Grand Mis-Design

Weekly readers of this blog post will relate a portion of this title to last weeks blog post and one of the television shows I have watched while icing my sore feet.  The British show, "Grand Designs" follows different housing construction projects, over the course of time, which can be years.  One thing struck me on a recent episode.  That episode was the construction of what in Britain is called a cob house. The person building the cob house desired to make it energy efficient, and he claims to have done so. It is all well and nice to be energy efficient, but one should couple that with an ecological mindset in other areas as well. In that sense, it is a Grand Mis-design.

World's Largest Cob House Under Construction

A cob house is thought to be a very land and energy favored type of construction when built in the area with the proper soil.  A cob house is built of clay, mixed with water and straw. Its construction needs to relate to the suitability of clay deposits in the area, or on-site. Most readers have probably seen the movie the "Ten Commandments" when slaves were in the mud pits stomping straw into the clay, the clay was put into wood forms to make bricks.  The strong sun on Egypt would dry the bricks to be used use in the majestic buildings of ancient Egypt. Well, a cob house is also an old form of building technique going back to the iron age in parts of Britain.  The house has a concrete footing, and cement block foundation to get it out of the ground.  They then dump a load of the clay-straw-water mix  on top of the concrete blocks and someone stamps it down, and scrapes off the excess material that drips to the side. They repeat the process.  And repeat the process.  The walls are probably about three feet thick. The thing is, given their climate, the cob construction can only occur generally from May to September, in order to have sufficient time to dry.

Idea of Scale of the Cob House, builder is to right

My  beef is not with the use of material.  Rather the mis-design comes in the fact that the house is 10,000 sq ft.  The owner-builder, who is a contractor who builds cob houses, and decided he wanted to make the largest cob house in the world. Maybe he wants to be in the Guinness Book of World Records. He was already in a 5,000 sq ft cob house, but that was not big enough for his ego. He met his goal at a financial and personal cost (his marriage).  But, the site disruption, and extra materials used to build to 10,000 sq ft, when you really do not require a building that size are not ecological.  A 10,000 sq ft home seems rather excessive for a man, his new wife, and a few children.  I doubt they really needed a house that size, but his ego drove him to doing the large house. It took him a few years, due to the limited construction season for cob and also having run out of funds. He quite work to do his house full time and when they ran out of the over one million pounds set aside, he had to go back to work and work on his baby only part time.

Water view of Gates' House

His baby is very nice looking, and the massive laminated timbers going to a center point of the circular shaped house is quite a marvel.  He would wrap the exterior in 3 or more inches of rigid foam bent to the arc of the house to meet the energy codes of England. Yet, would an ecologically conscious person over build?  Apparently so. It makes me think of Bill Gates, who preaches climate change from a house over 66,000 sq ft.  Yes, his house is larger than Fitchburg City Hall, which is 57,000 sq ft.  Now, do Bill and Melinda, being so ecologically conscious really need a house that has square footage of near an acre and a half?  Does he really require that many flat screen televisions, over $80,000 worth to portray changing art work?  The Gates mansion has 7 bedrooms, but 24 bathrooms, and of those 24, ten have tubs. More bathtubs than bedrooms. Even if he has solar panels to offset the electrical use, the solar panels and the house still used raw materials processed to form a product.  Just like the cob house needed raw materials. Could Bill have gotten by with a house half that size? 

Cob House Completed

Thinking ecologically requires more than energy efficiency.  One should think holistically about size, and use of resources.  Another episode on Grand Designs had an ecologist who built his house on a slope of 35%.  Again, a very nice house, and built into the grade so that it is more energy efficient, but all the soil that was disturbed.  The problem was it remained disturbed for quite some time as the house construction took longer than expected.  I am sure some washed into the stream at the base of the ridge on which he built.  

Jevons Paradox

The recycle triangle uses the words, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Energy efficiency only will go so far.  most everything we build requires energy to make.  Concrete, milling timber, glass, roofing materials, and even making the cob, which was done with a large backhoe, demands energy.  The cob builder was not using his feet like they used in the "Ten Commandments" to make bricks. It is not unlike the Jevons Paradox with one example being where people who own hybrid cars drive them more than they other wise would a car with an internal combustion engine. The gains in energy efficiency are lost by an increase in consumption. Size is not always better. To think ecologically we need to think broad scale and the overall impact. To be conservation minded does not mean to not use energy or resources, rather it means to use them in a wise and reasonable manner.  Building a highly energy efficient building is not as conservation minded if the building is much larger than needed for comfortable living. That is why it is a mis-design.

Images from Google Images

Icing

For the past three months I have been icing my two feet in the hopes that it will assist with the myriad of problems which significantly effect my ability to do normal tasks, in other words, my lifestyle.  The severe pain started last December 2020.  I am well below 10,000 steps per day, and on a good day my total steps may be equal to that I would have acquired on my normal 2.71 mile old morning walk. On not so good days, it is only about 2,500.  I am not sure if icing is helping, but I am afraid of stopping in case the feet would get worse; it is, however, hard to believe things can get worse. 

House made of four shipping containers
Grand Designs

I always seem to have pain, particularly in the left foot, so the issue is how much pain should I put up with. I figure I can walk about a .5 to .7 miles before the most severe pain arrives.  I also have found that it is good to walk really slow.  How slow?  I walk so slow that my wife has to now slow down for me.  She likes asking, "I'm not going too fast for you am I?"  Anyway, the walk I am able to do is is quite a drop from my original 2.71 mile morning walk.  It is closer and the same route I used to walk in the afternoon just for because I liked to walk.  My wife kept telling me I should take it easy. To ice, I generally place on ice cube directly on the foot in front of the heel  and move it around the heel and the arch.  I ice one foot for about 5 to 10 minutes than switch to the other foot.  I may move back to the first foot if sufficient ice remains. As I ice my feet, wondering if there is a return to normal for my feet, I watch a streaming show.

