Johannes Fendt 1782 Christening Record

The christening record for Johannes shows that he was christened 18 January 1782, the illegitimate son of Catharina Fendt from Aarmuehle. The witnesses were Johannes Seiler from Boenigen; Johannes Wilhelm from Matten, and Anna ab Buehl. The entry is #8, the second from the top.

Copy of microfilm record received in January .. from Sonja Reid (my 4th cousin 5 generations removed - or something like that).

• Title: Gsteig bei Interlaken Kirchenbuch, 1593-1875
• Author: Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche
• Publication: Microfilmed Staatsarchive des Kantons Bern, 1991
• Call Number: ..438 - ..447
• Page: FHL Film ..439, Christenings 1782, Page 231, Entry #8

Sonja noted that "the interesting thing about the name is the inconsistency in the way it was spelled. It is spelled B'hend, Bhend, Phend, and Fendt. It is often dependent on the time frame in which the information was recorded. Often at the birth of the child it is spelled one way and subsequent entries for the same person or for other children born to the same couple are spelled a different way."

Johannes Fendt, aka Jean B'hend, aka Johannes Phend, was my 3rd Great Grandfather and emigrated to the United States in 1832.

Out Little Beach Bum

The Trees We Found This Past Week

Just some of the trees we have come across while hiking.

What’s in Naga? Answer: Banana Cue and Kamote Cue

Have you ever lusted for some old-time ‘comfort street food’? Well I have, when I was in Cebu in October this year. My taste buds were desperately yearning for a stick of fried banana cue (caramelized banana) and some fried kamote cue (caramelized sweet potato) as well, but how come these street delicacies were nowhere to be found in the city?


I am honestly fearing the (imminent?) banana cue sold on the streets tradition extinction so kindly pass this on to all the ‘manangs’ and ‘alings’ out there... please, please, please... do not tire from deep frying these yummy caramelized treats at corner streets and at sari-sari stores. As for you, the local Filipino consumer: Buy Filipino! Buy banana cue, buy kamote cue and help preserve Filipino street food culture.

And because I was still craving, we all hopped in the car and went to Naga, just to buy banana and kamote cues. Yipee!

I took a few fotos of the environs there as well, see them below. The rest of the fotos are all here: Naga, Cebu - Philippines


Banana Cue street vendor.


Kamote Cues, YUMMY.


Tricycad drivers and three little boys in a tricycad.


Market scene in Naga, Cebu.


Naga Catholic Church and the old Naga City Hall (there is a brand spanking new modern and big city hall building at the back).


Oil tanker ships along Naga coast and a woman bathing on the rocky coast.


Siomai stands on Naga boulevard seems to be more popular than banana or kamote cues. Next foto, English translation: Do not pee here.

They've got just a little bling.

The vast majority of my ancestors were not well-to-do folk. They were mostly farmers and their wealth consisted mainly of family and friends, rather than material things. But every once in a while I come across a picture that makes me wonder if some of them really weren't all that poor. Case in point is the photograph below, which depicts my great-grandmother Amanda Minerva Alexander Wiseman. The fancy dress isn't one that a farmer's wife would wear on a daily basis. I wonder, just what was the occasion?

The picture is not dated. Amanda was born on September 25, 1860 and was the first of four children of William and Rachel (Van Curen) Alexander. Amanda was married to Samuel Bray Wiseman on June 7, 1883 (her sister Laura married Sam's brother Henry).

From this other picture and several others of the Alexander siblings from my Dad's collection, I think that the Alexander's were one of the more affluent families in my lineage. Although with a total of 19 children between them (he was married twice and she once before they married each other), I don't see how William and Rachel managed. Of course, all of the children didn't live with them at the same time (the first one was born in 1841 and the last in 1868). Undoubtedly, the later children had it better than the earlier ones.

The photograph below (not a good copy of a copy, but the best I have) was taken earlier. Based on the ages of the children, probably about 1892/3.

Amanda and Sam Wiseman with their children.
Charles (my grandfather, born 1885), Goldie (born 1890), and Smith (born 1888).
Contributed to the "Bling, ancestor Bling" edition of Smile for the Camera.

Center for Great Apes Tour

When we were doing volunteer work for Reach the World, I wrote about a sanctuary that is nearby that houses a famous chimp. Michael Jackson's chimp, Bubbles, lives there now. The kids really got a kick out of that and asked me lots of questions about him. Unfortunately at the time, I couldn't really answer because I hadn't been to the place he lived so I couldn't tell them.



