Great News for Swedish Researchers!

Anyone who has ever tried to dig deep into their Swedish ancestors knows what a trick that can be. In my genealogy story, my maternal great grandparents were the proverbial just off the ship types, even though they didn't marry until they were in America. Tracing their families back has proven to be difficult, but wildly satisfying. With the help of an American friend, whose ties go back to my "family" cemetery in Pittsburgh, I've found family and learned so much of the early naming customs and history of Sweden. I've also been rewarded with new Swedish cousin penpals through this search and enjoy learning more about my Swedish roots.

I hope some of these new records will be transcribed into English for those of us who don't read Swedish!

Hejda.

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.

Volunteers to Bring Historic Sweden Church Records Online

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

FALKÖPING, Sweden—FamilySearch and Svensk Arkivinformation (SVAR), a division of the National Archives of Sweden, announced today the launch of the largest online indexing initiative undertaken to-date. The two groups unveiled plans to engage Swedish volunteers throughout the world to help create a highly searchable, free online index to the historic parish registers of Sweden—200 years of recorded Swedish history as documented in the Sweden church records—comprising over 400 million names.

In 1608 the Archbishop of Sweden asked the clergy to begin making records of births, christenings, marriages, and burials of all the residents of Sweden. By 1686, they were conducting regular examinations of the population of each parish. The church records (often called “parish registers” or “church books”) span over two centuries and chronicle the vital life events of an estimated 418 million people who moved in and out of parishes in Sweden.

“The church records are a key source for genealogists seeking Swedish ancestors because nearly everyone who lived in Sweden was recorded in a church record,” said David Rencher, FamilySearch chief genealogical officer. “The challenge now is to make those records, which are written in Swedish, available to researchers worldwide,” concluded Rencher.

“We are very pleased with the excellent cooperation we have enjoyed for many years between FamilySearch and the National Archives to microfilm and scan the Swedish church records. Now we are going to create an index that will revolutionize the genealogy research in Sweden. The simplicity of finding and reading about one’s ancestors on the Web in the millions of scanned records will attract many beginners of all ages,” said Anders Nordström, director of SVAR. “To the academic researcher, this is an entirely new means. It makes it possible to do research within disciplines on a micro level, an extent that was never possible before now,” added Nordström.

The way Swedes passed on a family name throughout the centuries is another reason why the indexing initiative is so important to family historians. “Imagine being in a Swedish community 200 years ago and 10 out of 100 people have the same first and last name as you. That’s how small the naming pool was in Scandinavia,” said Jeff Svare, FamilySearch Scandinavian collection management specialist.

If you were Anders Andersson, your father could have been Anders. Your brother could have also been named Anders, as well as your uncle. To help distinguish which Anders Andersson you were referring to at the time, locals added the name of the farm (residence) of an individual to keep them straight. “Otherwise, when you’re trying to search for Anders Andersson today, your ancestor falls into the proverbial fog of same-named people and you don’t know who they are without the additional context,” added Svare. The FamilySearch index will include the residence or farm name from the individual’s vital record. This information has been extracted to assist patrons in identifying their Swedish ancestor.

The goal is to engage the Swedish community in creating a highly searchable, free online index to the Sweden church records. When complete, the index will be the single largest point of access to information contained in the historic parish registers of Sweden. The free index will link to images of the original records hosted by the National Archives of Sweden (SVAR). In addition to the free public index that will be made available, SVAR might charge a nominal fee for public patrons who want to view or print the images.

FamilySearch is the global leader of online indexing. It launched its online indexing program in 2008, and tens of thousands of volunteers recently helped reach another major milestone by indexing their 250 millionth name. FamilySearch currently has 65 online indexing projects underway.

For this project, FamilySearch will create digital images of the Sweden church records provided by SVAR. Volunteers worldwide will then use FamilySearch’s Web-based indexing tool to view the digital images and extract only the desired information from the image. That data will then be processed and published online in searchable indexes linked to the digital images.

Volunteers need only Internet access and the ability to read Swedish to contribute to this historic effort. A unique quality control process ensures a highly accurate, finished index. Each document is transcribed by two different indexers, wherever they are in the world. Any discrepancies in their two extractions are then forwarded to a third volunteer—an arbitrator—who makes any needed corrections between the two interpretations.

The project will start with records from Örebro, Uppsala, and Södermanland counties. Indexing will begin with the earliest year available for each parish and continue through 1860. A typical downloaded “batch” (group of records) will take a volunteer about 30 to 40 minutes to complete. The indexing utility has built-in tutorials and helps. Anyone interested in volunteering for the Sweden Church Records project can do so at indexing.familysearch.org.

Monday Madness: Who is Cousin Elizabeth Troech?

Who is she? And why don't I know of her?

After many years of searching for more information on the McClain family who moved from Blair Co, PA, to Allegheny, Co, PA, between 1850 and 1870, more information has finally arrived via snail mail.

I knew of Austin McClain Brendel (1873-1935) as he is buried in the same plot with his mom, Henrietta McClain Brendel and his cousin and spouse, Charles Edward Simmons and Isabel Patterson Simmons, in Southside Cemetery in Allegheny Co, PA.

One of my cousins who knew Austin had told me years ago that Isabel buried Austin in her plot as there was no place else for him to go.

Austin also had a daughter, Marie, by an unknown wife. Marie later leaves Pittsburgh with her husband, Floyd Taylor to Akron, Ohio. We have followed Marie for a time and then we appear to have lost her and her descendants.

But, back to Elizabeth Troech? Who is she? Austin's memorial book from his funeral has finally made it in my direction. Happily looking through the details of the book, I see an unfamiliar name. There are many names in the book and only one listed as a cousin that I don't know.

Cousin Elizabeth Troech is listed under the name of Dr. Frank Caldwell and above the names of Frank's married chidlren. Elizabeth is named as "cousin." Who is she?

There is no Elizabeth Troech listed in Allegheny Co, PA, from the 1900-1930 Federal Census. There is no Troech. So what is the real name or have the census people truly botched it?

She is also listed as "Mrs." I checked my files for mention of an Elizabeth during the timeframe of Austin's life that could be a candidate for this cousin. None. No Elizabeth, whatsover.

Who is Mrs. Elizabeth Troech? How is she related to either the Caldwell or McClain family in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA?

Wondering family genealogy members want to know-----

More Time Announced to Tour the World for Free

World Vital Records has extended the free access to their records until August 18. See you next week after I surface!

Today in American History- Japan Surrenders to End World War II

Just thought you'd be interested in seeing the headlines from August 14, 1945, as the New York Times announced:

Japan Surrenders, End of War!

Washington, Aug. 14 -- Japan today unconditionally surrendered the hemispheric empire taken by force and held almost intact for more than two years against the rising power of the United States and its Allies in the Pacific war....http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0814.html#article

Those genealogy buffs among us who love finding out about our past also have a deep seated interest in history. When in doubt about the times our ancestors lived, spend some time looking at old newspapers. Not only is it fun, it's educational!

National Archives Launches NARAtions Blog

Note: NARA wants to hear from us who have an interest in genealogy.

/PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, August 12, the National Archives launched the NARAtions blog to begin a discussion with researchers on the future of online public access at the National Archives. The public is invited and encouraged to share opinions on ways to enhance the online researcher experience and to increase access to archival materials.

This online community will continue to be a work in progress as we develop new features and content. Questions will be posted to invite discussion, and the blog welcomes feedback and suggestions for new questions to raise. The blog will also inform researchers about newly available online records descriptions and digitized archival materials.

We would like to hear from you! What sort of things would you find valuable from NARAtions?

-- Should we allow the public to tag descriptions in our online catalog?
Why or why not?
-- What groups of photographs should we post on Flickr next, and why?
-- Do you have a favorite NARA photograph or document? Is it already
available in our catalog or on our website?

The URL is http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access/. Please visit often and share this web address with others.

Looking for African American History? New Digital Library Launched

Just passing this along for those genealogy buffs who may be interested.


African American History Digital Library Launches
by Nicole Kidder

A two-year project to assemble a digital online collection that will capture the rich cultural history and educational legacy of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) was recently launched to promotes access to previously unknown artifacts that have helped to preserve the cultural heritage of these institutions that were founded in the midst of struggle with a special mission to education former slaves and free Blacks.

