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September 2009 Blog Posts (122)

Maps and more maps for genealogists

In a recent article in the print edition of Family Tree Magazine, Lisa Louise Cooke listed six very large online collections of maps. This list got me thinking and I decided visit a few of the sites and some others besides those in the magazine. The largest collection of maps listed was that of the National Library of Australia. However, the article claims that there are 300,000 maps in the collection, but the Website states that there are " Over 7225 items from the Map Collection are now… Continue

Added by James Tanner on September 9, 2009 at 7:40pm — No Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday is on two other blog sites.

Added by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on September 9, 2009 at 6:25pm — 1 Comment

Military and Pension Records

You know I debated for along time if I should send away for these records and finally did. Everyone one said it'll take 6 wks to get them. I must have lucked out. I only 3 weeks I had my gr grandfathers and what a surprise it was.

I have learned so much from these records.

I always knew he was married afew times,but 4 times...wow.

It's amazing the people who tried claiming his pension.

It contains doctors reports,court documents,ex wives statements and more.

If you have… Continue

Added by Bob Mooney-Pa on September 9, 2009 at 12:18pm — No Comments

more mysteries...new and old

I've been working on my FIL's Tietjen line off and for the last three years. What we 'know'(right, LOL):

Claus(Charles) Tietjen born circa 1856 from Germany, parents unknown, interred March 9, 1890

married Meta(Martha, Mattie) Eichmann(not sure of the correct spelling) born 1854-1856, she was born in NY or Germany.

and they had the following children:

Martha Clara Tietjen born 1879, married twice according to 1900 census, only know of… Continue

Added by Kate Steere on September 9, 2009 at 4:32am — 1 Comment

Monday Madness and Tombstone Tuesday

Monday Madness was rather quiet. I had no luck looking for Shirley's William Wright in NY. Nor any luck looking for her Dexter Wright. It has been quietly driving us mad.

Dexter is the son of Henry and Phebe Wright whom is the son of William Wright and Orilla Wilson Wright.

1880 census has Dexter Wright in Bainbridge Chenango NY age 14 born about 1866

Father Henry born NY mother Phebe born NY

single white male living at home with parents and… Continue

Added by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on September 8, 2009 at 8:03pm — No Comments

The Bank of Ireland

One of the most precious things my grandmother Mary Browne Kearney left behind was a special box, one she kept her entire adult life. I remember seeing it from time to time when Kearney lived with us. Typically she would have the box open on her bed, either adding items or reviewing its existing contents.

It was a sad looking thing - an old, dented safety deposit box of military khaki green. A collection of dings and dents accumulated over the years had taken on a rusty hue, and the… Continue

Added by Katie Heitert Wilkinson on September 8, 2009 at 9:53am — 1 Comment

Washington State's Digital Archives Project a model for other states

Despite the economic difficulties and their impact on various state libraries and archives, there is one very bright spot, the State of Washington. A recent blog of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, once again called my attention to this huge online resource. The main Washington State Archives Website has access to the Digital Archives site with an amazing 83,887,328 total records with 66,904,296 searchable online. The online records include the following collections,…

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Added by James Tanner on September 8, 2009 at 8:34am — No Comments

Towards a rational definition of brick walls in genealogy

In two of my previous posts, I have discussed aspects of the situation commonly referred to by genealogists as hitting a "brick wall." See Records you may not even know exist and A return to the "brick wall" issue. It occurs to me that the term is really so vague as to be useless and as I pointed out, the concept of being unable to continue with research is a fallacy. If there are no more records, then that is not a brick wall situation, it is an end of the line. To illustrate my point about… Continue

Added by James Tanner on September 8, 2009 at 8:03am — 1 Comment

A return to the "brick wall" issue

In one of my last posts, I gave the opinion that most of the so-called "brick wall" claims in genealogical research were mostly fallacious. Of course, I immediately received contrary opinions. For that reason, I believe the discussion of the issue should be expanded. Genealogical research is not entirely open ended. As with all historical research, there are finite limits to the amount of information available in any given locality or time period. It is evident that in the current era, the… Continue

Added by James Tanner on September 7, 2009 at 12:14pm — No Comments

Piper

Looking for Piper's Levi,Nathanial.William,Casper,Henry and sister Mary Ann connection early 1800's immigrating to or indirectly to Canada, Niagara Region about 1820 rough time line contact mgp0657@shaw.ca

Added by Mark George Piper on September 6, 2009 at 11:49pm — No Comments

BONDURANT

James Albert BONDURANT and Martha Jane McLEAN were my great great grandparents. James went by Albert and by J. A. James was born in Pike County, Missouri in 1854 and Martha Jane was born in 1859 in Lawrence County, Tennessee. They met in Pike County, Missouri and married in 1877 in Audrain County, Missouri. They have eight children that I can prove. Bertha (1878-?), Dora (1880-1929), Effie (1881-1882), Dollie (1883-?), Rolla (1886-1890), Urban (1891-1899), Willie (1896-1896) and Virginia… Continue

Added by Cathryn Hensley Smith on September 6, 2009 at 10:52pm — No Comments

Can 13,000 genealogists make a difference?

