn't waste that golden opportunity?  What if I spent a few days there and really didn't accomplish anything but later figured out I should have done things differently?

I decided to register for a trip with a group -- Ancestor Seekers.  They would make the hotel arrangements and provide some direction and hopefully lots of assistance!  I felt like this would give me a safety net -- people to help me navigate the largest genealogical library with its massive book collection.  Ancestor Seekers had people who could help with British Isles, Irish, German and American research.  It sounded like the best plan for me.

But I still needed to plan for my research.  I couldn't just show up and hope they could help me.  I registered for a "Preparing for the FHL Visit" webinar, which reinforced the idea that I needed to plan and actually perhaps have a few alternate plans.

So my big question was "who do I research while I am there" and "what do I research about these people"?   Before deciding who to research, I decided to find out what resources were available at the library  -- that might help me to decide what were my best chances of finding information.  I decided that I would focus on my Irish ancestors and then if time allowed, I would do some research on some specific German ancestors.

I made a list of the books that I wanted to peruse while I was there, as well as, which microfilm to look at.  I created some problem sheets which would focus on specific problems and individuals that I was hoping to solve.  Each problem sheet contained the following information: problem, background information, sources checked and plan.  [I will discuss each of these problem sheets in a future blog post].

After doing all of this, I met with a mentor -- someone who has taught several Genealogy classes that I have taken.  We met for lunch and discussed all of my problem sheets and my approach for my visit to the FHL.   After a few months of preparation, I felt like I was finally ready to visit the Family History Library.

USING GOOGLE EARTH IN MY GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH

Last week, my daughter and I went to the movies to watch "Lion".  According to my Google-employed son who told me about the movie, it was about a guy using Google Earth to find his birth home and village and more specifically his family.  It was a very touching movie!

The movie got me thinking on how many times I have used Google Earth for my genealogy research.  Some of my more memorable searches include the following:

1. Locating parcels of land where my Great Grandmother Bridget Chambers spent her childhood in the townland of Letter, Islandeady, County Mayo, Ireland. [If I had used Google Earth while on the road in Ireland I might have been able to see the land with my own eyes]

2. Trying to match a house that I have in a 1960 photo (the childhood home of my Great Grandfather Bryan Sherlock in Demailestown, Meath, Ireland) to see if it still exists today.  [Sadly I had no luck with my search but considering how old that house would have been -- he lived there in the late 1800's -- it probably has been torn down and a newer house built.]

3. Locating the following churches -- Katholische Maria Himmelfahrt (Helferskirchen, Rheinland, Germany), Saint Boniface Church (Wirges, Rheinland, Germany) and St. Laurentius Church (Dernbach, Germany).  [This helped with my visit to see them in 2015]

4. Trying to see what the house my Grandmother Theresa Nebgen Sherlock grew up in Chicago, looks like today.

5. And of course, looking at my Google Earth photos of my childhood home in Southern California. 

GOING DIGITAL

For the past 15 years, I have printed copies of my genealogical research -- birth, marriage and death records, census forms, and immigration and military service records -- and then filed them in notebooks.  Before filing them, I would create an "Individual Research Record" that would include all of the pertinent information about that individual, including sources,  in a concise form.  I even printed that record sheet on fuchsia paper for the females and aqua paper for the males. It served as my cover sheet for the individual's documents.

As a visual learner, this paper and notebook system worked well for me.  I could actually see the information in my hands and filling out the individual research record helped me digest and analyze the information.  Of course, it also took up my time.  Time that I was filing and filling out forms could have been time that I should have been researching or entering my research into my Roots Magic computer program.

As time went on my research documents and notebooks seemed to expand exponentially.  The good news was that the kids went away to college so there was more room for my now 25+ large notebooks.  The bad news was how large was this going to get? How many rooms can I devote specifically to genealogy research and storage?  Can you be a genealogical hoarder?

So, last week I made a huge decision -- it was time to digitize my genealogical research!  Time to slowly get rid of my 25+ notebooks -- well after those records had been digitized.  I guess I could have researched the best way to go digital but while I read some of those articles in the past, once again I needed to find a system that would work the best for me.

I created folders on my computers for each of the family branches -- Homrich, Sherlock, Chambers, etc.  Then within each of those folders are sub-folders for the individuals that I have already researched.  Going through each notebook, I then digitally save the documents as well as the fact sheet about the person on Ancestry.  I also have created an Excel spreadsheet for each of the family branches with the names and documents saved so that at a quick glance I can see what I already have and what I still need to look for.

I know that this digitization project will not only take some time (probably several months) and also be probably rather monotonous at times but it will be worth it in the long run.  I will not only have a lot more time to do actual research but will actually have rooms in my house that can be "guest rooms" instead of storage rooms!

GENEALOGICAL BUCKET LIST FOR VISITING IRELAND

After two visits to Ireland, I have now refined my bucket list for any possible future trips to the Emerald Isle.  While Dublin is a nice place to visit, I want to spend any time I have walking in my ancestors' (no matter how far back) footsteps.  So here is a listing of places I would like to visit --

1. Townland of Letter in County Mayo -- I got so close but not close enough to the home town of my Great Grandmother Elizabeth Chambers,  Perhaps I will get the opportunity some day to see the actual land where her father Thomas Chambers farmed and raised his family.

