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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52272356013819825012018-05-27T17:59:23.640-07:00GreatGreats* A genealogy blog featuring all my Great Ancestors *MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-50036727131487024402016-12-04T19:29:00.000-08:002018-04-04T22:41:31.209-07:00Bannard, Carr, Hegwer: All Together

Annotations from the reverse of this photo, in the handwriting of my father, Herb Hegwer:

Location appears to be Uncle Fred & Aunt Jane's place in 5600 block Fair Ave
No Hollywood
Ca
Harry A Hegwer "Mickey"
Chas Wm Carr -- Uncle Will
Mrs. Chas Wm Carr -- Aunt Lottie
Herbert C Hegwer -- myself
Raymond O. Bannard -- cousin
Fred R. Bannard -- Uncle Fred

My Comments--People
Mickey was Herb's younger brother. (Their brother Ray, died in 1937. I think it's significant that he is not in this photo.)

Charles William Carr was a maternal uncle of both Hegwer's in this photo. His wife, Aunt Lottie, was Charlotte M. Field.

Frederick R. Bannard was the husband of Jane Catherine Carr, sister to Charles. Raymond Otto Bannard was their son.

My Comments--Location
In the 1930 census, Fred & Jane Bannard were at 5630 Fair Ave and her parents, John Henry (died in 1933) & Anne Matilda (Causier) Carr at 5624 Fair. The area changed jurisdictions often as Los Angeles grew. Today with Google Maps, the house now at 5630 is probably basically original but clearly had additions. Next door, the street number is 5624 but the building is a large post-WWII apartment building. But, given city directories & voter registers, they all seem to have left this street by about 1934.

My Comments--Dating the photo
The earliest date I have for the Hegwer's in Los Angeles is 1936; Herb would have been 23, Mickey about 18, & Ray Bannard about 20. I think they all look older than that in this photo.

Mickey died in Jan 1944, having enlisted Nov 1941.  So the photo is most likely between 1936 and 1944, and more probably before 1942. Given who's not in the photo, I think this photo is more likely late 1940, maybe even at the time of Ann Matilda (Causier) Carr's funeral in 1940.

So...I'm not sure about the date/place combination. Dad was pretty good about labeling photos and especially good about locations-- I am very hesitant to doubt him on that. On the other hand, given that he did not give a date, I think he must have had some general doubt and that could include the location, too.

Maybe some of the other descendants can help me out here?!

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-66450708900651837062016-06-09T19:30:00.000-07:002016-06-11T05:26:51.173-07:00Great Book: Elements of Genealogical Analysis

Elements of Genealogical Analysis by Robert Charles Anderson is really a great book! I have been working through it for almost a year and still enjoy every single page. It's not the sort of book a reader just goes through once and puts back on a shelf: the content is concise yet very dense. There's a lot there to consider. I believe the sort of study groups that erupted for the Jones book would be very appropriate for "Elements."

If you appreciate the Great Migration Newsletter articles about how a passenger list or a town record was analyzed, then there is absolutely no doubt that you will enjoy "Elements." You'll also appreciate it if you like to read books about evidence and analysis in genealogy and it's an absolute must-read for anyone with colonial New England ancestry.

I think one of its strengths is both the number and depth of the examples for every single point Anderson set out to make. The detailed analyses of documents -- not simply what is printed on them but where, when, why, by whom -- support any discussion of the genealogical proof standard.MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-23571797989727397372016-06-05T19:07:00.000-07:002016-06-05T19:07:28.431-07:00SCGS Jamboree 2016 in Brief

This is Part Two of my Jamboree experience this year. Part One is here.

FRIDAY – Yeah! An average commute so I wasn't late...just tired.

8:30 to Noon – Extra $50 Hands-on Workshop with Blaine Bettinger on Third-Party Tools for Autosomal DNA

As expected, an "Oh, Wow" Experience for me! Ok, maybe I would have preferred less time on admixture and more time on GEDmatchTier One Tools and a lot more on DNAGedcom. At least I do now see that there is some value to the admixture tools in general. Overall, the workshop was well worth my time but it was also evident that not everyone had done the workshop preparation as listed in the registration materials. Since I had done all the preparation, there was a good deal of repetition and that time could have been much better used on the Tier One tools &/or DNAGedcom. Still I feel it was worth the price.

A thought: Remember how Thoma MacEntee did the weekly prompts/steps to review genealogy research? Given my success at following Blaine Bettinger's workshop preparation instructions for third party tools, I think Blaine (or someone) should continue that concept and have weekly prompts to take users through GEDmatch and DNAGedcom. That may be what his upcoming book is going to do...we should know by next month!

I spent the afternoon in the exhibit hall, perusing, picking up freebies & brochures. I asked some questions and got some help at My Heritage. It turns out most of my issues are them and not me. Great freebie bag, though....

Overall, the exhibit hall did not have the excitement it has had. A couple of my favorites were missing and I was unable to purchase two books I had planned to buy.

With no exciting sessions to see and relatively little to do in the exhibit hall, I went home mid-afternoon, trying to beat both Friday drive-time traffic and getting past a Dodger stadium before the home game traffic.

SATURDAY

The biggest surprise Saturday morning was the commute: the absolute easiest & fastest I have ever, ever had to Burbank for anything!

Saturday held no research-necessary sessions, so I settled with being entertained by Michael John Neill on Pre -1850 Censuses. I've heard him before on that topic, but he's one of my favorite speakers and I knew it would be enjoyable. Note: I think his Casefile Cluesis the most under-revered genealogy books/newsletters there is. I think of it as a book because I printed out Volumes 1&2 and put them in a binder. Super!!

I tried Newspapers.com in the Tech Zone. Found some things worth pursuing.

I bought 2 more FTDNA autosomal kits and went home after lunch. I really like how FTDNA re-organized and fully staffed their conference booth. It was the best FTDNA conference experience I've ever had. Unfortunately, the commute home was not so good.

SUNDAY'S program didn't have enough great stuff to overcome the commute and the thought of sleeping in, so I stayed home to sleep in, console Hubby, and blog.

Big News!  Oh, my goodness! I've made the big time...after all these Jamborees, I'm finally one of the unnamed background extras in one of Randy Seaver's Jamboree photos!! I can prove I went to Saturday!

Overall Conclusion

I think that the next time Jamboree has a schedule that really motivates me, I will take Hubby along and get a room at the hotel for 2-3 days. My total commute time for the three days I attended was over 10 hours and that doesn't count the stress and energy and parking fees and the lonely husband issues....
MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-52792970950912976662016-06-05T18:49:00.000-07:002016-06-05T19:08:57.440-07:00SCGS Jamboree 2016: DNA Day
I hadn't expected to attend Jamboree this year, but when the schedule first came out with a full day of excellent speakers on intermediate/advanced sessions for DNA Day and an extra Friday workshop, I was hooked for the whole conference. Unfortunately for my blogging, the daily commute precluded my posting each day...more on that later. Here's a summary of my impressions. A blog post on the rest ofJamboree to follow.

DNA Day

Even though I allowed 90 minutes for a commute that can be done in an hour-ish, I was 30 minutes late and arrived to find myself "locked-out" of Kitty Cooper's session on triangulation. Fortunately, her blog posts are thorough so I think I can tough it out and fill in the gaps myself. I spent the time left that session in with Katherine Borges & Linda Magellan on Recruiting DNA in Europe. Those few minutes were enjoyable and informative while I let myself unwind from the drive. On to the rest of my day:

10am with James V. Bartlett on Intermediate DNA: Autosomal DNA – Specific Steps to Insure Success

An excellent presentation and syllabus: lots of detail yet very easy to follow. I need to follow his suggestion of having a few "standard messages" ready to use for cousin contacts. Duh..no wonder I was never happy with my attempted messages...I was trying to make one fit them all. Also, I need to keep trying: Jim cited much improved response rates by the third inquiry he sends out to an individual. His tips on spreadsheet management are useful, too.

11:30an with Tim Janzen on Organizing All of Your DNA Match List Data

Another excellent presentation in every regard. He provided very detailed info on how he structures his spreadsheets. Maybe I can make this work...I really like the idea of giving a new cell to each individual email to/from a cousin contact. In general, he works his analysis more at the segment level than by total size of a match.

2:00pm back with James V. Bartlett on Segment-ology: Learning about Autosomal DNA

Still very good and by this point I didn't need to take as many notes. I choose to think that's because of all my new knowledge and synthesis skills rather than from info overload! I think I've really got a good grasp now on analyzing matches that could be on either one of a chromosome pair.

3:30pm with Diahan Southard on Circles or Triangles? What Shape is your DNA?

Another excellent presentation as always from Diahan! I went into this expecting to still be strongly favoring triangulation. However now, I must admit that I see there is indeed some logic & science behind Genetic Networking (seems to be the generic term for "DNA Circles"). I still count myself in the triangulation camp, but I will be less overtly critical of a certain company's circles. I really liked Diahan's emphasis that while you may have DNA matches in circles, you MUST then "do the genealogy."

5:00pm with Blaine Bettinger for Genetic Genealogy: Year in Review 2016

Good presentation, well organized.Yes, a lot really did happen in just the last year. Key quote: "We need to expect our match lists to change over time." It's clear that more updates and more changes are going to be a fact of life.

Overall, a great day and it's going to take me hours and hours of work to start implementing all that I learned and/or am now more motivated to actually do.

MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-38758862110727582872016-05-04T17:19:00.000-07:002016-05-04T17:19:49.099-07:00Ancestry.com DNA: Then v. NowIt appears that the changes to Ancestry.com's DNA matching protocol have reached my results. Oh, dear:

19 Missing ... that's 20%...

Following all the alerts from other bloggers, I made sure that all of my existing 93 green leaf matches had stars and/or notes*. As you can see above, now I have only 90 green leaf matches. Doesn't sound too bad, does it? But, examining those 90, there are 16 with no star and no note but with a new blue dot ... they are entirely new to me.

So, a total of 19 of my "Then" DNA matches who had trees with a match to my tree are no longer in that category. I haven't looked exhaustively for them, but it seems likely that they are indeed "gone." I assume ancestry.com did not change my tree or their trees, so if they are no longer among the green leaf DNA matches, they must no longer match my DNA at/above the threshold. So much for starring or noting previous matches....

Other signs of change
I selected, fairly randomly, 6 of my "then" matches and looked at Ancestry.com's specification of shared cM's now. All of them have been modified:

A Decision
I'm glad ancestry.com wants my opinion and I will give it to them, but I'm not sure it really matters to them. They don't appear to have listened to the Power Bloggers....

I've decided that I'm not going to give these changes any more of my time and energy right now. I'll wait to read some blogs and I'm very interested to hear all the talk at SCGS Jamboree DNA Day.

* I followed many more of the precautionary suggestions, but I don't have the strength to analyze comparisons of them now...if ever....

MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-67759250010706466692015-10-26T19:41:00.000-07:002015-10-26T19:41:17.188-07:00Obituary: Margaret Lavina (Richardson) (Hegwer) Danes

I'm certainly happy with any obituary, but some are better than others... and this obituary is one of the others.... It is about my great-grandmother and briefly refers to my grandfather, but you'd have to be a family genealogist to know it!

The "local lady" is Margaret Lavina (Richardson) (Hegwer) Danes. This obituary is from the 14 July 1919 issue of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, p. 5. From the first line shown in the image, her obituary continues:

whose home was at 829 South avenue, occurred yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock, following a sickness of several months from asthma and complications. Mrs. Danes was born in Tiffany, Mo., August 29, 1860, and has been twice married, the first husband leaving her with two sons, one of whom is now making his home with his mother in this city and the other living in Idaho. Mrs. Danes was united in marriage with her present husband at Durango in 1905, and the family came to Grand Junction the following year.
 The funeral services are waiting word from the son in Idaho and upon receipt of such word the arrangements will be completed; burial will be on Orchard Mesa.
 Later--The funeral services will be held at the Martin chapel Tuesday at 2 o'clock p. m. and will be in charge of Rev. Edwards of the Christian church.
The only named person is her second husband, A.W. Danes (note the use of initials rather than 'Albert Wentling'). Neither her married name nor even her forename is given; survivors are not named. Click here  for a photo of Margaret, Albert, and local son, Raymond Hegwer.

The "detail" of her first marriage is inaccurate and the location of her second marriage is wrong.  Click here for previously posted info about her divorce from Charles Hegwer.

By 1910 census and Salt Lake City directories, they did not arrive in Grand Junction Colorado before 1913. I wonder who supplied the information...I would have expected her widower or her son to have been more accurate or to have simply omitted specifics. So, it's another example of how cautious we have to be with obituaries.

 I found it through the website of the Mesa County Libraries and ordered an e-copy from them. Thank you, Mesa County Libraries of Colorado!MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-79407699871334693472015-10-10T22:16:00.000-07:002015-10-10T22:16:21.097-07:00atDNA Matches by CompanyI've made this my own "DNA Month" and plan to concentrate on getting all the things I've learned to do actually done. I've got some more gedcoms to upload, some more third-party tools to download and start using, match contacts to reply to, other matches to contact, and lots of results to analyze.

Comparing atDNA test results across companies
Luckily for me, my aunt was gracious and curious enough to let me test her atDNA. She's the only close relative I have from an earlier generation and so, consequently, her results are very important in my research. I tested her with Ancestry.com and then transferred the raw data to FTDNA to facilitate chromosome mapping. I've also got both of us at GedMatch.

I haven't been paying much attention to my matches beyond 4th cousins. Making this chart made me realize looking at my aunt's "4th cousin" matches, in essence, gives me one more good generation of priority matches to consider, at least on that side of my family. And, I didn't realize that she actually has more "4th cousin or closer" matches than I do. I'm going to have to spend some time on this result!

Hmmm...my chart for our FTDNA matches illustrates some of the differences between the two companies and how they select/report matches. ... Far fewer matches but more (on the surface) common matches. Given that my aunt doesn't have the Colonial America ancestry that's a full quarter of my pedigree chart, it surprises me that my aunt has more matches than I do.

It will be interesting to see how all these numbers change over time. MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-13878611933349872312015-08-19T03:00:00.000-07:002015-08-19T03:00:08.285-07:00Obituary: Dan DavisonTranscribed from the newspaper Vermont Republican of Windsor, Vermont. It was the 5 March 1821 issue on p. 3. Accessed with GenealogyBank.com

DIED -- At Hartland, on the 31st Jan Deacon DAN DAVISON in the 85th year of his age. It may truly be said of him, 'He came to his grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season.' He was a soldier in the last French war in America, and when the struggle commenced between Great Britain and America, he was a warm friend to his country, and had two tours in the Revolutionary Army. He was a member of the Legislature of Vermont several years. He was a kind neighbor and a faithful friend. The order and regulations of his family, were exceeded by few, if any in the present age; and great spiritual blessings has he enjoyed in his family. He was a Deacon in the Baptist Church in Hartland, from its first constitution, and one of its main pillars. We think we shall not exaggerate if we say, he lived and died a Christain, in the consciences of all classes of people.--His funeral was attended on the 3d inst. by a great concourse of people. A discourse was delivered on the occasion, by one whom he had appointed, from the words of Elisha when his master was taken away, recorded in II Kings, 11th chap, and a part of the 12th verse 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.'

'Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of theta man is peace.'

The death notice immediately following was, coincidentally, one sentence for one of his grandsons, Paul Davison, who died at age 26 in Waterford.

It saddens me that the memory of this man did not survive to my generation. When I began my research, I did not know that any of my ancestors had lived in New England, or that they had fought in wars, or that they were Deacons or even Baptist. Deacon Dan Davison was one of my 4th-great-grandfather on my mother's side.

MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-75470727406859563402015-08-17T14:28:00.000-07:002015-08-17T14:28:08.366-07:00Thomas Bascom and Martha Boltwood Field

Thomas Bascom and his wife, Martha Boltwood Field, are two of my fourth-great-grandparents, through their son David. This image is from Amherst town records and shows a family listing of their first five children.

Such a record does not prove the children were born in Amherst, but most certainy the family resided there for a time. Given that David is the last listed, it is more likely that he was born there. Town histories uniformly name Thomas Bascom as one of the early settlers of Amherst and there is no record of him returning to Warren, Worcester, Massachusetts prior to 1880. Consequently, I believe it is fairly safe to say that David was born in Amherst.

The baptismal note added to the first Nathan's birth listing would seem to imply that he was at least baptized in Amherst. It's probably also safe to list Martha and the second Nathan as born in Amherst.

Four more children were more probably born in Warren: Solomon, Asa, Absalon, and Simon.

Line of Descent
Thomas Bascom = Martha Boltwood Field
David Bascom = Lydia Palmer
Titus Davison = Hannah Field Bascom
Celim Homer Porter = Clara Evelene Davidson
my Grampa Porter

SOURCE

FHL186126 / online browse images / Amherst
Amherst, Hampshire: Births, marriages, deaths 1747-1836 vol 1 / clip from image 7

Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1627-2001 at Familysearch.org
MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-48203510460649011042015-08-13T21:32:00.002-07:002015-08-13T21:32:53.346-07:00Obituary: Walter H. HegwerThank you, thank you, and thank you again to the Mesa County Libraries!!

My goodness, I'm having a great summer finding obituaries!! This time it's not a subscription website but is a free service of a public library: Mesa County Libraries in Colorado.

Luckily for me, one of my great-grandmothers spent her last years in Grand Junction, Colorado. I know my great-grandmother is buried there and that Hegwer grave(s?) were purchased at the Orchard Mesa Cemetery in Grand Junction. I know I've looked before but, this time, something went right and I stumbled into the Genealogy section of the library system's website.

I was shocked to find that they had four entries for "Hegwer" or related "Danes" surnames in their files. I was even more shocked to see that it appeared that they have a free service of providing e-copies of the related obituaries. I filled out the form and now I have copies of obituaries from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel for:

Margaret Lavina (Richardson) (Hegwer) Danes, my great-grandmother

Albert Wentling Danes, her second husband

Walter Hegwer, one of her children who died young

Myrtle "Mamie" May (Foltz) Hegwer, widow of Raymond Dudley Hegwer, another of Margaret's sons

The biggest news here is the info about work, residence, and illness for grand-uncle Walter. And, I have his birthplace as Laveta, Costilla, Colorado rather than Pueblo. The clipping is from the 18 Feb 1908 issue on p. 8.

The moral of the story is to always check the library where family lived and to recheck it periodically...the digital world is changing...!

MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-81240710887876186622015-08-11T16:56:00.001-07:002015-08-11T16:56:08.660-07:00Great Goodness: Sixth Blogiversary, 2009 to 2015Wow...I almost missed it! I sat down to send a note to Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers and High-Definition Genealogy (among others) and suddenly flashed on 'what date is this?!'

State of the Blog -- Writing
I haven't posted annual goals for GreatGreats for ages. Considering I only blogged once in all of 2014, my unstated goal this year was just to get back in the rhythm. I'm feeling pretty good about 2015: eighteen posts since last (uncelebrated) blogiversary.

On the other hand, I haven't done as many as I'd planned on DNA in my genealogy research. I have to do better with my DNA research in general.

I resumed First-Friday-Folder posts, but I've missed a couple. It's really hard when the first of the month is Thursday or Friday...I must plan ahead!! I'm very happy that I've scheduled regular review of existing folders and the related family group sheet. The biggest thing I saw recently is that while I have always written source citations, many of the earlier ones are lacking any written, specific explanation of specifically what my thought process had been.

State of the Blog -- Cosmetics
I'm feeling a serious urge to redecorate, ie redesign the blog. Ideas? Comments? My husband says my font size is too small. With the ease of manipulating screens nowadays, is that an issue for anyone? Anyway, the next time you visit GreatGreats, don't be surprised if it has a new look!

MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-8711398334543239792015-08-07T04:00:00.000-07:002015-08-07T04:00:09.401-07:00First Friday Folder: David Bascom & Lydia PalmerDavid Bascom and Lydia are third great-grandparents on my mother's side. I selected this folder for review because, if I decide to participate in NEHGS' new database project Early Vermont Settlers to 1784, Lydia's father, Zenas Palmer, is a viable candidate. Before working on Zenas, I better make sure the more recent generation is in good shape…. (Read the very first one here to review what I mean by First Friday Folder.)

The Couple
Lydia PALMER was born in 1789 in Fairfax, Franklin, Vermont, the daughter of Zenas Palmer and Lydia Marshall. David BASCOM, son of Thomas Bascom and Martha Field, was born 8 Aug 1780 in Amherst, Hampshire, Massachusetts. David was in Fairfax by 5 Dec 1805 when he married Lydia. They lived there the rest of their lives and had nine children. David died 21 May 1859 and Lydia died just three months later, 29 Aug 1859. They, and many members of their families, are buried in Sanderson Corners Cemetery in Fairfax and most are listed at Find A Grave.

The Folder
The folder's contents were is relatively good shape, organized and nicely grouped. There were even three unnecessary duplicate pages to remove and file in the trash! I was feeling pretty good until I reviewed the family group sheet. While my citations were thorough enough to find the related source, I could not tell what-in-the-world I had been thinking…what did that page have to do with the event to which I had linked it?! I probably thought the link was obvious…something I'd "never" forget...

The Plan

FHL #28213 has been on my to-do list for some time: Now is the time to order these early Fairfax Town Records and write really thorough citations and proof statements as appropriate!

Review all citations for this couple and re-research and/or rewrite as needed.

Investigate two very promising DNA match in this line at Ancestry.com and another at FTDNA

Conclusions

 I need to remember that I am writing citations not for me today, but for me later when I am not in the midst of solving that problem and I no longer remember what I was thinking at the time. My new dream is to someday review a folder that does not embarrass me….

I have to figure out a rationale or procedure on how to prioritize and rank which DNA matches to pursue. There are just too many to do them all justice.

MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-47413945032117766312015-07-23T13:58:00.003-07:002015-07-23T13:58:59.023-07:00Resource: Old Lutheran Migration
The latest issue of American Ancestors has a great surprise! American Ancestors is a publication of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and I'm used to finding info about my maternal grandfather's Colonial New England ancestry in almost every issue. I was unhappy about 2 years ago when the society decided to open their focus to be much more general: there'd be less content for me but I could understand their need to appeal to more people and make more money to support the society...so...

I never expected to find an article directly relevant to my Hegwer line! While Carl Benjamin Hegwer and Maria Rosina (Ilgner) Hegwer are not specifically mentioned, "George Dopf and the Old Lutheran Migration of 1839" is a very good article about the nature of their immigration in 1839. It's very hard (as in near impossible?) to find scholarly things in English about the early 1800s in Silesia, so this article is a real treat. The ship the Hegwer's were on left Hamburg 1 Jul 1839 and is the one described in this article, arriving NY on 24 Aug 1839.

Wherever the article refers to the Silesia group, that's us! There is no doubt that Carl Benjamin Hegwer knew Krause and Grabau, and probably Rohr, too. There was quite a bit of documented 'drama' among the 3 ministers, the Buffalo congregation, and the Wisconsin groups that has been left out of this article. You can't fit everything in one article!

WHAT I NEED TO DO NOW

I had no idea that any of the travel documents needed by the Old Lutherans to leave Prussia still existed. I can't wait to follow author McGrath's reference list and see if I can find some new info specific to the Hegwer's or Ilgner's. Records from the part of Silesia now in Poland are harder to find than those now in Germany, but I'll still try... and maybe the Hegwer/Ilgner party had already started to move and were interrogated along the way, leaving records in what is now Germany???

REFERENCE

McGrath, Lawrence R. "George Dopf and the Old Lutheran Migration of 1839." American Ancestors, Vol. 16 (2), Spring 2015, pages 37-40 & 59.

Disclaimer

I am a paid member of NEHGS but receive no other consideration from them.

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-90294864167874050852015-07-21T13:52:00.000-07:002015-07-21T13:52:12.514-07:00Great-Great-Grandfather Homer Thomas Porter

Clipping from the St. Albans Messenger of St. Albans, Vermont. This obituary appeared Thursday, 31 Dec 1903 on page 8. I found it through GenealogyBank.com; I'm very happy with my new subscription!*

Homer Thomas Porter and Dolly Bates are one set of my maternal great-great-grandparents. It's always nice to have an obituary for an ancestor, but this one is especially nice for several reasons:
 --It specifies where he was living when he died.
 --Dolly Ann (Bates) is named as his late wife.
 --His father, Thomas, is named. With common names, it's always nice to have generations linked!
 --It not only says where Dolly was when she died, it also specifies why she was so far from Vermont.
 --Surviving relatives are named and residences specified.
 --His religion and commitment to it are included.

I had most of these events but only from a distant family member. Granted, an obituary may not be reliable but this one is still closer to being original than what I had previously. All input considered, I'm feeling pretty good about reliability. What I had is confirmed and I'm able to fill in some very meaningful new details.

And, I have something new to research: What was the "battle of Plattsburg" and why is it still mentioned 90 years later???

Line of Descent

For the curious or the observant, Dolly Ann (Bates) Porter and her mother-in-law Abigail (Bates) Porter are not closely related. Abigail is a descendent of Clement Bates, while Dolly Ann is a descendent of Edward Bates of Weymouth.

*Disclaimer
I am a new, paid subscriber to GenealogyBank. I do not receive any favor from them beyond my subscription.
MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-6341408931794750442015-07-05T20:28:00.000-07:002015-07-05T20:28:46.121-07:00Portrait of a Great Great: Mary Mason

With a full quarter of my ancestry coming from the Great Migration, I'm used to finding the occasional mention in American Ancestors, one of the periodical publications of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. But the Winter 2015 (Vol. 16, No. 1) has set a new standard here for excitement!

One article is primarily about Abigail Smith Adams, wife of President John Adams and mother of President John Quincey Adams [1]. Author Michelle Marchetti Coughlin hypothesizes howAbigail's maternal great-grandparents may have affected Abigail. Luckily for me, those maternal great-grandparents are also my 8th-great-grandparents, John NORTON and Mary MASON.

The entire article is very interesting and includes a good deal of family history information and detail, far beyond birth-marriage-death. The great surprise is a portrait of Mary Mason, circa 1670! The actual portrait, artist unknown, is on display at the Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts. As part of the United States National Park Service (NPS), the website is great, too. It includes a Photo Gallery with eight sections, one of which is Portraits in the Old House. Of the 32 portraits shown there, one is of "Mary Mason, circa 1670" and a download is available. My illustration here is a clip of that NPS download. Please visit their fine site for your own full copy.

Conclusions

Join national genealogy societies!

Read their publications and be prepared for surprises!

Appreciate fine government websites!

Line of Descent
Rev. John Norton = Mary Mason
Capt. John Norton = Elizabeth Thaxter
William Norton = Elizabeth Bennett
Moses Bates = Hannah Norton
Moses Bates = Ruth Shaw
Norton Bates = Betsey Sweet
Homer Thomas Porter = Dolly Ann Bates
Celim Homer Porter = Clara Evelene Davidson
my Grandpa Porter

[1] Coughlin, Michelle Coughlin. "A shared sensibility: Examining the legacy of John and Mary (Mason) Norton, maternal great-grandparents of Abigail Smith Adams." American Ancestors, 16 (1): 47-51.MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-36540960550675177932015-06-26T20:44:00.000-07:002015-06-27T11:01:27.680-07:00Just a Great Coincidence?My mother would have been 93 years old today but I wouldn't be blogging about it if it hadn't been for today's obituary section of the Los Angeles Times. About 60% of Section B, page 6 is filled with the obituary of Patrick Macnee and includes a classic image from "The Avengers." I was surprised to see that he shared her birth year. He was one of mom's most favorite actors: she loved "The Avengers" with Macnee and Diana Rigg, but she would watch them no matter which female lead was present. I have very fond memories of watching the episodes in the 1960's with Mom. In later years, she was always ecstatic when she found reruns on TV.

