GeniTales

What Secrets are in her Death?

2011-11-18T11:55:00.000-05:00

The wind is blowing as I sit and watch the beautiful day unfold before me. As the branches on the trees sway, the leaves fall. In addition to the leaves, the nuts are also falling. Now, these nuts are big and can cause one to slip if they get underfoot.

Just like genealogy. Shake the trees and see what falls that can trip you up in your research.

I have a handwritten note by my grandmother which gives a little information about my grandfather's family. The note tells us that my grandfather's grandparents, Robert Coleman POSTON and Hester Leggette COX, were rice planters and lived in Georgetown. Grandmother also names six children of the couple with names of the females who did not marry.

Like every good genealogist, I now have to confirm all these leaves falling into my lap. It's rather easy to trace the location of the farm and document some of the children through the census records. The first moment of a stray nut is the 1910 census which says the couple had ten children but only six were living. I've been able to document nine of them who also have some mysteries of their own.

What is more interesting is how some marriage stats change with the census records. While my grandmother said two of the girls did not marry, there is evidence that makes me scratch my head. One example is Aunt Wash. Grandmother said she did not marry, and I would tend to think that Grandmother knew if she was or not. Aunt Wash's death certificate suggests otherwise.

The 1910 census also shows Aunt Wash as being single at the ripe old age of 39 with no children of her own, and living with her widowed mother.

I have found a JW POSTON with wife, Martha, in the 1930 census in Chesterfield Co, SC. However, this census indicates they married around 1890, and they have several children.

According to the death certificate, Martha Washington POSTON was born November 1, 1870, in Florence Co, SC. She dies five days after her 71st birthday in 1941. The parents listed are what I suspected, but the surprise is that she is listed as a widow of James POSTON. Who? How? When? The informant is listed as Mrs. R C WHITE of Charleston. Who?

I have seen a photo of her grave at Riverview Memorial Park in Charleston which says she was a loving mother. Hmmm. When did that happen? Did she marry late in life? Did she raise children for a widower?

I'll be interested in seeing the 1940 census when it becomes available. Perhaps, I will be able to trace who this Mrs WHITE is. Perhaps, that will lead me in another direction.

Maybe I can get to Charleston and find her obituary. Perhaps, that would help to clear the path. In the meantime, watching the trees sway on this cool day seems just the perfect way to reflect on the past.

Ahh, genealogy. Those unexpected secrets in the family tree are just so, well, gone with the wind. Eh?

©2011 AS Eldredge

Dotting the I's, Crossing the T's and Reading Ye Olde Documents

2011-11-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

True genealogy buffs know what it is like to struggle to read old documents. Not only can the microfilm be scratched or faded, the writing can be akin to a different language. I've seen "s" written as "f". And the slant? Oh my, however did they read their own writing?

Just when you're ready to throw your hands up in the air and run out to purchase even more eye drops for the inevitable eye strain, there's hope in our wonderful age of technology.

Did you realize you can get rid of the neck cricks from angling your head to one side as you try to decipher the old handwriting? Tis easy, I say.

Let's take this document as our example.

This is an 1852 affidavit of William Shaw providing details of Robert COLEMAN and his wife, Prudence. The lovely widow Prudence had applied for a Revolutionary War pension and this document is part of the packet held by NARA. You will note it's easier to make out some words if your squint and hold your head to the left.

Now, take a look after a little stroke of the keyboard.

The effect used on the document is found on Photoshop. After opening Photoshop, go to image on the toolbar. Go to "transform" in the drop down menu and choose "skew." Then, grab the top of the document and head left until you are happy with the slant. This is a great tool to use. I image that other photo editing programs also allow for skewing.

What fun this is, and just think how much it will save you on eye drops and aspirin!

Ahh, genealogy. Reading old documents is a sure fire way to find your past, one skew at a time.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Tombstone Tuesday: Sleep Little Angels, Be Not Forgotten

2011-11-15T10:23:00.000-05:00

When researching old cemeteries, it quickly becomes obvious that among the expected deaths of the old and sick are the high numbers of infants. How many infants are lying with their mothers who soon followed them or lying alone with no headstone? How many infants are listed as being the "infant section"?

To feed my genealogy addiction, I tend to search around for any new information that has been placed online. Recently, a new collection of deaths in Pittsburgh, PA, has been placed online by the Family Search crew. The dates range from 1870-1905.

I looked for some of my surnames and was disappointed. Then, I looked some more and found a couple of names. Then, I found a new name, an infant daughter of Cassius M LEA and second wife, Mary Ellen HICKEY.

This sweet angel, Elizabeth LEA died on August 5, 1882, after living for a brief period of time. She was the second child of the couple and is buried at the old St Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA.

This sweet angel was not the first child that Cassius had lost so close to birth. His first wife, Maggie, died a couple of days after the birth of their only child and daughter in 1872.

While there was a small headstone placed for Cassius at some point, we have yet to uncover one for Maggie or the two sweet angels. I wonder if the sweet angels are close together in death. I rather suspect they are as Cassius is buried with the family of Maggie.

So a new name is entered into the family tree and will now be remembered in the future. Rest sweetly, little angel.

Ahh, genealogy. The angels of the past touch my heart in such a tender way.

Source:
Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh City Deaths, 1870-1905, V 32, p47

©2011 AS Eldredge

Confirmed: Grandpa Fought with Francis Marion

2011-11-14T10:24:00.000-05:00

Revealing new evidence of rumors gone wild can be frustrating or it can be a shot of adrenaline. As a teenager, I remember seeing the evidence from my dad's bloodline that documented a patriot in the American Revolution. That name and line was drilled into my memory banks. At the time, my mother also said her family fought in the American Revolution as well and, it was under Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox.

Fast forward to the present. I had followed my mother's bloodline and not found any evidence to support this wild rumor. Sure, her family lived in the general area of the Swamp Fox and they were certainly there at the time, but that was it.

Until a couple of weeks ago....

I was looking at her family once again just because I hadn't for some time. I have found that stepping back and giving time to the many thoughts can sometimes assist me in opening my eyes. Opening eyes and new ways of thinking can also lead to new evidence.

Viola!

This time, I found a pension for the lovely widow, Prudence COLEMAN (d. 1841). Now, I've known about Prudence for some years as she is my 4g-grandmother. I had painstakingly traced the lines back with as much documentation as I could locate. I have yet to find her maiden name, but there is still hope in my heart.

There it was from NARA. A pension applied for by the widow of Robert COLEMAN (1755-1825). Who knew this process would continue after her 1841 death? The record group is No. 15, W23858. This wonderful pension supplied the date of marriage and verified the names of the children. Yipee, this confirms my research.

According to the affidavits found in the pension application, grandpa Robert served the American interests under the command of Captains Simonds and Witherspoon. He also served in Brandon's Regiment in Marion's brigade. He was in several skirmishes including the memorable Battle of Fort Moultrie near Charleston. Grandpa was also sent by Francis Marion as a scout in pursuit of the British and Tories around Monck's Corner.

With my blood soaring again, I read each page of the pension application and used it to further document the line. How much more fun can a genealogy buff have?

Another day, another super find. Mama's words are proven true yet again.

Ahh, genealogy. If only I could hear them from her lips again.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Our Heroes of World War I Remembered Every Day

2011-11-11T10:06:00.000-05:00

Veterans Day is upon us. As we stop and take time to reflect on those wonderful heroes of the past that we call grandpa, cousin, brother, or uncle, be sure to thank the wonderful men and women who place their lives on the line for our freedoms today and everyday.

The Pittsburgh area newspaper project that I have been involved with for almost two years now is still growing. Just this week, more than 4300 names were added to the death index. As it has been from the beginning, this is a tremendous resource for those who are searching for our past. The value to genealogy buffs for Pittsburgh area is priceless. Of course, some of us want to find even more names on the index. It's interesting to think about how many people have lived and died in our little area of the world.

An added feature to this project has been the transcribing of old newspaper articles about the World War I military personnel from the Pittsburgh area. There are a series of articles describing everyday life in France with our doughboys as one reporter lived and traveled with them over a period of months in the fall of 1918 and through the winter of 1919.

These articles, which appeared in the Pittsburgh Gazette can be read at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~paallent/ . For those who are interested in their Pittsburgh area roots, one of our awesome volunteers also took the time to index the names of the military personnel that were mentioned in the newspapers. There are over 73000 names on the list. Perhaps, you too will be find your loved one's name and the description of the battle in which they were wounded. Perhaps, you will find tears running down your face as you realize what they went through for you and me.

So, say a prayer today for our military personnel and say a prayer for those brave warriors who believed in our country enough to fight for it and for us.

Ahh, genealogy. A snapshot of the past has me on my knees praying for our military today.

©2011 AS Eldredge

How is There a Heckler in the Group?

2011-11-09T12:24:00.001-05:00

Last spring, I finally found the death date and final resting spot of William Wiley HUNNEWELL, the brother of my 2g grandmother. With excitement growing by leaps and bounds, I asked a really cool friend of mine who lives in Pittsburgh to go and find the grave. My sweet tea buddy, JR, sent the picture to me, and now, I am left with more questions.

There's a HECKLER among us. What?

Let's jump back to what I do know through many slow hours of documentation, and with the assistance of another HUNNEWELL blood cousin of mine, Larry.

William Wiley HUNNEWELL was born Sept 19, 1848, in Pittsburgh. He was a son of Benjamin F HUNNEWELL (abt 1806-1849) and Sallie Ellen (Helen?) BYLES. Benjamin died when a cholera outbreak happened in the area, and the lovely widow was left to raise her seven children. We find her having farmed out the older children in the 1850 census, leaving just her and only two of the younger children with her. They were Mary Jane and William Wiley.

William joined the Union forces and served in the Co. E, 102nd PA Infantry. He was wounded in March 1865 when Lee attacked Fort Steadman.

After the war, he goes to Wisconsin for a bit. He marries Alice G in 1884 and has one son, William B HUNNEWELL. William B is living in Philadelphia in the 1920 census with a wife and two daughters.

As noted in a previous entry, William Wiley was a member of the GAR Post #3 in Pittsburgh. Read more about it here .

William Wiley marries Emma (1873-1931). He then dies in October 1931 and is buried at Homewood Cemetery in Allegheny Co.

From the Pitt Post Gazette Oct 5, 1931

HUNNEWELL- At West Penn Hospital, on Saturday, October 3, 1931, at 11 am, William W, husband of the late Emma Hunnewell of 301 York Way. He was a member of the Post No. 3 GAR. Remains at the home of the Ferguson Wood Co., Forbes St at McKee Place, Oakland. Services will be held on Tuesday, October 6, at 2:30 pm. Post No. 3, GAR and all other members of GAR and friends invited.

The obituary tells us that his wife, Emma, departed earlier, while the gravestone tells us the year. What is odd is the other name on the stone-- H H HECKLER. Who the heck is that?

My best guess is that Harry H HECKLER is the brother of Emma.

There was a Emma HECKLER born about 1872 that had a younger brother, Harry living in Skluylkill Co, PA in the 1880 census. However, there is still a Harry HECKLER living in Pottsville in the 1930 Federal Census with a wife, Cora MILLER, so that pretty much eliminates this line of thought.

What is odd about it is that the Harry H HECKLER found living in Allegheny Co, PA, in the 1910 Federal Census is married to a Laura M. So where is she?

I have yet to determine exactly who the H H HECKLER is on the tombstone. Obviously, it was important enough for the name to be on the stone. As there is no death date, I don't know if the body is there as well. I am curious as to who this HECKLER is among us.........

Ahhh, genealogy. Just thinking of the puzzles and the Hecklers makes me smile.

Sources:
1850 Federal Census, Pittsburgh 9th Ward, Allegheny, PA pg 549
1850 Mortality Index
http://cwdpa102ndregimentvolinf.com/histpa102ndneibaum1.htm
1920 Federal Census, Allegheny, PA
1880 Federal Census, Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA, pg 387
1910 Federal Census, Pittsburgh Ward 13, Allegheny, PA
Veterans Burial Card from Ancestry.com
Grave photo courtesy of JR Jamieson, May 2011

Update: I was asked if I had thought about the possibility of Mr Heckler being the first husband of Emma. The thought crossed my mind, but I think there would have been a death date on the stone if that was the case. I also had found evidence of Mr Heckler's wife being named Louise. Good idea, though. Keep 'em coming.

©2011 A S Eldredge

New for Memorial Day: Relive World War I History Thru 1919 Articles

2011-05-30T10:17:00.000-05:00

Last month, my genealogy buddy, Lynn B, sought my opinion on whether she should transcribe some World War I newspaper stories. She sent a sample and I responded with a resounding "yes."

With the assistance of our favorite Rootsweb Web Files Manager, Ellis Michaels, on the Allegheny County PA GenWeb Archives site, these articles are now available for viewing.

The transcription is taken from the 1919 Pittsburg Press. The article series is A History of Pittsburg and Western Pennsylvania Troops in the War written by John V Hanlon.

I will say my world came to a screeching halt as I read about the battles and the events which described how and where my grandfather was wounded and severely gassed. After I took a few moments to say a prayer of thanks for his service and that of his fallen doughboy comrades, I eagerly read the other chapters.

In reading the 21 chapters, you will undoubtably gain a new appreciation for the sacrifices made by our World War I veterans. Relive the joy, the pain, the sorrow and the tragedies of the day.

You can find these wonderful articles here: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/military/wpa-ww1/contents.htm

Ahh, genealogy. Read, weep, and take a moment to say your word of thanks to all our veterans, past and present.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Day 5- Remembering World War I : Victory First

2011-05-27T09:07:00.000-05:00

Every day as I read the stories written by Doyle of the daily life of our veterans in France in the fall and winter of 1918, I have to decide which story to use. They are all so wonderful and serve to bring the old ways of fighting military to mind.

Our doughboys were terrific. Hope you've been enjoying reading the articles printed almost 100 years ago....

THE GAZETTE TIMES
Oct 20, 1918, page 24

OFFICER TELLS THRILLING TALE OF BATTLE

Lieut. Lewis Describes a Bayonet Clash – Small Yank Kills Giant Hun.

BOCHE BARBAROUS

Washington, Pa., Oct. 19. – Buried alive half an hour in a trench along the Marne River and alive to tell the tale is but one of the thrilling experiences of Lieut. James A. “Pud” Lewis, of Elizabeth, Pa., and former Washington and Jefferson college student, recently returned from the French battle front.

Lieut. Lewis left college in his senior year at the declaration of war in April, 1917, and enlisted as a private with Company H of the old Tenth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard. In his company he was promoted to corporal, sergeant and mess sergeant. He was then sent to the officers’ training school, won a second lieutenancy, and was assigned to Company B of the One Hundred and Ninth Infantry, a Philadelphia regiment, with which he has won high honor and promotion to first lieutenancy. He tells a story of a marvelous bayonet fight.

Lieut. Lewis wears the ribbon of the French Croix de Guerre, awarded for valor in action, but modestly declines to wear the medal itself. During the second battle of the Marne his company was sent to take and hold a difficult position. The company became divided in the battle and Lieut. Lewis found himself in command of 92 men, with whom he held the position for two days and two nights without food or water, until relief came. For this feat the French general in command awarded the cherished cross. He also has medals for services with the English and the French and the ribbon indicating participation in the second battle of the Marne when the Hun was thrown back in retreat to Germany.

We’re Fighting A Barbarous People

The 300-members of the Washington and Jefferson Student Army Training Corps assembled in the gymnasium last night to hear Lieut. Lewis drive home the meaning of and reason for military discipline. He told of the atrocities of the Huns which had come before his eyes, and by the valor of the American soldiers.

“We are not fighting merely the German government, we are fighting the German people,” declared Lieut. Lewis. “They are the same uncivilized race that sacked the City of Rome centuries ago and I cannot agree with some of the things I read in the press of this country after meeting them face to face. The race which has pillaged and burned unprotected French and Belgian towns, tortured and murdered innocent children in cold blood and carried young women into slavery with no military advantage accruing, is not to be dealt with as a member of this world’s civilization. And they are not. All these things I saw with my own eyes.”

Lieut. Lewis was in more or less constant touch with the One Hundred and Tenth Infantry, being in the same brigade. July 3 the brigade was billeted 13 miles behind the front line. The Allied high command anticipated a new German drive either July 4 of July 14, the French holiday. The German expected to find his enemy celebrating.

Discipline Prevents Mutiny

Of all this the junior officers were ignorant. The Pennsylvania boys had prepared baseball diamonds and tracks for a big field day on the Fourth. Lieut. Lewis describes what happened.

“About 3 o’clock in the morning, I wakened and heard some one climbing to the top floor of the French home in which Lieut. Warren, my company commander, and I were sleeping. A knock at the door and a voice said, ‘Lieut. Warren, I have orders for you.’

“Those orders were to go to the front immediately with the usual two-day iron rations. The brigade was formed, hiked to the front, skirmished for about three hours, and was ordered back over that same 13 miles. The boys wanted to stay there and fight, and I thought there would be a mutiny in camp. All were tired, restless and talking among themselves. Where was the discipline and obedience of the eight months of training at Camp Hancock.

“Lieut. Warren stepped in front of the company and called ‘Attention.’ Every man clicked his heels together and straightened his tired back. But two words were spoken to those men at that time and they went away quietly when dismissed. Lieut. Warren said ‘VICTORY FIRST.’ Such discipline is not to be found with ray recruits.”

Is Buried By a Shell

Washington boys have written home that July 4 would never be forgotten, but this is the first time the story has been told.

Only of his experiences in being buried alive would Lieut. Lewis speak of himself. His other stories are of his men. The expected German attack came July 14 and the Pennsylvania boys were there to meet it. From that time until August 11 when he was ordered to the United States as an instructor at Camp Logan, Tex., Lieut. Lewis said the Iron Division was under fire.

“I was sitting in a trench,” he related, “telling two of my sergeants of the attack we were about to make, when a shell it a bit too close and caved in the trench. I was bent over, but sufficient air space remained to keep me alive for the half hour it took the boys to dig me out.

“On another occasion I was sitting talking to Lieut. Tom Bridges of Washington, when we were unexpectedly ordered into the fight. Tom and I both had on trench boots and no time to change them. When we got to the firing line I was surprised to find a remarkable concentration of fire in my direction and caught a machine gun bullet in the leg. Then I discovered the boots, which indicated to Fritz I was an officer. I soon got them covered with the wrapped leggings of a man who had fallen. I believe Tom was wounded the same day and for the same reason.”

Sees a Brother Killed

“When the battle started July 14 the boche planes bombed us at will, for there was not an Allied plane to be seen. He would swoop down within 100 years of the ground, tip over and let go one of the ugly black bombs. Our machine guns were our only defense.

“My platoon was within a few hundred yards of the 110th headquarters building when it was bombed by a German plane. It was there that Leonard Whitehill of Washington was killed. I sent one squad of my men to move the men from the debris and learned later that 18 of the 60 in the building were killed. Little did I think at the time that a college fraternity brother had paid the price before my eyes. My platoon was ordered forward immediately.

“We started up a hill one day and not a shot was fired until he had passed the edge of a road which ran around the hill. Then the machine guns broke loose. The road was our only protection, and not much at that. We hung in behind it while other organizations cleaned up the woods at the top. That night there was not a mess pan in my whole platoon that would hold the good old army beef stew the cooks had for us. Those machine gun bullets had been grazing over the backs of my men and had filled their haversacks with holes. We got new mess kits. In fact, whenever we come out of the line we can get everything new from head to foot if we want it.

Beautiful Bayonet Fight

“The tiredest [sic] man I saw in France was ‘Pete’ Redinger, from Washington. I found him one day trudging along, 10 miles away from his company, which he had lost. He slept with me that night and started out bright and early to catch up with his company.

“The best story I can tell, and it must be about the last,” Lieut. Lewis continued, “is of a little hand-to-hand skirmish we had with Fritz and the clever work of the smallest man in my company. It was a bayonet fight and there the American soldier is supreme. My pistol was empty when I saw this powerful six-foot Dutchman making for our 130-pounder. It was David against Goliath. The boy stood in an easy position. His rifle was broken and there was no time to grab another. The German made his deadly bayonet lunge and our boy caught the bayonet with the outside edge of his right hand, throwing the blade past his shoulder. He grabbed the German’s rifle and gave it a couple of little clever twists we learned in camp. The German fell dead on his own bayonet. It was the gamest thing I ever saw.”

Lieut. Lewis said that while he did not see many of the Washington boys he heard always of their various fortunes and tried to keep in touch with them because he started his career with them. He knew nothing more about any of them than has already been learned here. He did not talk of peace, but of getting back to France, to be there to help put the finishing touches on the enemy. His company was composed entirely of Philadelphia men.

This article brings the efforts of my grandpa more to light as he was in the 110th and was wounded. Was he in the building at the time of the bombing? I don't know.

Ahh, genealogy. Remembering our veterans is always in style- so take time to sit, reflect, and then pray for our brave warriors.

Special thanks to Lynn B for her gracious permission to have her transcriptions included here.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering WWI- Thru the Eyes and Words of 1918 Warriors- Day 4

2011-05-26T09:28:00.000-05:00

The wonders of our great World War I doughboys continues-

Today is Day 4 of my journey to remember our veterans who have fought for our country. Memorial Day is just around the corner, so start preparing now for how you will remember our grandpas.

American veterans are just, well, all heroes in my book.

THE GAZETTE TIMES
Nov. 14, 1918

Charles J. Doyle
Special Correspondent of The Gazette Times in France

TALES OF HEROIC ACTS ARE TOLD AS ARMISTICE HALTS RUSH OF LEGIONS

Battle Stories Show Great Achievements of Western Pennsylvanians and West Virginians in Desperate Fighting During Closing Hours of War – Bullet Fails to Stop Determined Preacher.

With The American Expeditionary Forces, Nov. 11 – (Delayed)- Although the armistice which has ended the great war has silenced the guns and stopped the steady push of the American armies and their Allies, it is hard to realize that fact. Especially at night one still listens for the bombardment to commence and thinks in terms of war. One still hears little except battle yarns and incidents, and stirring charge, stubborn advance or study resistance to counter-attack, are what are most talked about. These, too, are the most vivid recollections.

Details are coming out regarding the recent operations of the Three Hundred and Nineteenth and Three Hundred and Twentieth Regiments, splendid young chaps from Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Keeping right up to the dashing (deleted) division on their immediate right, some 5,000 of these boys “jumped off” from the temporary stopping place on a farm along the Somme. Closely following their barrage they swept through the German defense line, captured the town of Imecourt, and gained their objective at Buzaucy.

And these are the boys who only about a year ago were hard at work in the mills and offices, the stores and fields of the old Keystone State, spending their leisure time largely in neighborhood athletics. Their admirable work in this sector, which led to some of the greatest open fighting in which the Yanks have yet participated, was their second great operation. As a result the One Hundred and Sixteenth Brigade, made up of the regiments named and under the command of Brig. Gen. Lloyd M. Brett, was given special mention by the commander of the First Corps.

There were remarkable deeds of daring during this plunging rush over wide rolling fields plowed and pitted with shell holes. The hero of one of them is a real fighting parson, Capt. T. W. Hooper, a Methodist minister from Culpepper, Va. While leading his company, K of the Three Hundred and Nineteenth, a machine gun bullet grazed his neck, inflicting a slight wound. The nervy parson flatly declined even to hesitate in his advance, but kept right up with his men, largely Allegheny and Mercer county Pennsylvanians. Needless to say his boys are devoted to him.

I heard the story – not from him however – when I came up with the regiment resting. I met him in a shell hole taking pot luck with his men when he could easily have been taking his well-earned rest in a safer spot. It was thoroughly typical of the men.

The Gazette Times correspondent spent one night at the headquarters of the Eightieth Division, barely a quarter of a mile back of the artillery line. There was not much sleep during the early part of the night because of the intermittent bombardment and we had just settled down when a vicious barrage was laid down. By 3 o’clock in the morning the ground fairly shook with the fury of the guns and the darkened horizon flared into brilliant flame. The doughboys crouched for three hours under the shelter of the protective fire of the American batteries and then, the two arms co-operating splendidly, the advance started.

By 7 o’clock I saw the first prisoners coming back, the wearied Boches trudging down the road guarded by two proudly grinning Yanks. In less than two hours the improvised cage held several hundred Fritzies, many of whom were openly rejoicing at their good luck in being captured. Before night more than 700 prisoners, including 30 officers, had been reported to the division headquarters.
Those of the boys whose duties took them near the cage did a thriving business in souvenirs. Nearly every Heinie had some souvenir that he was only too ready to “swap.” Bits of chocolate were the favored medium in these trades, the Germans taking them eagerly in exchange for trinkets, pictures, etc.

