Helping with Homework

Ah, the homework assignment Aunt Kim LOVES to help with!!!!

Nephew's Homework Assignment

Hopefully I did not overwhelm the nephew with information overload.  :)  With any luck, this will peak some interest in genealogy from the next generation. <fingers crossed>

I took some pity on him - I limited it to 3x great grandparents and the one set of 4th great grandparents who immigrated to the US, and did not get as far as the 10th and 12th cousins I know!

Of course, I did have to include a separate chart showing his cousinship to Buzz Aldrin. I didn't have that last year for the older nephew. Who knows what more I will learn before the niece has her turn?!?

A Famous Swedish Cousin

My new found 10th cousin 2x removed tells me that I have another "Swedish" cousin: astronaut Buzz Aldrin!! A 5th cousin 2x removed, if I've done the math correctly. And that's just the closest of something like 5 relationships....how cool is that?!?! 

I'll be checking that out shortly. And I am totally wearing my NASA shirt today.  (Yes, I have a NASA shirt.  Doesn't everyone?!?)

My NASA Shirt

 
Update 3/19/2014: I've found records that connect the Spångberg line of smiths that I already had to a line of Aldrin smiths. Now I need to trace that line forward and see where it leads!

Update 3/20/2014: Success! A Swedish 4th cousin found the book 24 Famous Swedish Americans and their Ancestors published in 1996 by The Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies.  It contains a list of Buzz's ancestors, and it matches the paper trail I've found. Buzz Aldrin is our 5th cousin 2x removed!

A #genchat Learning Experience

So, as I was putting together my list of films to request at the Family History Library during RootsTech, I was trying to narrow down the list. The FHL has a number of directories for my Great Grandmother's hometown of Harburg in Bavaria, Germany, on microfilm currently located at the vault and not in the library proper. After last night's ‪#‎genchat‬ about re-evaluating sources you already have, I realized that I ALREADY HAVE THIS INFORMATION. It is in a book on the housing history of the town I got when I visited in 2006.

Cover of Harburg Hauserchronik

It's in German, grouped by house, and lists the ownership history of each house in town. And it has an index of names. Duh! There are more relatives in this town than those from the one house I focused on, and a first quick scan tells me that the owners of the 1575 German bible I have were my great grandmother's next door neighbors!!! *facepalm*

I think I have my source for re-evaluation for challenge #2, discovered while working on one of my SMART goals for challenge #1. It won't be close to done before the next chat though (or perhaps even this year!!).

Let the discoveries continue to steamroll!