I watch television, because it is difficult to read while having one leg up in an L position on top of the other thigh and move the ice cubes around with one hand.  With streaming, I generally go for lighter fare. While icing three times a day, I have gone through episodes that Netflix has for: Forged in Fire, The Curse of Oak Island, The Big Flower Fight, and Grand Designs. I have not yet gotten through Blown Away, and The Repair Shop. My wife found some additional seasons of Grand Designs on Amazon, so that is presently what we watch when I ice my feet.

Grand Designs, House mainly built by one Man

I first heard of Forged in Fire and the Curse of Oak Island a few years ago when I would look at the History Channel on my I-pad.  If I had cable television, the history channel would be the reason.  Anyway, Forged in Fire reminds me of my grandpas brother and his son, my Dad's cousin, who were farmers and then blacksmiths. The show is intriguing because it delves into the science of making knives and swords.  Different metals may not work well with each other, and the challenges can be difficult such as taking parts off a snowmobile, go-kart, and an old truck.  For other challenges they gave three different types of metal to use and form a blade. The blades are tested for strength, killing, and sharpness.  The neat thing about the show is the variability of age and occupations of contestants.  On one episode a Medical Doctor/Researcher at MD Anderson one, a two time champion, who won the battle of the branches (military) hails from central Wisconsin, and some are as young as 18 to int their 60's.  Even Land Girl got into it for awhile, and was getting quite good at predicting who would move on.  However, she told me in no uncertain terms that I cannot take up forging as a hobby.  I think she said this after a contestant almost cut off four fingers. The show gives me a higher appreciation not just for the hard work and strength required, but the skill level and the required attention to detail. One guy from Wisconsin missed out on the potential $10,000 prize because he had a small bur on the handle which cut into the judge's finger.  He did not pay attention to detail. When two or three knives or swords are close, the smallest detail in overall weight, weight distribution, and finesse capability make the difference. Or, it could come down to one handle feeling slightly better than another.  At times people won simply because their device outlasted someone else, in other words, it did not break as quick. Of course, much better tools are available today, enhancing even more my appreciation for how hard my great uncle worked at this profession. It was not as easy to form a blade as it is today.   

Grand Designs, which is a British show about residential form, follows varied house construction projects through the area. It is rather fascinating to watch as many of the buildings lack any real structural foundation , much less one that is up to four feet deep.  Some are built on what I would call a slab.  Which makes me wonder if the ground does not freeze in parts of Britain. A few things stand out about their designs.  First, the number of homes that have their living quarters on the top floor, best for the view. An upside down house, if you will.  Second, while the construction styles vary, few have used the frame construction technique typical in the US.  Many homes have used concrete block and iron beams.  Third, on some homes their cladding is to me circumspect.  They put wood on but leave gaps so the back, what I suppose (hope) is a water barrier can be seen.  It seems like it could be a spot for rodents.  Fourth, two things commonly occur with each project: over time and over budget.  Of course, at times it is blamed on the planners, particularly in historic areas or rural areas with their paragraph 55 and code 5 and code 6 laws. But, most often the project is complicated and/or in a built up urban area (London) which can pose problems and difficulties.  As the host said on the last show for season 12, the difficulty of building is not the planners but water." Planners, as I well experienced, are a good scapegoat. Many use contractors, some do some of the work themselves.  One doctor and his friends were doing quite a bit of work on his house and his wife put a stop to it so it would bet back on sheduale (the host pronounces schedule like sheduale, so I will go with the Brit way).  One home took over a decade and was built primarily by the homeowner with some assistance on difficult areas, like installation of windows, and the plaster work.  For part of the home he made over sized wood shingles, feet in length with thickness to match.  This house, and the hand craftsmanship, the owner was a furniture maker, reminds me of my brother Joe and the log cabins he would build which contain, among other things, handmade closures, kitchen cabinets and counter tops and even wood bath tubs.  

Grand Desgns, buoyant house
notice the dolphins the vertical elements on the side

As for interesting ideas and building techniques, one home was built using plywood boxes filled with insulation.  The rectangles were cut onsite with a computer operated machine.  The process was designed not by a contractor but some artists.  This way, if they have a piece that does not work, they just cut a new one.  Cladding options are also a wonder, like the house that used zinc scales.  This same house was built on an island in the Thames River which is subject to flooding. And, the worse part, all access is by a watercraft--no road. During construction in January the river flooded and the site was under water about 4 or more feet in depth.  Once it dried, a different contractor came in and built the floating, bouyant, house held in place by four dolphins and as the water rises the house, its concrete basement and all rise held in place by the dolphins, which are essentially one rectangular shaped tube that fits over a piece of stainless steel that is attached to the foundation. (I wondered how they handled sewer and water services, by tubing?)  This of course, begs the point, that some places just should not be built on.  Like in a flood plain, particularly on an island. But, also the home an ecologist in Scotland built on a 35% slope. Nice energy efficient home, but still, one should not build on such a steep slope.  Perhaps steep slopes are more common in the UK than here in the Midwest of the US.

Grand Designs, image showing how buoyant house works

My wife really enjoyed The Big Flower Fight, another British show. Ten teams began and made large organic sculptures from flowers, grasses, sedums and other natural plant products, with some man made materials to hold  The creativity was amazing.  Some teams had certain strengths, like the team of two female US florists who really worked well with color.  The problem was the size and scale of the sculptures tested their strength and capabilities to provide the necessary support and at yet have time to to properly complete the flowering of the article.  One team, not them, had their structure fall.  I believe there were eight episodes which I think were filmed during Covid.  The winning team, from Britain, would place a sculpture in one of the botanical gardens in England.

