A Tribute to Lillian Eichhorn Casell

The only known photo of my great-grandmother, Lillian L. Eichhorn

The Chronology of her life is available here

The first record of Lillian L. Eichhorn's life is a birth certificate in Buffalo, NY for F. Eichhorn.  No first name name, just an "F" for female, indicating that a new child had come into the world on 22 December 1908, an early Christmas present.  Lillian was the fifth child and fifth daughter born to William Fred Eichhorn and Augusta Tross.  If the weather was anything like it is today, 22 December was cold and snowy, but in the excitement of a new baby, I imagine no one minded.

Six years later, the Eichhorn's would welcome their sixth and final child, a boy, William Tross Eichhorn into the family.  Life must have been fun for this young family.  William worked for the railroad, while Augusta took care of the home which they were able to buy while Lillian was still young.  There were aunts, uncles, cousins and grandmothers around to be with.

While in high school Lillian would meet Alfred Marco Casell, three years her senior and son of Italian immigrants.  It is hard to say what her German parents thought of him, but they married when she was just 16.  Like her father, Alfred too worked for the railroad and with the money he made they rented a house on Sherman Street in Buffalo.

Between 1928 and 1935 they had four children, first a girl, followed by three boys.  I always imagine the promise that life had for them.  Then, at 2:45 pm, 19 December 1938, just three days before her 30th birthday, Lillian died of lobar pneumonia at their home on Division Street.  Suddenly, everything changed for Lillian's young family.  Lillian was buried on her 30th birthday in Acadia Park Cemetery, North Tonawanda, NY.  Her young widow could not afford a plot, so her brother-in-law let them have a space in the grave site he had purchased.

Life was not easy for the family she left.  Her mother, Augusta, was so overcome with grief, she died of a broken heart a mere 13 days later, on New Year's day 1939.  Alfred, unable to take care of four young children and work, put them into an orphanage in October of 1939, where they stayed for nearly 8 years.
Alfred died in 1981, never remarrying.  His eldest son, Robert and his wife had purchased four plots in Acadia Cemetery some years earlier, and placed Alfred in one of them.  Until that time, when a cemetery worker happened to mention it, neither Robert, nor any of his siblings knew that that was also where their mother had been buried.  In fact, standing on Alfred's grave, one can see to where Lillian is buried and it is just a short walk.  Using part of their inheritance, the four siblings placed a marker on their mother's grave site, marking her place and short life for those visit there.

Written for the Carnival of Genealogy: A Tribute to Women

Timeline: Lillian Eichhorn Casell

The chronology of my great-grandmother Lillian Eichhorn Casell's life:

22 Dec 1908: Lillian is born in Buffalo, Erie, NY to William Eichhorn and Augusta Tross
10 Apr 1914: Lillian's brother William Tross Eichhorn in Buffalo, NY
18 Feb 1921: Lillian's grandmother Maria Strassheim Tross dies in Buffalo, NY
11 Jul 1925: Lillian marries Alfred Marco Casell in Buffalo, NY
1928 - 1935: Lillian and Alfred have 4 children, 1 girl and 3 boys, in Buffalo, NY (2 are still living, hence no names and dates)
9 Mar 1931: Lillian's father William Eichhorn dies in Buffalo, NY
2 Oct 1934: Alfred's mother Caroline Izzo dies in Buffalo, NY
9 Aug 1936: Lillian's grandmother Katherine Weiss Eichhorn Gorndt dies in Buffalo, NY
26 Nov 1937: Alfred's father Marcantonio Casillo dies in Colden, Erie, NY
19 Dec 1938: Lillian dies of Lobar Pneumonia in Buffalo, NY
22 Dec 1938: Lillian is buried at Acacia Park Cemetery, North Tonawanda, Niagara, NY

Hohenstaufen, Germany

According to the marriage record of Charles Herman Thorn and Catherine Wise in Chippewa, Ontario, Canada, Cathrine was born in Hohahstrefen, Wurtemburg Kingdom, Germany.  The correct spelling for this town is Hohenstaufen and it is located in the Baden-Württemberg part of present day Germany.