The remaining 40% of the page was the obituary of Don Featherstone, designer of the vivid pink plastic garden flamingoes of 1957. The obituary includes a cute image of Featherstone with oodles of his flamingoes. Mom loved garden art, especially animals. We had several of those original flamingoes and she added/replaced them over the years; I have no idea how many she had in her lifetime. And, I never had any trouble finding a gift for her for any event or just because!

It's hard to believe it's merely a coincidence that, on her birthday, a whole page of the newspaper is consumed by two things she loved. I hope the families of Patrick Macnee and Don Featherstone realize how many memories they created for so many people.

My brother and I split her garden art. I think she might have been surprised to know we have kept it. I know she'd be surprised to see that I have added to it.

 I need to get a pink flamingo as soon as possible.

[Images all by me of some of Mom's garden art in my yard -- all rights reserved.]MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-22122555115380869702015-06-10T16:37:00.000-07:002015-06-10T16:37:56.757-07:00Great Image of Henry Hegwer

I was extremely successful at the TechZone at SCGS Jamboree this year! I am extremely happy to have found an obituary for Great-Grand-Uncle Henry Hegwer, ninth child of my great-great-grandparents Carl Benjamin and Maria Rosina (Ilgner) Hegwer. It's fairly lengthy and with a style of excess that fit the era. There are some errors but mostly sins of omission and exaggeration. The great thing that got me so excited is the image of Henry that was included!

This is a screen clip from the Denver Post of 15 Dec 1921, p. 10, cols. 5-6 obituary accessed through GenealogyBank. It's not the best quality and I don't see a lot of resemblance to present day Hegwer's, but he does clearly have a Hegwer-style forehead! Maybe there's still hope that I'll, one day, find a photo of his baby brother, my great-grandfather, Charles Hegwer….

I do want to take the time to point out two main errors in this obituary:

Henry was born 8 Oct 1842 in Freistadt, Ozaukee, Wisconsin. The family did not go to Kansas until 1857.

Henry was married three times: Kate Hornberger, Flora Wallace, and Fritchie (Knight) Conda. The marriage to Mrs. Conda lasted only about five weeks before Henry filed for divorce, which was granted a year later, but that's still a marriage.

Thank you, Southern California Genealogy Society! Thank you, GenealogyBank! I'm very happy to have this image of Henry Hegwer!
MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-21967732613141081832015-06-08T22:36:00.000-07:002015-06-10T18:31:22.298-07:00Less-than-Accurate Obituary : Flora (Wallace) HegwerMoral: It may be in print but that doesn't make it complete...

Great Grand-Uncle Henry Hegwer's second wife was Flora C. (Wallace) Hegwer. I just found an obituary for her at GenealogyBank from the Denver Post of 7 February 1910, p.2, col. 6, thanks to the TechZone at SCGS Jamboree!

I'm very happy to have this obituary because it shows that great-grand-uncle Henry, who had these children and married Flora, also used the name "Ferdinand." I was confident that they were the same person, but it's nice to have confirmation in print. I've blogged before about Henry...it seems there is no end to his adventures.

Transcription, with slashes indicating paragraphs:

Wife of Prominent Politician is Dead / Early Sunday morning Mrs. Flora C. Hegwer, wife of Ferdinand H. Hegwer, and for years a prominent Republican political worker, died at her home, 4428 Elizabeth street. Mrs. Hegwer had been a resident of Denver for over twenty years, coming here from Francisco, Ind. She was 43 years old and her death was brought on by a complication of diseases. Besides her husband, Mrs. Hegwer is survived by five children, Harry H., Otto W., Lela, Leonard and Mrs. Clara Lowe, all of this city. The funeral services will be held from the family residence Tuesday afternoon. / Mrs. Hegwer is survived by her husband and five children, Harry H. Hegwer, Otto W Hegwer, Lela Hegwer, Leonard Hegwer and Mrs Clara Lowe, all of Denver. Two sons of Mrs. Hegwer died in the Philippines during the Spanish-American war. They were Oscar W. Hegwer and Albert C. Hegwer. Both were members of the First Colorado regiment, Compay E. Harry H. Hegwer was also with the Colorado regiment in the Philippines. Ferdinand H. Hegwer, the husband, is a veteran of the civil war and is commander of the recently organized Indian War Veterans of Colorado. / The funeral of Mrs. Hegwer will be from the family residence tomorrow afternoon.
[Yes, the obituary repeats the names of the children and date of the services.]

Alternative Information

"Henry" is much more commonly used as his first name. Early records, military, headstone, etc., are "Henry." He seems to have started using "Ferdinand" around the time of the boiler explosion scandal.

Flora's first child, Otto, was born in Kansas in 1886 and the couple was definitely in Kansas in 1888 for court cases about the "Hegwer Houses" and at least one related lien on property Henry had in Flora's name. Yes, Flora was born in Indiana, but every indication is that they were in Kansas for at least a few years before Colorado. [ie, 1900 US Census, Denver, Arapahoe, Colorado]

Clara, Albert, Oscar, and Harry were children by Henry's first wife, Kate Hornberger, who presumably died before 1885. [ie, 1880 US Census, Grant, Reno, Kansas]

Albert died in San Francisco in a military hospital on the way to the Philippines; he was in Company I at the time. He is buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery. [ie, San Juan Prospector, 20 Aug 1898, p.1]

Oscar attended to his brother all through his short illness in San Francisco and then continued on to the Philippines. He returned to Denver after serving about one year but was already ill when he arrived home. He died a few weeks later. [i.e., Denver Evening Post, 15 Oct 1899, p.6, col.D]

Conclusion
I had already accumulated a great deal of info on Henry when I found this obituary, so I knew it was inaccurate. I hope researchers for whom this obituary is their first great find about Henry have the good sense to keep looking.

Note
Full source citations gladly available upon request.

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-10392983111299448792015-06-03T03:30:00.000-07:002015-06-03T11:51:27.213-07:00Keating VariationsCéitinn, Cateing, Cating, Cayting, Ceating, Ceitin, Ceitinn, Kaiting, Kateing, Kating, Katting, Keatance, Keateing, Keatinge, Keatings, Keatting, Keeting, Keetinge, Keting, Ketinge, Ketting, Kettinge, Ketyng, Ketynge, Mac Céitín, MacKeating, McKeating

From the Irish Times webpage. I've blogged about this resource many years ago. It's good to revisit great resources periodically!

More possibilities abound: trade C for K, double vowels, omit second vowels, maybe trade a D for K and so on….MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-75132613030342291982015-05-31T14:15:00.000-07:002015-05-31T14:16:28.471-07:00Great Resource: Maps of Morrow County, Ohio

This is just a clip of the Chester map from 1857. Visit their website to see much more!

The Morrow County Engineer website includes several links to county and township maps. The section titled "Misc Maps" is especially interesting since it includes the 1857 atlas maps, which it says were taken from actual surveys. Eight other Morrow County atlas maps are also included, dating from1871 to 1989. The map is in a pdf file and is very, very slow to load, so I'm not including that specific link here. Visit the 'Misc Maps' link and select the atlas map of your choice.

My SHAW and MILLER lines were in Chester, Knox County from the early 1800s. Morrow County was created in 1847 and Chester was one of the areas reassigned. Robert Shaw and Sarah Miller were in Missouri for the 1840 & 1850 censuses, but I can't find them in 1860…I wonder if they went back to Ohio? This 1857 maps show that there were still Miller's in town. Adjacent names are familiar, too.

I found this resource from a footnote in an article in the Ohio Genealogical Society's Ohio Genealogy News, Fall 2014 (45:3, p.21) by Corinne Bertin Konecny. My membership in OGS has paid for itself many times over through all I've learn through its publications.

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-57458235387599109642015-05-03T13:57:00.001-07:002015-05-03T13:57:33.394-07:00"Hegwer" in Sütterlin Script

With my new organization regimen, I review two random resource notebooks each month. (Most of them haven't been used for years.) My orginal hope was that I would find unnecessary or duplicate papers and could discard great bunches. You can probably guess that hasn't happened much. I keep telling myself that I am not responsible for archiving the world….

Today's pick was my notebook on German genealogy. I only found one unnecessary page in the whole notebook and only had to move one page to its proper section. Generally, I'm impressed with the quality of info I've accumulated...maybe I should even go back to working on that line?!

The forgotten treasure I found was my handout and notes from a 2006 lecture for the then Santa Clarita Valley Family History Center seminar. This session was presented by Kurt Schröder and included content on various script found in German records. I remember going up to him after the fine session and asking if he would please write "Hegwer" for me on my notes. I had already written the name out and I pointed to the blank area after the name. Mr. Schröder very graciously responded with the line you see above. (I added the arrow afterward so that I'd remember what I had!)

[Image is cropped scan from original document in MHD collection; all rights reserved.]MHDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-6337270156255213372015-04-03T23:49:00.000-07:002015-04-04T13:55:27.126-07:00First Friday Folder: Patrick Keating & Catherine DooleyPatrick and Catherine are two of my maternal great-grandparents. It took me over 10 years to find them and prove it. There was a lot of research with three independent serendipitous events involved and, someday, I should blog about it all….

