Week 13: Light a Candle (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - 2023 Version)

Candles are often lit in remembrance, in prayer, or when the power goes out for 5 days because of an ice storm. Be creative with this prompt! Click here to check out all the themes for 2023!

Sometimes it’s the young that are often forgotten. Therefore, I want to light a candle for a child that was forgotten. 

In my early days of research, I remember going to the Wisconsin Historical Library and looking up Pre-1907 vital records. I was looking up the children of my Great Grandparents, David Crinion and Amelia Gadow.

I know they had five children who lived to adulthood. However, my father told me that his grandmother often spoke of the baby boy who had died. My dad didn’t know where this baby was buried, so I was hoping to find a death certificate for this little one to see where he might be buried.

David Crinion, the little boy was born on Oct 12, 1897 in Fountain Prairie, Columbia County, Wisconsin and died seven months later on May 17, 1898 in Fountain Prairie. I found a death certificate that listed his burial as the Lutheran Cemetery near Red School House. This description must have meant something to the person reporting it, however, it doesn’t mean anything to me. I asked my dad, and he had no idea where this might be. I am afraid, he might be buried in an unmarked grave and thus I won’t find it anyway.

I did try looking on Find A Grave for his burial, and was surprised to find another young David Crinion, who is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery located in Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin. David W Crinion was the son of Harlan D Crinion and his wife Shirley Paff. He was born in 1955 and died in 1958. David’s father, Harlan is the grandson of the David and Amelia (Gadow) Crinion through their son, Frederick Crinion. 

While at the Wisconsin Historical Library back in my early days, I found another child of David and Amelia who died young. Her name was Adelaide J Crinion. She was born on Dec 29, 1905 in Burnett, Dodge County, Wisconsin. She lived a brief 8 months and died on Sep 25, 1906 in Dodge County, Wisconsin. I told my father about this child and at first, he said I must be wrong. I explained that the death certificate clearly shows that her parents are David and Amelia. He wondered why his grandmother often spoke of the son that died but not the daughter. Of course, I could not explain the grieving process of a mother. Maybe one child died unexpectedly while the other one was sick for a while. I really don’t know. 

Sadly, I don’t have copies of these death certificates. I have source citations and thus I could look them up again and see about getting a copy. However, they just may be in one of the stacks of papers I have collected over the years. Every year, my goal is to attack the stacks. As I get older, the more urgent that project seems to be.

How many children will your research help to be remembered into future generations?

Remember to have fun and Just Do Genealogy!

Week 12: Membership (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks)

It isn't unusual to find our ancestors as members of a group, such as churches, school alumni, veterans’ organizations, or fraternal societies. Have you found an ancestor who was as member of a group? Or maybe you've made a discovery by being a member of a genealogical or historical society. Write about it this week! Feel free to post your links and stories in the comments. Click here to check out all the themes for 2023.

Several years ago, I gave a program to my genealogy society on Fraternal Societies. You might be able to find family members who belong to these societies based on symbols you may find on their gravestones.

Odd Fellows Tombstone example

One Fraternal organization that piqued my interest was “The Maccabees”. This is because my half siblings are McAbee(s). Their surname is McAbee, they are not members of the Fraternal organization. In doing their research, I have found their name spelled many ways through the years including the spelling of Maccabee.

The Maccabee’s started as the Knights of the Maccabees and was formed in 1878 in London, Ontario, Canada. Most active in the U.S. state of Michigan and proved low-cost insurance to members. It provided other final-expense related benefits such as society cemeteries. They were founded by members of the Order of Foresters. The group grew rapidly in Canada and several US States, reaching 10,000 members by 1880. 

Knight Of The Maccabee's Grave Marker

In 1911 the organization changed its name from the Knights of the Maccabees to simply the Maccabees. The Maccabees became a mutual life insurance company effective 1961, though they kept some fraternal features. In 1962 the group changed its name to the Maccabees Mutual Life Insurance Company. In the 1990’s the organization was demutualized and sold to the Royal Insurance Group and operated under the name Royal Maccabees Life Insurance Company. In 1999, the Royal Maccabees was sold by its parent company, Royal & Sun Alliance Financial Services to Swiss Re which merged it into its subsidiary, Reassure America Life Insurance Company. 

Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!