November is for Remembrance: Honor All of our Veterans

Hi, Fannie, here!

I was just learning a little about our American history.  Do you know how many wars and skirmishes in which our nation has been involved?  Wow, almost too many to count!

Well, there is special day this month where we honor all of our Military Veterans.  I checked the catalog of items at AncestorStuff.com.  There are so many listings under the Military category.

Click this link to see all of the items!

https://www.ancestorstuff.com/Military/

Since I am originally from Kentucky, I decided to focus on Military books about that state.

Have you ever heard of George Rogers Clark?  He must have been really important, because I saw three books about him. All three of them are published by Heritage Books.  And, they aren't very expensive.

Hey there is a SPECIAL GIFT, too.  If I buy over $50 from AncestorStuff.com, I get a $5 gift certificate.  That means I can get even more later on, or give it to a friend as a gift!

You can do it, too!  Make your way to AncestorStuff.com right now, and see the neat deals!

Oh, and don't forget to tell a veteran, "Thank you for your service".

George Washington: How Many Times Did He Cheat Death?

Hello, All,   Fannie here.

I have been browsing the Used and Clearance shelf at my Mom's store (AncestorStuff.com), and I saw this neat little book about George Washington.  I learned about him at school, being our first American President of the United States.  I thought I knew all there was about him, like his wooden teeth, living at Mount Vernon, being a father to his wife's (Martha Custis) kids, and chopping down a cherry tree.  Boy, was I ever surprised when I read this book. It was so exciting....I could not put it down!

by David Barton, 1990, Wallbuilder Press

George was sure a lucky guy! During the French and Indian War, George managed to keep from being shot while delivering messages  on horseback.  In fact, he was the only officer on horseback to survive his unit. George believed that God had his back, and kept him from being injured so many times.  He felt that he was put in safe places because God kept him that way.

There was a story told by an Indian, Red Hawk, who said he personally shot at George Washington about ten or eleven times, and missed every time.  Red Hawk said it was nearly impossible to miss his mark.  He had a clear and close shot every time, but somehow, George was never wounded.

George Washington has written many letters to his family and friends, telling them of his participation in battles, witnessing the death of General Braddock, and delivering the eulogy for him before burying him in a secret grave so the Indians would not be able to destroy the body.

The Battle at the Monongahela was the place where George Washington was most likely to have been killed.  Yet, to the surprise of his adversaries, he was spared.  As the book says on it's cover, "the account of God's providential care".

I learned so much more about President Washington than I ever thought I would just by reading this book.  I guess there are truly people put on this earth that are born and hand-picked by God to lead his people.  Well, that's what my Mom told me, anyway.

So, if you get a chance, read this book.  It's not very long, and your Mom can help you with some of the long words. It's only $3.50 at AncestorStuff.com.  You can buy it with your saved allowance.

Thanks for reading my blog.   Love, Fannie

How Many Presidents of the United States Were the Targets of Assassins?

Fannie was posed this question in her American History class recently.  She knew of some of these incidents because so many movies helped to publicize them.  But she still wasn't sure of  the answer.

Luckily, we just added some new books to our Clearance and Used category here at AncestorStuff.com. Guess what Fannie found?  You guessed it!  A book that will help her with the history of our nation, and the answer to her class query.  They Shot The President: Ten True Stories, by George Sullivan, published by Scholastic Book Services, 1993.

They Shot The President, Ten True Stories by George Sullivan, www.ancestorstuff.com #100-Sullivan

This small, but mighty, publication reviews ten incidents where presidents have been the target of assassins.  While written for the younger generations, Sullivan take the time to review each murder attempt in a very easily understood text.  Clearly he has taken the time to explain the unfortunate historical events so that the reader gleans an understanding of what was happening in the nation.

Five days after the Civil War ended, Abraham Lincoln was shot while sitting in a theatre box watching a play.  Teddy Roosevelt was shot in the chest from an assassin just six feet away while he was delivering a speech.  The bullet was blocked by an eyeglass case and a folded speech in his breast pocket.  John Kennedy was shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.  This incident puzzled investigators who tried to put the Warren Report together. Ronald Reagan was shot by a young man who was trying to impress a young actress. In all, ten American Presidents were shot at. Four of these men died.  That's what Fannie found by reading this book.  But, she also learned a lot more about these incidents.