I selected this folder for review this week because recent atDNA matches show promise and have re-energized my research on this line. Maybe I can find out where my Irish roots are….

The Couple

In the 1880 US Census, Patrick Keating is 32, born in Ireland of parents born in Ireland, wife Catherine is 26, born in Canada of parents born in Ireland. Their son, Fillamin T., is 4 years old and born in Ohio. In later records, he is referred to as "Thomas" or "Tom" with a middle initial "F." They were living in Benton, Ottawa, Ohio. Both a marriage certificate and state register show they were married in Ottawa County on 28 November 1873; Catherine's surname was given as Dooley. There was also a son, John, who died young with no children. My brother and I are their only daughter's only grandchildren.

The Folder
Much more than half of this one-inch-thick folder was loose pages of clues or ideas of what, where, and how to find the origins and ancestors of this couple. I spent this morning organizing the folder and now I have bundles with sequenced contents:

vital records

census info (including a possible 1870 census listing for Patrick)

deeds and land info & clues

info on the linguistic origin and geographic likelihood of both "Keating" and "Dooley" in Ireland

a very sizable bundle of censuses, family group sheets, and other info on Tom's 7 children and their descendants.

I was able to either consolidate or discard a very few duplicates…I'd hoped for more. Mostly, I was struck by how many solid clues or possible record types I have to follow. The two biggest may be the possible atDNA matches I have: one for a Dooley and the one for a descendant of Ellen (Keating) Earl (discussed in an earlier post).

The Plan
I have all of Thomas Keating's children and 13 grandchildren. I have some of the great grandchildren. I need to bring all of the grandchildren as far forward as possible. Then, I need to consider paying for one of them to do a Y-DNA test and perhaps find one of them who's interested in an atDNA test. Triangulation might help the analysis of my existing matches.

I have some of Patrick's deeds, but I need to find the earliest ones. I'm pretty confident that I have the right Patrick in a 1870 census in Ottawa County, but it says he has land and I can't find any deeds for him prior to 1874.

I need to find a primary birth/baptism source for Thomas F. (Fillamin). I'm going to have to get a system and just go through the Toledo Diocese records image by image…. Hmm, maybe I could even find Catherine's death record, circa 1887.

Perhaps the biggest thing my review today recovered is that I have a baptism record for Patrick & Catherine Keating's second child, John Keating, that gives Bellevue, Huron, Ohio as the location. I knew I had the baptism (since 2009, no less) but I had no recollection that it's in a county where I have never looked for the family. That's embarrassing!

Conclusions

For research problems, review what I already have and then review it again. I know I've written that before but here I've gone and proven it again!

DNA results may not immediately solve a major research problem, but they can certainly reenergize a search.

Having spent a day with this folder spread all over the breakfast table, what I really need is a whole wall like the ones in Homeland or Criminal Minds or Blacklist where the whole entire wall is covered with documents, images, maps, dates, with boldly colored yarn connecting some points. It would stay up all the time, never having to be put away until the problem is solved. Yeah, I know I could sorta do that with mind mapping software, but it's just not the same.

Photos by MHD. All rights reserved.

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-40771027544767837452015-03-11T11:06:00.003-07:002015-03-11T11:06:50.250-07:00Causier Reunion: June 27, 2015Wouldn't it be fun?? … With a few minutes of spare time last night and as I frequently do on my less common ancestral surnames, I ran a search on "causier," and found something great!

There's going to be a reunion of CAUSIER descendants in Droitwich, Worcester, England this summer. The organizers are celebrating the 300th anniversary of the baptism of Sacheverell Causier at St. Peter De Witton, 27 Jun 1715. They've received good press coverage in the Worcester area, with articles in both the Worcester News 19 February 2015 and in the Hereford Times 20 February 2015 . I wish I could go join them all.

These two articles are virtually identical and both include contact info for event organizer, John Causier. Wouldn't it be great to attend and travel around the area with distant cousins? Just think of all the photos that will be snapped and all the info that will be shared… wouldn't it be fun?… but I'll just have to be content with all the dreams I will have about returning to visit England…. I'll have to settle with contacting the organizer, seeing how we relate, and sending my best wishes for a successful event.

I've posted before about this Sacheverell Causier before. As shown in my line of descent below, I'm descended from 3 consecutive generations of Sacheverell Causier! Actually there were at least 2 more generations of Sacheverell's, just not my line.

We went to England in 2006 and had a wonderful time visiting with fourth cousins I'd found online: one on the Causier line and one on my Ethell line. This photo is from Whitwood and shows an old cornerstone naming James Causier. The year on this stone is illegible, but another stone in the building appeared to be dated 1887 (or possibly 1867). This James is not in my direct line, but is indeed a descendant of Sacheverell. The building is within sight of the church I showed in an earlier post.

Line of Descent

Sacheverell Causier = Betty Astmore
Sacheverell Causier = Elizabeth Wood
Sacheverell Causier = Sarah Hunt
William Causier = Ann Tolley
Charles Causier = Catherine Hughes
John Henry Carr = Ann Matilda Carr
Bertha Maud Carr = BT Hegwer (my grandparents)

Photo by MHD: all rights reserved.

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-51787361389313278692015-03-06T07:00:00.000-08:002015-03-06T07:00:05.462-08:00First Friday Folder: Davison & PhelpsPaul DAVISONand Abiel PHELPS are two of my 5th great-grandparents on my Porter grandfather's side. I picked this folder this month because it has not been touched in 9 years. I'm afraid my sources won't meet my current standards! (Read the very first one here to review what I mean by First Friday Folder.)

The Couple
Both Paul and Abiel spent their short lives in Mansfield, Tolland, Connecticut. Paul Davison, son of Peter Davison and Anna Morgan, was born 5 April 1711 and died 20 August 1751. Abiel Phelps, daughter of Benjamin Phelps and Deborah Temple, was born 12 March 1711/1712 and died before May 1747. They were married 30 Aug 1733 and had at least three children: Oliver (1734-1769), Dan (1736-1821), and Phineas (b. 1740).

After Abiel died, Paul married second Deborah Wright 7 May 1747; they had Abial (b. 1748) and Deborah (b. 1750). After Paul died, Deborah married second Aaron Younglove.

The Folder
The folder had 15 items in it, mostly family group sheets or printouts from online trees with a date indicating I printed them out in 2004 & 2005. I removed some unneeded duplicates and two misfiled items were refiled…Yeah, now I have a thinner folder!

Upon review, I see that my sources are compiled genealogies and published transcriptions or extractions from town vital records. Everything seems to be consistent and there is no sight of genealogical problem with this couple. Of course, it would be better to verify everything myself with primary sources as I have with son Dan. Given that I have serious doubts about the ancestry of Paul's grandfather, the Daniel Davison who married Margaret Low in 1657, I would have to start by verifying Paul and then his father Peter before I ever return to research Daniel.

The Plan
I've annotated both the family group sheet and my master To-Do list that I need to start with verifying Paul and work my way back from there if I ever decide to return to researching Daniel Davison. This folder will be all ready for me then!

Conclusions
This was a pretty easy folder to review and there aren't any major things to do. It should be easy to find primary sources, given that I know where and when to look. This line would be a good one to work on the next time I get to Salt Lake City!

MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227235601381982501.post-53026226782062178152015-02-16T15:59:00.000-08:002015-02-16T15:59:35.609-08:00Presidential Cousins

The latest post at the Vita Brevis blog, Celebrating Presidential Kinship, US Ancestry by Christopher Carter Lee, does "briefly" discuss the presidency, genealogy of the individual presidents, and NEHGS's support of such research and archiving. It also reminds me that I haven't blogged about any of my presidential connections….

While I am not descended from any American Presidents, several of them are distant cousins through some of my Great Migration ancestors. At the 2009 SCGS Jamboree, I had the pleasure of talking with Gary Boyd Roberts at the NEHGS booth. I blogged about his great books before but didn't list my presidential cousins...

That year, after reviewing my pedigree chart, Gary Boyd Roberts listed the following cousins for me:  Fillmore, Lincoln, Grant, Cleveland, Harding, Coolidge, FDR, Nixon, Ford, both Bushes, and conditionally added Pierce and Hoover. It's almost six years since Mr. Roberts examined my chart and wrote the notes and I'm still gratified by his kindness.

As the Vita Brevis post mentions, there is a newer 2012 edition of the book and I'm sure it's worth having for all the additions & corrections it must have, but I can't bear to replace mine. I will always cherish the thought that Gary Boyd Roberts actually took my pedigree chart back to his hotel room, read it, wrote on it, and took the time to write a detailed personal comment on my copy of his book! Thank you, Mr. Roberts!