In 1206, Hohenstaufen was "mentioned"1.  A small village, its current population being 1300 residents2, it is most well-known for the large mountain of the same name, for which the city sits at its southern base.  Additionally, the ruin of Hohenstaufen Castle, sits atop the mountain.  Hohenstaufen Castle was build in approximately 10703.  The castle was destroyed in 1525 in the Peasants War4.  Currently, it is a German national monument.  "The year 1971 marked a turning point, when it was incorporated as part of the overall administrative location, with the exception of the farms in Ottenbacher valley in the "city of Göppingen Hohenstaufen""5.

If you are interested in researching Hohenstaufen, the FHC hastheir church records microfilmed from 1558 to 1897.  Also, Kathy Brandt Bonnell has created a website that features much information from town records.

This was written for the March Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy.

Image used with Creative Commons rights as follows: (((Information | Description = ((en | The village of Hohenstaufen (Göppingen) and the same mountain, seen from Aasrücken)) | Source = own work | Date = 2006-06-11 | Author = M. Rust | Permission = own work | other_versions =)))

Tombstone Tuesday - Augusta Tross Eichhorn

Augusta Tross Eichhorn, 1877 - 1939

Surname Saturday: Eichhorn/Eichorn

Each Saturday this year I am posting one of my surnames, going in alphabetical order.  This weeks surname is Eichhorn/Eichorn.  The names in red are my direct line ancestors.


1-Nicholas EICHHORN
b: calculated 16 January 1799, , , , Germany
d: 28 July 1878, Welland, Niagara, Ontario, Canada
+Dorothea SCHNEIDER
b: , , , Germany
. . . . 2-Charles Herman EICHHORN
        b: 25 December 1848, , , , Germany
        d: 25 February 1907, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . +Katherine WEISS
        b: April 1849, , , , Germany
        m: 3 September 1871, Chippewa, Welland, Ontario, Canada
        d: 1936
. . . . . . . . 3-William Fred EICHHORN
                b: 22 June 1874, Chippewa, Welland, Ontario, Canada
                d: 9 March 1931, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . +Augusta M. TROSS
                b: 6 September 1877, , , , Germany
                m: 14 June 1899, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
                d: 1 January 1939, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Kathryn V. EICHHORN
                        b: about 1901, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
                        d: before 16 June 1966
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Clara Evelyn EICHHORN
                        b: 3 February 1902, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Marie A. EICHHORN
                        b: about 1905, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Edna L. EICHHORN
                        b: about 1907, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
                        d: 2 November 1985
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Lillian L. EICHHORN
                        b: 22 December 1908, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
                        d: 19 December 1938, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-William Tross EICHHORN
                        b: 10 April 1914, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . 3-Frederick William EICHHORN
                b: 14 July 1875
. . . . . . . . +Mary C.
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Edward M. EICHHORN
. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-Dorothy EICHHORN
. . . . . . . . 3-George EICHHORN
                b: about 1878, , , New York, USA
                d: 1928
. . . . . . . . +Lauretta Flynn
                m: 21 November 1900, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . 3-EICHHORN
                b: before 1884
                d: before 1884
. . . . . . . . 3-EICHHORN
                b: before 1884
                d: before 1884
. . . . . . . . 3-EICHHORN
                b: before 1884
                d: before 1884
. . . . . . . . 3-Clara C. EICHHORN
                b: 9 August 1884, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
                d: 1967
. . . . . . . . +Ernest EHRIG
                b: 1884
                m:
                d: 1951
. . . . . . . . 3-Marie EICHHORN
                b: 21 December 1891, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
. . . . . . . . +William GRAFF
                m:

