Wordless Wednesday: The Road to the White House

It's just one of those days.  Sunny with a mild breeze blowing!  It's a great day to sit and reflect on my family's journey for the White House. Yes, the White House.

Over the years, digging up the treasures of the family tales has been fascinating.  Of course, finding the legal evidence to support the tales is even better.  Sometimes, fun facts emerge from the research.

Take, for instance, my dad's bloodline.  Take the history of this great land and look at the government.  Locate the names of my blood who have served this land, either in the White House or as employees who directly served our nation's presidents.  Just last week, it dawned on me that I can document personal connections to 10 United States presidents.  TEN!

Some of these connections can be read about by looking back at old blog entries of mine.  Some of them have yet to be discussed.  Some of these connections were found in the letters of the Presidents, or in the latter four, their website with pictures!

Founders Early Access

Here is just a quick summary of the Presidents we have personally known and served:

George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
James Buchanan
Abraham Lincoln
Franklin Roosevelt
Harry Truman
Dwight Eisenhower
John Kennedy

And for fun, my parents had dinner with Miss Lillian, Jimmy Carter's mom, when he was running for the office.

As expected, this short list doesn't include any of the public offices my kin have held over the years.  What is probably most interesting is that no one holds any office now.  Gotta think about that one.

Want to relive some of these connections?

http://whispersofgenealogypast.blogspot.com/2017/02/friends-friday-uh-mr-president-appoint.html
http://whispersofgenealogypast.blogspot.com/2017/02/wordless-wednesday-eating-with-president.html
http://whispersofgenealogypast.blogspot.com/2016/07/thankful-thursday-vallandigham.html

Perhaps, it's time to revisit some of these connections and see what more is popping up!  I expect to jot down some thoughts about John Adams and our connection there soon.

Ahh, genealogy.  One little, two little, ten big Presidents! Sit back, and just enjoy the words of the past.

Update:  Now evidence has upped the number.  Add the following personal connections to:
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Ronald Reagan

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:

http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/default.xqy?keys=FOEA-search-1&mode=TOC

Transcription Tuesday

It's Tuesday and a great day to volunteer to preserve the past!  For my part today, instead of Tombstone Tuesday, I will start my Transcription Tuesday!  Many, many history groups and genealogy societies are always on the prowl of new transcribers.  You may remember the Old Pittsburgh Newspaper Project I ran starting back in 2010.  If not, that's ok, because there are still plenty of opportunities to join right in on other ongoing projects.

The group I joined today as a community transcriber is Papers of the War Department, 1784-1800.  The group has had volunteer transcribers for 70 months---   so a little less than 6 years.

Why am I interested in helping this group?  They have letters.  They have letters written to my uncle. They have letters about my uncle.  They have scraps of information which may lead me on another quest!

Why is this so important?  There was a fire in the office where a majority of these letters were in November 1800.  Early American history..poof!  Gone in a flash!  As the War Department was a major consumer of the government funding in its day, it is appropriate for us all to see how we can help preserve the past today.

If you have a name of interest, or an interest in Indians, American Troops, Court Martials, etc, just log on in and see what is available to see.  Or better yet--volunteer!

Papers of the War Department Search

Or in my case, just enter in two of my uncles' names, sit back and enjoy.

Ahh, genealogy.  Reliving the past one letter at a time on that road to the White House.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:

http://wardepartmentpapers.org/index.php

Friends Friday: Uh, Mr President? Appoint me!

Watching the process of being appointed to positions by the President of the United States teaches us many things about politics, grudges, personality differences, etc.  Today, we see all these arguments and confirmations almost instantly with the use of social media and the news.

But what about in the time of our first President?  When George WASHINGTON was first inaugurated in 1789, the power of the written word via letters carried back and forth ruled the day.  While WASHINGTON was known to request in writing the discussion of the cabinet, he also listened and understood the ground upon which he walked was untested.

Looking at history books and Washington's correspondence can reveal much about my own early American roots and ties to the early government.

As previously discussed, my grandpa and his brother-in-law both owned taverns in New York where it was documented at the time the presence of George and his cronies to dine often.  You have probably heard of one of the taverns, FRAUNCES Tavern, but the other one located at 63 Wall St is only mentioned in history books.

Looking around online, I found a letter collection from the revolutionary war period through the National Archives.  While I would love to see the originals, I am thrilled to see the transcriptions of several that pertain to my family.

Founders online- Search for Correspondence in early America

Let's see---

There are a couple to share which will hopefully prompt you to read more about our early country using the letters of their time.

First, on 7 September 1785, President WASHINGTON writes to his friend, Samuel FRAUNCES, and asks if Samuel knows of someone who could be induced to come work for WASHINGTON as a steward.  As history tells us, FRAUNCES himself accepted the position and was a member of the household for a number of years.

Another example is one that involves the nephew of FRAUNCES, William SIMMONS (my uncle).  On July 4, 1791, SIMMONS writes to WASHINGTON asking for the appointment as auditor of the United States.  SIMMONS, who lived in Philadelphia at the time was a clerk in the auditor's office, was first turned down for the position by WASHINGTON, but was given the position of accountant in the War Department upon a reference by Alexander HAMILTON.

Ahh, genealogy.  I wonder--  did old George ask Samuel if he should appoint his nephew for the job?   Hmmmm....

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:
http://www.presidentprofiles.com/Washington-Johnson/George-Washington-First-term.html
https://founders.archives.gov/search/Correspondent%3A%22Washington%2C%20George%22%20Correspondent%3A%22Fraunces%2C%20Samuel%22

“From George Washington to Samuel Fraunces, 7 September 1785,” Founders Online, National Archives, last modified December 28, 2016, http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-03-02-0215. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 3, 19 May 1785 – 31 March 1786, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1994, p. 236.]

“To George Washington from William Simmons, 4 July 1791,” Founders Online, National Archives, last modified December 28, 2016, http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-08-02-0216. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 8, 22 March 1791 – 22 September 1791, ed. Mark A. Mastromarino. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1999, pp. 318–319.]