Marriage Records

Recently, I became aware of, and joined, a couple Facebook groups relative to Irish genealogy. The first was IGP County Clare Ireland Genealogy, and from a post on that site I found out about and joined the Sweeney Gedmatch and Genealogy. My great grandfather and mother, John Charles Sweeney and Bridget Cleary, both are said to be born in County Clare. From the Clare group I received a response from Kathleen Scheg, who is doing research on the Howard line. Mary Howard is a 2nd great grandmother who married Michael Cleary, and one of their children was the earlier named Bridget. She provided me a marriage date of Mary's parents, John Howard and Anne Maloney. When I found the 1830 marriage record I quickly noticed a major difference in detail between the Irish records and similar era records in Bohemia. 

This Irish marriage record is sparse. It provides the date: 10 Feb 1830 (well, actually it just provides a 10, you have to look earlier for the month and even earlier for the year, which is pretty standard in many of the records), and then reads: "John Howard of Kilmurry married Anne Maloney of Carnaun." That is if the interpretation of place is correct. Let me compare this to a Bohemian (Austro-Hungarian Empire) parish record separated by less than two weeks.

Howard & Maloney Sacramental Marriage Record, 10 Feb 1830
Source: National Library of Ireland

Martin Havel, a brother to my 2nd great grandfather (making this Martin my second great great uncle, and not to be confused with my great grandfather Martin Hovel) has a marriage record from eleven days earlier. This record, in the Netolice Parish Register, Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, provides much more detail and is interpreted as follows: "Married 25 January 1830  Groom: Dolni Chrastany No 18, 30 years of age//Catholic//previously unmarried Martin Havel, farmer, son of Franz Havel, farmer in Dolni Chrastany No 18 and Theresia Nee Jiral in Dolni Chrastany No 18. Bride: Poderiste No 13, 28 yrs of age//Catholic//widowed Maria daughter of Mathias Vavra, farmer from Dvory and Maria nee (not stated) in Vcelna pod Boubinem No 17 in Vimperk dominion. Without dispensation (ie not required)" It also provided the witnesses to the marriage and officiant, but I did not have that information translated. This record provides both parent names, their occupation, states the bride is a widow, provides ages of bride and groom, gives the father's name of both, the mother's name of one, and Martin's occupation. With the village, name, and age, they are easier to find in baptismal and other records. Further, knowing that each father was a farmer and where they lived means I can find them in the land register. If a cottager, or a landless holder, they may not be in the land register. The farmers are also likely to be in the list of peasants--the Seignorial Register. Most records of this era provide the wife's mother's surname, but in this case, perhaps no one could recall the surname, after all she was a widow. The 1796 marriage in Netolice of Martin's dad and mother (my third great grandparents, Frantisek and Teresa) provides the same information. It also notes that Frantisek was from the Krumlov domain (whereas the marriage took place in the Netolice domain). 

2nd from bottom, Sacramental Marriage Record of 
Martin Hovel & Maria Vavra, 25 Jan 1830
Source: Trebon Archives

The Marriage record of Frantisek's parents, Mathias and Maria does not provide as much detail as the above, but still provides valuable information on where each is from and the name of the father, and the domain. 

2nd entry from bottom, Sacramental Marriage Record of
Frantisek Havel and Teresia Jiral, 25 Oct 1796
Source: Trebon Archives

Even if the Irish records went back further in time, there is difficulty not knowing at least the father's given name. Howard is a rather common surname in that area of Ireland, and hence finding the father would be difficult when parents names are not provided. One would need to find John Howard's baptismal record and then go from there. Yet, in that case you need to make sure you have the correct John Howard. As an example, in my Duscheck line I have a birth record that lists a father Jiri to my ancestor, but in looking for likely candidates through baptismal records, I find two Jiri Duscheck's in the same village born about 6 months apart, meaning I really don't know which Jiri continues the line and which one does not. That part of Bohemia does not, at least currently, have Seignorial or land records available which may help sort out the conundrum. 

Sacramental Marriage Record of Bartholomej Penicka and
Dorothea Matousek, 3 Feb 1654
Source: Trebon Archives

The oldest marriage records for my ancestors that I have are for two 8th great grandparents, both married on the same day, 3 Feb 1654, and recorded in the same parish book of Prachatice, St James the Greater Church. (The two were part of six marriages recorded in the Prachatice register for that Tuesday.) These records provide date, village, officiant, and couple. Each record provides the name of the father of the bride, such as "Dorota, daughter of Bartolomej Matoušek of Zdenice." One record provides the name of the father of the groom, "Jiri son of Jan Konzal of Zernovice." Even in 1654 the Bohemian records provide more information than that in the 1830 Irish record. Of course, I suppose the purpose of a marriage, or baptismal record is to show the person was married or baptized, but when you have common surnames, and first names, such as John Howard, how would one know what John Howard was actually married or baptized? 