Tombstone Tuesday - Katherine Weiss Eichhorn Gorndt

Goals for the New Year

In 2010, I hope to accomplish the following:

• Interview my grandmothers, parents and great aunts, uncles and cousins on video ASAP!
• Goal is to do this by the end of February for my grandmothers
• Update each of my lines sideways and forward.
• I usually do well with my information about my ancestors siblings, but I have not done so well finding cousins in more recent generations.
• Focus my search for my German lines so that I can visit their hometowns while I am in Germany for 4 1/2 months
• I will therefore focus on the Eichhorn, Gresz, Fink, Weiss and Tross lines for the next two months
• Stay in touch with my relatives searching my fathers side of the family.
• I research my mothers side as I have great aunts and uncles who research my fathers.  I will be helping my Aunt Dottie with her search in Poland for the Karpinski's (my great-grandmother's line)
• Complete Dear Myrtle's finally get organization checklist from 2009
• Start researching my fiancé's line (at the very least, get the information he knows into my file)
• Blog: Participate in Surname Saturday each week in order to get my surnames out there and find new cousins!  I plan on going alphabetically though all my surnames.

SNGF - My 16 great-great-grandparents

From Randy over at Genea-Musings: Here is your SNGF assignment for the evening (if you choose to accept it - this is not stump the genealogist or even Mission Impossible):

1) List your 16 great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places.

2) Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them.

3) Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each (obviously, this is approximate).

4) If you don't know all 16 of your great-grandparents, then do it for the last full generation you have.

5) Write your own blog post, or make a comment on Facebook or in this post.

1. Joseph Francis Eugene Acquard, Jr.: born 17 Jan 1855 in Cheektowaga, Erie, NY; married 15 Oct 1878 in Bennington Ctr., Wyoming, NY; died 10 Sept 1943 in Bennington Ctr., Wyoming, NY. FRENCH
2. Mary Ann Kollin: born 15 Oct 1878 in Bennington Ctr., Wyoming, NY; died 5 Feb 1938 in Bennington Ctr., Wyoming, NY. 1/2 GERMAN and 1/2 BELGIAN
3. Franciszek Karpinski: born 16 Sep 1880 in Poland; died 22 May 1943 in Erie or Wyoming, NY. POLISH
4. Jozefa Szydlik: born 26 Sep 1886 in Poland; died 4 Apr 1973 in Warsaw, Wyoming, NY. POLISH
5. John George Nuwer: born 21 Mar 1869 in Lancaster, Erie, NY; married 19 Apr 1893 in Lancaster, Erie, NY; died 1 Feb 1948 in Alden, Erie, NY. FRENCH
6. Anna M. Zaepfel: born 28 Sep 1874 in Elma, Erie, NY; died 7 Aug 1943 in Alden, Erie, NY. 1/2 GERMAN & 1/2 FRENCH
7. Edward Roll: born about 1888 in Alden, Erie, NY; married 22 Jun 1910 in Alden, Erie, NY; died 12 May 1941 in Alden, Erie, NY. FRENCH
8. Lidwina Agnes Pautler: born 16 Jan 1888 in Alden, Erie, NY; died 11 Oct 1975 in Batavia, Genesee, NY. FRENCH
9. Marcantonio Casillo: born 11 Jan 1868 in Italy; married 5 Sept 1901 in Buffalo, Erie, NY; died 26 Nov 1937 in Colden, Erie, NY. ITALIAN
10. Carolina Izzo: born 3 May 1876 in Italy; died 2 Oct 1934 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. ITALIAN
11. William Fred Eichhorn: born 22 Jun 1874 in Chippewa, Ontario, Canada; married 14 Jun 1899 in Buffalo, Erie, NY; died 9 Mar 1931 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. GERMAN
12. Augusta M. Tross: born 6 Sept 1877 in Germany; died 1 Jan 1939 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. GERMAN
13. Charles William Whitehead: born 12 Jun 1872 in Burlington, Ontario, Canada; married prior to 1896; died 27 Dec 1927 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. ENGLISH
14. Anna May Sanderson: born 17 Jun 1871 in Burlington, Ontario, Canada; died 29 Apr 1928 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. ENGLISH
15. Jacob J. Gress: born 26 Jan 1869 in Buffalo, Erie, NY; married prior to 1888; died 11 Aug 1932 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. GERMAN
16. Elizabeth Fink: born 6 Jul 1867 in Buffalo, Erie, NY; died 24 Apr 1957 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. GERMAN