Same Sistine Chapel Fresco, before and after Cleaning

Depending upon what sculpture they chose some repair may be required, but I suspect they would do it themselves rather than going to the Repair Shop.  At a living museum somewhere in England, the Repair Shop tracks restoration repair technicians as they repair a variety of items brought in by the Brits. Here, in the US these items would probably be discarded, but here they often hold some sentimental value, albeit at times rather weak.  Sometimes I think they take the repair overboard, doing too much to the piece. It reminds me of when my wife and I in 1990 toured the then recently refurbished frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. After centuries of use, the frescoes were covered with soot and grime from candle wax, people's breath and just the dirt in the air.  People were used to seeing the dull, dark colors, but the cleaning and restoration brought out the bright colors actually used by Michelangelo. It was an eye opener for many art restorers, and of course, art critics. The critics had a field day, and our guide was one of them.  She said it was too clean, and she preferred the dark, and dingy frescoes. I thought that people back in the early 16th century were not so dull after all. Perhaps she was too used to looking at them before the cleaning. At the repair shop one day a well worn 100 year old German made teddy bear was brought in for restoration.  They gave the torso a new coat of mohair, but died it, cut it back and thinned it out so it looked like it was say 75 years and not 100 years old; it better matched the fur on the arms and legs. Shortly after we watched that episode, my wife restored a teddy bear for a someone. I thought I should have filmed her doing the work.  I could have played the film crew, Jay, the foreman at the shop, and the narrator.  A couple weeks later I could have filmed her repairing two jackets. 

Sistine Chapel Fresco showing cleaning

Icing my feet is like some of the shows I watch. Time affects items, land, and people, to the point a rebuild or restoration is required. I ice my feet because use and time have taken a toll to the point I can hardly walk, much less get over 10,000 steps per day. I hope I am not in a "new normal", as it would make for a long year(s), and that my feet will return once again to the way they used to be, if not better. Structurally I have orthopedic insoles that are supposed to help with the arch and cut down on the planter fasciitis. Since they have yet to get me back to normal I guess they are not a grand design in assisting my feet after two months of wear. To the effort of restoration, I get ultra sound treatments (over 5 treatments to far), and hope at some point they start to help. Thank goodness I am a patient man who knows how to pace himself. (Yes, I can see my wife shaking her head at this comment; I think she would be shaking it in the up and down, Yes motion.) Months of icing is getting rather old, but at least I found some enjoyable shows to watch while doing so.

Toni Doodle

My wife is a Yankee.  Her father's side as we shall see is ripe with Yankee blood. Her paternal side comes from Massachusetts, and was present during the fervor leading up to the war for Independence. The hot bed of the build up to war and the initiation of the war itself was in Massachusetts. Think of the Boston Tea Party, the midnight ride of Paul Revere (and William Dawes and Samuel Prescott who have been left out of the history books) which alarmed the citizens and brought out the militias for the first engagements at Lexington and Concord.  Understand that part of what I have is sketchy, due to lack of some records, but it does make some sense. Beyond her 3rd great grandfather, I have placed much reliance on the genealogical research on the website of Harold Ralston of Racine County, WI.  With his permission I have used his information to go back in time from my wife's 3rd great grandfather Stephen Goff. Ralston's work is generally consistent with research from Arlyn Bernhardt, from whom I recently found notes I had made 13 years ago. Harold Ralston is a descendant of William Peck Goff, who was a brother to her second great grandfather, Stephen D Goff (b 1725). This blog post will examine the Yankee Roots of Toni Doodle Hovel. (Toni Doodle went to town a riding on a pony...) But, as always, there may be some murky areas. Nonetheless, a trip back in time with her paternal Yankee shows highlights of  our national journey.  

Birth Record of Simeon Goff and Siblings in Rehoboth
Father William, and mother Rebeckah

First off, let me explain the main murky area in her ancestral tree.  What historically makes sense to Harold Ralston and Arlyn Bernhardt does not fully compute with what I have seen from other individuals on Ancestry or Family Search. These other individuals use the same ancestor but with different descendants, and/or ancestors.  The ancestor common to these varied genealogies is Lt Samuel Goff (1694-1771). Ralston, and also Bernhardt believe Lt Samuel is the father of my spouse's 5th great grandfather William Goff. That is however, in dispute as a record I found from another source does not indicate William (and an older sister) as a child of Lt Samuel Goff. Ralston identifies five children born to Lt Samuel while that piece of information lists only three, and those being younger than William. There could also be more than one Samuel Goff from Rehoboth, MA. What is interesting is my wife has red hair, which is said to come from her maternal grandmother, and that Goff (back in time known as Goffe and Gough) in Welsh was a nickname for a red-haired person. Maybe part of her red-hair gene runs deep into her ancestral past in Welsh country.

Rollo Goff
Source: Shirley Goff

The easiest way to trace her ancestry, or lineage, is to go from present to past. We know that her grandfather was Rollo Goff and we can easily trace back to his father William Howard, and William Howard's father Stephen D. Goff.  Stephen D moved with his parents and siblings to Wisconsin from Savoy, Massachusetts, between 1840 and 1850. The 1840 census shows a Stephen Goff in Savoy, MA, while the 1850 Wisconsin census has Stephen D's father Stephen (1798-1873) and his wife Persis Bates Goff (abt 1799-1879) with some of their children, including Stephen D (age 25), living in the town of Yorkville, Racine County. William Peck Goff, the oldest child of Stephen and Persis, is not listed with the family in the 1850 census. Hence, her part of the Goff family arrived in Wisconsin sometime before 1850. All were from Massachusetts. Stephen D being born in Savoy, Ma, but going further back we find his father Stephen (1798-1873), his grandfather, Simeon and probably Simeon's father William being born in the Town of Rehoboth, MA. Simeon's second wife Chloe Peck also was from Rehoboth. It is thought that Lt Samuel was born in Berkshire Co, MA, but would move to Rehoboth and he is buried in Rehoboth. Prior to the 1850 census only head of household was used, although others are recorded by age cohort.  Therefore, we lack a reliable record as to other names in the household. 

