Karen Schuyler

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Biography

SUCCINTLY ME

From an egg to a chick to a "kerfluffled" old hen 

PROBLEM

LIFETIME OBSESSION WITH GENEALOGY

PROGNOSIS

NO CURE--TERMINAL

THIS IS A TRIBUTE TO MY BELOVED FAMILY

Family History directs the Songs of Our Lives

"THE AUTUMN BREEZE RUSTLES AND THE LEAVES FALL. TIME AND THE WINDS SCATTER THEM 0N THEIR SEPARATE WAYS OVER THE EARTH. THE LEAF IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE BRANCH BUT IT IS FOREVER A PART OF THE TREE." Written by my Dad The tree of life is much that way

To introduce ourselves we are A Schuyler—I am a genealogist, historian, writer, and valedictorian pursuing the lives of our ancestors and have been for most of the years I have been on earth. My specialty is in the New Jersey, New York, and Maine areas especially during the 1600, 1700 and early 1800s or anytime the SCHUYLER family is involved. Also and most importantly I am a wife to a wonderful husband and mother of two beloved grown children who have lives and loves of their own. AND J—He is my husband of 51 years and a man having had a wonderful professional career has retired all the while being a mixture of King Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin, Photographer and even Sir Percival

OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT— Our purpose is to breathe life into our ancestors once again so that in years to come our descendants will know they were living people who sought happiness and yet also suffered the "slings of arrows" as we all do.

VERSE ONE THE MAESTRO'S (Me) RESUME

1 As far as genealogy goes, I have steeped myself in it for more years than I like to remember. I do know what I'm talking about. I did graduate from college with only one B--the rest A's but this contraption called an I-Pad and myself are headed for divorce court. I am so sorry when it spell checks when it shouldn't and decides it knows the real story. When I type Johannes it types Johannesburg. Stupid thing! Please let me know when it botches things up. I will not be insulted and I am in no way trying to insult you. Never!

2. Anyway, the families we have concentrated on are: SCHUYLER--back to Philip Pieterse Schuyler below and beyond, Tjerks, Sapp, Parsons, Workman, Severns, Thor of Thrace, Hampshire, Harris, Butler, Cosner, Philbrook, Hurd, Bertholf, Gould, Johnson, Wilson, Close, Sabean, Sexton, Sandford, back to Edward the first, Kenneth McAlpin the first King of the Scots, Ilus of Troy, Teller, Varleth, Kingsland, Berry, Jones, Duryea, Brakis, Gerrish, Luce and the extending ancestors of these families. Oh wow too many to list.

3. I have dug deeply into the old Dutch families of New Netherlands, as well as their history and customs. In fact my nephew was baptized in the Old Dutch Church in Albany where I found, through our research, that Arent Schuyler and his mother Margarita Van Slichtenhorst Schuyler had given the largest donations (8 beavers) for the pews in the latter part of the 17th century and so were guaranteed a perpetual membership for their partial benefactorship. The front pew was reserved for the Schuylers and their descendants forever and ever. We have quite a few original letters and documents of the Schuylers from the past including one in old Dutch from 1701. That was a job finding someone who was able to translate it. We looked for over a year contacting everyone we could think of and then after we found the rare expert that could translate Old Dutch it took him a year to transcribe and translate.

So many stories to tell so little time to tell them.

4. As far as my European ancestors go, I seem to have been descended from a polar bear, and a knight who won 500 tournaments and was declared by one historian to be "the best knight in history." Then, there was a fellow who was be-headed and came back together again in his coffin thusly becoming some kind of saint . When the coffin was opened — ta da—he was back together again. Miracles do happen. Relating to my own name, there have been many Annas and Anns going back innumerable generations to Queen Ann of Kiev who became Queen of France when she married King Henry the first. Some have led me to believe I am a descendant of Thor. There are signers of the Magna Carta and those in the Domesday Book. There is royalty, etc. but to me, sometimes what "The Common Folk Do" is more interesting if you can extrapolate from fact the context of their lives. A study of History is so important. Most of us have lived relatively long lives. One living to 106 and an ancient one claiming to have reached 134 years. He maintained that he had fought in four wars starting as a drummer boy and ending with the Siege of Montreal when he was 92. Think of it. How would you feel with an old man 92 years old by your side in battle? What help would he be? Who can know?

