Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Firsts, Seconds, and Removeds
Finally, I get to give a tutorial on a subject near and dear to my heart.
This works better if you print out the text of this entry (highlight and print "selection") and then double click on the chart so you can see it clearly.
The chart below demonstrates very clearly who is first cousin to whom and second cousin to whom, and even lends itself to the "removeds". As long as you stay within the same nuclear family, that is, including descendants. With a pair of scissors or some imagination, you can extend it between Rowes and Ignatuks.
Here goes:
Locate Bob and Addie (Ignatuk) Rowe.
The level immediately below them contains their children + children-in-law- and children-outlaws -- aka "sibs"
THEIR children appear on the next line. These people are all first cousins if they don't share a parent.
The line under Rodger and sibs (and wives) is the next generation and is occupied by only, at the moment, anyway, Maya and Riley -- 2nd cousins. Similarly, Jed and CC - and other non-sibs on the same line - are 2nd cousins, being children of people who are first cousins.
It's all connected to how many generations down one is from the first common ancestor(s) found on the way up.
Removeds
Since you would have to go up one line from Riley in order to locate, say, Paul, we can say that Riley is one line removed from Paul - who is first cousin to Riley's dad, Cam. Hence, altogether class . . . . first cousin, once removed.
You can take that same explanation to the lines above Addie, where her sibs appear. Children of the three siblings are cousins -- first cousins. So Wayne, Kathy, etc. are first cousins to Rodger, Dick, Fred and Betsy -- and each other (except for sibs, of course, and married-ins.)
THEIR children are first cousins to their parents' sibs' children, but second cousins to their parents' first cousins' children. That's why Caroline appears on the same line as Amy (first cousin) and Courtney (second cousin,) for example ragardless of differences in ages.
You might want to read that one again, slowly, with your finger on the chart.
Caroline is between Riley and Maya in age, but her relationship with them is (this is a bonus question) . . . . . . second cousin, once removed since, if we stretched the whole thing out instead of stacking it like it is, you would see that Maya and Riley are that one extra generation removed from the starting place, which is Bob's and Addie's generation, or, taken a step further, all of the kids' common ancestors which would be Grampa Sam and Grandma Kay. PHEW! It would go: Kay, Addie, Rodger/Dick, Chris/Cam, Maya/Riley . . . and Kay, Dan, Jeff, Caroline. You know that Rodger/Dick and Jeff/et al are first cousins, making Chris/Cam and Caroline second cousins, and Maya/Riley and Caroline -- second cousins once removed.
See?
I know . . . still clear as mud, right?
Aunties, Uncles, Great and otherwise
Let's use Betsey this time. She is aunt to her brothers' children -- and Great-Aunt to theirs. Technically, it's Grand-Aunt, I suppose, but I was always told Great-Aunt, Great-Uncle when I was growing up. This is open to revision with very little persuasion necessary. The point I'm trying to make is that, although she is obviously older than, say, Courtney or Caroline, because she is cousin to their parents, she remains cousin - albeit first cousin, once removed. It "feels" more appropriate to say "aunt" with the age difference, but no. Not this time. Apply the same thinking to uncles.
Final note on age and relationships: in my family, I have siblings who are younger than my eldest niece. They are aunt and uncle to my niece, in spite of being younger than she, because they are siblings to her mother.
There will be a quiz at the next reunion.
This works better if you print out the text of this entry (highlight and print "selection") and then double click on the chart so you can see it clearly.
The chart below demonstrates very clearly who is first cousin to whom and second cousin to whom, and even lends itself to the "removeds". As long as you stay within the same nuclear family, that is, including descendants. With a pair of scissors or some imagination, you can extend it between Rowes and Ignatuks.
Here goes:
Locate Bob and Addie (Ignatuk) Rowe.
The level immediately below them contains their children + children-in-law- and children-outlaws -- aka "sibs"
THEIR children appear on the next line. These people are all first cousins if they don't share a parent.
The line under Rodger and sibs (and wives) is the next generation and is occupied by only, at the moment, anyway, Maya and Riley -- 2nd cousins. Similarly, Jed and CC - and other non-sibs on the same line - are 2nd cousins, being children of people who are first cousins.
It's all connected to how many generations down one is from the first common ancestor(s) found on the way up.
Removeds
Since you would have to go up one line from Riley in order to locate, say, Paul, we can say that Riley is one line removed from Paul - who is first cousin to Riley's dad, Cam. Hence, altogether class . . . . first cousin, once removed.
You can take that same explanation to the lines above Addie, where her sibs appear. Children of the three siblings are cousins -- first cousins. So Wayne, Kathy, etc. are first cousins to Rodger, Dick, Fred and Betsy -- and each other (except for sibs, of course, and married-ins.)
THEIR children are first cousins to their parents' sibs' children, but second cousins to their parents' first cousins' children. That's why Caroline appears on the same line as Amy (first cousin) and Courtney (second cousin,) for example ragardless of differences in ages.
You might want to read that one again, slowly, with your finger on the chart.