What I do know is that the religious records in Bohemia evolved and the church records were not only sacramental, but also served for a time as the official civil records. Even non-Catholic records were kept in the Catholic Church until1781. There was no duplication as we have today with both civil and sacramental marriage records. As we saw, however, from at least 1796 on, the Bohemian records contain a good level of detail for the genealogist. Research in Bohemia also benefits by other documents.

Second shown entry, Marriage of Jirik Konzal and
Marketa Matousek, 3 Feb 1654
Source: Trebon Archives

As my Bohemian ancestors were peasants, the domains kept other records which are very helpful. Two of importance are the Seignorial Registers, which began as an inventory of orphans, but later changed to almost an annual census. They often have ages, and sometimes the ages are right on and other times well off. Notes, of marriage, or change of holding or domain may also exist. A skilled translator is required for all records to assure you get the most out. Too often, I misread a name, or village which sent me on a wild goose chase. The Seignorial Registers can provide hints to birth and marriage records. Land Registers also provide clues to deaths via transfer of a holding, marriages, and heirs. My Hovel and Kamen (mother of my paternal grandmother) have their lines in southwest Bohemia, the area covered by the Trebon Archives. The Seignorial and Land Registers go back further in time than the Parish records. Parish record availability varies. In Lhenice (which covers the Havel ancestral village), parish records go back to 1694, whereas, in Prachatice the baptismal records go back to 1632, marriage to 1633, and death to 1651. The Lhenice church was around much longer than to 1694, so the records must have been destroyed or gone missing. Netolice records go back to 1654, and old handwritten indexes exist back to 1700. Older records are spotty and months may be missing. 

However, it was an Urbaria record, thanks to my translator, which records payments and taxes owed to the estate by the serf, that allowed my Hovel line to be taken back to my 10th great grandfather in Ratiborova Lhota,  Jan Bollfa  who was in the village by at least 1585 (as that is the record in which we find him). We know this is the person as when combined with information going back to 1603 from a few land register records, a chain of custody so to speak for the holding from Frantisek's father Mathias to Jan Bolffa. The key was when Bartos, son of Jan Bolffa, sold the holding to his brother Havel, who was the same Havel who is in my lineage. We know this from following sales back in time in the land registers. Having information on relationships of buyer to seller, as often recorded in the Krumlov domain, is greatly beneficial in historical family research. A good translator comes in handy in reading and translating the records given the varied anachronistic words and phrases. 

Rudy and Ida Hovel Sacramental Marriage Record
4 Feb 1913
Source: St Mary's Parish, Festina, IA

I do not have the sacramental marriage record of my Hovel great grandparents, Martin Hovel and Amelia Duscheck. However, I do have the civil marriage record for the state of Wisconsin and that record gets detailed down to the time of the ceremony (9:00 am). In order here is what is required on that civil marriage record: 1. date of registration, 2. The color, 3. full name of husband, 4. full name of wife prior to marriage, 5. occupation of said husband, 6. residence of said husband, 7. birthplace of said husband, 8. the place, town, township, and county where the ceremony was performed, 9. the time the marriage was contracted, 10. By what ceremony it was contracted, 11. name of the person performing the ceremony, 12. residence of person performing ceremony, 13. names of witnesses, 14. date of certificate of marriage; 15. Name of the father of said husband, 16. name of the mother of said husband, 17. name of the father of said wife, 18. name of the mother of said wife. A rather involved list that can certainly assist with genealogical research. 

Civil Marriage Record of Rudy and Ida Hovel
Dane County, WI 4 Feb 1913
Source: State of WI Historical Society Library

Let me turn to my paternal grandparents marriage record from 1913. The sacramental marriage record, in Latin, is pretty basic, giving names of the couple, the witnesses and officiant along with date. No idea of the parents of either or even where they were from, so not dissimilar from the Irish record. Recorded in the parish book, we know the parish in which they were married, St Mary's in Festina, Iowa. The civil record is much more detailed, giving name of person who provided the information, name of the couple, race, age, where each was born, current city, parents name (mother maiden name) and occupation. It provides the officiant, location and the witnesses along with date of marriage (4 Feb 1913) and date recorded (6 Feb 1913). Now, that is much more helpful. 

Civil Marriage Record of Rudy and Ida Hovel
Source: Winneshiek Co records, via Family Search
Fifth entry, each entry consists of two rows

The British occupiers of Ireland, it appears, did not keep civil records of births and marriages until 1865 (at least according to references provided at the Co Clare Facebook page). The Irish population to the British, as shown by their response to the Potato famine was one of indifference, and no regard for a population of papists. One can certainly see the penchant of the German speaking Austro-Hungarians, occupiers of Bohemia, for documentation. The Teutonic nature of the language carried over to the cultural forming a group of people in favor of paperwork for all not just the Brits select few. For Kilrush, the parish of the Howards, the baptismal records are  available for free at National Library only go back to 1827. I have been told that some paid sources have the records going back further. However, if prior records are as scant I have to wonder if a subscription to the service would be worth the cost. Hey, but I have to give the Irish some credit, at least we know that the John Howard and Anne Maloney marriage was the 79th entry in the book. 