This past week that changed because we not only visited his home, we saw him in person and saw he is doing well. I can't even describe how excited I was to visit where he does live, The Center for Great Apes. It is very close by where we are this winter, but because it is not open to the public, you would never know it was there. It is very discrete and on land that allows a beautiful place for the animals to live in a peaceful environment.



The center was started when it's founder agreed to take in an orangutan and it grew from there. You can read the story here: History of the Center for Great Apes. In short, it is now a sanctuary for orangutans and chimpanzees.



We had a very small group with us from Thousand Trails that went for a private tour. We rode over with new pickleball friends, Garth and Rosemary. Since our group was so small, it made the visit feel very intimate.



We were allowed to take pictures, but they asked that we not share them on the internet so I won't post them here.



I can share that this was one of my top favorite things to do since we hit the road full time. It was so much better than I ever expected. So many times when we visit places where animals are housed, I have conflicting emotions. I am glad they are safe, but at times it doesn't seem to be a way of life that I'd think is truly enjoyable for an animal. That was not the case here at all. This was the most impressive sanctuary we have ever visited as far as the thoughtfulness they put into the environment for the animals.



On top of all that, we were able to get much closer to the animals than I had expected. So close that it was overwhelming to me at times, because of the emotions that welled up inside of me. I didn't even edit my pictures for a few days because of the swell of emotions that I was still feeling from the visit. If you are in the area, get a group together and GO visit this place! You won't regret it!



We have been enjoying gorgeous weather here this winter which makes things like this even more enjoyable. Living the life in Sunny Florida!

Gentleman Farmer

1921. Thagrus Burns.
Relationship: My 1st cousin twice removed.
Thag was the son of Harlow and Hazlette Wise Burns. Hazlette was the sister of my great grandmother, Maude Wise Brubaker. Thag was named after his grandfather, William Pythagrus Wise.

Other People

We talk a lot about "other people" in our house. Usually it is pertaining to the reality that no matter how much we like to think we are just doing our own thing in life, the truth of the matter is that what we do affects other people. So we ponder things in relationship to this truth...how is this going to affect other people?



Today the boys got a great life lesson in how the opposite is just as true. What other people do affects US. It started out all good. The guys were on the pirate ship ride at Busch Gardens. You know, the one that goes back and forth and eventually turns all the way around in complete circles. You can tell by the look on their faces that they can totally conquer this ride. Or something like that.



The one who loves attention spots Mom with the camera! Hi Mom!

Those of us below are saying oh look, they are having so much fun!

Here they go all the way upside down! I bet they are loving this!

Wait a minute, Austin looks....scared??? sad??? sick???



Uh oh...something is not right! It seems when the person in the row in front of you is puking every single time the ship goes upside down...that is just no fun. Because their vomit sprays all over you! Ewwwwwww! Remind me to never, ever go on pirate ships. Thanks to other people, I will just stay on the ground thank you very much! Some life lessons are just harder on us while we learn them than others. Living the life in fun Florida!

Smile for the Camera, 3rd Edition

footnoteMaven has posted the 3rd edition Smile for the Camera whose topic this time is "Celebrate Home" over at Shades of the Departed. Interesting stories and pictures were contributed which capture the essence of "Home." I'm sure you'll enjoy them, I know I did.

And, the topic for the next edition of Smile for the Camera is "My Favorite Photograph": "Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that is your favorite family photo or that photograph you've collected and wouldn't give up for a King's ransom."

Read more about the topic and find out how you can participate (scroll to the bottom of this post) where you will also find links to the two previous carnivals.

Oh boy, this one is going to be a challenge for me... I don't know how I'm going to pick "just one" favorite!

Images courtesy of footnoteMaven.

The Sisley Family Bible

In May of 1986 my mother and I went on a research trip to Ohio and Pennsylvania. One of our stops was Fayette County, Pennsylvania. All I knew at that time was that my 4th great grandmother, Indiana Sisley, had been born in Fayette County and had married Conrad Stem. It was in the Land Records that I found the names of her parents and siblings. Her father, Lewis Sisley passed away in 1826 and in 1834 the eldest son, John, purchased his father's land. Lewis' wife Margaret was named, as were all ten of the children, and their spouses if they were married, including "Conrad Stein and Indianee".

