Hello Mr. Pfitzer, While researching a possible family curse I came upon your posting.
I would like to share with you some of my experiences. First of all it would maybe be helpful to know a few things about me, my family, my life.
I was born into violence, parents fought alot. I the third living child of four. Father received custody of us three older children. My self about three, the youngest of the three.
Life was rough to say the least. We moved from Portland, Oregon when I was abt. 9 y/o to a farm in Spokane Co. Washington, and left Mom and all her family behind. Any mention of mother and we would "get it".
So after I became a teen ager I ran away from home, to return again and run away again. Nothing ever got better.
While on the road there were a few places I had that funny feeling. After running for a while I realized my problems followed me where ever I went. So why not go home and face them so they would go away.
I was in three foster homes. The second foster home I felt like I had come Home like never before. A strong feeling. I would ride out on horse back, going south from the farm and would feel a pull to go east, and that funny feeling. The third foster home were Morman's, so I learned about genealogy and the study of surnames.
Another time when I was on the run, the trucker I was with stopped in Wenatchee for some apples. I walked into the apple warehouse and felt lots of others, they were gliding from the air coming to greet me. they I could see not by looking directly at them but out of my preferral vision. And they were like black sileuetts. I got that funny feeling again.
Years later, while in my mid twenties, I visit the local library too late for a antique book lecture so decide to visit the genealogy room. Over the years I had collected names, now I began my search. The surname I look up is Irwin, in the book, " The Tekoa Story, From Bunchgrass to Grain, 1961"
The Irwin Family Story was written by Lucy D. Irwin Austin. At the bottom of the first page the author states she and husband had two children, the girl named Noma. I looked at my husband and said, " Wow, there is only one person i have ever met with that name". Turning the page I read to the bottom and it states Noma married..., and it goes on to list My grandpa, my mother and her siblings.
The story also stated where the author is buried. Upon visiting the cemetery, I realized I had been there years ago with my second foster mom. One May day, foster mom was going to the cemetery for Memorial day, I sat in the car, but when I finally looked up at the tomb stones a thought struck me, if I had relations buried here. Never really gave it another thought, until now, twenty some years later.
I grew up with NO family, NO aunts, uncles, only one uncles kids visited, and that was on dad's side of the family.
But I have traced my maternal branch of the family to the 1700's now that I found the Family Story in the Tekoa book. In the cemetery are alot of ancestors of mine. My Great great grandparents, some of their children, and theirs.
My Greatgreat grandparents(Robert and Sarah Jane{nee Scott} Irwin) son married Lillian Palmer and moved to Wenatchee and started a Apple business.
And southeast of my second foster home is where my greatgreat grandparents homesteaded.
I have never written this down before, sorry if it is a bit messy.
I believe our guardian angles are ancestors working for our Heavenly Father and Jesus. Mine kepted me save and in a way lead me Home. My second daughter's name is Sarah. I asked my husband if we could name our daughter Sarah Jane. My husband wanted our Sarah's initials to be silk, Jane wouldn't work but as you know we named her Sarah. That was before I found my GRGRGrandmother Sarah Jane. I swear there was a day I was standing in our living room looking south, toward Tekoa, thinking what should we name our girl. My husband was typing away at the pc maybe 8 feet behind me. No other noise, no one else at home, but him and I. And I am just standing there looking out the doorway, a beautiful day, what to name her, when I heard someone whisper in my ear, "name her Sarah Jane". I turn and look at Husband, he is busy doing a college paper. Again I look out the doorway and I hear it again, "Name her Sarah Jane!" And that funny feeling. By now I had figured that maybe my guardian angles were my ancestors. A year or so later is when my husband and I went to the library and found the book, " The Tekoa Story from Bunchgrass to Grain, 1961", and the mystery was solved.
People think someone is crazy when they start talking like this, unless they too have experienced similar stuff.
Thank you for your posting.
Christina CRSD