Close your eyes and think of the word "land." What do you see? Maybe it's a forest you've walked through. Or maybe you see a vast field of corn. You might even picture an image from Google Earth! When I pause and think of land, I am brought back to my grandparent's farm in Burton, …
Author: George Z.
Secretary of the Jaeger Witte Heritage Cemetery Association.
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Strong Women
Strong Women In The History of Early Pioneer Families of Winedale, vol II, Grandpa Henry writes: “When (our foremothers) came to America, they had very little food, clothing, and shelter. They built log houses for shelter and open fires for warmth in winter…. they had back-breaking household chores and many worked along with their husbands raising …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Uncertain
We are living in a truly uncertain time. A highly contagious disease, COVID-19, has abruptly changed the way we live and there is no knowing when things will return to normal; or will we just have to adapt to a new normal? In 1918, the world was also facing uncertainty, both from the war and …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Unexpected
Unexpected If you’ve ever done genealogy work, you know that it is impossible to not fall down the rabbit hole. We click on one name, which leads us to a newspaper article, which leads to another name, until we find ourselves wide awake at 2:00 a.m. with 17 internet browser windows open. While researching the …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Nearly Forgotten
Nearly Forgotten If you have ever visited the cemetery and walked around the historic Witte section, you may have noticed three small graves in the Naegeli area which at first glance appear unmarked. But if you get down and look carefully, you will find the initials “MN” carved into the stone outlining the grave closest …
Why Genealogy is Important
The following is from Amy Johnson Crow. She's the genealogist who has inspired me to begin researching our family. Check her out at http://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com "I probably don't have to convince you of the importance of genealogy and family history. But I'd like to share my reasons for why I think it is.Genealogy is an incredible …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Favorite Photo
Favorite Photo Everyone has a favorite photo. Sometimes it’s a recent family portrait and other times it’s a snapshot of your new car. For my mother, Jeanette (Jaeger) Zemanek, one of her favorites is that of her grandfather, Henry Jaeger Sr., sitting with his grandchildren on the front porch of the Jaeger home in Port …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Tombstones
Tombstones For nearly 20 years I had been watching several tombstones in the lower section of the Jaeger Witte Cemetery become overgrown with lichens and moss. After hearing cemetery conservationist Lowell Herzog speak at a meeting of the Washington County Genealogical Society in October 2018, I decided to do something about it. I began with …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: The Long Line
The Long Line Some of you may know that Henry C. Jaeger Jr. ("Popo" to those of us in a certain generation) was a genealogy and history enthusiast. In addition to collecting and cataloging photographs and obituaries, he published two books which are available on this website as well as the Clayton Genealogy Library …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Same Name
Until about twenty years ago the gravel roads in Burton had simple names. The Jaegers lived on County Road 12. The Mayers lived on County Road 12. The Dubes did as well. But everyone knew where everyone else lived. My mother Jeanette Zemanek shared how she and a friend would write letters during the summer …