This unique collection of more than 7,000 images exemplifies the HBCUs as cultural, social and political institutions that have contributed to the historic legacy in the education of Black Americans from the early 1800s until today.....http://colorsnw.com/colors/2009/08/12/african-american-history-digital-library-launches/

Travel the World for Free- until August 13

Sometimes, free offers can be fun for genealogy buffs. Today and tomorrow, WorldVitalRecords.com, is offering unlimited free access to their databases.

According to the company, this unprecedented offer is in celebration of their biggest release of new records in a single day.

I went to the site and checked it out. It works. So I'll be traveling around the world for the next couple of days.

See you in England, or Ireland, or ???

Monday Madness: Finally! I've Caught a Fish

I've caught a live one, or rather, a dead Fish, and I'm so very happy about it.

For quite some time, I'd heard of the Rev. FISH who was the minister way back in the early to mid 1900s at the Millsboro Presbyterian Church in Washington Co, PA. He was our family minister and held in very high esteem. He even baptized my dad when my dad was a young adult.

Jump time---
Jump place back to Union Twp in Allegheny Co, PA

I had also been researching the family of Edward Johnston YOUNG (1835-1905), son of Captain James YOUNG (1810-1869) who married Sara Smith HENRY (1814-1888.) As my great grandfather appears to have been named for this Edward Johnston Young, my curiosity was high. To date, I have yet to determine why. Perhaps, he was just a favorite nephew of my great great grandparents William S SIMMONS and Margaret HENRY.

I found EJ Young's wife's name listed as Elizabeth MATTHEWS, daughter of George MATTHEWS (1791-1860) and Ann CAIRNS (c. 1808-1860). Is this the Elizabeth MATTHEWS listed in the Civil War Diary of my great great uncle Addison? They did live in the same neighborhood and it is possible she wrote to her friend (and first cousin to her beau.)

More interesting to note was that EJ and Elizabeth had a daughter Harriet MATTHEW YOUNG who married a BULFORD who is also kin to me. Hmm. Did these people ever go out of the neighborhood to marry? Ah, another tale for another day. Today is FISH day.

I stumbled on the little fact that George MATTHEWS and Ann CAIRNS also had another daughter, Margaret P MATTHEWS (1828-1912) who married a William FISH.

Ok- so look further around this little neighborhood in the census records and there they are-- with a son named Frank FISH. Follow this Frank, and wham, I've got a trail.

I followed Frank as he first married Elizabeth Nichol CALDER (1868-1932) and then the widow, Cassie COULTER, nee McCAULEY, in 1935. While I could find death dates for both his wives, there was none for the good Rev. I searched and searched for a number of years. Since I live so far away, I have to do so much of my research through local genealogy groups.

Just this summer, a kind genealogy buff up in Washington Co, PA, sent me a history on the Vestaburg United Presbyterian Church in which the Rev. Frank FISH's death date is mentioned. He died in 1951.

Reel it in. Finally, another small mystery solved. I would like to know more of his family history as it is mine as well. Both sons of Frank FISH preceded him in death, but they did leave children.

So, if there are any FISH types out there, let me know. In the meantime, I'll just keep on casting lines and waiting for more fish to bite.

Time to Live the Past with the Lowcountry Digital Library-

The Lowcountry Digital Library was unveiled earlier this month. It is a joint project with the College of Charleston and the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. The site expects to have over 50,000 documents, pictures, and items of historical interest within the next three years.

Already on the site are some fun items from the Citadel, Slave Passes, and photos of the 1886 Charleston earthquake. There are more databases to explore, so take some time to relive some of the past in my City by the Sea.

More information is being added on a regular basis, so check back with them if you don't see much to catch your attention on the first look...http://lowcountrydigital.library.cofc.edu/index.php

Are You Wise Yet? GenealogyWise, That is

There's a new social networking site just for genealogy that is being unveiled. I've heard the official date is later this week, but you can check it out now.

I decided to look at GenealogyWise to see what all the chatter is about. It is free and it is simple to use. There are tons of groups available to join, so I joined a few to see if it works for my style of digging into my family's past.

I've already sent a comment to one gent and have heard back from him. Both of our COX families were in the Marion District, SC, before 1800, so there is a good chance we could share some long ago relatives. I don't know too much about my COX family other than George COX b. c.1755 in VA, d. near Pee Dee River in Marion District, SC 7 Sept 1843. I know nothing of his wife. He is reported to have had six children: Jacob b. 1802, Jane b. abt 1785, Margaret, Mary b. 1792, Catherine b.1795 and Elizabeth b. 1800.

I have already decided not to be contacted when people leave generic comments for the groups. Already, my inbox is way too full as more and more genealogists are jumping on the bandwagon. I have now changed the email notifications to only those who are responding to me or are interested in talking with me about possible family connections.

You may want to check it out yourself at http://www.genealogywise.com .

Have a great day chock full of wise genealogy news!

St Clair Cemetery Has More Loving Hands Working to Remember the Fallen

I just love St. Clair Cemetery in Mt. Lebanon in Allegheny Co, PA. Of course I do. The majority of its residents are names that easily fall off my tongue and share my blood.

Last night, I received a phone call from a dad of a Boy Scout who has decided to donate some time in getting new headstones for some of the American patriots at St. Clair Cemetery. This has been done before by another Boy Scout and, of course, by me.

The dad asked if I would be able to assist him with information on some of the patriots of St. Clair and in locating family members. Well, the majority of the names he mentioned were my family. If I am not of direct blood, then chances are I know who is.

The earliest known burial in St. Clair Cemetery was in 1806, if I remember correctly. I know my first family member, a grandma, was buried there in 1807. The names of the residents there echo the early history of the area.

Over the years, I've found many cousins through the St. Clair Cemetery. I've been there several times and hosted parties for my kin, living and dead, at the cemetery. My roots are there and I feel so at home and connected to family when I am there. On our last trip there, one of my children helped to uncover an old headstone. Of course, it was one of our cousins.

Anyway, I am going to dig up my ole partial map of the cemetery as this dad tells me he would like to make a new map of the cemetery. Be still, my heart! That is a project I have been hoping someone up there in Pennsylvania would undertake. I also hope to have ground radar used one day to accurately locate how many graves are there and how deep they go. My great aunt told me that we were buried several deep in our plots.

My friendly words of wisdom today are to take time to adopt an old cemetery. It may be your family cemetery or one in your local area that needs some loving hands. Research the families in it. You just may learn something really fun.

In my case, bring on the continuing work at St. Clair. My thanks to the many hours that Margaret Jackson and Mark Hughey have so lovingly given to the early settlers of Lower St. Clair. Know I am always with you in spirit.

My Ancestors Fought for America's Freedom. Have You Found Yours Yet?

July 4th. The day of America's proclaimed independence from the tyranny of England's rule. The day of our birthday. Celebrate the dreams of our founders.

I saw the following article on Eastman's genealogy newsletter and thought you'd enjoy seeing it. I will, however, make a couple of observations on it since my household are both members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution.

The lineage books referenced are a good starting place. Back in the early days of the DAR, people didn't move as far from their roots, so everyone "knew" who their people were. Documentation proving lineage was sometimes quite lacking. Since the internet has come around, the DAR does not always accept those old applications as valid proof. The best way to see if your ancestor is still approved by the DAR is to contact the DAR and ask for a patriot lookup. Volunteers are happy to assist you in your quest to prove your lineage. Many lines have to be reproven. With diligence, it can be done. Recently, my DAR chapter just found the missing proof for a lady- after a 2 1/2 year search.

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.

Revolutionary Roots

Did your ancestors fight in the American Revolution 233 years ago? Thousands of men answered the call to arms in 1776. These thousands probably have many millions of descendants today. Many Americans can find a Revolutionary War veteran in the family tree if they expend a bit of time and effort. Luckily, there are a number of online and offline sources to help you in that search.

Finding Revolutionary ancestors isn’t much different than finding anyone else in your family tree. You always start with yourself and then work your way back, one generation at a time. You can search the online databases as well as the traditional resources, such as census records, vital records, and especially, Revolutionary War pension applications. However, you should be aware of several unique sources of records that contain information about Revolutionary War soldiers.

One excellent tutorial to read is "Finding Your Patriot: Basic Sources for Starting Revolutionary War Research" by Curt B. Witcher, available on Ancestry.com (without subscription) at: http://www.ancestry.com/library/view/news/articles/1561.asp.

