Geneology Rocks!

 
So, Sarah here, As you all know we are headed to Switzerland this summer. (Yippie!) and I am starting to look up records that pertain to our family. I'm working my way back, and to say I've found some weird stuff out is an understatement. We really do have Native Americans in our line, in a couple of places actually, so Brent probably comes by his coloring through them. I thought Dad was making things up, but he was right.

I also am finding out some other neat things, like Census records. Census records rock, BTW. They detail where your family is living at a certain time, and who was living with them. It is really neat to see your family member sitting there on the page in black and white. For instance, take a look at this image from the 1930 Census:

I get a little thrill each time I see someone I am looking for in a public record. Death Certificates are neat too. Also through http://lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/ you can track any LDS immigrant across the ocean and from http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysearch/ you can track them across the plains. Did you know our ancestor William Clayton did the trek across the plains five times?  FIVE! And I hate driving to Idaho.

Look at this:

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868


You searched for

	Company	All Companies...
	Year	All Years...
	First Name	William
	Surname	Clayton

Search results

(The number shown in parentheses next to each name is the age of the pioneer at the time of the journey.)

Brigham Young Pioneer Company (1847)
	Clayton, William (32)
Heber C. Kimball Company (1848)
	Clayton, William (33)
	Clayton, William Heber (5)
John Brown Company (1853)
	Clayton, William (38)

There is the entirety of William Claytons' diary of the first Company's trip across the plains on that site. I found it amazing. Go read it if you are interested. Did you know he invented the first odometer for the wagons? They needed to know how far they were traveling each day, President Young asked William to figure it out, and he put a device on the wheel of a wagon that was very accurate. He later turned that journal into a book for those who would later follow that same trail.
 
So I did a little more research, and this is what else I found:

Charles MAURER

Standardized: Charles Maurer

Born:

Unknown

Origin:

Geneva, Switzerland

Occupation:

Carpenter

Voyage:

Liverpool to New York
16 May 1883 – 28 May 1883

Voyage Accounts:

Accounts for this voyage

Ship:

Nevada

Family Members

• Julia MAURER — age unknown, from Geneva, Switzerland
• Elise MAURER — age unknown, from Geneva, Switzerland
• Charles MAURER — age unknown, from Geneva, Switzerland
• Alice MAURER — age unknown, from Geneva, Switzerland

Charles Maurer is Grandma's Grandfather. Julia was his wife, and Elise and Alice where their daughters.  Think about it, 129 years ago today, we had family on a boat coming across the ocean to come to Zion. They landed in New York on the 27th of May and Arrived in the Salt Lake Valley by railroad on June 2nd. A trip that took William Clayton months, took them days just thirty-six years later.

Anyway, I'm having fun, and I thought I would share.

Sarah.

Happy Birthday Jess!!!
I tried to get brent to send a picture from a text message but I couldn't figure out how to get it from the phone to the computer...sheesh...
Anyways, you are 28 come midnight! haha! old foggie. Happy Birthday again.

February feels more like June.

This is the first week of February,2012 and the weather has been nothing but sunshine and warm weather; it was 55 degrees on Groundhog Day!

I thought for my first post I would get you caught up on some of the things that we've been dong in the past couple of months.

In November I tested belt tested for my blue belt.


From left to right is Bill Arndt, John Wright, Me and Jeremy Smith. These are three of my favorite instructors at Aim High. John is the one who gave me a black eye last year. If you are wondering why I look tired it's because I was. I've been asked to help teach the exercise class I take twice a week. I'm so excited to share what I've learned with others trying to get into better shape.

Sometime in December Topher got his hair cut; I can't do it, his hair is too fine. This is how he feels about haircuts in general.

In December we celebrated Christmas with a series of concerts staring Topher.

Most of the time you couldn't hear him playing because the brass section was so loud, but we are sure proud of him for learning to play the flute. Maybe he could play a duet with Lisa sometime?

We had two weeks off after Christmas, most of which I spent watching Holly and Ken's two little girls when Holly was in the hospital trying not to die. But aren't they the cutest things? how could I resist?


But sometime in there we went to OMSI and Topher learned to pet a cockroach:

He also pet a rat and a snake. I got to pet the rat too, but unfortunately for posterity I didn't get a picture so I can't prove it.

January started with the Pinewood DERBY Topher's car was one of the best he tied for first place! Or at least we think he did, they don't keep track really well.

His car was called THE STREAK! Mike wanted Skunkworks and I was pulling for Peppe Le Pew. But he won, because it was his car. Oh well I guess.



Then on the 18th of January the Webelos held a Hobo Dinner activity, they went behind the church in the fire-pit, made tinfoil dinners and roasted marshmallows. It was the middle of January, 7 o'clock at night, and it was almost 50 degrees out. I was a great night, most of which Topher spent trying to light stuff on fire.



I don't know how clear this image is, but Topher is the one on the left trying to start a fire with newspaper, kindling, and matches. I'm surprised they didn't start each other or themselves on fire.

This week we've been enjoying unseasonably warm weather. No dafodills in my yard yet but there are crocuses up down the block. I am looking forward to having peonies and irises in my beds this year I got from the House last year. I'm getting ready to work on my blueberries this week and I need to plant my peas soon too. I am gearing up for spring it will be here before I know it. I need to get moving.


My choir is working hard on a great song for two weeks from now on the 19th.

My choir is about ready to revolt, apparently it's too hard to sing while you are crying. We've practice three times now and I have yet to get through a practice without tearing up. For March we are working on No Ordinary Man. So they aren't going to get a break there.

Mike isn't that interesting so we won't post about him... what?

Kidding. Mike went on a snow-cave camp-out with the deacons this weekend and came back cold, tired and sick. He caught the cold I had all of January. Other than that, he's working hard at work. On the 28th he will be honored at a dinner for being awarded a Patent. This makes four patents total that have Mike's name on them. We are so proud of him and all his hard work.

I guess that's all for now.
Sarah.