Reading

A few months ago, the Fab Four, the name of my wife's book club, read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, a work by a British author. My wife laughed a good amount when reading that work of fiction. I decided to put a library hold on that work. I tend to read more non-fiction than fiction, but will intersperse an occasional work of fiction. My wife commented that I need to read more fiction. Since, 2019 I have kept a log of the books I read, by title, author, and if it is fiction or non-fiction. I decided to tally up my findings, and I was a bit surprised at the results.

My wife has been encouraging me to read more fiction. She once said she likes it when I laugh while I read. I guess fiction can provide more opportunity for laughter than my choices in non-fiction. The book I read right before taking on Eleanor, was Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies, by polymath Jared Diamond. This 470 page work was really quite interesting, but does not produce humor. The book essentially traces the geographic underpinnings to why some societies advanced (in Western sense) through technology and advancements in agriculture and others did not. Although trained in physiology, Diamond has also moved into evolutionary biology and geography. This book provides geographic and evolutionary biological reasoning to the fate of human societies. I am not sure that the geographic determinism model is as strong as he says, but he provides good reasoning. This book is in somewhat of a contrast to other books which base advancement more on an economic model. I think the two are tied together. Economies became more specialized and advanced due to agriculture and Diamond's reasoning on the geographic underpinnings of agriculture make a great deal of sense.

Eleanor cover

Eleanor, as a work of fiction was quite funny, even given the rather despondent nature of some of the occurrences in the work. Part is due to the formal language Eleanor uses, and her lack of  a "filter" or knowledge of appropriateness in social settings. In that measure, I am somewhat like Eleanor, but not near as bad. It only took three days or so to read Eleanor;  it was actually hard to put down.

Since, reading Eleanor, the wife and her book club, which she organized and leads, has read two works of fiction dealing with WWII, first was All the Light we Cannot See, and second The Nightingale. She says both are good books, but the latter was much better. I don't recall those fiction works, producing much laughter from her. She really likes reading historical fiction and right now  she is reading a book about female code breakers in London during WWII. I suggested that since she enjoys reading historical fiction about WWII, perhaps she should read some of the many works of non-fiction on WWII. Why read fiction when can get a true in-depth analysis of what occurred?  She could begin with an easy work such as The Longest Winter, about the Battle of the Bulge before working her way to more involved works, such as the Rick Atkinson trilogy on WWII. It is not like I am suggesting she read Clausewitz's tome. I have a number of books she can read that are the real deal. She, not so politely, declined my offer. She is so good at leading her book club I have suggested she run for Village Board or the School Board, her facial expression was more telling than the words she used. Her father was on his community's town board for many years. Red hair in her family is said to skip a generation, her maternal grandmother had it, but not her mom or any of her mom's siblings. Maybe the political gene skips a couple generations. Will Howie be the next politician in the Goff line?

Guns Germs and Steel cover

The statistics I just worked up from my log of 2019 to 2023 found that I read 197 books, with 30 of them, or 15.23% being fiction, the rest all non-fiction. A deeper dive yielded that I read the most books in 2019 when the wife and I were in a book club together, with the book club books being fiction. That was a book a month. That year I read 44 total books, with13 of them fiction. My highest year of reading was 2020 with 48 books, but only five fiction. My reading dropped, to 41 in 2021, with six fiction, only 33 in 2022 with 4 fiction, and 31 in 2023 with 2 fiction (or just .06% of my books read in 2023 were fiction). The pattern shows that perhaps fiction books are generally a faster read. I know in 2022 two of my books were in the Shelby Foote trilogy on the Civil War (the third in 2023), each a rather long book, the last almost 1100 pages. There were other long works in 2023, such as Masters and Commanders. War books do not produce much laughter. 

My current book, which was my wife's brothers, is a work of non-fiction but is funny, called Enslaved by Ducks. Some works of non-fiction can be funny. The wife reads mostly fiction, but does also read non-fiction, she recently finished a book about reducing waste. I wonder what percent of books she reads are non-fiction? She also reads many more books a year than I do. Probably because, as I spend time writing a blog post, she is reading. 

House Heating and Cooling

A year or two ago the wife signed our household up for a program (Smart Hours) through Alliant Energy, our electric and natural gas provider, that allows them to control our cooling and heating during peak demand periods. This is a story of that heat and cooling control.

