Historical Holiday Greetings

Ancestors Speak

Merry Christmas and a 

very Happy New Year!

From Stephen III, David, Mark, and Ruth --

and Our Four Great Grandfathers 

 Paternal Great Grandfather Dominick Poceus-Paul (1868-1937)

Born Janapole, Telsiai, Lithuania; Died - Aged 69, Whitesboro, Oneida County, NY

Paternal Great Grandfather Edward William Moegling (1860-1921)

Born Utica, Oneida County, NY; Died - Aged 61, New York Mills, Oneida County, NY 

Maternal Great Grandfather Emile W. Ouellet (1854-1946)

Born Hebertville, Ouebec, Canada; Died - Aged - 92, Tupper Lake, Franklin County, NY 

Maternal Great Grandfather Joseph Seney Sr. (1857-1913)

Born Saint Pie, Quebec, Canada; Died in Accident Aged 56, Herkimer, Herkimer County, NY

Questions On The Legitimacy Of Surname Paul

Our Great Grandparent's Monument, Saint George Lithuanian Catholic Cemetery, Wood Road, Whitesboro, NY 

We have no known aboriginal or Native American roots... ancestry is 100% European, at least per our AncestryDNA ethnicity estimate. Paternal Grandfather Stephen Paul Sr. (no middle name), d.1982, was born March 1890 in Lithuania as Stefan Poceus. The surname Poceus was never officially changed by a U.S. court, but family folklore suggests Stefan's dad -- Dominick Poceus wanted an American name when naturalized a USA citizen in March 1900, so he simply changed his surname to Paul (except in Utica-based St. George Lithuanian Catholic Church, where their use of Poceus surname continued in Church community records until death). The Poceus surname is on Dominick and his wife our Great Grandma Petronelli "Anna" Poceus' gravestone, this monument viewed at the top of this post.

Paternal Great Grandparents "Dom" and "Anna" Serva Poceus (ca: Abt. 1930)

But Paul is the surname on my dad's (Stephen Paul Jr.) and his childen's birth certificates, so I guess that's our legal surname. I've now communicated with a few dozen Ancestry DNA hits... all but a couple cousin respondents have been on my maternal-side... this fact seems a bit strange.

Paternal Grandparents Stephen and Bess Moegling Paul (ca: 1955)

Aged 18 Grandpa Stefan Poceus enlisted in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps in 1908 for a three-year stint.  His enlistment papers show his name is Stephen Paul, born at Utica, Oneida County, NY -- his name and birthplace enlistment claims both are disingenuous statements (untrue claims), data that in the military today would be considered a fraudulent enlistment. Grandpa was Honorably Discharged from U.S. Army in 1911 on completion of enlistment. Grandpa's daughters Effie and Margaret (our dad's sisters) confirm their father would not speak of experiences in Lithuania, it is suspected his early childhood there was both dangerous and highly unhappy. He was obviously competent in verbal Lithuanian language, but would not teach his daughters the language despite their frequent pleadings. My older brother Steve III tells a story about a family fishing trip. Seems Grandpa rode shotgun as our dad was driving. The boys, brothers and cousins sat in the back. I must have been aged about five, and began to pester Grandpa about his birth country... Grandpa did not reply, stirring in his seat. I kept up the long questions, as dad evidently turned toward the back seat and gave brother Steve and concerned dirty look... as if to non-verbally tell him to shut me up. Guess that paternal "stop it" look must have worked. Another funny family tale is that Grandpa's younger sister, our fun-loving Grand Aunt Rosie, taught his wife and our Grandma Bess several dirty words and uncomplimentary phrases in the Lithuanian language. Seems when Grandma Bess wanted to win a running family argument, she would shout out to Grandpa some learned disgusting Lithuanian phase... he would clam-up and walk off... Grandma had just won another ongoing family argument.         

        

I've basically started to question what I think I know about my genealogical paternal-side. Perhaps somewhere in the our past distant lineage, some other unknown guy had it in for one of my distant grandfathers . And then too remembering, our mostly French DNA mom Lillian did like our milkman when I was a kid.  I do make an undocumented claim to Dr. Ron Paul as an Uncle (Uncle Ron the unsuccessful candidate for U.S. President in 2008) -- and his son Dr. Rand Paul as my cousin (Cousin Rand the U.S. Senator and unsuccessful candidate for USA President in 2016). However, I've stayed away from claiming that greatly skilled professional basketball player Chris Paul as a cousin.

