Part 920bk – 1847 Death of GGG-Grandfather Louis Katz

Good Day,

Sometimes I need a time of boredom and frustration to lay off my genealogy and the research. And sometimes it just takes a kick, and a few choice finds to put it back into gear, for some time.

On July 13, 2017 I posted “Part 902bk – Brunhammer Katz – Who was GG-Grandmother Marie (née Katz) Brunhammer’s Father?” on A Genealogy Hunt.

It was at this time that I discovered the 1847 death registration of Great-Great-Great-Grandfather Louis Katz. I wasn’t sure that Louis Katz was the father of Great-Great-Grandmother Marie (née Katz) Brunhammer. Today I am almost 100% certain, based on a series of documents and sources that I have been able to find and uncover.

The document was –

My attempt at transcribing –

ACTE DE DÉCÈS

DECLARATION, faite à l’Hôtel-de-Ville de Soultz, arrondissment deColmar, department du Haur-Rhin, pardevant le Maire, officier de l’état civil,le six Janvier, mil huit cent quarant-sept, à trois heuresde soir, au Décès de Louis Katz, tailleur de pierres.âgé de quarante un ans, né à Durlach (Bavière) domicilié en cette villefils de Frédèric et de Catherine Kleiber, épous de lasurvivante Françoise Schaffhauser, décédé aujourd’huià onze heures de ce matin, dans l’hospice civil de cette ville.Premier declarant: Thibault Buchmann, appariteur, âgé de soixante deux ans.Deuxième declarant: François Buchman, poeintre, âgé de vingt sept ansles deux domiciliés en cette ville. Lecture faite, l’officier de l’état civil, après assure-de décés, a signé avec les comparans, le present acte.

My attempt of translating –

“On the sixth of January one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, at three o'clock in the evening, of Death of Louis Katz, stonemason, forty-one years old, born in Durlach (Bavaria), residing in this city, son of Frederick and Catherine Kleiber, husband of the survivor Françoise Schaffhauser, who died today at 11 hours of the morning, in the town hospice of this village… "

(I have only translated what I believe is the critical part of the Death Registration.)

From this document we can see and note several clues.

1. GGG-Grandfather Louis Katz was 41 years old when he passed away in 1847.
2. Possible year of birth calculated at 1806.
3. The death registration states that he was born in Durlach, Bavaria.
4. Durlach, Baden, Germany is about a 38-hour walk, according to Google maps, north north east from Soultz, Alsace, France.
5. His surviving wife was listed as GGG-Grandmother Françoise (née Schaffhauser) Katz.
6. His parents are/were GGGG-Frederick and Catherine (née Kleiber) Katz.


And where to next?

My research now moves to Durlach. I am now looking for a Birth Registration for GGG-Grandfather Louis Katz in and about 1806.

Here’s what a current genealogy chart could look like.

The genealogy research and search for ancestors and descendants continue.

Family connections can also be seen on the family tree, the Brunhammer Doherty Family Tree. If you would like access to the tree you will need an invitation from me. You can sign up with Ancestry, and from what I understand, without having to take a membership subscription. Feel free to contact me at jsmith58@gmail.com if you would like to receive an invite to the Brunhammer Doherty Family Tree.

If you have any comment, question, thought, idea please feel free to contact me via email at A Genealogy Hunt or jsmith58@gmail.com.

Regards,

Jim

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Part 919lb - 1915 Baptism Lloyd Leo Labonne

Good Day,

Here is the baptismal record and entry of Uncle Lloyd Leo Labonne as found in the Drouin Collection.

St. Columban's

It is the 18th entry as entered in 1915.

The nice thing about this baptismal entry it also includes the name of his parents Joseph and Irene Grace (née McLaughlin) Labonne. Also in the left-hand column a note is included regarding his marriage to Aunt Madeline Brunhammer.

My transcription -

1915 Baptisms St. Columban's Catholic Church, Cornwall, Ontario, Canada

18

Lloyd Leo Labonne

On the eleventh of April nineteen hundred & fifteen,
I the undersigned Priest, baptized Lloyd Leo, born
the 3rd of April of the Lawful marriage of Joseph
Labonne and Irene Grace McLaughlin. Witnesses: -
were Mr. Peter M. Flaherty & wife M. J. Napier.


Chas. F. Gauthier

Additional note –

Lloyd Leo Labonne married at St.
Anne’s Church Wil-
mington, Del., May 16 – 1942
Madeline Brunhammer

The genealogy research and search for ancestors and descendants continue.

Family connections can be seen on the family tree, the Brunhammer Doherty Family Tree. If you would like access to the tree you will need an invitation from me. You can sign up with Ancestry, and from what I understand, without having to take a membership subscription. Feel free to contact me at jsmith58@gmail.com if you would like to receive an invite to the Brunhammer Doherty Family Tree.

If you have any comment, question, thought, idea please feel free to contact me via email at A Genealogy Hunt or jsmith58@gmail.com.

Regards,

Jim

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Part 918s - Autosomal DNA Testing - Is It Genealogy?

Good Day,

Following up to my Autosomal DNA comparison exercise, I, serendipitously, stumbled upon an article at the online magazine Vice. Please, understand that I am not trying “to trash” Autosomal DNA testing. I am just trying to point out that it has become an immature tangent of what one could consider is correct genealogy research.

