Making Progress on the Dachtera Immigration Story

I've plunged ahead with the immigration story of my paternal Great Grandparents, Joseph and Magdalena Dachtera. The first draft of the narration is 99% complete. Still thinking about how to end the story. It’s been “resting” for a couple of days so that I’ll start editing with a fresh eye.

Spent a couple of days researching and finding images to flesh out what began as a GoogleEarth tour. Went back to the BaSIA  database to try to clarify and add information.

There are two wonderful Wielpolski databases – both built by volunteers.

The Poznan Project http://poznan-project.psnc.pl/ works to transcribe all 19^th century marriages in the province. Information given includes film numbers for the appropriate microfilms at Family Search.

BaSIA http://www.basia.famula.pl/en/ is a much broader project to transcribe all vital records from the province. Images from records may be from church or synagogue records or from civil records. Available records may be from the 13^th century to the 19^th century.

For now, it’s time to get started with the editing.

In addition, I’ve also spent some time looking at DNA info, making sure that I’m up to date on matches from various sites. It’s time to get up to speed on the tools at GEDMatch

A Fork in the Road – What to do Next

 

Well, I accomplished one task I mentioned in my last post – I found the connections between my Minnesota Ganas clan and the ones that settled in Milwaukee and Buffalo. We are all descended from Johann Ganas, b 1779, d 1830

Martin Ganas came to the US in1890 and settled in Buffalo.

Johann arrived in 1891 and settled in Milwaukee

Ignatius (My Grandfather) immigrated in 1892.

Makes me wonder whether these semi-distant cousins were in communication about their emigration plans while still in Poland.

All records are from the town of Czerlejno which you can find with Google earth; and even do a Street View tour along the two main crossroads.

I am truly grateful for the work of the volunteers who transcribe  these ancient records for databases that allow us to find our ancestors.

What’s next?

Finishing the Google earth trip/tour of my paternal immigrants seemed like a good idea for the next project until I found that Tour Builder is no longer supported. So that project turns into a YouTube project. This will take a while. Storyboard and finding the right images. I also need to improve my narration voice.  I’ve done a few other family stories on YouTube. See them here: Family Stories

And also -

I’ll continue to look for resources for my kids’ Bohemian heritage.

I’ll continue to check for new DNA matches.

Time to start working on a storyboard.

Resuming My Quest

 

I quit doing genealogy research a couple of years ago because I was just plain burned out.  I simply stopped. Left projects half-done or barely started.  Since then, I’ve dabbled a bit.

Recently I’ve tried looking at my children’s paternal line but have gotten nowhere because I cannot find where they lived in Bohemia in the 19^th century. It’s been an exercise in frustration.

Now my cousin, Jeanne, is resuming her research; and that has inspired me to get back to mine.

But how do I begin to pick up the pieces? There are so many of them. Which pieces to pick up first? Can I find where I left off?  Going back to my Bullet Journal should help.

I’d started:

·       A Google earth trip showing my paternal ancestors path from their home in Poland to their new home in St. Paul, MN.

·       A search for possible Polish relatives who settled in Milwaukee and in Buffalo.

·       A story about the times my parents grew up in.

And there are other loose threads, too.

Hints on Ancestry.com have shown diminishing results over time.

I think I’ll take a closer look at Smart Matches on My Heritage.

Here goes.