Once you have learned the basics of Revolutionary War records, you will want to search the Lineage Books of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). In order to join the Society, members have to prove their descent from an ancestor who aided the American cause in the Revolutionary War. The DAR have spent hundreds of thousands of hours compiling Patriot Index lists of Revolutionary War ancestors of DAR members. The DAR Lineage Books are available online to Ancestry.com members at: http://www.ancestry.com/search/DB.aspx?dbid=3174. (This database is available to Ancestry.com paid subscribers; an Ancestry.com user ID and password are required.) The same information is available in printed DAR Lineage Books, available at most large genealogy libraries.

The DAR was founded in 1890. Early application papers supply the applicant’s maiden name, husband’s name, applicant’s birthplace (but not the birth date), parents’ names, chain of ancestors and their spouses leading back to the Revolutionary War, and discussion of patriot’s service and sources for his/her service. Note that the chain of ancestors is only from parent to child and does not show all children born to parents.

Later papers give much more information. In the chain of ancestors: birth, marriage, and death dates and places. In the applicant’s section: birth date and birthplace, marriage date, spouse’s information (name, birth date, birthplace, date of death or divorce). Space for multiple spouses is provided. The applicant must also supply data on the patriot’s marriages, children, and children’s spouses.

Keep in mind that the DAR Lineage Books contain the lineage of accepted members. While these books often provide great clues about the lineage of American patriots, the lineages they provide are often undocumented. As with any undocumented secondary source, all aspects should be documented with further research. Also remember that they do not list all the Revolutionary War soldiers. These books only list those who were identified as ancestors of DAR members.

More information about the many services of the Daughters of the American Revolution may be found at: http://www.dar.org. However, you will not find online databases at that site.

The records of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) are another great resource. Their records are available online and on CD-ROM. The online database has over 230,000 records of patriots whose gravesites have been located or whose service has been documented by a descendant who joined the Sons of the American Revolution.

The SAR online database provides information about Revolutionary War soldiers, sailors, and others, but does not provide information about their descendants. It is up to you to build a family tree in the traditional manner to prove your descent from the listed patriot.

NOTE: Much of the data was reported to the Revolutionary War Graves Committee without citing any primary documents as evidence of service. As with genealogy information found anywhere else, you need to independently verify the information provided.

To access the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution online database, go to http://www.rsar.org/rosters/findpatr.htm.

Finally, never overlook the best source of information: your family. Are you attending a family gathering this Fourth of July? If so, ask your relatives, especially your older relatives. They may know some family stories that you have not heard before. Keep in mind that many family stories have a mixture of truth and fiction interwoven in them, but they are always worth verifying. Who knows? Your aunt or uncle just may be able to provide a clue that helps you find information that previously eluded you.

Need Some Free Canadian Help? It's Here until July 3

Ancestry.ca is giving all of us genealogy types a great big present for Canada Day. From now until July 3, they are offering free access to the Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865 to 1935.

Here's the link in case you are interested. http://landing.ancestry.ca/intl/blanc.aspx?landingpage=39427&o_iid=39427&o_lid=39427

Keep Digging to Overcome That Insanity Story

GT Note: One of my biggest joys in genealogy is finding old blood in my veins that also runs in other people. I've had the honor over the last several years of reuniting family members all in one place and one time as we shared our stories and our bloodlines.

While I have not personally been to the Godfrey Library, I have corresponded with them over the years and dutifully sent them money to have them send some files to me.

The following is an update from one of my cousins on some of her personal research. I thought this is a good reminder to all to continue that search for the elusive find of the month. Ellen, keep up the hunt.

Have you ever explored the Godfrey Library in Middletown, CT's Family History Center in your real or online genealogy travels? What a wonderful resource it is! It is only about ten miles from my son's home, so I was able to spend a couple of hours there last month.

As my time was limited, I only researched my mid-seventeen hundreds Witter ancestor in Connecticut--I had run into an alarming stonewall in the genealogy dept. in the Port Charlotte, FL Library, which has an excellent collection of New England and Northeastern family information.

According to one of the three books in which I was able to find information on Ezra and Anne Morgan Witter, Ezra had, in a fit of insanity, murdered his wife and three older children, including my ggggwhatever grandfather, Isaac Witter. So, obviously either the material was wrong, or that particular Isaac wasn't my ancestor.

They, at Godfrey, found several more Stonington, CT resources on the Witters, including one that mention the awful story, but said it wasn't Ezra, but a cousin of his. Phew! I was fond of Isaac as an ancestor, because he is listed in the DAR index as having performed patriotic duty. He was terribly crippled, apparently, but served as a cook to his militia. I knew that he was my ancestor, but because of the "awful story" wasn't sure who he was descended from in CT before he moved to Orange Co., NY.

UK 1911 Census Online

Here's a boost for those searching their family genealogy in the United Kingdom.

Entire 1911 Census now Available Online for the First Time

Research commissioned by 1911census.co.uk reveals nearly a quarter of the population (23%) have now actively researched their family tree*, with 2.9 million people having visited 1911census.co.uk to research their own ancestors’ census records since the website went live in January this year**. The pastime is now just as popular as participating in team sports and overtaking other popular hobbies such as making Twitter posts and blogging (11%) and bingo (13%).

Following the initial release of the Southern English records in January 2009, the website now hosts the complete 1911 census records for people living in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. What’s more, for the first time in a British census, full details are available of British Army personnel and their families stationed overseas. There were 135,866 people serving in the British Army and 36,804 people serving in the Royal Navy across the British Empire in 1911, including 69,785 serving in India.

Christine Webber, psychotherapist and lifecoach, says: “Being able to find out how our grandparents and great-grandparents lived gives our own lives some extra perspective, and also helps us to understand ourselves better. The ability to delve into what our relatives were doing almost a hundred years ago is fascinating. It also helps us to get a sense of our own place in history. I think that getting in touch with your own roots is a very valuable and healing thing to do. So, this is a most exciting development.”

And it’s not just the older generation who are embracing the chance to discover more about their roots. Over a fifth (21% of under 35s and 35-55 year olds) have researched their family history in the past 12 months. People are turning to genealogy for a wide variety of reasons, from wanting to find out more about family stories that have been passed down through the generations (28%), to being inspired by TV shows like ‘Who Do Think You Are?’ and after a family event such as the birth of a new child (12%).

Women, however, are still leading the way when it comes to family history research as over one quarter (26%) are actively researching their family history, compared to only one fifth of men (20%).

The 1911census.co.uk website service has been developed by UK-based family history website findmypast.com, owned by brightsolid, in association with The National Archives***. Completed by 36 million householders on Sunday, 2 April 1911, the census records show the name, age, place of birth, marital status and occupation of every resident in every home as well as their relationship to the head of the household and the online records include images of our ancestors’ own handwriting. For the first time the enumerators’ summary books for the whole of England and Wales have also gone online today, recording details of all properties in the country in 1911 – a great resource for anyone interested in local history or house histories. The 1911 census records have been released three years earlier than the scheduled 2012 date as a result of public demand for the 1911 census, which will be a key resource for family historians.

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.com, says: ‘“We’re delighted that the final records have been uploaded from the 1911 census including the military records and the records for Wales, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands. We hope many generations will gain a huge amount of valuable information about their ancestors by consulting the records and that they’ll discover new chapters of their family history that they previously knew very little or nothing about.”

Oliver Morley, Director of Customer and Business Development at The National Archives, commented: “It’s wonderful to see that so many people are discovering a new passion for family history through the 1911 census. Bringing this project to completion has been one of the most exciting events for us this year, and to know that so many people have been able to access part of their personal history online shows how valuable it can be to make these records available via the web.”

**Findmypast.com internal data
***In line with data protection legislation, certain sensitive information relating to infirmity and to children of women prisoners will be held back until 2012. The 1911 census is a special case at the request of the Information Commissioner all records of infirmity as listed on the records (e.g. ‘deaf’, ‘dumb’, ‘blind’, ‘lunatic’ etc.) have been obscured and will not be available to view until January 2012.

Wordless Wednesday: Wall St of 1825

The two story building on the right front is the site of my family tavern. If only the family had known!

Monday Madness: 1792 Bible of John Matthews

There's a beautiful old Bible in the family. The question is, "How does it fit in?"

Samuel Simmons (1788- c.1818) lived in Allegheny Co, PA, at the time of his death. Or at least that is where the trail on him vanished into thin air. His widow, Elizabeth MATTHEWS, is found in the 1820 census of Lower St. Clair, Allegheny, PA with the three children and an elderly female. We can surmise the elderly female is her mother as Samuel's mom died abt 1790 in NY. His dad was remarried and happily living in Washington Co, PA, at the time of Samuel's alleged death.

