We had the opportunity to visit the Solano County Genealogical Society library located on the 2nd floor of the Old Town Hall building, 610 E. Main Street Vacaville, California, 95688. We were given a thorough tour by the President of the society Jerry.
They have some unique (to Solano County) records that are available for your research. Of interest to our military researchers, a catalog of ship rework information on microfiche. In addition, they have a good collection of early church records, cemetery records, and local family history.
Check your local area for a Genealogical Society. While you are there make sure to drop a few coins in the donation bucket to help keep them going. For more information 707-446-6869 and www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cascgsi.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
American Hope
Note; This post is a year in the making. It is about hope for America. Life has thrown a few setbacks and hope had a hard time shining through. Then I had the opportunity to visit the John F. Kennedy library in Boston last week. Fifty years after his death JFK gives me hope. So after a year in the box, what do you think America?
I have been accused of having a poor memory. The truth is it is more like selective memory. Most of us fall into this category. There have been times in our history when we all grab onto a memory and hold it for life. The good times and the bad times. The traumatic and the great. I’m not going to talk about the days watching Kennedy burial or the towers falling. Let’s talk about hope.
My first memory of hope was of a young President Kennedy in front of the camera, speaking at Rice University September 12th, 1962; “We choose to go to the Moon, not because it is easy but, because it is hard”. If you would like to listen to the speech; http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm. There were thousands of hours over many years leading up to that decision. It was that moment in time that I understood what it was like to be a proud American.
My second memory of hope was the very second that Neil Armstrong put his foot (OUR FOOT) on the moon. Neil Armstrong said it best; “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Neil Armstrong did not consider himself a hero. He once said that when his foot touched the moon it was for every American now and for all those that would follow.
The third time was during a speech by President Ronald Reagan. Part of his speech;
“The poet called Miss Liberty's torch the ``lamp beside the golden door.'' Well, that was the entrance to America, and it still is. And now you really know why we're here tonight.
The glistening hope of that lamp is still ours. Every promise, every opportunity is still golden in this land. And through that golden door our children can walk into tomorrow with the knowledge that no one can be denied the promise that is America.
Her heart is full; her door is still golden, her future bright. She has arms big enough to comfort and strong enough to support, for the strength in her arms is the strength of her people. She will carry on in the eighties unafraid, unashamed, and unsurpassed.
In this springtime of hope, some lights seem eternal; America's is.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.”
Is America done? Where is our hope for our future? I feel the hope trying to get past all the rhetoric coming out of Washington. I hear the hope of everyday Americans fighting for opportunity. I see young high school graduates that are reaching for something to be hopeful about. As long as our Government rules the people it is very hard for all this hope to find a foothold. Maybe it is time for the Government to get out of the way and let Americans build our future? You want to see hope? Give someone an opportunity to earn a job rather than hand him a check. You want to see hope? Let people make a lot of money and not treat them like a criminal.
America is hope! We hear how much the world hates America however, people from all over this world want to come to America. Why is America the greatest country this world has ever seen? The answer may be in it’s people. American’s are from every country, every religion, every belief, every color, every age, height, weight, and with physical and mental limitations. Together there is nothing we can not do. The differences are what unite us.
I have been accused of having a poor memory. The truth is it is more like selective memory. Most of us fall into this category. There have been times in our history when we all grab onto a memory and hold it for life. The good times and the bad times. The traumatic and the great. I’m not going to talk about the days watching Kennedy burial or the towers falling. Let’s talk about hope.
My first memory of hope was of a young President Kennedy in front of the camera, speaking at Rice University September 12th, 1962; “We choose to go to the Moon, not because it is easy but, because it is hard”. If you would like to listen to the speech; http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm. There were thousands of hours over many years leading up to that decision. It was that moment in time that I understood what it was like to be a proud American.
My second memory of hope was the very second that Neil Armstrong put his foot (OUR FOOT) on the moon. Neil Armstrong said it best; “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Neil Armstrong did not consider himself a hero. He once said that when his foot touched the moon it was for every American now and for all those that would follow.
The third time was during a speech by President Ronald Reagan. Part of his speech;
“The poet called Miss Liberty's torch the ``lamp beside the golden door.'' Well, that was the entrance to America, and it still is. And now you really know why we're here tonight.
The glistening hope of that lamp is still ours. Every promise, every opportunity is still golden in this land. And through that golden door our children can walk into tomorrow with the knowledge that no one can be denied the promise that is America.
Her heart is full; her door is still golden, her future bright. She has arms big enough to comfort and strong enough to support, for the strength in her arms is the strength of her people. She will carry on in the eighties unafraid, unashamed, and unsurpassed.
