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Laid to Rest: Church Death and Burial Records

  Image: rawpixel   Records of our ancestors' deaths can be found in a wide range of places. Beyond death certificates or registers, clues to an ancestor's death can be found in cemetery maps, meeting minutes, even church bulletins.  I've found death information in some unusual places and have learned more about ancestors in the process. I wrote about some of my finds in the article, "Laid to Rest: Church and Burial Records," for the June 2025 issue of Stirpes , the Journal of the Texas State Genealogical Society. They've given me permission to share the article. I hope it gives you some new ideas of where you might find your ancestor's elusive death information. Until next time...   
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GENEALOGY CHALLENGE 2021 - Heirloom

Adam and Eve banished from the Garden of Eden, illustration from
Velky Dejepis Biblicky, 1914.

GENEALOGY CHALLENGE 2021

Heirloom - January 4th entry of a 31-day challenge to post a document, photo or artifact on social media every day in January.

By Nancy Gilbride Casey

These Slovak prayer books are amongst the oldest items I have, passed down to me from my Mom, who received them from my grandmother Margaret Simonik Kozlina. They are well-worn reminders that our Grandma likely used these books at church or perhaps prayed in her family home with them.  I used Google Translate to get a rough idea of their purpose. 



Cesta K Bohu 
The Way to God
A prayer book for Catholic Christians who will obtain the grace of God, offer life and save salvation.
 
Appears to be a book of prayers, devotions, list of holidays, etc., published in 1920.




Velký Dejepis Bibliky Starého i Nového Zákona
Great Biblical History of the Old and New Testaments 
 
Published in 1914 by the Society of St. Adelbert, this book is in pretty rough shape and falling apart. I love the illustrations, which tell the story even if you don't read Slovak, such as the image of Adam and Eve above, the depictions of Moses and the Pope, and the wedding feast at Cana, below.

Stary Zakon and Novy Zakon, "Old Law" and "New Law."   




Kvietky Modlitby a Piesne pre Katolícku Slovenskú Mládež
Flowers of Prayer for Catholic Slovak Youth

This was likely published in an effort to keep first-generation Slovak youth engaged with their heritage. The inside front page (below), has a touching dedication written by my Grandma, "Rec'd on Dec. 27, 1942 from my dear Mother. This book belongs to Mrs. Thos. J. Kozlina." 

 


 
Krízová Cesta 
cili
rozjimanie a uctenie prehorkého umucenia a smrti Spasitel'a našého
Pána Ježiša Krista
The way of crisis or meditation and reverence for the bitter torture and death of the savior our Lord Jesus Christ
 
This is a stations of the cross booklet, published in 1919, was a devotional used during Lent to commemorate Jesus journey to Calvary in fourteen "stations." In one beautiful illustration below, Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, and is gifted with Jesus' face left as an image on her cloth.

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, illustration from Krízová Cesta, published 1919.


Katechizmus
a pouenie o sv. Sviatostiach
Catechism and instruction on the Sacraments 

This booklet is written in both English and Slovak on facing pages, so one can get a sense of what is being discussed. This catechism was published pre-Vatican II, which older Catholics will remember well, especially if one attended Catholic school.


NEXT UP -  A Wedding Photo



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