THE GENEROUS DOUGHBOY

“Unbeatable and uncomplaining.” That accurately describes the great American doughboy. And he is as generous as he is daring and resourceful. I came up with one company a few evenings ago. They were in open country, getting such shelter as they might in shell holes and a few old dugouts after a victorious drive of three miles, which included a good deal of open field fighting. The Yanks were hungry and cold, but there was no complaining.

Stumbling along with a lieutenant, who was acting as my guide, I met Private Brown. Not so long ago he was a member of a fast independent baseball team at Woodlawn, Pa. Now he is just as good an infantryman, with the same spirit that characterized his former sizzling battles for supremacy on the diamond.

The big field in which we met had been riddled with shells and Jerry was still sending over a good many. Most of the boys were sleeping in shell holes or darkened dugouts, where they were safe enough except for a chance direct hit, but Brown was pacing about the muddy field.

“Why don’t you lie down and get some rest?” the lieutenant asked. “Haven’t you had enough exercise today?”

Brown grinned cheerfully, but replied softly: “I’d rather walk, Sir. I’m tired and hungry and the dugout seems a bit oppressive. I feel better here.”

As it happened I had some chocolate in my bag. It was only a little piece; a baby would have made a mouthful of it. Yet when I have it to him Private Brown promptly broke it in half and wanted me to take one piece, saying:

“Probably you are hungry yourself.”

And he had had nothing to eat for 24 hours, the advance having been so rapid that the boys outran their supplies.

That’s the American doughboy.

Ahh, genealogy. Remembering our veterans is always in style- so take time to sit, reflect, and then pray for our brave warriors.

Special thanks to Lynn B for her gracious permission to have her transcriptions included here.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering WWI- Thru the Eyes and Words of 1918 Warriors - Part 3

2011-05-25T06:07:00.000-05:00

Forget the parade, the President-- lonely boys away from home prefer to find their friends from Pittsburgh!

Today is the third entry in the series of remembering the brave actions of our grandpas through the words of Doyle. 90 plus years later, and the story of World War I continues to captivate.

THE GAZETTE TIMES
Dec. 17, 1918

Charles J. Doyle
Special Correspondent of The Gazette Times in France

DASHING FIGHTERS HAILING FROM ALLEGHENY CONTY SEE PRESIDENT BUT MISS OLD PALS.

Members of Three Hundred and Twentieth Infantry, Recommended for Commissions Because of Bravery in Action, Say Absence of Comrades Mars Enjoyment of Paris Festivities.

Paris, Dec. 16. – There is one bunch of Allegheny county doughboys in Paris who are disappointed, although they saw the wonderful spectacle connected with the arrival of President Wilson. They are members of the Three Hundred and Twentieth Infantry who had been detailed to an officers’ training school near here. They are disappointed because they have not yet seen their pals of the old regiment, which, they had been told, were to be detailed to Paris in connection with the President’s stay in the French capita.

The Army orders instructing the Pittsburgh boys to report at the capital did not say when they were to come or exactly what they were to do. There were no soldiers of any description in the party which escorted the President from the railroad station, although thousands of French troops were used as guards along the line of march.

The Western Pennsylvania fighters have all be given new uniforms, shoes and arm decorations and have been assiduously drilled, so they are ready for any event, no matter how pretentious. The regimental officers say they think there will be a review later and are holding the regiment in readiness.

The embryo officers in the vicinity of the city, who secured short leaves of absence to witness the big spectacle, were all up bright and early. By 6 o’clock in the morning they were out hunting for the boys with whom they fought in the severe battles for the Argonne forest. They are all members of the splendid Three Hundred and Twentieth Regiment and, following the first two drives made by that command, were recommended for admission to the training school in preparation for commissions.

I happened to meet up with a party from the training school. Shortly before they had encountered two pals from the Three Hundred and Twentieth, who were going back to join their outfits after recovering from wounds. Fine husky-looking soldiers they were, all of them, and they asked The Gazette Times to convey their wishes for a “Merry Christmas” to their friends back home.

These fellows who made me very welcome were: William Keifer, Iten street, North Side, Pittsburgh; D. C. Hill, Halsey place, North Side, Pittsburgh’ P.V. Speer, Vandergrift; Sabin Boltin, Collins avenue, East End, Pittsburgh; James Palmer, Bellevernon; Charles Ernst, Rial street, East End, Pittsburgh; William Collignan, Michigan avenue, South Hills, Pittsburgh; T. K. Brennan, Hotel Henry, Pittsburgh, and George Costello, Coltart square, Oakland, Pittsburgh.

All these men won distinction during the hard fighting immediately preceding the final actins of the war and were recommended for commissions. It was their behavior under fire that attracted the attention of their superior officers. Although all of them have finished the prescribed training, they told me they would be willing to forfeit their pending commissions if allowed to get back to “the old outfit.” They are lonesome, and want to renew the warm friendships made in the ranks of the Three Hundred and Twentieth, preferring them to military honors. Most of these men were sergeants during the time they were fighting in France.

Charles O. Mebie, a well-known Fayette county resident, whose home is near Uniontown, was one Pennsylvanian whose presence in Paris came to the notice of the public. He disregarded all parade traffic rules in his efforts to find the youthful son of Carl. L. Bemies, a member of the Three Hundred and Twentieth Regimental Band, but has had to postpone the reunion for a few days. Mr. Mebie is on his way to Russia on a special mission for the Y.M.C.A.

It is evident here that the folds back home are reading the special stories in The Gazette Times. A number of clippings have come to the boys of the Three Hundred and Nineteenth and the Three Hundred and Twentieth, and they are not only being passed around among the men, but are being read with interest by the officers.

Ahh, genealogy. Remembering our veterans is always in style- so take time to sit, reflect, and then pray for our brave warriors.

Special thanks to Lynn B for her gracious permission to have her transcriptions included here.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering WWI- Thru the Eyes and Words of 1918 Warriors - Part 2

2011-05-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

What men of valor our grandpas were!

The following is the second in the installment of remembering World War I through the words of Charles J Doyle, Special Gazette Times Correspondent in France.

THE GAZETTE TIMES
Nov. 3, 1918

Charles J. Doyle
Special Correspondent of The Gazette Times in France

Pick and Shovel as Well as Bayonet and Gun Help Pennsylvania Boys Win

With the American Expeditionary Forces in France. Nov. 1 – The Western Pennsylvanians of the Twenty-eighth and Eightieth Divisions are winning renown over the entire Allied front by charging the Boche with pick and shovel as well as with bayonet and gun. Skirmish after skirmish and drive after drive they have won literally with these tools as well as with their weapons. The history of their two-fold prowess at Argonne (in the wood and in the four days’ fighting beyond) has already become a classic of the war. Since July they have gone forward 20 times, and the records show that each time they have achieved their own objective.

That is 100 per cent fighting efficiency.

It is the more remarkable because these men were thrust “green” into the very heart of the most violent fighting Yankee soldiers have done in this war.

I saw 500 fellows from Pittsburgh and Allegheny county make one of those famous self-supporting drives at (name deleted by censor) near the Meuse today.

Three hundred of them carried shovels strapped to their backs. The Boche met them with a murderous machine gun fire and then, as they dashed on in spite of it, he split his front, so that half his force ran to the right and half to the left as the Pennsylvanians approached. Straight on to the knoll where his machine guns had been ran the Americans, firing right and left; then as they reached it the riflemen formed a great square about the knoll, and while they poured a merciless hail of bullets and their own machine fire into the Huns at either side, the others unlimbered that battery of picks and shovels and in one-half hour’s time the entire American raiding force had dug itself into the newly won position and was waiting for orders for another forward drive.

A French colonel, standing beside us as we watched, said simply: “That is the way to win war, M’sieu. Valor, the gun and the shovel – the three together – they are invincible.”

Incidentally the military experts have by no means left the Pennsylvanians’ achievements out of their review of the work of the First American Army. Paraphrased that review says: “In a month’s activities the long Argonne siege developed the most violent fighting the Americans have yet seen in France. And in this great drive the Pennsylvania soldiers of the Twenty-eighth and Eightieth won particular renown for their valor and initiative.”

Again in the most recent smash, continues the review, the Eightieth Division machine gunners, composed largely of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia soldiers, fought magnificently through the dense woods in spite of the most unusually effective Hun defense.

Col. B. M. Gordon, a former Mercer (Pa.) boy with the Three Hundred and Twentieth Regiment, told me that he did not believe it lay in any many to fight with more heroism, intelligence and determination than did the lads of Mercer and Allegheny counties. “They were marvelously effective, especially with the machine guns,” he said. “In the fights where they beat off the counter-attacks of the desperate Germans their work passed beyond all praise.”

The Eighteenth has been especially commended for taking dugouts that were said to be insuperable. Some of them had been held by the Huns four years when the Pennsylvanians routed them out.

CAPTURES AND FEEDS COUSIN

Private Ernest Roeck of St. Clair Borough, a member of the Three Hundred and Nineteenth Regiment, discovered his cousin, Karl Potrafke, among the prisoners captured at the end of the third day’s drive out of Argonne. Private Roeck, who had been one of the first over the top and who had made several prisoners on his own account, was detailed at the end of the day to search and take back to the rear some 50 Heinies who had surrendered. Going through the pockets of one of them he came upon some papers that referred to a town in Germany where he knew he had relatives. Questioning disclosed the cousin’s identity. He belonged to the Thirty-second German Division. His captor gave him the first square meal he said he had had in two months.

It may now be said that the Pennsylvanians in the Eightieth Division first went to the front near the famous Dead Man’s Hill.

Ahh, genealogy. Remembering our veterans is always in style- so take time to sit, reflect, and then pray for our brave warriors.

Special thanks to Lynn B for her gracious permission to have her transcriptions included here.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering WWI- Thru the Eyes and Words of 1918 Warriors - Part 1

2011-05-23T13:51:00.001-05:00

As our nation gets ready to celebrate Memorial Day, I think it is most appropriate to remember our grandfathers as they fought for America during World War I. If we don't remember the sacrifices of our veterans, then we take away what they fought for-- and their actions have preserved our wonderful country.

Our youth must know their stories and remember to thank our veterans, past and present.

Over the next several days, I will be commemorating our World War I veterans in the words of The Gazette Times (in Pittsburgh) Special Correspondent Charles J Doyle. In 1918 and early 1919, Doyle was in France with our brave soldiers. In his articles, he wrote of everyday life and battles of the units from Western Pennsylvania.

My genealogy buddy, Lynn B., transcribed these. Read each and every entry. Relive the battles, the pain, the suffering, the death, and the joy of these brave soldiers.

And then pray for our veterans, past and present.....

THE GAZETTE TIMES
Dec. 2, 1918

Charles J. Doyle
Special Correspondent of The Gazette Times in France

PROSPECT OF EARLY RETURN BRINGS THANKSGIVING JOY TO WOUNDED PITTSBURGH BOYS.

Fighting Cook of Three Hundred Nineteenth Infantry Overjoyed When Told by Gazette Times Correspondent His Pals Came Through War Unscathed. Knoxville Youth Doing More Than His Bit When Stopped by Piece of Shell – Ball Players Act as Ushers in Paris Church.

Paris, Nov. 29. – (Delayed) – It was a curious but thoroughly enjoyable Thanksgiving afternoon that I spent sitting beside the cozy cots in American Base Hospital No. 41, chatting with the sturdy young chaps who are recovering their health and strength there. It is the magnificent Legion of Honor structure, rich in historic lore, at St. Denis, on the outskirts of Paris. The building, more than 600 years old, was formerly the burial place of the French kings. Once a monastery, it was later, under Napoleon, a school for officers’ daughters and is now a mammoth hospital sheltering about 2,500 wounded Yanks.

While wandering through the stately corridors of the ancient monastery in search of the men of the Twenty-eighth Division whom I had heard were being treated there, I was roused from my spell of admiration for the beautiful old building by a cheery hail.

“Hello, Doyle! How are the Three Hundred Nineteenth boys?” came the call.

Peering over a sea of cots I got a glimpse of the laughing face of Private Charles H. Glacken of 443 Brownsville road, Knoxville. Although “Charlie” was carried on the rolls of the regiment as a cook, he “went over the top” with the rest of them, having gotten hold of a rifle somehow, and was certainly doing his bit until hit in the knee by a small piece of high explosive shell.

This was during the early part of the advance and, as the wound was not a very serious one, Glacken was able to make his way back to a first aid station. Later he was brought to Paris for treatment. Now he looks the picture of health. As we talked he lay on his comfortable cot, extremely happy because he had been told that he would be sent back to Pittsburgh soon. He expects to have the full use of his leg in a short time.

The fighting cook of the Three Nineteenth [sic] had only one worry. He was anxious for news of Sergt. Bert Tremellen of Locust street, Mt. Oliver and Sergt. George Hegemelf of Knox avenue, his chums in Company K. I was able to tell him that both came through the hot fighting without a scratch, which was a great relief to him.

One of the The Gazette Times-Chronicle Telegraph soldiers literally beamed when I reached his cot. This young fighter was Thomas Orpy of 1330 Webster avenue, Pittsburgh, and was employed in the mailing room before he went join [sic] the army. He is a member of Company L, One Hundred and Eleventh Infantry, Twenty-eighth Division. His nurse had all sorts of nice things to say of this boy, who was wounded seven weeks before the Argonne forest fighting. Although he had a machine gun bullet in his foot, which required much attention, he displayed rare patience. He is doing well now.

Private Fred Libby, a Johnstown member of Company F, One Hundred and Tenth Infantry, was also in the hospital. He was almost entirely recovered from the effects of a shell wound. He formerly lived on the North Side, Pittsburgh.

Another Western Pennsylvanian I saw was Corp. George McCann of Butler, who was wounded near Verdun. He smiled broadly through his big bandage as he talked to me of the prospect of getting back home. He was wounded five times, but none of the injuries was serious and he is practically well now.
Private Louis McDonald, known about Homewood as an amateur ball player, who served “over there” with an anti aircraft company, was another who will probably soon be able to leave. He was sent to the hospital [unreadable] and was also told that Private Roy Kelly of the West End, Pittsburgh, had been there, but was recently discharged and was probably heading straight for the Steel City. He served with the One Hundred and Ninth Division.

I missed seeing a number of the Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania men because most of those well enough to stand the trip had been taken in trucks into Paris for the big celebration. King George of England and two of his sons were present and took part in the official observance of the day. All Paris had a great day. The splendid cathedral was decorated with French, American and English flags and the service was wonderfully impressive. Cardinal Bourne of Westminster, the principal speaker, touched strongly on the part played by American in bringing the war to a close.

At the Madeleine the mass was opened by the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” on the huge pipe organ to the accompaniment of trumpet blasts. This service was arranged specially for Americans, but the appreciation of the French people was shown by the fact that they stormed the gates at a very early hour and literally took possession of the church.

Andy Noswing of Pittsburgh was in charge of the ushers at Madeleine and among his assistants were Jack Hendrick, manager of the St. Louis Nationals, and Johnny Evers, the famous second baseman. Both are doing Knights of Columbus work in France.

Ahh, genealogy. Take the time to sit, reflect, and then pray for our brave warriors.

Special thanks to Lynn for her gracious permission to have her transcriptions included here.

©2011 AS Eldredge

GAR Post #3 History from 1894 Article

2011-05-23T10:31:00.001-05:00

Last week, I was finally able to definitively determine the death date and the cemetery for William Wiley HUNNEWELL, the brother of my 2g-grandmother. With delight in my eyes, a cousin of mine took the date I supplied and found the 1931 obituary in Pittsburgh.

While I knew William had served in the Civil War and had moved to Wisconsin, and later back to Pittsburgh, I was surprised to find his obit made notice of his belonging to the General Alexander Hays GAR Post #3.

I scouted around for information on the post and to see if any records are still in existence. Perhaps, I can uncover some more interesting tidbits for my family files. So far, I have found an article from Sept, 1894 in the Pittsburgh Press which provides the following fun facts:

Post #3 was the first post organized in Pennsylvania November 2, 1866, as Post 1. It became Post 3 after the national GAR was organized.

Charter members:
Gen. A L PEARSON
Capt. D M HOWE
Sergt. William HOWE
Capt. WB COOK
John F HUNTER
Lewis HAWNCH
Lieut. Joseph L EVANS
EG KENNEDY
Robert D McKEE
Maj Samuel KILGORE
Lee S SMITH
David R REWIS
WF HOOD

Other names from 1866-1867:
BF STEPHENSON
John M SNYDER
J Henry MILLER
John H MORRIS
George LAING
Hamlet LOWE
BF KENNEDY
George F MORGAN

1869 names:
William McMULLIN
Samuel HACKETT
William THOMPSON
Jos H GEY
HILL
HUNTER
WJ CRISWELL
COLLINS
SILNEY
HM CURRY
John McLANAHAN

Other names:
EA MONTOOTH
Crosby GRAY
BW BALDWIN
GB CHALMERS
WH McCLELLAND
HM QUIG
WW SCOTT
GB HUBBARD
SA WILL
RJ HERRON
Edward FISHER
JM HAYS
TJ HAMILRON
JM ROBERTS
WF SPEER
John D McFARLAND
WM BIRCH
WH LAMBERT
HO SHAY
AF DALZELL
Homer L McGAW
WH HART
Alex HUGHES
WJ HAMILTON
AT CORDELL
JH MILLER
Joseph B EATON
Chas TAYLOR
Wm NOTTER
Alex C CASKEY

In 1894, the post reported having 300 members in good standing.

I found the following surviving documentation from the post at the Soldiers & Sailors Museum:

Post 3 – Gen. Alexander Hays Minutes Book 1905 – 1909
Post 3 – Minutes Book 1906 – 1912
Post 3 – Minutes Book 1931 – 1940 with obits
Post 3 – Descriptive Books
Post 3 – Cash Receipts/Dues Journal with Roster 1926 – 1929
Post 3 – Cash Receipts Journal 1909 – 1938
Post 3 – Canceled Checks and Warrants

If you have an interest in looking at these files, Curator Michael Kraus says the records are available for viewing with a few days notice.

Oh, if only I could go----

Ahh, genealogy. Remembering those who have gone before.....

©2011 AS Eldredge

Have a Retired Railroad Worker in Your Line?

2011-05-19T08:56:00.000-05:00

These records are fabulous. Check 'em out.

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

Railroad Retirement Board Records Available at the National Archives, Southeast Region/Atlanta

Records from the Railroad Retirement Board are now available at the National Archives, Southeast Region/Atlanta in Morrow.

The board was founded in 1936 and its records include applications that provide a retiree's career history, date and place of birth, parents, spouse and children. These records represent railroad retirees from all over the U.S., not just the Southeast, and were brought to Morrow from the Chicago headquarters of the board.

To have a file pulled for research, you must supply the person's full name, date of birth and, if possible, Social Security number. The records date from the 1930s through the 1960s. Sensitive information on any living person is redacted.

You can read more in an article by Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution web site at http://goo.gl/8OT4A

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Ahh, genealogy. Keep on movin' down the line to uncover those elusive clues!

©2011 AS Eldredge

Honoring WWI Pittsburgh Area Veterans

2011-05-16T10:50:00.000-05:00

For those of you who follow my genealogy antics, you know I have been the coordinator for a fabulous project in the Pittsburgh area. A super group of volunteers have banded together to search the old newspapers and pull out the death, marriage, divorce and photos found within. These entries have been put into indices which can be checked at no cost online.

Our last death index had over 73000 entries! This has been accomplished in about 15 months and still the labor of love of history keeps on ticking! We update the these lists on a regular basis, so there is always a reason to check the lists every month or so. You just never know when you will be jumping for joy!

On another note, last December, one of the volunteers, Lynn Beatty, approached me with the idea of pulling the World War I veterans names from the newspapers. My first thought was this would be so grand since so many of the World War I veterans information has been lost due to fire.

Since then, Lynn has singlehandedly indexed 85133 entries for the military index. My buddy, Ellis, graciously added the index to our Allegheny County Death Index page. Norm even set up a page for our beloved veterans which will take you to the link for the date the name was seen in the newspaper.

So grab a cup of joe and take some time looking at the stories, the happy reunions, the letters, and shed a tear for those who gave their lives for our wonderful country.

Military Service Index: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Enjm1/11AC-WWI-Military-Service.html

Death Index: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

Ahh, genealogy. Listen to your heartbeat when your beloved's name is found.

Eek! She's a "Common Scold"!

2011-05-09T10:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, reading an old newspaper can bring out the giggles. This morning, this article about a legal case in the 1869 court system really caught my eye. After reading it, I wonder who this outspoken woman was. I also have to wonder if that law was ever taken off the book in Pennsylvania.

A Common Scold

Michael Sweeny, a tavern keeper on Gibbon Street, in the Sixth Ward, made information before the Mayor a few days since against Mrs. Elizabeth CARREL, alleging that she was a "common scold." This is a term applied by the common law to women, who from a propensity and disposition to quarrel with and scold their neighbors and families become a nuisance in the neighborhood in which they resided, and was punishable by fine and imprisonment.

The offense has never been embodied in our criminal code on account of the gallantry, perhaps, of those who revises it, and out of the the respect they had for American women, yet, notwithstanding its omission from the "catalogue of offenses", the courts have decided it to be an indictable offence in this State, as will be seen by reference to the case of the Commonwealth vs, Mole, reported in Second Smith.

In this case it appears from the testimony that there is some grounds for complaint on the part of the prosecutor, and if the conduct of the defendant at the Mayor's office is any evidence, the charge is well funded. She was held to bail for her appearance at court.

Ahh, genealogy. Guess this woman should have been more meek? Can you imagine being labeled a "common scold"? Guess the standards have changed somewhat since then!

Source:
The Pittsburgh Gazette, Jan 11, 1869, pg8
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=NKlx0PmyA3cC&dat=18690111&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

©2011 AS Eldredge

Treasure Chest Thursday: Happy 1919 Homecoming for 66 Wounded Heroes

2011-05-05T12:59:00.000-05:00

An old photograph taken in 1919 has long been in my possession. This picture says so much and for a long time, it told me so little. One can easily identify a wounded soldier visiting with a woman wearing summer colors. The background appears to be an institution, perhaps a hospital. He has his arm casually leaning on the back of the bench.

Just today, more clues have surfaced and I can start to add more pieces to my family puzzle and to the photograph.

CE Simmons enlisted in the draft for World War I June 1917. He was called to duty and served in Co. C of the 11th Infantry. This unit was shipped overseas in June 1918 to France and participated in 43 days of combat with 348 wounded. Charlie was one of the wounded and was returned to the US.

A Pittsburgh Press article dated February 17, 1919, tells us he, along with 65 other wounded soldiers, arrived at the US General Hospital #24 in Parkview Station. The article says the wounded arrived with the "air of schoolboys on the last day of school" and "were joyful their lives had been spared."

No doubt, they were.

The picture, which I had guessed was taken at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh actually is now confirmed to have been taken at US General Hospital #24. General Hospital #24 was located in Parkview Station on the north bank of the Allegheny River in the old North Side Home and Allegheny Workhouse about 9 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The old abandoned buildings were rented to the government at a nominal fee and the government spent $205,000 in the reconstruction of the buildings. It opened in October 1918 with 200 beds. During its tenure before closing in July 1, 1919, the hospital's maximum bed size was 856.

By comparing my photo with the photo of the hospital in the Office of Medical History by the US Army Medical Department, the background matches. The lack of coats and the summer color dress give us the impression the weather was nice. Adding the history of the General Hospital #24 to the newspaper article, we can now make an educated guess that the photograph was taken between April and June 1919. Was this when the spark sprung between the young people? Was this when they fell in love?

Their marriage took place in May 1920, so there was adequate time for the relationship to fully develop.

I don't know how long he was in the hospital after part of his leg had been removed, but I do know he returned to the business he and his father had started back in 1915. In 1920, they paid off the loans for the business and cousins had told me he had lived above the store before marrying his fair bride.

Ahh, genealogy. Sparking on the ole Parkview bench. Kind of romantic, don't you think?