In this springtime of hope, some lights seem eternal; America's is.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.”
Is America done? Where is our hope for our future? I feel the hope trying to get past all the rhetoric coming out of Washington. I hear the hope of everyday Americans fighting for opportunity. I see young high school graduates that are reaching for something to be hopeful about. As long as our Government rules the people it is very hard for all this hope to find a foothold. Maybe it is time for the Government to get out of the way and let Americans build our future? You want to see hope? Give someone an opportunity to earn a job rather than hand him a check. You want to see hope? Let people make a lot of money and not treat them like a criminal.
America is hope! We hear how much the world hates America however, people from all over this world want to come to America. Why is America the greatest country this world has ever seen? The answer may be in it’s people. American’s are from every country, every religion, every belief, every color, every age, height, weight, and with physical and mental limitations. Together there is nothing we can not do. The differences are what unite us.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Quiz 5, What show did this actor star in before Captain Kangaroo?
Image thanks to imdb.com and filmbug.com
Ramona Iona (Parker) Reed 9 Jun 1930 to 19 Sep 2012
Ramona Iona Reed
Passed away September 19th, 2012 at the age of 82 surrounded by her family in Vacaville, California.
Born Ramona Iona Parker June 9th, 1930 at the Wray hospital in the town of Wray, Yuma County, Colorado to parents Julius Sparks Parker and Dorothy Latham (Ward) Parker.
Ramona grew up in the Depression first living in Vernon then Wray Colorado, North Plat Nebraska, Denver Colorado and then back to Wray at the break out of WWII. She stayed in Wray until she graduated in 1948.
She met Ben in May 1953. When Ben was deployed to Goose Bay Labrador, Ramona worked in Denver. Ben returned in 1954 and they were married November 30th, 1954 in Oakland, California. The Air Force kept them on the move. El Paso and Amarillo Texas, Castle Air Force Base California, Orlando Florida, and Vandenberg in California. When Ben started working for United Air Lines they moved to San Mateo and then to Hayward California. Then 12 years in Fremont and 4 in San Jose California. The moved to Vacaville California in 1979 and stayed.
Ramona’s life was dedicated to her family. She was a homemaker, cub scout den mother, girl scout leader, baseball team mother, and various other roles supporting her children’s activities. Her hobbies included crafting, decorating, collecting teddy bears, brass figures, paintings, and traveling 49 of the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
She is preceded in death by her Mother, Father, and sister Jane (Parker) Jones.
She is survived by her husband of 21,113 days Benjamin Franklin Reed IV, Son Benjamin Franklin Reed V and family of Danville, daughter Karen Ramona (Reed) Sigler and family of Suisun City. She is also survived by the numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren she had opportunity to spoil, and her favorite teddy bear Godfrey. (ssshhh! Don’t tell the others)
Services- Ramona was cremated. The ceremony was on the Oregon coast line where she spent many hours enjoying the serenity. She would comment; “I always felt free and relaxed by the ocean coast.”
We celebrate the life of Ramona and are thankful to God for giving us 82 years. The bible says that Jesus died for our sins so that we could be without sin in front of Him. Hold her close Lord, she is one of your very special angels. Ramona, until we meet again, thank you for being a great Mom to all of us.
We have posted a memorial at http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Yf6Mr9rq
Friday, October 26, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Milo Livingston Sigler
February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999
Milo was born February 12th 1917 in Glidden Iowa. A small town in Carroll County. He had a big sister Marion just two years older, a brother John three years younger and a brother Elwin four years younger. His Dad, Matson Sigler, was a farmer that was strong as an ox and would take on Mohamad Ali if given the chance and a couple drinks. His Mom was the twenty year old Bertha Mae Livingston. Not cut out for the farm life Mom moved on when Milo was very young. Unable to care for Milo by himself, he put Milo on the Browns ranch working for his keep. That’s the Browns on the left and Dad Matson on the right. Milo was known as a prankster. Yeah he was the one that put the little girls pony tails in the ink well. Not able to stay under the radar when he was young, he got in trouble quite a bit. His worst infraction was when he and a couple school buddies waited in a tree for the girls to walk under the tree on their way home from school. He was able to hit two of the three girls with his careful aim. A hard valuable farm worker by the time he was ten, Milo learned everything about working the farm, most importantly about leaving the farm. Although you could never take the farm out of him, he knew there was a better life waiting.