Elizabeth disappears after the 1830 census of Lower St. Clair, Allegheny, PA, never to be seen again. We know not where she is buried, but it is generally believed she could be in a long forgotten grave at the St. Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA. Her known descendants are there and it was in the neighborhood.

Much research has been done on trying to tie down her family roots. There is a Thomas Matthews in the neighborhood who served with her husband in the War of 1812. There is a Thomas Matthews who died in 1795 in Pitt Twp, Allegheny, PA who left a widow, Elizabeth and eight children. One of the children is named Elizabeth, so this could be correct.

Robert Laughlin is named the guardian of this child Elizabeth, but I have not been able to find any more information on him.

Now, a Bible from 1792 has surfaced which has the name of John Matthews in it. This Bible is in the possession of a 3rd great grandson of my Samuel and Elizabeth. Who is this John Matthews? Is he the father of my Elizabeth, or another beloved relative? To date, no other evidence has surfaced on either of the two suspects for Elizabeth's father.

The clues are there. If only we could unravel them.

Searching for Low Country Graves

Thanks to the Colonial Dames over in Georgetown, South Carolina, for reading the cemeteries in Georgetown County and getting the cemetery census online.

I found the story through the Eastman Newsletter and immediately set about trying to see if I could dig up any family members in Georgetown. Before I could do that, I had to refresh my memory on some of the surnames from that side of the family.

So, if you don't see me for a day or two, just look around the Low Country for me. You'll recognize me. I'm the one who will be digging for gold.

Careful Investigation Needed Before Before Posting Family Ties

"Hey, this one looks good. It must be my family. So, I'll add it to the family chart online and life will be so perfect."

So wrong! I was quite surprised when a distant cousin sent an email to me asking if a new family tree posted online belonged to my line. I hadn't seen it, so I went to check it out. Quite shocking. Who are the people they've linked us to? They are not mine.

I took a quick look at the sources noted and quickly noted their assumptions. It was assumed that someone of the same name and similar birth year must have been ours. Not so fast.

One must follow the evidence. Were the obituaries checked? Were the death certs checked? Did they check the wills? The probate records? The land records?

I know they weren't checked because I have copies and what it shows is not what the online family chart is detailing.

Now, there may be researchers who are misled on the real family for years to come. And all because the evidence was not followed properly.

Please don't take a census and make it yours. Please follow the evidence and investigate thoroughly before making a claim. Please don't make the family into a fairy tale.

Alien Files to be Permanent at National Archives

Signing Ceremony Permits Millions of Alien Files to Become Permanent Records at the National Archives

A joint signing ceremony on June 3, 2009, between the National Archives and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the National Archives will designate as permanent the immigration files created on the millions of aliens residing in the United States in 1944, as well as those arriving since then. These Alien Case Files (commonly referred to as A-Files) document the famous, the infamous, the anonymous and the well-known, and are an historical and genealogical goldmine. The new agreement authorizes the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services/Department of Homeland Security to send A-files to the National Archives when 100 years have passed since the birthdate of the subject of a file. The National Archives expects to receive the first transfer of A-files later this year, and will store the files at National Archives facilities in San Francisco and Kansas City. Researchers will be able to access the files at these two sites, or request copies of files. An index will be available to support research use.

The A-files are a key to unlocking the fascinating stories of millions of people who traveled to the United States in search of opportunity. They include information such as photographs, personal correspondence, birth certificates, health records, interview transcripts, visas, applications and other information on all non-naturalized alien residents, both legal and illegal. The files are of particular interest to the Asian American community because many A-files supplement information in Chinese Exclusion Act era case files (1882-1943) that are already housed at the National Archives.

The signing ceremony is an important first step in the preservation of the 32 million records that were originally scheduled for disposal. At the ceremony, the National Archives will have samples of the alien registration form that was used to create the A-files. The form requests detailed information revealing valuable material for researchers and family historians, such as the alien’s current name, the name that he or she used when entering the country, marital status, occupation, name and address of employer, height, weight, and date and place of birth.

Generations of American Patriots

As I reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day, I remember those American Patriots in my family. The respect I have for these men and their willingness to fight for or to preserve the freedom, which we have today, is immense. Their courage and belief in God and their country led each of them to serve America.

My family has long served America. We came from Ireland and England early in the 1700s. It must have been heart wrenching on the families as they left their homeland for a new one. It must have been difficult to decide to rebel against the King. But, rebel they did.

From an innkeeper on Wall St in New York City to a learned man in Lancaster Co, PA, to a Irishman in Washington Co, PA, they decided to fight for this new land. They decided to pursue freedom and their dreams of a free America.

Not only did these early men fight for America, they also had personal ties with George Washington. Washington ate at the tavern during Evacuation Day in NYC (yes, it's documented), and an uncle worked for him in the War Department.

Let's see. We fought in the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II.

Not only have we fought for America on the battlefields, we have also served in public office. From city council members to mayors to senators to a President of the United States, my family history is fascinating. It's one I never tire of as I seek to learn more.

As I listen to Taps this weekend, I will remember. Remember the men and women who have faithfully served America. Remember the fallen. Remember the living.

Someone recently said that it was because of the brave that we are free. Amen.

Monday Madness: Oh, Sammy, Where Have You Gone?

Finding information on Samuel Simmons is like looking for the place where the alien ship picked him up in Pittsburgh.

For many a year, all I had to go in my quest for Samuel was the mention of him in a history book in Pittsburgh. I searched high and low in Pittsburgh to find....nothing.

Several years ago, a very kind gent responded to one of my inquiries with some information. See this post from 2006 for some of the background. And, the rest as they say, is history.

Except for Samuel. Samuel was born c. 1788 in New York to John Simmons the younger and Mary Nelson. At least the DAR says her name was Nelson. To date, there has been no proof uncovered. One professional group has even suggested her name was Provost of NJ. Once again, there is no proof and no overwhelming circumstantial evidence.

Samuel is mentioned in the 1794 will of his grandfather, John Simmons the Elder, as receiving some land in Chenango County, NY. Samuel and his wife sell this land while living in St. Clair, Allegheny, PA in 1814. How did they get there? Why did they get there?

Samuel is found in the War of 1812 when he mustered in on September 14, 1812, to an infantry company under the command of Captain James Turbett from St. Clair Twp. He is discharged as a Sergeant in December 1812.

There is a last legal mention of Samuel in 1816 when he sold more Chenango County, NY land.

Poof! He's gone. The 1820 census shows his wife as head of household with the three children and an older female. I'm guessing it is her mother who lives with them. The 1830 census shows the wife as head of household with the three children.

I know names of two of his children. One is William who married and remained in St. Clair for the duration of his life. He is buried at St. Clair Cemetery on Scott Rd.

One of the other names I know is that of Maria as we have a sampler completed by her in 1825.

To date, there has been no other sightings of Maria or her unknown name sister. What happened to Samuel? I suspect he died in Pittsburgh before 1820 but have yet to find him. There is no evidence in the Orphans' Court Records and there was no will.

Oh, Sammy, where are you?

Attend Genealogy Lectures in the Comfort of Home

I have always been just a little jealous of the folks up in New England. There's a terrific place to go right outside of Boston to search for genealogy thrills. Yes, I've been salivating with the desire to get up to the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Well, today, I see that some of that society lectures can come to me while I sit at home with my morning caffeine. On the NEHGS website, you can click in to see their online seminar series.

I confess. I watched one of them on researching Irish Genealogy and now, I'm hooked.

So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. Perhaps you'll find something of value for you in your quest for family history.

http://www.newenglandancestors.org/events/online_seminars.asp

Lost in Death in South Carolina

South Carolina research has always been difficult. I don't know if it resulted from Sherman's March to the Sea or the numerous fires which seem to have taken toll of old records.

Today, I found a notice from a couple of months ago for a database which has scanned copies of death certificates from the 1821-1955 online! So, I happily spent a couple of hours getting some old documents to help flush out my family files.

There were even some "aha" moments in my finds. I can't wait to share my latest finds with some of my dear Low Country kinfolk.

If you're interested in this site, just check out Ancestry.com. The database is one of their recent ones.

It pays to continue to search for documents. Just like family, they sometimes will show up when least expected!

Enjoy your hunt.