Caroline is between Riley and Maya in age, but her relationship with them is (this is a bonus question) . . . . . . second cousin, once removed since, if we stretched the whole thing out instead of stacking it like it is, you would see that Maya and Riley are that one extra generation removed from the starting place, which is Bob's and Addie's generation, or, taken a step further, all of the kids' common ancestors which would be Grampa Sam and Grandma Kay. PHEW! It would go: Kay, Addie, Rodger/Dick, Chris/Cam, Maya/Riley . . . and Kay, Dan, Jeff, Caroline. You know that Rodger/Dick and Jeff/et al are first cousins, making Chris/Cam and Caroline second cousins, and Maya/Riley and Caroline -- second cousins once removed.
See?
I know . . . still clear as mud, right?
Aunties, Uncles, Great and otherwise
Let's use Betsey this time. She is aunt to her brothers' children -- and Great-Aunt to theirs. Technically, it's Grand-Aunt, I suppose, but I was always told Great-Aunt, Great-Uncle when I was growing up. This is open to revision with very little persuasion necessary. The point I'm trying to make is that, although she is obviously older than, say, Courtney or Caroline, because she is cousin to their parents, she remains cousin - albeit first cousin, once removed. It "feels" more appropriate to say "aunt" with the age difference, but no. Not this time. Apply the same thinking to uncles.
Final note on age and relationships: in my family, I have siblings who are younger than my eldest niece. They are aunt and uncle to my niece, in spite of being younger than she, because they are siblings to her mother.
There will be a quiz at the next reunion.
ROWE-IGNATUK ALL-IN-ONE FAMILY TREE
This doesn't include Bob and Addie's parents -- yet -- due to space constraints. As is, it is difficult to read. But it is a .jpeg, so you need only double-click and run away with it, enlarging it as you please. At this writing (7/12) I know it has errors, and I will refine periodically. As always, please let me know what errors or other details are needed. Thanks. Sandi
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Bob, On Being Drafted
I was in my sophomore year, I guess, at Princeton. In those days, it was a time of coming out of the Depression era and into the war era. But because of the war, there was an accelerated program to get you out in two years and eight months. Some of my classmates were doing that.
After Pearl Harbor, I had tried to get into all three branches of the military - there were only three back then -- no Air force -- but I couldn't pass the physical! I never had any vision in my right eye. So then one day, I got a notice that told me to report to the Newark Induction Center on December 1, 1942. I got on a bus and went down there, and spent the day in my stockings and shorts with a bunch of other fellows. After awhile, somebody handed me a whole bunch of papers, told me which of the many numbers constituted my ID number and shook my hand. I asked, what do I need an ID number for? They explained to me that I had just been inducted into the Army, and I explained to them how that couldn't be since I'd been unable to enlist. They told me, "Don't worry. It's only for Limited Service." Meaning what? That my service would be restricted to the continental United States. Well! I thought, I'm in but I'm not really in! HOW DID YOU GET UNRESTRICTED? Before I knew it, I was on a convoy going to Europe, the Mediterranean, Italy, the South of France, and Africa.
Not able to see with your right eye? That meant you were the only guy in the war who didn't need to squint when aiming a rifle, right?
Oh, ho, ho. I earned the highest score on the firing range. They gave me a bolt-action Springfield '01. [1903?] I'm left-handed, of course, and you had to do this in a prone position. So there I was, with the strap wrapped around my right arm. The strap was necessary to steady the thing. You had to cock the rifle, take it off your shoulder, pull the bolt - and the shell casings flew out to the right. If you were right-handed, they were harmless, but, being left-handed, they flew into my face. You had to do this eight times in 90 seconds or something like that. Or maybe in all three positions - prone, sitting and standing. We used the Springfield and, of course, the carbine which was automatic. I never operated the Garand, a gas-operated automatic. Or a pistol. Except my father showed me how to use one of those, once.
After Pearl Harbor, I had tried to get into all three branches of the military - there were only three back then -- no Air force -- but I couldn't pass the physical! I never had any vision in my right eye. So then one day, I got a notice that told me to report to the Newark Induction Center on December 1, 1942. I got on a bus and went down there, and spent the day in my stockings and shorts with a bunch of other fellows. After awhile, somebody handed me a whole bunch of papers, told me which of the many numbers constituted my ID number and shook my hand. I asked, what do I need an ID number for? They explained to me that I had just been inducted into the Army, and I explained to them how that couldn't be since I'd been unable to enlist. They told me, "Don't worry. It's only for Limited Service." Meaning what? That my service would be restricted to the continental United States. Well! I thought, I'm in but I'm not really in! HOW DID YOU GET UNRESTRICTED? Before I knew it, I was on a convoy going to Europe, the Mediterranean, Italy, the South of France, and Africa.
Not able to see with your right eye? That meant you were the only guy in the war who didn't need to squint when aiming a rifle, right?
Oh, ho, ho. I earned the highest score on the firing range. They gave me a bolt-action Springfield '01. [1903?] I'm left-handed, of course, and you had to do this in a prone position. So there I was, with the strap wrapped around my right arm. The strap was necessary to steady the thing. You had to cock the rifle, take it off your shoulder, pull the bolt - and the shell casings flew out to the right. If you were right-handed, they were harmless, but, being left-handed, they flew into my face. You had to do this eight times in 90 seconds or something like that. Or maybe in all three positions - prone, sitting and standing. We used the Springfield and, of course, the carbine which was automatic. I never operated the Garand, a gas-operated automatic. Or a pistol. Except my father showed me how to use one of those, once.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)