First off, I am familiar with peak control of electricity, but seldom hear of peak control of heating (natural gas). Electric use is more peak demand problematic than is heating, due to air conditioning use, and the hottest part of the day being the time people return home from work, begin cooking, and doing laundry and other chores. Utilities employ costly natural gas powered turbines and fuel oil generators to meet peak electric demand. Many have a program with private businesses. I am familiar where MGE will provide back up generators to the business on the condition that they can be used by MGE for peak power generation to meet load demand. This program generated (pun intended) a great deal of concern among neighbors of a large data server complex that had several generators. Each addition of servers posed the most difficult of issues of expansion for the data center and the most difficult to manage, particularly sound management. People realized that if the power was out it would be a unique circumstance, but they did not like the idea of large, noisy generators, the size of a semi trailer, running on a summer afternoon. I felt for the homeowners who had no idea such a facility would be placed near their home, but was due to the large influence businesses have on city decision making under the guise of economic development. It is not like they produce a great number of high paying quality jobs, as there are few workers at data centers, which reduces traffic load in the area.

Really, a normal temp of 70 for cooling?

Last week, on Thursday, 15 Feb 2024 we received notification that due the coming cold weather they would control our heat from 6 am to 8am. on Friday, 16 Feb. Alliant indicated they would first heat the house up to a normal temp before setting the thermostat to a lower temp than our normal 67 degrees. I thought they must be mistaken as the outside temps were anticipated to only get down to about 24 degrees, and wondered if they meant Saturday morning when it is projected to be 10 degrees. This made me wonder what kink was occurring in natural gas supply. 

When that large data farm was going in I suggested that they do a cogeneration type of facility, to transfer their excess heat to help heat adjoining buildings. The University of Notre Dame has its own data facility which heat is used for greenhouses owned by the city of South Bend, IN. It is doable, and the technology is readily available (heat tunnels like the UW Campus has had for a century or more). However, the representative of the owner said it would be a tier 4 secure data center, which would not allow the heat transfer. As is typical of business decisions, it turned out not to be a tier 4, but a lower tier 3 data center which has less security measures, and under which they could have done heat transfer. I think they simply did not wish to do it, and came up with such an excuse. Bait and switch tactic. Such co-use of a heat producing source could have benefited adjoining buildings, and reduced both electric, natural gas, and water use. Data centers are cooled 365 days a year, all day long, every day of the week. The large cooling equipment uses a great deal of water, which is not appreciated by the utility, but was appreciated by the economic development coordinator, and one need not guess who won out. 

A homeowner receives notification of an upcoming event

MGE one time owned 80 acres off of Seminole Highway in Fitchburg that was to be used as a fly ash dump. That never materialized, but then they wanted to put some large combustion turbines in, and right across Seminole Highway is the high-end subdivision Seminole Forest. They were in an uproar and MGE eventually pulled the request. I often wondered how many of the customers at that time had the device that allowed the utility to turn off their air conditioning unit as a demand reduction method? We had one in McFarland. A rate payer interested in conservation and reducing peak load would certainly have had that device.

It came to pass that Friday morning arrived and we got out of bed about 6:15 am, Our heat is set down at night to 64, and is programed to be at 67 at 6:45 am. Friday morning the temp stayed at 64, which made us wonder if they ever heated it up more, as they did not recognize that we set our heat back a few degrees at night, which the utility companies recommend, but many furnace manufacturers do not. The heat stayed at that temp until about 7:30 or 7:45 when it kicked in and started to warm up to our standard day time temp of 67.

We have had our thermostat turned up in the summer, but they cooled down the house before hand. This makes me wonder if it saves much electricity (or natural gas) on the customer end?  It reduces peak load for the utility, but does a homeowner see a greater energy expense by the company cooling the house down or heating the house up, and get it back to normal set temperature, or is more energy used to accommodate the temperature fluctuation? Our house temp with the AC is about 76 degrees. The problem is excessive load can cause issues with furnaces and air conditioners. We had an issue many years ago with our furnace when we turned the heat in the house down to about 60. The technician indicated that it is best not to turn it down that far, as it placed too much load on the furnace, to heat up the house at the same time as it is combating heat loss in extreme cold. At times it would have to turn itself off before it would start up again. I suspect the same situation happens with air conditioners. The entity that benefits is the utility by reduction of load. In reducing load for the energy provider are we increasing our costs? 

One week last year we went camping and the forecast was for temps in 90's to near 100. We got to our campsite in northeast WI, and had settled in. I bought a small load of firewood nearby because temps were supposed to be hot in that area of the state too. The fires would be limited for evening cooking and perhaps night enjoyment. The next day I went and bought a big supply as the temps at our location struggled to get to 60 degrees, while 80 miles away it was in upper 80's. It was that way for our whole four night camping trip. We went through all the firewood I had purchased a few miles from the campground. Some days the fire was going most of the time we were awake. It all goes to show how variable the weather is.

Alliant's Qualifications for Smart Hours

I had never expected to get that email from Alliant that they would be controlling our heat for a couple hours, particularly since it never occurred when we had that week of very cold weather in January. The Smart Hours program may benefit the utility more than the customer even though it is sold by the utility and conservation organizations as a cost saving measure to the homeowner. Although saving a utility the expense of large generators helps the rate payer, but its peak production demand measures are borne by all ratepayers, whereas this program perhaps only enrollees of the Smart Hours program bear a burden. The cooling and heating turn down do not bother me, and it makes me think I am doing my part, but I do wonder if it costs us extra. 