     

Don't Rush To Purchase A Scottish Kilt Wardrobe

Ancestry.com DNA "Ethnicity Estimates" Are Misleading; but, might be good for business. 

This post is meant to help new family genealogists with DNA result queries. No question Ancestry.com TV ads, etc. go far to compound “newbie” genealogist confusion with their ethnicity estimate percentage calculations. That guy who switched to wearing Scottish kilts based on his Scottish Ancestry single figure DNA estimates, or that overweight black woman who evidently starts wearing African head-ware based on her African DNA estimate really slay me – a great disservice here by Ancestry DNA management. Nothing is certain in an Ancestry ethnicity estimate! The single figure percentage presented in Ancestry's "Ethnicity Estimate" is developed from a probable calculated range... it is an uncertain and somewhat likely ESTIMATE!  

For example, my personal Ancestry DNA geographical area "Scandinavia" is estimated at 9%, developed from an Ancestry.com algorithm where my personal DNA actual range from Scandinavia is 0%-21%; whereas, my "Ireland" estimate at 26% is developed from a 15%-36% possible DNA range. All single figure estimates are developed from a range that can be viewed in your Ancestry DNA Ethnicity Estimate by clicking "View Your Genetic Estimate" button -- "Show 3 more Regions" -- then click the specific region to view the full range of possibility. Additionally, in this expanded view, one can easily see that "Great Britain" for example – actually expands possible DNA sources beyond Great Britain to include most of France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, and The Netherlands. All Ancestry DNA specific geographical areas can be expanded in this way to include far greater surrounding lands than suggested by their single area estimate.

Also, when working back in your ancestry a half-dozen generations or more, the "DNA match" presented by these autosomal DNA ethnicity tests confirm little about your actual ancestry. These numbers as related to individuals in your distant past are not "DNA Verification" of true family connection -- such matches simply state there is a limited probability of DNA connection. At best, the Ancestry DNA geographic region can create a warm feeling that your genealogical paper research is on the right track. But perhaps this possible DNA region match actually originates from distant sources presently unknown to the tested person. Here again, an Ancestry.com TV ad where a fifty-something woman claims discovery of her previously unknown 26% Native-American ancestry is highly suspect. How can this be?  First, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, this single figure geographic estimate percentage is likely developed from a far wider 10%-to-40% range of statistical probability. The most Christian answer is this new-found Native American lady was adopted and never knew her actual blood-related ancestors identity.  Or, a less Christian possibility... it might be one or more of her distant ancestors is actually Native American, where her paper ancestor(s) were not responsible for planting her pre-birth seeds. 

Oh, right... forgot... my bad... forgive me... all our distant ancestors were each pure as the fresh driven northern snows... nothing to see here... no funny business of a sexual nature ever happened in past times. Don't tell this to a parish priest with a locate Catholic Church in Herkimer, NY who refuses involvement in family genealogy research, this due to his experience where in a few past cases some hurtful nasty information about a researcher's actual documented ancestry was found written in his historical church records.         

Note: The kilted Scottish guy image displayed at the top of this post is based on an edited Internet-based image captured by simple Google search and displayed here in accordance with "free use" copyright provisions for non-profit educational purposes only. 

Open Letter To Sub-President Chuck Schumer On Russian Collusion

Byline: So Many Fools In The Swap

Dear Senator Schumer:

Looking for Russian collusion -- try these facts on for size:

Remember when Donald Trump was business partners with the Russian government and his company got $53,000,000 from the Russian government investment fund called Rusnano, that was started by Vladimir Putin, and is referred to as "Putin's Child?" Oh wait... that wasn't Donald Trump, it was John Podesta!
( Click To See: Rusnano )

Remember when Donald Trump received $500,000 for a speech in Moscow and paid for by Renaissance Capital, a company tied to Russian Intelligence Agencies? Oh wait... not The Donald... that was Bill Clinton, done when his wife Mrs. Clinton was Secretary of State!