Bottoms Family Cemetery in Fayetteville is Online

The James Waldrop Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution in Fayetteville recently spent an afternoon cleaning up the Bottoms Family Cemetery. Now, pictures of the remaining gravestones are online and can be viewed.

Among those buried in the cemetery is James Waldrop, a soldier of the American Revolution, and descendants of James Madison Bottoms.

Many of the tombstones are gone. Old fieldstones were also found marking the graves of the 1800s.

Here is the link: http://jameswaldrop.georgiastatedar.org/bottomsfamilycemetery.html

Tweet Your Way to the Past

Finding new ways to research the past is great fun in my world. Now, you can tweet your way with updated news from ancestry.com, as they are now on Twitter.

Add them to your follow list to see glimpses of what's new and updated there. It just may give you reason to find a new spark in your search.

Have you ever entered in a search with them for a specific time frame and received all sorts of irrelevant dates-- like 200 years off? Well, their staff has listened to all the groans and moans and now they have a new feature which will limit the search to the year(s) you requested with a few side years. Great news!

Got Kin Buried in Rome, GA?

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

Rome, Georgia Cemetery Burial Data Now Online


Thanks to a new burial data program on the city of Rome’s web site, genealogy researchers and loved ones may have an easier time locating their ancestors buried in Rome’s public cemeteries. The service can assist those looking for the plots of ancestors, family or friends buried in city-owned cemeteries — Eastview, Oakland and Myrtle Hill.

The information only covers burial records, the cemetery lot number and plot location number. The site can also generate clickable maps of the cemeteries that allow the user to navigate and find the exact placement of the plot.

Many of the birth dates for older interments may read 01/01, an indication that the birth date is unknown. As records are updated, or in some cases found, they will update the birth date information, according to city officials.

The site can be found at www.romega.us/cemetery.

1800: All War Department Papers Lost

It was a terrible event in our nation's history. The fire that ravaged the War Department on the night of November 8, 1800, destroyed records and books. Shortly after, Secretary of War Samuel Dexter was still in despair as he wrote "“All the papers in my office [have] been destroyed.”

Fast forward to the present. For over a dozen years, Ted Crackel collected collections of papers from around the world which related to this time period. In 2006, the project was turned over to George Mason University.

Now you can search this wonderful history filled collection of documents by visiting the War Department Papers 1784-1800 at http://wardepartmentpapers.org/ .

I can say I was personally thrilled to find over 19,000 documents pertaining to my family name. Of course, it doesn't hurt that an uncle of mine who was an accountant for Continental Army and later for the War Department was the author or recipient of the letters. As an added bonus for me, my 5g grandfather is also listed on some of the documents on the site.

My buddy Bill and I are going to contact the Collections Group to see if they have more information on my family or if they would like what we have gathered.

Sure do wish I could let Mr. Dexter know that all was not lost.

1815 Letter from Pittsburgh Paints Bleak Career Picture

GT Note: This post is from recent correspondence with Susan, a cousin of mine and a descendant of Nathaniel PLUMMER. I thought you'd enjoy reading more about early Pittsburgh. The introductory information of the letter and the letter itself were printed in Vol. 9 No. 1 Issue 18 HCR 72 Box 8350 Chadbourne's Ridge, North Waterborough, Maine 04061 Fall/Winter 1991 ISSN 0741-0360

Hannah PLUMMER was the daughter of Nathaniel PLUMMER who was born in Massachusetts who removed to St Clair Twp in Allegheny Co, PA in the early days. Hannah's second husband was Dr. Ruggles SYLVESYER (1776-1834), one of the earliest doctors in the neighborhood. Sylvester, born in Massachusetts, was educated at Dartmouth. These familes were closely intertwined with my early family in Allegheny County as neighbors, fellow church members of the Associate Reformed Church of Saw Mill Run, and as friends.

Hannah and Ruggles are both buried at the Old St. Clair Cemetery in Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny, PA.

I came across this letter while trying to learn more about Hannah Plummer Fetterman's second husband. The good doctor had received a letter from his Dartmouth classmate, Ichabod Chadbourne, inquiring about opportunities in the Pittsburgh area. The letter obviously did not entice him to the area!

The Uncertain Destiny of Ichabod Rollins Chadbourne

(Career Locations in the Promising 19th Century)

A surviving letter from the letters of Ichabod R. Chadbourne gives us a vista of the uncertain alternatives faced by a capable and promising young attorney in the early years of the 19th century. In many ways, his situation then was the timeless one of those who are well-prepared but who lack either a supportive family stricture or a good connection with the persons or forces that are to shape the future. He did use the obvious "network" of at least one of his college classmates to explore one possible location, but norecord of any of his other inquiries survives.

Ichabod lost his mother when he was 2½ years old. His father, Jonathan C., and his grandfather, Judge Benjamin, both died in 1799 when Ichabod was just 12 years old. Being bereft of these influential men, Ichabod relied on any other contacts he had. His aunt's husband, lawyer George W. Wallingford gave him a helping hand by having him read law in Kennebunk and Boston with Daniel Davis. (Note: Wallingford Hall exists today on Route 1 in Kennebunk.)

After admission to the Suffolk County bar in 1812 or 1814, Ichabod was faced with the responsibility of selecting the place where he should launch his career.

So he wrote a letter of inquiry to his Dartmouth classmate, Ruggles Sylvester, in western Pennsylvania to explore the field of opportunities that might be found there. And this is the letter that he ultimately received in reply in 1815:

(Note: With apologies to Pittsburgh, PA.)

"Dear friend,

If you practice law in this State, you have to again subject yourself to years of study here before you can be admitted to practice. There are no country lawyers, all the business is done in the county towns. Pittsburgh contains by estimation ten thousand inhabitants. You may see its growth has been very considerable since the last census. Much business is done here, both manufacturing and mercantile. Mechanics are in demand and get good wages. They dress like gentlemen and clear ten dollars a week. Perhaps I can give you no adequate idea of the people in this borough, collected from all parts of the world as they are, except I call them `money-making.’ Most of the people are industrious, stirring fellows. The very wealthy are drunk after noon. The ladies are not the most amiable I have seen, although well provided for financially. All the professions get rich in Pittsburgh, but it is not by their professions. The Attorneys are sheep-growers and land speculators. The Physicians are apothecaries. The Reverend ones are placed behind the counter. A graduate of Dartmouth College tells me there is but one first-rate attorney in town, the rest being several young fellows and underlings. I can advise you neither for nor against. This side of the mountains, learned men are neither counted nor courted. Wealth is the criterion of a man's merit throughout the State of Pennsylvania. If you come to this country, you may lay aside all ideas of a pleasant social life among literary men.

This country is more healthy than where you and I have lived, and the soil far more fertile. There is no good sleighing any time in the year for want of snow; no good carriage roads for want of minimum labor laid out upon them. They will never be good the year 'round till they are paved with stone. Heavy wagons with a little rain on this marly soil cut up the roads miserably. Pittsburgh is built mostly of brick, and has not a very pleasant appearance owing to the abundance of smoke generated by the burning of stone coal. Steam engines, foundries, green houses, and blacksmith shops consume immense quantities of this coal, so that the town, in the winter, is a cloud of smoke. The people in the country are considerably inferior to the low classes in New Hampshire and the District of Maine, especially the women, who are beasts of burden in this State. These people are more stupid and unfeeling, but not so vicious as the Yankees. If you come to this country, you have to look for no good society. If you come in the stage from
Philadelphia, you will get a damnable bruising in the little crazy vehicles; and besides, you are to expect the roughest kind of treatment by taverns, stage-drivers, and every other kind of waiters. My method would be to ride on horseback, because those who came by stage report that the people seem to consider it a religious duty to abuse all they can with their tongues those who pass the mountains in the stage. I am told they are more civil to those on horseback. I have given a true picture, however ugly it may appear. If you have plenty of leisure and plenty of pocket money, perhaps you would like the tour, and then you can see for yourself.

Sincerely your friend,
Ruggles Sylvester

P.S. When I am in Pittsburgh, I every day see Yankee people arriving or descending to the West. I ought to tell you that the word "Yankee" is a term of reproach as used by many of the people-but the Yankees generally glory in the name. I can tell you how the women go visiting barefoot to save their shoes till they get within a few rods of the town, and then put on their clean, pretty shoes. The same is true in going to meeting in the country. The women sit in market with butter, eggs, and potatoes, etc. till they get money-then lay it out for a silk gown or a shawl which costs ten dollars."



