Celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving

It's our Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. How are you celebrating? Ours is a quiet one this year with just my hubby and I.

Long gone are the days when all my children and their families returned home for a feast like this on the left.






I no longer cook a big turkey like this one from 2015. So I feel a bit sad this year. Times change. Lives get busy. Family live far away.

I get it. But I still like to get together with family on this weekend.

I think my husband is looking forward to the peace and quiet though. With 10 grandchildren it can get rather hectic!

We've certainly had our share of fun on Thanksgiving. One year my husband decided to raise our own turkey for the feast. But he let it grow until it was over 50 pounds and I didn't have a big enough pot or oven to cook it in!

On the right are the two birds. One for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas. They had a lovely reprieve that year. 

Wishing everyone who celebrates our Canadian Thanksgiving a wonderful holiday! What are your traditions?

Winner of the DEATH FINDS A WAY Giveaway

Olive Tree Genealogy is pleased to announce the winner of the random draw for my book Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery was Susan Gingras Calcagni.

Congratulations to Susan! Death Finds a Way is a genealogy mystery book set in the past and the present, and my first venture into fiction. I'm excited about the positive reaction from genealogy and mystery enthusiasts! With a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.com this is a genealogy mystery book you don't want to miss! 

If you are not familiar with the story here is a summary:

Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

Read some of the reviews for the book on my author page  My other books (non-fiction) can be viewed on my Blog Book page.

Genealogy Mystery Book Death Finds a Way Giveaway!

A Giveaway for Thanksgiving! Olive Tree Genealogy is giving away the genealogy mystery book Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery by Lorine McGinnis Schulze

Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

With a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.com this is a genealogy mystery book you don't want to miss! 

Death Finds a Way Giveaway starts on Thanksgiving Day November 24 at 12:01 a.m. EDT and ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT Black Friday November 25. The winner will be announced on Olive Tree Genealogy blog the day following the contest.

Entry Requirements: For a chance to win you must do two things:

1. Share this blog post. For example, you might share on a social media site such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+. You could provide a link to this blog post on your own blog, or share on a mailing list.

2. a) Send an email to otg.giveaway@gmail.com and tell me where you shared the news of Olive Tree Genealogy Giveaway.
    b) Be sure to put Death Finds a Way GIVEAWAY as the subject of your email

Contest Rules:
1. No purchase necessary.
2. One Winner will be chosen at random from entries received. See details above for entry requirements
3. The winner will receive a paperback copy of the book Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery.
4. Giveaway contest starts Thanksgiving Day November 24 at 12:01 a.m. EDT and ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT Black Friday November 25.
5. You are responsible for anything in regards to the legality of entering a contest in the area in which you live.
6. The winner will be notified via your provided contact information and the winner's name will be posted on Olive Tree Genealogy blog.

Please note that only entries received at otg.giveaway@gmail.com can be accepted.

You might also like to see the other books written by Lorine McGinnis Schulze at http://LorineSchulze.com

Yes, it's Thanksgiving! I'm Not Confused

Do you remember your childhood Thanksgiving Days? What was the traditional Thanksgiving Day for you? What is it now? Has it changed very much?

I don't remember anything special about Thanksgiving as a child except we got to eat Turkey with stuffing that my dad made. It was so good! There were four of us kids and only 2 drumsticks and we all wanted that prized piece of meat. 

We also got my mother's less-than-wonderful mashed potatoes. Her version was to peel and boil potatoes then mash them roughly with a fork - no butter, no milk. They were dry as a bone and I used to smother mine with ketchup just to swallow them! 

Why am I talking about Thanksgiving? Because it is the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. 

I often cook a traditional Thanksgiving meal for 15 to 20 people. But this year we are having a very quiet dinner and holiday for just the two of us.

What will you be doing this Thanksgiving?

Who Was Your First Immigrant Ancestor?

I'm not American so I don't celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. We Canadians had our Thanksgiving back in October because we celebrate for a different reason than Americans do. I don't have any Pilgrim ancestors. None of my ancestors arrived on the Mayflower or other ships arriving that early on the shores of America. 

What I do have are ancestors who left Holland for the New World of New Netherland that is now New York. I celebrate their bravery and strength for making such a journey! 

Watching last night's docu-dramas on  the Plymouth Rock and Jamestown settlements (excellent shows, well worth watching) made me wish someone would do a similar show about the Dutch who settled New York. 

My earliest ancestor to America that I am aware of was Cornelis Antonissen Van Slijk from Brueckelen, Netherlands, who left the Netherlands in May 1634 from the Texel on board De Endracht and sailed to the New World. He was a thirty year old carpenter and mason, and his skills were desirable in a new colony.

There were many other settlers arriving around this time period who I can proudly claim as my ancestors.  Those who I have researched are

Willem Pieterse Van Slyke (nephew of Cornelis Antonissen and also my ancestor) arrived New Netherland 1660

 

Lambert Van Valkenburg - records  indicate he was in New Amsterdam as early as Jan. 1644. Since it is unlikely the ships sailed in the winter, he was probably in New Amsterdam in the summer or fall of 1643.

HarmenJanse Ryckman came to the New World sometime in the 1660s with at least one child - his daughter Margarita (Grietje) Harmense Ryckman.

