The only thing on my list...

This year, my wish list for the holiday is pretty short. 

Every year around this time, the internet fills up with articles and stories about the "best gifts for genealogists." All of those shiny tech toys, subscriptions to pay sites, trips to distant courthouses, education programs and attendance at various events are appealing to me, and to many of you. But this year, there is only one thing I want. 

This year for Christmas, I want to preserve history. 

That's it. Simple. Straight forward. And actually very easy to do. 

The best part is, we can all be a part of it. We can all contribute to this great effort, we can all take pride in the fact that we helped to save page after page of these original records. 

Asking for donations to the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions effort is easy; and I'm not above begging. Really. Making a donation is easy too; I've got it set up to make a monthly donation automatically on a day, and for an amount, that works for me. 

So what's stopping you? Make a donation today. Save history. Save it for researcher's everywhere now, and for future generations. Save it for historians and military enthusiasts. Save it for teachers and educators that rely on historic records to bring history to life. Save it for every one of us, forever. 

$45 saves 200 pages. 

That's it. Pretty simple. Make a donation, take part in this historic effort, and give the gift of history for generations to come. 

Looking Forward to #FGS2015; an energetic experience

It's been a while. Yes, I know. It was a very long summer pulling me in numerous directions, and while most of it was absolutely incredible, some if it was quite stressful. But now? I'm back, and I'm happy to be blogging for myself again. 


The last six months have been a bit of a whirlwind for me, and one of the reasons for that is the upcoming Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2015 conference. I was absolutely thrilled - and admittedly, more than a little surprised - to be invited to speak four times at this event. Not only is this an amazing conference to attend, it is also being held in conjunction with RootsTech this year, for a truly "once in a lifetime" event. 

FGS provided us with this nifty graphics to help spread the word! 

The conference itself is going to be quite an experience for all of us who are lucky enough to attend. Between the two events, the educational offerings will be quite extensive. 


The exhibit hall and society showcase should be quite something to see, both in size and scope; and of course, let's not overlook the fact that the whole thing takes place just down the road from the Family History Library. Whew. That's a lot to do in one week. 

I'm planning on arriving a day or two in advance this year. I'll have much to do in preparation for the conference, as a speaker, FGS Ambassador, and as part of the Findmypast team. I also plan on staying on a couple days afterwards, to visit with family and spend some time doing research at the library. 

I think sometimes it is hard to write down what you experience at a conference. If you have never attended an event like this, understand that through the crowds, the rush to see a favorite speaker, the nearly frantic pace to "get as much as I can" into your schedule for a week; the energy consumes you. There is no other feeling like it, the "conference high," when you arrive home and just cannot wait to dig into your research once again. Even those who have been working on a frustrating project for decades can find renewed energy and passion for a mystery still to be solved. 

As an FGS Ambassador, I will likely put most of my time into my social media channels, sharing the news, and getting the word out from the conference committee. You can easily find updates by following the hashtag, #FGS2015, or directly from the website. 

The event takes place February 11 - 14, 2015, and I certainly hope to see you there! 

Fact, Fiction or Malarkey?

Conspiracy theories run rampant in fraternal societies and similar organizations. Hollywood loves them, fictional authors expand them, and there are certainly those that believe them to be 100% true. I am not here to say they are or they aren't, but I do want to follow the correct path of research, and for me, its important to weed out the ludicrous.

Cloister Conspiracy by Philip Jackson
Image: WikiMedia.org

I am way too much of a “common sense” type person to fall for the very outlandish. At some point over time, I guess much of the more radical stories and ideas that have been presented about fraternal organizations could have been truth, but I have a hard time believing that all individuals in a particular group participated and practiced every ritual and ceremony in exactly the same way. We are human, after all, and have a tendency to change things up a bit. (You’ll note I’m being fairly vague about the specifics. I will leave the process of finding these theories of conspiracy up to you, but you've probably heard them once or twice. A simple internet search will give you a very good idea of what I’m referring to here.)


