Recently, I was trying to write about my father’s Aunt Christine.  I only had the privilege of meeting her a couple of times when I was around 8 or 10 years old.  When I met her, she had two grown sons.  I thought her sons were her only children.  My father was not close to her and rarely saw her so he didn’t know much about her life.  As I researched her, I became very confused.   It seems she had seven children with at least 3 different men.  Each time she married; the children’s surname changed to whomever she married.  It was hard to keep track of who belonged to who.  This is where a timeline came in handy.  Using a timeline to record the events in your ancestor’s life helps organize your genealogy research, and find gaps in your research.  Here is my timeline for Christine.

1913 – Christina has a baby girl in June 1913.  The name of the child is listed as baby Manfroid (same birth date as her daughter Marion).  On Birth Certificate the father’s name is erased, but still readable and it says Frank Gauger and occupation is machinist.  Also, father’s birth place erased, but still readable as Chicago, Illlinois.

1913 – Christina gets married in November of 1913 to an Orrey Levi Wheat

1915 – Christine has a baby girl, Harriet according to the 1940 census.

1918 – Christina has a baby girl Louise according to the 1930 census.

1919 – Christina has a baby girl Dorothy Butendorff

1930 – Christine is living in Forest Park, Illinois with daughters Marion, Harriette, Louise, and Dorothy Butendorff.  There is no husband in household, however she states she is married.

1933 – Christine’s son George Ciancio Jr. is born.  This according to the SS Index.

1935 – Christine’s son Ronald Ciancio was born.  This according to the SS Index

1939 – Christie’s daughter, Joyce Ciancio is born. According to 1940 census.

1940 – Christine is married to George Ciancio and has three children by him.  George Jr.  5 years old, Ronald 4 years old, and Joyce 1 years old.  This means that she must have divorced Robert Buttendorf somewhere between 1930 and 1933 when George was born.

1940 – Christine’s daughter, Marion Butendorff, is married to Victor Vartan living in Chicago, Illinois and they have a 7 month old son according to the 1940 census.

1940 – Census lists Robert Butendorff as single and he is living alone.

1940 – Christine’s daughter, Louise, is married to Herbert Kanning on the 1940 census.

1940 – Christine’s daughter, Dorothy, is married to Herbert Reichert. Dorothy and Herbert have a three-year-old daughter according to the 1940 Census

1942 – Robert dies and on the death certificate Christine is listed as wife.

1942 – Robert’s WWII draft card does not mention Christine. 

1950 – Christine is living with her two sons George and Ronald according to the 1950 census.

1970 – Christine Ciancio dies.