Family Heirlooms ~ A Wooden Walking Stick

 
Recently we traveled across Canada to spend time with our children & extended family members. 

On this trip my husband's grandfather gave him this family heirloom:

Close-ups -  bottom to top

The photos do not do it justice. This is an incredible piece of woodwork. It's carved from a solid piece of wood...
It's a BROKEN BRANCH fitting this week's theme. 

Starting from the bottom the carvings tell the story of the Old Testament: Adam & Eve, Noah & the Ark, the 3 wise men following the Star of David to the manger, ending with the the Crucifixion of Jesus.
Or at least that is what we thought it was telling.  

Between Noah & the animals disembarking and the arrival of the 3 wise men is a beaver & a turtle. We wondered if it was to represent the Indigenous Creation Story alongside the bible's. Alternatively they could represent Turtle Island (North America) & Canada. 

Family lore suggests it might have been a talking stick used by missionaries.

On closer examination we aren't sure that it is telling the story of Old Testament from the bottom. 

The first four symbols have people carrying objects that appear to be an axe, a sled, a rosary, and one unidentifiable. Then livestock, a small boat, and a person carrying nothing followed by the beaver & the turtle. Then a man holding 3 fish & a key. Then a square with 2 wedges on either side with a platform above. Then the 3 wise men following a star to a place with livestock with a baby in a manger. Then a family - 2 adults with 1 child. Then another animal that might be a squirrel or a salamander. Then 2 more people who may be fighting. Then the symbol of Jesus on the cross. Around the cross is tools: an axe, a square, a hammer, a saw, a pair of plyers, and a spear. Above all of the that is a rooster. Then a man and a woman holding hands. Then a leaf (or a tree or a plant) with a bird sitting at the top. From bottom to top encompassing the entire story is a snake. 

Online searching resulted in our discovering it's a Folk Art Cane/Walking Stick. 

***If you have any knowledge of this walking stick we would love to hear from you***

His grandfather remembers the walking stick being at his grandparents house when he was a child. 

Mark Rearely & Anna Barbara (nee Walser) Buchner

Mark Rearely Buchner

BIRTH 24 FEB 1838 • Woodhouse Twp., Norfolk Co., ON, Canada

DEATH 12 JUN 1931 • Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
&

Anna Barbara (Barbara) Walser

BIRTH 13 APR 1860 • Teufen, Appensell, Switzerland

DEATH 1950 • Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada

Until the provenance can be established the origins before my husband's X3 great grandparents can't be known.

His grandfather told us that the family believed it originated 2 generations higher with 

Jacob Buchner Sargeant, UEL

BIRTH 31 MAY 1763 • Hardwick Township, Sussex County, New Jersey , USA

DEATH 11 AUG 1841 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
&

Catherine Shular (Sheelar)

BIRTH 20 SEP 1767 • Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

DEATH 8 FEB 1855 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario

Folk Art Canes were typically from the Civil War to WW1 which put the X5 Great Grandpa Jacob tale a bit out of reach, but could fit for a generation below (X4 Great grandparents)

Jacob Clasnor Buchner

BIRTH 20 APR 1803 • Woodhouse Twp, Norfolk County , Ontario, Canada

DEATH 29 JUN 1886 • Houghton Twp, Norfolk County , Ontario, Canada
&

Amy Catherine Matthews

BIRTH ABT 1801 • Woodhouse, Ontario, Canada

DEATH 10 MAR 1880 • Cultus, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada

We do know the walking stick has been passed down to the oldest male of each generation starting with the children of Mark's second marriage. 

This left us wondering if it was possible the walking stick originated with X3 great grandmother Anna Barbara Walser's family. Alternatively it may have been that she gave it to her oldest son vs. Mark's oldest son (from his 1st marriage). We aren't sure where it came from before X3 great grandparents Mark & Barbara (nee Walser) Buchner obtained it. 

Grandfather to grandson happened this time because my father-in-law died last year. Our son is the oldest male of the next generation allowing the walking stick to continue 6 generations through the oldest male. 

In today's world the practice of passing down father to son ignoring daughters seems old fashioned & unfair. Since we have 2 boys and no daughters we can follow the tradition without discrimination. 