Each assassin took the time to plan their plot to kill.  Each assassin had their own reasons for wanting to kill a president.  Fannie learned about each presidential murder attempt. Happily, she was able to write a nice report for her class, and earned a gold star from her teacher.  

If you are not sure about which presidents were targeted by assassins, maybe you should take a gander at this book, too.  It's always good to review our American history.  And, you might be reminded of history that you might not have been aware of.  Truman, an assassin's target?  You bet!

David Dobson: Fannie's Favorite Author of Genealogy Reference Books

If there were ever a guy who dedicated his time to sharing his knowledge of the history of our nation, it would be David Dobson, of Dundee, Scotland.  He has authored more books than Fannie can count...and she is very adept at mathematics!

This year, David Dobson has released his latest book, Scots-Irish Links, 1575-1725. Part Ten.
It has been published by Clearfield, and is now available for purchase. This is the tenth in a series of books about the Lowland Scots who migrated to Ulster, and many of their families immigrated to America. As always, this book is indexed and sourced.  This books has a retail price of $19.50. AncestorStuff.com offers this book for $16.50, item # 502-8121.

Although Dr. Dobson focused on economics and mathematics in his college years, he always had an intense interest in history. He would have loved to become an archeologist, but certain restrictions kept him from exploring that field.  So, he turned to genealogy and historical research.  He had  intense interest in Scottish-American history. He thought that he could fulfill an area of study where there seemed to be a lack of published research.  The result of his efforts: A thesis published by the University of Georgia Press, 'Scottish Emigration to Colonial America, 1607-1785'.

Since that time, Dr Dobson has authored over 130 books on the subject of the Scots, Scots-Irish and Irish in North America. He has searched through the archives of many libraries and other archived collections to combine relevant data to include in his many publications. to learn more about Dr. Dobson, visit this webpage: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/staff/daviddobson.html

Do you have an interest in the history and genealogy of persons from the North Atlantic area? Fannie recommends that you request books by David Dobson.  She is not real sure of her heritage, except that she was rescued from the area of Northern Kentucky, and that there were some Scots-Irish that inhabited that area some time ago.  She may have some digging to do!  And, she loves to dig!

free images.google.com

If you want to order this latest book by Dr. Dobson, go to www.AncestorStuff.com, and use the coupon code BUNNY for Free Shipping during the month of April.

Kids Heritage : Yes, It Can Be FUN

Here there! Fannie here! I want to tell you about a new addition to our AncestorStuff.com catalog.

This one is for KIDS!  It can be customized, and given as a perfect gift for any occasion or holiday.

Introducing..................KIDS HERITAGE BOOKS

image provided by kids heritage inc.

Kids Heritage, Inc. has created personalized children's books to introduce a child to his or her own heritage and the world around them.

This is an award-winning children's book designed to help introduce children to their heritage.

The child's name can be mentioned throughout this beautifully illustrated book.

Fun and educational information for up to 8 different countries (over 100 to choose from)

Family tree and family traditions can be added to make this truly a personalized, unique gift

image provided by kids heritage inc.

Each hard-covered book begins with a personalized letter to the child from the gift givers. 

What a special gift for children ages 0-12 years, and for that cute newborn baby, too.

Imagine sharing your family values, traditions and stories with the children in your family.

I had such a good time pawing through the pages of my very own heritage book.  I know every kid would love to have a book like this of their very own.

My book review gives this Kids Heritage Book 3 paws up and 3 woofs, meaning I LOVE IT!

Look for item 170-001, prices start at $38.66 for 4 countries per book.  Add $5.00 for each additional country, up to 8 countries per book.

Remembering What it was Like to be a Kid Again

Games and Toys and Treats and Good Fun

Fannie had a chance to read a new book on the AncestorStuff.com website. It's entitled, Now, When I Was A Kid..." by Dan McGuire.

Dan McGuire grew up in Chicago, in the "good old days".  Cook County had many neighborhoods.  But, most of the kids played the same games, sang the same songs, watched the same television shows and ate the same candy, no matter what neighborhood they lived in.

