Cooking in The Past

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

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

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

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!

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

TThe Union-Recorder Thu Feb 03, 2011, 02:01 PM EST

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

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

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.

-----

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

©2011 AS Eldredge

Remembering on Holocaust Memorial Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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