Sources:
Domestic United State Military Facilities of the First World War 1917-1919, Robert Swanson, pg 201
http://books.google.com/books?id=sSopqvCeAXQC&pg=PA201&lpg=PA201&dq=parkview+station+pittsburgh+army+hospital&source=bl&ots=rP84MiLo-v&sig=SkjClHtwLidvdsd0wQ0SHt-dfe0&hl=en&ei=38rCTfihIZTBtgeb3bClBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCwQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=parkview%20station%20pittsburgh%20army%20hospital&f=false

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwi/MilitaryHospitalsintheUS/chapter27figure183.jpg

©2011 AS Eldredge

Tracing Enslaved Africans

2011-04-27T09:12:00.000-05:00

Knowing how hard it can be to trace my ancestors who came to America from Europe, I can imagine the frustration of those who seek their history from Africa.

I ran across this announcement of a new resource for researching those with African origins who were brought to the Americas on slave boats. Perhaps, this will turn out to be helpful to those who are seeking their family history and roots from that area and timeframe.

New Website to Trace Origins of Enslaved Africans

/PRNewswire/ -- Little is known of the ancestry of Africans pulled into the trans-Atlantic slave trade. A new website, launched at Emory University this week, aims to change that. The African-Origins (http://www.african-origins.org) website provides a rare glimpse of the identities of Africans aboard early nineteenth-century slaving vessels, and through this information, the possibility of tracing the origins of millions of other Africans forcibly transported to the Americas. Public participation will be critical to piecing together this missing history.

Visitors to African-Origins can search an online database of Africans liberated from slaving vessels, with such details as gender, age, African port of departure, and, most importantly, an African name. Because names used within African languages and social groups have remained fairly consistent over the last two centuries, the thousands of names listed in this database are clues to the linguistic and ethnic origins of the Africans on board these vessels.

Scholars are now looking for help in identifying the modern counterparts of these names and the languages and ethnicities with which they are likely associated. Through the African-Origins website, those with knowledge of African languages and cultural naming practices can suggest these links. By taking a few minutes to search and listen for familiar names and contribute a modern counterpart, language, and ethnic group, members of the public can help identify the language, ethnic and geographic origins of people listed in these registers, and subsequently the likely origins of millions of other unnamed Africans enslaved during this period.

With these insights, scholars serving as editors of the database can consider the range of possible languages and groups affiliated with a name alongside historical research of peoples' locations and movements across Africa. As contributions are received and analyzed, new information will be added to the African-Origins database on the likely language and ethnicity of each individual. Visitors to the site will eventually be able to search for Africans by linguistic group and view maps of the historical locations of people pulled into the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

To find out more about the African Origins project or contact the project team, visit http://www.african-origins.org or email african-origins@emory.edu.

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Ahh, genealogy. What trips our ancestors took!

©2011 AS Eldredge

Treasure Chest Thursday: 1862 "War Meeting" for the Co. D PA 149th Boys

2011-04-14T11:23:00.000-05:00

With the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War this week, I've really thought about the families on both sides of the proverbial Mason-Dixon line and the costs the war brought to each.

History tells us of the organization of Co. D of the PA 149th Volunteers at the Hill Church in Robinson's Run on August 22, 1862. Among those who volunteered and were original members of the group were several kin and kissing kin of mine, including Captain James GLENN (1824-1901).

This seems like the perfect time to share some more tidbits about cousin James.

In the Diary of Hannah Glenn SNODGRASS (my 2g aunt), she tells us that on August 19, 1862, her sister, Maggie, and Hannah's future husband, Addison Henry SIMMONS, and Hannah all ..

(Note: spelling and punctuation are the same as found in the diary)

"went to a war meeting down to Scotts. The speakers the Reverands J Y McCartney R McPherson Mr Calhoun Capt McElwain J Snodgrass & two others
Wed the 20 we sewed & put up tomatoes
Thursday the 21 we took the ear & plumbs aft put up some plumbs and sewed & Capt J Gleen (GLENN) was here for tea
Friday 22 Capt G in the morning"....

Captain GLENN was the first cousin of Hannah, and likely came to tea as he was going to be leaving for war that night. J SNODGRASS was also the cousin of Hannah. Two of the Reverends mentioned were from the Mansfield Presbyterian Church and Mansfield UP Church.

According to Hannah's words, Reverend McCartney chose his text on the 24th as Psalm 31 verse 19 which states, "How great is Thy goodness, Which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee, Which Thou hast wrought for those who take refuge in Thee, Before the sons of men!". We can only imagine the good Reverend somehow used that verse for the war talk from the pulpit.

The company did leave for Harrisburg on the evening of August 22, 1862, and arrived in Washington, DC on August 31, 1862. To see a letter written by company member (and cousin of Glenn) Frank C DORRINGTON, click on 1863 Civil War Letter from a Member of the PA 149th Bucktails written earlier this week.

The following item I placed in my genealogy files without documenting the source! How could I have done that? So, please forgive me. I acknowledge I didn't write this summary although I suspect it was a local newspaper of the time and I am still looking for the source. When I find it, it will be properly noted.

Civil War Veterans Memorial
10-1903
Memorial for Deceased Veterans
G.A.R. Men Honor Their Dead Comrades in a Service at the First Baptist Church Records and Singing on Program

The First Baptist church was filled with old soldiers and their friends, and relatives of deceased members of Captain Thomas Espy Post No. 153 Grand Army of the Republic, last Sabbath afternoon. Perhaps never before in Carnegie have there been held a more impressive service then this, the service to the memory of the twenty-one members who have passed away in the past seven years. The McKees Rocks Veterans Association was well represented. Rev. C. C. Cowgill, pastor of the First Christian church, read the Scripture lesson and Rev. J. H. Duff D.D., pastor of the First Presbyterian church, made the opening prayer. The pulpit was draped with the American Flag, and the symbols of the mourning, and on the arrival of the Post their half-masted flags were placed upon the platform. Col. Wm J. Glenn announced the program. The choir, with Miss Ella Perrin at the organ, sang several selections. Adjutant W. H. H. Lea read the record of each of the twentyone comrades who had died, and after each one the bugle call and taps were sounded. Rev. J. A. Snodgrass, the pastor of the church and a member of Espy Post delivered an address. Rev. Snodgrass spoke of the great dept which the younger generation owes to the Union soldiers of the Civil War. In the performance of their duty they assured to us the blessings of prosperity which we now enjoy. He called attention to the act that the government pension list, which up until last year grew steadily larger, had commenced to diminish, and last year was smaller then the year pre- ceding. There is only one cause for this, said he, the old soldiers are passing from our midst. The service closed by the congregation singing the doxology. Rev. Cow- gill pronounced the benediction.

*GLENN, James Captain James Glenn, who organized Company D, was a military man before the War, having entered the State service under the old Militia Laws, as Second Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Blues, an independent Allegheny County Military Company. In this organization he was promoted to First Lieutenant and Captain; his Company being a good organization, and well known under the old system. He was mustered into the Volunteer Service for the Civil War as Captain of Company D, 149th Pa. Volunteers, August 22, 1862, and promoted to Major, April 22, 1864, and to Lieutenant Colonel January 08, 1865. After the Regiment joined the Army of the Potomac it was assigned to the Third Division, First Army Corps, and Captain Glenn was Provost Marshal of the Division. He served in this capacity until he was promoted to Major. Captain Glenn was placed in command of the Regiment after the fight at Gettysburg, July 01, 1863 the Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel and Major being disabled by wounds - and had charge of the Regiment through the second and third days of the battle, and up to July 6th, when Major Irvin returned and took command. After the battle of Dabney's Mills, February 07, 1865, the Regiment was ordered to Elmira, N.Y., for special duty, and Lieut. Col. Glenn was there placed on detailed court martial service. He was mustered out of the service August 22, 1865. After the war Captain Glenn was elected Major in the 14th Regiment, N.G.P., September 01, 1875; promoted to Lieutenant Colonel January 20, 1877, and to Colonel in January, 1882. After serving a term as Colonel he retired roll February 25, 1888. Captain Glenn was well known in the community in which he lived, had no difficulty in securing the requisite number of men to organize a Company for the Civil War, and with the assistance of his Lieutenants and First Sergeant, the Company soon became proficient in drill and discipline. During his service he became known as a fighting officer,being frequently assigned to other commands when severe fighting was expected. He was almost reckless in his bravery. It was a common remark among the boys that "the Captain didn't know when he was licked" and after his attempt to rally half a dozen members of his Company on the retreat from Seminary Hill at Gettysburg, to stop the advance of a division of Lee's Army, followed by his service in the Wilderness and other campaigns, the mention of his name was sure to recall recollection of his bravery and soldierly qualities. He served his entire term of service without sickness or wounds, and was engaged in every march, skirmish or battle in which the Regiment participated. After the war he engaged in the grain and feed business and made his home with his sister, Mrs. Robb, of Glendale, Allegheny Co., Pa., where he lived, honored and respected by the entire community and kindly remembered by the surviving members of his old company. He died August 23, 1902, and was buried by his surviving comrades in the cemetery at Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny Co., Pa.

More on Captn James GLENN:

Sources:
*General History of Company D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers: and Personal Sketches of the Members, compiled by John W. Nesbit. pg 52, 1908.

"Captain James Glenn's Sword and Private J. Marshall Hill's Enfield in the Fight for the Lutheran Cemetery" by Wiley Sword Gettysburg, Jan. 1, 1993, Issue No. 8.

"Hannah Glenn Snodgrass Diary 1862-1863" Transcribed by Ann S Eldredge, Theresa Paxton and John Addison Williams, Jr, Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, 32:3 (2006).

Ahh, genealogy. Writing about the past brings warm hugs from beyond on a sunny day.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: Campfires of The Boys of '61 in 1894

2011-04-13T11:26:00.000-05:00

I never thought much about the sheer numbers of American men who wore either the Blue or the Grey back during the Civil War. All I thought of while researching my genealogy roots is why did they have to be injured or die. What about their poor widows? And the children they left behind as they marched off to fight for their beliefs.

It also really didn't occur to me why I couldn't find my Yanks in the GAR post near the little town in which so many lived.

Today, I stumbled across a souvenir edition of the Pittsburgh Press from September 9, 1894. The number of stories, posts, and regimental histories combined with poetry and drawings is enough to have me reading for days. The men had all come to Pittsburgh for a grand reunion from many states. There's ton of history and names in these pages.

How many of my loving names which are only a memory will I find?

How many families suffered from the war? How many hearts were broken?

I submit to you the poem "For Freedom Died" found on pg 33 with the notation it was from the New York Evening Post.

"Forward!" was the word when day
Dawned upon the armed array.

"Fallen!" was the word when night
Closed upon the field of fight.

"Hurt, my boy?" "Oh, no! Not much!"
"Only got a little touch!"

"Forward!" was the word that flashed
Homeward, when the cannon crashed.

"Missing!" was the word sent home
When the shades of night had come.

"Fallen?" "Yes; he fell, they say,
In the fiercest of the fray!"

"Died last night!" the message said,
Thus the morrow's papers read.

One young heart that heard the word,
Fluttered like a wounded bird.

One was broken! Bowed her head
"Mother! Mother! Mother's dead!"

Two green graves we'll deck to day,
Son's and mother's side by side,
None will dare to tell us "Nay!"
Both for right and freedom died.

While we honor him who fell
In the fiercest of the fray,
We will honor her as well
Lying by his side today.

Let the flowers forever fair,
Bloom above our fallen braves,
While the angels guard them there,
Glory lingers o'er their graves.

Long ago one sweet soul
Entered her Gethsemane,
Death to her the greatest goal,
As it must to many be!

But life lingers Oh! so long!
And the years so weary grow!
Tears have choked her heart's sweet song,
Dimmed those eyes that used to glow!

Oh! the bleeding, broken hearts,
Living long their lingering death,
Pierced by countless cruel darts,
Smothered sobs beneath each breath.

Comrades! Call the roll again!
Write their name on glory's page!
Whose who bore the grief and pain,
Fiercer far than battle's rage!

When they lie there side by side,
Dearer to him than his life,
Mother, sister, sweetheart, bride,
Or his dear, devoted wife.

And you deck his grave again,
Write her name- but not beneath!
By her agony and pain
Crown her grave with fairest wreath!

Angels called the roll again,
Wrote her name above the stars
For her patient faith in pain,
Deeper far than battle scars.

Three green graves we deck today,
This the third, where lies his bride-
None will dare to tell us "Nay!"
For these three for freedom died!

Take some time to dig through these pages. It's a tear jerker you don't want to miss.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=djft3U1LymYC&dat=18940909&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Oh- and here's a picture of cousin William James GLENN. You can read more about him on an earlier blog: I am Simply a Survivor.

Below the drawing of GLENN is William H H LEA, the brother of my 2g-uncle, Cassius LEA.

Sources:

Pittsburgh Press
Sept 9, 1894
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=djft3U1LymYC&dat=18940909&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Tip of the hat to cousin David for sending me to this newspaper date to find the drawing of WJ GLENN.

Ahh, genealogy. Tis grand to find the family history so intertwined with that of our great country. Tis humbling to know my kin have fought for this country since its beginning. My thoughts and prayers go to all veterans and the ones they leave behind. Thank you.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Tombstone Tuesday: What a Carolina Coward in the Civil War

2011-04-12T09:55:00.001-05:00

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the first shots being fired at Fort Sumter and the true fighting of the Civil War. With all eyes on Charleston as the single beam over Fort Sumter split into two this morning, I find myself thinking of Lt Colonel Asbury COWARD, the man my grandfather called "Uncle Asbury".

This man who fought with Robert E Lee; the man who lost everything during the Civil War; the man who was a military man and educator; his story is fascinating. His memoirs of the Civil War bring tears to my eyes when I read it. The pain, the suffering, the glories and the final defeat. It's all there in his words.

I know Asbury was at the battle of Chickamauga. I wonder if he was there when his cousin, my 2g grandpa was gravely wounded.

In the book of his memoirs, he tells how he sat with his brother as he died after being wounded. He tells of the loss of his children. As he rides back into South Carolina after being with Lee at the surrender, he felt his spirits rise. He had come from nothing. He made something. He lost it all. He would have it again.

Yes, indeed, Asbury. You did.

Coward by name, not by nature
October 18, 2006

I was on another manhunt.

This time, I was furiously searching for those elusive Cowards on my maternal side. I had just returned home from a trip to Charleston, where I spent a full day digging and sneezing my way through their main library files. A kind older employee named Henry in the South Carolina Room took pity on my wide-eyed look of confusion as I asked where to find any information I could. He pitied me so much that he took me by the elbow and spent several hours at my side and explained some of the databases to me. By the way, I strongly encourage you to find such a kind soul the first time you really dig deep in a large library. With his assistance, I was able to locate the units of several of my kinsmen from the Civil War as well as several birth and death records from the area. This in itself is rather amazing as South Carolina was rather late in joining everyone else in requiring vital statistics. Henry was amazed when he found out that I was kin to Lt. Col. Asbury Coward.

Lt. Col. Asbury Coward lost so much during the War of Northern Aggression. He lost most of his family, several children, and all of his money. Not so uncommon for the time. What he did after the war deserves remembering. Lt. Col. Asbury Coward was born in 1834 on Quenby Plantation outside of Charleston, SC. His parents were Jesse Coward and Keziah Anne Dubois. Asbury graduated from the Citadel at the age of 19 in 1854 and was a professor by 1860. He was a cofounder along with Brigadier General Micah Jenkins of the King's Mountain Military School in the poverty stricken area of York Co, SC. General Jenkins was subsequently killed in the Civil War.

On Christmas Day in 1856, he married Eliza Corbet Larimore Blum, the youngest daughter of John A Blum. Together they had several children who died either as infants or as children.

When the disagreement between the North and South raged into war, he joined the 5th Regiment, SCV, and served under General Robert E Lee at Bull's Run. Asbury witnessed the shot that mortally wounded his younger brother, Jesse James Coward, as he was helping another fallen soldier. Asbury sat with his brother and prayed earnestly. After Jesse's death at age 25, Asbury arranged for a coffin and sent his slave, Charles, to accompany his brother's body home. Col. Coward was at Appomattox during Lee's surrender to Grant. His last commendation by General Longstreet, which is found in the book The South Carolinians, had a handwritten postscript by General Lee of "I concur in the commendation bestowed on Colonel Coward by General Longstreet. I have always considered him one of the best officers of this Army."

After the war was over, Asbury made his way back home to South Carolina. His memoirs tell us that as he crossed over into South Carolina amid all of the destruction and utter ruin, his spirits soared. He was back home, back to a new beginning, and had the faith he would triumph again. And he did. Asbury returned to his school and ran it for 20 years after the war. His former slave, Charles, elected to remain with Asbury as a cook for the school. Asbury served as SC State Superintendent for Education from 1884-1886, before becoming the Superintendent of the Citadel in 1890. His portrait hangs at the Citadel and the dining hall is named in his memory. Lt. Colonel Asbury Coward died in 1925 and is buried at Rock Hill, SC, next to his brother.Keep digging up those roots. You never know where the next clue will take you.

Lt. Colonel Asbury Coward, the man my mother called "Old Uncle", a true American giant. Asbury Coward, my cousin. The man who exemplifies the family motto- Coward by name, not by nature. Indeed.

Ahh, genealogy. April 12, a day when so many families were torn apart 150 years ago. May we honor all our heroes, past, present and future.

Photo Source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11093714

©2011 AS Eldredge

1863 Civil War Letter from a Member of the PA 149th Bucktails

2011-04-11T14:06:00.000-05:00

Francis Crawford DORRINGTON (1838-1925) was a native of Allegheny Co, PA, and distantly related to me through his aunt who married into my GLENN family.

When I was first looking for information on the family after visiting the St. Clair Cemetery and finding DORRINGTONs in the GLENN family plot, I ran across this 1863 letter.

Francis, or Frank, was the son of Joseph DORRINGTON and Eliza LONG of Allegheny Co, PA.

Frank was recruited as a member of Company D, 149th PA Volunteers in August 22, 1862. Of interest is a note that his cousin James GLENN was elected as Captain and was active in recruiting of the local men. This has also been mentioned in the 1862 diary of my great great Aunt Hannah which was first published in 2004 by two of my cousins and myself.

Frank mustered in as a 3rd Corporal. The regiment arrived in Washington, DC in late August 1862 and stayed there until February 15, 1863.

This letter, written on February 11, 1863, details daily life in the camp and mentions several relatives who had moved to DC. It was submitted some 40 years ago to a historical society in CA, but I have yet to determine how the submitter was related to Frank.

For me, it was a great find. The salutation has me suspect it was written to his brother, Joseph.

Frank was severely wounded May 8, 1863, at the Battle of Laurel Hill. His story of survival is fascinating to read and can be found in the regimental history by Nesbit.

Frank married Nancy HEWITT and had a family. After the war, he was in the Temperanceville area of Allegheny Co, and ran a feed store. Frank is buried at Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie, Allegheny, PA.

Source:
General History of Company D
149th Pennsylavania Volunteers
John W Nesbit
1908
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pitttext&cc=pitttext&idno=00hc08553m&q1=dorrington&frm=frameset&view=image&seq=1

Ahh, genealogy. Remembering the sacrifices of those who have gone before.

©2011 AS Eldredge

On the Eve of Civil War: "What is to be Done?"

2011-04-11T09:21:00.002-05:00

How well I remember the parents of my friends finding Civil War artifacts on their farmland back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Growing up in the South and in the general area through which Sherman's men trekked their way to the sea, it was not uncommon for an old artifact to find its way to the surface.

As a young adult, I lived near a battlefield outside of Atlanta for a number of years, and it still was not uncommon to find artifacts of the War after a hard rain. Why, we even had a foxhole or two on the hill behind the house as there was a three day skirmish in the area.

Recently, I spent a few days in Charleston, the town where the first shots of the Civil War were heard. Spending some time in the city via tourist style, I saw some beautiful old homes and heard some interesting stories about the American Revolution and the early days of Charleston.

History is alive in Charleston, and a lot of talk was about the upcoming anniversary of the War of Northern Aggression. It seems so strange to think our country was so divided that states seceeded from the Union and brothers and cousins fought each other.

I have also spent some in the last week looking at the Captain Thomas Espy GAR Post 153 in Allegheny Co, PA. I had several family members who were members of that little Civil War Veteran Group and I have found it fascinating to look online at the documentation and artifacts they have in their possession today.

Today, I heard talk of a protest in Atlanta over the lighting of a match. Lighting of a match? It would appear some groups don't think that having a plaque at or near the spot where Sherman ordered the burning of Atlanta is important. According to the group protesting the plaque, we shouldn't remember the event since it is also in the same area as another more recent movement. Their view is the plaque should be somewhere else. The burning of Atlanta did happen and Sherman's March to the Sea did have devastating effects on the South. And the order did come to burn Atlanta where the city of Atlanta was, and is. Where else should it be?

Leading up to the Civil War, there was much tension among the different groups. Sometimes, I wonder why different groups of today believe that we shouldn't remember the past. Honor your past, honor the past of others. The many trails we took as individuals have all come together to make us what we are now.

I came across some interesting articles in a northern newspaper, The Washington Reporter, from January 11, 1860.

The first is titled "Sand in Cotton Bales."

There is no doubt a very great difference between the economical relation of the North and the South, separately considered. The yankees are an ingenious people, a fact that is undisputed by either their friends of foes....It is the great relief of the disadvantages of slavery when the slave is brought intra mania--within the walls-- and made a portion of the family; and, as Horace Greely thinks, when the slaves and the whites, by co labor as mechanics or otherwise, become more intimate than can possibly be the case in field labor, there naturally arises a more sympathetic and philanthropic feeling between the parties. It would, we believe, be a happy thing for the slaves of the South should succeed in establishing their own manufactures.....

(The article is talking mostly about the sprinkling of sand in cotton bales, which increases the weight of the cotton, thus increasing the money received. According the article, the Yanks had been practicing that for years in different ways, for example, adding sand to brown sugar.)

....It cannot be supposed for a moment that the planters-- the very pinks of chivalry-- would sand the cotton themselves; no doubt that is done through the industry and ingenuity of their yankee overseers, and so far as that is concerned we hope our chivalric friends will not turn to and tar and feather the yankees on that account,....

Another article follows entitled "Emigration of Negroes from Arkansas"

In this article, the legislature of Arkansas has passed a law giving the Negroes the alternative of leaving to stay free or stay and become slaves. Of course, many left. Who wouldn't?

......What shall be done with the thousands of unfortunates who will be driven northward?-- This is a grave question, and our readers will see....that it is engaging earnestly the consideration of the leading minds of the country......

Senator Doolittle of Wiconsin said that the more important question was what to do with the free Negro as opposed to the slavery issue.

...He said the free States will not retain them; some of the Northern States enact stringent laws to prevent them from coming among them,.....

As we reflect on the Civil War and its effects on the nation and on our families, remember first that we are all Americans. As for me, I lost family members on both sides of the war. I still think of them, no matter what color uniform they wore. They all shared my blood, and my blood runs red for America.

Ahh, genealogy. Remember the past. After all, how can history teach us if we aren't willing to listen?

Source: The Washington Reporter, January 11, 1860
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=f1xuXVtw34IC&dat=18600111&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

©2011 AS Eldredge

New Life for Family Members of the GAR Captain Thomas Espy Post 153

2011-04-08T16:25:00.000-05:00

The GAR Captain Thomas Espy Post 153 has been a place of interest for me over the last several years. I guess it is because I have several uncles, cousins and such who were members of this group in Allegheny County, PA. In addition, two of my lovely female cousins, Wanda and Virginia, have been invaluable in assisting with the donation of materials and acting as docents for the post.

Just recently, a cousin of mine who is of the blood of Colonel William James GLENN sent an article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on the Civil War Veterans in the post. The article gives information on the post and my cousins and asks for help in identifying the pictures of the men from their 1904 reunion photo.

I've forwarded the article to my group in Allegheny County to see if we can assist in identifying some more of the veterans in the picture. So far, one lady has responded with the possible identification of her 2g grandpa. Hopefully, more genealogy buffs are grabbing those old photos of grandpa and a magnifying lens to search the 1904 photo. The photo can easily be blown up for viewing purposes. There is also a list of the men who were members of the post.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11093/1136324-51.stm

Link to the Post information which includes manuscripts, membership forms, transfer card, deceased members, etc. http://www.carnegiecarnegie.org/espycollectionmanuscripts.html

Just this afternoon, another genealogy buddy told me the post even has a Facebook page - Captain Thomas Espy GAR Post 153.