It does seem appropriate in this endeavor to go straight to the source, and that is what I will continue to do as a researcher when investigating these organizations. They are, by nature, secret societies; some of the information they hold within their ranks, and is not to be shared. That is actually ok with me. I guess if I wanted to know every detail, I would have to join (but then I’d be sworn to secrecy too, and wouldn't be able to work on the organizations in the manner I have been…)  Admittedly, knowing it all would mean that some of the appeal would be lost.


Finding the information you need as a genealogy focused researcher is not difficult, but can be a bit time consuming (some of you have asked, and yes, I’m still waiting to hear back from the Shriner’s in Denver regarding my ancestor I inquired on). The social history aspect of the research can be done fairly efficiently, depending on how much you want to know. I have found a few sites that have proven to be very helpful, and have included a few of them here for you. Depending on which society you are investigating, you may or may not find similar resources.

• Three Minute Mason; Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Wisconsin, 2006 (http://www.wisc-freemasonry.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Three-Minute-Mason.pdf)
• Henry W. Coil Library & Museum of Freemasonry (http://www.masonicheritage.org/)
• Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences; Albert C. Mackey, M.D.. Made available on the Phoenix Masonry site: http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/mackeys_encyclopedia/s.htm

The Masonic Lodge, especially, as a whole seems to have recognized the need to “educate the masses,” and although some of the above list is really designed for current members, they can be helpful to the outsider as well. Other organizations may not have the operating expenses, personnel, volunteer base or other needed tools to share to this extent. When that is the case, consider turning to your local library for more.


I am lucky in that I am very close to the Denver Public Library and its Western History and Genealogy department. A quick search in that repository provides me with material from the Elks, the Slavic Fraternal Lodges of Crested Butte, I.O.O.F., Knights of Pythias, Templars, Masons, and more.


If you do not have a collection of this nature in your neighborhood, try reaching out to other facilities through WorldCat to see what might be available via inter-library loan. You just never know.



On the flip side, I do think it is also important to be aware of the fluff. You need to be able to readily identify the fiction from the facts, and that is why I make a point to read some of the more mainstream publications, over the academic ones. I recently picked up a copy of a book on Freemasons, even though I knew that the reviews of the text were essentially all negative. I need to be able to see the ridiculous - the malarkey - and this seems to be an easy way to keep on top of the latest theories and angles.

Getting Past Cabin Fever

© Jen Baldwin, 2012-2013.

For some of us around the globe, winter can last a very long time. You start to dream of the simple things: grass, going outside without multiple layers of clothing, a day free of snow shovels. 

As a genealogist, I start thinking about which cemeteries I want to visit, and when. Which ghost town’s I want to see during the limited summer months.

Not complaining, here. We love where we live. It’s just… well, yea, the cold gets to you once in a while.

So, here are my top ten ways to get past that winter cabin fever.

1. Take a walk.  Even if it is only 15 F outside, bundle yourself up and get some fresh air. You may just have a light bulb moment, causing you to rush back to your research plan, blog, or anything else you might have going. If you cannot, for whatever reason, actually go outside; open your window for a few minutes. Let that fresh air in!
   
   
2. Go back in your files.  Give yourself some time to rediscover a piece you may have forgotten about in your files. You never know what you may learn, and it may just kick start your energy level.
   
   
3. Reach out. Collaborate! Social media is available for all of us, and the online genealogy community gets bigger each day. There is so much to learn just by talking to each other! Best tip, though; if you live in a cold climate, when you are feeling really down about the weather, talk to other’s who live in cold climates, too. Don’t chat it up with your best genea friend in southern Florida, it will only make you feel worse. Find someone in a similar situation and share sob stories for a minute or two.
   
   
4. Don’t Dwell. Share that sob story! But keep it to a limit. If you wallow in the bad weather, as we all well know, it will only make it worse. Put on some upbeat music, and let yourself find a happy place.
   