Simeon Goff in 1790 US Census, Rehoboth, MA
1 free white male 16+, 3 free white males under 16
3 free white females 16+

Of interest are names.  Lt Samuel's wife was Rachel Toogood. Simeon's first wife was Thankful Jones.  But, it gets better. Lt Samuel's youngest child was named Freelove Goff. Freelove sounds as if it could be the name for a child conceived at Woodstock. It is doubtful that her 3rd great grandmother Persis is the great Aunt (or 2nd great aunt of Norman Bates (of "Psycho" fame). Simeon had a son named Cromwell, which brings to mind the British leader Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), who perpetrated genocide on Irish Catholics, particularly at Drogheda.  

Simeon Goff Grave Marker
Rehoboth, MA

We know from a pension request that Simeon served in the revolutionary war, mainly as a private, although for one term he was a drum major. He would first enlist nine days following the first shots at Lexington and Concord. The war would last eight years.  Much of the following comes from his pension record: "In the year 1775 he [Simeon Goff] served six months and ten days as a soldier. In the year 1776 he served four months & twenty one days as a drum major. In the year 1777 he served two months as a soldier & in 1778 he served twenty days as a soldier & for such service he claims a pension." His first three tours of duty were with regiments from Massachusetts.  His first tour service started in late April 1775 where he was in Capt Samuel Bliss' company in a regiment commanded by Col. Timothy Walters;  his second stint, in 1776, where he was a substitute for Joseph Pierce, serving as a drummer in a company commanded by Captain Carpenter, in a regiment under Col Simeon Casey, and a brigade under the command of General Fellows.  In 1777 he served in a company under Captain James Hillis in a Massachusetts regiment commanded by Col Williams. His fourth tour of service was in 1778, and again as a substitute, serving for a man with the last name Basto. This service was for a Rhode Island regiment. In his pension request he notes that he was born in Rehoboth on "January 18th, 1754 where I lived until June 1799 when I moved to Savoy in the County of Berkshire, Mass where I reside till now."  (Source: Revolutionary War Pension document.) His statement was subscribed and sworn on Sept 29, 1832, and included statements from others. He had lost his discharge papers which necessitated the need for sworn statements and witness account.  As to his pension, in the approval granted in 1833, he was awarded an annual pension of $51.15, "to commence of the 4th day of March 1831." His claim was pursuant to the Revolutionary War Claims act of 1832. Simeon's grave marker has the notation, SAR, for Son of the American Revolution. After the war, Simeon was involved in agriculture. 

Simeon Goff Revolutionary War Pension 
One page of the total record

This one document is a trove of information for Toni Doodle's 4th great grandfather; it indicates Massachusetts and Rhode Island regiments for which he served, the commanders, and length of service.  Turning to the muster rolls we get a bit more information about his service.Muster rolls indicate two of his services were as a drum major.  His 1778 record makes note of his service in 177 at Livington, RI in a light infantry company.  His service in 1778 was less than a month. Simeon played a part in assisting the struggling colonies in their fight for independence from the motherland.  They were fighting the massive British Empire ruled by King George III.  The King, being a man referred to in the Declaration of Independence as "unfit to be the ruler of a free people."  Twice he served as a substitute for another man.  He was a 21 year old when he joined the Continental Army in April 1775. 

One of Two Pages of Samuel's 1775 Service
Revolutionary War Muster Rolls

Simeon, whose father was William Goff, moved to Savoy as noted above, with his family.  Ralston quotes another document about the move which gives additional information about the family: "Simeon Goff, from Rehoboth, removed to this town, Savoy, about year 1800, settling in the southern part of the town. Of a family of eight children, none survive, and there are but two representatives in town, Louis Goff being represented by his son Louis, and Cromwell by his son Nathan E., a merchant of Savoy." Simeon's father William and back is where things get iffy. The family, even after his move, retained a presence in Rehoboth.

Intent to Marry for Stephen Goff (b 1798) and Persis Bates

The difficulty lies in the lack of records for her 5th great grandfather, William Goff (1723-1800). Harold Ralston, and Arlyn Berhnardt, through their respective research, are of the opinion that Lt Samuel Goff is the father of William. However, contradictory evidence exists, as noted earlier. Ralston's reasoning is logical and is based on the Town of Rehoboth in MA where Simeon states in his pension document as being the place of his birth and where he lived until 1799. The Goff family was reported to be one of the original settlers of this town and given Simeon's connection to this town as his place of birth, this assumption makes sense. Harold believes William is the one who married another Yankee, Rachel Whiting in Rehoboth, with them being married by the Rev. Lemuel Maxwell.  If Ralston is correct that means that Rachel Toogood, Lt Samuel's spouse, was William's mother. One has to love the Yankee nature of Rachel's last name--Toogood.  I am not sure what she was too good at, but my guess is that the too goodness probably applied to a person who liked to organize, reorganize what was organized and make lists, not to mention rewriting the lists one made. If Rachel was too good at organizing and making lists, I can think of no better way to connect my wife to these ancestors. William's sister, Freelove, could be a different story.