That gives me 31.25% German; 28.125% French; 12.5% Polish; 12.5% Italian; 12.5% English ; and 3.125% Belgian. The French and German parts are hard to tell as most of my fathers family came from the Alsace-Lorraine region which kept changing hands. The fact that my 3rd great-grandmother was born in Belgium (like the waffle) has always been cool to me. Oddly, I most identify with the Italian part of my heritage, even though it is way down on the list.

They arrived!

Yesterday my two other microfilms arrived at the FHC. I went through the Halstead marriage records, still none for my ancestors, but a few for their siblings. The roll also happened to have marriage banns from Knockholt, Kent, where I have relatives from! Again, none for direct ancestors, but some for siblings, including one of the siblings from Halstead, who married a man in Knockholt. That was a nice surprise:-) The records from Roccaromana, Caserta, Italy also came in and I can't read them. Now, obviously I realize I can not read the Italian, but it is so tiny (it's one of those small microfilms) that I cannot make out any of the words/letters. I am going to buy a magnifying glass, but I'm not sure that will help enough. Any recommendations are more than welcome!

Today my birth/death/marriage certificates came in from Buffalo. It took just a week and a day from ordering them, which is really decent time. Unfortunately, the marriage record couldn't be found, but the index was fuzzy, so I think I must have guessed the wrong year. Next time I'm there I'll check the library microfilm, which might have the record.

I received death certificates for:

• Charles Herman Eichhorn, which has his parents names, Nicholas Eichhorn and Dora Schneider, and shows I had the right family in Canada! Now I have to continue my search there and eventually back to Germany. He was buried at Buffalo Cemetery and hopefully his wife is next to him, as I have no idea when she died.
• Elizabeth Whitehead, my great aunt, who died at 9 days old. The death cause is different than the one listed in the church records; this one makes more sense (cerebral hemorrhage).
• Maria Tross, which has her maiden name as Strassheim (on a marriage record of her child it looked like Crossheim or Crosshein). It also says she was buried in Buffalo Cemetery, so hopefully I can find some info on her husband (Wenzel/Wesley Tross) there and in her obituary.
• Mrs. A. [Barbara] Fleeman. She died in 1870, so there is pretty much no information, other than she was born in France about 1824, but no maiden name. Also no cemetery, but based on her probate file, they might not have been able to afford burying her.
• Adam L. Fleeman. Not my ancestor as hoped, but rather his grandson, who died at 3 months, 24 days. He is buried in Forest Lawn, so I will go visit next time I am in Buffalo.

I received birth certificates for some of the siblings of my ancestors as follows:

• William Tross Eichhorn, son of William F. and Augusta (Tross) Eichhorn.
• Clara Evelyn Eichhorn, daughter of the same.
• Adeline Whitehead, daughter of Charles and Anna M. (Sanderson) Whitehead.
• Amelia Angela Maria Casilla [sic] daughter of Marcantonio and Carolina (Izzo) Casillo.

Time to go update the Legacy file:-)

Wordless Wednesday - Lillian Eichhorn Casell

The only picture I have of my great-grandmother Lillian L. Eichhorn Casell

Family History Center

On Thursday I make my second trip to a Family History Center. The first, many months ago, did not go well, as the volunteers weren't very friendly and I felt like a nuisence. As such, I put off going back, but my experience Thursday was FANTASTIC!

