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This website is dedicated in memory of my parents:
ERNEST SYLVESTER AND BEATRICE WINONA (CONRAD) MUNSHOWER.
This photograph was given to me by my Aunt
Ellabelle (Munshower) Harrison
From left to right my Dad Ernest Sylvester Munshower, my
Uncle Theodore Muir Munshower
and my Aunt Ellabelle (Munshower) Harrison
I'm sorry to say but my Aunt Ellabelle passed away December 26th, 2003. She was a grand lady and she will be missed greatly.
I had hoped to update the webpage as often
as I could,
as it is a result of many hours of searching, reading and work on the
Internet. I have invested in books, publications and clipping from across
the state of Pennsylvania. I collect everything I find as anything could be a connection. I have
found many researchers looking for the same surnames as I am and we exchange
information all the time. If I can be of assistance please do not hesitate
to drop me a note at my email address or in my guest book. I have found a
lot of information from Chester County Pennsylvania but have only been able to
connect a little of it to my Munshower line.
As I tell my friends and co-workers my job is keeping me from my genealogy
research. I must say if it weren't for Spectrum Review Services, Inc.
http://www.spectrumreview.com
I would not have as much information as I do because I also do my research from
the office. I am the Chief Operations
Officer and Vice President. SRS was started 15 years ago in the dining
room of our home and has grown to a million dollar company it is today.
I don't know how far I will get in my search but it appears I will never quit looking. Is this what is called "hooked"? I am hoping to find where Johannes Mondschauer, the originator of the Munshower family in the United States, was born. What I have found so far is that he was born in Switzerland but I have found other Mondschauer individuals in Germany and I'm looking in that area for a possible connection. Perhaps in the not to distant future I will have to take a trip to Germany and Switzerland to do hands on research. In 2002 I was on a cruise of Western Europe and after the cruise took a trip to Scotland to visit where the Muir branch of the tree originated. We drove from Edinburgh to Fordell Colliery, Dalghetty, Fife Scotland. I pictured vast meadows of grazing sheep with stone houses and thatched roofs with smoke coming out of the chimney. I was not too far off. Fordell was a tiny town of about 15 homes and I almost missed the cemetery. It was located where the church had been before being torn down. It was located beside the road but behind a stonewall. I took photos of any tombstone that connected to the Muir line. There ware many Muir, Patterson, Beveridge stones in the cemetery. Now I will need to find out who they are.
Some of the people who have helped
on my Muir line are; Barbara Gould, Bob Muir, Helen Vresilovic. Helen had
the photo of my Muir line, Barbara has furnished a photo of my Grandfather Harry
Munshower and Bob has helped identify lots of my Muir line.
Some of the
information in my data has not been proven but has been furnished by other
researchers. I will be attempting to prove everything as I continue to
research.
I have so many people to thank for all of their assistance in my research. One group of people that have been of great help are all of those who work and volunteer at the Indiana County Historical and Genealogical Society, Indiana, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Barbara, Leslie, Colleen, Vernon and all the rest of you are a great bunch of folks. It just so happens Vernon Cook and I are related. Vernon and I are connected thru my Kunkle branch.
My Aunt, Margaret Paynter (Craze) Conrad has been a lot of help on the Conrad side. We have laughed together discussing the Conrad's. Grandpa Conrad, James Madison would walk down to her home quite often after he retired from the coalmines. He visited with Aunt Margaret and told her many, many stories that Aunt Margaret has been sharing with me. Aunt Margaret gave me the wedding picture of my Grandparents on the Conrad Photo page. While I'm on this branch of the tree I should mention Gloria Diane (Conrad) Bernard. Diane has gone "ahuntin" with me during my visits to Pennsylvania. Her and I have stomped thru cemeteries together a number of times. She even went with me looking for Palmer/Patsch Cemetery in Blacklick. What a trip that was. The dirt road was rutted and I think Diane said more prayers that day than we both have the rest of our life. We can laugh about it now. She and I found Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother Conrad's tombstone in McDowell Cemetery. We walked the complete cemetery and could not find the tombstone, and just before we were ready to leave we walked right to it like they were calling us to them. Thanks Diane for the company and the laughter. We'll have to do Hawaii again.
During visits to Pennsylvania, I had spend time with my Aunt, Ellabelle (Munshower) Harrison. She is the was the only surviving Munshower relative I have left except for my brother and sisters. We were going through some papers and she said, "I have something to give you." A few minutes later she came back with a picture above of her, my Dad and Uncle Theodore which must have been taken in 1917, because she said it was taken the day Uncle Theodore was baptized and his date of birth was March 14, 1917. She has a "BIG" ribbon in her hair and she said "Oh how I hated that ribbon it kept falling over my eyes".
My brother Jim has furnished copies of my Dad's military papers. We thought they were lost forever but Jim was going through his military papers (Jim retired from the Army after more than 20 years of service) and he found Dad's discharge papers. Thanks Jim.
"Cousin" Jane Fundyga and her husband Ray have sent me pictures of the George Munshower family, which are included on the Munshower Photo Page. Lori Mounts and her Dad Robert "Bob" Muir have been a big help with the Muir branches of the tree. Bob even furnished the Munshaw Family 1743-1983 written by Lola Munshaw. Bob is related to me thru the Muir line and also thru the Munshower branch. Bob's maternal Great Grandmother was Willetta Munshower the daughter of my Great Grandfather Harrison H. Munshower and sister of my Grandfather Harry Munshower. Sally Mortimer in Clarion County has been a fantastic assistance since I found her thru a posting in Indiana County query board. She has sent me cemetery listing in Rimersburg and even the obituary of Peter Switzer, my Great Great Grandfather. She also sent me a picture of her Mom on her 95th Birthday and I'm sorry to say we have since lost her. Margaret Goodlin who descends from Ida Samantha (Munshower) Cobes has furnished much information on the Munshower branches. This is one new found "cousin" I have met. She and I were both at the Historical Society in Indiana during one of my trips to PA.
Some other new "cousins" I have been in touch with are Dennis Munshower and his family. Dennis is the son of Gillis D. Munshower, Jr. Bob Rosborough who descends from Willetta (Munshower) Rosborough and his family have been corresponding with me also. I and Aunt Ellabelle attended the Rosborough reunion on July 4, 2002. When I was young it was known as the Rosborough/Munshower reunion and had been held at Rushwood Park on Route 22 west of Blarisville. She and I really enjoyed our visit with all of the Rosborough family and hope to do it again.
In 2003, I have found another cousin, Dorothy Louise Hullenbaugh Rush. Dorothy is descended from Grace Louise (Munshower) and Kenneth Hullenbaugh. Grace Louise is the daughter of William Albert Munshower, my Grandfather's brother. Grace has furnished more photo's of the Munshower's along with her family that are on the Munshower page.
I hope you enjoy what I have and if you can add or correct anything please drop me a note and say "HI".
Ernie
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This page was last updated 08/19/05