The geni bug bite me in the eighth grade at John C. Myers Intermediate School and I still haven’t gotten over it! I had Mr. (James) Rush for history class and one of our assignments was to fill out a family tree chart. I loved it and took the project very seriously. I was amazed at how many generations I was able to track and it was fun discovering others who had some of the same ancestors. The following year I transferred to Eastern Mennonite High School and low and behold there was Mr. Rush. I couldn’t believe my good luck and had him several more times for history and government classes. I loved him and his style of teaching. He was probably my all time favorite high school teacher. He made learning fun and each time we again worked on our family trees.
Years later I was married and had four children; two were born with a genetic disease and died at five months and eight months of age. My grieving process led me to my family tree again and I ended up writing a book on my dad’s side (Heatwole) of the family. I find family stories fascinating. I will never be able to get the stories of all my ancestors but I have discovered some really insteresting ones.
The furthest back I have traced my family lineage is 13 generations through ancestor Peter Bronnimann who had a son Melchior Bronneman Sr. of Bovaria, who had a son (Melchior Bronneman the exile), who had a son (Melchior Brenneman the pioneer), who had a son (Melchior Brenneman Jr.) They show up on my family line six times and on Gene’s once. Through Melchior Brenneman the pioneer’s wife Elizabeth Jane Stehman I can go 17 generations.
There is another ancestor, a worthy clergyman, Pfarrer Georg Hutwohl, of Morschbach, Germany that I can trace back 14 generations. He was born in 1545. His great-great-great grandson immigrated to American in 1748. His story is another blog post… A Family Story: Death on the High Seas (Johann Mathias Hutwohl). The story of Mathias’ son David is A Family Story: Triumph Over Tragedy. and David’s son Gabriel, who was my great-great-great-great grandfather, was a prosper farmer and herb doctor in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. A Family Story: Doc Gabe, the Herb Doctor.
This may sound absolutely absurb to some of you but I love reading the Biblical genealogies. It is amazing the little tidbits you can learn. The early family lines in Genesis included how old they were when they had their first son and how long they lived. Methuselah was the oldest when he died at 969 years of age (Genesis 5:27). When you read down through the begats… so and so begat so and so who begat so and so…. suddenly there is a name with something about them. Nimrod was a mighty hunter, Eber had two sons and one was named Peleg for in his day the earth was divided. (Genesis 10). Two of the sons of Ephraim were killed because they were cattle rustlers. You find out who were craftsman, linen workers and potters. Jubal was the father of all who played the harp and flute and Jabal was the father of those who dwelled in tents and owned livestock. Tubal-Cain was an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. (Genesis 4). Goliath’s third son had six fingers on his hands and six toes on his feet. (I Samuel 21:20-21). King Og of Bashan was the last survivor of the giant Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. (Deuteronomy 3:11). Fascinating stuff!…I could go on and on!
About two years ago my brother (Rich) and his wife (Marj) traveled out west and stopped as tourists at the Morman Temple in Salt Lake City. While there they visited their genealogy department where they have family records on probably everyone in the United States. They purchased a 2′ x 3′ poster of each of their family trees. The chart is so cool and well done I had to have one also. It put me on a search to order one for Gene and I. I started with the Morman website and couldn’t find anything. I called them but they said they don’t print charts like I was talking about but referred me to someone else who referred me to another who referred me to a lady who I had a more indepth conversation with and she gave me the lead I needed to find the right place. It was a real rabbit trail but I finally landed on the http://www.treeseek.com website.
Printing your family lineage is not hard, they already have all the work done for you, but it is a little process. The best part was the price. The cost per chart ended up being about $45 dollars. I wrote down the instructions to the process so I would not forget in case I wanted to do it again. I am sharing it with you so that you can print your family tree if it pushes your button.
Genealogy Print Chart
- First go to FamilySearch.org and set up an account. Put in your name and your parent’s name so that it is correct. Be sure to put your children’s names also. (Note: I set up two accounts using my email for me and Gene’s email for him. Couldn’t figure out how to do both under my name.
- Go to Treeseek.com. This is the company that will print the chart from Family Search.
- I used the second chart option (9 generation in color-It shows Butt’s Family). If you choose 11 generation the only print option is 36”x72” and I do not have wall space for that large of a chart. Click on the “Click Here Now” button under “Wow Have You Heard”? This will automatically take you to Family Search website. You may have to sign in there (I forget!).
- There are a number of steps here: First choose options. I chose list siblings. That put the sibs name in the center circle, not just mine. The descendants (grandchildren) do not work with 9-generation but I really like that option! Second choose print style: I chose Times Roman. Next choose size: I chose 24”x36”. Paper: I chose Prem #36 Bond and Finish: None. The last step I chose Print & Digital. They will send me the printed copy and I also will have a digital file. Go to shopping cart. Be sure to click on the preview so that you know you have what you want. Then check out. Click on pdf file and you can save it to your computer. I couldn’t figure out how to print it small. If you need help the contact number is for the guy at Treesek is 801-540-1973. He was really helpful and nice to talk to and answered all my questions.
I still have a few of my books left. If you would like a signed copy of my book “The Story of Melvin Jasper Heatwole and Mollie Grace Coffman” written in 1983, email me at pathertzler@gmail.com. They are $15 each plus shipping.
Psalms 145:4 says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighy acts.” It is a challenge to pass on our stories of what God has done.
Moses basically told the children of Israel to get the geni bug, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father and elders and they will tell you….the stories of what God has done.” Deuteronomy 32:7