The volunteers were very friendly and helped me with everything I needed. In a few weeks I should receive the following items:

Parish Registers of Halstead (Kent, England) 1561-1900

Bishop's transcripts of Halstead 1813-1898

Abstract Index of books of Chippawa 1796-1955

Registri dello slato civile di Roccaromana 1866-1886

Hopefully, I'll be able to push my Whitehead line back another generation or two with the Halstead items and find Charles Whitehead and Mary Ann Hayman's marriage.

My Eichhorn line should make an appearance in the Chippawa index.

The Roccaromana, Italy records are rather scary for me, as this will really be testing my reading skills. I have my Italian words to know ready, now if only the Casillo's I need are listed:-)

Family Lines: Maternal Branches

Thank you to Becky for this wonderful idea!

I mostly research my mother's family, as my father has an aunt and uncle who have traced a lot of his line. Here is where I am at currently. As you can see, I am currently trying to find many of my immigrant ancestors' parents. I am hopeful that next week when I go to Buffalo, I will find obituaries that assist in this. Please leave a message if you would like further information:-)

THE LINEAGE OF MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER (Mom's Father)

Casillo/Casell

Alfredo Marco Casillo (Alfred Marco Casell) [1906-1981] and Lillian L. Eichhorn [1908-1938] ~ Buffalo, Erie, New York

Marcantonio Casillo (Marco Antonio Casell) [1868-1937] and Carolina Izzo [1876-1934] ~ Italy > Buffalo, Erie, New York

John or Peter Casillo [Unknown] and Angelina Unknown [Unknown] ~ Italy

Both Alfred and Marco legally changed their name to Casell. I am not entirely sure who Marco's parents are, these are the names I have found so far. According to my grandfather's family tree, Marco was from RocRoma, Caserta, Italy. No one in my family has been able to find this place, however, familysearch.org has many Casillo's listed under Roccaromana, Caserta, Italy, so this is a possible search option.

Eichhorn/Eichorn

Lillian L. Eichhorn [1908-1938] and Alfred Marco Casell [1906-1981] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

William Fred Eichhorn [1874-1931] and Augusta M. Tross [1877-1939] ~ Ontario > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Charles Herman Eichhorn [1848 - ~1905] and Katharine Weiss/Wise [1869 - ~1905] ~ Germany > Chippewa, Welland, Ontario > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Nicholas Eckorn/Eickhan/Thorn [~1799-1878] and Dorothea Unknown [Unknown] ~ Germany > Ontario

Nicholas and Dorothea are still under investigation, but evidence keeps accumulating.

Izzo

Carolina Izzo [1876-1934] and Marco Antonio Casell [1868-1937] ~ Italy > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Peter Izzo [Unknown] and Catherine Donufrio(sp?) [Unknown] ~ Italy > NY

Tross

Augusta Tross [1877-1939] and William Fred Eichhorn [1874-1931] ~ Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Wenzel/Wesley Tross [Unknown] and Marie/Mary Crosshein(sp?) [~1843-~1913]~ Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

THE LINEAGE OF MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER (Mom's Mother)

Bond

Emma Bond [~1812-1877] and Charles Whitehead [~1811-1887] ~ Knockholdt, Kent, England > Halstead, Kent, England

Richard Bond [Unknown - Bef. 1841] and Mary Unknown [~1798-1862]

Fink/Finck

Elizabeth L. Fink [1867-1957] and Jacob J. Gress [1869-1932] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Gottlieb Fink [1838-1910] and Barbara Fleeman [1846-1929] ~ Württemberg, Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

John Finck [Unknown] and Barbara Killster [Unknown] ~ Württemberg, Germany

Fleeman

Barbara Fleeman [1846-1929] and Gottlieb Fink [1838-1910] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Adam Fleeman [~1820-1889] and Barbara Gris [~1824-1870] ~ Hesse, Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Gress/Gresz

