Hasselbacher Family Blog

I was sadly surprised to find that when I opened up underbelly of the hasselbacher.org site to add new material, that my last entries were in the Fall of 2015! I am frankly embarrassed and ashamed! It is not that I am not looking for and analyzing new material. I continue to travel to Germany every year. In fact, I have more original documents that I can process. The truth is that I became involved in some controversial matters at my University in which I hoped to make a difference (I did), and there were some distracting personal family matters that successfully competed for my time. In any event, I want to get going again. I turned 72 this year and I need to get things down on paper or other permanent media before I swing-off. I will need to learn to navigate the upgrades to the website and family-tree software I have been using, but I do not want the perfect to be the enemy of the good, so off we go again as almost beginners.

I have lots of stuff to show you. I plan to use the interactive family tree graphic model to make original documents available to you. I will update the family trees that I have. I will post what is perhaps the largest Hazelbaker family tree in existence- a gift from the late Imogene Sawvell Davis. I hope to tell the stories of my field trips in Germany. Bear with me, and please stay in touch to give me inspiration. It helps to know that others are interested in the same things I am.

Keep an eye on the “What’s New” link on the homepage of this site for new materials as they are added. I need to learn how to place a Google search box on the pages to navigate an increasingly huge and ponderous site. (Any advice?)

Peter
15 July 2018

I recently felt compelled to make a statement about copyright and to re-address the issue of privacy. I initially created this website as a way to organize my own family history and make information available to my relatives. Obviously there is also material on this site that is of general interest and it is my intent that anyone is welcome to view it. Recall that the family trees on this site contain the names of people who are only our remotest relatives by marriage. It is understandable that others may wish to learn more about their own direct ancestors even though they are not themselves Hasselbacher descendants. I am of mixed mind how to handle such interested persons and would appreciate your input.

Issues:
I have seen examples of how some individuals have added names from this site to their family trees on Ancestry.com. (I myself have placed the names and dates of my direct ancestors there in a so-far unrewarded hope that a relative would find me.) Aside from the disappointment that there is no attribution as to their sources, they have made an absolute mess of the information by using various commercial sites’ uncritical automatic methods of adding information and making invalid links to other people. Such misuse and introduction of errors does us all a disfavor. (more…)

Since this site was launched Jan 24, 2007 it has been viewed by over 1000 unique visitors for a total of almost 7000 page views. It is “findable” by Google and other search engines. I hope it has been informative for you. Nevertheless, I have not heard back from a single individual. Please take the time to contact me using the email link below or try the Blog page. I promise that I will not reuse the information or “spam you.” If you want confidentiality, use the email link. I will not make personal emails public.

+ How did you find us?
+ What were you looking for?
+ What was useful or should get higher priority?
+ What is not helpful?
+ What would you like to see?
+ How much individual information is appropriate, especially for living people?
+ Most of all, do you have knowledge of our families that I do not have?
+ Can you help with any of the puzzles that are presented?

Thank you,
Peter Hasselbacher
March 3, 2007