I hope to someday get to Boston to visit the library and do lots of research. I'll take my book along with me, hoping to show Roberts and talk with him again. In the meantime, I really, really hope that someday NEHGS brings him back to this area for Jamboree.MHDhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
[Business Wire] – QMG Holdings, Inc. and Questex Media Group, Inc. announced today that they have completed the previously announced "363 sale" of their businesses to a new company held by a group of their senior lenders. The new company, named Questex Media Group LLC, has its own financing and is not subject to Chapter 11 cases filed by the predecessor companies.
Questex Media Group LLC is the operating company that now owns and operates business units InfoTrends, FierceMarkets, FiveStarAlliance, ImagingNetworks, Oxford Publishing, McLean Events International Ltd and all related Questex magazines, online media and event brands.
The new company will operate with an improved capital structure and increased financial flexibility to better position it for future growth. Questex Media Group LLC is headquartered in Newton, MA. The company will be led by its existing executive leadership along with the existing management teams of its business units.
Questex Media Group LLC's President and Chief Executive Officer Kerry Gumas [pictured] said, "We are thrilled to complete the financial restructuring and provide a new future for our businesses. I would like to thank all of our dedicated employees, loyal customers, partners, advisers and our senior lenders and investors for their contributions to the success of this process. We now have the opportunity to move forward with strong financial footing to continue delivering great products and services for our customers."
The members of Questex Media Group LLC were advised by legal counsel, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; and investment bankers Imperial Capital, LLC.
QMG Holdings, Inc was advised by legal counsel, Kirkland & Ellis LLP; and investment bankers Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC.
About Questex Media Group LLC
Questex Media Group LLC is a global, diversified business-to-business media organization serving multiple industries including hotel and hospitality, travel, technology, beauty, spa, among numerous other specialty industries with its well-established, market-leading, events, publications, digital and interactive media, research, and other marketing and media related services. The company's combined operations include approximately 400 employees in offices throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.questex.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
~ This week on Ooh La Frou Frou ~
we find ourselves in the chic
black-and-white-marbled lobby of
The Mark Hotel.
You may remember from previous posts
that blonde and ponytailed
illustrated Ooh La Frou Frou girl Sunny has a
fantasy city apartment at The Mark.
As we peek in on Sunny at The Mark
on a beautiful autumn Monday afternoon,
the lobby and the fashionable
restaurant and bar are, as always,
bustling with activity.
Sunny's neighborhood at The Mark is at
77th Street and Madison Avenue in New York.
To virtually put yourselves
on Sunny's street,
simply click on the items listed to the right of this map
and each item's location will show up on the map itself.
Sunny is lucky to live in a Hotel
which houses the fabulous Frederic Fekkai Salon,
available at her beck and call
for those last-minute dates!
(illustration below courtesy of The Mark Hotel)
We shared the video
"Life at The Mark"
in a previous Sunny post ...
but it's fun, so if you missed it,
you can go here to watch the hotel guests below
go to and fro ...
Psssst ...
~ Here's another little juicy tidbit ~
Did you know that hotel guests that
book a one-bedroom suite
receive a complimentary car and driver
for each day of their stay,
to take them anywhere they wish in Manhattan,
for up to 6 hours?
Ooh la la la la. La la.
You may be wondering what the title of this post
"Grand Flirt"
has to do with Sunny at The Mark.
Well, grab your coffee, darlings,
we're about to begin our story ...
A Grand Flirt
is more than an adorable
~ flirty skirt ~
And you won't find
~ clues ~
in fabulous
~ flirty shoes ~
Although it seems that
~ everywhere ~
the world is filled with
~ flirty hair ~
... you still won't find the answer there ...
All of you darlings
~ more than likely have been ~
the recipient of a Grand Flirt
~ now and then ~
A Grand Flirt
is no lightweight
~ bat of the eye ~
or charming smile
~ from a passerby ~
It starts with
~ The Stare ~
But it doesn't end
~ there ~
It smoulders with interest
with a look from afar ...
and demands with persistence
to know who you are.
If this has happened to you,
you have experienced a
Grand Flirt,
Our adventure begins in the early afternoon
of an autumn Monday,
as Sunny leaves the lobby of the hotel
from her apartment.
Dressed in grey with a gorgeous plum cape,
her ponytail sleek and swishing along,
she has the distinct feeling that
someone is watching her.
And as she glances across the crowded lobby,
she sees him and he holds her eyes in a
~ Grand Flirt.~
He's standing by the elevator with a group of others ...
... briefcase in hand.
He is one of the most handsome men
Sunny has ever seen.
On Wednesday ...
as Sunny is arriving back to the hotel in the
late afternoon, thinking of kicking off her heels
as soon as she hits her apartment door,
she hears the laughter and mumble of
people in the bar enjoying a late lunch or business meeting.
As she glances up, he is sitting amidst
a table of people.
His eyes are magnetic.
Their glance holds for what seems like forever.
Her pace slows down but she recovers
and continues on.
~ Grand Flirt. ~
On Friday ...
Sunny is leaving the hotel with
illustrated girlfriends Violet and Cherie
for an evening of dinner and shopping.
As she and Cherie wait for Violet as she chats with
concierge in the lobby,
Sunny glances up outside
just as a limo is pulling away.
The window rolls down.
He holds her gaze with a slow smile.
Then he is gone.
~ Grand Flirt. ~
Sunny isn't sure if her heart is racing or
slowing to a halt but something has happened.
Late that night,
with heels clicking along the marble lobby,
Sunny arrives back at the hotel
after a very fun evening with the girls.
"Oh, Sunny ..."
the concierge calls out to her.
"A gentleman left this for you ..."
Sunny could hardly sleep.
She didn't know him at all.
A private yacht?
She envisioned herself getting ready for the date
as she tossed and turned ...
If she went, what would she wear?
How about her make-up, her shoes, her hair?
After all, what he had said was true ...
As Sunny tosses and turns
and decides whether to accompany
someone that she really doesn't know
on his private yacht ...
she asks your opinion, darlings.
What should Sunny do?
What would you do
when faced with a devastatingly tempting
~ Grand Flirt? ~
illustrated Ooh La Frou Frou girl Hope
will reveal
your votes on what Sunny should do ...
and Hope will also let you in on
a few things that are in her shopping bags right now.
Stay tuned .....
~ and have a very flirty week! ~
by the artist and creator of Ooh La Frou Frou:
All content is protected by copyright.
All rights reserved.
(c) Sandra Shelton Markwalder 2011
The illustration of Sunny above
is the work of artist Sandra Shelton Markwalder.
(Sandy M)
Love Note on The Mark "stationery"
created by Ooh La Frou Frou
The small illustrations of the
Frederic Fakaii Salon at The Mark and
people with shopping bags are via The Mark Hotel.
Photo Sources:
1. The Mark Lobby and Coffee Cup
2. Mark Restaurant/Bar
3. Girl with Flirty Skirt in Park
4. Flirty Shoes
5. Flirty Hair
6. Three Men with The Stare: Men A B C
7. Three Women with The Stare: Women A B C
8. The Mark Elevator
9. Chanel #5
10. Girl with Pink Lips (edited by Ooh La Frou Frou)
11. Girl in Front of Mirror
12. Champagne Toast
13. Brooklyn Bridge View
14. Boat on Water NY
15. Elizabeth Taylor
You may purchase the
Ooh La Frou Frou Collection cards


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To become glam rocker Stacee Jaxx in the film adaptation of Broadway's Rock of Ages, Tom Cruise spent a lot of time in hair and makeup — and the results terrified his little girl, Suri, 6.
"When I had the eyeliner on and the painted nails, she was a little taken aback by that. She was like, 'What is happening to my daddy?'" Cruise, 49, laughed during an interview on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM radio show Monday.
Cruise added that his daughter with wife Katie Holmes, 33, "really likes the singing" in the movie, which also stars Julianne Hough and Russell Brand. "When she shows up on this set . . . here I am with black nail polish and eyeliner. She just kind of takes it all in."
Suri's experience on the Rock of Ages set was much different than on her father's previous films, including Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Knight and Day.
"I joke with friends because she goes to Kate's set and there's hair and makeup, and it's a very nice set," Cruise said. "Then Suri comes to my sets and she's got to wear a hard helmet, there's explosions going off, Dad's all bloody and he's bruised!"
During his interview with Seacrest, 37, Cruise also raved about his son Connor, 17, with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, 44, who is now making a name for himself as a DJ known as C Squared. "He's very dedicated to [being a deejay]. He's just so focused on his music right now, and it's great to see," the proud father said. "He works very hard when he wants to do something, he's very dedicated to it. Whatever it is."
Cruise's new film, Rock of Ages, is in theaters Friday.
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A blog about my love of really delicious food, surviving cancer, being a single mom, travel, reading, sewing, obscure references, and interesting tidbits.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns
5 comments:
- Deborah said...
I've been itching to make cinnamon rolls lately - these look great, and it helps that they are healthier!!
- October 21, 2008 at 6:16 PM
I have far too much MSNBC to oversee, so there will be no multi-step whole wheat cinnamon rolls made here in the next 2 weeks. However, I will keep this recipe in mind for that day when "healthy" and "cinnamon roll" wish to enter my lexicon together.
BTW, big cities are full of real americans with real big american art museums and real big american orchestras and real big american shopping malls like THE MALL OF AMERICA. LOL.
- October 21, 2008 at 8:52 PM
- glamah16 said...
Oh yumm. I've been making progress with loosing some inches, If I made these, and I'm so tempted, all bets woulf be off.
- October 21, 2008 at 10:05 PM
- the cheap chick said...
I'm a really really REALLY real American who loves cinnamon buns. So hey! Be a good American and send some up north to MN. We'd love you for it, you Barak-voting American, you!
yeah, I'm voting for him, too.
- October 22, 2008 at 10:42 AM
- Mrs. White said...
Yep, it's true. I live in the city, and thus am a fake American. Furthermore, I'm also part of the "liberal feminist agenda" because I happen to be concerned with the "health" of women. And did I mention that I also pal around with terrorists? Because I do. Got one in my book club and everything.
(But seriously...Ga! McCain makes me crazy!!!)
- October 22, 2008 at 9:38 PM