Toni Doodle's Paternal Line
Last two are estimated based on Ralston and Bernhardt

Identification of a grave site can tell about a family.  In this case, while Lt. Samuel's grave site is in Burial Hill Cemetery in Rehoboth, he has at least one child, Constant, who is buried in the Lovell Goff Grave Yard in Rehoboth.  It is thought that Lt Samuel's father was Anthony Goffe. As with Lt Samuel, there are many different genealogical family claims for Anthony: varied ancestors and descendants, and different dates of birth.  Yet, they seem to be related to the same person, so someone is wrong, creating a conundrum for the genealogist.  Ralston, along with Berhnardt, however seem to think this is the case, although Bernhardt appears stronger of opinion than Ralston.  Ralston places a reference to a document by Perry Streeter which provides further definition of Anthony Goffe.  Streeter indicates that Gough may be a variant of the last name Smith. I like the red-head nickname better. Streeter has Anthony's birth date as 1662, based on marriage records, but others believe, based on a possible birth record, that it could be 1650.  

1850 Census, Yorkville, WI 

Birth date aside, we know that Anthony married Sarah Polley on 29 September 1686 in Billerica, Massachusetts colony.  Sarah was the daughter of George and Elizabeth Winn Polley. We don't know if it is this Anthony Goff, but there was an Anthony Goffe who had to pay treble damages to Georg Jones for having stolen 25 pipestaves, per a record from 1677.  Streeter also notes that Anthony and Sarah moved from Billerica to Woburn, MA by 1687. Before 1694 they were in Barrington/Swansea.  It is in Swansea that "At a meeting of the commissioned officer of Bristol regiment held at Bristol August 8, 1694, Anthony Goff [again, may be different Anthony Goff's] was convicted of being impressed into their majesties service in the present expedition against the  common enemy, and neglected to attend the same he was sent to goal [jail?] according to law." (Cited in an old manuscript with letter from Clarence B Pierce to James M Cushman)  Hence, it appears that he failed to appear to serve the British military during a military engagement, which was probably the King William's War, also known as the Second Indian War (and France). 

A William Goff in 1790 US Census, Rehoboth, MA
2 free white males 16+, 3 free white females 16+

The question arises as whether or not Anthony Goffe was in any way connected to General William Goffe?  Questions remain as to when Anthony Goffe arrived in the United States and who were his parents. While we know that Anthony may have had a great great grandson named Cromwell, we do not know, but it seems likely, that the name was given in honor of Oliver Cromwell. General William Goffe was a trusted member of the Cromwell cabal, as well as a good and faithful friend to the controversial man. Showing proof of this alignment, General William Goffe was one of the 59 men who signed the death warrant for King Charles I.  King Charles I was beheaded, due to the maneuvers of Cromwell, on 30 January 1649.  General William Goffe would arrive in the American Colonies in July 1660 purportedly with his father in law, where it is thought he resided under an alias, and for a time was hidden in a cave. The move to the colonies was precipitated by the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 when Charles II took the throne. I suppose William Goff thought there would be retaliation for his having been part of regicide. Go figure.   

2nd row from bottom indicates injury sustained by
Stephen D Goff during Civil War
1890 US Census Special Schedule

Is it possible that my wife has an ancestor who participated in regicide?  Could it be that another ancestor was jailed for failure to report for duty on behalf of the monarchy during the Second Indian War?  Could one of her descendants have been at work hiding the Templar treasure below Trinity Church in New York?  Only to then have it found by Benjamin Gates (fictional "National Treasure" movie). In hiding the treasure beneath Trinity Church are they keeping Rick Lagina and his brother Marty from finding the treasure on Oak Island (History Channel series "The Curse of Oak Island)? Did one of her ancestors abscond with the treasure and squander it on a grand old party? Enough of the what if, could be, probably or possibles. The fact is that Toni Doodle Hovels 4th great grandfather, Simeon Goff, served in the war for Independence, doing four tours from 1775 to 1778. If he or their relatives had the Templar treasure he would not needed to serve as a substitute infantryman, not once, but twice. Her 2nd great grandfather, Stephen D Goff served from March 10 to May 10, 1965, at the end of the Civil War, for a Wisconsin regiment. On 9 October 1879 Stephen D was granted a pension for his service in the Civil War, due, in part, to being an invalid.  A pension record, which records him being an invalid. A look at the US Census 1890 Special Schedule indicates that he suffered an injury to his left side resulting in heart disease. His heart disease could not have been too bad, as he lived to the ripe old age of 87 years, 6 months and 23 days. 

Stephen Goff Civil War Pension Record

While information for Lt Samuel and further back is sketchy, we know that Toni Doodle's paternal lineage comes from Britain, and were present in the colonies before the start of the Revolutionary War. However, due to lack of records for her 5th great grandfather William, (was he born in England?) things get somewhat murky.  Whatever the actual situation of her descendants beyond the 5th great grandfather, William, the tale of the family is in part the story of the United States. Yankee stock who, after some time (at least with her father), married into stock from Central Europe. Yankee stock with her family being involved in farming, the trades, but some were merchants, and as we have seen served in militias. Her family was present at the start of the country. Although, with further research who knows what could arise. And perhaps if not a direct descendant of Lt Samuel or Anthony, or even Gen William, maybe there is some relation. With all of this, though, I think she will be most impressed that I have now come up with yet another nickname for her, Toni Doodle.  

Death Warrant of King Charles I (red dots to right of signatures)
William Goffs Signature in in third column fourth down
Source: Wikipedia

Sources:

1. Ralstongenealogy.com

2. "Our Bernhardt, Fangman and other Associated lines many from from Monroe Co., WI," by Arlyn Berhnhardt" (accessed in 2008 from Rootsweb)

3. http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~streeter/genealogy/goff.pdf

4. Simeon Goff Revolutionary War Pension and Muster Rolls  (Ancestry.com)

5. Stephen D Goff Civil War Pension Record, Wisconsin State Historical Society

6.  Find a Grave (online website of burials, grave markers and some biography)

7.  Heritage Quest (online website of census records)

Birthing

This post is the sixth in a series on life in 17th to 19th century Bohemia. Prior posts have discussed farms, houses and homes. Nothing, however, creates a home more than a child. This post will talk about the the birth process in Bohemia during the 17th to 19th centuries. Giving birth is a natural process, and in the west it has been institutionalized to hospitals, although today certain movements go back to the child birth process used by our ancestors--use of a midwife. The use of a doula is also trending in present time. Parturition, is of course, reserved only for the stronger of the two sexes, and varied cultural norms prescribe how the process occurs and the manner and methods followed. 