At nineteen, he had saved a little bit money and off he went to find his Mom and siblings in southern California. He spent a few years kicking around with his little brother and both joined up to fight for our Country when she was attacked by the Japanese.Next to war on the USS PC-1192
· PC-461 class Submarine Chaser:
· Displacement: 280 tons
· Length: 173'8"
· Beam: 23'
· Draft: 10'10"
· Speed: 18 knots
· Armament: 1-2 3"/50
· Complement: 65
· Diesel engines
· Built at Consolidated Ship Building Corp., New York, and commissioned 26 November 1942
Turned over to the Maritime Commission 18 June 1948
Little brother Elwin did not make it home but Milo did. He found love at 25 and married Genevieve Ann “Opal” Thompson in San Francisco California September 6, 1942. It didn’t work out the first time, so they tried it again on October 31, 1954. After the Navy he tried his hand at business ownership. The restaurant business was more than planned. From Coos Bay Oregon as a land owner to Las Vegas he and Jenny traveled and enjoyed the good life. Then he got a chance to work for Northrup Aircraft Company and found himself in Newfoundland. Jenny hadn’t really planned a life of cold and they finally parted ways again. Milo worked for years testing aircraft parts and pieces under severe conditions. From Newfoundland to Greenland to Dow field in Maine where he found the perfect girl.
The auburn hair was more than he could handle, and to his great luck this beauty came with a little boy. (Allright, a not such little boy) They started 1959 out a little busy. They had a little boy named Farrell (Her Mom’s maiden name) and then off with Northrup to Wilmington California to work on new projects. March 16 1960 they were blessed with a red headed (Just like Uncle Jr.) huge baby boy they named Matson (after grandpa Sigler) Matthew (after grandpa McClintock) Sigler. The little guy never had a chance and passed away two days later. A quick move to Waterford Connecticut and then to get away from the quick sand an even faster move to Uncasville Connecticut and then a little girl Leslie Lea on June 22, 1961. Milo was making marks fast and moving up the ladder. Northrup got a huge contract award and they sent Milo to Vallejo California to work with two guys that were putting the office together on Mare Island. It wasn’t long before the big guys left and Milo took care of everything after that. Building the 600 class submarine project would last almost 10 years. And see another baby girl Roslyn Ann on October 28 1963.
The family would start the 70's in the move mode. In an effort to keep his family together Milo would pack up the whole mess (and very heavy organ) and move the family to Bremerton Washington and then back to Vallejo California, and back to Bremerton Washington. (You get the point.) Too many move stories to tell. We could talk about moving two scotties and five puppy’s, getting lost in the fog of Ashland Oregon, or Kevin catching the T-bird on fire, but that’s for a different book.
By 1973 the Northrup project was winding down and Milo was re-assigned to Boston Massachusetts. The kids were still in school so he thought he should keep them in school and go it alone till they got out. Not the first time he tried to keep stability in the family. He had two, year long, assignments in the 60's on Long Island. This time it was different, his job wasn’t leading a group of 100 engineers, he was a courier of very fragile, very expensive parts. Not the challenge he was used to and rather than move the family to the left coast, he retired to sunny California.
Boring, his retirement was short. He applied for a job at Mare Island. They saw the name and could not wait to get him. He went to work for the electrical shop and became there head troubleshooter the first week. Since he was retired he did not want any supervisor responsibilities, just go to work and go home. Didn’t last long, they put him in a spot he could not refuse. He had a small crew on swing shift just taking care of the problems the day shift would leave behind. He retired again almost 20 years later. This time he wasn’t going to sit around and retire for a week. He went right to work on his own project. It was a ten year project and the amount spent is classified. At least the red head wasn’t supposed to find out. Everybody thought he loved that 64 T-bird the damn kid tried to burn up. Nothing compared to the effort that went into the Mach 1. He could spend hours telling you everything about her. The stock ‘69 is still in the care of the T-bird burner.
What’s to be said of Milo Sigler. He started out life tough. He made something of himself, without help from anybody. A devoted family man with four proud kids and a bunch of grand kids. Would give you the shirt off his back, but would fight to the death if you tried to take something from him. (Ask the guy that just about cut off his arm. He was still in the hospital when Milo went on his way.) A protector (even when his Dad would pick fights with people larger than him) Loyal to his family and Country. A very proud American that wasn’t afraid to tell the big guys what he thought. He was respected by everybody and made great pancakes. He wouldn’t take anything from anybody, but would not hesitate to give you a five dollar bill out of his pocket. As his younger cousin Elva told me, he was so cute, I just loved it when he would come over. Or as Uncle Norman put it recently, “He was a good man”.
We’re not going to forget you anytime to soon Milo Sigler. Thanks for everything Dad!
February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999
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