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I'm tossing and turning and getting what seems to be a sleepless night. Finally, I fall into a deep sleep but not for long because it's now 7AM and my alarm is going off. I hit snooze to get 10 more minutes of sleep. The alarm goes off again and I reluctantly get out of bed to take a shower then get dressed. I have some yogurt and fruit for breakfast and pack a lunch to take to work. By 8AM, 8:15 the latest I'm out the door and on my way to downtown Richmond, Virginia to my job at an advertising firm. I park my car and then walk about two blocks to my office. I take the elevator up to the 8th floor, walk into the office, put my lunch in the fridge then sit at my desk. I pull out my laptop check my emails and then sit in that same chair in front of my laptop for 8 hours.
This was my routine for five months. For five months, I did the same exact thing Monday through Friday. I know it's not very common to get your dream job as soon as you graduate from college and so you'll have to settle for a job that pays because student loans come at you fast! For some time I was unhappy at this job. I didn't enjoy the work I was doing, I felt complacent. I knew immediately that this wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and a few months in I felt so dissatisfied. I felt like there was more to life than working a routine 9-5 that I wasn't even remotely passionate about. I felt like life was passing me by and I needed to be in control again. I need something to be excited about, I needed passion in my life, I needed to feel alive again. I couldn't remember the last time I felt full and excited about life. I sat and really thought about the last time I felt full, passionate and excited about life. Excited to wake up each morning and tackle the day head on. After thinking about this for some time, I remembered that the last time I felt that alive was when I was taking my month long trip to Europe traveling alone.
I closed my eyes and went back to that time, when I was traveling and learning about myself daily. I felt so alive and in tuned with myself. I remember my last day on my month long trip like it was yesterday. I was standing out by the water in
Amalfi in southern Italy. I remember feeling the Italian sun on my skin and feeling satisfied and content. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be and made a promise to myself that I would move to Europe the next year. I loved everything about the lifestyle and from talking and interacting with people along the way, it seemed to me that Europeans just did life the right way. They were truly living. They were traveling and often, they didn't live to work, they had a life outside of work.
They spend so much time with their families and in a way live in the moment. This was the life I wanted and I knew that sitting in front of a computer each day in an office I didn't particularly care for doing work I did not care about at all, wasn't for me, so I decided to make a change.
A friend of mine told me about teaching English in Spain and I thought to myself that sounds perfect. I wanted to live in Europe and this job would allow me to do just that. I really didn't think twice about it because I knew this was something I had to do for myself to feel alive inside again. I remember telling some friends and family members and of course I received both negative and positive feedback. I was asked if I was crazy and why I would want to pack up and move to a country where I don't know a single soul, why I would want to live in a country where I don't speak the language and even asked if I was scared to make such a seemingly drastic change in my life.
I received support from my family because they knew that this is what I always wanted. I knew that living in Europe would afford me the luxury of traveling which was the one thing that I was absolutely wholeheartedly passionate about. Travel was the thing that was missing from my life. Travel was what made me feel complete and made me feel alive. Getting lost in an unfamiliar place, having issues communicating and trying to understand people, immersing myself in new cultures and learning about cultures and traditions much different from my own, seeing the world around me and most importantly putting myself out of my comfort zone to begin thinking in a completely new way; this is what I felt I needed back into my life to make me feel satisfied and truly happy again. The people closest to me knew this and accepted that and were more than supportive the entire way.
I'm a very spiritual person and tend to do things and make decisions based on feelings. Does this feel right, does this make me feel happy, does this make me feel like I have passion in my life? I believe that feelings are a great indicator of what I should or shouldn't do. I also believe in the universe guiding you. I truly and whole heartedly believe that whatever you truly desire or want in this lifetime and in your heart believe you will get or accomplish, the universe will conspire to make it happen for you. Some people don't believe in this or even think I'm crazy and in my own world, but the law of attraction is very real and works, if you believe.
I made up my mind during the Summer of 2014 that I was going to move to Europe in 2015. While I was standing basking in the Italian sun, I closed my eyes and said quietly to myself, "Next year I will be living in Europe". After returning home, I wrote on a post-it note that I would be living and working in Europe and put this note on my mirror. Every morning after waking up, I looked at my post-it note, closed my eyes imagining myself living in Europe and how it would feel then repeated, "I'm thankful now that I'm living and working in Europe". I didn't know how this was going to happen what job I would have or even where in Europe I would be living but I already accepted the fact that this was what my reality was going to be. Fast forward a few months and my childhood friend tells me about how she's teaching English in Spain and that she thinks it's something that I would enjoy and that it would allow me to travel. I took it with a grain of salt and then she mentioned it to me again and sent me the information and then I decided to go ahead and take this seriously. Come January 2015, I applied and sent off my paperwork then in April I received an email saying that I was accepted and in May I received an email saying that I was going to be teaching at a secondary school in Madrid; and in September 2015 I was on my way to Spain with two suitcases, to start my new life. This story is my testimony. I told the universe what I wanted and believed and accepted that it would happen without worrying about the how, and it was manifested and came to fruition.
I hate to sound like a cliche or a broken record, but it's very true that your words and thoughts hold so much power. The words you speak out of your mouth literally prophesy what will happen in your life. You have to speak your dreams into existence and not worry about the how. The universe will take care of the how, if you just focus on the what and believe.
I was so ecstatic to start this new chapter of my life that I didn't even think twice about it. I wasn't scared or nervous because I knew that everything would work itself out. Fear is only in our heads, fear makes you believe that you are inadequate or that you are incapable and prevents you from being great. I knew I wanted to be great, I knew that I had within me everything I would need to be ok. I knew that the universe would take care of me and that I just had to tell the universe what I wanted and patiently wait for it to bring it to me at the right time.
I say all of this to say, that you shouldn't let fear hold you back nor should you let people's idea of what you should be or how you should live your life hold you back. You have to live life passionately without any regrets. You don't want to ever look back and think, what if. What if I had moved, what if I had taken that trip, etc. So don't let fear hold you back! Live in the moment and live freely and passionately.


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Farmers markets in the United States are reflecting the strong growth in consumer demand for naturally produced foods.
These include grass fed beef and dairy products made with milk from non-BST treated cows. A case in point is the Fiscalini Cheese Company, based in Modesto California.
"The business makes a selection of high quality artisan cheeses from a proportion of the milk produced by its herd of Holstein and Jersey cows," explained Fiscalini's Mike Green.
"These are then sold at farmers' markets throughout the South West United States.
"There is a growing demand for high quality cheese made from BST-free milk. This, in turn, reflects the wish of consumers to have their food produced in the most natural way possible.
"As a company we are striving to deliver an eating sensation which builds on our commitment to natural production methods. In fact, Fiscalini cheddar performed tremendously well in a recent international cheese competition, held in London."
Green made these comments while attending a New Year farmers' market held in Phoenix Arizona. Significantly, all of the beef suppliers there confirmed a commitment to rearing cattle, using pasture as the main source of feed. Hormonal implants are not used at any stage of the production process.
Meanwhile, there is increasing evidence that US consumers are becoming more interested in the long term sustainability of their farming industry as a whole.
Michael Olson, a member of the management team at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, told Farming Life that water conservation is the biggest challenge facing agriculture in the South West United States.
"There is a growing trade-off between the needs of the growing human population in the south west and the fact that irrigation is the only way of guaranteeing satisfactory crop yields in this part of the world," he said.
"Members of the public are also telling farmers that they must act to conserve as much of the natural landscape and desert heritage as possible.
"It's all about working with nature, rather than against it."


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|343 sold / More than 10 available
|Ships From:
|North Bergen, New Jersey
|Ships To:
|Returns Accepted, 30 Days Money Back
|ebay money back guarantee
|99.3 % positive feedback rl-group1 (9231)
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US Shipping (ONLY) We normally ships in-stock orders on the same day or the next business day after cleared payment received. We do not ship on weekends or holidays. Domestic Orders Items will be ship via USPS First Class Mail (approximately 3-7 business days*). USPS Priority Mail (approximately 2-5 business days*) option is also available in our listings. *All transit time is approximate and depending on destination. Shipping Address Requirements Your shipping address must match your PayPal confirmed address. For your protection, we are unable to ship to alternate addresses. We are also unable to change the address after payment. Sorry, No Exceptions. Tracking Your Order When your shipment is confirmed, you will receive a shipment confirmation e-mail including the tracking info. International Orders Sorry we do not offer International shipping. Order Processing Time We requires up to 1-2 business days to process your order after payment. If youre paying by e-check using PayPal, your payment may be on hold for up to 9 business days, your order cannot be processed until the payment is cleared through PayPal, you will be notified about the hold. Accepted Payment Methods We accepts online payments through PayPal only. You may pay via VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and PayPal through the safe and secure online checkout system via Paypal. NOTE: All orders RECEIVED & PAID before 3:00 PM Monday through Friday (EST) will be shipped the same business day, all orders received after this time will be shipped the following business day. Have a Question? Please contact us with any comments, questions or suggestions that you may have, we will be happy to assist you. You can contact us by leaving us an eBay message, or email us. You can find our email address in you Winning Buyer Notification email. We Respond emails within 24 hours, Weekend within 36 hours Satisfaction Guarantee: We guarantee 100% customer satisfaction. If your item is not as described or faulty when you receive it we will replace it for you with no additional charge.... See full details


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The random generator gave us number 36;
Wendy from The Crafter's Apprentice !
Wendy, I am excited to send these out to you! I also found a few of the pastel patinated copper discs that Lori used for her Vintage Bean Soup project so I am going to include some of those in your package.
Email me your mailing address and I will get these sent out to you pronto.
Thank you to everyone who visited my celebration post, I feel like I have made some new friends and I hope to get to know you all better through your own blogs.
And perhaps a future Bead Soup Blog Hop!?!


