"Now and Always" presented to the Principal of Joseph B. Lancaster Elementary School, Susannah Welch

While in Covington the week of February 6, I presented a copy of "Now and Always: A Louisiana Love Story" to the principal of Joseph B. Lancaster Elementary School, Susannah Welch. Earlier that week, while both of us were interviewed by Jim Derry of The Times-Picayune, Mrs. Welch said that before applying for the position she researched the life of Joseph B. Lancaster. What she found about him, especially his positions on education and his early, crucial leadership of public education in St. Tammany Parish, inspired her to apply for the job. Mrs. Welch said it was important to her, as a member of a family with deep roots in St. Tammany, that the principal of Lancaster Elementary share that heritage with Joseph B. Lancaster.

Pictured after the presentation at the February 9 meeting of the St. Tammany Parish School Board are (left to right): Linda P. Garcia, Peter J. Garcia, Edith Garcia Eason, Liz Garcia Smith, Principal Susannah Welch, Christian P. Garcia, St. Tammany Parish Supervisor Margaret Sharpe, Melie Garcia Freret, Yvonne Garcia Crawford, and John D. Crawford.

The Jewelry Craftsmanship of Charles J. A. Doerr

Charles J. A. Doerr

photo courtesy of Marcy Lancaster Simoneaux

M Schooler Jeweler, Canal Street, New Orleans, 1907

photo courtesy of H. George Friedman

Silver Snake Bracelet

photo courtesy of Melie Garcia Freret

Turquoise and Pearl Pins

photo courtesy of Liz Garcia Smith and Dale Smith

Garnet Earrings

photo courtesy of Christian Alexander Allenburger

Coral earrings and pin

photo courtesy of Christian Alexander Allenburger

Charles J. A. Doerr, the father of Amanda Doerr Lancaster, emigrated from Germany at the age of 15 and apprenticed with a jeweler in New Orleans. He became a master craftsman and managed the store of M. Scooler Jeweler on Canal Street. His descendants own examples of his work.

I had intended to include images of his jewelry in the appendix of "Now and Always." Those color images, loaned to me by Liz Garcia, Smith, Melie Garcia Freret, and Christian Alexander Allenburger, would not have reproduced well in black and white, so I include them here.

Amanda Lancaster Doerr's Maternal Grandparents

While in Covington the week of February 6, I visited the Covington Cemetery with my sisters, Yvonne Garcia Crawford and Edith Garcia Eason, to find the grave of Amanda Doerr Lancaster's maternal grandparents. Her parents, Charles J.A. Doerr and Amanda Hoffmann Doerr, are also buried in the Covington Cemetery, as is her aunt, Bertha Hoffmann.

On the fourth row back from Columbia Street and about nine graves in from the gravel road that runs along the western edge of the cemetery, we found the graves of Charles, Amanda, and Bertha, as well as the grave of Julius Lorenz Hoffmann, the father of Amanda Hoffmann Doerr, and the grandfather of Amanda Doerr Lancaster. I believe Julius's wife, Fredericka Lange Hoffmann, is also buried on that spot, but the marker, written in German, lists only Julius:

Hier Ruttet

Julius Lorenz Hoffmann

Geboren

Den 25 ten Dec 1819

Gestorben

Den 30 ten Juni 1867

Here Rests

Julius Lorenz Hoffmann

Born

The 25th December 1819

Died

The 30th June 1867

Lancaster E-mail Group/Lancaster Surname Project

Lesa Lancaster Tobin contacted me through Marcia Mattingly, a member of the Kentucky Lancaster clan, during the launch of "Now and Always." Lesa invited members of the Lancaster family to join the Lancaster Surname E-mail group. Here is her message:

Please view our work @ www.familytreedna.com.

Please see “Lancaster Surname Project” on the Family Tree DNA website. Andrew Lancaster is our group coordinator.

I. Go to www.familytreedna.com and search the name Lancaster. Click on project website.

Our Lancaster line is listed under the following:

II. Go to: Lancaster DNA. Click on Haplotype R1B and R1A Lancasters. Notice the chart. We are categorized as Catholic Lancasters of Maryland. You will notice the Kentucky Lancaster DNA markers match exactly with the Maryland Lancaster male’s DNA.

III. Go to: Medieval Lancasters and ones appearing in pedigrees. Click on the Lancasters of Rainhill, England. Our Lancaster lineage starts with Generation 1 and our line arrives in Maryland at around Generation 16-18. We are working on this portion of the puzzle.

We have a private email group. If Lancaster relatives would like to receive updates let me know and I will add them to our email group. [Lesa's email address is lesatobin@comcast.net]

It is wonderful to be connected with lost Lancaster relatives from Maryland to Kentucky and beyond.

Lesa Lancaster Tobin