This blog’s co-editor, Jim Whitener, has had a life-long wish to visit his ancestral lands in North Carolina. He finally fulfilled that dream recently with a trip to Catawba County that included his ever-so-genealogically-patient wife, their children, and grandchildren. He promises to share more of his trip (once he settles down from the awe and excitement? ;D), but I wanted to start it off with a few images.
The German immigrant Heinrich Weidener and his wife Catharina Moll were married in Pennsylvania and migrated to Catawba County, North Carolina, by 1750. Heinrich’s name, of course, has many spellings, including Henrich Widner and Henry Widener. No matter how you spell it, make sure you pronounce that ‘W’ as a ‘V’ like the Germans would, and make the last name be just two syllables.
These pictures are of the “Henry Widener Oak” in the History Museum of Catawba County in Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina.
The artist included the family names of the many Weidner descendants.
Sorry that the above picture is a bit blurry- too much zoom or too much excitement?
We genealogists are just so weird.
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) Images taken by James Whitener, July 2014.
2) Catawba County Museum of History: http://www.catawbahistory.org/catawba_county_museum_of_history.php
Please contact us if you would like a higher resolution image.
Copyright 2013-2014 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm, and James Whitener.
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Thank you. Its been years since I made this trip.
Thank you