Treasures passed down the direct male line!!!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Getting Schooled ~ The Schooley Family

 My husband's 6th great grandparents were:

Johannes Martin Buchner
BIRTH 29 JAN 1704 • Unnau, Nassau (now), Westerwald, Germany
DEATH 1780 • Sussex County, New Jersey, United States of America
&
Elsa Maria (Elizabeth) Zehrung
BIRTH 14 OCT 1704 • Fehl-Ritzhausen, (now Marienberg), Nassau, (now) Westerwald, Germany
DEATH 1780 • Amwell, Sussex, New Jersey, USA

Ancestry DNA confirmed the traditional research one generation higher through the Buchner line through their son:

Johan Heinrich (Henry) Buchner
BIRTH 10 DECEMBER 1734 • Duitsland, Rheinland Pfalz
DEATH 2 DEC 1817 • Crowland Township, Welland, Niagara, Ontario, Canada
married 
Anna Eva Maria Dell
BIRTH ABT 1737 • Sussex, New Jersey, British Colonial America
DEATH ABT. 1803 • Welland Co., Ontario, Canada

Are you wondering what these relatives have to do with this week's prompt SCHOOL?

I'm so glad you asked!

Anna Eva Maria Dell had 3 brothers and a sister.

One sister and one brother married into the SCHOOLEY family.

Oldest brother Richard married Elizabeth Schooley.

Richard Dell (twin to Bassnet)
BIRTH 16 OCT 1726 • Sussex, New Jersey, British Colonial America
DEATH 3 AUG 1804 • Hanover Township, Morris, New Jersey, United States
married (February 28th 1754, Mendham, Morris, New Jersey, USA)
Elisabeth Schooley
BIRTH 20 JUL 1729 • Chesterfield, Burlington, New Jersey, British Colonial America
DEATH 20 NOV 1790 • New Jersey, United States

Older sister Elizabeth married William Schooley. 

Elizabeth Dell
BIRTH 1728 • Burlington County, New Jersey, USA
DEATH 27 JAN 1762 • Sussex County, New Jersey, USA
married (November 27th 1760, Woodbridge, Union, New Jersey, USA
)William Schooley
BIRTH 1727 • Burlington County, New Jersey, USA
DEATH 27 JAN 1767 • Sussex, New Jersey, United States

While working in this section of our Bramble Bush it can be challenging to get the generations correct. As an example. our William above married an Elizabeth. His parents were William and Elizabeth. At one point I had children assigned to the junior couple that were born when they were 11 & 12.  Definitely need to be more careful while adding folks and facts. 

Getting schooled on the Schooleys!

I found quite a bit of interesting information during my internet searching for this Quaker family. There is a lot of information out there for descendants looking for more information.

Using this week's prompt to be schooled on the Schooley portion of this Bramble Bush!!!

Cause ... 




You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

This is why I search - 

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

________________________________________________________________

Rooted to the Land ~ Germany to Canada

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 17 (LAND)



My husband's family is solidly rooted to the land in Southern Ontario. Much of the land was originally granted for loyalty to Britain. His family is spread all across Ontario with some still living on their original land grant. 

There is much history attached to the Buchner name. 

My husband shares a name with a X5 great uncle whose home is a historical site in the Niagara Falls area.

"The property was part of a larger holding purchased by Christopher Buchner
from his father-in-law, James Forsyth, in 1799. The lands were central to the
fighting of the Battle of Lundy's Lane on July 25, 1814. A house belonging to
Christopher and Sarah Buchner on the southwest slope of Drummond Hill was
noted in military papers which recorded the battle proceedings. Christopher
Buchner was a lieutenant in the 2nd Lincoln Militia and was standing, with his son John, only a few hundred yards from his house when the first skirmishes began. The extent of the damage, if any, which the house sustained during the battle is unknown." 1

Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Lundy%27s_Lane.jpg

When I first got married I don't remember who told me: 'if you aren't born to or married to a Buchner - not to worry you will be related to Buchners before you die', but they were right. As I navigate across the Buchner side of the Bramble Bush I have discovered that the statement was funny because it was true. I spend a lot of time untangling the wraparound vines. The intertwining requires careful consideration before adding a new person to this side of the bramble bush.  


In Ontario many Buchners are still farmers or lease their land to other farmers. Many run businesses from the land descendants still own. When searching for Buchners alternative spellings Boughner & Buckner will result  in long lists of folks and businesses throughout North America.


Long before the battle of 1812 my husband's ancestors called Unnau, Germany home. 

Red is the village Unnau
Source: Google Maps

"All genealogies begin with the German ancestor Merten Buchner (died 1694) who lived in Unnau, a village in the province of Nassau-Dillenburg. This is located in the northernmost part of the Westerwald Region of the present state of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany and northeast of the city of Koblenz. The genealogy follows his family in the records of nearby Bad Marienberg Evangelical Church. Merten’s son Johan Bäst Buchner (baptized 1663) lived in Unnau, as did Merton’s grandson Johann Martin Buchner (baptized 1705), the immigrant ancestor to America.