Recent Geni-Tales Blogs on the Captain Thomas Espy GAR Post 153
Whirlwind of Treasure in Carnegie
Simply, I am a Survivor

Captain James GLENN who was the cousin of Colonel William James GLENN mentioned above died in 1901 was also a member of the post. He died in 1901 so he is not in the picture. His picture can be found in an earlier blog of mine:

cousin Captain James GLENN of Co D, 149th PA Volunteers
Just Didn't Know When He was Licked

Ahh, genealogy. Is it just my age or do the magnifying lenses just not get those veterans in clear focus? Must be the lenses---------

©2011 AS Eldredge

Fearless Females: Grandma Massey Harbison, Surviving an Indian Kidnapping in 1792

2011-03-25T12:23:00.001-05:00

Fearless and courageous are only two of the words used to describe Massey (Massa) White HARBISON. Her story still makes me catch my breath every time I read it.

Massey WHITE, a child of American Revolution patriot Edward WHITE, was born in 1770 and witnessed early American history firsthand. She is believed to have witnessed battles close to her home in Somerset County, NJ. Her father relocated the family to western Pennsylvania, and that is where her hair raising story really begins.

Massey married John HARBISON in 1787 and they became one of the first settlers on the headwaters of Chartier's Creek in the northwestern part of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. They were accustomed to making mad dashes to nearby blockhouses when the Indians attacked and killed the locals.

John fought in St. Clair's army and was wounded when St. Clair and men suffered a huge defeat against the western Indian tribes in 1791. After he had healed, he served as an Indian Scout in the Allegheny frontier.

In May of 1792, Indians attacked their home while John was away and dragged Massa and her children out of bed. One of the small boys was crying such that the Indians dashed his head on the doorstep, before stabbing and scalping him. To her horror, Massey and her remaining two children were taken hostage.

Many of her captives were known to her and could speak English.

As the band of Indians and their captives were crossing down a steep bank to the Allegheny River, Massey threw herself off the horse. The horse that carried her son fell and injured her son. The Indians then killed him. She wrote, .."When I beheld this second scend of inhuman butchery, I fell to the ground senseless, with my infant in my arms..." (1).

When she awoke, she saw the scalp of her child on the ground and was beaten yet again. They later crossed into the Indian side of the country. She thought death would be welcome at this point, and expected to die when she threw down the powder horn (not once, but three times) that the Indians forced her to carry (as she was carrying her infant.)

She passed the first night of her captivity with her arms pinioned to her back and with a savage to each side of her. The next morning, Massey bravely tried to take a tomahawk before being detected. Quick on her feet, she explained her infant was trying to play with it.

The Indians had been successful in losing the settlers and were vigilant in their lookout for pursuit. The second night, Massey was moved to another station. The next morning, some of the Indians went off again to see if the settlers could be seen. Massey faked being asleep, and her one remaining guard did fall asleep. She grabbed a pillowcase and hankerchief and made her escape. She changed courses several times during her escape in order to deceive the Indians. The Indians did search for her and came close to her hiding spot. She stuffed the cloth in her infant's mouth to keep him quiet. For over two hours, the Indian stood still and close to her hiding spot. He did not leave until his friends called for him.

She crossed the creek above Pittsburgh and found a path to follow. For a few days, she wandered trying to find help, while fearful of being detected by the Indians. She despaired that both she and her infant would die. Only the thought of her infant dying after her kept her determined to find help.

When she heard a cow bell and saw some settlers, she called out to them. They asked her name, and checked to see if it was a trap. When one of the men saw her condition, he asked her again who she was. It was one of her neighbors who knew her but did not recognize her in the week since she had been gone. Her appearance and voice had been altered.

Massey survived, although the events of the kidnapping altered her life forever. Her story was told and retold after the event in newspapers of the time. In 1825, she published a book on the ordeal.

You can call her brave. I can call her grandma. You see, her daughter, Margaret, is the third wife of my 4g grandfather. While I don't share her blood, Massey was the only grandmother my 3g and 2g grandfathers knew.

There is a park named for Massey as well as a DAR chapter in Pennsylvania.

Ahh, genealogy. Honoring the amazing women in my family history makes me so thankful for them and their sacrifices.

Sources:

(1) Flood Tides Along the Allegheny by Francis R Harbison, 1941.
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pitttext;cc=pitttext;xc=1;idno=00z836437m;g=text-all;xg=1;q1=massey%20harbison;frm=frameset;view=image;seq=7;page=root;size=s

History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1883
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pabutler/1883/83-02.htm#massy

Alle-Kiski Valley.com
http://akvalley.com/history/pioneers/massa/massa.shtml

©2011 AS Eldredge

Watching the Family Tree Bloom

2011-03-25T10:04:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed the pollen counts lately? Where I live, the trees and early spring flowers are blooming their little heads off and sending those of us with (and without) pollen allergies running for our boxes of kleenex.

I so marvel at the wonder of spring as the trees awaken from their deep winter slumber and everything comes to life once more. Branches you thought were dead spring to life with new leaves, just like my genealogy trees.

A cousin just popped up as a result of reading some of my earlier posts. How fun is that? It's always interesting to be able to share the information as you know it to be with other family members who are just beginning their search for their roots. Of course, it is even more fun for me to be able to solve some mysteries of the past and verify what I think I know.

A good source to research is that of old obituaries. They can be hard to locate, but sometimes, they can really send you into screaming fits of joy.

Take, for example, the obit of Austin McClain BRENDEL. His May 1935 obit confirms the name of his wife and their two children. The surprise of the obit came in two parts: "...Mr. Brendel leaves.....and a daughter, Mrs Floyd TAYLOR of Akron, OH......." and "He was buried in the Southside Cemetery beside his mother."

Really? Another daughter? Does that mean an earlier marriage?

The obit led us on a goose chase for Mrs. Floyd TAYLOR. We found evidence of her and, then we lost her. The name was just too common and she appeared to have left the area. That was several years ago.

We've just found her daughter alive and well. Or rather, she found us with the able assistance of her son. This is so cool. Emails are flying and more tidbits of information are coming in. Now we have more leads to follow to try and nail down some of the past that we think we know. Will we have moments of "aha" waiting for us?

We knew where Austin was buried as I have been to the site and my father's cousins had told me. This had also been confirmed by the cemetery. What we didn't know was that his mother, Henrietta Renton McCLAIN BRENDEL, was also buried there. Surprise. There are no headstones for either of them.

The newly found cousin was able to supply the name of the first wife, so now it's off to see what supporting documentation will show up on her family. A local history book has identified the family names, so the search is on. A local hysterical society :) in the area has confirmed they have information on her family and I am patiently waiting for them to identify what the information is.

I have also been able to find when his first wife filed for divorce by finding it in a 1910 Pittsburgh newspaper. Now I wait for my "sweet tea" buddy to make his monthly trek to the Allegheny County courthouse to find the hard evidence for me.

Old obituaries are really great. They can provide the names of those grieving for the deceased. Those names, in turn, can sometimes be traced to a living descendant. If you are lucky enough to locate an old obituary, you can then start the hunt for a living, breathing kinsman who may be able to fill in some gaps. Even the smallest tidbit can lead you to finding a pot of gold.

You can also compare the names with some of the early censuses to see if you are following the correct family. Censuses can be difficult as they are not always accurate. The early ones were done by folks in the neighborhood who sometimes were known to make educated guesses. Just remember, a census is secondary evidence when trying to find your roots. If possible, go by the death, marriage, land, wills, probate, church, draft registration, SSDI or other records. Look for patterns and a preponderance of evidence to support your theories.

If you've got roots in the Pittsburgh area, my merry little band of 47 volunteers is still busy digging them up out of old newspapers. The list blooms each day and we strive to send a new upload to the web about once a month or so. To date, we have almost 70,000 death entries, over 16,000 (so 32,000 names) marriage entries, and 1103 divorces. The dates of the newspapers range from 1806-1997.

You can check out the dates here: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njm1/Daily-Update-Submitted-Newspapers.html

And the names here: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

We also have been hard at work on a military service personnel index for WWI. This information is also coming from the old Pittsburgh newspapers. We currently have almost 70,000 entires uploaded on this index and I have more waiting to go. Check it out here: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes, it's not the pollen that has you running for the kleenex, it's the new branches on the family tree.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Treasure Chest Thursday: There's a New Search Engine in Genealogy Town

2011-03-24T12:26:00.001-05:00

Recently, I've seen a couple of references to the new online genealogy research tool, mocavo.com. While I don't know much about it from personal use, its presence may help to redefine the future for those of us who have been bitten with "the bug."

After hearing about the site, I thought I'd take a look and see what all the fuss is about. After typing in several names which I am interested in, I did find some old entries of mine from Genforum and some from Find a Grave. It is nice to see just genealogical connections on the site.

I hadn't found anything of use to me when I typed in my grandmother's uncommon maiden name. Not expecting much, I was surprised to her listed with her siblings and parents. As her parents came direct from Sweden and changed names when they landed, I was intrigued to find her name. Lucky for me, I clicked on the link and it took me to the site where her name is mentioned. No new information was spotted, but the name and email address of the submitter was there.

I've jotted off an email to the submitter to see if I can determine who they are and if they share my blood. I'll let you know.

Overall, current reviews are mixed, but here is Eastman's take on the site. I suspect the reviews will become more in favor of the site as new information is uploaded on the internet. It is certainly a great place to include in the search for your elusive ancestors.

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

Mocavo.com - a Genealogy Search Engine

I suggest you remember this web site: Mocavo.com. I bet you are going to hear a lot about it in the next few weeks and months. In fact, I'd suggest you try it right now. I've been using the site for a while during its testing and have been very impressed. This thing actually works! Today, Mocavo.com went public and is now available to everyone.

Mocavo.com is a genealogy search engine that is available to you at no charge. It searches hundreds of thousands of genealogy web sites, looking for the words that you specify. Web sites searched include thousands of genealogy message boards, society web pages, genealogy pages uploaded by individuals, state historical societies, family societies, Find-A-Grave, the Internet Archive (mostly scanned genealogy books from the Allen County Public Library), the Library of Congress, several sites containing scanned images of old photographs, and tens of thousands of distinct sites sites that contain various transcribed records of genealogical interest.

Unlike other search engines, Mocavo.com limits its searches solely to genealogy sites. That makes a big difference to many of us who are searching for names that also are common words or corporate names. For instance, if I search for my own surname, Eastman, on most any other search engine, I receive hundreds of thousands of "hits" from photography sites and other sites that have nothing to do with genealogy. Performing a search for "Eastman" on Mocavo.com returns thousands of "hits," all of them from genealogy sites and with very few references to photography. Even the few that refer to the Eastman Kodak Company were references found on genealogy sites. A search for my own surname did return a "hit" for one page about the "Eastman Sea Rover airplane," something I had never heard of previously. Even that one "hit" was from a genealogy message board, providing information about the ancestry of the airplane's designer. Regardless of your search terms, Mocavo.com always returns information found on web sites that contain significant genealogy information.

I suspect you will always have better luck searching for your own surnames of interest on Mocavo.com than on any other search engine.

As an example of how Mocavo.com works, I'd suggest you first go to the site and perform a search for Amos Shaw who was married to Sarah Maxey. I found the couple by a search of:
"amos shaw" "sarah maxey"
(Include the quote marks.)

That search found 41 "hits," but the one that was really productive was the fifth "hit" on the first page. That fifth "hit" may change up or down in the future, but you can always return to the correct page if you go to http://www.mocavo.com/visit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.findagrave.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Ffg.cgi%3Fpage%3Dgr%26GRid%3D9525960. It is a FindAGrave result with an amazing photograph of a lady who was born in 1793 and died in 1868. You can find a photograph of her husband (who died in 1859) one click away. Those are old photos! It is rare to find a photograph of someone born in the 1700s. You will find it much more difficult to find old photographs like this using Google searches for genealogy!

Now try a few searches on Mocavo.com with your own names of interest.

Of course, searches on Mocavo.com are not limited to names. As with any other search engine, you can search for towns, states, occupations, relatives, or any other text information you think might be included with an ancestor's name. Whatever you specify, the search will be limited to pages on genealogy web sites. For instance, I have long been looking for the origins of Washington Harvey Eastman who lived his adult life in Corinth, Maine. I performed the following search on Mocavo.com:

"Washington Harvey Eastman" Corinth
This returned only two results, both referring to the specific person I have been looking for (although they only provided information I had already seen previously). Searching for the same person without his town of residence produces many more "hits," most of them for other men with the same or similar names. Adding the town of reference quickly produces focused results.

With the exception of the sites being searched, Mocavo.com operates in much the same manner as Google and most other search engines. Mocavo always displays the full URL of the web site(s) found, along with a line of text from the site that contains the words you searched for. Clicking on the URL displays the original web site. Mocavo.com never "hides" anything; the original web site is always displayed in its entirety.

According to Cliff Shaw, the creator of Mocavo.com:

“Genealogy has always had the problem of information and potential clues being spread across thousands of disparate web sites and sources. Imagine a world where you have all of the Web’s free genealogy content at your fingertips within seconds. That is Mocavo.com.

“Mocavo.com has the capacity to index every single piece of free genealogy content found anywhere on the web, and will be growing by leaps and bounds in the coming months. We expect Mocavo.com to shortly offer all of the web’s free genealogy information, searchable and accessible to all – something that has never been done before. It’s set to become the go-to search engine for every family history enthusiast.”

At this time, Mocavo.com finds mostly North American genealogy information. I suspect that will expand in the future as the site grows "by leaps and bounds every day."

Cliff Shaw has created a great genealogy search engine, the best I have seen. Try it. I suspect you'll be as pleased with Mocavo.com as I am. Go to http://www.Mocavo.com

I still plan on using other search engines for a lot for my other web searches. However, all my future genealogy searches will start on Mocavo.com. I've been using the site for a while during its testing and have been very impressed. I suspect you will always have better luck searching for your own surnames of interest on Mocavo.com than on any other search engine.

--

Ahh, genealogy. Always shaking those trees for my roots.

Update: I heard back from the submitter of my great grandparents' information. No kin here. They had just pulled something off the census. Disappointing.

©2011 AS Eldredge

24 Visits from the Stork: A True Labor of Love

2011-03-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

While looking around at an old Pittsburgh Press newspaper today dated December 27, 1923, I ran across this story.

While I can say with confidence that I am not related by blood to this clan, I can add that my dear spouse is distantly related to William Penn, thus to this lady as well.

What a story. What a lady.

M'Keesport Couple Bring a Family of Twenty-Four into World--Mother a Penn

France and England have decorated their sons and daughters who brought 24 children into the world. America probably does not know that in McKeesport, not so long ago, John and Sarah Tauber had a like number of visitations from the stork.

And added to this self sacrifice of the mother, she endowed each child with rightful honor of declaring a lineage in the historical family of William Penn. She, before her marriage, was Sarah Virginia Penn, a direct descendant of the founder of Pennsylvania.

There is nothing unusual in the lives of John Tauber and his wife. John Tauber was born in Germany in 1830. Alone, he came to America 15 years later. In his early days, he learned the locksmith trade and established himself in Cumberland, MD, repairing locks, clocks and guns.

It was while he was repairing the flint lock rifle that belonged to the father of Sarah Penn, he met his future wife and mother of the largest family in western Pennsylvania, if not in the entire state.

John Tauber was 26 when he was married. His wife, nine years his junior. The ceremony took place Nov 20, 1856 in Cumberland, MD.

Early in the morning of March 4, 1857, the stork made its initial visit to the Tauber home. John J Tauber, the first child to the union, was born dead. The second child, born in June 1858, a short time after the young couple moved from Cumberland to McKeesport, lived for 43 years. John Tauber II, third child lived but two weeks.

List of Children

The children, the dates on which they were born, are as follows: John J, March 4, 1857; George I, Feb 22, 1858; John A Jan 15, 1859; Harry T, Feb 18, 1860; Adam A, March 12, 1861; Conrad W, May 23, 1862; Otto, Aug 23, 1863; Morgan, Mar 11, 1865; Rebecca S, Mar 18, 1866; Anna R, April 10, 1867; Barbara N, Nov 12, 1868; Martin, Dec 21, 1870, Minella, March 8, 1871; George II, Mary 17, 1872; Clara P, April 26, 1873; Elizabeth S, May 20, 1874; Fred, Feb 26, 1873; Thomas, Nov 10, 1875; Frank, Sept 8, 1876; Mary E, July 15, 1877; Amelia, July 18, 1878, Phoebe V, June 21, 1880, James A, May 15, 1881, Susan V, May 22, 1882.......

Story on family continues with the note that only six of the children died before age 14.

It just boggles my mind to think of the 26 years this lady spent either in maternity clothes or having a newborn with diapers around the house. Can you imagine how tired she was?

And I thought my one distant family member who had 18 children was so noteworthy. But wait, there's more. I think my distant family member's children all lived to adulthood.

Ahh genealogy. Counting the labor of love, one by one.

Source: Pittsburgh Press, Dec 27, 1923 pg7

©2011 AS Eldredge

Searching for Ancestors with Revolutionary Online Databases

2011-03-18T11:16:00.000-05:00

The Daughters of the American Revolution have been collecting genealogy data since its 1890 beginnings. Women who have proven blood descent of American Revolution patriots have been working nonstop to digitize many of their records.

The general public can easily search DAR databases to locate names of known patriots, descendants, and documentation of over 20,000 typescript records, which have been donated by DAR members.

Begun in 1913, the collection of genealogical records consists of Bible, cemetery, county histories, and other types of genealogical records. By entering a name and state, titles of reports are displayed online. The details are available for a small fee.

In addition, volunteers are busily engaged in transcribing all DAR applications. The Analytical Card and Revolutionary War Pension indices have been digitized, thus providing a valuable resource not found elsewhere.

Growing daily with volunteer efforts, these databases can provide patriot names, descendants, land records, or other genealogical documentation useful to researchers.

The DAR is a great source to augment your genealogy research and record copies are available for purchase. Go to www.Dar.org. Click on genealogy to begin your search in their records. Who knows? You just may find revolutionary news of your own.

Ahh, genealogy. Did you know that over 2 million women have served in the defense of America since the times of the American Revolution? Do you have one in your line? I do. Perhaps it's time to honor her story.

2011 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: Pittsburgh area WWI Military Index Updated

2011-03-16T09:58:00.000-05:00

Unbelievable. The World War I Military Personnel Index that I am involved with now has almost 70,000 entries. Ok, so it's really ONLY 67,989 entries.

These entries are all marching in from old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, newspapers courtesy of my genealogy buddy, Lynn B in Arizona.

The most recent entries are coming from dates after the war ended in 1918. It's really cool to read some of the stories of the boys as they come home from the horrendous battlefields in Europe. Even the headlines of the daily newspapers provide a snapshot to the emotions and events at the end of the Great War.

I found myself just stopping my daily routine just to spend time reading some of the articles. One article which caught my eye is from the January 19, 1919, Pittsburgh Press. While the article is about one John E STANTON who was among the first Americans in German territory, names of his family members are also mentioned. What a great find for that family!

Other articles provide pictures and memories of battles in France. What great reading!

The index can be seen here: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

If you are among the fortunate to see your beloved's name, you will be able to identify the date and which newspaper and page to search. Even if you don't readily find your family, the tales are fascinating.

Ahh, genealogy. While my grandfather's name hasn't been seen yet, he was exposed to mustard gas in France and ended up losing part of one leg due to being wounded.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Southern American Revolution Patriots Pension Online Transcriptions

2011-03-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

While reading the daily EOGN which is delivered to my inbox every day, I stumbled across a post on Revolutionary War Southern Campaign Pension Application Transcriptions Online. How cool is this?

After reading the posted American Revolution pension application for one Dan Alexander, I thought I'd wander over to the site, http://southerncampaign.org/pen/ , and see if I could locate a pension file from my maternal side.

Bingo! There it was! And, I'm excited to report this one pension contains the death date and the marriage date! So here 'tis just in case you share my maternal blood.

Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters
Pension application of John Poston W26923 Rebecca fn30NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 9/17/09

[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber.]

[fn p. 3 family record]
Peggy was Born the 9th day of February in the year 1782
Rebekah was born the 31st day May in the year 1783
Jenny was born the 17th day of October in the year 1785
Elizabeth was born the 30th day of January in the year 1786
Salley was born the 15 day of January in the year 1888 [sic]
Robert Postion [sic] was born the 28th of December in the year 1889 [sic]
Polley was born the 30th day of August in the year 1890 [sic]
Jno A. B. Poston was born the 7th day of November in the year 1894 [sic]
Nancy Poston was born the 9th day of April in the year 1897 [sic]
Send the Poston was born the 6th day of March in the year 1801
John Poston Senior departed this life August 22nd Day 1819
William Poston was born in the year of our Lord August 14th Day 1809

[fn p. 8] State of North Carolina Buncombe County
On this 4th day of July 1845 Personally appeared before the Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions in and for the County aforesaid Rebecca Poston a Resident of North Carolina in the County of Buncombe aged seventy-nine years, Who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838, entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows -- That she is the widow of John Poston who was a Private in the Army of the Revolution And who entered the service of the United States as a Drafted Soldier sometime in the year 1779 or 80 in the County of Roan [sic, Rowan], North Carolina and served out 13 months tour: soon after which he again volunteered or was drafted & entered the service of the United States in which he remained as she has often heard him say, until after the surrender of Cornwallis at which time he was present and saw Cornwallis surrender his sword to (she thinks) General Lincoln, the names of the Captains under which he mustered she does not Recollect: She however recollects to have heard him say that he was commanded by Generals McDowell and Davidson. She further Recollects that he was in the Battle at the Cowpens. She further declares that she was married to the said John Poston on the 25th day of April in the year 1782. That her said Husband the aforesaid John Poston Died on the 22nd day of August 1819, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January 1794 (viz.) at the time above stated.
She further states that she has no Record proof of her said marriage, but that she has a Record of the ages of her children and of the Death of her Husband the aforesaid John Poston. That she was married to him the said John Poston at the time aforesaid in the County of Lincoln in the State of North Carolina. That she never has since been Death of her said husband again married. But that she still remains the widow of the said John Poston -- the Record of the ages of her children & of the death of her said Husband are here with remitted.
S/ Rebecca Poston, X her mark Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court on the day and date above written.
S/ N. Harrison, Clerk of the Buncombe County Court
[fn p. 11: On December 30, 1851 in Buncombe County North Carolina, Charles McFee, the administrator of the estate of Rebecca Poston filed a claim for pension due her as the widow of John Poston; in this application the affiant states that John Poston served in a company commanded by Captain John Work; that John Poston married Rebecca Balldridge in Iredell County, date unknown but prior to January one, 1794; that John Poston died August 22nd, 1819 survived by Rebecca Poston, his widow and the following children now living: Mary Davis, Jane Bryson, Rebeco [Rebecca] Bryson, Nancy Nicholas, Lusindia [Lucinda] Stines, Ruthy Smith & Robert Poston.]
[fn p.15: bond taken out by John Poston, Junior and John Poston, Senior, of Rowan County North Carolina dated April 24, 1782 to secure the marriage of John Poston to Rebecca Baldridge of Lincoln County.]
[fn p. 20: certificate dated September 30th 1851 issued by the North Carolina Comptroller's Office showing payments made to John Poston for services in the revolution including service under Captain John Work in January 1776 for 32 days in an expedition to Moore's Creek.]

My mom used to tell me that her kin had fought under General Francis Marion, and I've been itching to document that tidbit.

I looked around at some of the other surnames from my maternal side and checked them out as well. While it is possible a couple of them could be related somehow, there are others I could immediately rule out. Guess I'll keep searching for the name Marion used in conjunction with my blood kin who had migrated to that little area of South Carolina.

Ahh, genealogy. Another day, another unexpected find.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Emory Libraries to Preserve Rare African American Scrapbooks

2011-03-02T12:17:00.000-05:00

How many hours have we sat down to chronicle our lives and the lives of our children? Scrapbooking has become so popular today, but it was also a very important part of our nation's history. Thought you'd enjoy seeing some of the preservation efforts.

---

Rare African American scrapbooks at Emory’s Manuscript, Archives and Rare Books Library (MARBL) can be saved from the perils of disintegration thanks to a $170,000 three-year matching Save America’s Treasures grant.   

The grant will be used to conserve African American scrapbooks and create digital surrogates to enhance access to the historical materials – the scrapbooks of artists, writers, students, vaudeville performers, preachers and former slaves. The Emory Libraries will provide the matching amount.  Thirty-four scrapbooks have been selected, with dates ranging from 1883 to 1975. They include the scrapbooks of author Alice Walker, vaudeville performers “Jolly” John Larkin and Johnny Hudgins, entertainer and playwright Flourney Miller, Spelman College graduate Virginia Hannon, and former slave and author W.S. Scarborough, who became a professor of classics at Wilberforce University, and eventually its president.