We know that this letter evidently did not move Ichabod to choose Pittsburgh as his place of residence or business. Soon after this date, he removed to Eastport, Maine, where he built his home and opened his law practice.

Submitted by Tom Eschweiler
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:6jgC7mT9ieEJ:www.chadbourne.org/Piedcows/Issue18.pdf+ruggles+sylvester&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=50&gl=us&client=safari

There She Lies- Right Under Our Nose

From time to time, I venture into the cemetery office to check on who is buried there. I've been to a particular cemetery in Pittsburgh not once, but close to a half dozen times over the last few years. I've asked for help from the staff. Please allow me to share some of those experiences with you.

1st visit in 1988: My cousins took me to see my grandfather's grave. It was the first time I had been back to the grave since my childhood. We stopped in to get the location and to see who was buried there. The folks guardedly told me he was there and then refused to let me see the book. I did catch a glimpse of an unknown name. The staff whisked the book away.

2nd visit in 2003: I asked the staff for a map of the cemetery so I could find my grandfather's grave. The lady told me how to find it. It was pouring rain. We couldn't find the grave using her instructions. Apparently, she read the map wrong. We finally located the grave in a different area of the cemetery. I noticed my great grandparents were there just behind my grandfather.

3rd visit in 2004: I didn't bother with the staff as I now knew where to look. I took photos of the headstones. I did call the staff later to ask how much it would cost to get a new headstone. They were thrilled to be of assistance.

4th visit in 2005: I asked the staff who was buried in the plot. They gave me three names, while yet again, refusing me access to the book. This time, I had done enough research to know who the third name. He was a cousin of my grandmother's who she buried there as he had no place to go. Funny, how they still haven't told me my great grandparents are in the same plot.

Over the last few years, I have trying in vain to find the location of my great aunt's grave. I found her parents buried with my grandparents. I found her sisters in the same cemetery. Her husband was buried in a single grave in a different cemetery in town. Of course, I didn't know when she died, but I had narrowed down the dates to between 1919-1924.

Hattie was living in Erie, PA, at the time of her sister's death. I found Hattie in 1910 in Erie, but there was no sign of her there in 1920. Hattie's great grandson has also been looking for her in vain. He tried a death search for a 10 year time span with no success. He found her living in a nursing home in Erie, PA, in 1918-1919. Then, poof-- she disappeared.

Fast forward to last week:
Ring. Ring.
"Hello."

My cousin told me to sit down as I wouldn't believe what he had to say.

Hattie's been under our noses all this time. When he called the cemetery and started asking questions, he was told she was there. Not only is she there, but she died in November 1920 and is buried with her son.

Get this. Her son is the cousin who my grandmother buried in 1935!

The nice informative gent at the cemetery went on to say that she died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. What? How? Why?

I checked the census and found her living in a nursing home in Milwaukee in 1920. We have sent for her death cert. Hopefully, that will provide the name of the person providing the information.

At this time, we have no clue as to who moved her or why she was in Milwaukee in 1920. Her son was in Jacksonville, FL at the time and her daughter moved there as well in 1922. There is no evidence to support the daughter being in Milwaukee.

So, we continue to search to see if we can solve this mystery.

My advice is to keep looking. In this case, it took years of asking the same location the same question before we could get an answer.

And to think- she's been there the whole time.

Now, Where Did Grandma Go?

Graves have disappeared over time. We who look for them frequently are frustrated when the graves have either been moved, vandalized or someone decided that the burial records just "weren't important."

How many times have you checked on your family graves? Graves can be an invaluable source of information for those who yearn to know of their past. If you can, document everywhere your family is buried. Use pictures as well as written explanations.

There are many genealogy based websites where you can also send interment information. My advice is to make use of them. Otherwise, your story could be similar to the one below.

As West Virginia Coal Companies Expand, Graves Vanish
Monday, March 09, 2009

Walter Young can't find his great-grandmother's grave. The coal company that had it moved doesn't know where the remains ended up.

"It always looked like a safe, good place nobody would bother," the 63-year-old retiree said of the cemetery along Pigeon Creek where his relative, Martha Curry, was buried. "It was up on a hill.".....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,507366,00.html

World Archives Project Launced by Ancestry.com

Note: This is pretty exciting.

Ancestry.com Launches World Archives Project to Help Digitally Preserve Millions of Historical Records Worldwide

/PRNewswire/ — Ancestry.com, the world's largest online resource for family history, today launched the World Archives Project, a new initiative dedicated to digitally preserving millions of the world's historical treasures. The World Archives Project accelerates the rate at which important historical records are digitized and made available online by giving people everywhere the opportunity to play an important part in preserving history.

The World Archives Project allows individuals to transcribe historical documents at their convenience, from their home computer. Using a free transcription program, contributors select from the many historical record collections that Ancestry.com has digitized – from naturalization records to ship manifests to marriage records, and type in the information from the scanned image. All of the online indexes that are transcribed as part of the World Archives Project are easily searchable and available for free on Ancestry.com.

"Because digitizing historical records and making them available online is both costly and time consuming, many governments and libraries don't have the budget to do so," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com. "The World Archives Project contributors who donate their time play a critical role in preserving these important stories by helping us publish more historical content online, extending the opportunity for others to explore their family history."

Since the project's beta launch in June 2008, more than 11,000 contributors have collectively put in more than 200,000 indexing hours and have helped digitally preserve 6 million records. Devoted to making these documents easily available online, many of these contributors spend numerous hours each week transcribing from their home.

"Family history is about sharing," says Paula Bradley, a member of Ancestry.com from Wichita, Kansas. "The Ancestry.com World Archives Project has given me a chance to give back to the community and help other people discover their own family history."

Ancestry.com estimates that it will be able to digitize and index 20 percent more historical content in 2009 to put on its site as a result of the World Archives Project. Many of these transcription projects are small collections that would likely never be digitized were it not through this project and the dedication of these unsung heroes.



There are millions of historical records from around the world that are available to index through the Ancestry.com World Archives Project. Some of the current collections include:

Naturalization Index Cards – Index cards that can easily lead researchers to the documents created when their ancestors became U.S. citizens.

Slave Manifests Filed at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1807-1860 – These records document the transporting of more than 30,000 slaves to the port of New Orleans from other stateside ports as a result of the growing tobacco industry in the southern states.

England Newspaper Index Cards – Compiled in England between the 1880s to 1965, these index cards contain information on individuals taken from next of kin advertisements, will notices, unclaimed estates and missing persons listings found in several national and overseas newspapers.

For more information about the World Archives Project and how to play an active role in preserving history by becoming a contributor, visit http://www.ancestry.com/worldarchive

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Ancestry.com Adds Huge New Content Addition for More Recent Years

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

The following was written by Gary Gibb and published on the Ancestry.com Blog:

We are launching huge new content additions over the next few weeks. We are excited because it helps provide records from 1935 to today. We have great census and vital records from 1930 and before but more recent records are difficult to acquire. These new records are being provided in 4 major releases.


First, we launched a 1940 census substitute. This is a project that we have been working on for years. Since we can’t get the real 1940 census until 2012 we have pulled together a huge collection of city directories from about 1935 to 1945. This collection has over 100 million names and covers most of the US.

Second, we will launch in the next week (or two) the first ever collection of U.S. Public Records (USPRI) database with more than 525 million names, addresses, ages, and possible family relationships of people who lived in the United States between roughly 1950 and 1990. This will be an invaluable tool in piecing together family stories and histories. This new addition will replace the current USPRI database on Ancestry which is mainly profiles of living people. This database is built from a variety of city directories and other public records.

Third, we launched search results and links to living people records on MyLife.com. We are excited about this partnership because MyLife has a much better collection of records about living people and continues to update this collection. MyLife.com includes current public information and more than 700 million profiles of living people. They are much better equipped to offer these services than we are. If you want to find a living cousin or second cousin or other living relative we believe these links to MyLife will be the best service to help you contact your family.

Finally, we launched a new obituary collection. We have had several very popular obituary collections for several years. We have now upgraded our collection that we extract from obituaries posted in newspapers around the world with much better fielding and from more papers. This should help you more easily identify the right obituary and find family relationships.

In the coming months look for additional significant improvements to all the US Federal Census from 1800 to 1890. We will also continue to release millions of vital records every month. We are also excited about the upcoming large addition to our newspaper and military collections over the next few months.