Martin Buchner with his wife Elisabetha Maria Zehrüng and family emigrated to America on the snow Rowand landing in the Port of Philadelphia in 1753 then settled in Amwell Township, Morris (afterwards Sussex) County, New Jersey where Martin was a schoolmaster." 2


Johannes Martin (Martin) Buchner
BIRTH 29 JAN 1704 • Unnau, Nassau (now), Westerwald, Germany

DEATH 1780 • Sussex County, New Jersey, United States of America
and
Elsa Maria (Elizabeth) Zehrung
BIRTH 14 OCT 1704 • Fehl-Ritzhausen, (now Marienberg), Nassau, (now) Westerwald, Germany

DEATH 1780 • Amwell, Sussex, New Jersey, USA


Martin and Elizabeth (nee Zehrung) Buchner are my husband's 6th great grandparents through their son:
Johannes Theis (John) Buchner (my husband's 5th great grandfather)
BIRTH 18 SEP 1729 • Unnau, Westerwald, Hessen, Germany
DEATH 11 SEP 1791 • Hardwick Twp, Sussex, New Jersey, USA
and his wife Catherine (I have't been able to confirm details). 


My husband's part of the bramble bush arrived in Ontario, Canada via his 4th great grandparents
**** and 5th great grandparents explained in another blog linked below ****

United Empire Loyalist (UEL)
Sergeant Jacob Buchner
BIRTH 31 MAY 1763 • Hardwick Twp., Sussex, New Jersey, USA
DEATH 11 AUG 1841 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario
and 
Catherine Shelar
BIRTH 20 SEP 1767 • Sussex County, New Jersey
DEATH 8 FEB 1855 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario

I do not yet have a record of their arrival in Canada, but the first recorded child born in Canada was 1789.

My husband's 3rd great grandfather is their 7th child born in 1908.
Jacob Clasnor Buchner
BIRTH 20 APR 1803 • Woodhouse Twp, Norfolk County , Ontario, Canada
DEATH 29 JUN 1886 • Houghton Twp, Norfolk County , Ontario, Canada
married to
Amy Catherine Matthews
BIRTH ABT 1801 • Woodhouse, Ontario
DEATH 10 MAR 1880 • Cultus, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
who was a widow of George Warwick when she married Jacob.


Their descendant works in healthcare, and finds peace rooted to the land. 

Working hard to pollinate2020 Mason Bees 

5 generations later still loving the land!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***







Related Previous Blogs:

Somehow Related Blog Spot,
When Two Lines Become One ~ Clarissa (nee Buchner) Rittenour
http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2020/03/when-two-lines-become-one-clarissa-nee.html



Footnotes:

1 Buchner House, 6172 Buchner Place, Council of the Corporation of the City of Niagara Falls , Bylaw Amendment, Ontario Heritage Act e-Register. Retrieved April 25th 2020 from
https://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/fr/oha/details/file?id=4733


2 The Ontario Pioneers and Available Genealogies, The Long Point Settlers. Mutrie, R. Robert. Retrieved April 25th 2020 from
https://sites.google.com/site/longpointsettlers/ontario-pioneers-genealogies/settlers-b/ontario-pioneers-brady-to-budd?authuser=0




Sources:

Buchner House, Canada's Historic Places. Retrieved April 25th 2020 from
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=9749

Lundy's Lane Battlefield, Niagara Falls Museums. Retrieved April 25th 2020 from 
https://niagarafallsmuseums.ca/visit/lundyslanebattlefield

Nassau, Historical Region, Germany, Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved April 25th 2020 from https://www.britannica.com/place/Nassau-historical-region-Germany

Niagara Falls, Fort Erie Local History. Retrieved April 25th 2020 from
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=9749





Links:


Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________

Canada Burned the White House ~ Buchners Were Likely There

**** full disclosure -- I was out of town for most of the past week so this blog is short & sweet for the deadline to meet ****


52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 27 (INDEPENDENT)


I almost wrote about the Buchner family's role in the Burning of Washington for last week's prompt LEGEND, but decided to delay until this week's Independence Day.

When I first met my husband he told me that his ancestors had been a part of Canada burning the White House. At the time I hadn't heard about Canada burning the White House so did a bit of research. What I discovered was that Britain burned the White House toward the end of the War of 1812 with the assistance of Canada's Loyalists. The Buchner family had extensive Loyalist ties in Canada. 


I decided that focusing on the Canadian side of the American Independence Day week's blog was a perfect topic for this week's blog. 


My research indicates that there is a very good possibility that my  husband's ancestors were part of Britain's Burning of Washington on August 24th 1814. I haven't found the actual records to indicate the Buchners were there, but I have found many records of the Buchner family's involvement in the Battle of 1812. 