Fast forward to 1999 and the wonders of the Internet! There I found the Sisley Family website and the reproduction of a history compiled and published in 1974 by Paul and Edith (Sisley) Bongiorno. I contributed the information I had on my "Western Branch" as they called it. Then, as often happens when one connection is made, another comes along. In June .. I was contacted by Marge, a descendant of Amberson Sisley, the youngest child of Lewis and Margaret.

Emails flew back and forth. It was an exciting time, even more so when I learned that they lived less than three hours away, on the south side of Indianapolis! And that Marge had family pictures and documents, including the pages from the family bible! Less than three weeks later we met, spent the day together, got to know each other a little, exchanged information, and I had my first scanfest ;-) The bible pages were fragile but we all decided it would be a good thing to go ahead and scan them.

I was, and still am, amazed and thankful that the bible pages survived at all. And I will forever be indebted to Marge for allowing me to touch them, to feel the texture of the paper, to hold something in my hands that my ancestors had held 175+ years before.

Births [First Column]
Lewis Sisley son of Jacob and Jane Sisley was born July 22. 1765.
Margaret Ellis daughter of Nathan and Mary Ellis, and wife of the said Lewis Sisley was born Dec. 13th 1773.

Births [Second Column]
Births. Of the Children of Lewis Sisley and Margaret his wife
Mary Ann was born December 31st 1789.
Nancy was born May 11th 1792.
Hetty was born Dec. 21st 1795.
Eleanor was born October 4th, 1797.
John Ellis was born April 13th 1800.
Louisa was born April 9th 1803.
Ruhama was born September 19th, 1805
Indiana was born May 18th, 1809.

Births.
Wilson Smith was born Dec. 3. 1811.
Amberson Evans was born Dec. 18th 1814.

Deaths.
Louisa Nutt departed this life August 12th 1823.
Lewis Sisley departed this life February 14th 1826 aged 60 years 6 months and 25 days

[Note: all of the entries up to this point have been in the same handwriting]

Eleanor Lyons died March 15th 1861.
=====
Amberson E Sisley died Feb 16th 1862
=====
Margaret Ellis Sisley died February 13th 1870


Marriages. [first column]
Lewis Sisley and Margaret Ellis were joined in marriage November 4th 1788.
Mary Ann Sisley was joined in marriage with Samuel Shelpler January 3d. 1809.
Nancy Sisley was joined in marriage with Morgan Morgan Jany 18th 1809.
Hetty Sisley was joined in marriage with James M'Crory July 25th 1812.

Marriages. [second column]
Eleanor Sisley was joined in marriage with Robert Lyon September 4th 1819.
Louisa Sisley was joined in marriage with Samuel Nutt Dec. 28th
Ruhama Sisley was joined in marriage with Samuel Nutt July 29th 1824

Note: Louisa Sisley and Samuel Nutt were married on December 28, 1822. She died on August 12, 1823. Samuel then married Louisa's sister Ruhama.

Another Note: At this point is where the marriage of Indiana and Conrad Stem should have been recorded! Was the family bible "put away" after the death of Lewis Sisley, which occurred in 1826? The recording continues in a different handwriting.

Wilson Sisley was joined in marriage with [crossed out and started over]
Wilson Sisley was joined in marriage with Nancy Wells September 11th 1836.

This post was contributed to the 55th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy: Show and Tell
See also Indiana Sisley Stem :: Show and Tell

A Look at Kinn: the US-Made Midtail

Before setting off abroad earlier this summer, I had a chance to glimpse the much talked about Kinn - a new midtail utility bike manufactured in Portland, Oregon. Today being the 4th of July, it seemed like a good time to share my initial impressions of this US-made machine.




Relatively new to the scene, "midtail" bikes are characterised by an extended rear end that is longer than that of a conventional city bike but shorter than that of a full-on longtail cargo bike. In , Yuba released the Boda Boda midtail (featured here) andKona introduced its MinUte midtail. At around the same time, following two years of prototyping, Kinn unveiled the Cascade Flyer.






Kinn describes its mission as to be "big enough for family and small enough for you."The company's name is a double reference: to kin, as in family, and to kinetic, as in motion. Designed by founder Alistair Williamson, the frames are manufactured in small batches (around 100 per year) by the Zen Bike Fab. The racks are fabricated at ADX. And the wheels are handbuilt at Sugar Wheelworks. All of these are Portland, OR establishments, so the company keeps it very local indeed. An interesting article on the development and prototyping of Kinn Bikes is worth having a look at here.