We hope these additions help you discover more of your family story.

When Irish Ships were Sailing....

When Irish ships were sailing..
The descendants look for you..
Oh, how early they did sail..
Please make our dreams come true....

Ok, so it's not a great off the cuff rewriting of the song that begins "When Irish eyes are smiling..", but as we of Irish descent look at this week as St. Patrick's Day is celebrated, let us remember, those eyes smiled for us.

Here's some early ship lists that may be of benefit for some. I found a suspect, but don't know if it will lead me to really know what I hope to be true. Could this Samuel HENRY on the brig William who sailed from Cork, Ireland in 1766 be the Irish father of my very own John?

Maybe, those Irish eyes will smile for you...http://members.tripod.com/~Data_Mate/irish/Irish.htm

Capone Family Heritage Not All Black and White

Note: Another interesting story has surfaced. This time the subject is none other than Al Capone. I wonder what DNA will show, if and when it happens.

On a side note, a distant family member is rumored to have been a major supplier to Capone during the Prohibition with their special "Berkeley County Bourban." I have been told the goods would go on the train in barrels labeled as potatoes and corn. Now there's an fascinating tale to tell. Perhaps I shall at a later date.

/PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois, Christopher Knight Capone, the putative grandson of the most notorious crime figure in American history Al Capone, filed a complaint requesting the court to enter an order protecting the interred remains of his grandfather Alphonse Capone.

Christopher Capone (www.ChrisCapone.com) has conducted several years of in-depth historical and genealogical research in order to confirm his true identity, with the assistance of a professional team including a well-respected genealogist, forensic genetic genealogist, and numerous private investigators. The extensive research and historic findings give Chris good cause to believe that his deceased father, William Knight, was the hidden son of Alphonse Capone and his wife Mary. Much of the research is contained in his memoir, Son of Scarface: a memoir by the grandson of Al Capone (www.SonOfScarface.com).

Before filing the complaint Knight requested DNA from living Capone descendants. "The other Capone descendents refused to provide DNA samples, and I respect that," said Christopher Knight Capone. "Similar to an orphan searching for their birth parents, I'm trying to learn my father's ancestry while confirming my own, and I hope they will respect that."

The complaint Knight Capone filed seeks merely to prevent any attempt to move or disturb the remains while Chris completes his quest for voluntary DNA samples from living Capone relatives, which he plans to use in an attempt to definitively establish his genetic link to Al Capone.

"My goal is to definitively and conclusively prove my lineage. I'm continuing to explore all possible opportunities and while I'd prefer a different route, the motion was filed to protect this, one of the last remaining options," said Capone.

In addition, Chris is presently conducting genealogical research into the distant Italian Capone relatives in hopes of locating other living relatives willing and suitable to provide DNA.

Al Capone died on January 25, 1947 and shortly thereafter his body was buried in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, a cemetery owned and operated by the Catholic Bishop of Chicago. The complaint filed today also seeks discovery of the identity of any family members who may require notice should Chris seek a disinterment order from the court.

Christopher Knight Capone is represented by David M. Hundley of the Hundley Law Group, a firm which focuses on trial and appellate litigation serving both individuals and the Chicago plaintiff's trial bar. He is also represented by Steven C. Beer of Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

DNA Proves Bolsheviks Killed All of Russian Czar's Children

Note: If you haven't taken time to read about Nicholas and his family, please do so. Their story is fascinating, and so very sad. I've always thought there was most likely no chance of survival for any of the children after they sat for their family photograph and executed. It would appear the family can now be truly at rest.

One of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th century has been put to rest: DNA analysis of bone fragments has proven that two of Czar Nicholas' children believed to have escaped were killed with their royal family during the Russian Revolution.

Czar Nicholas II, from left, daughters Olga, Maria, wife Alexandra, kids Anastasia, Alexei and Tatiana in 1917.

The chemically damaged and burnt remains were found in the Romanov family's makeshift grave outside the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2007.

In 2008, scientists used bone and tooth fragments to identify the remains as those of the two missing......http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/03/11/czar.children/index.html

1921 Obituary Gushes on First Wife, Ignores Second

Reading older obituaries in the quest for more family information can be fun. Sometimes, you really wonder who wrote the obituary and what were their motives for what was said, or in some cases, not said.

Such is the case for a 1921 obituary I just received. The newly deceased, William Henry Swift RITCHIE, appears to have been murdered in his official position of Assistant Marshall in Kentucky.

The obituary I saw is not from West Point, Kentucky, where he was living, but rather, it was from the place of his birth in Washington County, Pennsylvania. I found the obituary odd, and maybe you will as well.

...March 31, 1921 McDonald PA Outlook
Canonsburg, March 21--Friends here were advised today of the
tragic death near West Point, Ky., a few days ago of W. H. S. RITCHIE,
formerly a prominent merchant of Canonsburg and well known to all persons
who resided in this community until he left here in 1883. According to word
received here Mr. RITCHIE, who was serving as deputy marshal of West Point,
was murdered while serving papers at a house outside that town.

Mr. RITCHIE was born in Canonsburg June 9, 1850. At the age of
ten years he entered his father's store. With the exception of the time he
attended school he worked in the store, and when he was 20 years of age the
principal management of the business was assumed by him. He became sole
proprietor in 1875. The building in Central avenue was built in 1877-78.

Mr. RITCHIE was twice married. His first wife was Sadie MILLER,
daughter of the late Thomas MILLER of Chartiers township and later of
Canonsburg and sister of the Rev. Dr. David REED of Oakmont, John C. MILLER,
of Chartiers township, and the late J. Martin MILLER, of Plum Run, and
Andrew S. MILLER, of Bellevue. Mr. RITCHIE's second wife survives, with a
son and daughter, who reside in West Point, Ky. He was also a cousin of
Miss Margaret LIINDSAY of McDonald.

Did you note the first wife and her family history? Did you note the scant mention of a living widow?

So, off I went on the net this morning to see if I could determine why the second wife was barely mentioned. With that said, let me share some of what I uncovered.

William Henry Swift RITCHIE's first wife, Sarah Jane Miller, was a native of Washington County, PA (oh, and a cousin of mine). She was born 1852 and died at age 40 in 1892. She bore William three children: Madeline (b. 1876. d. 1958), William C (b. 1879), and Theodore M (b. 1873).

After Sarah's untimely death, William remarried in 1894 to Leo (b. 1869 in Alabama). William and Leo had six children. I believe five of them survived to adulthood.

Mystery solved. The second wife had no ties to the local community of his and his first wife's birth, therefore, it appears not to have been important. His first wife's family were early pioneers in the area and, therefore, of much more local interest.

Now to the other mystery surrounding W. H. S. Ritchie that I have not uncovered yet. His father was Craig Ritchie. What I don't know is if they tie into my other Ritchie family in Allegheny County who migrated from Ireland by 1850. This Ritchie family is the James Ritchie family who also married a cousin of Sarah Jane Miller in 1861.

Family-ology Testing Genealogy Program

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 haven't yet seen this program, due to my travels, but the press release does sound interesting:

myFamily•ology Genealogy Program Enters Beta Testing

myFamily•ology today announced the beta release of its one-of-a-kind Web-Based Family Genealogy Program. Amateur and professional genealogists are invited to help test the soon-to-be released software program before it is available to the public.

myFamily•ology has invested significant time and resources in developing the features that genealogists have come to expect and that make genealogy such a fun and worthwhile hobby. myFamily•ology’s Web-Based Family Genealogy Program offers features no other genealogy program has ever offered – either as PC software or as an online Web-based application.

The Web-Based Family Genealogy Program from myFamily•ology allows you to:
Work on your own or collaboratively with family members
Control access to your private tree with required individual passwords
Update genealogical details for the same person in multiple files with one click
Easily attach sources, photos, notes, etc. to multiple family members
Search genealogical information by birth, death, notes, or place
View/Print/Export 18 different Reports, Lists, and Charts
Receive warnings and reports for probable data issues
Share sources with other researchers and receive notification of possible matches from members' databases
Track the accuracy and completion of your family tree with myFamily•ology’s color-coded Progress Rating Chart
Beta Testers evaluating the functionality of the program before it is released to the public will provide recommendations for fixes, changes, enhancements, and improvements to the program.

As an incentive for helping myFamily•ology perfect its genealogy program, once the service officially goes live all Beta Testers will be able to access their files for one full year free of charge. After that, if a participant decides to continue using the program, that Beta Tester will receive a 50% discount on his or her subscription level, for life.