Vera Louise Julie Gress [1900-1976] and William Herbert Whitehead [1896-1965] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Jacob J. Gress [1869-1932] and Elizabeth L. Fink [1867-1957] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Joseph Gresz [~1841-1899] and Sophia Persales/Possehl [1846-1929] ~ Germany > Eden, Erie, NY > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Joseph Gresz [~1806-~1865] and Catherine Unknown [~1810-~1875] ~ Germany > Eden, Erie, NY

Hayman

Mary Ann Hayman [1845-1877] and Charles Whitehead [1840-1902] ~ Halstead, Kent, England > Ontario

Thomas Hayman [~1799-1867] and Susan Whitehead [~1802-1867] ~ Halstead, Kent, England

Whitehead

William Herbert Whitehead [1896-1965] and Vera Louise Julie Gress [1900-1976] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Charles William Whitehead [1872-1927] and Anna May Sanderson [1871-1928] ~ Ontario > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Charles Whitehead [1840-1902] and Mary Ann Hayman [1845-1877] ~ Halstead, Kent, England > Ontario

Charles Whitehead [~1811-1887] and Emma Bond [~1812-1877] ~ Halstead, Kent, England

Tombstone Tuesday

William Fred Eichhorn

1874 - 1931

Mason

Acacia Park and Resthaven Cemetery, Tonawanda, Niagara, New York

Tombstone Tuesday - Lillian Eichhorn Casell

This is my the tombstone of great-grandmother Lillian L. Eichhorn Casell, located in Acacia Park and Resthaven Cemetery, North Tonawanda, Niagara, New York.  She was born the 22 Dec 1908, died 19 Dec 1938 and was buried on what would have been her 30th birthday.

UPS delivery:-)

I had a note from UPS Friday that I had missed a package from Buffalo and they would re-deliver it on Monday.  I knew it was some death certificates (vitalchek.com is quick!) and I just to wait patiently, which is not one of the things I do well...  Monday has arrived however and I now have two more death certificates!

The first is for William F. Eichhorn, my great-great grandfather, whose parents I have been researching for recently.  According to his son (the informant) they were Charles Eichhorn born in Canada and Dorothy Weis born in Germany.

The second was for on of my great-great grandmothers, Caroline (Izzo) Casell.  I do not have much information on her yet, but this gives two new names to look into: John Izzo and Catherine Donufrio(the first "o" looks like 3 vowel's typed on top of each other, so it might be spelled differently).  I am unsure of how the informant, Ruth Muller, was related and over the "the above is true..." is typed [?] Buffalo [?] Hospital, so she may have been a nurse.

I am on vacation for the next six days, so hopefully I will be able to further my search!

The Parents of William F. Eichhorn, Post 2

In my research for more information on William F. Eichhorn's parents today I found the marriage certificate of Charles H. Eichhorme (Eichhorne?) and Catherine Wise in Chippewa, Welland, Ontario, Canada on 3 Sep 1871.  This appears to answer the Charles/Herman name question, as H possibly stands for Herman.  Witnesses were Leonard Wise (yay, possible relative!) and Miss Meyeir (sp?).  No parents are given for either and Germany is the only listing under birth place.

Welland County, Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924 166, Eichhome/Eichhorne-Wise, 1871; digital images, The Generations Network, Inc., Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Feb 2009).  

I then came across a register for Catherine Wise and Charles Herman Thorn on the same day and in the same place.  The ages are different and so are the witnesses, including a Jacob Wise (possibly another relative!).  The ages on this match those on the 1880 census, while those on the first do not.  Parent names and birth locations are fully given, which would make me very happy if this is the same (or correct) people.  With a thick German accent I could understand how Eichhorn could be heard as Thorn, although I have to admit this is not one of the spellings I had ever came up with.  

Welland County, Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924; digital images, The Generations Network, Inc., Ancestry.com and Genealogical Research Library  (http://www.ancestry.com). 