“Scrapbooks have often been treated as the unwanted children or the neglected orphans of the archives. They are difficult to handle, they are often in fragile physical condition, and they are a mix of memorabilia of every description and taste,” says Randall K. Burkett, MARBL’s curator of African American collections.

“These scrapbooks give us a glimpse into how these artists and students and former slaves thought about themselves, their families, their work. The funding for this project will allow us to preserve these important memory books.”

'The scrapbooks are deteriorating rapidly'

MARBL and the Emory Libraries’ preservation department and Digital Curation Center will collaborate on the project, says Laura Carroll, manuscript archivist and principal investigator for the grant.

The scrapbooks contain items that disintegrate quickly or are easily damaged, such as folded newspaper clippings, pressed flowers and single-use paper items such as ticket stubs, napkins and telegram paper. The objects usually were attached with adhesives such as cheap tape, pastes or cement glue, also harmful to the archival materials.

The project is urgent because the scrapbooks are deteriorating rapidly, Carroll says. “We’re losing original information. People annotate their photographs.” Walker, for example, wrote original poems in her scrapbook. “The clock is ticking.”

Once the project begins, the scrapbooks first will be sent to preservation to be stabilized to prevent further damage. Digital surrogates will be created, which will be used in classrooms and MARBL’s reading room, unless researchers request the originals.

“The originals will still be available,” Carroll says. “Nothing replaces the original.” The work is expected to begin when funds arrive mid-year and will take place over the next three years.

The Save America’s Treasures grant is awarded through the Department of Interior and the National Park Service, in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

-----

Ahh, genealogy. Reading this article has me in the mood to pull out some old scrapbooks of my own.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering Black History: Whispers in the Savannah Barracoons

2011-02-28T14:11:00.000-05:00

Recently, I gathered my children and headed on a road trip to Savannah. After all, the weather was delightful and I was ready to escape all the dreariness of winter and cabin fever.

I wanted to be sure to talk history and show some historic places to the kids. While I didn't have the time on this trip to visit the final resting spot of my 2g-grandpa at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah, I did make the time to wander River Street, and of course, the Pirate House.

I find the history of River Street and the surrounding area fascinating even if my family had no ties to Savannah. My 2g-grandpa is only laid to rest there as he was traveling home to South Carolina after having been wounded in the Civil War when he died.

River Street dates back in time to early Savannah. I can just imagine the ships arriving with new supplies, visitors and cotton being taken to market. I remember going to Savannah often as a child and my Yank dad pointing the Slave Barracoons that are right at River Street.

Looking at the barracoons, you can see the small windows each one had to allow air in and out. The doors are long gone, but evidence of them being there at one time are still visible. The barracoons were and are rather dark and dismal. It's just hard to believe that people were kept there as they were most likely jammed in tight. Up above one opening on the day we were there was a gorgeous tree who had just sported its new spring coat. What a contrast of color and hope that tree presents next to the barracoon.

Today, these temporary holding places for slaves are used as parking spots. There are no signs or plaques to indicate what these holding places were used for. I find that sad.

I struck up a conversation while I was there with two local gents who thanked me for taking the time to look at the barracoons and tell my children about them. The gents also were happy to tell me that spirits of the past can easily be felt in the lower levels of the some of the antique shops which are down on or right above River Street. I imagine the fear those poor souls felt would be something that could linger in the air.

The gents also said slaves who had been transported to Savannah from other places would be kept on Hutchinson Island until they were brought over to the Savannah port to market. Included in the lore from the gents was that slaves, their ancestors, would gather the unwanted fish thrown to the island by the fishermen boats at night. They said lobster and shrimp would have been on the menu as those sought after treats of today were not so popular with the Savannah folk back then.

The gents also regaled me with other stories about when George Washington was in Savannah, but to date, I have found no supporting documentation for their statements on slavery rules in Savannah.

Ahh, genealogy. Learning about others' roots in early America can make you sit still and listen for whispers in the wind.

Cooking in The Past

2011-02-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed the warm comforting feeling you get when you eat your favorite foods? Have you noticed that eating certain foods can bring up some really fond memories?

Even though I never knew my great grandmother, thoughts of her come racing through my veins every time I eat her special mayo recipe that I use in a salad recipe. Yep, breaking all those eggs and taking the time to recreate her recipe just makes me hum and smile all day.

I also am fortunate enough to have a cookbook of my grandmother's. This cookbook is also the source of fond memories as I did know her sweet smile. How I smile each time I glance at her handwriting and look at the pages she turned so lovingly by hand. The handwritten notations on the pages of "grand" and "simply grand" result in her face floating in the air and me feel like I've just gotten a great big hug.

This wonderful old cookbook, Rumford Complete Cook Book, has my grandmother's handwritten notes and is dated January 21, 1926. The Rumford book was published as early as 1908 and was in production for about 40 years. I even found evidence of my mom learning to cook with this cookbook when I found her name, signature and a date.

As for me, I hope my kids will think kindly of me as they grow up and remember "Mom"s Homemade Secret Recipe for Red Velvet Cheesecake." After all, I do make each Valentine's Day.

Ahh, genealogy. How easy it is to find our roots in the food the eat!

©2011 AS Eldredge

Old Pittsburgh Newspaper Marriage and Divorce Indices

2011-02-08T11:12:00.000-05:00

The awesome all volunteer group from the Rootsweb Mailing Group that I am associated with has done it again. We've recently celebrated our one year anniversary for the death index we've been compiling from old newspapers in the Pittsburgh area. Yep, we've been combing the old newspapers from the last 200 years and the entries just keep on coming.

What would we do without the wonderful volunteers? (Did I mention these 46 super folks are fantastic in their commitment to the project?)

Just in case you missed it, our little project now has marriage and divorce sections, as well as our new military index with names from World War I.

Latest index numbers for marriages online (and available to all for free- well, maybe an occasional shout out from other researchers): 16,520

Latest index numbers for the divorce: 1083

Latest index numbers for the World War I military personnel index: 37, 324

Click here to go to the pages to see if you will shout for joy in your Pittsburgh area research:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

Ahh, genealogy. The old marriages and happy times come alive just in time for Valentine's Day. After all, we needed them for our generation.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Monday Madness: Identifying the Dead in St Mary's, Georgia

2011-02-07T17:36:00.000-05:00

Not being able to identify the last resting place for a loved one can be downright frustrating, especially when you just know they are there.

I ran across the work done by the historians in St. Mary's, Camden, Georgia, and want to tip my hat to their hard work and dedication. Keep up the great efforts!

Historians identify unmarked graves at Ga. cemetery

ST. MARYS, Ga. — Kay Westberry knows that most of the hundreds of unmarked graves in Oak Grove Cemetery will never be identified.

Worse still, many graves will never be found.

She knows no one can pay her and the group of Camden County historians working with her for the painstaking research they do — often in vain — to fill in the blanks.

But in just a matter of months,....http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2011-02-06/historians-identify-unmarked-graves-ga-cemetery

Ahh, genealogy. Can't you just dig it?

©2011 AS Eldredge

Online South Carolina Slave Records Keep Growing

2011-02-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

A very special kudos to my genealogy buddy, Lowcounty Africana, for her dedication and ongoing spirit as she has built many pages for the free Footnote Collections on South Carolina Estate Inventories and Bills of Sale, 1732-1872.

She has transcribed the slaves' names of many of the early plantation owners and invites other family researchers to contribute pictures and documents to the pages.

Just in case you have roots in the lowcountry, you may want to check it out.

http://www.footnote.com/page/282783107_lowcountry_africana_south_carolina/

I keep watching in the hope you'll get around to finding an estate for one of my elusive ancestors.

Ahh, genealogy. Got to remember the past in order to learn and improve our future.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Happy 278th to the Peach State!

2011-02-04T09:44:00.000-05:00

This year marks the 278th anniversary of the founding of the great state of Georgia. How much do you know about General Oglethorpe?

Thought you genealogy buffs would be interested in wishing Georgia "Happy Birthday."

Georgia Turns 278 Saturday

Sarah Beth Ariemma

The Union Recorder

MILLEDGEVILLE — The fifth annual celebration of the founding of Georgia will be held at the Georgia’s Old Capital Museum Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The celebration marks the 278th birthday of Georgia and the day that General Oglethorpe and the first colonists of Georgia landed at Yamacraw Bluff.
Read the rest of the story: http://unionrecorder.com/local/x570479524/Georgia-marks-278th-birthday

©2011 AS Eldredge

Treasure Chest Thursday: Linking Pittsburgh Area WWI Vets for Today's Family

2011-02-03T14:56:00.001-05:00

Even though we've been cold, wet, and sometimes stranded during the raging winter weather, my volunteer research efforts have been roaring on.

The death/marriage/divorce indices that I coordinate for the old Pittsburgh newspapers have given rise to another new index.

It's really cool to announce not only the World War I men of Allegheny County whose names were listed in the local newspaper, but I also get to send kudos to Norm M for setting up a webpage which details the issues of the newspapers that have been indexed by Lynn B.

Go to the site to see some of the over 30,000 hometown military personnel names and activities. If you've got Pittsburgh area roots from that time period, you may be in for a special treat. Even if you don't have roots in the area, you can just spend some time reading about World War I.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njm1/11AC-WWI-Military-Service.html

Ahh, genealogy. What great reading for a winter day.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Easier to Search Old Newspapers from Athens, Georgia

2011-02-03T10:09:00.000-05:00

Love seeing how more and more historic newspapers are going online so we can continue our genealogy research from the comforts of our homes when the weather outside is frightful!

Thought you'd be interested in seeing this great news from UGA:

Historic Athens newspapers now available online via digital library

An archive of historic Athens newspapers is now available online via the Digital Library of Georgia at the University of Georgia.

The Athens Historic Newspapers Archive provides online access to five newspaper titles published in Athens from 1827 to 1922. Consisting of more than 57,000 newspaper pages, the archive provides historical images that are both full-text searchable and can be browsed by date. The site provides users with a view into the history of Athens in its early years as the home to the first state-chartered university in the nation and its eventual growth into the largest city in northeast Georgia.

The archive includes the following Athens newspaper titles: Athenian (1827-1832), Southern Banner (1832-1882), Southern Watchman (1855-1882), Daily/Weekly Banner-Watchman (1882-1889), Daily/Weekly Athens Banner (1889-1922).

The Athens Historic Newspapers Archive is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia as part of the Georgia HomePLACE initiative. The project is supported with federal Library Service and Technology Act funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Digitization also was made possible through a grant provided by the Francis Wood Wilson Foundation, Inc. The Athens Historic Newspapers Archive is available at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/athnewspapers.

Other newspaper archives available through the Digital Library of Georgia include the Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive (1847-1922), the Macon Telegraph Archive (1826-1908), the Columbus Enquirer Archive (1828-1890), the Milledgeville Historic Newspapers Archive (1808-1920), the Southern Israelite Archive (1929-1986), and the Red and Black Archive (1893-2006). These archives can be accessed at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/MediaTypes/Newspapers.html

“Georgia HomePLACE is very pleased to support digitizing and presenting online content for the Athens Historic Newspapers Archive, a project of the Digital Library of Georgia, which is an initiative of GALILEO (Georgia’s Virtual Library),” said Ed Johnson, director of Georgia HomePLACE.

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Ahh, genealogy. What a great way to keep warm on these blustery winter days.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering on Holocaust Memorial Day

2011-01-27T12:57:00.000-05:00

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. It has been estimated that over 1.6 million people were killed at Auschwitz.

Here are some pictures of Auschwitz as the world pauses to remember those horrible times when it seemed like the world had just gone insane and forgotten:

http://www.historyplace.com/specials/slideshows/auschwitz/ausch-show001.htm

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/27/5934012-holocaust-remembrance-day-commemorated-around-the-world

More Holocaust Archives Online:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/explore-yad-vashems-holocaust-archives.html

An excellent, gut wrenching article in the Augusta Chronicle from April 21, 1945:

http://www.newsinhistory.com/blog/liberation-nazi-concentration-camp-reveals-scenes-horror

My family wasn't there, but my parents had the opportunity to visit the Nazi Concentration Camps in the early 1950's. My dad was stationed in Germany and the family was able to live on the German economy with him.

I remember some stories my parents told about those times. Among them are visits to the Concentration Camps. My mother was haunted by the feeling of deep despair and death she felt among the air at the camp. She would shudder as she said it was like the dead were still there crying out for the world to listen.

She never forgot her visit to the death camps, and as such, she would tear up talking about those visits- even forty years later.

My prayer is those poor souls will find peace with the Lord.

Ahh, genealogy. May the world never forget.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Filling in the Blanks of WWI Heroes on Treasure Chest Thursday

2011-01-27T11:00:00.002-05:00

The not-so-little-anymore project that I am involved with from the old Pittsburgh newspapers has expanded yet again.

Last month, just in time for the holidays, we unveiled a new section for Military Service listed in the 1918 newspapers of Pittsburgh. In little over a month's time, super volunteer Lynn B. has SINGLEHANDEDLY transcribed over 27,000 entries for this one of a kind index. (Super kudos, Lynn!)

The list has been sent to the webmaster for uploading and I suspect it will be available to everyone shortly for their viewing pleasure. I was looking at the list today and wondering about all these brave men who fought for America back in World War I. Did my family members know any of them? While I will most likely never answer that question, the pondering sparked yet another wild thought.

What if we could identify more of the units these great veterans served in? The index has a column for the branch and a separate one for the units. So many of the unit spaces are empty.

Do you know any of these men? If you do, and can identify the unit in which they served, please let me know. I will be happy to add the units to their names.

In the meantime, keep on checking out the awesome all volunteer death, marriage, divorce and military indices from old Pittsburgh newspapers. We update them all on a fairly regular basis. Here is the link: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

It may just warm you up on these cold winter days.

Ahh, genealogy. More than just names.

©2011 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: The Nut Really Doesn't Fall Far with Family Traits

2011-01-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

I watched the recent news story regarding the family skeleton in Oprah's mother's closet with interest. It must have been hard for her to give up an infant she knew she couldn't care for as it has been for mothers for years. How exciting the genes that were passed were able to provide joy for the family. Oprah and her family talked lovingly of the sister who had previously died and how similar the mannerisms are of the newly discovered sister are. How blessed they are to have found her and to have her presence bring back so many loving memories of one who has gone.

It's the same in so many families. When I think about the cousins I have met whose laugh can stop me in my tracks, or whose eyebrows can make me cry, I think about the genetics and how our deep our family ties can be. I just love hearing the laugh of the cousin who sounds just like my mom did, or looking at the eyebrows of a cousin who I just know took them straight off my dad, or even the I'm-rather-ticked toe tapping that my child does as she stands and looks just like grandma.

And to go further, I love looking at old photographs to see if I can identify any family traits that have been passed down. And yes, the old photos have me looking so much like my dad's mom and my children looking like their 3g grandma. Amazing.

Just recently, I established contact with a descendant of a female cousin. This female cousin, Margaret GLENN (1837-1902) was a bear to find. Tracing married female cousins can be hard to do when they moved away from the area and lost contact over the years.

I knew about Margaret from the 1936 papers of my cousin, S B HERDMAN. In that tree, SB had written that Margaret had married a McKEE and had 3 children of which he was aware. McKEE was a college professor. End of story.

Until a month ago----

One of my other GLENN types had asked me if I had ever traced her line in more detail. I had not as Margaret was the granddaughter of my 4g uncle, William GLENN.

I started digging around and found her living in Centre Co, PA, in the 1880 census with her hubby and children. After searching around more for the one child's name that was listed in the 1880 census, I found the family. They had moved to Cleveland later and the sons were prosperous. I found a great great grandson of Margaret and contacted him. He didn't know much of the family, but directed me to his uncle.

I popped off an email to the uncle's business and waited. Waiting to see if they were interested in the family or just thinking I was a nut job--- kind of like Oprah's staff thought when they were contacted by Oprah's newly discovered sister. You know, you always wonder what people really think when someone contacts them and says,'Hey, we're family."

When I contact someone, I try to give them a sense of who I am by having them check out the family cemetery page where I have done a lot of research and work, and by checking out my blog. I also provide enough background info on our mutual relation that they should be able to verify what I say easily.

Sometimes people don't. They either don't check or they don't care. Or perhaps, they think I want more than a distant cousin who can tell me more of the family. That has happened to me before when someone who was famous did not want to connect the dots or know about the other parts of their blood roots. Oh well, their loss.

Anyway, the uncle did call me the other day, and as luck would have it, I was no where near my computer so I probably sounded like a bumbling fool when I was digging into the deep recesses of my mind for the right family connection.

He did tell me more of his family history and I was able to provide more to him. Hopefully, he'll dig around and find some more old pictures for me so I can look for the family mannerisms or traits that give me such a warm touchy-feely feeling.

Ahh, genealogy. Seeing the past on the young descendants today can still provide me with a sense of family, and warmth and love.

©2011 AS Eldredge

It's Neu with a Treusch for Treasure Chest Thursday

2010-12-23T09:21:00.001-05:00

The title sounds like a slurring of the words after too much holiday cheer? Actually, it's the TREUSCH, I mean, the truth.

Several months ago, I wrote about an unknown cousin who had attended a 1935 family funeral. Just who was cousin Elizabeth TREUSCH? Click to read about her mysterious appearance in my life here.

Fast forward to the day before yesterday.....

In reading the group forum I belong to in Allegheny Co, PA, I came across an entry on the immigration of the NEU family from Germany to Pittsburgh to Kansas, etc. It's always interesting to note how our ancestors traveled in the past. Guess they didn't have to worry much about the body pat downs of today. Wow, now that conjures up an image! Can you imagine how your grandma or great grandma would have reacted to being searched as they sought to fly in the air? Of course, flying up in the air was either not available at their early times or it wasn't as widely used by the general population as it is today.

Anyway......

The name NEU rang a bell in the deep corners of my feeble brain. It seems like I knew someone who married into that family. Ahh, a quick search of my genealogy database confirmed it.

Uncle Francis McClain CALDWELL (1868-1934) had indeed married a Margaret NEU (b. 1871) in Pittsburgh. They had four children of which I am aware. Three of their children were girls and fourth child, a son. I had married names of the girls from Uncle Frank's obit and from the 1935 funeral of cousin Austin BRENDEL. I even knew the addresses of Margaret NEU CALDWELL and the four children from the wedding announcement list of my parents.

And that is where I lost them all. From time to time, I would look around and just couldn't pin any living names with the names and addresses I had on paper.

Until 2 days ago.

With the wonderful technology of today and helpful genealogy buffs, I found the grave of Uncle Frank. Near him is wife Margaret with a year of her death. I asked my group if anyone knew who all was buried close to them and in their plot. With the delightful assistance of volunteers, I was sent a list of both the CALDWELL and NEU plots in the old cemetery. One lady even volunteered there was an Elizabeth TREUSCH in the NEU plot.

Bingo!

By checking the census records now, I could find Elizabeth NEU TREUSCH. And she was the older sister of Margaret NEU CALDWELL. No blood relation to me, but I will be happy to share the family info with a great grandson of Uncle Frank and Aunt Maggie. You see, I also stumbled across a living, breathing kin of theirs through the blood of one of their daughters.

So, now I can happily give them a Christmas present of the past.

Ahh, genealogy. Ain't it fun to be NEU again? Yep, it's the TREUSCH!

Special thanks to Beverly and Helen for your assistance in this puzzle.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Finding Gold in the Gold Rush Back in Pittsburgh

2010-12-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

DORRINGTON, DORRINGTON..

The name just popped off the 1913 newspaper death record in Pittsburgh.

Hmm... I sorta have some DORRINGTON types in my line and they were early pioneers, living and dying in Carnegie (actually Temperanceville).

This John K DORRINGTON has to tie in someway to my line. I just know it. Now, can I prove it?

Pittsburgh Press
February 27, 1913

John K DORRINGTON, age 85, a pioneer coal deal of Pittsburg, died at his residence, Belle Ave and Mountford St, yesterday. He was born in Carnegie and came to Pittsburg when young, getting his early education in the public schools. When the gold excitement in California broke out, Mr Dorrington was one of the "Forty-Niners" who went overland from Pittsburg. He returned in 1852 by the Nicaragua route. Later he went to Minnesota, settling on a fram near St Peter, on the Minnesota River. Mr Dorrington was active in putting down an uprising of the Sioux Indians at Fort Ridgley, Minn. He was one of the first to respond to the call of frontier settlers who were being massacred. He was in the midst of a battle lasting 48 hours when the Indians had surrounded the little frontier town. In 1864 he returned to Pittsburg and entered the coal business in which he continued 32 years. He retired from business in 1896. He is survived by one sister, Miss Margaretta M Dorrington.

The death record itself is inconclusive. So, on to the death notice....

DORRINGTON- On Wednesday, Feb 26, 1913 at 10:30 am, John K Dorrington, at the residence of Mrs. J B Dorrington. Bell Ave and Mountford St, Northside, Pittsburg.
Funeral services at his late residence, Bell Ave and Mountford St, on Friday afternoon at 2:30 pm. Interment private.

Ah- Mrs J B DORRINGTON-- now I know who she is-- Agnes J McDONALD who married Joseph B DORRINGTON, son of Thomas DORRINGTON and Nancy. Thomas's Irish immigrant parents, Thomas DORRINGTON, SR and Jane YOUNG DORRINGTON are buried at (my family) the St Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA.

Thoma, Jr and Nancy had several children, including a Margaretta who was born in 1843 according to the 1850 census. She turns up again living with the widow Agnes J DORRINGTON in 1920.

Bingo. Some hints were in the death notice and death record. Lucky me. More hints and supporting documentation came from the marriage record of Joseph B DORRINGTON and Agnes McDONALD. Still more supporting evidence came from the 1920 census.

I had missed John K earlier (from the 1850 census) and now I know why. The obit tells us he had already gone out searching for gold.

Yes, John K is connected to me. Although he and I share no direct blood. His aunt, Jane DORRINGTON, married my uncle, Walter GLENN.

Ahh, genealogy. How much fun it is to connect more dots and find those golden nuggets.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Are Your Roots in Georgia? Great Used Book Sale Online

2010-12-14T07:10:00.000-05:00

While my genealogy roots are not in Georgia, I still am interested in the state. I imagine it's because I have spent some time there in the Peach State.

There are some 20 used books for sale on Georgia that would be of immense value to those researching the state. Included are some indices for early Georgia grants byb the English crown and some probates, as well as some Civil War letters and histories of some counties.

There are a couple of titles that really caught my eye. One is on those beautiful old Savannah gardens and old Georgia courthouses.

If Fayette County is of interest to you, then you will most likely be interested in:
Fayette County, Georgia Probate Records 1824-1871 by Jeannette Holland Austin. Abstracts of court house records, 383 pp., hardbound, like new. Price: $15.00.

So go on and take a gander. You may just find the perfect peach for your collection......
http://genealogy-books.blogspot.com/2010/12/used-georgia-books-for-sale.html

Ahh, genealogy. Kinda like making the perfect peach pie. You have to find just the right ones for your taste buds to explode in delight.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: Sharing Memories of Christmas Past

2010-12-09T10:12:00.000-05:00

The time has come for the yearly dragging out of the dusty boxes which are filled with the holiday decorations. It always seems to take hours for me to unwrap the ornaments. It's not that I have a house full of holiday boxes. Nope, instead I have a heart full of loving Christmas memories of the past.

Each year as I unwrap the treasured ornaments and decorations, I travel back in time to when I was a child and my parents and other beloved family members were alive. Their smiles, voices and stories of their youths all swim around in my heart. Often, I find myself just sitting quietly as I relive the warmth of Christmas past with my family.

Take time this year to share your Christmas memories of the past with your children and grandchildren. Give them a reason to sit and think lovingly about the past in years to come.

Ahhhh, genealogy. Sometimes, just an ornament can bring time to a standstill.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Madness Monday: Decorating the Tree with Borrowed Ornaments and Nuts

2010-11-29T10:12:00.000-05:00

The holidays are here and our memories and houses are aglow with the traditions of our ancestors. What do you do when an over eager family seeker decides to go nuts and publish undocumented lines as your blood?

Recently, a very nice lady contacted me through a documented cousin of mine and asked for some information on the family. While she and I share no blood, her grandchild does have several drops of my blood flowing in his little veins. The lady was excited to try and find information on the family so she could put a book together for the little guy. Super, I thought.

