Zimmerly family article to be in June New Mexico Genealogist

I wouldn't say that it takes me a long time to do things, but it's been nearly three years since I did my presentation on the Zimmerly family, and I just recently submitted the article to the New Mexico Genealogist. In June, 2011, my article "The Zimmerlys of Socorro: A Swiss Civil War Soldier and an Old New Mexican Family" will be published in that journal.

Here is a teaser from the article:

"Samuel Zimmerly was living in California when he joined the army on October 3, 1861. This sandy-haired carpenter signed his name to the muster rolls at Camp Latham, a military installation near Los Angeles, California. We don't know how or when Samuel began living in California. We can guess why: many people came to California during the 1849 Gold Rush seeking fortune. Apparently, Samuel was not one of the fortunate ones, as his occupation indicates. He may have joined the army in order to find consistent employment; or, he may have been seeking adventure. Again, we don't know.

"A transcription of the Regimental Descriptive Book gives this description of Samuel Zimmerly: he had a "sandy"complexion, "black" eyes, and sandy hair. He was 5'8" tall, and was 21 years old when he joined. This means that he was born in 1840. A family history claims that Samuel's exact date of birth was March 14, 1837; however, no documents could be found that confirm that birth date."

The article doesn't just talk about Zimmerly, though. It also talks about his wife, Paubla Torres, and her lengthy ancestry in New Mexico.

If you are interested in reading the article, you could become a member of the New Mexico Genealogical Society this year, and NMGS will send you a copy of the June 2011 journal, as well as the March issue that is already published and the September and December issues which will be published later. Not only would you be able to read my article, but you could help out a great organization and read a lot of good articles about New Mexican genealogy. Click on this link for details on how to become a member.