My husband shares his name with an ancestor whose land was the location of the 1814 Battle of Lundy's Lane. There is minimal chance the Buchners were not loyal to the Crown with their torches bright.  



Finding the truth in the family stories!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Sources:

United States Senate, Art & History, Retrieved July 5th 2019 from  

https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/August_Burning_Washington.htm

The Canadian Encyclopedia, The Burning of Washington, Retrieved July 5th 2019 from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-burning-of-washington

Canada's Historic Places, Buchner House, Retrieved July 7th 2019 from
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=9749

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge 
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

Reverend Alonzo Vannatter ~ Brethren In Christ Church, Frogmore, Ontario

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 17 (At Worship)

This week's prompt AT WORSHIP posed no hesitation on who I would feature. My husband's great grandfather was a Reverend in a small town in Houghton Township, Ontario. 

When I first started hearing the stories about Asa Alonzo Vannatter (known as Lonnie to those close to him) I loved that his church was in a town called Frogmore.

Brethren In Christ church in Frogmore, Ontario, Canada  ~ 2007

Throughout my husband's growing up he was close to extended family. All of his grandparents & great grandparents played a vital part in his formative years. His great grandfather Vannatter was a larger than life character for him. 

My husband with his great grandfather, publication and date unknown

This write up in a church document shows why that would be. 

"   Rev. Alonzo Vannatter is described in Roy V. Sider's introduction to the book as being "one of the great but little known men of the Brethren in Christ. No man could be more loyal in crisis than he was. Godliness and good humour rarely find a better mix than they did in Alonzo Vannatter." Vannatter's qualities as a person and as a pastor may be seen in this paragraph that he has given us: "Rose early, did my chores . . . got ready for church, about nine miles for the 10 a.m. Sunday School and preaching service at 11. At 12 o'clock started home and then changed horses and drove to Bethel, about 7 miles, for 2 p.m. Sunday School and preaching service at 3, them home to chores and supper and at 7:30 p.m. conducted worship service at Frogmore."   "(1)  

My husband at the Church in Frogmore, Ontario in 2007 in front of the pastors photos
(his great grandfather, Alonzo, second from left)

 Asa Alonzo Vannatter was the 5th of 6 children born to Benjamin Augustus Vannatter and Sophia Fidella Foreman. He was born on the 23rd of November in 1901 in Frogmore, Houghton Township, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada. 

On the 2nd of January 1923 he married Vera Catharine Williams in Cultus, Ontario, Canada.

Vera was born on September 27th 1902 in Norfolk County, Ontario Canada. Her parents were George Albert Williams and Edith Gertrude Brisseau. 

Alonzo and Vera were parents to 5 children: 4 girls and a boy. My husbands' grandmother was their 2nd born. None of their children strayed far from their parents. Most of the extended family still lives in the area. They stayed very connected to all their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. 

Alonzo died on April 8th 1976 in London, Ontario, Canada. Vera died on March 25th 1981 in Tillsonburg, Ontario. They were both buried in Cultus Cemetery, Cultus, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada.

Cultus Cemetery, Cultus, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

While working on this blog I decided to search for any entries I could find. I was able to find many records of Reverend Alonzo Vannatter in marriage and funeral records (a few copied below). The best find was this document about  the history of the Brethren in Chris church where there is much more information to read (link in the sources at that end). The book referenced below is written by Rev. Alonzo & Rev. Sider. We have a copy of. It was a gift to my husband from his grandmother who was very proud of her father. 

Retrieved April 28th 2019  from Brethren in Christ - History and Life archives  http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents18/1982-2-december_1982.pdf

Evangelical Visitor Archives, retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents9/1971-05-10_may_10,1971.pdf

Evangelical Visitor Archives, retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents11/1954-09-27_sep_27,1954.pdf

Evangelical Visitor Archives retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents13/1968-02-26_feb_26,1968.pdf

Evangelical Visitor archives, retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents13/1968-09-09_sep_09,1968.pdf

Evangelical Visitor archives, retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents11/1954-09-27_sep_27,1954.pdf

Evangelical Visitor archives,  retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents10/1948-10-04_oct_4,1948.pdf

Evangelical Visitor archive, retrieved April 28th 2019 from http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents12/1961-05-15_may_15,1961.pdf

Finding family history by searching for documents & details.

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Sources

(1) Brethern in Christ, History and Life, December 1982, Retrieved April 25, 2019 from
http://bicarchives.messiah.edu/files/Documents18/1982-2-december_1982.pdf

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!