Until I saw what she decided to publish. She apparently looked at one census and found the name of a young lady (my great grandma) in question in a family and adopted that family as hers. Arrrggghhh. Another fairy tale!

She did not seek to try and verify the family as the right family for the young lady in question. In fact, she chose the wrong family with the same surname living in the next county as mine. Nope. Sorry. Wrong.

I sent her an email and suggested she look at the documentation for the family she chose as mine to see if she was really right. When I was a newbie, I had looked at that family and found evidence they were not mine. I used wills, family photos, family Bibles and land deeds to support what I found.

Unfortunately, that didn't set well with her fairy tale and she decided to ignore me. Now, there's another line that will go on thinking they have blood they don't.

This is not uncommon as Ancestry allows anyone to post anything without documentation. As I have said before, Ancestry trees are just fluff unless you can put some meat on those bones.

A professional genealogy buddy of mine recently commented on this very subject as another avid genealogy buff lamented on fact vs. fiction in trees. With her kind permission, I have included her thoughts on the subject......

Being a professional genealogist, I have dealt with this type of situation and it can be very touchy. You do not want to discourage an exchange of genealogical information that may be beneficial to you but, at the same time, you do not want to have your hard-earned research used in a errant way by
someone else.

Below is a list of suggestions to help weigh the merit of sharing your genealogical research with someone you don't really know.

    1. As the requester, I feel the asking party must prove how they are
related to me and I have to be satisfied that they are correct. If I have any
doubt of their motives, I discontinue contact.
    2. I do my own basic research on what they provide to see if I feel it is
correct. Request a few of specific source/citations or a few copies of
original documents and see if you can find that information yourself. If
they refuse or are not willing to provide a little bit of specific
documentation, I discontinue contact. If I find definite evidence that the
requester is barking up the wrong tree, I will gladly send what I find
source/citation, documents and all, so hopefully, they will take that and
continue down the correct path.
    3. Put a copyright disclaimer on any information you send to someone
else. This provides you with some protection if your research is used
erroneously for profit without going through the proper procedures. Many times
a copyright disclaimer will make the receiving party think twice about
using your information without your permission.
    4. Sometimes you have to be blunt. If you feel the person's research
is wrong and they insist they are part of your tree, inform them of the
discrepancies you see in a generalized fashion, i.e. I do not have record
of my ancestor being in Ohio during that time frame or this ancestor would
only have been 10 years old at that time so she is probably not the
mother. Ask them to prove you wrong. If they are a true genealogist,
they will appreciate the truth. And if it proves to be your missing link,
you will benefit. But again, use caution.   Make sure you see good,
sound genealogy methods and documentation in their research. If not, steer
clear.
    5. If someone tries to publish a genealogical work without
source/citations and original documents, no editor worth their salt is
going to touch their project. If they self-publish for profit and you have
used the copyright disclaimer on your research, you could have an attorney go
after them. If they self-publish for their own use, there isn't much
you can do.
    6. My final point is to be careful what genealogical information you
supply to someone else, even if you are related. DO NOT ever give out or
post personal information on living individuals. There are persons out there
that have been victims of identity theft because an unaware relative posted
their personal information on the Internet in a family tree.

Hope this helps,
Pam Nixon

Whispers From The Past
Family History Research Service
Westland, PA 15378-0008

Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes, you just have some nuts on the tree with your beautiful ornaments.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Tombstone Tuesday: Arlington's Newest Hero is Preserving and Honoring Vets

2010-11-16T10:54:00.001-05:00

All I can say is "wow." This young man is a tremendous hero to the families of the men and women who have fallen while serving America in the War on Terror. The compassion of this young patriot has resulted in a tremendous database for Arlington.

Read more on Ricky Gilleland and the Preserve and Honor Project: http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=119610&catid=158

Visit the site: http://preserveandhonor.com/

His volunteer work to honor our veterans should inspire us all to preserve our history. Ricky is right-- we are people, not numbers. So, come on and step up to the graves in Arlington if you visit or live in the area. Or if you a family member of one of the fallen, be sure to honor their memory by telling their story on the Preserve and Honor Blog.

Ahh, genealogy. What great heroes there are among us.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Call for Fayette County, Georgia Genealogy Buffs to Assist in Index

2010-11-08T11:37:00.000-05:00

The US GenWeb Census Project is in need of help. If you live in Fayette County, Georgia, or have old family ties to the area, then this is a great project to get involved in while sitting in the comfort of your home.

Fayette County Mortality Schedules attached to the 1850-1880 Census Project have been abstracted and are now in need of a second transcriber.

If you can help, visit the US GenWeb pages for Georgia. According to the webmaster, more information can be found on the Fannin County pages.

Ahh, genealogy. It's the gift that keeps on giving throughout the generations.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Tis the Season: Making the List and Dabbing Our Eyes

2010-11-08T09:19:00.001-05:00

How many times have you cried when reading of a death or while attending a marriage? Early newspapers can be a great source for us genealogy buffs. Just think. Our ancestors used the printed press as a great way to communicate items of importance.

It's just so rewarding in today's world to find those old notices. Of course, sometimes those old notices leave a lot to be desired. As a friend reminded me recently, our loved ones didn't move around that much in the old days and so detailed obituaries weren't necessary. If one could read and knew the family, then the reader would most likely have known the details that today's genealogy buffs are digging for.

The all volunteer group that is diligently working on indexing Pittsburgh and Allegheny Co, Pennsylvania deaths, marriages, divorces and photos from early Pittsburgh area newspapers is still digging in the newspapers to find them.

I just can't believe this little project I suggested and spearhead is now close to being one year old. Our actual anniversary is in January, but now is the perfect season for me to give thanks to the wonderful volunteers who are involved with me on this list.

The last update for deaths now includes 56, 599 names while the marriage index now has 14, 440 happy couples.

Be sure to check it out at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

The project was noted in recent editions of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter,Georgia Front Page, and the Western PA Genealogy Society. Here is the press on our little index project:

Early Pittsburgh Marriages and Deaths Indices are Online and Growing

In January 2010, a small band of genealogy seekers embarked on a project to make anyone who has roots in the Pittsburgh area jump for joy. 43 volunteers have been indexing marriages, deaths, and divorces from early Allegheny County newspapers and putting it all online at no cost. Over 52,000 death entries and over 11,000 marriages have been indexed and put online through August. The dates of the newspapers range from 1806-1987.

Project coordinator Ann S Eldredge says the idea of an index came to her as she regularly keeps in touch with other Pittsburgh researchers on the popular mailing list of Allegheny County sponsored by RootsWeb.com. An avid genealogy researcher, Eldredge remarked, "I saw on the list that Google had put images of several old newspapers online and Pittsburgh was on it. After spending many hours of looking for my family and investing in Visine for the eye strain, I realized I couldn't be the only one who had uncovered a few golden nuggets of information. It seemed so simple. If anyone was looking at any of the dates, they could write down all the names of that day. After all, how many of your ancestors do you not know when they married or died?"

With that simple question posed to the group, an index was born. Eldredge volunteered to capture the names the volunteers put on the list. List member Norm Minert quickly set up a page for the newspapers submitted so there would be no duplication of efforts. USGenWeb Allegheny County Archives File Manager Ellis Michaels volunteered to get the the submitted indices online.

The daily newspaper lists began to pore in. "It didn't take long for the sheer volume of names being submitted to become overwhelming," said Eldredge. "I quickly realized I needed help. I put a call out for volunteers to assist on my end, and they came. The enthusiasm and dedication of the volunteers are inspiring. The work they are doing for family researchers and genealogy buffs is just fantastic. What a gift to give."

"It's been an amazing journey over the last eight months as the volunteers have graciously given their time to read the old newspapers. We have so many death and marriage entries from 1889 and 1890. Since the census was lost for 1890, this almost serves as a substitute. I've found my relatives through this project. Some of the death entries have even led to connections with living cousins. It's been worth it."

"Stop on by and see what our volunteers have done," Eldredge said as a smile came across her face. "After all, the good folks of Pittsburgh are just dying to get in."

To view the death, marriage and divorce indices, go to http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm .

Permission was sought from other groups to reprint the press release while kudos poured in.

Here are some of the comments sent. While the comments came in my mailbox, the words are for all of the fantastic volunteers on this project.

"Thank you again and you have done a wonderful job. A tip of the hat to you."
JR Jamieson, Project Volunteer

"Thank you for taking the time to index these newspaper articles. They are wonderful for any Allegheny Co., PA researcher."
Melinda Pennington, Editor, Pennington Pedigrees

"Congrats on taking on the Pittsburgh newspaper indexing project. It is well-appreciated. Although some of the newspapers were indexed on microfilm, there was a huge gap."
Elissa Scalise Powell, CG

"I saw the article in Eastman's newsletter about your indexing project. It's a great project. Would you grant me permission to use the article or excerpts from the article in the North Hills Genealogists newsletter?"
Amy Arner, Co Editor, North Hills Genealogists Newsletter

Ahhh, genealogy. Sometimes you just got to have a box of tissue nearby.

Update 11/16/2010: Another great comment on our work:
"In 1905 there were 5 Buckley children placed in St Joseph's orphanage. No one in today's generation knew about them. Because of your efforts and the additional scraps of information made available we were able to find descendants of each of the 4 who had children. We are building the bridge back. Thank you for your fine work.'
John S

©2010 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: 1794 Indenture from Allegheny County, PA

2010-11-03T10:57:00.000-05:00

Although I am not a blood relative of Alexander LONG or William MISKELLEY, I find this 1794 indenture interesting.

Alexander LONG was a friend, neighbor and fellow church member and founder with two of my 4g grandpas in early Allegheny Co, PA.

Ahh, genealogy. What fun the past can be.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Serving America Through Politics and the Military

2010-11-02T09:27:00.000-05:00

Everyone of us has a viewpoint on politics. While I don't always agree with all of my kin on their thoughts, I find it interesting to go back in time to see how my family has been involved in politics in one way or another throughout America's history.

The first mayor of New York on land that was American, not English, was installed at the Wall Street tavern of my grandpa.

"...The little two-story affair on the west corner of Nassau Street deserves more extended notice than its size would seem to justify. It was John Simmons' tavern, where, in February, 1784, the common council met and with appropriate ceremonies installed the newly appointed Mayor, James Duane, in the presence of the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor. It is said that Simmons weighed more than four hundred pounds, and was of such bulk that at the time of his funeral the doorway of the tavern had to be enlarged to admit the coffin. His widow continued the business for several years, and among its later proprietors were David King and Samuel Randolph. After it ceased to be a tavern it was occupied by T. & W. Benton, bootmakers ; Thomas L. Rich, merchant tailor ; John N. Baur, watchmaker, and others.

In historic interest the site on the east corner of Nassau Street is the most important in New York. Here stood the second city hall, built in 1699-1700. In 1789, having been made over into the most elegant building in America and renamed Federal Hall, it became the first capitol of the United States, and on its balcony General Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the Republic...." (Source: file:///Users/username/Desktop/newSimmons2009:10/New%20York%20City%20-%20Wall%20Street%20Ninety%20Years%20Ago.webarchive)

It's not hard to imagine my grandpa and his family leaning out of the windows to see General Washington become the first president of the United States. After all, history books have documented that Washington had eaten at the family tavern back in 1784, and had hired a distant family member on his staff.

History books have also shown an uncle as being the first keeper of the door when Congress first met in NY.

Fast forward in time and see who else in the family has served America in elected office.

Uncle Samuel Smith HENRY (1786-1853)- Ohio State Representative
Cousin Ashmen Cooke HENRY (1828-1907) - Mayor of Oakland, CA
Couisn James BUCHANAN - President of the United States
My dad- City Council Member

While this is not a complete list, it serves to show my family has always been interested in serving America. Not everyone has an elected office. Many chose to serve America in the military- starting with the American Revolution.

So, elections. Yep, they are important. They were important to my ancestors.

Ahh, genealogy. My ancestors fought so I could vote. What a gift.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Preserving History: How Digital Are Your Records?

2010-10-22T13:10:00.000-05:00

If you have ever received a bad file in email or a great big box of outdated floppy discs made by a distant and now dead cousin, you will appreciate the following article. Actually, you'll enjoy reading the article even if your files have been pristine.

Preserve often-- preserve well..........

The link in the Dick Eastman article will take you to the white paper. Read it, ponder the super information presented-- and then join me as I search for an achival data reader..........

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

I have written several times about the advantages and disadvantages of storing records digitally for many years, both your personal records as well as the holdings of major archives and records repositories. Now Gary Wright, an employee of FamilySearch, has written a definitive whitepaper on the subject that explains the issues involved with digital archiving. He describes in detail the pitfalls of digital storage of priceless paperwork and of old family photographs that have been digitized. As he explains, if done right, digital archives will last for decades. If done wrong, they may not last three years.

I had a chance to read this whitepaper a few weeks ago when Gary circulated it amongst a number of people in the industry, asking for our comments. I told Gary at that time that he had to publish it on the web and, when he did, to please let me know the address so that I could inform the readers of this newsletter. After all the comments were in, Gary did exactly that. White Paper: Preserving Your Family History Records Digitally is now available on the FamilySearch.org web site at https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/White_Paper:_Preserving_Your_Family_History_Records_Digitally

I would suggest you read this whitepaper and consider the information within it carefully. Then forward copies to all your genealogy friends, society members, and anyone else with an interest in genealogy. I think every genealogist as well as every person who has heirloom documents and photographs in his or her possession should read White Paper: Preserving Your Family History Records Digitally at https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/White_Paper:_Preserving_Your_Family_History_Records_Digitally

---
Ahh genealogy. How do I digitize? Let me count the ways........

©2010 AS Eldredge

Founders to go Online

2010-10-19T11:23:00.000-05:00

Thought you'd enjoy knowing this fun little tidbit from the National Archives......

National Archives to Put the Founders Online

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the grantmaking arm of the National Archives, is pleased to announce a cooperative agreement with The University of Virginia (UVA) Press to make freely available online the historical documents of the Founders of the United States of America.

The NHPRC and UVA Press will create a new web site which provides access to the fully annotated published papers of key figures in the nation’s Founding era. The project is designed to include the papers of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission will provide funding in the amount of up to $2 million for the UVA Press to undertake the work on the published papers.

Through this web resource, users will be able to read, browse, and search tens of thousands of documents from the Founding Era. A prototype web site including the contents of 154 volumes drawn from print editions of the papers of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison will be prepared by October 2011. The fully public version will be launched by June 2012 and will also include the 27 volumes of the Papers of Alexander Hamilton. By June 2013, the Founders Online expects to add the 39 published volumes of the Papers of Benjamin Franklin. The new resource will include the complete contents of 242 printed volumes, including all of the existing document transcriptions and the editors’ explanatory notes.

“This new archive of the Founding Era will revolutionize our understanding,” said David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, “by creating for the first time a free and fully searchable collection of the Founders’ own words in the context of their time. As scholars and statesmen debate the meaning of documents such as the Constitution and Bill of Rights, they can turn to the originals and the wit and wisdom of the Founders’ own debates. And we can only express our gratitude for the effort of dedicated editors and scholars to create this work, a national monument to the founding of our nation.”

This award to help the University of Virginia Press create a new online presence for the papers of our nation's founders is great news for the University and for scholars everywhere," said University President Teresa Sullivan. "For ten years, the Press has built on the pioneering vision of U.Va. faculty to harness digital technology in the service of scholarship and education through the Rotunda imprint. As a public university, we applaud the leadership of the National Archives in bringing this important archive to life. Making these materials available to the public for free reflects the core values of the University and indeed of our nation's founding generation, whose words will now be readily available to teachers, students, and citizens.”

Historian Ron Chernow, author of the recent biography Washington: A Life, said, “Unfortunately, the Founders have become remote and abstract, when in fact they are rich, full-blooded, and fiery characters. This new site will not only help students learn more deeply and develop a visceral love and respect for this era, but it will stimulate interest in history for teachers, too, and will reconnect them to primary sources.”

In conjunction with entering into the cooperative agreement, Archivist David S. Ferriero also announced the appointment of three leading scholars to a special Founding Fathers Advisory Committee. The three members are Edward L. Ayers, President of University of Richmond, and leading scholar on the Civil War and American South; Mary Beth Norton, Professor of American History at Cornell University, and leading scholar on the social and political era of the 17th and 18th century America; and David Hackett Fisher, Professor of History at Brandeis, a leading scholar on the colonial era and Pulitzer Prize-winner author of Washington’s Crossing (2004). The Committee will advise the Archivist on the progress of the Founders’ editorial projects, and it is scheduled to meet at the National Archives on December 13, 2010.

Ahhh, genealogy. So much reading, so little time.....

©2010 AS Eldredge

Have to Reach Out to Research in PA for a While

2010-10-13T10:51:00.000-05:00

While the PA Archives will be closed to the walking, talking, visiting public for the next several months, all is not in despair. They will still process inquires if you talk or write to them.....

Pennsylvania State Archives to Close for Four-Month Renovation Project

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) announced today that the State Archives of Pennsylvania will close from Oct. 18 through Feb. 3, 2011, for needed renovations.

While Oct. 16 is the final day researchers can visit the facility at Third and Forster streets in Harrisburg, staff will continue to respond to telephone, e-mail, and postal inquiries during the renovations.

Barbara Franco, PHMC executive director, said the $250,000 project will expand and modernize the existing lobby and public research areas. A larger vestibule is required to facilitate access for people with disabilities and will include automatic doors. The work will provide more space for the increasing number of researchers, as well as new wiring and additional computers to improve access to the collections. Security systems will also be upgraded.

While the renovations will extend the life of the building, plans are still in process to replace the 50-year-old facility that is nearing its capacity. Water leaks exist. The facility lacks adequate environmental controls or fire suppression systems to protect its more than two hundred million pages of one-of-a-kind records, including the Charter from King Charles II to William Penn creating the colony of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission operates the State Archives. Visit the archives online at PHMC's website, www.phmc.state.pa.us, and choose the State Archives link. For further information about the closure or to make research inquiries, call 717-783-3281.

Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes you just can't walk the walk. Sometimes, you just have to talk.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Politicians are All in the Family Thru Early Plymouth Connections

2010-10-13T08:04:00.000-05:00

Another day, another genealogy find. I find this story from Ancestry.com of interest if only to show we are pretty much all connected to each other one way or another. We may not share any common interests in the present with some of our extremely distant kin, but we are probably more alike than we realize. Take, for instance, ....

Ancestry.com Reveals Midterm Election Connections: President Obama Related to Palin and Limbaugh

/PRNewswire/ -- As Americans prepare to cast their votes in November's mid-term election, Ancestry.com today announces that several key political leaders and media personalities are more than mere political allies or political foes—they are actually related.

The world's largest online family history resource reveals that President Barack Obama is related to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Obama and Palin are 10th cousins through common ancestor John Smith. The website also found that Obama is related to one of his most vociferous critics, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Perhaps Rush will ease up on the President when he learns they are actually 10th cousins once removed via common ancestor Richmond Terrell.

Ancestry.com researchers also discovered that Palin, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and conservative author Ann Coulter are also cousins through Englishman John Lathrop, who was exiled to the United States for becoming a minister of an illegal independent church.

But the connections don't end there. Obama, Palin and former President George W. Bush are also related. Obama and Bush, who both reached the highest office in the land, are 11th cousins through common ancestor Samuel Hinckley. Palin and Bush, who are also 11th cousins, are also related through Hinckley. Apparently leadership runs in the family, since Hinckley's son, Thomas, went on to become governor of Plymouth Colony.

"We have all watched the heated media coverage as the leadership of Congress is at stake in this very contentious upcoming November election," said Anastasia Tyler, a genealogist at Ancestry.com. "It is not unusual, however, to find family members on different ends of the political spectrum. This election season is an ideal time to look into the family trees of our candidates and their critics to learn more about the ties that make them all part of this great country."

Other Famous Finds

These newfound family connections between our nation's top political players are the latest of several discoveries from the research team at Ancestry.com:

* In 2009, Ancestry.com discovered that Obama and financial investor Warren Buffett are more than just allies. The two men are 7th cousins three times removed.
* Ancestry.com also revealed that Obama and actor Brad Pitt are 9th cousins.
* In 2008, Ancestry.com announced that then-Governor Sarah Palin is a distant cousin to both Franklin D. Roosevelt and Princess Diana.

Ancestry.com recently announced it has extended its relationship with NBC for the second season of the hit television series "Who Do You Think You Are?" Ancestry.com worked with NBC on the first season of "Who Do You Think You Are?" that debuted in March 2010, providing important family history research for the show, including tracing the roots of the seven celebrities featured.

As for my roots, I do have White House connections to a president, but not the current one. My blood kin there was James Buchanan. A presidential gold coin was just released for Buchanan-- I've got one.

Ahh, genealogy. How many blood lines are hanging around in the ole proverbial woodpile?

©2010 AS Eldredge

Playing Your Song for Eternity?

2010-10-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

This morning, before the caffeine hit the bloodstream, I received a weird story from one of my genealogy buds. Could it be an early Halloween joke? It appears there is a company across the pond who will immortalize people or pets by pressing their cremated remains into a vinyl record.

Vinyl record? This group even offers album cover art with either a photograph of the dearly departed or a painting. Customize the album with a last message, will, directions, or music and you're ready to go.

After I chuckled at the grim reaper and blood spatters on the website, I wondered how many people could even play a vinyl record. I think I have a record player tucked away somewhere deep in the dungeon here at the house.

I kind of like the idea of leaving a recording of my voice for my future family members, but I think I will just turn on my video camera for the occasion. And, my family can always raid the computer and old photograph album books for numerous examples of my smile.

I think I will pass on the offer to spend eternity pressed on a vinyl record. I think I would rather be pressed into the heart and memories of my loved ones.

Ahh, genealogy. And the beat goes on.........

©2010 AS Eldredge

Marking Veterans Final Resting Places

2010-10-07T09:08:00.001-05:00

Chances are you have some veterans in the family. Have you thought of honoring the memory of their desire to protect our great land and the freedoms you enjoy? It's easy and I encourage all genealogy and history buffs to honor your loved ones.

My grandfathers both served America in World War I. One was in the Army and suffered from the exposure to mustard gas. Click here to read more of Charlie and his World War I experience and subsequent death. The other grandpa was in the Navy for a short stint, and died happily at an old age.

While my dad is buried in a military cemetery and has an official veterans marker, my grandfathers do not. Since my grandpas both have headstones at their final resting spot, I have not had the reason to seek honoring their military service with a government issued headstone. But wait-- can I do it now?

Just recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a new option to honor our veterans who are buried in private (non-government) cemeteries and who have privately purchased headstones.

Now, we can honor our veterans' service to our great land with the addition of a bronze medallion to the existing headstone. For veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990, the medallion can be ordered through the VA. For more information on the medallion option, visit http://www.cem.va.gov/hm/hmtype.asp

Perhaps, the VA will soon have these medallions available for veterans who died before 1990. Wouldn't that be great?

Ahh, genealogy. Loving the past and wanting to honor my special veterans--- always and all ways.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Family Tree Maker for Macintosh Pre-Sale

2010-10-07T06:09:00.000-05:00

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

Ancestry.com announced last spring that the company would re-introduce Family Tree Maker for Macintosh before the end of the year. Apparently, the company plans to meet that deadline. The product isn't available yet but Ancestry.com is now taking orders and is promising delivery in "early November." Best of all, those who order the product now will receive a 20% discount.

A new page has appeared on Ancestry.com's online store to says (in part):
Family Tree Maker for Mac - Pre-Sale
20% Off

Introducing Ancestry.com Family Tree Maker for Mac
For 20 years, Family Tree Maker has been the #1-selling family history software. Millions of people have used it to discover, preserve and share their family stories. Now Mac users can too.
Family Tree Maker for Mac, which is based on Family Tree Maker 2010, makes organizing, researching and sharing your family history easier than ever, whether you're just getting started or already an expert.
The web site then goes on at some length giving details of the new program's capabilities. To be blunt, it all sounds identical to the capabilities of the Windows version and I'd suggest that is a good thing.

Near the bottom of the web page, it says "This item has not yet been released. It will be released and shipped in early November."

Family Tree Maker for Macintosh will retail for $69.95. The Ancestry.com online store is offering it as a "pre-sale" for a 20% discount: $55.96.

I ordered my copy today.

