GROWING UP IN ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN

ROYAL OAK The black and white photo that I'm holding, arrived in the mail from my sister. How strange it seems to see my childhood home after all these years. It looks so small and plain. One bathroom for two adults and four children. This is the place where I was grown and nutured. I am flooded with memories of the traffic on the busy street; the neighbors and their homes; What is bermuda grass, anyways? I see my childhood friends and games we played; the backyard where I made tents over clotheslines, and played with Nipper, our chubby Daschund who 'nipped our heels' as we played; and the fence I climbed over as a short cut, and how it ripped my new coat and Dad's lecture later about being more careful, because "Money doesn't grow on trees." I think about our family at the small dinette table while Dad made scrambled eggs, or Mom baked a cake for one of our birthdays in the tiny kitchen, the white ceramic tile counters. I saw the pile of coats, mittens and boots on the back door "landing" off the kitchen, wet with melting snow, smelling like wool. I 'smell' the thanksgiving turkey always making the upstairs bedrooms smell so wonderful. And, the four of us kids sitting on the closed stairway to our upstairs bedrooms, waiting for Dad to check to see if Santa was gone before we could come out. I never understood Santa leaving a pot of coffee for Mom and Dad. I recall my children swimming in the above ground pool that was put in after the grandchildren started coming along. The silver foil Christmas tree in the basement "rec" room and Dad taking up piano after he retired, and the signs he painted to make "extra money". And, Mom going to work at J.C. Penney, Their first real vacation to Florida to visit Dad's family, was after us kids were grown. The memories rolled on, filling my head and overflowing my heart. I loved every minute, every sight and sound. The rustle of autumn Oak leaves; the bond fire they made; the acorns and in summer, the shade that they gave. This picture of home, unlocked stored away days. School days, holidays, good times and bad times all bubbled up. How far away you seem Royal Oak, and childhood. How good to know now that I was blessed to be raised so well in a place called Royal Oak. The house was small, but I never knew it. My parents weren't wealthy, but I never felt it. I may have been average, but, well, Royal Oak helped me become a happy, grown up person. May it be so for all children. by carol smith (proctor) october 1996

FROM GERMANY TO FRANCE

The information herein was taken from Wikipedia articles on Germany and France, and the Holy Roman Empire.. It is not word for word, but more or less my understanding of the history I am reading about our origins. If you see any discrepencies, please let me know and I will change it. Through out the ages continental Europe has changed so many times it is difficult to keep track of who was in power and where boundaries were at different times. Many continental countries, including Germany and France were at one time under the rule of the Roman church and therefore were called The Holy Roman Empire. Also, wars between this Empire and between other countries brought changes in their leadership. The first Holy Roman Emperor was Otto 1st, in 962 A.D. It was finally dissolved at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806. Part was also due to the fact Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation in 1512, swaying the opinion and beliefs of the people. Also, the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 ended the Thirty Year Wars by giving sovereignity to the territories. In 1815 the German confederation was established and lasted until 1866 when Prussia founded the North German Confederation. In 1871 it became a part of the German Empire after the Franco Prussian War, and at that time Alsace-Lorraine, France on the border of Germany was re annexed to the authority of the Kaiser in Germany.

ROOTS TO OUR FAMILY NAME BALTZ

Baltz is an English "sound alike" for Bals, Balls, Balles, Balts. It's how our immigrant forefathers names sounded to the people who signed them into their new country. From Baltazar, the name origins are Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian The name is from the Biblical names of Balthazar and Belshazzar, or in Aramaic, Balshatzar, or Babylonian "Baal-tas-assar", meaning: "may Baal preserve his life: or Bal-shar-uzzur, "may Baal protect the king". The Chaldean king that Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall in Daniel 5, in the Bible, had this last name. Also, according to legend, Baltazar was the name of one of the three Magi from the East who attended Christ's birth. Relics from this time were displayed on Milan, until 1164. For those interested in further historical information, I would strongly reccommend 'Wikipedia.com' and their articles under Germany, France, and the Holy Roman Empire. Also interesting is the same site with information on Alsace-Lorraine, France. This information explains alot why it is so difficult to find records on our ancestors. Also, why we may have started out in Alsace-Lorraine which borders western Germany and Belgium.

BALTZ TIDBITS (From earlier)

Today's date is February 17, 2009. I know George and Mary Bals, my gr. gr. grandparents emmigrated from Bavaria, Germany sometime before 1859 when their son, Frank was born in Diamond Lake, Michigan. I am still searching for what ship and when they arrived. They owned property which they farmed in Maple Grove, Barry, Michigan. The family before may have done blacksmithing and farming. I believe George Bals was born around 1830 in Germany. (Update: I found George Bals immigrated to the U.S. in 1847 on the Cotton Planter emmigrant ship out of Antwerp, Belgium through a place known as "Castle Gardens" in N.Y. No mention of Mary......who was also born in Bavaria.) The most recent of my ancestor's, my grandfather, Glenn A. Baltz was known as a big drinker, possibly an alcoholic. Also, my son, Robert R. Proctor was an alcoholic who took his own life in 2003. I wonder how many others in the past were afflicted with this disease? And is it genetic? I also know my Aunt Marian Baltz Hannan, and her brother, Richard Baltz had diabetes and heart disease. My Grandma Jennie Baltz died of a stroke and I have had a triple heart bypass in 1996. My brother, Larry, has had a stent placed and children of Marian Hannan have had known cardiac disease, with Vincent succumbing to a heart attack at the age of 51. So definetly, cardiovascular disease is inherited from our ancestors. Let me know if you know any of the information about our ancestors or have input on the health issues in your life: at calicocarolj@gmail.com so it can be added. Thanks, Carol

THE BALTZ FAMILY TREE IS STILL ALIVE

The current GOOD NEWS is that I am putting our family information on WIKITREE.COM This is a FREE family tree site. It has a learning curve, like all new programs. I am working on it. It does have all the similar features, but just in different places. This includes matching our family tree to other family trees, so our family tree can continue to grow. For all of my family and followers who in the past viewed The Baltz Family Tree on Heritage, you should know it is still there for you to read as before. However, since I haven't agreed to pay them for having "too many" names on it,(300 plus) nothing can be changed. this includes any new additions to our family tree, new information on matches to other family trees on their site, dates, pictures, NOTHING. It is still there to Look at however. So, click on the Wikitree widget and try it out. God bless you.