5. Also I have researched art work and needlework for dealers before they sold their samplers by providing them with the genealogies of the girls who performed the delicate work; as well as what the values of those lovely items should be. We have likewise helped art dealers with a few paintings and 18th century furniture.

6. We have compiled genealogical treatises ourselves and with other authors

7. and my poetry has received awards.

8. We are not on Ancestry and are not green leafers, though we once were and much of what is online about my families has come from my research through many years--starting in 1950. We were and always will be "The Mad Xeroxers" and have compiled mountains of copies of original data including wills, deeds, vital records, letters, newspaper clippings, notes from personal interviews, and bookcases full of books relating to our families and the areas they came from.

VERSE TWO THE "MAESTRO" THANKS THE ORCHESTRA

1. As we face the years ahead, it is a time for reflection and gratitude. In that regard we again would like to thank Wikitree, Familysearch and Find-A-Grave for the opportunity of researching gratis, "compliments of the house" which is so important to those who are struggling to make ends meet these days during the Co-Vid 19 crisis. Let's remember to give our gifts to these sites by contributing our knowledge and time in 2022.

2. We feel so grateful to those photographers and managers who have created these memorials of the ancestors we love so much. So many have worked tirelessly traveling, snapping photos, adjusting them for Wikitree and Find-A-Grave, while researching the individuals involved. Some of you must have inherited the blood of a Saint and require no sleep.

3. We also would like to thank the many members of Wikitree who thank us for everything contributed so unlike FindAGrave where thank yous are very rare.

4. More thanks go to the many managers who leave humorous or inspiring messages on their profiles including Charles Morgan on FindAGrave who provided me with this quote which describes me perfectly

Genealogy begins as an interest, Becomes a hobby, Continues as an avocation, Takes over as an obsession, And in its last stage, Is an incurable disease.

The truth is I have had this incurable disease since I could talk. We are moving soon and the thought of packing up my mountains of genealogical primary sources is worse than the thought of giving up my addiction to Cheezits.

VERSE THREE THE "MAESTRO'S" MUSICAL NOTES The quotation in the beginning about the old oak tree was included in the 1965 State College Little Lion Yearbook. It was the result of my year long struggle composing the yearbook for our high school. The tremendous old oak tree outside our school then symbolized not only our school and our lives but the lives of our ancestors. Likewise, it further influenced my desire to become a professional genealogist A study of nature can show us so much about humanity. Family ties have always meant so terribly much to me. Sometimes things really don't work out but it doesn't mean that the love has ever faded. Memories pull on our heartstrings and even though the leaves have flown, the acorns have begun to bud. The old oak tree is gone now from the schoolyard and I am hoping that someone will plant a little sapling to replace it. The family tree always goes on.

Thinking of that tree brings back so many fond memories. I have gone on to College which I enjoyed and graduated as valedictorian with many friends but in thinking back I feel so much gratitude for that State College, Pennsylvania school district. One thing that pervades my memory Is how much I was enveloped by music growing up. Our entire community seemed to be entranced by the melodies of life. Concerts, choirs, musical plays, comic operas, bands, music lessons, instrumental lessons. My Dad was the singer who encouraged me to follow suit. His grandfather —Dr Johnson had been in bit parts in the Opera. Anytime of the day or night Dad would be heard vocalizing his feelings or dancing around the floor with Mom or any kid around. I feel a great deal of gratitude for all that music has brought to my life. My music teacher when I was in first grade wrote on my report card "all PEOPLE must pass but music lives forever. Viva la Musica!!" Thank you Lona Lezak, Richard Thorne—my A Capella choir director and so many more as well as my parents who took me to so many musical plays on Broadway—Sound of Music, Music Man, Peter Pan, Once Upon A Mattress, My Fair Lady, etc. so so many.