Remember when Donald Trump approved the sale of 20% of U.S. uranium deposits to the Russians while he was Secretary of State which gave control of it to Rosatom the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation? Oh wait... not The Donald... that was Hillary Clinton!

Remember when Donald Trump lied about that and said he wasn't a part of approving the deal that gave the Russians 20% of our uranium, but then his emails were leaked showing that he did lie about it? Oh wait... not The Donald... that was Hillary Clinton and John Podesta!

Remember when Donald Trump received hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars from shareholders of the uranium company sold to the Russians? Oh wait... not The Donald... that was Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation!

Remember when Donald Trump accepted millions in donations from Russian Oligarchs like the chairman of a company that's part of the Russian Nuclear Research Cluster, the wife of the mayor of Moscow, and a close pal of Vladimir Putin? Oh wait... not The Donald... that was the Clinton Foundation!

Remember when Donald Trump failed to disclose all those donations before becoming the Secretary of State, and it was only discovered when a journalist went through Canadian tax records? Oh wait... right, not The Donald.. forgot that... it was Hillary Clinton!

Remember when Donald Trump told Mitt Romney that the 1980's called and it wanted its Russian policy back. The Cold War is over! Oh wait... again, not The Donald, that was former President Barack H. Obama!

JUST THE FACTS – REAL NEWS – NO FAKE NEWS – NOTHING TO SEE HERE!

RIGHT!

Reference:  An unattributed email from unnamed reliable government and private sources... similar to sources used by NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and The New York Times.  

Sincerely,
DJ Paul of German Flatts, NY 

** Yes, I'm a baseball fan! **

I watch a lot of Major League Baseball Network, Channel 213 on DirecTv Satellite HDTV provider. But recently, viewers can't get away from the frequent Viagra “single pack” commercials on baseball's Channel 213. That one particularly annoying commercial featuring an experienced, blue dress clad, smiling 40+ish female who touts the Viagra product aimed at those wanting to watch a baseball game and who -- I guess -- are apparently simultaneously troubled with ED.  My gosh... you're making my hair hurt with these way too often spot commercials.

It is strongly suspected the pretty smile on that handsome gal's face is there because she actually is the happy neighborhood widow who lives a few doors down from the grateful Viagra user's home.  He being an obvious billiards fan.

NEWSFLASH to Viagra:  that ED guy this gal is talking about is not interested in a baseball game. Your repetitive TV commercial -- the whole damn thing -- is enough to leave The Babe, Willie, Mickey, Joe and The Duke clearly blushing.  Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot, over-and-out!

  

**** A Black Knight Story On A Black Night ****

The Ursus Americanus

Last Spring we experienced some unwelcome bird feeder damages – not then a total wipe-out or great deal of damage – yet significant enough damage to make that Tractor Supply trip to purchase a larger catch-and-release trap seen on a previous trip. Hopes were then high the guilty party critter was not the skunk seen wondering around our property foraging for something to eat. The first night a large female raccoon was caught in the new trap. Next night noted nothing was trapped, but our wildlife camera snapped a couple shots of two smaller raccoon – suspects no doubt looking for their relocated mom. Caught them both, one each over the next two nights – all were relocated to a nicely wooded area several miles up the road. We suspect the younger coons found their mom.

Six days ago our bird feeding area was wiped out. Three woodpecker suet feeders found destroyed and a fourth was missing, ripped from the tree to which it was strongly wired. All three of the black sunflower seed feeders were down from their mounts, one of these a larger one-gallon capacity version was missing. A property search did not locate this bird feeder. In total the damages last week seemed significantly more than that caused by a family of raccoon.

Sooooooo, put out the wildlife camera last Friday evening pointing toward the bird feeding station in hopes to image that offending culprit. Note: for prospective, the mid-sized catch-and-release trap dimensions are 11+inches x 10+inches x 32+inches. Only three blurred shots were captured, two stern shots (an obvious male culprit), and one as the suspect began standing on rears to go for the bird feeders strung between two metal fence poles.