Partial of the heading in Netolice Book 31 Image 25,
 last column Hebamme (German) translated to English means Midwife

Parish records in Bohemia generally started to record the name of the midwife who assisted at the birth in about 1780. In Czechia, midwife licensing was required in 1867, or the year before the Josef and Anna Hawel family immigrated to the US.  This means of all the Hovel children born to Josef and Anna only the youngest, Wenzel (later known as Howard) may have been born to a licensed midwife.  Wenzel was born in September 1867 (this birth record is not set to be online until 2049). However, even though the formal midwife exam and the related follow up licensing became required in 1867, that does not mean there was lack of proper education for a midwife. The first educational courses were at Charles University in Prague, starting about 1753. Before 1760 the course was in Latin, and after 1760 Latin was replaced by German and later, in the mid-19th century, German was replaced by Czech. The parish records for my 2nd great grandfather Josef Hawel (b 1808) and his son, my great grandfather, Martin (b 1850) had the last column to insert the name of the midwife. 

Parish Record of my 2nd Great Grandfather, Josef Hawel
born 10 March 1808.  Midwife delivering baby was Agnete
Netolice Book 30, image 32

A midwife had to overcome, or deal with some superstitious beliefs, along with changing religious and cultural norms. However, if they had not partaken of the male-dominated teaching courses at the University, they would have spent at least one year in an apprenticeship under an experienced midwife.  At first all in the profession were females, but later males started to take up the profession. In addition, male doctors started to move into a profession that had been female dominated. This caused different sorts of consternation, particularly in Puritanical England. Generally, cultural norms would not allow a male into the birth room. Aunts, mothers, sisters, and perhaps older daughters, however, would be allowed along with the midwife.  The thing is, there was little to be done by all the woman in attendance. Although, I suppose they could provide support to the mother, and ask for more towels and hot water (after all every television show or movie with a home birth there always seems to be a need for more hot water and towels). Herbs and perhaps some oils were used at the time, but it was mainly the mother attempting to give a natural birth aided by the midwife. Hospitals provide a measure of safety if things start to go wrong, our ancestors did not have that luxury. 

English Cartoon of a male doctor with an odd fanciful
grin examining a pregnant woman. Notice the disapproving
facial expressions of the women to the left.
Source: see no. 5, below

The Catholic Church took the lead in getting the midwife to be recognized and be a public part of the community. Because of this, a midwife received some compensation by the village, but she would also have been compensated by the family.  This raised the status of the midwife.  Some argue that it raised the level of control, but quite frankly, in a small village of a few dozen houses, there would not have been any secrets. The main idea of a public role was the baptism of the child given the high infant mortality rate. Infant mortality in the 17th century, that is death of an infant within its first year, is said to have been as high as 25%.  The midwife was allowed to baptize a child in two main circumstances. First, if it was a horrible labor and the child looked as if it would not make the full birth.  In this case the child could be baptized with only part of the body exposed. The second option was after birth and the child was weak, severely handicapped, or malformed (conjoined twins as an example). If the child were to survive a day to two, the priest may perform another baptism, not that the first was not licit, but mainly in order to have the Godparents present, part of the ritual of baptism. Godparents were a major choice at this time due to the potential deaths of the parents. Godparents were often from the same or higher socio-economic status, perhaps a miller, blacksmith, or a higher level farmer. Obviously, you would want you child in hands that could be supportive economically, as well as emotionally and spiritually. Parents want the best for their child.

Midwife attending to Child
Source: see no. 2, below

Given the cultural parturition process parameters in the time era discussed, that means that my great great grandfather and earlier grandfathers were not likely to have been able to help pick up an order that he placed. (My wife once said to me, about 30 years ago, if I was going to put in the order I had to be there to pick it up.) Of course, my Dad was not in the delivery room of the hospital for any of the births of his prodigy. Instead they waited outside, or perhaps went to notify the selected Godparents to be ready.  In the small villages as the order (baby) was delivered someone would come out to give the, hopefully, good news, which would then spread through the village like a bad tweet does today. The birth would also be announced by the ringing of the church or chapel bells.  A few hours after birth, the father and Godparents would see to the child's baptism, provided it had not already been baptized by the midwife due to difficult circumstances. Often times the child would be named for the nearest feast day--my 2nd great grandfather was born on 10 March just over a week before St Joseph's Day (March 19) is celebrated.  In Ireland, perhaps he would have been named Patrick. My great grandfather Martin was born on 11 November, the feast day of St Martin. 

Soboslav, Bohemia Parish Record for part of March 1715
Of the 11 boys born on this record, 8 were given the name Joseph

Both the mother and infant could seem healthy right after the birth, but that did not mean they were beyond potential health issues that could present themselves. Generally, the mother had a month off, so to speak, to build up her strength. Add to the potential negative side effects, to the superstitions in early times about a bad person looking at a child and imparting their bad values to the child, and you inherently have some angst. With a look to Jewish tradition of purification, Christian sects often had a religious ceremony after the birth, perhaps up to a month later,  for the mother (and infant) as the mother reentered society. In the sixth century, Pope Gregory I (who served as Pope from 590 to 604) noted that no defilement to a woman would occur due to a childbirth (removing the idea of a need for purification), and that a mother should not be separated from the church. Hence, there should be no negative connotations to giving birth. The Catholic religious ceremony was more to mark the perils and labor of child birth and hence the reason why the church viewed it as imparting of a blessing. The "churching" ceremony generally occurred about a month after the child's birth. While no longer practiced in the Roman Catholic faith, it went out with Vatican II, it is still practiced in Anglican, some Lutheran sects, and in Orthodox faiths. 

