Well, genealogy has certainly been in the news this month - especially when it comes to the new Pope! The stories of his heritage (see below for the Social Security applications of his grandparents I snagged!) remind me of how fascinating many Louisiana families are, so I've decided to re-share an article I wrote about Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cuisine! As it happens, her restaurant (Dooky Chase - still run by her children) just received an "America's Classic" James Beard Award, so the timing is fitting. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Until next time, please try your best to stay cool and comfortable!
The Louisiana Roots of Leah Chase, Queen of Creole Cuisine
Legendary chef, restaurateur, activist, and patron of the arts, Leah Chase, may be 94 years old, but that doesn’t mean she’s slowing down. These days, the New Orleans luminary can be found everywhere from the National Museum of African American History & Culture to Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ video.
Though she is entirely self-made, an exploration of her heritage makes her seem almost pre-destined to be a stand-out representative of her home state. After all, her family history is the history of Louisiana.
Ellis Island by The Corrs - I've got several favorite songs about immigration - Ellis Island in particular - and this is one of them. I love that they give Annie Moore a shout-out ("Annie, be my guide"), and genealogists will appreciate other specifics ("six minute medical, leaving no chalk on me"). If you've got a few minutes, please consider treating yourself to a listen.
Soldier Accounted For From World War II - Welcome home, Staff Sgt. Junior "Jez" J Shelton. Honored to have researched your family. P.S. This was a daunting case, so I'm even more pleased than usual that he's coming home to his family.
Pope Leo's family tree has already been uncovered and shared, but having this document would have certainly helped with the mystery! Look at all those useful details! Also, a full-on signature of the Pope's maternal grandfather.
The Pope's family sure like to keep their family details to themselves. Note the lack of parents' names here. Well, realistically, his grandmother was elderly when she applied, so I suspect someone else filled it out and she just signed.
Came across this pro-eugenics footnote in "The Descendants of William Edwards" while doing some genealogy research , and 😬.
On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore of Ireland tripped into the pages of history and became the poster child of immigration by being the first to arrive at Ellis Island. And then she disappeared. Adding insult to injury, a different Annie Moore usurped her place in history decades later. Now – 150 years after her birth and 100 years after her death – a determined genealogist finally sets the record straight and reveals the true story of Ellis Island’s first.
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