Could not believe our eyes – here are those images shot early Saturday morning, April 15, 2017 (a little after 12 midnight):

Any attempts claiming this is DJ in a rented black bear (Ursus Americanus) suit shall be met with a swift unlike 😎 . Obviously, our wildlife camera model does a poor job at night-time imaging of swift moving targets. More effort over the past few nights to shoot some clearer images showing a return visit have not succeeded. Hopefully this Black Knight culprit went on his way and shall not return.

DirecTv: Unending advertisements interlaced with massively marginal programming.

A cold rain here today in Central New York State. We are less than ten hours from April First – better known as April Fool's Day around these parts. Snow and ice fell this morning, Ma Nature is playing games again and more snows predicted for the morning. So did some messing around on the Internet it being too miserable to go outside. Then sat down to watch a bit of TV this afternoon. We have DirecTv satellite TV provider here in this rural Town of German Flatts location. Those couple hundred channels DirecTv “provider” sends are mostly insignificant and UN-watchable junk. Not a single program on now – not a thing is view-able by these old eyes.

The words almost every uses when approaching our home west-side deck – “what a beautiful view!” – and this is true. It is the main reason we purchased this property a dozen years ago. After considerable site work, it wasn't until our 28' x 36' garage was under construction in the second year of land ownership it became clear there was no AC power out front on our country road. Cost an unplanned couple grand+ to have Niagara Mohawk Power route some electric juice into our new place. Also unknown when this property was purchased – there is no cable TV provider like Time Warner around here and checks confirm there is seemingly no hope to ever get such competitive TV or Internet services. Further, there is one and only one land line telephone provider and ISP here – this being the dreaded Verizon. My gosh, what a non-choice indeed we must buy from a single source. These oversights were neglected service considerations when locating this building site far out of town.

Having vented enough on this, let me refocus this rant for a moment on DirecTv. Not much to do last weekend since easily two feet of the near 40 inches of snow deposited on us ten days past still prevents any meaningful outside activity. So decided to sit a while and watch a couple movies on DirecTv. Had noted earlier last week the “Godfather” series was scheduled for presentation. Oh great, something to do and watch this day! But here is the sad tale. First, DirecTv announces the films are cropped to fit our TV and chopped to fit their allotted run-times. Almost universally, the altered films run for less than eight minutes, followed then by four and a half minutes of commercials – over and over, sometimes as many as thirteen different commercials within these very frequent commercial breaks. Needless to say, the extensive and lengthy commercial breaks, coupled with an already altered film makes the viewing basically UN-enjoyable and far less interesting. After all, it is so believable when the various “F-bombs” are deleted from intense gangster communication. My gosh.

So, if readers plan to watch some DirecTv programming this weekend, here's some sage advice. Get your popcorn, loosen your pants, bend over, and prepare to take a hit on the butt. All this because a multitude of TV commercials are coming your way – commercials enough to make a senior saint scream in disgust.

Note to DirecTv management: Your claims to hold over thirty million subscribers logically gives you the collective corporate power numbers to insist that your program providers very significantly reduce the length and frequency of TV commercials interspersed within shows, and in particular those commercials presented within classic movie presentations.  DirecTv in concert with other similar firms have the collective power to better control program providers like AMC, et. al. to thus deliver better TV content to many millions of subscribers.
      

**** Liberty Mutual Accident Forgiveness Ethics **** --- Sayonara, Adiós Liberty --- Bon jorno GEICO! ---

We happily switched insurance companies to Liberty Mutual in summer 2014... not due to unsatisfactory services with former insurance carrier State Farm... the change simply due to a small cost savings.  Recently we discovered our Liberty Mutual "Accident Forgiveness" is revoked -- the highly advertised auto insurance policy provision where no price increase will be extracted by Liberty Mutual for your first accident.

Well, here is the real story.  In early summer 2013 and while happily served by State Farm auto insurance, a severe storm deposited significant hail on our home and our two vehicles parked in our driveway.  My 2009 Dodge Charger experienced minor hail damage -- just a couple small dents -- not enough to ask for insurance help.  However, Terri's new 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee, then being less than five months old, experienced very significant hail damage. Small dents covered most of her Jeep's topside surfaces that required professional services and an insurance comprehensive claim.  We are highly concerned and outright angered that Liberty Mutual Insurance Company considers "Acts-of-God" (a/k/a: hail storm damages) comprehensive claim that exceeds $600 against our previous insurance company as an accident with cause for revoking our current Liberty Mutual accident forgiveness.