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Had a slow morning as my poor rechargeable power tool batteries have taken a real beating in 9 months. Finally had enough juice to rip a 32" long 45 degree angle in the 2x10 I'm using for the threshold of the battery house doorway. Cut and hung the door also. Still have some trim to mount before the final photo. Got a early evening visit from my friend Jennifer Boomer and her buddy Neal (a life long Texan and a helluva nice guy). Have yet to meet a real Texan that I couldn't help but like. Happy Autumnal Equinox. The sun won't rise at this spot again till next March. Be on the lookout 6 months from now for another photo just like this...
Monday, September 22, 2008
Posted by John Wells at 8:28 PM
Labels: equinox
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Burdekin Shire Council advises that due to the failure of a number of the river height gauges on the Burdekin River, it will now rely on the predicted river levels provided by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
BOM issued an update for river heights for the lower Burdekin River at 5.36pm today. The Burdekin River at Inkerman Bridge is expected to exceed the minor flood level (7.00 m) late Wednesday evening. The river level is likely to reach the moderate flood level (10.00 m) early Thursday morning and is likely to peak near 10.50 metres on Thursday morning.
As a guide, the following river heights and probable flood effects have been developed by Council based on past events.
|Height at Burdekin Bridge in metres
|Probable Effect
|6.00 to 7.00
|Residents of Rita Island and Groper Creek should monitor heights.
|Water commences to come against Todd's Break.
|Water commences to come in Warren's Gully. Water commences to come over bank into Plantation Creek.
|Water commences to come over banks at Tapiolas Break and McDowell's and Ramsden's on Home Hill side. Also enters farms in Jarvisfield area.
|Water breaks over the top of protective work at Todd's holding up traffic on Rita Island Road at Jarvisfield School and on the Kilrie Road at Lando's.
Council Officers will monitor the situation throughout the night and provide updated information via Council's website and social media pages.
At this stage, Council is unable to advise on potential major traffic interruption between Ayr and Home Hill.
Local Disaster Management Group Chair, Cr. Lyn McLaughlin is urging residents to be aware of the dangers of flood water.
"It is important to remember that 'if it's flooded, forget it', said Cr. McLaughlin.
The most current information is available from the BOM website (http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings/flood/burdekin-river.shtml) and Council's website (http://www.burdekin.qld.gov.au) and Facebook pages (Burdekin Shire Council and Burdekin Shire Council Disaster Coordination Centre).


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Association for Utah Community Health
860 East 4500 South • Suite 206
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
AUCH is located on the SW corner of 4500S and 900E. Parking is available in the lot behind the building, accessed from 900E. The building entrance is accessed from this parking lot. Handicapped parking is available under the building, accessed from 4500 S between 800 and 900 E.
Phone: 801.974.5522
Fax: 801.974.5563


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|Garden, 24"x24"
Apr 30, 2014
Apr 29, 2014
|Homecoming, 18"x48"
Apr 27, 2014
Bedtime Story
Apr 25, 2014
Woman in Desert
|Woman in Desert, 12"x24"
Apr 23, 2014
Night Dance
|Night Dance, acrylics on canvas, 36"x46"
Apr 21, 2014
Orange Room, Blue Light
|Orange Room, Blue Light (triptych), 12"x42"
Apr 19, 2014
Helping Hand
|Helping Hand, 45"x48"
I was hanging a show in Virginia City, Nevada, when I came down with a bad case of altitude sickness. I had a seizure and was unconscious for 24 hours. After I got home and was feeling better, this was the first painting I did.
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I die-cut the circles using stitched circle dies from SSS, and added acetate to create shaker windows. I then added a sentiment and mix of pink and white sequins before sticking the card front to the card base.
For the bottom window, I decide to have this cute little pig peeping through to the inside of the card. I must admit it was a "delicate operation" to ensure that the circle windows for both card front and base match!
Overall, this card took up more time than expected but I got so much satisfaction out of making it!
I am participating in the following challenges with this card:
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: A Hint of Pink
MFT Sketch Challenge: Sketch 331
Thanks for visiting my blog!


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Liverpool have suffered a massive blow close to completing the signing of Dani Parejo after millionaire Peter Lim bought Valencia.
The Singapore businessman recently completed his takeover of the former Champions League finalists and is expected to be named new owner.
Valencia have being forced to sell their main stars in recent years, including Juan Mata to Chelsea, David Silva to Manchester City and Roberto Soldado to Tottenham.
And with Brendan Rodgers' side reportedly set to meet Parejo's £20.3m release clause this summer, it looked like the midfielder was going to be the next Valencia star to leave the Mestalla.
However, Lim's arrival has drastically changed the situation as he is keen not only on investing €60m to bolster the squad with new acquisitions but also bent on keeping Valencia's most valuable players.
Valencia president Amadeo Salvo recently revealed the club had received offers for Dani Parejo, with reports claiming that both Liverpool and Atletico Madrid were battling for his services.
But now Salvo has warned other clubs interested in any Valencia player they will have to meet the release clause and convince the footballer to leave La Liga.
"With Peter Lim Valencia start a new era, now we will not need to sell players so any club who wants a player from Valencia will have to pay the clause," he was quoted by SuperDeporte.
Parejo has proved to be a sensation in La Liga this season grabbing five assists and four goals in 26 starting appearances, including one against Barcelona and another against Real Madrid.
The former Real Madrid midfielder has a contract at the Mestalla stadium until June 2016 with a £20.3m release clause.
But even if Liverpool meet his valuation they will need to convince Parejo to leave the club after Lim's exciting plans to re-establish Valencia as one of La Liga and in Europe's most formidable prospects.
Brendan Rodgers is looking to bolster Liverpool's midfield for next season and Parejo has reportedly been his main summer target alongside Southampton youngster Adam Lallana.


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About us
We are a family run retreat centre focused on training, healing and event space on the amazing Thai island of Koh Phangan.
High up in the jungle, our place in nature is simple, rugged and pure.
Pyramid is a place to learn and heal in confidence. Our gift to you is space to find yourself once more, free from the complications of modern life.
A commitment to community, sustainability & growth...
Sharing value through mutual cooperation.
Monitoring our footprint through conscious decisions.
Discovering true potential.
The man behind the movement
David Goulet has evolved through 5 decades studying the ancient yogic practices of India. Since 1971 he has continually expanded his understanding of yoga, now passing this timeless knowledge on to students and patients alike.
Pyramid Yoga Center is the living legacy of a true yogi, and it's our delight to share with you.


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In the "Paradox of Choice", Barry Schwartz describes research that clearly demonstrates that too much choice is counterproductive if you are trying to get someone to buy something.
Our nervous systems evolved to make binary choices – stay or go – fight or flight – do or not do (there is no try).
We can (if we have to) get the scientific method out of the cupboard and make a rational choice – but we won't thank you for it. We'll put off the decision if you force us into rational mode – and if we do decide – then the buyer's remorse will be terrible. So don't make us think.
That's why copywriters through the ages focus on getting us to stay with the gut and create something that feels familiar and innocently enticing if they want us to buy.
Schwartz quotes some evidence from a project carried out on people buying Sony and Aiwa sound systems. It turns out that if you make
- I good offer – 66% of the sample bought
2 alternative good offers – 53% bought
1 good and 1 unattractive offer – 73% bought
So provide an offer and a benchmark. This could be a highly priced all inclusive offer as well as the one you actually want them to buy.
If you provide someone with an all inclusive bundle and then offer them a reduction for each item they take out, you'll do better than if you offer a base price + supplementary prices for add-ins. Because psychologically the pain of giving something up is greater than the gain of adding something to a basic specification
He concludes that people want to have choices made easy for them.
Complexity forces them to trade off which makes them put off deciding.
Conflict reduces mental well-being and so reduces decisiveness.
Schwartz also describes some interesting findings about HOW people choose. They'll forgo an uncertain large gain in favour of a certain small gain and conversely they'll risk a complete disaster that's not certain to avoid a small reverse that will certainly happen.
One other factor that's counter intuitive is that people also buy to avoid post purchase regret. Some people – Schwartz calls them Maximisers – spend a long time to make sure that they get the best possible available deal. Others labelled Satisficers, are more relaxed.
If you believe that you are writing for Maximisers then you will need to try and make the offer appear the obvious, safe and logical choice. All the research points to the view that decisions taken by gut feeling lead to less buyer's remorse than decisions taken with a great degree of analytic input.
So if you are dealing with people who need evidence, present it so that the case is unanswerable. And bear in mind how they'll react if the don't get what they think you offered them.
I think this book is well worth a read so check it out – it's currently about £5.99 on Amazon. This article is taken from my latest book – Just 12 Hours.