2. The townlands of Demailestown and Lady Rath in County Meath -- I have learned that what is called townlands in Ireland may be no more than a neighborhood or housing complex.  I would love to see the actual area that my Sherlock ancestors (my great grandfather Edward and his parents Bryan and Margaret Kilroy Sherlock) called home.

3. Clew Bay Heritage Center -- Situated in a 19th century building in Westport on the shores of Clew Bay, it would be wonderful to see the artifacts, photos and documents of the history of Westport and the Clew Bay area.  (Westportheritage.com)

4. Museum of Country Life -- I wish we had the time to visit this museum, located in Turlough Village (northeast of Castlebar in County Mayo) while we were in Mayo last August.  The museum tells the story of country life in Ireland from 1850 to 1950.  It would have given me a better understanding of the daily lives of my Irish ancestors.  (www.museum.ie/country-life)

5. Scurlogstown -- I would love the opportunity to visit Scurlogstown in County Meath or one of the other towns in Ireland named after my Scurlog ancestors.  I need a picture next to the sign!

6. City of Limerick in County Limerick -- Recently I have discovered that Limerick was the home town of my 5th Great Grandfather Zachary Myles and 5th Great Grandmother Katherine Conyers as well as their daughter Elizabeth Myles, my 4th great grandmother. Limerick was also the birthplace of my 6th Great Grandfather Thomas Myles.

SEEKING CASTLES IN SCURLOGSTOWN AND TRIM

So, for the final part of my trip to Ireland I was hoping to visit the townland of Scurlogstown in County Meath.  My ancestor William de Scurlog received some land grants in County Meath where he built a castle in 1180.  A town was then formed near the castle and was called Scurlogstown.  Of course, I would love to see a town that was named after my ancestor and my dream would have been to visit a castle built by or named after an ancestor.

There were a few problems with this dream, however -- even in the 1800's only ruins remained of this castle. Then years or so ago, some ruins were uncovered when they were building a business park in Scurlogstown.  That would be my luck -- a business park rather than a castle!  So, I didn't get to see the castle or even a sign with the name Scurlogstown.

We did end up 3.5 kilometers east of there at the location of the Trim Castle. I was getting to the point that any castle would have to do.  However, this castle is very special too.  Trim Castle is the largest Norman castle in Ireland and is located on the south bank of the River Boyne in Trim.   This castle was built by Hugh de Lacy (who my ancestor William de Scurlog accompanied to Ireland) so perhaps it is practically like family!

I did try to persuade my family (husband, son and daughter) who had accompanied me to start a coup and capture Trim Castle as our own family castle but alas, I had no followers!

Reference: "The Sherlocks of Ireland" by Arian E. Collins, c 1993, San Diego, California

Visiting County Meath

While my Chambers and Kilroy ancestors are from County Mayo, my Sherlock and Caffrey ancestors are from County Meath.  Since I visited Islandeady (in County Meath) in both 2012 and on the current trip, I wanted to make sure that I also visited County Meath.  Perhaps, I could see the townlands of Lady Rath and Demailestown, the hometowns of my great Grandfather Edward Sherlock.

In 1961, Grandpa Charlie visited the site of his father's (Edward Sherlock) childhood home in Demailestown.  Above is a photo of him at that house.

Demailestown and Lady Rath are very close to one another.  While they are listed as townlands, they are more like housing developments.  So, think of a housing development in a rural setting with a few houses.  Demailestown and Lady Rath are west of Drogheda, east of Kells, and north of Navan and Kilmessan.  I looked at both Demailestown and Lady Rath on Google Earth and couldn't find a house like the one in the photo above.  Of course, this photo was from 55 years ago and the house very likely could have been torn down and a new one built.

According to Grandma Theresa's diary, they visited Pat Sherlock's home and his cattle. They also visited the Carey's and Agnes Sherlock -- I am not sure which town-lands they lived in 1961.  Then they visited Mary Glacken in Navan.

Trying to find these town-lands in Ireland in person is a lot harder than trying to locate places on Google Earth.  Oh, if it could just be that easy!   Of course, it didn't help that we didn't have GPS so it was rather like looking for a needle in a haystack!  The roads were tiny rural roads and did not have a lot of signs.  We drove past Lobinstown, Wilkinstown, Slane Castle and Navan.  Lady Rath & Demailestown is to the east of Wilkinstown.  So, alas, I did not actually get to see Lady Rath or Demailestown despite our efforts.  Perhaps the only way this will ever happen is with a native guide who is familiar with these tiny town-lands.

THE WESTPORT HOUSE AND THE IRISH PIRATE QUEEN

Soon after my trip to Ireland in 2012, I learned about Grace O'Malley (Grainne Ni Mhaille) who was known as the Irish Pirate Queen or "The Sea Queen of Connacht",  I read the book "Ireland's Pirate Queen - The True Story of Grace O'Malley" written by Anne Chambers.  I am still hoping to discover that I am related somehow to both Grace O'Malley and Anne Chambers.

The Westport House is a beautiful historic home built in 1650 by Colonel John Browne and his wife Maud Burke (Grace O'Mallley's great great granddaughter).  It was built near the site of the O'Malley Castle.

I missed seeing the Westport House in 2012, but decided it was a "must see place to visit" on my latest trip to Ireland.  Although the Westport House property also contains a Pirate Adventure Park and campgrounds, our sole focus was the historic house.;  The house is located in parkland setting with a lake and terraces.  It also has a view of Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick.  It is definitely a must see on anyone's trip to Westport!