Monday, April 11, 2011

FamilySearch Find Of The Day

Today I'm focusing on the FamilySearch database "Czech Republic, Northern Bohemia, Litoměřice Archive Church Books, 1552-1905". My great-grandfather's mother, Anna (Weishaupt) Stuempges, came from this area of Bohemia. I was delighted a few years ago, when I saw that FamilySearch had added these digital records online, because these records weren't previously available on microfilm. You either had to hire a researcher, pay the archive for the records or actually go there yourself.. all very pricey!

Anna Weishaupt was born 06 May 1867 in Graber (also called Kraber, Kravare; today it's called Kravaře), as the daughter of Joseph Weishaupt and Maria Anna Kasper. To date, I've been able to trace back to Anna's 2nd-great-grandparents on her paternal Weishaupt line.

They were Anton Weishaupt and Anna Maria Sandrich. Here is an extract of the marriage record:

Date of marriage: 14 May 1753, Kraber
Groom: Anton, the son of Christoph Weishaupt, from Schönau
Bride: Anna Maria, the daughter of Wentzel Sandrich, from Kraber
Witnesses: Wentzel Kraus, the "bürgermeister" (mayor) and Joseph May, the "schulmeister" (schoolmaster); both of Kraber

Sunday, April 10, 2011

FamilySearch Find Of The Day

I thought it might be a neat theme for any random day of the week, to post a miscellaneous record that I periodically find on FamilySearch. With all the new databases they've been adding, I'm bound to find lots of new information on my family.

This post highlights the updated database "United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942". They recently updated the database on Friday, so I thought I'd give it a try and see what I could find. Seeing that they had an index that covers West Virginia, I immediately thought of my great-grandfather, Alex Gombash. I entered his name and his record was the first result to appear. A bit too easy, considering Gombash is always spelled wrong and butchered by whomever is actually writing the records.

Extract:
Serial Number: 462
Name: Alex Gombash
Place of Residence: Caretta, McDowell, W.Va.
Mailing address: Same
Age in Years: 45
Date of Birth: 11 Nov 1896
Place of Birth: Deegan, Pa.
Name and Address of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address: Anna Gombash, Caretta, W.Va.
Employer's Name and Address: Carter Coal Co., Coalwood, W.Va.
Place of Employment or Business: Caretta, McDowell, W.Va.
Signature-Alex Gombash
Race: White
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 145lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Gray
Complexion: Light
Signature of Registrar: Clyde Oney
Registrar for Local Board:  3, Beckley, W.Va.
Date of Registration: 27 of April 1942