You can find Ancestry.com's online description and order page at http://store.ancestry.com/ProductDetail.aspx?P=P-4845&cj=1&o_xid=0002370517&o_lid=0002370517

Lost in Memory Lane

2010-09-24T10:59:00.000-05:00

Fall has come and now it is time for the cleaning to begin. I've got to put up all the reminders of long, hot, lazy summer days. Gone are the beach towels, bathing suits and sunscreen.

In are the new school pictures of the kids. While I was adding the new pictures this morning, I took time to look at all of the school pictures behind the current one. Smiles and memories flood me as I look at those precious children who are now so grown up.

I paused and remembered my childhood. How much fun it was to go into my parents' room and look at the pictures in the frames. I liked to take them apart and look for any treasured pictures that were behind the photograph they had on display. Many a time, I found pictures of my parents when they were younger, and sometimes, I found pictures of my siblings and me when we were just little sprouts. Those fancy Easter Sunday dresses and ill fitting suits for the boys. Just thinking about those old photographs today set me on a course of thinking and remembering the past.

I so miss the hugs, the dogs, my grandmother, my grandfather, and most of all, my parents. I guess I'll spend some more time on Memory Lane today, before I get too old to be able to retell those old stories to my kids.

Ahhh, genealogy. Ain't it a sight for sore eyes!

Wordless Wednesday: Shooting It Up at the Alamo

2010-09-08T11:25:00.002-05:00

The Alamo? I had family at the Alamo? Imagine my surprise when my cousin through our joint 4ggrandfather told me the story. I was so taken back that I asked him to write down the story so I could share it with you. Terry took his documented information on Robert Cunningham and interspersed it with history excerpts of the Alamo and Texas found online. The story of cousin Robert and his place in destiny is fascinating as it brings history in focus for our family--- and maybe, yours.

Robert W Cunningham: The Alamo
by Terry Prall

Robert W. Cunningham¹ was born on 18 Oct 1804 in New Berlin, Chenango Co., New York.² He died killed defending the Alamo on 6 Mar 1836 at the age of 31 in The Alamo, San Antonio de Bexar, Republic of Texas.²

Robert W. Cunningham was the eldest of the children of David Cunningham and Anna Jennison, born in Chenango Co., New York in 1804. He made the move west with his family as they settled in Jeffersonville, Clark Co., Indiana during the 1820s.

Robert opted for a life on the river, common to his Cunningham, Jennison and Simmons kin. Members of the family lived along the Ohio river towns in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio throughout the 1800s.   Cunningham spent time in Kentucky and Arkansas before working on the Mississippi River cargo flatboats that took him to New Orleans. In 1832 Robert wrote his family back in Jeffersonville that he was going to settle in New Orleans. That decision was soon to change.

Texas beckoned.  

By 4 March 1833 Robert had moved to Texas where he received title to a league of land on Skull Creek [present-day Colorado Co.] in Austin's burgeoning colony. [His name appeared on the tax index list of 1833 in "Austin County."]

  Moses Austin laid the foundation for an American settlement in Mexico's northern-most state, Texas, in 1820-21. He was granted land on which to settle 300 families by Governor Martinez. Moses died in June of 1821 and his son, Stephen F. Austin, reluctantly took over the Texas Grant. The new "Empressario" met with the governor's representative in San Antonio and laid out an acceptable plan for settlement. He then returned to New Orleans to advertise for colonists. Austin led the first families into Texas in 1822 and soon had to go to Mexico City to confirm the grant.

During his return to the colony, the Mexican government fell to revolution. The new Constitution of 1824 was loosely patterned after that of the US. There were serious differences - no trial by jury, Roman Catholicism was the state religion, Congress had the final say in interpreting the constitution, the president had the right to command the army in person and the rights of the states were not clearly defined. Slavery had been all but outlawed in Mexico, but there were some allowances. Coahuila and Texas, the northern-most states, were combined into a single state. Distribution of land favored native Mexicans over colonists. Colonists had to swear to follow the constitution, including following the Catholic faith.  Other colonies sprang up in Texas over the next few years. Austin's was by far the most successful and continued to grow. Changes were on the horizon with another revolution in 1829 and one of its leaders, a hero of the previous war, was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The U.S. was making noise about annexing Texas. Slavery was outlawed. Vice-president Bustamente declared himself president in 1830 and forbade further colonization of Texas. Juan Matin Verimendi was elected vice-governor of Coahuila y Texas and into the picture came Verimendi's son-in-law, James Bowie.  Among new government officials in Texas was Col. Juan Bradburn, in charge of Anahuac. He instituted martial law, conficated colonists' property, citizens were arrested, Mexican soldiers robbed and stole and went unpunished. In 1831, enraged citizens arrested one of Bradburn's soldiers. They were in turn arrested by Bradburn. One of them was a young attorney named William Barrett Travis. 

The prisoners were eventually released and Bradburn sent to New Orleans, from where he promptly retuned to Mexico. As Santa Anna continued to lead the revolt, Sam Houston arrived in Texas in 1832. Santa Anna was elected president in 1833. It was shortly before Santa Anna took office that 29 year-old Robert Cunningham arrived in Texas.  Santa Anna was soon dictator of Mexico, the Constitution of 1824 was abolished and the rights of Mexicans and colonists alike were revoked. The Texans tried reason before rebellion and sent Austin to Mexico City with their grievances in 1834. He was promptly arrested and imprisoned. Austin was released later in the year.  

1835: The state of Zacatecas was opposed to the new dictator and prepared to defend itself from the encroaching Mexican Army led by El Presidente himself. Of 5000 Zacatecas defenders, 2000 were killed and 2700 were taken prisoner. For two days, Santa Anna's army butchered citizens and plundered the state capital. Meanwhile, General Cos, the dictator's brother-in-law, was dispatched to Coahuila y Texas to shut down the legislature and establish martial law. The mood among Texas colonists was quickly shifting to one of independence.  Travis led a force to take Anahuac. Austin returned in September, now ready to support the rebels and a Committee of Safety was formed at San Felipe. The town of Gonzalez had been given a cannon for protection against Indian raids. Mexican forces were sent to reclaim the cannon. They were not successful. The Texans captured Goliad and Concepcion. Plans were underway at San Felipe to establish a provisional government. A declaration was written calling for a return to the Constitution of 1824. By the end of November, Henry Smith was appointed governor, James W. Robinson lieutenant governor, Austin commissioner to the U.S. and Sam Houston was commander-in-chief of the army. They would meet at Washington-on-the-Brazos on 1 March 1836 for further action. General Cos' army was now encamped in San Antonio de Bexar and in an old, run-down Spanish mission outside of the town - the Alamo.

What transpired in the life of Robert Cunningham between March of 1834 and late 1835 is not yet documented; he wrote his family in 1836 that he had joined the Texas army. He was undoubtedly with the army as it moved from Concepcion to San Antonio in November and December of 1835. Robert was serving as a sergeant and second gunner in Captain T.L.F. Parrott's artillery company.

  Parrott's company was initially under Austin's command, but Austin was called away and Edward Burleson took command of the regiment. Burleson gave the order to attack the Mexican forces on the evening of December 4th. Ben Milam led the assault on the town, while James Neill attacked the Alamo. There was much house to house fighting over the next five days. Among the most notable casualties of the battle was that of Col. Ben Milam on the 7th. Milam had been an inspirational leader of the Texas. Cannon fire helped keep Mexican forces from leaving the Alamo to reinforce Bexar. By the 9th, Cos' troops had retreated to the old mission and ran up a white flag. In the early morning hours of 10 December 1835 Cos surrendered. Cos and his officers were never to return to Texas, nor were they to, in any way, oppose the reinstitution of the 1824 Constitution. Santa Anna, at the head of an army of 6000, was marching toward the rebellious colony.  

Robert Cunningham chose to remain with the Bexar garrison. He was assigned to Captain William R. Carey's artillery company as a private. Cunningham was part of the force of fewer than 100 regulars left to man San Antonio de Bexar under the command of Col. James Neill.

  Col. James Bowie arrived on the 19th of January with 30 men and orders [left to Bowie's discretion] to abandon Bexar, blow up its fortifications, and remove the artillery to Gonzalez. Neill disagreed. Bowie took stock of the situation and finally agreed with Neill that holding Bexar was crucial. Bowie wrote Houston stating that "we would rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy." The commanders began to fortify their defenses.

  Governor Smith ordered Travis to Bexar. Travis made several pleas to have his orders revoked and even threatened to resign his commission. In the end, Col. Travis led his 30 men into Bexar on February 3rd. On the 6th arrived the Tennessee Mounted Volunteers under the command of former Congressman Col. David Crockett. Crockett proceeded to regale the soldiers and citizens with stories of his exploits. David informed them that he had told Congress that "you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas. Neill left on 20 days leave on the 11th and placed Travis in command of the regulars.

  Bowie was drinking heavily and suffering from bouts of fever [probaby typhoid or pneumonia] and constantly at odds with Travis. Finally, on the 14th, they agreed to maintain their separate commands and make major decisions together.   

23 February 1836: Sentries see guidons on the horizon. Orders are given to evacuate Bexar and move into the Alamo. Santa Anna had arrived.   Santa Anna, under a white flag, demanded the surrender of the Alamo. He was answered with a cannon shot. A blood red flag was raised in Bexar - no quarter, no prisoners - the Alamo garrison was to be put to the sword.   

Travis drafted a letter on the 24th and sent it out through Mexican lines: 
COMMANDANCY OF THE ALAMO, BEXAR, February 24, 1836.
FELLOW-CITIZENS AND COMPATRIOTS : I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continued bombardment for twenty-four hours, and have not lost a man. The enemy have demanded a surrender at discretion ; otherwise the garrison is to be put to the sword, if the place is taken. I have answered the summons with a cannon-shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and of everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all despatch. The enemy are receiving reinforcements daily, and will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. Though this call may be neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible, and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country. Victory or death!"W. BARRET TRAVIS, Lieutenant-Colonel commanding." P. S.—The Lord is on our side. When the enemy appeared in sight, we had not three bushels of corn. We have since found, in deserted houses, eighty or ninety bushels, and got into the walls twenty or thirty head of beeves. "T"

  Other riders were sent out to deliver dispatches and pleas for help. Skirmishes took place between Mexican and Texan troops. The Alamo was constantly bombarded by Mexican artillery. Return fire was sporadic. Forage parties were sent out to find food and firewood. The Texans also managed to put to torch a few nearby huts that would provide cover for the enemy. Miracuosly, there were no deaths among the defenders. Bowie's illness had won out - he was now a bedridden non-combatant. Travis was in full command.

The artillery headquarters of Capt. Carey was in the southwest corner of the compound. It may have been there, at Alamo's 18 pounder, or the battery trained on the main gate on the south wall to which Pvt. Cunningham was assigned. From his post he witnessed the shenanigans of fellow artilleryman, Scotsman John McGregor and Crockett. McGregor on his bagpipes frequently duelled Crockett and his fiddle. When not at his post at the southeast barricade joining the south wall to the church, Crockett was found around the compound trying to keep spirits up. Periodically David would scale the southwest wall and take shots at enemy soldiers within range. On one occasion he took aim on a Mexican engineer 200 yards away - and shot him dead. Life was anything but boring for young Cunningham.

  On March 1st, 32 men arrived from Gonzalez to reinforce the Alamo. Still believing that reinforcements were on the way from Goliad, Travis sent Crockett and two others to find the men and lead them back to the Alamo. About twenty miles out, Crockett's party located the party of about 50. Crockett got most of the men safely inside the Alamo; the others were driven off by the Mexicans. The last messengers were sent out on the 5th. The defenders of the Alamo had not received word that the provisional government had declared Texas an independent republic on March 2nd.

  Santa Anna called for an all out attack on the morning of the 6th and ended the bombardment about 10:00 P.M. on the 5th. The exhausted defenders inside the Alamo slept.  

At about 5:00 A.M. the Alamo sentinels outside the walls were killed in their sleep as the advance troops approached. Overly enthusiastic soldiers shouted "Via Santa Anna!" and brought the Alamo to life. Santa Anna ordered the 'Deguello' [cut throat song] to be played.   

A three acre compound that required 1000 men to adequately defend it, had perhaps 200-220. Crockett's Tennesseeans repelled multiple assaults, forcing the enemy to the west. At the north wall, two assaults failed, but the third did not. Travis, at the north wall, was one of the first to fall. The Mexican troops swarmed over the north wall. Texans exposed to musket fire were cut down. Others abandoned their positions and fought a retreat toward the two barracks and church.

Robert Cunningham and the other artillerymen fired into the masses of Mexican soldiers filing into the compound from the north. As their shot ran out, they grabbed nails, scrap metal, door hinges and anything else they could load into their cannons. The "scrap shot" nearly wiped out one entire Mexican company. The south wall was left unguarded as guns were trained on the north. Battery by battery the artillerymen were overrun. At some point during the push over the south wall, the 32 year-old artilleryman from Jeffersonville fell next to his cannon riddled with musket fire or pierced by bayonets.

The north and south walls had been breached. Mexican troops scaled the east wall and entered the foray. The defenders there escaped into the prairie and, despite cover fire from Captain Almeron Dickinson's artillery on the church, were slaughtered by the enemy cavalry. Defenders jumped from the west wall and tried to fight in the ditches near the mission.. They were also cut down by the Mexican cavalry. Many defenders took refuge in the long barracks [west wall] and the low barracks [south wall].

  Crockett and his men were still in the open, backed up against the southeast palisade and in front of the ruins of the church. They put forth a desperate last stand. Witnesses reported between 15-20 soldiers piled around Crockett and a couple of his men.

  Captured cannons were turned on the doors and walls of the two barracks, tearing brick and defenders to pieces. Soldiers stormed the buildings firing point-blank into the Texans reduced to hand-to-hand combat. Bayonets finished the job. Soldiers stormed into Bowie's room and found him lying near death in his bed. Legend holds that he generated enough strength to discharge a set of pistols and bury his famous Bowie knife into one of the enemy. His body was raised on bayonets like a bale of hay.   

The Alamo's 18 pounder was turned on the church by Mexican soldiers and blew apart the doors. Dickinson's artillerymen and the remaining Texans who had taken refuge in the church were quickly overrun. A handful of men were captured and taken before Santa Anna - they were executed on the spot. By 6:30 A.M. it was all over.  

Survivors? At least 14. The wife and children of defender Enrique Esparza and a few other Mexican women and children. Travis' slave, Joe. Susanna Dickinson and her infant daughter were the only Anglo survivors. Mrs. Dickinson and Joe were sent north to tell of the fall of the Alamo.  

Santa Anna ordered Christian burials for his dead [estimates between 600 and 1200]. Many bodies had to be tossed into the nearby creeks and rivers. As to the Alamo defenders they were stacked - a layer of wood, a layer of bodies..... and put to the torch. Only one, Enrique Esparza, whose brother fought for Santa Anna, was granted burial.

It is not known how long it took the news of the fall of the Alamo to reach the Cunninghams in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Reports would have begun making their way from New Orleans up the Mississippi by the end of March. News of Robert's death may not have reached the Cunningham family until late April.

  By that time, Sam Houston and the Army of Texas had exacted a measure of revenge. On 21 April 1836 the Texans, with the battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!", overwhelmed Santa Anna's forces at San Jacinto, killing 650 and capturing 700 in an 18 minute battle. Houston's force of just under 800 suffered 9 dead and 34 wounded. Among the Mexican prisoners was a soldier in a corporal's uniform. Upon seeing him, other prisoners shouted, "El Presidente!" A disgraced Santa Anna was brought before Houston and signed Texas over to the general in exchange for his life.  

Robert W. Cunningham, born in New York, resident of Jeffersonville, Indiana, with stops in Kentucky, Arkansas, New Orleans, and numerous towns along the Mississippi decided to settle in Texas in 1832. On the 6th of March 1836 at the Alamo, he joined David Crockett, Jim Bowie, Travis and the others in immortality.

Sources for excerpts:
  The History of Texas: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/texas/history-texas.htm
 Battle of the Alamo [wikipedia]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo         
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    1. Bill Groneman, "Cunningham, Robert W.," biographic sketch, Texas State Historical Association, The Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles : accessed 29 January 2010).
    2. Wall Street John, William F. Archerd online [http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi~bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wallstreetjohn&id=194&pr...], accessed 6 November 2009.
Note: Current online for Wall Street John, Ann S Eldredge [http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wallstreetjohn&id=I110]

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Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes, it can just leave you in awe of history.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Are Your Aliens Lost?

2010-09-03T11:05:00.001-05:00

Have you ever thrown your hands up in despair when the trail to your early family leads nowhere?

I suspect every family researcher suffers that same feeling as we exclaim, "They were aliens! Came to earth in between the census years, procreated, and left."

Of course, it is even more frustrating to know where they were at any given time in history, but be unable to document it legally. Oh, why couldn't they leave wills? Why didn't they prepare when they knew their life expectancy was limited?

Another genealogy buff just sent this and I thought you'd like to see it, too. Perhaps, this could be of value to those who are searching for their own personal alien from 1798-1828.

Go to the National Archives and check their landing records. Landing records were kept in the United States for aliens who desired to be naturalized. This could lead to a great find!

Here is the link to check it out: http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access/?p=2125

Ahh, genealogy. Guess we were all aliens at one time.

HT to Family Tree Mag

©2010 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: The Original Nuremberg Laws Finally at National Archives

2010-08-25T13:18:00.000-05:00

General Patton ignored orders from General Eisenhower in 1945--

but the original Nuremberg Laws finally make it to the National Archives in 2010.

My parents had the opportunity to visit some of Hitler's concentration camps while my dad was part of the American Occupation Force after World War II. The sight, the smell, the feelings of being there where so many lives were lost due to Hitler's policies were overwhelming according to my mom. She never forgot the sights and the horrors of the tour of the camps. When she talked about the visit, she would close her eyes and shudder as the tears would roll down her face.

Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes history comes back to us in the sight and in the sounds of today. I guess I'll just take a moment and say a prayer for those who suffered and died in the concentration camps, and remember my mom.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Got to Cool Off to Get Hot

2010-08-24T15:33:00.000-05:00

Ok, my dear cousins-- whether you are inlaws or outlaws--- I've got the hint!

I'm going to stop writing new blogs (oh, the horror of it all) until I get the NEWEST info up on our tree. Two different sources have written to me in the last week to see if I am still interested in the family.

So, I'll cool down the writing for a few days so my family ties on that one line can be updated.

I've also been hot on the trail of my 4g grandpa and have located his EXACT address in 1839. I've been using that to determine which cemetery is the most likely for his bones to be located. However, I've been told just today that the most probable cemetery from 1843 Wheeling is now a playground. Sigh.

In the meantime, has anyone run across the Virginia Militia 1st Battalion of the 4th Regiment under the command of Col B F Kelly?

Ahh, genealogy. All it takes is a gentle prod or two to get me back hot on the trail again.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Ancestry Day in Atlanta Scheduled for September 18 at National Archives

2010-08-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

The following is a blurb sent out by Ancestry.com and by the Afro-American Genealogy Society, Metro Atlanta Chapter. Looks like it could be a fun day!

Saturday, September 18, 2010
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA South East Region),
5780 Jonesboro Road; Morrow, GA 30260

9:00am–4:00pm (doors open 8:30)
$10.00 Registration includes a box lunch at noon.

Free parking, seating is limited.

Presentations: - Getting the Most from your Ancestry.com Membership
- Online Member Trees: Ancestry's Powerful Tool Keeps Getting Better
- Ancestry World Archives Project and You
- African American Collection at Ancestry
- Southern Claims Commission Records (Presented by Reginald Washington from the National Archives - Washington, DC)

Have you seen recent TV shows focusing on family history? If so, you may be wondering how you can get started on your own family history. Or you may be a long time user of Ancestry.com and are wondering how to get more from your membership. Register today to attend our Ancestry Day in Atlanta and learn about the premier family history website from a true insider.

Sponsored by: The Afro-American Genealogical Society Inc., Metro Atlanta Chapter (www.rootsweb.com/~gaaahgs) in partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) South East Region (www.archives.gov/southeast/) are excited to host Ancestry.com at this event!

Your presenter, Lisa Arnold is a content manager for Ancestry.com and has been involved in genealogical research, teaching, and lecturing for more than 15 years. She holds a B.S. in Family History from Brigham Young University and is currently a Master's Degree candidate at the University of Limerick. From the Philadelphia area originally, she is the former Director of the Family History Center in Valley Forge, PA, and author of "Finding Your Quaker Ancestors". Lisa is the Chapter Coordinator for her local chapter for the Association of Professional Genealogists and is the proud grandmother of 5 (and counting!).

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Ahh, genealogy. Live the life. Love the life.

Wordless Wednesday: Artifacts of Civil War Prison Camp Lawton Revealed

2010-08-18T17:40:00.000-05:00

What can I say? Job well done!!!!

All eyes in the world of history and that of the Civil War were at Magnolia Springs today in Jenkins County, GA. Georgia Southern University will place the artifacts on exhibition starting October 10 at 2pm at the Georgia Southern University Museum.

http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/camplawton/index.php/home

Oh, and Georgia Southern is my alma mater.

Ahh, genealogy. Dig, brother, dig. Find those roots!

Tombstone Tuesday: Bitten While Hiking to Shoot a Family

2010-08-17T11:03:00.000-05:00

My love for history and genealogy has led to some interesting field trips around the area in which I live. As a volunteer for Find-a-Grave, I get requests from time to time for photographs of long departed loved ones. I don't know these genealogy buffs who submit the requests, but I enjoy the hunt. I always learn something new.

For instance, take a closer look at one of the recent requests to come my way. It seemed easy enough. All the lady wanted was some pictures of a couple of gravestones in the Old Landrum Family Cemetery in Fayette Co, GA.

Looking it up seemed easy to do. Here it was. And then I got lost.

The description of the location was confusing as I am not an "oldtimer" of the area. The directions said, "accessible from the abandoned section of Peachtree Parkway." Hmm, abandoned Peachtree Parkway?

One fine, steamy day last week, I took a quick drive to the area I thought could be the abandoned Peachtree Parkway. Well, the area is all built up and even has an elementary school on it. So, if it was it, it's not now.

Being an enterprising young grasshopper, I popped into the first funeral home I saw. The kindly gentleman asked (in a oh-so-sorry-for-your-loss-gentle-voice) if he could be of service. I told him I was looking for a graveyard. One can imagine the looks on the faces as I beamed and said I wanted to shoot someone. Oops, clarification was needed. I wanted to photograph someone who was buried in a local cemetery and I couldn't find it.

Well, they couldn't either. The lady who was happily and joyfully assisting me at this point called City Hall to see what they knew. Nothing. But, they knew someone who would know.

My new buddy and I were looking at maps of the development of Peachtree City when she spotted an area called "Landrum's Mill Pond." About that time, the lady at City Hall called back and told us she has spoken to someone else at the library who said the cemetery was down a well worn path through the woods. She even had directions!

"Go up Hwy 74. Turn onto Peachtree Parkway, and turn left onto World Dr. Go to the cul-de-sac and park. Walk down the path and it will be in the woods."

A quick driveby told me it was going to be a little harder than that, so I went home and got my energetic fun loving family and dogs. As usual, they were eager to assist :).

Hiking, we went down the path which quickly showed evidence of asphalt and old faded lines. Eureka, it's the abandoned Peachtree Parkway that we didn't know existed! Hmm. No graveyard seen here. Let's start taking some of the paths off of this path.

At the second path I sent the kids and dogs down, they started yelling. "Come quick! It's a cemetery."

There sat the old Landrum Family Cemetery in a nicely fenced in area.

As I surveyed the area, I could see a spot where the trees were younger. Could this have been the site of the family home of Jeptha Landrum? He was the owner of the land from around 1825 or so, and is reported to have assisted the Creek Indians in their removal after the Creek Nation signed the land over to the state of Georgia. The Landrum family owned quite a large plantation and Landrum served the new county as a Judge and also as sheriff.

I don't know if the clearing with the young trees was the house site, but I can imagine the site if it had been. The cemetery would have been down the hill off of the dirt road leading to the house in an area close enough to visit, but not close enough to be disturbed by the creek or mill pond. The mill pond is still there and is further down the path from the cemetery.

Back in the cemetery, I started taking shots of the graves. Some were legible and others were not. There were a number of broken stones that appear to once have had markings on them. Others had succumbed to the elements of time. Still, other spots were quite sunken. Could these be the slaves indicated by the Landrum family to be buried there? Early tax records show the Landrum family had somewhere around a dozen slaves or so around the 1850 time frame. Of course, these same records indicate taxes on the land were less than $1. Oh, if only I could have that tax bill today!