   
5. Find a Small Museum. Find one, the smallest you can, and plan to spend at least two hours there. Trust me, the person tending the site will be happy to have someone to chat with, and undoubtedly, you will learn something.
   
   

6. 

   Idaho Springs, Colorado Cemetery
   © Ancestral Journeys, 2012-2013

   Research a Stranger. This is one of my favorite things to break up the repetition, and I plan for it during the summer months. I’ll stop at a random cemetery or historical society and take pictures of something that has no relevance to my current research whatsoever. Then during the winter, I pull those out and just start digging. Don’t have those unknown photos laying about? Grab a local history book from the library, and research someone from your community.
   
   
7. Go Elsewhere. Get out of the house. Again. Find a local coffee shop that has comfy chairs and sit there for a bit. Let the local traffic distract you. A new set of walls can do a world of good, and you never know, you may meet someone with similar interests.
   
   
8. Move Seats. If you cannot get out of the house (which is often my situation, as I’m a Mommy, too), then give yourself a different view from within your home. Go from office, to table, to bedroom and back again. This does not necessarily mean that your computer needs to travel with you; sometimes your best friend can be a notepad and pen.
   
   
9. Break Up Your Routine. I write most often with a cup of tea at hand. In the afternoon’s. With music on. Nearly every day, that is where you will find me. Every once in a while, though, I need to stimulate my routine with a change, even a small one. A cold beverage instead of hot; write in the morning, or stay up late. Change the music; listen to a podcast or webinar instead. It can be something very small, but it may make a difference. We are creatures of habit, and we can just as easily get into the habit of winter blues as we can anything else.
   
   
10. Challenge Yourself. Do something bold, something new. Venture into new territory. This may mean that you join us for #genchat on Twitter, or it might be going to a new repository or archives in another city. Out of your comfort zone. Be creative, spontaneous, adventurous!
    
    Keep in mind - and this is very important - winter can only last so long. Before you know it, you'll be back in those cemeteries, back to getting your hands dirty (literally) on the research goods. Don't despair, it's already almost March!
    
    
    

    

    Grand Tetons National Park flower.
    © Ancestral Journeys, 2012-2013

    
    

Which #Hashtag is Right For Me, Revisited

Way back in June, I posted about Twitter hashtags ( # ) , and which were being used the most by the online genealogical community. I used the website HashTracking to compile some data. Six months later, give or take, I would like to revisit this information, to see where we are, and what might have changed.

The data from both June and December are the number of tweets generated within a 24 hour period.
June: 11 Jun 2012, 4:10pm MST.
December: Friday, 21 Dec 2012 at 8:47pm MST.

June	Tweets	Retweets	Mentions	December	Tweets	Retweets	Metions
#genealogy	35	89	21	#genealogy	348	40	8
#familyhistory	98	26	7	#familyhistory	59	17	2
#ancestry	28	2	0	#ancestry	94	4	0
#history	829	552	119	#history	947	266	54
#socialmedia	1194	269	37	#socialmedia	1279	189	19
#archives	187	81	4	#archives	257	218	8
				#familytree	25	9	2

Although I did not document this in June, for this month’s query, the 396 #genealogy tweets generated 1,929,435 impressions reaching an audience of 248,540 followers. Not bad!

Also, I added #familytree for December’s statistics.

Look at the difference in numbers on #archives. This hashtag has had the largest fluctuation by far. In 24 hours, it has had an almost even 50/50 split between original tweets and retweets; meaning that almost every tweet that was sent that included #archives got retweeted.

#familyhistory is stagnant, but #ancestry has seen some growth in usage. #genealogy has had the most growth since June. Notice there has been a reduction in the #history retweets.

The initial evaluation was done because of a question posed on Google+ by Mariann Pierre-Louis, when she wrote:

"Question for all you social media friends out there: Have any of you ever done a study to determine which Twitter keywords have strong, loyal followings and which keywords seem to remain rapid fire and random without a core group? Just wondering..."