1850 Parish Record of my Great Grandfather Martin Hawel (Hovel)
Two dates to left, indicate he was born on Nov 11 and baptized on Nov 12
The attending midwife (right column) was Maria Chobolve (sp?) of Chrastany
Netolice Book 31, image 25

This month of wait, generally known as the "lying-in" period, was common in Europe during the era discussed.  After a child was born and the mother would receive some well deserved rest. The father would have to take on the role of having to run the household, in addition to his other work, while the mother recuperated and nursed and cared for the infant. Clearly, the lying in period was not so difficult as to make the couple to avoid future marital relations. Now, the questions arise as to whether or not, during this lying in period, the kitchen was properly cleaned, the cupboards properly organized, and the laundry properly folded.  I lack any information as to discern an answer to these chores. With the nesting instinct inherent in a mother-to-be, I am sure the interior of the house was in tip-top shape before the birth.

Childbirth in this era, without hospitals, pain blockers and even our taken for granted more sterilized measures, posed significant risks to the mother and baby. My Dad was born in the same house, near Manly, IA, as his father, but his only sibling was born over 5 years later in a hospital in Los Angles. This may not show so much the difference with births over this short period of time as the rural-urban divide. With the end of the resting month, the mom would view the religious ceremony with high anticipation as it meant the rebirth of her life as a new mother, taking back over the role as manager of the household, and an ability to attend to her other children, and the new infant. For the mom, the end of the month provided the ability to get out and about and to once again socialize with friends and neighbors. The birth of a child was a welcome event then as it is often today, and the cultural practices put in place helped with the care of mother and child. The new infant would take its place in the family further making a house a home.  

Sources:

1. https://www.hsj.gr/medicine/midwives-in-early-modern-europe-14001800.php?aid=348

2. http://czechgenealogy.nase-koreny.cz/search?q=midwife

3.  http://czechgenealogy.nase-koreny.cz/2011/11/birth-and-baptism-in-czech-society.html#more

4.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churching_of_women

5.  http://blog.wellcomelibrary.org/2012/12/man-midwife/

6. Trebon Archives (parish register images)

Domov--part 2

 As noted in the prior post, a house becomes a home when it is endowed with the values of the inhabitants. This will be the second post on making a house a home. Long winter nights can take the joy out of much activity, but today most homes in the developed world which are distant from the equator have electric lights and central heating to assist in making the long hours of darkness more enjoyable. However, houses in 17th to 19th century Bohemia lacked these amenities, candles or oil lamps would have been the main source of light, and heat was from the open kitchen fire, or a fireplace, and in the 19th century a wood stove.  In one of the earlier posts I discussed the tales told by members of the often inter-generational households. This post will focus on a two areas in which Bohemian and Czech households, nobility and peasants, thrived--literature and music. 

Growth of Hapburg Dominion
Source: John Rice

We know that  Empress Maria Theresia (who reigned from 1740-1780) in 1777 mandated six grades of education for all persons between 6 and 12 years of age. However, that does not mean that the serfs until that time were uneducated. Historian and genealogist Eliska Schoenfeld says that "Education was valued and from the 1400's, many Bohemians could read."  They were generally taught their native tongue, Czech, by the mothers. My 7th great grandfather, Georg born about 1630 would have grown up using Czech as it became the official language of Bohemia in 1627. Although his father Jakub, also likely spoke Czech.  Oldest records of the Czech language go back to the 12th century.  However, as the Austro-Hungarian Empire advanced and took more and more control of Bohemia the Czech language was outlawed. The schooling implemented by Maria Theresia would have been taught in German.  

Kutna Hora, its original wealth came from Mining

                                                                   Source:  John Rice

Our ancestors were probably bilingual, speaking both Czech and German in the old country, and some of course would learn to speak English with their arrival in the US. While German became the common language of the elite and well educated, many Czech mothers still would teach their children the native language even after it was banned.  I suspect the Czech language was strongest in the rural villages where there was less governmental oversight. While the Bohemian settlers in the United States formed clubs to assist with cultural continuance and gradual assimilation, and to offset loneliness, many communities in the old country had clubs where they studied poetry and would read newspapers from major European cities. Although like others, Schoenfeld says that they tended to dislike people not like themselves, including other Slavic countries like Poland, and Hungarians, not to mention Austrians, the English and Jews. Given how often Germany invaded Bohemia and Czechia it would not be surprising that their was angst against Germans too.  However, this may have been muted by the number of German settlers in northern and probably parts of western Bohemia.  Think of the Sudetenland made famous by Hitler and English Chancellor Chamberlain before the outbreak of WWII, or the Landskroner Germans (probably the Duschecks). The persons in the rural villages would have seen language as part of their cultural continuity. One only need to look at varied maps of Europe over the centuries to realize the fluidity of borders and cultures.

Rudy Hovel Violin
Photo by Greg Hovel

While my ancestors lived closer to the German border, and my DNA ancestry is small in Eastern European lines, Bohemia would have some ties due to German migration and intermarriage which would have occurred over centuries. My surname, Havel (Americanized as Hovel), however, is definitely Czech as it uses the Czech word for St Gall, one the companions of St Columbanus who brought letters and learning back to Europe following the Vandal and Goth destruction after the end of the Roman Empire. I suspect the Czech language was passed down generation to generation. I can picture one of my distant great something grandmothers telling a family tale in Czech to a grandchild by candle light during the long dark nights of Europe.  Ratiborova Lhota and Dolni Chrastany both sit above 49 degrees north latitude which puts them further north than Thunder Bay, Ontario. That means a lot of dark nights.  Given the darkness and little light for months they kept their time occupied by stories, and by poetry. What better to break up the dreary nights than a good story, poem, and music?   