Is it a tool? Yes. Is Autosomal DNA testing providing the answers to the pure science of genealogy and genetic research? In my humble opinion, again Autosomal DNA does not provide the complete and correct end to the questions of one’s genealogy, the study of family origins and history.

Does it provide possible answers to unknown connections and answers to unasked questions? Yes, maybe, and no.

The Vice article by Moses Monterroza, March 21, 2018, “I Tested My DNA and Learned About Self-Delusion”  

“Obviously, nothing actually changed. After all, these results are really just percentages vaguely indicating that I am associated with several specific regions on Earth. And really, that’s it. There’s no renewed sense of self, no reconnection with my past, just a bunch of percentage points.”

Take a few moments and read Monterroza’s article. He does present an interesting point of view.

And note, that genealogy is a formidable task of wading through reams and reams of papers and films. It is the searching for and the researching of those glimpses into the past of who and when your ancestors and ancient family existed. It is not necessarily a percentage or estimate provided by a corporation. A corporation and/or organization that is currently examining their bottom line and net return on subscription dues.

Just my opinion.

Regards,

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Part 917sb - Autosomal Tests Comparison

Good Day,

I've been asked a number of questions regarding the postings of my and Andy Brunhammer's Autosomal DNA results with respect of the various testing companies and organizations.

Why are there differences and varied numbers across the results?

The logical explanation(s) is that certain companies/organizations test only within certain and/or limited capabilities. In other words, some may not test for specific "ethnicities". Also there may be a void of the number of ethnic-specific results in their overall databases.

Does that mean your "lieder-hausen" should be traded in for a "kilt"? Or should your blue eyes mean you are "definitely" localized to a specific country?

As the results are not necessarily 100% absolute, if you should decide on getting an autosomal DNA test done, please remember that "family matches" may be implicit and should be realized with the necessary sources and documentation.

Regards,

Jim

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Part 916b - Brunhammer Autosomal DNA Tests - Comparison

Greetings,

If you are thinking about the autosomal DNA testing here are several tests completed. These are Andy Brunhammer's tests. Each includes the associated percentages as they apply to specific "ethnicity" labels.

The International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki is an excellent reference site. Check out the Autosomal DNA testing comparison chart link. (It does not include LivingDNA.)

https://isogg.org/wiki/Wiki_Welcome_Page

Regards,

Jim

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Part 915s - Smith Autosomal DNA Tests - Comparison

Greetings,

If you are thinking about the autosomal DNA testing here are several tests completed. These are my tests. Each includes the associated percentages as they apply to specific "ethnicity" labels.

The International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki is an excellent reference site. Check out the Autosomal DNA testing comparison chart link. (It does not include LivingDNA.)

https://isogg.org/wiki/Wiki_Welcome_Page

Regards,

Jim

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Part 914sr – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Another DNA 111 Marker Match

Good Day,

I just received news from Family Tree DNA that my Smith Y-DNA has another 111-Marker match. This time with a 9 Genetic Distance. The match is one John Faree Follis. This now makes that I have 8 relatively close 111 Y-DNA marker matches.

And the surnames of the individuals realizing the match are Fallis/Follis, Robinson, Seymour, and Ware. Not one Smith. 3 Fallis/Follis; 1 Robinson; 3 Seymour; and 1 Ware.

Does this mean that there is possibility that my Smith name may have been something else in a time long ago and faraway?

According to the Family Tree DNA Y-DNA TiP Report, and using the information of matching the latest John Faree Follis there may be a probability of 82.61% that in 12 generations, (that’s 12 generations backwards) we, John Faree Follis and myself, Jim Smith may have shared a common ancestor.

And how long is a generation?

From a male perspective it may be a “generational interval of 31 to 38 years”. (ISOGG, “How long is a generation? Science provides an answer”, by Donn Devine). 

If I use the average of about 34 ½ years my calculation would be that about 12 generations back or about 414 years in the past John Faree Follis and I may have an 82.61% chance of sharing a common male ancestor. That means that maybe around 1603 there may be a Follis who could have been a Smith or a Smith who could have been a Follis. (I think.)

And in our Y-DNA 111-marker matching, between John Faree Follis and me there is a 9 Genetic Distance, according to the tests as provided by Family Tree DNA.

The definition of Genetic Distance used by Family Tree DNA “is the number of differences, or mutations, between two sets of results. A genetic distance of zero means there are no differences in the results being compared against one another, i.e., an exact match.”

From my results I have noticed that there is one Jeffrey L. Smith and we match at the 37-Marker test of our Y-DNA. According to Family Tree DNA there is a probability of 89.16% that 12 generations back, about 1603, we may have shared a common ancestor. I wonder if Jeffery L. Smith has ever considering completing the 111-Marker test?

Currently and according to the FTDNA results there are 25 Smith matches at the 12-Marker testing and only two others, excluding myself have completed the 111-Marker testing. All-things-being-equal a possible matching to these two other Smiths falls away considerably as neither of them match my results at the 10 or less Genetic Difference.

If you are a Smith and you may know that you descended from Great-Great-Great Grandfather James Smith please feel free to contact me at jsmith58@gmail.com if you are thinking about testing your Y-DNA.

And if you know of anyone else in the family who may be interested in receiving my updates regarding the search please let me know their email mail so I can include them. Who knows, more than my two eyes and my one aging brain definitely may help with this continued search.

Regards,

Jim

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