Cops and Robbers, Kick the Can, Statue Maker, etc. are just some of the games played in the areas where families lived on tree-lined streets.  Comic Books were bought with earned allowance money, and traded between friends.  Some kids had roller skates, others had bikes and some even had scooters. Nothing seemed to stop anyone from trading their favorite ride for a chance to try the wares of the other kids.  That's how things were back then, in the good old days.

Mr. McGuire lists all the great things that kids and families did way back before the technology of today took over our lives.  People talked to each other.  They used land line telephones.  They walked over to each other's home to have a chat.  Nothing like today.  And, Fannie loved reading about it all.

What life was like back then seemed to be so much fun, and much less stressful than what life is like today.  Riding trolley cars, driving to the Drive-In outdoor movies, Movie matinees with free gifts...it all sounds wonderful.  In the winter, there were snow angels to make and people brought their used real Christmas trees to an area where they were burned in a bonfire, complete with parents carefully watching the children, and serving hot cocoa.

Paperboys rode their bicycles to deliver newspapers...what a great job to have!  Graduating from a tricycle to a bicycle was big news in the family.

And then there were the Kiddie Parks.  Oh, yes, all the rides were so exciting.

Now, When I Was A Kid, by Dan McGuire, 2008, Back When Books

The time between the 1930s and the 1950s was the era of streetcars rides, porch sitting and long play days.  The country came out of a Great Depression and embraced the Baby Boom.  Housing starts outside of big cities escalated. Tree-lined streets with pretty little houses, each with a garden of flowers and or vegetables seemed to dot the land just outside of the bustling city limits.  Starry night gazing from the backyard was safe and fun.  And kids were sheltered from any bad stuff, enabling them to enjoy just being kids.

Fannie so loved this book.  She plans to make a list of all the neat things that Dan McGuire mentioned in his book.  This year, when school lets out, she plans to check each activity off her list as she experiences each and every fun activity.  If you read Dan's book, I bet you will too.

AncestorStuff.com heartily recommends this book for anyone of any age.  What a great book for a grandparent to share with their grandchildren.  It will start conversations that may never end.  And, isn't that exactly what we need right now?  Fannie thinks so. She awards this book with Three Paws Up and Three Woofs

A Berks County Biography: Frieda Researches Her Parents

As you may know, Fannie was an orphan pup found in the flooded areas of Kentucky six years ago.  She was taken in and fostered until she came into our lives at the age of 8 weeks.  She does not remember her mother, and never met her father.  So, she can relate to this story, told by Frieda Fritz Stiehl.

Alfred and Agnes: The Story of My Immigrant Parents was published in 2016 by Masthof Press.  It is now in the catalog of AncestorStuff.com.

www.masthof.com, 

The author, Frieda Fritz Stiehl, grew up on a dairy farm in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  She researched the past history of her parents, Alfred and Ages, and prepared this biography.  She tells the story of her German immigrant parents who experienced political and social events of the 20th century that pressed them to seek a better life outside of Germany.

After Alfred and Agnes passed away, Frieda realized how little she actually knew about her parents.  She had so many questions to ask of them, but they were not there to give her any answers.  We all go through that stage when a family member dies.  We wish we had that one last conversation with them to get the story of their lives, and learn about what happened to shape them into the people that they became.

Frieda Fritz Stiehl, like most of us budding genealogists, started from what she knew to be true.  Then she started her investigation into the lives of her parents.  She uncovered dark secrets and tells the family stories that had been past down to her.  She also discovers that some of the stories were just lore, and half truths.  But what was real were the struggles that her parents had to endure.  They had dreams, and actually achieved some of them.  And, as usual, to get what  they wanted and needed in life, they had to pay the price.  Sacrifice and love, Optimism and hardship, Big dreams and picking up oneself from failure...that what this story is all about.

This book has a list price of $38.00, with 314 pages, color illustrations, hard covered.

Fannie gives this book Three Paws Up, just for the way that it touched her heart and encouraged her in the quest for digging for her roots. Maybe it will inspire you to pick up your family history and dig deeper for the real stories that you never knew.