Hendrick Bartholomeus[Vrooman] and five children ages 15, 13, 11, 7 and 5 years old are on the passenger list of D'Eendracht (The Concord) arriving in New Amsterdam NY on 17 April 1664.

Jan Martense (VanAlystyne) and his wife Dirkje were from Meppel, Netherlands and they came to the New World with at least 2 children. The first time we see them in New York in 18 July 1655 when a son Marten was baptised at New Amsterdam.

Jan Cornelise Damen emigrated from Bunnik, Netherlands ca 1650 and married Sophia/Fytie Martense. To date no record of him as a passenger on a ship has been found. However Pim found an Amsterdam Netherlands notarial document in 1651 where a Jan Cornelisz. van Vechten signs on to come to the New World in the employ of Jacob Stoffels.  Jan Janszen Damen was in Amsterdam at the same time and vouches that Jan Cornelisz. has his father's permission.  Both sign the document. Vechten and Bunnik are "twin villages" but the church is in Bunnik. This is almost certainly my Jan Damen. 

Other immigrant ancetors who I have not yet researched to find their dates of immigration or other details:

• Cornelis Janse Clopper who married in 1657 in New Amsterdam (present day New York City)
• Soert Olferts
• Jan Snediker arrived ca 1641
• Cornelis Vonck married in 1657 in Long Island
• John Concklin before 1665
• Arent Leendertsen de Grauw married 1659 in New Amsterdam
• Herman Coerten
• Christian Barents Van Horn arrived before 1653
• Lucas Dircksezen Vanderburgh arrived before 1658
• Cornelis Aertsen Van Schaik arrived before 1642
• Lucas Dirckszen Vanderburgh arrived before 1658

and too many more to list them all, including Huguenots and Walloons from France. I appreciate them all for without their bravery, curiousity and strength I would not be here today.

American Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all those in the United States who are celebrating this holiday today.

I often wonder which of my American ancestors celebrated this special day with family.

My last ancestor from USA (Levi Peer) left that country in 1801. Would he have celebrated with family? I don't know!

Last night we took our grandsons out for a "Festive Holiday Meal" here in Ontario Canada. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in November. Ours is in October but one of our chain restaurants is offering Christmas (yes, Christmas!) meals now so that is what we had. I told the boys we were celebrating American Thanksgiving one day early. 

Enjoy your special day!

Thanksgiving Traditions - Canadians Got the Date Right!

Do you remember your childhood Thanksgiving Days? What was the traditional Thanksgiving Day for you? What is it now? Has it changed very much? 

I don't remember anything special about Thanksgiving as a child except we got to eat Turkey with stuffing that my dad made. It was so good! There were four of us kids and only 2 drumsticks and we all wanted that prized piece of meat. 

We also got my mother's horrid mashed potatoes. Her version was to peel and boil potatoes then mash them roughly with a fork - no butter, no milk. They were dry as a bone and I used to smother mine with ketchup just to swallow them! 

Why am I talking about Thanksgiving? Because it is the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Tomorrow I am cooking a traditional Thanksgiving meal for 15 people. That's a very small and nice number for me to manage! 

We are having Turkey with stuffing and gravy, Mashed potatoes (the real kind, not my mother's), Roasted Root Vegetables, Stir Fried Broccoli, Meatballs in Marinara Sauce, Macaroni & Cheese (the grandkids love this), Butternut Squash Soup, and Fresh Homemade Bread. I'm also including Spider Eggs for the grandkids - hardboiled eggs with cut up black olives on top to look like spiders. Dessert is an assortment - two kinds of pie which my guests are bringing, vanilla ice cream with chocolate and whip cream, and my homemade pumpkin bread.

What will you be doing this Thanksgiving?

Did President Truman Pardon a Turkey?

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. We Canadians have already celebrated our Thanksgiving back in October but no matter when you celebrate, it's a day of gathering with family and enjoying the holiday feast! 

And of course the traditional Turkey with Stuffing appears on almost every table today. 

Not all countries or cultures celebrate Thanksgiving but if you do then I wish you the happiest of holidays today! 

But did President Truman once pardon a turkey destined to be dinner one Thanksgiving many years ago? 

Read the story at A History of the Presidential Turkey Pardon

Credits: Image  Thanksgiving turkey for the President, 11/26/29 from the Library of Congress
http://hdl.loc.gov/

Thanksgiving and Family

This weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. We are having our Thanksgiving supper today and will be joined by my son, daughter-in-law and four of my 10 grandchildren. Also joining us are two friends.

Most of my planned meal is prepared and just waiting to be heated slowly in crockpots and microwaves: two turkeys, stuffing, candied yams, mashed potato casserole, Butternut Squash soup, green bean-mushroom-onion mix, Caesar salad, Kak's cukes, and for dessert Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.

Thanksgiving in Canada isn't celebrated for the same reasons as in America. No pilgrims here! But we celebrate a bountiful harvest and good times with family and friends. 

What are you doing for Thanskgiving? What are your family traditions?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is the American Thanksgiving. We Canadians already celebrated ours but I'm wishing all my American readers a very happy day with family and friends.

It seemed like a good day to post a couple of pictures of Thanksgiving Dinners we've had over the years.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it today!