VERSE FOUR THE SONG OF OUR LIVES

And now raise the baton director...... This is meant to be a "narrante"--a romantic legend-- or maybe it is only a gentle lullaby.

Even when I was 3 or 4 years old, I was asking people to "tell me about you," and my relatives were always happy to comply with what they knew or thought they knew. As the eldest child of the "new" generation, I loved compiling the records of all these relatives and ancestors. Living in State College for nearly 20 years, I had access to the wonderful Penn State University Library. It had a great breadth of information regarding the genealogies of the families in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey. New York, Ohio, and New England - my ancestral homes. I was an avid Xeroxer! I copied everything. My husband sighs just looking at my mountains of "stuff." Since then, I have never stopped trying to learn more about my roots and those of my husband's.

51 years ago, we met in New Mexico. It was like " Kismet" but I was definitely not an Arabian Princess. On the other hand, it was like "Some Enchanted Evening" except it was in the afternoon in the Bernallio County Indian Hospital in the pediatric playroom. It was "across a crowded room," though, like a bolt out of the blue. I was a shy "jonge dame" (Dutch) but when he said "I Honestly Love You." Well, Direct a Crescendo! The first piece of music I ever sang at a recital was from Cinderella—"I Found My Prince Charming." And so I had. A year later, with great triumph, our son (the"sun" of our lives) was born. We nicknamed him SonShine. We had many far-reaching travels and our son went even farther, reaching to Singapore and beyond in search of his dream. Before the son, there was Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Iowa, and Vermont. After the son, there was New Hampshire and a daughter of my heart born at the Dartmouth College Hospital. Our settling roots, though, are here in our beloved Maine.

I came here to Maine as a child. I recall with fondness: Swinging on the front porch of our old log cabin in the woods, looking across the scintillating lake at the Mountain of my soul where the ancient Indians would come from everywhere to collect the flint to make their arrowheads. That memory of life amongst the birch trees and wildflowers never leaves me. The years we summered there with my family are the foundation of my soul. I yearn-- but you must have "HIgh Hopes" and face "Frustration" with a song. Those were the two names for our cabin. We had a nice black metal sign made up with "High Hopes" embossed on it and we would sing "whoops there goes another rubber tree plant" loudly as we approached by boat- -the only way we could get there. My grand "Pa" Sapp was not quite as enamored with this camp of the wilderness. When he first visited us, after only one week, he found an old piece of wood and some old paint. Taking no pains with his dripping 'art work', he concocted what he thought we should call our beloved cabin of yesteryear. Nailing his sign to an old pole it told the one or two people walking by in a month, that to him it was pure "FRUSTRATION" He, himself, though, was always, "A Wand'rin Star." In retrospect I think his problem was that he didn't get enough to eat there as he was a football-size man and the food was rationed because we had to bring it all to the cabin in our little boat when the lake was not too rough. My Pa was a gobbler and I loved him.

It is so true though, we must face life with high hopes, and frustration with a song. If you don't dance where do you get the adrenaline to go on. 'Whatcha' Gonna Do, Whatcha' Gonna Do?"

The tragic death of my dear, dear younger brother was a great loss to us all. Such suffering! How does one recover from all this? I haven't. Assuredly though, he is with my parents and our ancestors in Heaven.

My husband has always been an active supporter of all my shenanigans and we work together on this quest always. He is Merlin to my Jester. He is so very very magical. Of course, my family and friends have always been a part of my "Being " and I have so much to thank them for. My Dad was the storyteller. He created -Fatso the Elf, Jimmy Bear, Ban the Baum (the babysitter), and would tell of all the mischief he and his cousin Gordon Williams got into, and the story of his first visit to my mother's home when an arrow came flying past his head when he walked in the door--Which one of Mom's four brothers? No one knows which little guy it was. No one would fess up. In fact, my Dad would come forth with any story—anything to keep the three of us entertained and somewhat quiet. Really! We were not quiet as you can see from this long profile message. -Again i smile! Both sides of my Mom's brain were always on four cylinders as she received a BS and a BA degree in 3 and a half years and then received a citation for helping to break the Japanese code with her linguistic skills during the World WarII in Washington, DC. Furthermore on her scientific side she taught chemistry, physics and mathmatics. She was the greatest mother ever and i feel saddened she sublimated her abilities but we received her very best! I LOVE them ALL so very, very much whether they know it or not.

