Vas You Ever In Zinzinnati?
Posted on January 31, 2008 - Filed Under Family history
As my Mom is cleaning out the museum room (It’s like a walk-in attic; a large unfinished room upstairs in her house where boxes of stuff have been stored for years) she has given me a variety of old books, which I will report on occasionally. This is one of those books.
Given to my Aunt Anna Mary and my Uncle Gus by cousin Virginia Pulskamp June 28, 1968, it makes for an interesting read forty years later. I have only been to Cincinnati twice so far. Once a few years ago, for a Technical Writers’ conference, wherein cousin Jinny (Virginia) met me for a lovely meal and visit, and once in September of last year as I met with Pulskamp cousins to kick start the plans for the World Wide Gathering of the Pulskamps. Both visits were wonderful and I look forward to my visit this August for the Gathering.
This book is a real fun read. Dick Perry covers the history of Cincinnati and it’s neighborhoods with humor and a flip style. He makes the people and events real and interesting for the reader. Since I don’t know the city well, I will admit that I skipped over some of his up-to-date descriptions (up-to-date in 1966, that is) but really enjoyed the history up to World War II.
If you would like to borrow the book to read yourself, let me know, or you can find another copy for a song on Amazon.
Winter at the Old Homestead
Posted on January 21, 2008 - Filed Under Family history, Pulskamps Today
Cousin Melvin Pulskamp, with help from his son Aaron, sent some great photos of St. Mary-on-the-Rock, where the earliest American Pulskamps worshipped and are buried, and the old homestead. Mel is, evidently, an excellent photographer!
You can find the photos in the Pulskamp Photo Gallery, or download the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation by clicking on the link below:
St. Mary Pictures Winter 2007-8
Ken Pulskamp, Family History
Posted on January 16, 2008 - Filed Under Family history, Pulskamps Today
Ken Pulskamp, city manager for Santa Clarita, California, is featured in a story that you can find at KTHS Radio AM 1220. I have not heard from Ken directly, but will try again to connect with him. He is my fourth cousin, descended from the oldest son. It seems that he attended school in San Francisco with a dear friend of mine. I would love to take a look at the book he was given, as well as get him to attend our World Wide Gathering of the Pulskamps.
I have contacted Bonnie Petrovich, who is the person in the story who presented Ken with the family history, and hope she can share the information with us. Isn’t this fun?!
Thanks to my brother, Michael Pulskamp, for passing this story on to me. Remember, you can contact me by hitting the Leave a Comment button below any story. I moderate all comments, so no one will see them until I read them. Let me know if you do not want a comment published but only want to reach me.
Christmas at Grandma’s
Posted on January 8, 2008 - Filed Under Family history, Pulskamps Today
Each Christmas everyone in our extended family (including those we’ve “adopted”) tries their best to make it over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house. It is always a fantastic and chaotic party! There is always lots of food and even more great friends and family to visit with. There’s always some new people to enjoy too as everyone wants to be adopted into our fun and crazy family. It’s always loud and a bit chaotic, and while to some this could be a little stressful, I love it. It’s loud, noisy and chaotic because everyone is having so much fun and we’re all so creative at doing it. When I see this I just feel so lucky to have been born into this family.
This year is our second without Grandpa, and whereas last year it didn’t seem possible to even have a Christmas without him, this year it was better. And this year Santa brought the grand kids a memory of Grandpa to take home with them. Many of us got presents wrapped with a monkey fist knot that Grandpa had tied while teaching Girl Scouts how to tie them. Grandpa was big on knot tying and this was one of his favorite knots. You can see one around my neck in the picture of Grandma and me. Many of us, including me, also received a book that belonged to Grandpa’s Father, Henry John Pulskamp. Along with the books came a note explaining a bit about him and a bit Xeroxed from an actual letter Henry had written to his sister after the death of their mother. My book is called “Arts – Crafts Lamps How to Make Them” Copyright 1911. I can’t speak for everyone, but as for me, I enjoyed Santa’s present this year much more than usual. Some of my cousins received things other than books but I can’t remember what. At Grandma’s we open one present at a time and you have to sit in the blue chair in front of everyone to do so. It took a good two hours or so; needless to say I missed some of it. So thank you Santa!