Insurance claims directly connected to Acts-of-God are never mentioned in any of the many Liberty Mutual Insurance Company on-air advertisements or in any plain language citation in company literature. These facts have been twice verified with Liberty Mutual customer service representatives on or about 18 Jan 2017, and verified again a few days ago.  I asked to speak to a manager empowered with decision making authority... and I was assured that a manger would contact me by phone within two days. The promised management phone contact was never received. Accordingly, I intend to file a complaint with appropriate insurance industry public and private sector authority citing these facts and to allege unethical conduct by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company regarding this matter.

So here's the Liberty Mutual deal.  A couple of this insurance firm's TV ads aggressively tout "Accident Forgiveness" as an auto policy marketing inducement.  The firm never discloses a provision whereby this forgiveness will be suspended for 5 years if a policy holder makes an Act-of-God claim against paid comprehensive auto insurance coverage.  So what type of injury requiring less than $600 can Liberty cite?  Clearly, an official corporate policy that suspends paid "Accident Forgiveness" for five years due to relatively small claims caused by clear Acts-of-God is GROSSLY UNETHICAL.  Damages caused by Acts-of God are NOT auto accidents as understood by reasonable people or by any classic ethical business definition.    

Direct quote from Liberty Mutual Insurance web site:

"What is Accident Forgiveness?  Accident Forgiveness is a policy benefit where Liberty Mutual won’t raise your rate due to your first car accident if you’ve been accident-free and violation-free for 5 years."

Click HERE to check out what unethical insurance advertisement looks like.

Note: the image displayed at the top of this post is from a personal collection shot during a NY City visit years past.

                

Remembering Frank Kehoe

Four W-4s photo after retirement ceremony for

Chief Warrant Officer Frank P. Kehoe [about 1988]

(L-to-R, Dave Paul, Dick Freemire, Frank, and Bob Hauser)

With holiday season activities now in rear view, had some time this day for thinking. Today I'm remembering Chief Warrant Officer Frank Kehoe, a good friend and capable military colleague from years ago. Frank sadly passed-away in a Syracuse, NY hospital two years ago at Christmas-time.

Reminiscing today about those several trips to Europe with our mutual naval service unit. But that more interesting period were those weeks in San Diego while attending Convoy Commodore Staff Training School. In off-duty time, Frank pridefully escorted me to Camp Pendleton Marine Expeditionary Training Base, Northern San Diego County, California. Frank was an excellent tour-guide. There many years before his duties as a US Marine Drill Instructor were performed. Strong pride and high professionalism as a US Marine was still remarkably on open display.

Active in community affairs, Frank was a contributing local citizen of Fulton, NY, a proud former US Marine and retired US Naval Officer, a leader in local military veterans organizations, and a very fine neighbor and friend to many indeed. Frank, you are fondly remembered and missed – Rest-In-Peace, old buddy. In the event other friends may have missed Frank's obituary, the link below is posted.

Click HERE for Frank's obituary.

**** The Biggest Disingenuous Statement ****

OPEN LETTER TO BRET BAIER OF FOX NEWS,  FAKE NEWS OPINION:
The "new" ununited people of the United States.

Watching you (et al) on FOX NEWS, I'm wondering what's up with the frequent drum beat concerning our presently divided country – the nebulous, near constant hand-wringing? Historically, we "Americans" – whether as British colonial subjects, or as USA citizen-residents before the American Civil War, and certainly our post American Civil War brothers and sisters who guided us to present days are a divided people. We are now and always have been a right-center-left politically divided people, and some folks have been and are ready to fight.