Conversation that followed after my original post was regarding specific hashtags that other people use in the genealogy community. And the question is still valid: what do you use regularly that is not  on the list above?  I think we all use local tags, for example #Colorado, but is there a “category” style that you use to get your message across to a specific audience in the genealogy community?

Obituary: Mrs. Charlotte Anderson

Mrs. Charlotte Anderson Called By Death

 

Charlotte was my great-great grandmother, through her daughter, Emma, who married William W. Brown of Orting, Pierce County, Washington. 

Imagine This: A List of All Genealogy Conferences

Have you imagined it? What would it look like? There might be a page for "national" conferences, perhaps another to list conferences and workshops by state. Maybe a tab or two devoted to Canada, Ireland, or Australia.

And that, all for free.

I tried to find it. Last week I spent two days searching the internet, then messaged folks on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Only to find, it didn't exist. There were some great options to use; certain organizations posted calendar pages; there is a Facebook page dedicated to the idea of a comprehensive list. But, they all required me to do extra work to find what I was looking for, and it just was not coming together for me.

What do to?

Everybody I asked left comments like, "wow, that would be great", or "awesome idea!"


Enter: Conference Keeper.

It took me all of fifteen minutes to make a decision, create a name, pick a theme and start putting the site together. I have a feeling it will consume a great deal of time moving forward, as I work to stay on top of the variety of functions that are hosted world wide on the topics of genealogy, family history, story telling, technology, small business and more. However, I am going to try.

It's a very simple concept. I've started by focusing on scheduled events around the United States, though I do have a short list of international events currently. It gives just the basics: name, date, city/state, and a link to the website for either the conference or the host organization.

You can easily contribute to the list, just use the "Contact Us" tab on the website, or message me through Facebook on the Conference Keepers page. Assuming I don't already have it on there, I'll add your event.

Time will tell where this will go, but in the end, the genealogy community now has a one stop shop style website to find the conference, seminar, workshop of interest in your area. No more wasted hours spent searching for each individual event, taking notes, comparing dates and "re-finding" the website you had an hour ago to make a decision on what to attend, when and where.

I hope it is helpful, and I hope you utilize it over and over.

The Debate in My Head

I'm currently arguing with myself over a topic that I think (hope) many of you will have an opinion on. Should I have one blog or two?

Here's what it would look like:

One Blog: this one. It combines my personal research goals, finds, artifacts and general journey with that of my professional life; mostly methodology, western U.S. research and a focus on Summit County, Colorado.

Two Blogs: this one, changing to just a personal research blog and a new one, launched from my website for Ancestral Journeys, focusing on the methodology, western U.S. research and Summit County, Colorado.

Here's the thing. I have several writing commitments already in place: this blog, Examiner.com, In-Depth Genealogist and two counties with the Trails to the Past free genealogy organization, Summit and Colfax County, Nebraska. I also have my ongoing research, client work and the tasks related to running a small business: marketing, speaking engagements, social media, networking... etc. I get approximately three hours each day to do all of this, with a "bonus day" once a week that provides an extra three hours.

This is me. Stretched.

I also work with the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and volunteer at one of the local churches at least twice a month.

Oh, and I'm a stay at home Mom of a three year old.

All of this seems to be reasonable for me at this time, albeit I'm stretched.


Really stretched. 



So my concern is this: will I have the time, energy, and motivation to provide quality content on two blogs, versus just one?

In the past month, I have developed some new organizational methods for myself, and that seems to be working well. I've been reading - a lot - about blog content, tips and tricks to write better, faster, more often.

Bottom line, here, folks, is that I'm simply not confident enough in myself to think that I can pull this off right now. I do think, ultimately, its a good idea. I believe the smart decision would be to separate my business writing from that of my personal. But, I want to do it right.


Indecision 2012. That's where I'm at. 


I cannot tell you when this decision will be made, but rest assured, you'll hear it here first. I'm leaning towards going for it, simply because I believe you have to work at your dreams. No one hands them to you. It does help to write it all down, though.