I’ve put some pictures from Christmas day in the Pulskamp.org photo gallery at the link below!
http://www.pulskamp.org/photos/v/2007Christmas/
First Registrations are in!
Posted on January 8, 2008 - Filed Under World Wide Gathering of the Pulskamps
We have received our first registration for the World Wide Gathering of the Pulskamps! Hooray! If you misplaced your form or need me to send forms to other family members, just drop me an email or click the comment button below (Comments are not public unless I release them. I will never release a comment with private information in it so you can use that button to communicate with me.)Â Â I will gladly send the form out to any address you suggest. Today in the mail I got a request for several more from my second cousin, Gene Pulskamp. I also got a note from Pulskamps in South Dakota saying that they would not be attending, but I can still hope that they may change their minds.
You can download a pdf version of the registration form by clicking here.
Epiphany Traditions
Posted on January 3, 2008 - Filed Under Family history, Uncategorized
Epiphany has been our family’s favorite celebration for about twenty years now. Every year, on January 6th, we invite all our friends and relatives to our house to celebrate the 12th night of Christmas. We eat too much and laugh a lot. Everyone is invited to bring a gift for a poor homeless child in Santa Clara County in honor of that special Child born in a manger two millennium ago. As the Wise Men brought him gifts we collect gifts for others. It turns out to be a much nicer time to party than the hectic pre-Christmas madness and we hold it very precious, seeing friends we miss all year.
There are many other Epiphany traditions. In some countries, this is the traditional day for gifts while December 25 is reserved for a stronger focus on the Christ Child and family gatherings. A rich cake is created and shared with all, in honor of the Three Kings. A gold coin or a small statue of the baby Jesus or a tiny crown might be baked into the cake. The person who finds the surprise is named king for the year, or may be required to provide the next party on Candlemas Day.
When my daughter and I traveled to Germany last year, we were reminded of another special way of marking the day: The letters CMB with the year (such as this year, 20*C+M+B*08) were marked in chalk above the entry to each house we visited in Germany. The letters may signify the fictional names of the three Wise Men: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but just as likely they are an abbreviation for the Latin phrase: Christus Manionem Benedicat (Christ bless this house.).
So why is Epiphany so important? It marks the fact that Jesus our Saviour came for all humans, not just the Jewish people. Since most of us are not Jewish, this is really big!
Holiday Thoughts
Posted on December 22, 2007 - Filed Under Uncategorized
By my brother, John Richard Pulskamp
At this time of the year, people of diverse cultures and religious traditions from 
all over the world stop and celebrate. Then there are some who do not consciously celebrate, but the good will expressed and fostered by others cannot help but lift the spirits of those individuals as well.
Whether you celebrate or not, it is our wish for you that you may enjoy your days, rest in comfort at night, never be alone except when you seek solitude, be secure in your future, and satisfied with your past.
Peace on you in all your days.
Same Old House
Posted on December 3, 2007 - Filed Under Family history, World Wide Gathering of the Pulskamps
Here’s an image from Microsoft Maps showing the same old house
that Mary Klei Pulskamp lived in. She died in 1947 or ’48. I also found a copy of her last will and testament and a letter my grandfather, Henry John, wrote to his sister regarding the will. All very interesting stuff.
Old Home-Cincinnati
Posted on December 3, 2007 - Filed Under Family history, World Wide Gathering of the Pulskamps
Here’s a photo we found in my Dad’s stuff. It shows his grandmother’s home in Cincinnati in July 1939. That would be Mary Klei Pulskamp. I wonder if the house is still there. If so, can someone take a photo of it today and I can post that also? The address is 1608 Young Street, Cincinnati.
Four Generations of Pulskamps
Posted on November 20, 2007 - Filed Under Family history
Gerhard Pulskamp is shown in this photo with his son, Henry, his grandson Joseph Henry, and his baby great grandson, Joseph Matthew. The baby is the grandfather of David Schumann, who sent me this photo. I will post it to the photo gallery soon, but it is easier for me to post a story, so here it is.
If you have photos to share, feel free to send them to me and I will try to include them on the blog. If you have information you would like to share with the family, but not the public, let me know and I will put it into the Pulskamp wiki, which requires a password to view, add to, or edit.
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