Note: Images from Alliant Energy website.

The Exorcist

The Exorcist was released in US Theaters on 29 Dec 1973. Whether or not it was released "In theaters everywhere!" I do not know. Much of the theater viewing occurred in 1974, or fifty years ago. The movie is based on a real life occurrence of an exorcism performed by two Jesuit priests near St Louis, MO. Recently, I came across a letter my mother had received from her brother Joe Sweeney dated 25 Feb 1974. I know my parents saw the movie, The Exorcist, based on the book of the same title. My uncle Joe, had been a Jesuit priest, but left the priesthood, and for a time he was employed in Texas with Amoco. This provides the connection to the real exorcism and this is that story.

Christmas 1972, Uncle Joe was in Kansas City for Christmas with friends from Amoco. Attending the same party was Fr Thomas Bowdern, a Jesuit priest whose brother, William Bowdern, was the lead exorcist in the Missouri case. The book by William Peter Blatty was first released in 1971;  I am not sure if Uncle Joe had read the book at the time of that letter, although he knew of the stor y, probably from the Jesuits and his education at Campion High School, Loyola University, and at seminary in West Baden, IN. Fr Wm Bowdern was asked to consult on the movie, but was forbidden by the Bishop. Fr Wm Bowdern was the rector at Campion, a private Jesuit run school in Prairie du Chien, WI, from 1937-1942, starting two years after my dad graduated from Campion in 1935. The real exorcism was of a boy 13 years of age, now revealed to be Ronald Edwin Hunkeler. At times he was referred to as Roland Doe. Ronald was baptized in the Lutheran faith. His mother was Lutheran, but his father was baptized Catholic, but a non-practicing as were his parents. A great deal of information is in a transcription of a diary kept by Fr Bishop of St Louis. Fr Bishop, consulted with the family after being asked by a cousin of the boy and that is how the whole thing started in St Louis. You can find a copy of the diary here.

Fr William Bowdern, SJ

Fr Wm Bowdern was assisted in the exorcism by Fr Walter Halloran. Halloran graduated from Campion four years after my dad, but also taught at Campion and Marquette University. Fr Mike Montague, SJ, who taught my Uncle Joe at West Baden Seminary in 1957, was with Walter Halloran at St Louis University at the time of the exorcism. Fr Montague had told my Uncle Joe, at a party years before the 1974 letter, that Fr Walt Halloran used to drive Fr Bowdern to a "small home in the country where the boy was kept." Fr Montague had told my uncle that "Walt would show up for breakfast sometimes all scratched up!" Uncle Joe goes on to say that "Evidently he was somewhat of an 'assistant' to the exorcising priest."  Fr Halloran's brother was a classmate at Campion with my Uncle Joe. Who knew that a small school in a small rural outpost in Wisconsin had such a deep connection to perhaps the most famous exorcism in the United States, if not the world.

The boy originally played with a Ouji board to contact a recently deceased aunt who was involved in the occult, and with spiritualists. The tale starts in January 1949. Normal during the day, things took a bad turn for the boy at night. Doctors, psychiatrists and other medical professionals were consulted, but to no avail. Two Lutheran ministers took on the task, along with a spiritualist, but they too struck out The ministers, in a rare bit of ecumenism, recommended a Catholic priest. Fr Hughes of Maryland, did not see the boy, but advised holy water, and prayers. The mother sprinkled holy water in the room and placed the jar on a shelf. Directly after placement on the shelf, she reported an unknown force threw the jar across the room, breaking it and spilling the holy water.

Walter Halloran
1939 Campion Photo

With little luck in Maryland, the family moved the boy to St Louis where the boy's mother was from and had relatives. It would be too lengthy and disturbing to report all manifestations witnessed, but let me review a few, many of which made the movie, some which did not. Scratches on the boy, bed moved violently, guttural sounds and a trance like state occupied the boy, X scratched on his chest, a pitchfork emblem emblazed on his thigh which moved to ankle. Urinating on the bed and in the room. In March 1949 the family was deciding whether or not to take the boy to St Louis, they found St Louis scratched on the boy, and later Saturday, as the day to take him. Why they obeyed such commands is another matter. A cousin of the boy inquired of his teacher, Fr Bishop, who viewed and did consultations with others, leading to the involvement of Mr. Halloran (he was still in formation and not yet ordained) and Father Bowdern. Bishop also assisted and kept the diary linked above. 

My uncle writes to my mother that "it was all hush-hush, and no one in the SJ community knew what was going on. Evidently, Fr Bowdern and "Mr" Halloran were sworn to secrecy ('sworn' at least in the sense of professional ethics prevented any mention of the case.)" My uncle notes that as the news articles say the exorcism was a  success. He goes on to say the "man today is happily married and has no memory of it all."  Ronald would go on to be an engineer with NASA, his name as the one involved only revealed after his death in 2020.