One must always live life considering the past, the present, and the future. I learned this when I was only 12 years old. Then I was in a big production as Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz." Not prepared for such a huge audience, I came out of my "house" after the tornado. The fright of all those faces staring up at me made me pull the door and knock the house down on top of me.— Oh No!— Mortification set in!— Despite it alI, I knew the show must go on and I struggled and scrabbled out from under the house emerging bedraggled. Then with a quavering voice I attempted to mimic Judy Garland with the inspiring song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I failed miserably and the audience did NOT applaud. Such heartbreak! Toto had actually stolen the show (Louise Williams was unforgettable and she went on to perform later on Broadway as an adult). After the play, I was backstage in tears. When my Daddy appeared, I cried even harder but with a big hug he said softly with a little grin, "It's over, honey. It's past, but you've learned a lot. Right now you must dry your tears and come face your 'fans.' In your tomorrows there will be many treasures—somewhere over your rainbow. Such a wise, loving, literate man! In a way, that sentiment has always been with me. There are the warm thoughts of the past filled with knowledge and regret. Presently, I do the best I can with a smile and a silly tap dance complete with top hat and cane, while always looking to the future with Hope and Joy.

We all have had the drowning rains and the exhilarating rainbows.

VERSE FIVE--this is a long concert

THE MELODY CONTINUES Sing! Sing! Sing!--and if you don't know the words pretend or Hum loudly as my darling mother would do. We called her Mother-One-Note. She thought we were cute. I think NOT. I miss her so very, very much. Such an amazing woman in every way!!

Lest you think life has been all roses for us—forget it. I myself have been chronically ill since I was 16 with autoimmune disease.

The sadness and suffering I have seen in the lives of others (which I have felt vicariously) in the Indian Hospital in New Mexico and in the slums at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore , where I worked, were too much to want to remember but it was an important part of my life and gave me a depth of feeling for those that struggle for their existence--especially the CHILDREN! . Please pray for them and our fellowmen and women.

Hopefully, this CONCERT will receive a good review. Will we receive a "LOLLIPOP?" Will anyone applaud this time? I am begging you. Please say you liked it. Do you know the old song "Lollipop" by the Chordettes? Bop with me. Throw me lollipops--at least one. I am like a puppy dog begging for a treat. :)

I suppose the title of this should be called "Memories" or maybe just Soul Music but this is a rap/wrap. At this point after reading all this my Dad would be singing "So Long It's Been Good To Know Ya" and with laughter and tears in our eyes Buck and I would be singing "Leavin' On A Jet Plane" don't know when I'll be back again........don't know when I'll be back again......? As we did when we left for College.

NOW I close my eyes and click the heels of my ruby slippers together, whispering "there's no place like home, there's no place like home......................."

Smiling through nostalgic tears. I bow-- I am A Schuyler— A host of many lives He bows—He is J Merlin—My Prince Charming and photographer

CURTAIN FALLS

PS—Find-A-Grave you no longer need to call me "'Annaymous" (Merlin's cute joke). Oh no, he's pulling me off the stage with his "Black Crook." (The Black Crook" was arguably the very first musical play.) And now, so quickly , he's snoring—my Dear Heart, thank you for so very, very much... You are truly my rainbow's end......

And a big thank you to WikiTree and FIND-A-GRAVE for immortalizing all these beloved souls. You deserve a standing ovation!! A tip of the top hat.

And now— I am dreaming of singing the gentle lullaby "Tender Shepherd" to Peter Pan and Tinkerbell..........the names we called our now grown children …forever in our hearts….

Sources

• First-hand information. Entered by Karen Schuyler at registration.