I have found them in the 1900 census, but not in 1910.   He was born Dec 1848 and she in Apr 1849.  They had been married 28 years and she was the mother of 8, with 5 still living.  It says they arrived in America in 1852 and Charles was naturalized.  This date is obviously incorrect.

Additionally I found the listing for the marriage of George Eickhorn, son of Charles H. Eickhorn and Katharine Weise in 1900 at St. James Episcopal Church.

June Partridge Zintz, Marriages from Buffalo church records 1825-1900, volume 1 : transcribed from microfilm of English-speaking Protestant church records and compared with marriage license records in Erie County Hall, 1 (Apollo, Pennsylvania: Closson Press, 2004), 1: 70.  

This is where I need help:

I came across the WWI draft card for Frederick William Eichhorn.  Does anyone have information on whether families often named one child one name and the next the reverse, such as William Fred and Frederick William?

How can I figure out which marriage record is correct?  Could they both be for my relatives?  It seems like quite a coincidence.

Additionally, I have not previously done research in Canada, so any suggestions you have on further research are much appreciated.

Research I plan to do to find more info on them, prior to immigration to Canada:

1. Check with the Episcopal Church of Buffalo for records on the Eichhorns.  I have done this previously with the Whitehead family and found much information.
2. Check Buffalo city directories between 1900 - 1910 to try to narrow down death records.
3. Try to find Charles naturalization record for US.
4. Check for probate records for both in Buffalo.
5. Search for border crossing record in Niagara Falls.
6. Check Canadian census' 1851 - 1871 for them with their parents.
7. If the Thorn/Wise certificate is correct, try to figure out which Lutheran church they belonged to.
8. Continue to read the two books I borrowed on Canadian genealogy research, as it is new to me.

William F. Eichhorn, Post 1

I spent my day researching at the Syracuse, New York library and on Ancestry.com.  I was hoping to find more information on my Eichhorn/Eichorn/Eckorn line.  In particular, I wanted to find information on the parents of my gg-grandfather William Fred Eichhorn.

Information I had prior to today:

1. William Fred Eichhorn was born 22 June 1874 in Chippewa, Welland, Ontario, Canada.  According to his birth registration his parents are Herman Eckorn and Catherine Wise.

Welland, Ontario, "Registrations of Births and Stillbirths - 1869-1909," Schedule A - Births, p. 279, Number 023918, Wm F Echorn; digital image, The Generations Network, Inc., "Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909, Roll Number: MS929_18," Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: Aug 2008). 

2. He was enumerated as Wm Eichorn in the 1880 census in Niagara County, New York with parents "Chas." and "Cath." and brothers "Fred" and "Geo." by an obviously lazy census taker...  This raised two questions for me: Was Catherine widowed and marry a relative of Herman (it has happened in other branches of my family)?  Would parents name one child William Fred and another Fred?  

1880 U.S. census, Niagara County, New York population schedule, Town of Niagara, enumeration district (ED) 187, p. 21, family 153, Wm Eichorn; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Aug 2008); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9.  

3. William married Augusta Tross approximate in 1899 in Buffalo, Erie, New York.  I hope to find the record in the microfilm located in Buffalo Library when I visit family there next Friday.

5.  He is listed in the 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 census' with Augusta and their six children:

Kathryn V., Clara, Marie A., Edna L., Lillian L. and William T.

6.  His WWI draft card lists Augusta as his nearest relative.  He is also listed as a clerk with the Erie railroad.

"World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Aug 2008), William Fred Eichhorn; citing name of registration card.  

7.  William died 9 Mar 1931 in Buffalo, Erie, New York and a death certificate is on order for him.  He did not have a will, but I do have his probate packet.  He is buried in Acacia Park & Resthaven Cemetery, North Tonawanda, Niagara, New York.

My next post will detail what I found today, as well as what I plan to research further.