Category: The Contributors

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The Ancestry.com Project

 
Tue 11/17/2020 6:05 PM
 
Jeff,
 
I’m almost ready to publish on a flash drive the “MyCousins” Family Tree with a companion eBook and supporting documents, images, and photos.  You and each of your boys will get a copy as a gift from Pam and me.
 
Before I send out copies of the drive, I wonder if you have time to assemble and ship the documents and photos you wanted to share.  There should be time for me to curate them before I go to press if you can do this soon.  This reminds me of one of my favorite poems.
 
Patience is a virtue,
catch it if you can.
Seldom in a woman,
never in a man.
 
Lol…
 
Also, FYI, I asked the Del Moral, Duryea, Flickinger, Grap, McClanahan, and Portell families to provide me with data on their parents, i.e., 1 generation so that I could use my 3-month subscription to US Discovery on their Surnames. I have data on Susie (expert researcher that I am).  
 
I hope all is going especially well for you, Harry, Max, and Sam.  You are all included in my prayers.
 
Love,
 
John, IV
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Historical Society

Sat 12/5/2020 5:18 PM
John, IV,
I’m forwarding you 4 obits from my friend at the HS.
  • Mary A. Elcik, 87
  • John P. Elcik, 73
  • John P. Elcik, 76
  • Mary Anna Elcik
My friend at the Historical Society is AWESOME!!!
Beth
Dr. John Elcik
Sun 12/6/2020 3:21 AM
I agree! Beth, these obituaries are wonderful additions.  Obituaries are one of the best sources we get for narrative family history. Thank you! And thanks to the mysterious friend. He or she is nameless. Lol.
John. IV
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Re: Status Updates

Sun 12/6/2020 3:55 AM

 
What is that old saying? “From your lips to God’s ear.”  I really do hope that that the two Elcik families are connected, and we find proof. 
 
I have two game plans:  
  • The DNA option is in play as I have submitted the Ancestry DNA kit for analysis. Ancestry.com’s tools for working with our family tree made it the best choice.  However, I also have recently purchased the MyHeritage DNA kit because of its uniquely large European database. It would help if I could get “Ilcik” DNA, but I will be patient. Sooner, or later one of the Ilick’s will share our interest in solving this mystery.
  • I also maintain the FamilySearch Tree because of its broad reach. Someday, I think that another tree will connect to ours, and it will have European ancestors that answer our questions.
To add another quote, “hope is not a strategy,” so I am taking all the action steps I can.  Do you remember the old joke about the individual complaining to God about his not winning the lottery?  He prays that he is a good person, a faithful person, etc.  The story goes on to have God respond, “you need to meet me halfway and purchase a ticket.” I’m buying tickets. Lol. 
 
My next action step will be to investigate immigration records.  Ancestry.com hasn’t been helpful with this part, so I need to try something else. 
 
John, IV 
 
P.S. I have also started writing a “Reader’s Digest” condensed version of the Elcik family history.  I’m about 12 pages into it, and because I want to keep it short, it is about done. Maybe. Maybe not. ? 
  
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Church History

Tue 12/8/2020 7:45 AM

I have been overlooking the historical aspects of MyCousins. The investigation into the origins of St. Cyril Cemetery will put me on track to fix this.

Saints Cyril and Methodius

Cyril and Methodius were two brothers and Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries. For their work evangelizing the Slavs, they are known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.” They are credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe Old Church Slavonic. Wikipedia

Born: 826 or 827 and 815; Thessalonica, Byzantine Empire (present-day Greece)
Venerated in: Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; Anglican Communion; Lutheranism
Died: 14 February 869 and 6 April 885; Rome and Velehrad, Moravia
John, IV
P.S. I have not given up on contacting the Cemetery who according to research, it has “1-4 employees.” I am confused as to why the (207) 353-2792 phone number for the Cemetery didn’t work.  Pam thinks there was a big snowstorm in Lisbon so we will try again. It should be a current number as it is posted across many websites and listed in the Business Directory of the Town Center for Lisbon as the Holy Trinity Rectory number. I believe they have inherited ownership. See https://www.lisbonme.org/business-directory/holy-trinity-catholic-church. 
Tue 12/8/2020 9:29 PM
John, IV,

You aren’t going to believe this, BUT Holy Trinity church is across the street from us.  They have a long driveway, and you can’t see the church from our house.  They combined Holy Family, St. Cyril, and the Catholic church in Lisbon several years ago and built on land across the street from us given to the church.  We walk over there every day as long as weather permits. 

There’s someone in the office some days, and I’ll walk over there and ask them if they have records of people buried in St. Cyril and Calvary cemeteries.  It’s worth a try, at least.  
 
I’ll see what I can do,
 
Beth
Wed 12/9/2020 12:43 AM
Beth,
Lol. It is a VERY small world. I look forward to learning more.
John, IV
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Puppies

Fri 12/18/2020 6:00 PM
Beth,
This is Pam’s Facebook post with puppy pictures.
One of my many suggestions to Ancestrycom is to add a pet relationship to Add Family Member. It would be an easy modification and would make a lot of people happier.
John, IV

Fri 12/18/2020 9:47 PM

They’re adorable and obviously, love each other!!! – Beth

Fri 12/18/2020 9:56 PM
Yes, They are keepers. ? – John
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Merry Christmas

Sat 12/26/2020 12:08 PM
Beth & Jack,
Merry Christmas.  I trust you both had an enjoyable and safe holiday we did.
I typically don’t reveal Christmas presents, but I have enough Moxie to break that tradition this year.  It is for a good cause.
Beth, you and I have a new domain name for our eBook: mycousins.org replaces mycousins.org. We can celebrate the consistency this gets us.
And for the celebration, my daughter found and bought me bottles of Moxie.
I am over the moon with joy, given the love of family we have experienced this year.
God bless us all.
John & Pam
P.S. With Ana joining our family this year, we read about Nochebuena, and this link was our starting point. ?