I’ve been sorting through old letters that my Grandma Shellabarger wrote me. Many are not noteworthy. Hello, how are you? and nothing more. Others contain tidbits of her life. In one particular letter, she shared with me her mother’s recollection of the moment the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck. It was one moment that change…
Tag: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire
Remembering the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco
It is the 109th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. There are just two survivors left from that terrible day. Some day soon, there won’t be any and we will have to rely on published accounts and the stories passed down in families. If you’re interesting in learning more about the disaster,…
San Francisco Record of Orphans
I found a little gem on the San Francisco Genealogy website last week. They’ve add the San Francisco Orphans, Half Orphans, Etc. on State Aid, 1903-1910. I looked to see if any names were in my database. I found the child of my Great Great Aunt Gertude (Jones) Burke. As the story goes, Gertrude was…
You Can Research Around the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
It has been a challenge having so much of my ancestor in San Francisco before and after the earthquake. It can be really difficult finding records that replace those lost during the disaster. I have found three resources to be indispensable for researching San Francisco: 1. The US Federal Census. Using the 1900 and 1910…
In Remembrance of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire
Were your ancestors living in San Francisco on April 18th, 1906? My Kelly, Dolan, Jones, and Segalas relatives were there. The Mazeres and Breilh cousins were over in Oakland and Berkeley. The Cosma’s and a couple of Pacheco’s were new arrivals in Oakland. I like to think of what that period must have been like…