We wiped off some of the stones as I snapped away. Some of the markings appear to be gone. Others, I can probably make out enough to match them with the index of the cemetery put online by a Landrum family member.

I sent some of the pictures to a local photographer friend who tried to bring out the details for me. She suggested I go back and take some more shots for her to play with.

I plan to go back out there in the fall to retake some shots. Photographs of old graves can provide some more clues if the lighting is different (hence, a different time of year and time of day). I will also take some water with me to sprinkle on the graves.

Yes, I will go out there again on another hike. But I think I will wait until the chigger bites heal!

Ahh, genealogy. It's fun hiking around the past, even if the present bites you.

Note: Many thanks to the wonderful folks at the Carmichael-Hemperley Funeral Home and Crematory on Senoia Rd in Peachtree City. They were super as they spent about an hour with me trying to find the old cemetery. I appreciate their kindness!

©2010 AS Eldredge

Dear Mary, The War is Over

2010-08-16T11:03:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine the scene when General Lee made the decision to surrender on April 9, 1865, to General Grant? Can you imagine the heartache, the despair? General Lee was surrounded after the fall of Richmond and Petersburg. All he had was a tired, starving army and lots of Union soldiers between him and the supplies so badly needed.

It took great courage to surrender. The terms he requested of General Grant included immediate pardons for his army. Grant honored that request and also supplied some food to the starving Confederates. It took most of the day as the two generals sat and talked in Appomattox. By all accounts, they had not seen each other in over 20 years. Reports tell us they talked some of the past before they settled down to the business at hand.

The war was over. Can you imagine how much relief was felt by the men wearing their uniforms of blue and gray that day! The struggle was over. No longer would brother take arms up against his brother. They could go home. They could back to life.

With time, the Union would truly reunite. A note of interest is that after the Civil War, the United States of America becomes a single entity when referring to it.

What was it like on that fateful day? The following letter provides only a quick mention of Lee's surrender. More fighting would be in the future for other soldiers that day and many more to come.
The letter below was written by George LEMMON, of Co. F, 139th PA Infantry, at the end of the Civil War, to his cousin, Mary Shoop. The family of Mary Shoop has preserved the letters sent to her by her brother, George SHOOP, and plans to have the collection published.

A special thanks to her 2g-grandson, John Snowden, for giving me permission to publish this one letter of the collection on my genealogy blog.

Camp Near Burks Station, Va. April 30 {1865}

    Cousin Mary,

    Your welcome letter came to hand this morning. I was very glad to hear
    from you. I am in good health at the present time. I hope these few lines
    may find you all the same. We have been moving Camp today and building
    summer quarters. We have gay quarters built but I donât think we will stay
    here very long. I think we are going back to Richmond or Petersburg closer
    to our base of supplies. The 5^th and 2^nd Corps moved in that direction
    this morning. The report is that we will remain here a few days yet.

    Well Mary, I did not get time to finish this letter last evening. I was
    called on to draw rations. I will do as well as I can this morning. We had
    some rain here in the night and looks as if it will rain more today. I
    hope we will not have such a flood as you had the day I started to the
    Regât.

    I suppose you have heard all the news about the last battle. I got through
    safe and was there when Lee surrendered to Grant. I was talking to your
    brother George when the news came that he had surrendered. I tell you
    there was a happy set of boys. The cheering went from one end of the line
    to the other, and our caps was flying in the air and all the brass bands
    was playing The Star Spangled Banner.

    Well Mary, we got good news this morning that the rebel General Johnston
    has surrendered to Sherman. If this story is true, we will soon get home.
    I think the last battle has been fought. I donât want to hear another
    cannon fired.

    We got some very unwelcome news the other day about the assassination of
    the President. It created great excitement in our camps for several days.

    Well Mary I think I will close. Your brother George is well. I send my
    best wishes to all the family. I will wait very patiently for an answer.

    I remain, your cousin,

    George Lemmon

Ahh, genealogy. Reading letters of the past can open our eyes. Perhaps you have some letters buried deep in your family?

©2010 AS Eldredge

Sighted! Johnny Reb in Union Camp!

2010-08-13T10:36:00.002-05:00

Oh dear! How can Johnny Reb be listed in an union database?

This was similar to the question I recently asked myself when I saw an article on a National Graves Registration Project run by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Wouldn't the database be just for those boys in blue?

While the project dates from 1996, the database is relatively new with a start date in 2005. The great news for all of us genealogy and history buffs is that it doesn't matter which side your beloved fought with during the War of the Northern Aggression!

Yes, the database accepts both Confederate and Union Civil War final resting spots. With this new found knowledge, I thought I'd give it a try.

The database is free to the public to search. However, if you want to contribute or correct entries, then you must sign up as a submitter and be approved. I don't know what the process is, but it took about one week for me to be approved.

Trying the database on for size!

According to estimates, over 4 million American men were part of the Recent Unpleasantness. Does it matter which side your blood flows from? No. These young men all fought for their vision of America and states' rights.

Just this morning, I submitted four names to the database. Two wore the blue uniforms and two wore the gray. I'll be interested in seeing how long it takes for them to be verified by the group. I still don't know the approval process, but I will find it interesting to see if they are approved at approximately the same time or if a delay is seen. Be aware you need to have quite a bit of information on your beloved in order to enter them. It takes more than the standard name, rank and serial number. The form asks for the unit, the date of enlistment, date of discharge, state fought for, company, dates of birth and death, and information on final resting spot. There is even a spot to indicate if there is a stone or if it needs replacing. Short comments can also be added.

And before you wonder, I am related to the four American heroes I submitted this morning. Yes, my blood has the Rebel Call as well as the Union Blue Glory coursing through my body.

Here is the site in case you want to check it out: http://www.suvcwdb.org/home/about.php

Ahh, genealogy. We are all red, white and blue patriots, even if some of our family fought for "the others." We are descendants of Americans who lived, fought, and sometimes, died for our freedoms.

Update: 12 hours later-- one each (Reb and Yank) has been approved and now available for viewing.

Update 2: 24 hours later-- All submitted beloveds have been added to the database. Guess I'll have to send more! This time, I'll send a Gettysburg Yank Hero and a Chickamauga Rebel Casualty. Yes, I am an equal opportunity battlefield history buff.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Treasure Chest Thursday: Whirlwind of Treasure in Carnegie

2010-08-12T10:29:00.000-05:00

In the last week or so, there has been a flurry of activity on the DOOLITTLE family of Carnegie, Allegheny, PA. It all started when I wrote a post on August 3 about cousin William James GLENN. Little did I know finding the Civil War personal war sketch at the CarnegieCarnegie site of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, Allegheny, PA, could make me so happy.

Emails have been flying around since then from a descendant of Jacob DOOLITTLE (1809-1891) asking if I could assist with more documentation about his wife, Sarah CUBBAGE, and her family.

Sarah CUBBAGE was the daughter of Irishman George CUBBAGE and his wife, Nancy CALDWELL. I have not yet been able to find evidence that Nancy is one of my CALDWELL clan, but her 1791 birth in the same general neighborhood as my documented 1830ish births make it likely. To read more on CUBBAGE family, go to St Clair Cemetery.

The cool find for me in the email was the noting of the final resting place of Nancy CALDWELL CUBBAGE. She is listed at Venice Presbyterian Church Cemetery in McDonald, Washington, PA. Of more interest was noting Nancy's final resting spot uses the surname of her first husband, George CUBBAGE. My notes and research indicate she married Alexander EWING after the 1826 death of George.

A quick check with the descendant of George and Nancy confirmed what I thought I knew on the marriage to EWING.

To my knowledge, Jacob DOOLITTLE and Sarah CUBBAGE had five daughters. Two of them are of special interest to me.

Susan Belinda DOOLITTLE married into the LEA family-- that is, J W LEA of Carnegie. The LEA family was the neighbors, friends, and sometimes, spouses of my blood line. See a recent posting on Cassius M LEA, the husband of my 2g aunt.

The other daughter of Jacob and Sarah who married into my family was Martha E DOOLITTLE (1842-1907.) Martha was the wife of William James GLENN (1839-9018.)

Maggie (ah, how I love THAT name) of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie also contacted me to see if I could identify any of the gents in the picture they have of the Thomas Espy GAR Post as I have several cousins in that group. I took a quick look at the photo and realized that the odds of me recognizing the older men in full beards was basically little to none.

So, I started on a new journey of looking through old files and records to see if I could locate any pictures of some of these men when they were younger. I guess the folks at the library have most likely identified cousin George B FORSYTHE as my dearest cousin, his granddaughter, (yes, I know her) recently donated some more Civil War relics to the post.

I've also seen pictures of some of the GLENN men when they were younger. Could I see enough family resemblences in the pictures as they aged? I think not.

BUT-

I dug around and found some living descendants of William James GLENN! After making a phone call and leaving a message, it was now time to wait.

Today, I got the phone call. After speaking with the gentleman who confirmed his identity and his love of genealogy, my heart experienced a whirlwind of activity. Another connection to the past established! He has pictures! He has stories! And he has a cousin that he works with to research the past! Oh, glorious day!

Click to read the post that is causing such a whirlwind of activity: http://genitalesga.blogspot.com/2010/08/tombstone-tuesday-simply-i-am-survivor.html

Special note to Maggie at the library-- I hope to have some photo ids for you soon.

Ahh, genealogy. What treasures a whirlwind of new finds can be! Sometimes, it takes just a nudge from someone new to bring new energy to the hunt.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Arlington National Cemetery to Get a Much Needed Facelift in Burial Records

2010-08-06T10:46:00.000-05:00

Yippee! There's almost nothing as disappointing as when a cemetery has been sloppy in keeping records or in finding out the old cemetery keeper of the information's family thought it worthless and threw it out. I'm so glad this project to preserve the burial records and information of our nation's heroes is getting the assistance it needs from volunteers! Read on......

Northern Virginia Technology Council Member Organizations to Assess Arlington National Cemetery's Information Technology Requirements

/PRNewswire/ -- The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) announced today that the Department of the Army has accepted in principle the organization's pro bono offer to provide assistance in the assessment of the information technology requirements to rectify the unacceptable state of the records at Arlington National Cemetery. This effort stems from an Army investigation earlier this year that found the Cemetery's record keeping in shambles, burial records on index cards, improperly marked graves and serious difficulties in accurately locating the graves in the cemetery. All these issues persisted despite spending more than $5 million on a program to digitize burial records that has shown no results.

In response to public reports of this serious problem to record keeping, the following 15 NVTC member companies have volunteered their assistance to constitute an assessment group: ACS, a Xerox Company; Blue Canopy; Booz Allen Hamilton; CACI; CGI; Consumer Electronics Association (CEA); Corporation for National Research Initiatives; CSC; IBM; Lee Technologies; MAXIMUS; Microsoft; MITRE; SoltechOne; and Vistronix.

"The NVTC membership is eager and willing to support the U.S. Army as it responds to this difficult situation. We want to ensure that we honor the women and men who served their country and, in many cases, gave the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. We are united in our willingness to support Senator Warner in his efforts to remedy this crisis," said George C. Newstrom, President and COO of Lee Technologies and former Secretary of Technology for then-Governor Mark Warner.

"NVTC is made up of the country's most well respected and innovative technology companies and this collaborative pro bono effort demonstrates their loyalty, compassion and admiration for those who served in the armed forces, many making the ultimate sacrifice," said Bobbie Kilberg, President and CEO, NVTC. "We applaud Senator Warner for his leadership in trying to resolve this important matter. NVTC looks forward to working under the direction of Army Secretary McHugh and his team to help assess Arlington Cemetery's technology requirements. It is an honor and privilege to be involved."
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©2010 AS Eldredge

Use Your Imagination to Investigate the Past

2010-08-06T10:02:00.000-05:00

We've all heard it. "My family can't be found," or "The census didn't list slaves," or "The courthouse burned."

Well, yes, this can be a real mind blocker. Use your imagination when looking at various resources. Don't just depend on the census lists. And, for the sake of all genealogy racing heartbeats, don't grab a name from the census and plop it in your tree just "cause it was the same name." Like no name has ever been duplicated in history!!!!

Look at everything.

Examples include:
Wills
Estate Inventories - (can be great if the estate had owned slaves)
Land Records
Church Records
Cemetery Records
Bibles
Local County Histories
Orphans Court Records
Local Tax Records
Local Historical Societies
Local Genealogy Societies
Probate Court Records
Lawsuits - (I found a part of one family after I ordered the records about a trial.)
Asylum Records
Old Church Magazines
Journals of old genealogy societies
Newspapers of the era and place of interest (1888-1899 newspapers are great finds.)
Family History Library

As you look at every source you can find, have an open mind. Don't be stuck in the "blame game" of genealogy. Perhaps someone moved away. Perhaps someone was listed as "chattel." Perhaps you've looked in all the wrong places. Perhaps the trail has gone cold. Keep looking as it may warm back up one day.

My tip of the day: Be open as you continually search for documentation to support your theories. Be open to investigate the not-so-readily-available sources. Be open to traveling to the area of your interest and digging in the old records or hire someone to do it for you.

Use your imagination to investigate the past. And use the facts to document your current family trees.

Ahh, genealogy. It's only as good as the documented research. Otherwise, it can make a pretty good bed time story for the kids, not to mention the hair pulling of someone who has documented the facts:)

©2010 AS Eldredge

Free Lowcountry Estate Records?

2010-08-05T13:52:00.000-05:00

Yeppers, they are. Thanks to a super effort of Low Country Africana and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History teaming up with Footnote, there's some great early records online.

Just yesterday, my buddy, Low Country Africana, sent a message out to one of the groups I follow that said the estate records and inventories from 1839-1867 were available for FREE on Footnote.

Since they were from the center of the universe that some other non-knowledgeable folks call Charleston, I thought I'd take a look.

If you've ever used Footnote to view their collections, this is a cinch to find. Just type in "South Carolina Estate Inventories and Bills of Sale, 1732-1872," and you're there. It's easy to use the index pages for each of the volumes.

While I did find some preliminary info on the estates of a COX and of a COWARD relative, I was disappointed not to find more. Of course, it would have helped if my family members had been so kind as to pass on during 1839-1867, and if they had all lived in the Charleston District!

These records are a tremendous resource for those who are looking for information on slaves owned at the time of the estate owner's death.

Many thanks to Low Country Africana for pointing me to the estate inventories. I look forward to seeing more years up soon. You're doing a super job!

Ahh, genealogy. It's always neat to find such great volunteers to give of their time so others can reap the harvest.

Weaving the Pieces of the Puzzle Together

2010-08-04T13:44:00.001-05:00

I recently received an email from a DORRINGTON descendent who is trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together for Thomas DORRINGTON and James GLENN.

.....I am researching my Dorrington ancestors and I read your blog and info on James Glenn. I am new at this and I can’t find the link between James Glenn and Thomas and Jane Young Dorrington. I see a Jane Dorrington who married Walter Glenn b. 1777, but didn’t find James in that tree......

Yes, it was a mystery at first to me as well. But time and research has paid off in making the connections in the right places. It's a tough mystery as the good Irish grandpas made sure to name everyone "James."

Of course, it didn't hurt that I happen to have a copy of family papers from another cousin that he had put together in the early 1900s.

I first found Irish immigrant Thomas DORRINGTON and his wife, Jane YOUNG, on a trip to my family cemetery that everyone else calls St Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny Co, PA in 2004.

Thomas and wife, Jane, are buried smack dab right next to two of their grandsons, Thomas DORRINGTON, Jr and James GLENN (1824-1901). Thomas and Jane's headstones conveniently list them as "grandfather" and "grandmother" in the younger James GLENN's plot.

How? His parents were Walter GLENN (1777-1843) and Jane DORRINGTON (d.1843). This young James never married, yet he was the James GLENN of the Civil War Fame. Click here to read more of his bravery at Gettysburg.

This James GLENN (1824-1901) is the grandson of my 4g grandparents, James GLENN (1750-1813) and Janet BUCHANAN (1752-1807).

I first visited the cemetery as a child with my dad and my great aunt. She told me my roots in Pittsburgh were deep and that there were something like seven generations of my blood buried there. (I've only documented six of them at this point.) Since that early trip, I have made several trips to the cemetery and have thrown new headstone dedication parties there. You can read more about the cemetery online and read many of my early research contributions to the St Clair Cemetery at http://www.stclaircemetery.com/view.php/page/History_cemetery

Ahh, genealogy. What fun it is to fill in the missing pieces! Just be sure to document your sources so the errors some have made won't be repeated again. And if you plan to use others' research, please remember to give them the credit.

Sources:
Allegheny Co, PA, Will Bk 5 No. 424
Marriage Notices 1786-1910 Film P356 Roll #1: Carnegie Library
Wall, Elizabeth J. "Extracts from Cramers's Pittsburgh Almanack" WPGSQ 3 no. 4 (May 1977): 137.
1822, 4/4 Walter Glenn to Jane Darrington, all of St. Clair Twp., Alleg. Co.
Record of death: RD Docket, Vol 14, pg 470
Will: WB Dkt, Vol 67, pg 228
obit from Carnegie Signal 28 Aug 1901:
Colonel James Glenn
Colonel James Glenn, one of the best known residents of this vicinity, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Chesterfield Robb at Glenndale, last Friday, August 23, 1901, in his 78th year. He had been ill for many weeks and his death was expected.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Tombstone Tuesday: "Simply, I am a Survivor"

2010-08-03T15:38:00.000-05:00

It's another blistering hot summer day as I sit and think about my beloved heroes of the past. To me, it doesn't really matter which side of the "War of Northern Aggression" they believed in and fought. To me, it's the blood that matters.

Recently, I found some interesting tidbits about Civil War cousin, Captain James GLENN of the PA 149th Co. D. Click here to read more about his bravery and willingness to never give up the fight.

I also recently found the Civil War records of my great grandpa, George CALDWELL, who served the Yanks in the PA 102nd Infantry Co E. Click here to read more of George's story.

Today, I found the information of the GAR Captain Thomas Espy Post 153 on the CarnegieCarnegie site of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, Allegheny, PA. I've known of the membership of several of my cousins for quite some time and have found this band quite interesting. I guess it is because I am related either through blood or marriage to many of them. At the least, they were the comrades, the friends and the neighbors of my family.

The site is still under construction, but I took a gander and looked at cousin William James GLENN-- and found----- his Personal War Sketch Questionnaire. Pretty interesting stuff here.

William was a member of the PA 61st Regiment Co E. I found where he and grandpa were both at the battle of Fair Oaks on that fateful day, May 31, 1862, when grandpa George was injured.

William was the first cousin, once removed, from Captain James GLENN and lived in the same general neighborhood and spent his youth in the same church. After William's marriage in 1865 to Martha Doolittle, they attended the Presbyterian Church closer to home in Carnegie.

William and his wife broke tradition with the GLENN family in the final resting place they chose. They are both buried in the Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie. Was it because Martha's dad, Jacob DOOLITTLE, is buried there with 2nd wife? Martha's mom is buried at my family cemetery that most folks call the St Clair Cemetery.

Or is it because William's folks decided to be buried at the Chartiers Cemetery? I guess it was closer to the family homestead than trekking over to Mt Lebanon (five minutes by car, a lot longer by horse). Never mind. They are remembered and loved.

The most interesting part of the questionnaire was the last statement.

"So many I can't remember them - I simply, reverently thank God, I am a Survivor."
William James GLENN 1839-1908

Ah, genealogy. Perhaps ours words will one day echo those of cousin William J GLENN. Perhaps your words already do.

©2010 AS Eldredge

What Heat Wave? Nah, It's the Deaths That are Heating Up!

2010-07-23T09:21:00.000-05:00

The heat is on!

My little death indexing project based on the old Pittsburgh and Allegheny Co, PA, newspapers is growing. We now have several hundred deaths from 1980 in it as well as some mining incidents. I guess you could say that folks are just dying to get in!!

All said, today's new upload has over 5000 new entries ----

bringing our death index entries up to 46,684!

The marriage index now has 11,400 happy couples with the "not so very happy" couples at 678.

And we still aren't even breaking a glisten! Of course, I'm sure the medicinal use of our ancestors' backyard industry helps!

I would be remiss if I didn't give a big "thanks" to the volunteers who are transcribing and assisting in getting the names into a spreadsheet.

Just in case you have missed the way to get to the death index project:

http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm

Ahh, genealogy. Ain't it grand!!

©2010 AS Eldredge

Tombstone Tuesday: "Just Didn't Know When He Was Licked"

2010-07-13T13:51:00.000-05:00

The boys of Company D 149th PA Volunteers were oft heard to say that Captain James Glenn "didn't know when he was licked."

Captain James Glenn (1824-1901) was almost "reckless in his bravery" as he served his country during the Civil War. Hailing from the area of Pittsburgh known as Carnegie, Glenn had no difficulty in organizing men to form the company in 1862. Mention of some of these meetings was even noted in the diary that we (myself and two cousins) transcribed and published some six years ago in the Quarterly Journal of the Western PA Genealogical Society.

One note about his service was his promotion to take command of his Regiment after the fight at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. His location during the battle was on Seminary Hill, which saw some of the most intense fighting. General Abner Doubleday mentioned James in his official report of the day stating "When the troops at this point (Lutheran Seminary) were overpowered, Capt. Glenn of the 149th Pa. Vols, in command of my headquarter's guard, defended the building for fully 20 minutes against a whole brigade of the enemy (Perrin's), enabling the few remaining troops, ambulances,, etc. to retreat in comparative safety."

I thought it fitting today to remember all the troops, no matter whether they fought for the Grand Army or for the Confederacy. Some estimates of up to 50,000 American men lost their lives during this bloody battle. The anniversary of Gettysburg was just celebrated with a re-enactment of the three day battle in July 1863.
I thought you might be interested in learning a bit more about the battle and of the re-enactment.

The Battle at Gettysburg
Harper's Weekly, July 25, 1863
http://www.civilwarliterature.com/2Battles/The14thAtGettysburg/The14thAtGettysburgHistory.htm

The Gettysburg Civil War battle lives again
by Daniel Terdiman

-If you're a Civil War buff, or even an amateur historian, you no doubt know the history of the battle for Gettysburg. One of the most famous battles of the Civil War, it was also one of the bloodiest. Over three days of intense fighting, Federal troops led by Major General George Gordon Meade fought off Robert E. Lee's Confederate troops, and the battles in and around Gettysburg are often thought to be a turning point in the war.......http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20009651-52.html?tag=rtcol;txt

Ahhh, genealogy. How our hearts ache as we remember the pain of American brother against brother in the Civil War. Oh- and yes, James Glenn was my cousin and is buried at the "family" cemetery known as the St. Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Rest Sweetly, World War I Veteran

2010-07-13T09:52:00.000-05:00

I just ran across this story of an Irish immigrant who was just laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery--some 92 years after his death! Read the story of the World War I warrior.

Yes, he may have been a small man, but the service he and his fellow troops provided to this country are tremendous. Thank you Private Costello and all veterans who have fought for America's freedom.

WWI Soldier Laid to Rest at Arlington National Cemetery
Megan Smolenyak

Private Thomas D. Costello lost his life on September 16, 1918 in France and received full military honors today at Arlington National Cemetery. Hastily buried after a World War I battle in an area known as Bois de Bonvaux near Jaulny, he remained undiscovered for 88 years until......http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/wwi-soldier-laid-to-rest_b_643757.html

Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes, you just gotta sit still and hear the sound of taps in your heart for those truly amazing men and women who came to America to be free and were willing to sacrifice it all for that freedom.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Wisdom Wednesday: In the News Again?

2010-06-23T19:45:00.001-05:00

Grandaddy's thoughts on being in the news:

"You should only be mentioned in the newspaper three times in your life: when you are born, married and dead."

Guess he felt that way since his family kept showing up in the newspaper of the times-- allegedly as killing or being killed. Way too much action going on in Berkeley Co, SC, during Prohibition and the making of "Berkeley Bourban." Shootouts as the train passed, shootouts over who controlled the home style business of the time, shootouts on fence borders ------ and on and on........

Now, if I could only find the recipe for the alleged family business! Tis said that Al Capone liked "Berkeley Bourban" and had it shipped by train in barrels labeled "potatoes."

Ahhh, genealogy. Gotta take the more flavorful elements along with the good. Besides, they are more fun to talk about!

©2010 AS Eldredge