What if you went to your local research library and it was closed. Empty. Gone.

What if the records they had in there were scattered to other repositories. A piece here, a piece there.

What if that really is happening right now.

And what if YOUR voice could make a difference. Would you take a minute and speak up? Would you take thirty seconds to click on a link and add your name to the list of those who don't want this to happen?

"The governor… Continue

Added by tami osmer glatz on September 6, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

George Cox, Marion District

I am also related to George Cox b. 1755, son Jacob born 1802. We have letter from another son or grandson of George Cox confirming this, and that George Cox may have been an immigrant "to this country". Also believed that George Cox lived in Northern Virginia before SC, him dying intestate in 1843. A participant in the Revolutionary War probably from Stafford County or Fairfax County, Virginia. One of his neighbors was a Needham Lee of a Westmoreland County VA family living along Lynches Creek… Continue

Added by Clinton McKay Cox on September 6, 2009 at 9:16pm — No Comments

Do you read Latin?

The National Archives is "the UK government's official archive, containing almost 1,000 years of history, with records ranging from parchment and paper scrolls through to digital files and archived websites." I have discussed some of the online resources of the National Archives before, but found an especially useful online service, a Beginners' Latin tutorial. To quote the Website,
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Added by James Tanner on September 6, 2009 at 4:58pm — No Comments

Bird Crumbs ---- of a Kind

I wanted to reflect today on just how far I've come in researching my maternal family history. For years, when I was a child, I plied my grandmother with questions about her family and about Ireland. Being Irish, really Irish, was a great source of pride among my siblings and I. For some reason, none of us ever called her Gram or Grandma. Rather we referred to her as Kearney, her married name. Doing so didn't seem disrespectful at all. In fact, Kearney referred to herself in the same… Continue

Added by Katie Heitert Wilkinson on September 6, 2009 at 12:33pm — 2 Comments

Family Tree Connection - Update (6/Sep/2009)

Family Tree Connection has added the following genealogy items to its database:

Rochester Mutual Relief Society Claims (1881-1883) - Mutual Relief Society, Rochester, N. Y. Montly post card notifications that the Proofs of death have been received and approved by the Executive Committee. Includes age, date and cause of death. [Various months between 1881 and 1883]…

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Added by Illya Daddezio on September 6, 2009 at 11:08am — No Comments

Records you may not even know exist

In helping others with their genealogy, I constantly hear about the so-called "brick wall." This popular subject is consistently discussed in blogs, magazine articles and forums. Of course, I have to concede that some people left very few historical records, but the concept of a brick wall is basically a fallacy. In the vast majority of cases, the issue is not a lack of records, but a lack of the awareness that the records even exist. Some people truly believe that they have search "every… Continue

Added by James Tanner on September 6, 2009 at 9:21am — 1 Comment

Hereditree Australian Genealogy Programme

Hi I live in Australian, and thus to find a gen prog that is made here is a bonus. Yes it allows same sex couples, it's very BASIC, a clean look to it. You see you, your partner, siblings, children (and the number of children THEY have), your parents and grandparents ALL ON THE ONE SCREEN. You double click on someone to edit, you can add photos, and it's kind of the quickest way I've found to add photos. You have sources, and facts and notes and so on. Have a look, you can try for nothing, you… Continue

Added by Jo Kotylak on September 5, 2009 at 4:30pm — No Comments

Collectors versus REAL amateur Genealogists

I've just been emailed by a guy I hate, his name is Howard Ulph Smith, and he's a Collector, he takes peoples family trees and dumps them on HIS website and claims them as his own, so that if you do a name search his site comes up. Doesn't matter to him that the information hasn't been checked or is wrong or the fact that people are being shown on the internet who absolutely don't want their names on there. What matters to him is that he has them. He's scum, he takes work from people all over… Continue

Added by Jo Kotylak on September 5, 2009 at 4:24pm — 5 Comments

LAND DEEDS why do Researchers over look them?

Greetings everyone, I am sorta on a rant today. After listening to many people post their brick walls and discuss their lost connection, I just am amazed at how many times I hear them say, " I can not find them on the census."

What a shame we had census put on line before land records or tax lists. It seems young, old, new or seasoned researchers are placing way to much faith in Census Records.

1. Census Records may or may not be accurate.

2. We have no idea who gave… Continue

Added by Susi (Susan C Jones) Pentico on September 5, 2009 at 3:16pm — 4 Comments