Those 1770-era rebels (George Washington, Paul Revere, Daniel Morgan and the bands of insurgents they influenced and commanded) likely represented less than a 30% minority of then North American British colonial general population; whereas, more than 20% of these British colonists – the loyalists and Tories – remained supportive of King George, desiring continued allegiance to their roots and the British Crown. And the loyalist and Tories were treated so well by resident rebels during and following the American Revolution by life, liberty, and personal property seizures.  I guess drawn-quartered-and-hung or tar-and-feathers on loyalist humans is not cruel. Indeed, perhaps a majority of people living on present USA lands had no strong opinion on rebellion or British loyalty. These folks simply wanted to be left alone – to proceed with happiness, liberty, and a better life – concerned more in making an acceptable living and protecting their family and property.

In the immediate post Revolutionary War period, thousands of new rebels called “Shaysites” participated in an armed revolt called Shays' Rebellion, with intentions to overthrow unacceptable government, unfair taxation, and general bad conduct of a fledgling United States federal government. General Washington and other prominent New Englanders were called up to assist in putting down Daniel Shays' Rebellion.  Look it up.

Do this: Execute a Google search on “Whiskey Rebellion” – a significant 1791 armed taxation revolt eventually put down under the leadership of President George Washington.

Why was the first-term presidency of Thomas Jefferson decided in the U.S. House of Representatives? Seems there was a tiny bit of political division between Americans in that year 1800.

And in 1804, the Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr political factions were vastly united, were they not? An ongoing “civil conversation” decided by a single pistol shot in an illegal duel – where is this incorrect? A sitting Vice President of the United States Burr accused of murder – nothing to see, not a bit of political division discovered here.

The General Andrew Jackson presidency was certainly a period that marshaled USA political calm and unity. Ha! Native Americans might disagree.

Those years a decade or two before the American Civil War period presented citizens with strongly united leadership – vast unity – right! Then the election of President Lincoln and those many good and happy years in a “united USA” following 1860.  Move on, nothing to see here either.

Correct me:  We the USA people were uniformly united in the several years before and during the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam – and even the seemingly endless conflicts underway today. Please start telling the truth as it really is, and generally has been throughout colonial and U.S. American history. Perhaps the most remarkable USA general population characteristic is rather constant and strong division among our peoples. For crying out loud, confront untrue positions by such whining commentator opinion, the pseudo experts on FOX NEWS (and the unwatchable dishonest major media) who claim present USA political division is somehow an unknown anomaly. Bret, perhaps you would be so kind to pass these truths to some of your more vocal, untruthful, irresponsible, and demonstrably misleading colleagues (that teller of liberal tales Shepard Smith to name just one).

Best regards,

Dave Paul

German Flatts, Herkimer County, NY  

Just how much of a donkey's behind can Chucky Schumer be anyway?

Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer, 

the liberal Democrat U.S. Senator from New York.

Chuck Schumer's rambling words could make any self-respecting donkey regurgitate.  Wondering if anyone else noted the grand irony exposed in Schumer's bit part at President Trump's First Inauguration Ceremony by invoking words in the private letter of Major Sullivan Ballou, late of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of Rhode Island Volunteers, as Major Ballou wrote his beloved wife Sarah. The hero Major Ballou was mortally-wounded-in-action on July 21, 1861 a few days after penning his heartfelt and patriotic personal letter, a casualty during the American Civil War First Battle of Bull Run (a/k/a the Battle of First Manassas).

Like many liberal Democrats during the American Civil War years, those period low-life seditious war-resistor northern Democrats forever properly labeled "Copperheads" wanted the union restored to pre-war status under historic slavery rights.  Seems liberalism and slavery comport as well then as now.  Charles Schumer's liberal political bent agrees well with Civil War era liberal Democrats -- The Copperheads.

Leftist Copperheads encouraged Union soldier desertions, formed conspiracies, took blood money from southern loyalist sympathizers, and openly resisted the draft -- collectively, these acts should have led to sedition convictions.  Mr. Schumer's liberal political views would almost certainly be rejected by the war hero Major Sullivan Ballou. This leftist New York senator is now and most certainly would have been unfit to wipe the sweat from the patriot Major Sullivan Ballou's brow.

Reference:

Click Copperheads to better understand Civil War liberal Democrat ideas and purpose.

Click Major Ballou  to learn more of the Civil War hero Major Sullivan Ballou.