To register as a Beta Tester for myFamily•ology’s Web-Based Family Genealogy Program, please go to http://www.family-genealogy.com/subscriptions.aspx.

About myFamily•ology

myFamily•ology® is a security conscious, Web-based provider of genealogy tools to help you build and organize a precise family history and a reliable family tree that can be shared with family and friends. For more information, please visit www.Family-Genealogy.com.



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Looking for a Fallen Patriot's Grave?

Looking for the final resting place of many of America's fallen patriots?

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) was established by Congress in 1923 to commemorate the service, achievements, and sacrifice of U.S. armed forces where they have served overseas since 1917, and within the U.S. when directed by public law.

http://www.abmc.gov/home.php

Her Laugh Lives On

In my last post, we were chatting about how some researchers take census info and people with same initials and just kind of "make it work." Well, I contacted the gent to ask him some questions about what I knew to be true. To my delight, my mom's first cousin is still alive and well at the ripe old age of 87.

I got her phone number and just called. I spent time listening to her tell me stories of my great grandmother Poston nee Coward, my Poston grandparents and other family members. These beloved family members are all gone- or so I thought.

You see, Henrietta laughed and I started to tear up. Her laugh is the laugh of my mother and my aunt. What joy for me to hear that familiar laugh again.

Henrietta told me of her mother who died of tuberculosis at the age of 34. She only has one memory of her mother standing. So, today, Henrietta has not only given me more of a sense of family, she has given me back my mom - if only in her laugh.

Family. Ain't it just grand!

Bama Won't Be Happy

Once again the frigid air blowing around has forced me to see what I can stir up in my mind and in my family.

I was contacted today by one of my paid sites with the announcement that someone had replied to my query. It has been so many years since I did that, so I had to backtrack and see what all has transpired in my neglect of checking the forum. Not much new has been posted, and absolutely nothing that would get my blood rushing around.

However, I did find something that would stir Bama's blood, and stir it mightily.

On the off chance of digging up some new family members, I decided to go in and look for my great aunt. Now, I know she died in 1931, but that doesn't stop me. I knew she had married and I have a note from my grandmother who died in 1976 with the name of my great aunt's husband.

Off to the census I go, and locate them where and when I should. I suspected he had remarried after the death of Kathleen as they had a young child, and everyone back then remarried to get a mama figure around the house.

I found Herbert's draft card for World War I and then I found a user submitted family tree with his name and Kathleen's name. Yep, I was right. He had remarried.

One glaring error though is the number of siblings that this guy had placed on the tree for Kathleen. He also had Bama dying about 40 years too soon. Yep, he has her dead and her husband remarried with a whole 'nother pack of children.

I had to do a double take on that one. I know there weren't that many kids in the family. Luckily, the user had attached his sources, so it was easy for me to find the error of his ways. He chose to use a different family with the same last name and with the father's initials for his source. Sorry. He should have checked out a few more items.

Know ye here and now that Bama would not have liked to hear that her husband had married someone else and had all these alleged children. Nope, not at all.

The lesson is to look at the information you can find online and take it with a grain of salt. Be sure your really know what you think you know before stating it as fact. And be sure to have some smelling salts-- you or Bama just may need them!

Cold Outside Means Warm Memories of Cemeteries Past

The cold weather ushered in requests from the Pittsburgh area for some assistance with the Mt. Pisgah Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

I have a couple of tidbits which I passed on the gent who is working on the cemetery listing and sent him the few pictures I have. Amazingly enough, I have more information on people buried there than I realized. I also have more names than headstones that can be read easily.

The last time I was at the cemetery was in August 2005 when the family had gathered to dedicate two new headstones at our "family" cemetery, which most folks just call the St Clair Cemetery. We took some time to stop in at Mt Pisgah to check on the family headstones and see if we could find more family.

The SNODGRASS family had long ties with the Mt Pisgah church, even serving as Ruling Elders way back during its early days. I suspect if I looked long enough, I would most likely find evidence of some of the FOSTER and CRANE families there as well.

Some of the information I located on the church I found in the article I (along with two cousins) published in 2006 on Hannah's 1862 Diary in the WPGS Quarterly. I hope it helps.

Just in case you are interested, the family information I passed on today was on the Robert SNODGRASS and Hannah GLENN family. Some of the information was on several of Robert's siblings. The SNODGRASS family is interesting in that Robert Sr bought his land directly from the PENN family. I even have a copy of the deed somewhere around here.

If you've been to Pittsburgh, no doubt you've traveled on some of our land. Unfortunately, the land is now part of the interstate which goes from the airport to downtown.

Forgive my ramblings, but tis too cold to think clearly today. Guess our ancestors really knew the meaning of cold in their day. They survived it-- so will I. In the meantime, I have my memories of hanging out in the cemetery in the warm sun with my cousins.

Such Kind Words That I Must Blush

Even though the temperature is frigid outside, I feel my face heating up. I just received a very nice note from a blood related distant cousin. She just gushed about my family findings and my tenacious attitude about documenting sources.

Sources are what makes genealogy much more than a fairy tale. While I always listen to family lore, I also am willing to discount it when I find the facts. Sometimes, the facts bear out the lore. Sometimes, stretching the truth must have sounded more pleasing to those telling the tales.

I was asked about finding records in states that didn't bother with vitals until the 20th century. The best suggestion I can give is to follow the land. It's advice I was given early in my search and it still bears true.

Other great sources include wills and church records. Of course, it's always wonderful to find old newspapers which have been preserved. Once again, some states are better than others at this.

Be sure to spend some time with LDS. They have such an extensive record holding. I would love to spend time out in Salt Lake and just know they would find the answers to my questions. Ah, one day, one day.

I also lurk around in the county genealogy forums in which I am interested. Sometimes, I'll hear suggestions from others that open my eyes to a new way to research the family. Occasionally, I stumble across another family member.

The best advice I can give is don't give up. Take a break sometimes. When you come back, some information may just literally jump up off the page for you.

Last, be willing to help others. You just never know when the kindness will be returned.

Can't Take a Break

Ok. I give in!!

I've been taking a short break from genealogy research just to soul search, and, I admit, do some housekeeping.

But the family wants more. My family who is of distant blood, that is. Within the last week, I've received communications from two cousins.

One, whose direct blood line to me starts to wander off before 1800, contacted me this morning with some questions and some finds. I'm happy to hear from her as it has been over a year since we chatted, but that means I have to put up the dust cloth and start dusting off my genealogy gears.

Another cousin generously gave me a subscription to a local historical society in the western PA area. A nice surprise.

So, I'll give in and get back to the real work of genealogy! So much for the extra dust that could accumulate in the house. As long as my head cobwebs are clear, I'm ready.

Bring it on.

Caught in 1885

The best gift for me last year was the presentation of the 1885 Bible. While it has been in the family since that time, there have been no entries made into the marriage, death, and birth sections. I suppose it is because the owner of the Bible never married.

So, I shall fill in the blanks for the family history.

In the meantime, I have lovingly looked at the pages, so old and yellowed with time, and realize the truth is still there in those pages. The pictures in the Bible are so beautiful.

Take time to get caught in the past. It can be a beautiful moment in time.

Happy New Year!

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Happy Holidays Fellow Genis!

This poem is republished with the permission of the author:

The Clues

Fayette County is but one of the few
of many places ancestors passed through.
They stayed for a time, with jobs and kids
Daily survival and busyness they lived amid.

Whether out on the porch or in the yard
Neighbors hardly needed an 'Introduction Card'.
They shared their sorrows, good fortune too
Neighborhoods became family without 'Ta-do'.

Like marriages, in sickness and health
Everyone helped, shared their wealth.
Whether fresh fruit, veggies, or milk
Friendships made life go 'smooth as silk.'

Now, we look with a magnifying glass
At where our ancestors lived in past
We boldly search for the lives they led
We scrounge for records til we go to bed.

When they gave their name, did they think
100 years ahead that we'd curse fading ink?
Did they consider how all their daily acts
Would become so important to us as "facts"?

As they married, baptized, raised their kin
Did they imagine future generations coming in?
A 5th great-grand, whether narrow face or so round
Descendants from one to hundreds here abound.

No, they never thought we'd want them so
As we search here, there---high and low.
They simply lived lives, much as we all do
Without considering leaving us any clues.

Written by Judith Florian, Dec. 21, 2008 at 3pm