SUNDAY AND WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

 

This has been a slow genealogical week for me…..On Tuesday I went to a meeting of the NORTH HILLS GENEALOGISTS.   I was so surprised that they had a great meeting.   I had joined this group earlier this year but with winter and working I did not get to go as it is about an hour drive from my house.

The topic was on German Genealogy and I have to put my plan into action.    There is also a beginning German class and I would like to start learning German.  It seems that there is a beginner, medium and advanced class.  

I asked my sister if she was interested in going, she will let me know.    I will see if Chuck is interested in driving there.  It is at the PENN BREWERY and he could have dinner and a brew while I am in class.  

This week I also did my volunteer work at the Archives of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.  I was searching the records of St. Michaels, which was located on Pittsburgh’s south side and know then as Birmingham.   St. Michaels was  a German Catholic Church and the old records are written in German in the old German Script, I am getting better at reading the old handwriting.

What struck me while searching the death records was the extremely high number of children and infant deaths.  It seemed to me that this group comprised about 75% of the deaths.   Really, how sad was that?   I knew that there were a lot by this actually surprised me.   There were also a number of women in their 20’s who had also died, and I have a suspicion that they died in childbirth.  

The current c-section rate is now about 25% and that is about the same number of women who died in childbirth at that time….

My goal this week is to go to the Allegheny County Courthouse.   Chuck has an appointment in town and the Batman filming is over, so I mentioned to him that I would like to stop and look for the records of his great grandmother Olive Bowser.   I am hoping that when she married the second time it was in the timeframe (1914) that the name of her parents was required.    But, the way things go for me on that line I am prepared that the information will not be there……Tuesday is another day……….