Halloran grave marker, Cavalry Cemetery
 Milwaukee, WI

Fathers Bishop and Bowdern and Mr  Halloran first met and said prayers on 7 Mar. and then again daily from 9 March to 15 March. For the intervention on 16 March, Bowdern had received permission for the Rite of Exorcism to be performed. Ronald decided to become a Catholic and on 23 March began instruction for entering the Church. On Friday, Apr 1, he was baptized, but the devil fought the baptism, which took a long time to complete. Prayers of exorcism continued after the baptism.  Due to the toll on the family it was decided to go back, by train, to Washington DC area. The entourage, including Fr Bowdern and another priest, left on Monday, 4 April, but by 7 Apr they had to return to St Louis due to doctors not wishing his placement in a medical institution run by the Daughters of Charity. Bowdern made arrangements at the Alexian Brothers Hospital in St Louis. Exorcisms continued daily at the hospital until Easter Monday, 18 Apr, when prayers, placement of holy relics and medals on the boy, against the desires of the demon, started to work. Eventually that night, the demon decided to depart the boy. According to the Bishop diary, the most extraordinary event occurred at 10:45 pm that night with the following: "In clear, commanding tones, and with dignity, a voice broke into the prayers. The following is an accurate quotation: 'Satan! Satan! I am Saint Michael, and I command you, Satan, and the other evil spirits to leave the body in the name of Dominus, immediately. -- Now! NOW! N O W!'"  A very violent seven to eight minute encounter occurred and then as accounted: "R, in a tome of complete relief said, 'He’s gone!'"

R, or Ronald, then described the battle that occurred between Michael the Archangel and Satan. Satan called in reinforcements, but the power of St Michael overwhelmed them all. (See p 28 of the above linked diary.)

My uncle, in concluding the section of the letter regarding The Exorcist, would state: "It is a movie of doubtful value, of strong and disturbing imagery ...not for the young and immature. You'd be out of your cotton pickin' head if you let Greg or Tom see it." We were 16 at the time, and certainly my twin brother was of a high level of maturity to have watched the movie, but we were almost a year shy of our 17th birthday for an R rated movie. I suppose it represented a dilemma for our parents as to allow Greg but not Tom to watch the movie. I have seen it a couple times, all on DVD. Uncle Joe also included a copy of an article written by Fr O'Malley, SJ, who played father Dyer in the movie, and was a consultant on the film. 

Ronald, in later life, had told a person he made it all up, he was simply a bad boy. I wonder why he all of a sudden became a good boy that Easter Monday? I don't think bad behavior changes that quickly. The events have several witnesses, many independent from the others, such as parents, aunts and uncles, Lutheran ministers and later Catholic priests. While Fr Hughes had been consulted by the Lutheran ministers in Maryland, he never saw the boy. Actual involvement of Catholic priests with the boy only came upon the family move to the St Louis area to the home of an uncle and aunt. His comment is an easy one to avoid getting involved.

Is not getting involved part of the devil's plan? I participated in five zoom sessions over the past five weeks on Laudate Deum (the Pope's Apostolic Exhortation on climate change), arranged by the Catholic Multi-cultural Center in Madison. It centered on the effects of climate change in various parts of the world, with speakers from Central America, Africa, and the US and the effects and efforts being used to combat climate change. On Monday, 2/12, we had a fifth session which allowed more discussion by the group on the document. During that group discussion, one person relayed the following story: The devil asked three little devils how they would convince people to have their soul destroyed. The first one said to tell people there is no heaven, which the devil dismissed as people have hope; the second said tell people there is no hell, which was dismissed as it would not long last; the third said to whisper to people there is no hurry. Getting over the reticence of climate change in much of the population requires a change of heart. And, perhaps simply saying he was a bad boy was Ronald's way of explaining what occurred, after all, he may have had no memory of it at all.

Evil is all around us today, although it has been common in history. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are just two of varied ongoing conflicts. There are conflicts in Nigeria, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines, just to mention a few. The boy in Maryland may have or have not been possessed by the devil 75 years ago. If he did not it must have been quite an elaborate ruse given the observations provided by a variety of observers. Today there are many procedures, as well there should be, for an exorcism to take place, at least in the Catholic Church. Exorcisms are apparently practiced in some eastern religions, such as Buddhism. It may be human way of dealing with bad events. I am not sure what really happened with Ronald 75 years ago, but an exorcism was performed, and Jesuit Fr William Bowdern was the exorcist.

 

Censored

On the last Tuesday of January I was at book club at St Ann's in Stoughton, WI. While we normally discuss a chapter or perhaps chapters of a book at each meeting, we read The Giver  over one week and discussed the full book that evening. Before beginning our discussion, the leader of the group read an email she received from a friend of hers. The email recounted how a live stream of a mass for her parish (the last Sunday in Jan) on Facebook suddenly disappeared. Turns out the broadcast had been censored by Facebook during the second reading. 

