Sunday, December 2
We usually like to do something with slides at our Christmas gathering and give them some family information. Last year we used their baby pictures and had them guess who the baby was.
This year we gave them some information on two lines of our family heritage. Two families that most of them did not know were part of our heritage – Shirk and Strickler.
First I will show you some of the slides we used in the Shirk Family Heritage then the Strickler Family Heritage. I found much of this information from a Shirk book we have in our house. I also found some information on the internet and on My Heritage.com.
You will notice that there are different spellings for Shirk. That happened in most families who came from Germany and Switzerland. They didn’t know English and the person who did the recording wrote what they heard.
Cerwin told them what he learned about Joseph Shirk – 5 in the Shirk American Heritage.
The following slide is from his obituary.
The following are pictures from Cerwin’s heritage.
This picture is of Cerwin’s Grandpa and Grandma High (Magdalena High is #8 in the above heritage listing.) Left to right: Harvey, Grandma Magdalene, We think the baby is Raymond who died when he was young, Cerwin’s dad, Elvin Eberly High, is standing, Grandpa Samuel High is holding Cerwin’s uncle Sam High, Jr. (owns High Sports in Lititz), Alice is next to Grandpa, and Esther is sitting in the front.
Grandma Magdalena and Grandpa Sam at our wedding – September 14, 1963
Cerwin’s Dad in grade school.
Cerwin’s parents on their wedding day.
Cerwin’s parents later in life.
Cerwin at a few months of age.
Cerwin’s family in 1954: Velda, Ella (Mother), Doris (little girl), Elvin E (Father), Elvin Leroy, and Cerwin.
Cerwin (right) and his brother Elvin.
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Next we told them what we know about the Strickler family. Someone did an incredibly good job of researching the Strickler Heritage – going the whole way back to Hans Jacob Strickler who was born about 1555.
Notice the details I found on My Heritage.com #2 Conrad Strickler.
#15 is me.
The oldest photo I have is of my Great-Grandma Ellen as a teenager.
This is how I remember Great-Grandma Ellen. Grandpa Samuel married her when my Grandma Elizabeth was a few years old, so there is no Rosenberger blood in my veins.
My favorite memory of them is playing with rubber bricks they had in their toy box.
They are buried at Cross Roads Brethren in Christ Church in Mount Joy.
The earliest picture I have of my Grandma Strickler Hawthorne
My grandparents
My mother’s family. Back: Anna Mary, Leroy, Grandma, Grandpa (holding Joyce), Florence (my mother). Front: Betty, Lester, Vernon, and Orpha Mae.
Adults: Orpha Mae, Grandpa, Grandma, Bruce (my dad), Florence (my mom), Jay, Betty, Anna Mary, Vernon, Anna Mae, Leroy, Lester, Hazel. Sitting on the grass: Doris Jean (me), Dale, Ronald, Joyce, Joanie, and David.
This is how I remember my Grandpa and Grandma Hawthorne.
My mom – Florence Hawthorne Hershey
I like this picture which includes my mother (seated) and my step-mother, Velma, standing behind her.
My parents – Bruce Hershey and Florence Hawthorne
My parents on their wedding day
My mom
The last picture we have of my mom – at Marlin and Nancy’s wedding in 1973. She died from cancer in March 1974.
My family when I was about five years old
My brothers Dale and Clair and me.
My parents and siblings about 1970 enjoying a picnic in the yard where we currently live. Left side of the table:: Nancy, Anne, Clair, Daddy, Mother, and Steve. On the right side of the table: Jeff, Jere, Me, Diane, Dot and Dale.
When I first became a grandma in 1986.
I am amazed when I trace our roots and notice their faithfulness to God and how they allowed Jesus to change their lives. Many times we don’t think about our life in the light of how what we choose to do will effect the next generation.
Reading your family heritage and testimony has blessed me. God is good, all the time, even when suffering hardships.
Amen. God is good. All the time.
This is a magnificent gift to your family members! I see a real connection between you and your mother!
Our children said the same thing about my mother and me.
I find it fascinating to trace family roots. My Detweiler ancestor (Dad’s side), Melchoir Detweiler arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship “Princess Augustus” on Sept. 16, 1736. My Beiler ancestor (both Dad & Mom’s sides), Jacob Beiler arrived in Philadelphia Oct. 8, 1737 on the ship the “Charming Polly” with his son. My Miller ancestor (Mom’s side), Daniel Miller arrived in Philadelphia August 11, 1750 on the ship “Patience.” So basically they all (including your’s and Cerwin’s ancestors) arrived within 25 years of each other. I don’t have as many photos as you have, but I do have photos of the little stone house Melchoir built around 1742 – it is still occupied! Their property adjoined that of the Hochstetler family, noted for the Indian massacre in 1757.
Interesting We had an Indian massacre in our area as well. One of my relatives hid and housed an Indian couple until they died. They are buried on a farm near us.