Rudy, Ed and Joe Hovel
Ed played the fiddle and Rudy the Guitar

While poetry was important there was another aspect for which Czechs and Bohemians became known and that was music.  John Rice, an expert in 18th and 19th century music says that in the 18th century there were "two centers of musical ferment in the 18th century" of which Bohemia was one and the other Minas Gerais in Brazil the other. This post will focus on music in Bohemia, but what is interesting is that the Minas Gerais music development is related to the Austro-Hungarian Empire when Maria Leopoldina went to Brazil to marry the son of the ruler of Portugal.  Hence, the two centers of musical development in the 18th century are both related to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  To partly understand why this occurred we need to examine an item one would not think at all related to music--mining.  Both in Brazil and Bohemia, mining was an important activity--diamonds in the former, and silver in the latter.  Silver mines were nearing depletion in Bohemia as they moved through the 18th century, but mines produced at least some local wealth that led to the creation of some elegant cities, one in Bohemia is highly thought of today, Kutna Hora, which was the center of the mining district. These mining centers had the wealth to produce centers of learning, and this learning dispersed to the other areas of the empire. Kutna Hora was about 84 miles north northeast of Ratiborva Lhota. The spread of knowledge and skills gets to the wonder and growth of cities and the specialization of labor that occurred. 

Ed Hovel, a musician himself, and whose sons would
start the Hovel Brother's Band in the Manly, IA area

However, mining was difficult work, and particularly in Bohemia where they often lacked the proper tools to advance the means and methods for a more efficient removal of the deposit.  After the Austro-Hungarian Empire won the battle of White Mountain in the early 17th century, the Emperor invited the Jesuits into Bohemia. It was the Jesuits, as part of the counter-reformation, that led to the spread of musical learning to Bohemia.  But, the learning was not just for nobility but for serfs as well. They also educated both sexes equally, so boys and girls became proficient in learning and in music. One Commentator, Charles Burney, on visiting Bohemia in the later part of the 18th century, thought that "Bohemians were the most musical people of Germany, and perhaps all of Europe." He first thought the Bohemians had an innate musical ability or talent, but later realized it was the education and hard work of both Jesuit teachers and their pupils that allowed for the creativity and advancement of music in Bohemia. Quoting Burney from the work of Rice: " I went into the school, which was full of little children of both sexes, from six to ten or eleven years old, who were reading, writing, playing on violins, hautbois, bassoons, and other instruments. The organist had in a small room of his house four clavichords, with little boys practicing on them all: his son of nine years old, was a very good performer."  The organists son would turn out to be one of Europe's greatest composers, "Jan Ladislav Dussek, would become one of Europe’s greatest pianists." Interesting is that his last name is similar to the Dusek, often Dussek last name of my ancestor Josef Dusek (Duscheck in the US). This is quite a compliment to Bohemians, often thought of as cultural backwater, in an era of Baroque development in music and the arts. The era of many of the great composers. 

Hovel Brother's Band

As more and more serfs became proficient in music they were offered service to the lords of varied domains. This part time work also allowed them to further develop their musical talent.  They offered service as livery boys, or maids, but they also played for the varied guests and at dinners the lord held, probably serving the wild game killed on their estate. Some of the Bohemian artists were so good that they were allowed to tour, others would skip town to focus on their musical talents elsewhere, but many would turn back home to further develop the musical appreciation in others of their homeland. 

Manly Memories Article on the Hovel's and Music

Of course, I am not aware of the musical capabilities of my ancestors, but I do know that my grandfather, whose father was born in Bohemia and arrived in the US at age 17 would have completed his compulsory education in Bohemia. My father's cousin's started the Hovel Brother's Band that played in the Manly, Iowa area for decades.  I blogged about the Hovel Brother's Band in Dec 2019. In Wisconsin, the Schauer Brass Band was organized near Manitowoc in 1890;  this band went through different iterations over the years as members changed.  Musical capability of the Bohemian settlers is laid out not only in "Manly Memories," which in part discussed the Hovel family and other Bohemian settlers and their musical ability, but also in "Early Bohemian Immigration" a monograph by the Manitowoc County Historical Society. The article mentions Frank Schleis, Sr as one of the first members of the band in 1890, my wife's Great Grandfather was Frank Schleis, but he would have been age 15 at the time of the band organization, so I am not sure if it would be him.

Schauer Brass Band
Early Bohemian Immigration
Source: Manitowoc Co Historical Society

The poetry of Bohemia also likely benefited their musical capabilities.  The arts and letters were important to my ancestors, and I can picture some of my ancestors playing some instruments, perhaps crude, for the family gathering at night, to be followed off by a rendition of poetry, or a short story.  Perhaps the day ended with a tale from the grandparents, while all enjoyed a home made Czech dessert.  They made a domov, by their values and actions which spanned a birth of capability and knowledge.  Life may have been different from today, but they had the ability to make life pleasant. 

Sources:  

https://sites.google.com/site/johnaricecv/bohemia-and-minas-gerais

Eliska Schoenfeld, 1990 Sept. Presentation, Czech workshop in St. Paul, Minnesota. Found at: http://www.oxfordjctgenealogy.com/main/?page_id=208

Juchniewich, Dan, 1979 "Early Bohemian Immigration" Manitowoc County Historical Society, Occupational Monograph #38.