Scene from Movie "The Giver"
Jonas (r)  and friends Fiona and Asher

At the time, the parish leaders did not know why the feed was cut, and I suppose it took a bit of time to realize it had been cut off. A techie at the parish was able to reestablish a live link before mass concluded. Reasonably, the parish leaders wanted to know what caused the live stream broadcast to be cut off. They discovered that Facebook had censored it due to its content. What content was so egregious to Facebook that it had to censor that mass? The censor, probably AI, got upset and cut off the stream due to the second reading which involved 1 Corinthians (St Paul's first letter to the Corinthians), 7:32-35. The reading goes like this:

 I would like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is concerned about the  things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the things of this world, how he can please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the affairs of this world, how she may please her husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction. (Bold by author)

Facebook's censors, although as I said probably AI to catch it even before it aired (meaning their must be some delay), apparently thought the reading too much for their liking. I suppose the use of a husband wanting to please his wife,  virgins, followed by married woman wanting to please the husband was too much for the censor algorithm. The affected Church, in a funny quip, noted that the church was not banning bibles. The person who wrote the email the church sent out had a good sense of humor.

Scene from Movie, "The Giver"
Jonas saving baby Gabe from being euthanized

The book The Giver, was apparently banned for a time in a few states, the first being California. It was banned in the 1990's for its sexual expression and euthanasia of children and adults. There is some irony about this middle school selection being banned and mass the prior weekend being censored. The book is actually quite good, giving a glimpse into what the pursuit of sameness can affect a world or society. They even lacked color, with much in black and white and 50 shades of gray. It is also a movie, available on Netflix. Our copy of the book notes an interview with Taylor Swift and a few other actors in the movie. I did not realize that Tay (we all know Tay as Trav's girlfriend; the NFL is not about to let Tay travel by her private jet back from Tokyo only to see Trav lose in the Super Bowl; a power couple that Roger Goodell seems to love the money they bring) was in the movie, but when watching it a couple weeks ago, she had a fleeting moment playing the Giver's daughter Rosemary. Blink and you would miss her. 

Those who wish to ban or censor material cannot have it both ways--cutting out what they don't like, but keeping what they do. This reminds me of the scene in the move Footloose, where Roger starts burning books. The pastor stopped the book burning, in part by asking "When did you all decide to sit in judgement?" and later saying while pointing to his heart: "Satan is not in these books, it's in here." Would Roger have thought the bible so salacious that it too should be burned? When it comes to censorship, who decides? That was the point of the pastor in the movie. In the US, social media companies now play a large role in censorship. 

Mother in the Parlor

I have mentioned previously that Land Registers from Bohemia often provide some tidbits of interesting information. The Jan 17 2024 post dealt with the Penicka's in our family line and how in 1673 Bartholomej willed a cow to his wife "on account of her long-standing marriage and faithful service at all times."  Today, let me turn again to the Penicka line, which is Konzal through marriage, and deal with the mother in the parlor.

Martin Konzal Birth (1702)

Christina Penicka of Nebahovy, a daughter of Bartholomej and his faithful wife Dorothea (yes, the one who received a cow on her husband's death) married Mathias Konzal of Zernovice on 3 Feb 1692. Mathias purchased his family's farm holding on 19 Feb 1689 following the death of his father. On 11 Apr 1738, one year and four months after his father passed away the holding was purchased by the youngest son of Mathias and Christina, Martin Konzal. His sister Barbara is my 6th great grandmother, making Martin my 6th great great uncle. His handover document is where one starts to wonder about the family dynamic. Martin was the youngest of six children and, being in his early thirties at the time of his father's death in 1736, likely did much of the farm work for his mother until he was able to purchase the holding in 1738. 

Martin Konzal Marriage (1743)

It was customary for a new holding owner to take on not only the cost of the farm, but also providing retirement benefits and funeral expenses of his surviving parent(s). Many farms had a smaller house on the property referred to as the retirement annex. If not used for a retired couple it may have been living quarters for a farm hand or rented out. Although farm hands often lived in the family quarters. Moms or stepmoms often outlive their husband. Grimm tales are noteworthy regarding the prevalence of evil stepmothers. In Martin's situation the document notes the following: "The conditions of the purchase follow that the widow Christina, as the new holder’s mother, should be permitted to remain in the farmhouse parlor for as long as she can get along with her son (italics by author for emphasis), however, should they not get along, Christina is permitted to remain in the retirement annex." For some reason, the mother wants to live in the house and not the retirement annex, but if they cannot get along she has the right to live in the retirement annex. Martin was single at the time, and perhaps desired to keep an eye out for him. Or, she desired someone to talk to. Many widows seem to be lonely, but at that time and culture, the parents were near a son or daughter, at least in the farm culture.

