Miracles Help To Unlock a Family's History
An obscure, previously unopened book, tucked away in the vaults of the LDS Family History Library unlocked the door for a family to find names of hundreds of their ancestors. By Diane Sagers For the Deseret News (Mormon times)Published: Sunday, Jan. 17 2016
In the 1860s, to escape persecution and find better opportunities, the Bachrach family, including young Charles, fled from Kestrich, Germany, to America, where they settled in Ohio. Having left persecution and not knowing what to expect in America, Charles, like many others, changed his name to fit his new American home.
That undivulged name change created challenges for his descendants to find their ancestors. As Charles Berry, he left . . .
In the 1860s, to escape persecution and find better opportunities, the Bachrach family, including young Charles, fled from Kestrich, Germany, to America, where they settled in Ohio. Having left persecution and not knowing what to expect in America, Charles, like many others, changed his name to fit his new American home.
That undivulged name change created challenges for his descendants to find their ancestors. As Charles Berry, he left . . .
Ohio on a train to the West Coast. Along the way, the train made a routine water stop at Thompson, Grand County, 25 miles from Moab, Utah, where local farmers met the train to sell their produce to hungry passengers. The Bachrachs weren't allowed to own land in Germany so perhaps seeing the fertile river land and produce of eastern Utah motivated Charles to end his trip there. He joined the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, married and raised his family in Moab.
The name change from Bachrach to Berry bricked up the proverbial genealogical wall, and generations of his descendents labored unsuccessfully to do family history research on their grandfather’s line.
In recent years, Carole Burr moved her family to Salt Lake City. She felt a compelling impression to seek out the ancestry of her husband’s ancestor they knew only as Charles Berry.
“I thought, ‘I live close to the Family History Library. I have no excuse now not to do genealogy.’ But I remembered all these talented, dedicated people who spent years searching for the background of this wonderful man, and it was always a dead end," she said. "The searchers, who included professional genealogists, had not been able to find anything. It was clear that some important information was missing, but what?
She called her cousin Darlene Hough, a professional genealogist in Portland, Oregon, who willingly accepted the challenge. When Hough came for her annual two-week trip to the Salt Lake City Family History Library, and Burr asked to tag along. Hough had already looked over prior research, but she became more involved as she and Burr worked together. And then the miracles began.
The name change from Bachrach to Berry bricked up the proverbial genealogical wall, and generations of his descendents labored unsuccessfully to do family history research on their grandfather’s line.
In recent years, Carole Burr moved her family to Salt Lake City. She felt a compelling impression to seek out the ancestry of her husband’s ancestor they knew only as Charles Berry.
“I thought, ‘I live close to the Family History Library. I have no excuse now not to do genealogy.’ But I remembered all these talented, dedicated people who spent years searching for the background of this wonderful man, and it was always a dead end," she said. "The searchers, who included professional genealogists, had not been able to find anything. It was clear that some important information was missing, but what?
She called her cousin Darlene Hough, a professional genealogist in Portland, Oregon, who willingly accepted the challenge. When Hough came for her annual two-week trip to the Salt Lake City Family History Library, and Burr asked to tag along. Hough had already looked over prior research, but she became more involved as she and Burr worked together. And then the miracles began.
“Working on this was a really sweet time, and Darlene and I made progress. We reached a point where we knew Grandpa Berry had changed his name when he immigrated,” Burr said.
One day, Burr’s cousin contacted her with the news that she had found a U.S. record that had just come to Baltimore. It listed Charles’ brothers and sisters, the names of some of their children and referred to another brother in Moab. Burr was amazed at the timing of the document’s arrival just as they needed it — not five years earlier or later.
Soon, Hough sent Burr the call number of an obscure book in the Family History Library to consider. Burr went to the library near early closing time on a Monday night. She thought“It’s family night. I shouldn’t even be here.”
One day, Burr’s cousin contacted her with the news that she had found a U.S. record that had just come to Baltimore. It listed Charles’ brothers and sisters, the names of some of their children and referred to another brother in Moab. Burr was amazed at the timing of the document’s arrival just as they needed it — not five years earlier or later.
Soon, Hough sent Burr the call number of an obscure book in the Family History Library to consider. Burr went to the library near early closing time on a Monday night. She thought“It’s family night. I shouldn’t even be here.”
Finding family roots involves considerable research and tenacity — and sometimes miracles. This obscure book at the Family History library in Salt Lake City provided hundreds of names for the Bachrach family. (LDS Church) She asked for help, and an attendant brought a previously unopened small blue book from the vaults. Helped by a German translator, Burr began to leaf through the pages. After hearing the translation of some of the pages, Burr realized that the diary was about Charles Bachrach’s family. She was stunned.
"I began to cry. I didn’t want the (closing) bell to ring. I didn’t want to leave the library,” she said.
"I began to cry. I didn’t want the (closing) bell to ring. I didn’t want to leave the library,” she said.
The book listed generations of the Bachrach family and all the names of Charles’ siblings and parents with a handwritten addition listing “Charles Bachrach living in Moab, Utah,” and naming his children. Charles Bachrach’s father’s name was Abraham, his grandfather was Solomon, and his great-grandfather was Naphtali.
“I couldn’t wait to call my husband and tell him and the rest of the family,” she said.
That was just the beginning. This discovery moved research forward to validate the information in the blue book and provide links to many more ancestors. The miracles continued.
Burr contacted the mayor (Bürgermeister) in Kestrich, Germany, who sent her a book he'd authored on the people of his town. In the book, Burr found details of her family, their homes and the streets and dirt roads they had walked. Her research uncovered more than 400 names of Charles’ direct ancestors.
The family now feels a greater sense of connection to their past as they have discovered their roots. Burr feels certain it was her mother’s and mother-in-law’s promptings that guided her to find these ancestors, and she is grateful for the privilege of doing the research.
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency stated, “Remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world. … Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands. You will have more than your own strength as you choose to labor on to find them” (see “Hearts Bound Together,” Ensign,May 2005, page 80).
Diane Sagers is a volunteer writer for FamilySearch and the mother of six children and grandmother to 24 grandchildren. She has indulged in her love of writing and working with words for many years. Her email is sagersgt@gmail.com
“I couldn’t wait to call my husband and tell him and the rest of the family,” she said.
That was just the beginning. This discovery moved research forward to validate the information in the blue book and provide links to many more ancestors. The miracles continued.
Burr contacted the mayor (Bürgermeister) in Kestrich, Germany, who sent her a book he'd authored on the people of his town. In the book, Burr found details of her family, their homes and the streets and dirt roads they had walked. Her research uncovered more than 400 names of Charles’ direct ancestors.
The family now feels a greater sense of connection to their past as they have discovered their roots. Burr feels certain it was her mother’s and mother-in-law’s promptings that guided her to find these ancestors, and she is grateful for the privilege of doing the research.
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency stated, “Remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world. … Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands. You will have more than your own strength as you choose to labor on to find them” (see “Hearts Bound Together,” Ensign,May 2005, page 80).
Diane Sagers is a volunteer writer for FamilySearch and the mother of six children and grandmother to 24 grandchildren. She has indulged in her love of writing and working with words for many years. Her email is sagersgt@gmail.com