The Kinn's frame and fork are welded chromoly steel, designed around 700C wheels and up to 50mm tires with fenders. The geometry is characterised by 72° head and set tube angles, a low bottom bracket and a high trail front end. The frameset is available in the "robin's egg blue" colour shown and two sizes: The Small/Medium fits riders 5'3" - 5'9" and the Medium/Large fits riders 5'8" - 6'2". The standard component build includes Avid disc brakes, a choice of a 9-speed derailleur (Shimano Alivio) or 8-speed internal hub (Shimano Alfine) gearing, fenders, chainguard, city pedals, kickstand, and Velo Orange Milano handlebars with cork grips. Complete bikes are estimated to weigh 34lbs-38lbs, depending on size and build. Prices start at $1,950 for complete bike with derailleur gearing, and $2,200 with internally geared hub. Detailed specifications can be found here.






The integrated rear "multi rack" is rated for 130lb carrying capacity. The pannier rails are designed to fit two panniers on each side (or one on each side if the rack is fitted with a child seat). The rack features a long bamboo deck (21” x 5.5”), hidden lockable toolbox, a platform that integrates with the Yepp child seat mount, built in footpeg mounts. The child seat and little passenger bars (shown) are available as extra accessories.






The bamboo platform is modular: The front part swivels out of the way for the child seat mount. The rear part opens to access the lock box.






I have only done an introductory test ride on the Kinn so far: Around 4 miles, with a single pannier in the rear. Now, I do realise that Kinn's literature focuses largely on child transport. In fact, when Kinn offered me a test ride, I wondered whether I was the right person for the task. I do not have kids and do not plan to cycle with other people's children on board for the sake of a review. They still wanted me to try the Kinn and see what I think of it as personal transport - so those will be the parameters of my impressions. The bike is also available for other locals to try with their own kids on board (at Bicycle Belle in Cambridge/Somerville, MA), and I will later collect their impressions.






As far as my own first impressions: What I liked most was how the Kinn rides. It is distinctly un-cruiserish and un-cargobikish; a fast, responsive, "sporty" bike. Part of that is the positioning: The handlebars are intentionally set lower than those on bikes like the Xtracycle and Yuba, the stem is long, and the front end geometry is pretty tight (notice the way the downtube curves around the front wheel). I like the low bottom bracket and the quick, yet stable feel of the steering. The Kinn is not meant to be a relaxed city bike, but something a bit more aggressive. The ride quality over bad roads was great as well, even with the 35mm tires the demo bike was fitted with. It was simply a fun bike to ride that did not feel like a cargo bike.






For a transportation bicycle, the Kinn's frame is a little tight for my taste. The sloped top tube is too high for me to step over (it is higher than the Xtracycle Radish, or a typical mixte frame), and my toe rubbed the fender a couple of times on slow tight turns. I would love it if the bike's ride characteristics could be retained while providing a little more toe clearance in the front and a lower standover height. An obvious solution would be to go with a smaller wheel size - though I understand that they went with 700C intentionally, aiming for a roadbike type feel.






As far as cargo capacity, the Kinn is visibly shorter in the rear than a typical longtail (shown here next to the Xtracycle Radish). It does not come with any sort of dedicated carry system: You strap things directly to the rack as you would with a regular bike. The rear rack is an intricate design, with lots of rails and support stays onto which cargo could theoretically be strapped. One thing I wonder, is how two full-sized panniers can fit on each side of the rack, as claimed, since the one I used took up most of the dedicated pannier railing. I will experiment with this some more.




Walking and parking the Kinn in the city felt entirely like dealing with a regular sized bike. When an extra degree of compactness is desired, the front wheel can be turned all the way around to fold into the frame (like so), making it compatible with bus and car racks.






The Kinn Cascade Flyer is an intriguing specimen that I look forward to examining further once I am back stateside. The compact design that still offers more carry capacity than a typical transport bike is of obvious benefit to city dwellers who do not want to lock up a cargo bike outside. The invertable front wheel is a useful feature for those who take their bikes on city buses. And for parents who like a sporty ride, the Kinn's rack is rated to carry a kid up to age 12.




Finally, it is impressive that Kinn has managed to produce this bicycle locally at the current price point. They are soon planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign for Kin 1.1 (the next batch will have a few minor modifications) to help fund the continued manufacturing of these bike in the US - I will keep you posted.




If you are in the Boston area, this bicycle (including child seat) is available to test ride at my neighbourhood's new bike shop, Bicycle Belle. I will post a detailed review in August.