Road Trips all over Australia and USA - Ancestors in 52 Weeks

This year's challenge is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and is run by Amy Johnson Crow.

Topic overview:

Here are a few ways you might interpret this prompt: an ancestor who moved a long distance, an ancestor who traveled for work, an ancestor you took a road trip in order to research, an ancestor who was a mechanic or was involved in the automobile business.

My husband and I do road trips when we can. My husband and I are both working on our family histories, so it can get interesting. We live in Australia, and so we go on more road trips to put his family history together. However, this being said, we usually go back to where I grew up in New York every few years, so we intend to do as much research road trips as we can mix in with catching up with family and friends, which makes it a busy time.

January and February 2019, we did the normal road trip - Fly from Melbourne Australia to Newark, New Jersey to visit family in the Hudson Valley in New York. It was for the sad event of my brother's death, but the upside was many treasures and information was found even with the limited time we had.

First up, the bad picture at the entry point in California. I'm going to apologize ahead of time for it. Out of the bad pictures you can have, this one was the WORST. You know its bad even when my husband says "Boy, that was a bad picture. The future generations are going crack up at that one!" Oh yeah it was bad.

Basically what I looked like (minus bags under eyes) in dog format. Credit

Then we went to check in and then off to see my father, who still lives in the area. This started the research trip, as my father, who's in his 80s, like to recap history now. It helps I am now open to it as well, but he does intend to repeat himself, but sometimes the repeating you catch something you didn't the first time and can ask questions about it.

Myself and my father at the VFW in New Paltz, New York. 

Besides, my brother's ceremony, we did get to spend a bit of time with my sister in law and nephew which was really good. I think it was helpful, to spend time with them and talk things out as we were, and still are, all still grieving.

Anyway, some of the highlights of the research trip:

• Found out how my parents met - at a movie theater where he worked. 

Mentions where my father lived and where he worked. Credit

• Found out about what he knew about my mother's father and oldest brother which was what I had heard and already figured out. 

My grandfather is 39 and proves what I had thought due to the way my mother talked. Credit

• Found out about how much he knew about my Uncle Jimmy and how much time he spent with them and my great grandmother (their grandmother) and how little time he spent with my great grandfather (their grandfather). 
• I got to drive around where my great grandfather on my mother's father's side had land and got to take a picture of the house where my grandfather was born. Its since been sold a few times and is not in the family. 

The house where my great grandparents lived, and my grandfather and all his siblings lived in Blooming Grove. Picture taken January 2019. Copyright B. Fitzgerald

• Found out where my mother's side were buried including grandparents, great grandparents, great aunts and uncles. We never knew where my grandmother Janet was buried and I found a headstone with her information on it, but we still have to clarify if her remains are buried there, but my gut is saying she is.

Various pictures around cemeteries we visited. Credit: J. Fitzgerald

• Visited my great uncle's name on the war memorial in Newburgh. I have his wings which he gave to my mother and my mother gave to me. 

The wings of James J Sherman. Credit J. Fitzgerald

Memorial which has Jimmy's name listed we visited January 2019. Credit: J. Fitzgerald

Memorial which has Jimmy's name listed, close up, we visited January 2019. Credit: J. Fitzgerald

• Found out why my grandmother's last name changed to Barry from Jagodzinski. I researched it and found they were probably berry farmers in Poland, but found they had changed it, so my great grandfather (and family) would be more Americanized name. They were thinking they were being passed over for jobs and other things due to their name. 
• Spent some quality time with my cousins and Uncle Jimmy learning more and having questions answered if we knew. 

My Uncle and cousins on my mother's side with me in February 2019. Credit J. Fitzgerald

• Also, visited where my paternal grandparents had their bar and grill in the 1940-1960s in Newburgh. 

As you can see, it was a full two weeks we were there. We always have things to do and try and do fun stuff, as well, so we went to see Washington's Headquarters for my husband's family history is part of (a relative did a smaller tower in Ireland as a tribute to Washington) and we went for a walk over the Walkway over the Hudson. 

My husband at a snowy Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh Jan 29, 2019. Credit J. Fitzgerald

My husband at Walkway over the Hudson Jan 28, 2019. Credit J. Fitzgerald

Even with snow and ice mixed in with a memorial, you can always find something to with genealogy.