Summary Translation of Provisions for
Christina and Mariana required by Martin Konzal (1638)

This case either upends, or proves what I think I know about mother's and their youngest son. From experience as a child, the youngest son (I am a middle child) of a large family was often the most spoiled child in the family, particularly a large family. I am thinking this proves the point. Christina really wanted to stay in the house so she could continue to dote on her son. He did not marry until 27 Oct 1743, so five years after his purchase of the holding. He may well have needed his mother to help around the house as he worked the fields. His sister Marianna never married, and she, like Christina obtained retirement benefits from Martin. This often indicates some level of disability for a sibling, although there is not indication in the land register summary I had completed that she was disabled in any way. 

Christina Birth (1670)

Records often record a disability and the need for care of a sibling. The purchase agreement contains provisions to provide not only his mother with varied harvests from arable land, straw from certain fields, flax seed, a four beds of cabbage, but also fruit from specified fruit trees and three klafter (just under three cords) of firewood. Upon her mother's death Mariana would receive rye, barley, hay, peas and three field beds of cabbage. Both Christina and Mariana are thought to have died in or before 1767. 

Part of original text of Provisions for Christina and Mariana

When Martin took on the holding, his mother lived in the parlor, or the retirement annex for 29 or 30 years until her death at about age 97. Given that length of time, I sure hope they did in fact get along. There is no available record to indicate if she was pushed to the retirement annex, but Martin and his wife had seven children and so that may well have occurred. For an idea of a typical farm house in Bohemia, please see this post. Life with extended family was common, and so Martin's wife, just bore the load with the mother-in-law in the house, or next door. Martin died in 1794 at age 90, three months and three days after his 90th birthday. He must have had his mother's longevity gene.

I think Christina was a force to be reckoned with as a wife and mother. Two instances in the record show this: first, that she received a cow on the death of her husband (a great gift for a true land girl), and second that she was allowed to live in the parlor, but only for as long as she can get along with her son. It is not her son getting along with her, but her getting along with her son. Maybe it is best to think of her as an 18th century version of Marie Barone, who truly doted on her youngest son, even in a family of two children. Whatever the situation, living to 97 she sure made an impact as the mother in the parlor.

Source: Land Register for Zernovice, Prachatice District, Bohemia, Ord 21 image 11 at: https://digi.ceskearchivy.cz/720428/11/2603/2430/18/0

Summary Translation by Richard D'Amelio, 2023.

Letting Me Down

This is an unusual blog post. I really don't know what to write about this week. I can usually count on my wife for material, but she has fallen down on the job; she has failed to give me some good material for a blog post. She has let me down.

With the cold weather the past week we have been stuck inside a great deal. Not with my continuing foot problems I get out much. The wife has spent much of her time working on jigsaw puzzles. I think she is on her fifth puzzle. Putting puzzles together does not provide really good material. Except, when she gets exasperated because when a puzzle contains a piece that can be used in more than one spot. She may get half or 2/3 of the way through and realizes that something is wrong. The current puzzle has Piglet getting carried up by a few balloons and Pooh has grabbed him and is going up too. Strong balloons to take Pooh up I have to say. Oh bother. 

Pooh Bear Puzzle

For Christmas, from my sister, I got a couple puzzle books, a clock to put together and a 3-D puzzle. I may let the wife do the 3-D puzzle of Notre Dame Cathedral. I think the wife will have to help me with the puzzle, because it would probably take me longer to put it together than its current restoration effort. The first book I have started working on is titled, The Ultimate Activity Book for Intelligent Men and I have to say I probably should have had the book for non-intelligent men. One puzzle has the names of what they say are famous composers, and nine of opera singers, and you have to select who is a composer. The composer names are not Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Handel, or even Chopin. I think of the 18 names, I only have one, Gustav Mahler. I think he wrote the Resurrection Symphony. 

There is a similar puzzle with nine currencies and musical instruments. What is a Zloty, sounds like a currency, but I am not sure. Sistrum sounds like a disease, but perhaps a musical instrument. We are talking obscure names, words I really have not heard. That is how I handle the puzzle, what they seem like they could be. Koto could go either way, but I am guessing instrument. Then there is the one to distinguish between birds and reptiles. I don't recall seeing a Gharial at the zoo. Maybe I need the puzzle book for dumb men.

The puzzles I have been quite good at are the mazes. Perhaps because they are spatial, but I get through them quite fast. I leave the Sudoku puzzles for the wife. Sudoku really does not leave much room to write about, other than how good she is at them. She has started an even more difficult version of Sodoku called Sumoku. 

The thing is, even a guy like me found a few mistakes in this Intelligent Men's puzzle book. One was a spelling error. They provided 42 words that all begin and end with E and you have to place them in a crossword like puzzle. A couple words could go in more than one place, and one word (actually two) was misspelled they had Enfant Terrible in the word list and it is actually enfante terrible. This means it had 15 and not 14 letters. That stumped me for a while until I realized it was misspelled. Other than that, it was a fun puzzle to do.  

Puzzle with words that begin and end with E

I guess the cold and now dreary weather has indoors more, and with the wife putting crosswords puzzles together she just does not provide sufficient material for a blog post. I have counted on her antics many times for a blog post, but now she is letting me down.