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Archiver > COOK-CO-IL > 2004-05 > 1084858282


From: "Sharon Buethner" <>
Subject: Re: Church records
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 00:31:22 -0500
In-Reply-To: <007e01c43c91$723818e0$6401a8c0@Aragorn>


Hi All,

Many years ago [35 yrs or so], I wrote to the church that I knew my
Gr Grandmother was married at. I received a letter back, stating that
they could find none of the records of my family, and that the old
records were all in German.

About 10 years ago, my husband and I went to the church [a good
1000 miles from our home]. Two important things happened. First,
the Minister really cut loose, almost yelling about people writing for
genealogy information AND NEVER EVEN OFFERING A
DONATION TO THE CHURCH. My husband reached into his
pocket for his billfold, and the Minister immediately said NO, ..... My
husband pulled out his billfold, and tried to hand the Minister a bill [a
$20, I think], and it was refused. Not to be denied, my husband
stuffed the bill into whatever donation box was there.

We got more records than I ever dreamed and even received
another one in the mail after we returned home that was not
available when we were there.

Second, the Church was going to be tore down. I can not tell you the
feeling I had standing in the very Church that my Gr. Grandma was
married in - almost a hundred years ago, in 1895. The Church is
there no more. It was a beautiful little Church, brimming with history
..
but perhaps, not modern enough for today.

We also learned that the cemetery, the Church cemetery were my
Gr. Grandma was buried, most likely sold the large plots [for 10 - 12
adults] for $1 or $2 dollars -- in 1893. My family ALL left the area or
died prior to 1920. ONE of the Church records, I believe a
photocopy of the burial book, has a notation on the page of
"Pupetual Care, 2-21-57". So, somebody, perhaps my
Grandmother, paid the Church something in 1957, how much I have
no idea. In 1957, would a guess be maybe a $100?

There are just three people buried on this plot, my Gr. Grandmother,
her second husband, and her infant son, the last burial in 1911.
There is no stone, no marker, no plantings of any kind, yet this
Church has cared for my people for a 101 years, for very little
money.

Yes, I know, before I leave this earth, I need to write a letter and
send some money ...... and I hope to also put up a stone or a marker
of some type.

Oh, and the records that were written in German?? I do not read or
speak German, but they were not that hard to read. I think that
whoever answered my letter of long ago was just overwhelmed by
the language.

Just wanted to put a bit of a different perspective on the Church
discussion.

Sharon Buethner

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