Brickwall: The Case of Oscar F. Brown; Moving Forward

Within this series, I have decided to reevaluate my evidence on Oscar Fitzallen Brown, and the theories surrounding who his father may have been. The ultimate goal is to determine the following:

1. Has a reasonably exhaustive search been conducted? 
2. What other resources need to be examined? 
3. Who is the most likely candidate to be Oscar's father, based on the evidence collected and the conclusions that have been drawn from said evidence?

In the process, I have discovered some holes, which I called Action Items throughout the series. These are records or searches that need to be evaluated, conducted, ordered, etc, and I've been maintaining the list here. 

Action Item!

From Part One: Abraham Brown

• Action Item: Try to obtain a copy of the original newspaper article for Oscar's political ticket. The copy currently held is a transcription. 

From Part Two: Talmon Brown

• Action Item: Try to find a death certificate for Mrs. Tolman Brown. 
• Action Item: Death certificate or other source for the death date and location of Tolman Brown.
• Action Item: Order a copy of William H. Brown's marriage certificate, Washtenaw County, Michigan. May list parents' names.
• Action Item: Membership to the Washtenaw Genealogical Society, and the ability to search through their annual publication, "Family History Capers", which is indexed online and indicates more information is available on Talmon Brown, a William Brown, and the Collins family. (Submitted membership 28 Sep 2012. Waiting for response from organization.)
• Confirm death information for Tolman, and pursue probate records. 

Headstone of Oscar F. Brown and daughter, Sarah Alice.
Private holdings of author. 

From Part Three: William Brown

• Action Item: Inquire with the Washtenaw County Clerk and/or the State of Michigan to see if the letter noted on the death record for Mary (Brown) Collins is still available; if so, request a copy. 
• Continue to research the life and family of Mary (Brown) Collins, as well as the other siblings known to Oscar, for possible information on their mutual parents.
• Gain more knowledge of the records created and preserved through both Washtenaw County and the State of Michigan to see what else may be available. 
• Newspaper research on the Brown's of Washtenaw County, Michigan.

From Part Four: Unknown Brown

• Action Item: Order copy of the marriage record between Warren Weatherby and Harriet Brown. Source currently on record is an index only.
• Action Item: Continue to try to track the probate record for Warren Weatherby and obtain a copy. 
• Burial records and grave site for (Harriet Brown) Weatherby.
• Explore the potential of more records & resources available through both Michigan and Missouri. 

Also, the comments and thoughts that came in from you, dear readers, have been extremely helpful and interesting to read through.

Response from Part Two: 

Sep 30, 2012

First thing I hypothesize. Was he a preacher? If the picture is your person of interest, this would be a good lead as the apparel would suggest it. 

No, Oscar was not a preacher. I am assuming this is who you are asking about, because this is the only photo on the post of a male. He was retired military, but spent the rest of his years as a farmer and state senator. 
Second, Their would have to be a Marriage record for Tolman Brown & Mary Morvie.

This is something I have been unable to locate. The assumption is that they were married in New York, but I do not know which county. I have a few places I have tried, but so far, nothing.
Further, the history surrounding Michigan during this time period would undoughtedly coincide with Canada. Also surname "Morvie" seems off have you ever considered "Moreau", it's French and that would be extremely prominent throughout the regions at hand. I personally would play around with spellings and browse collections as a whole. Looks like you have a lot accomplished already that marriage record may give you the location that would take you to where you want to go.

This is something I have not considered, and I very much appreciate the idea. "Morvie" came from the marriage record for Oscar Brown, and of course its very possible that it was phonetic or misspelled. Thank you for this! 

Response from Part Four: 

Oct 8, 2012

This might be a good place to apply Elizabeth Shown Mill's FAN principle (Friends, Associates, Neighbors). 

If Harriet and Warren were married in MI did Warren's family live there? Working the Weatherby line in MI might lead to a closer association with the Brown family than just this one marriage. Particularly when you consider that Warren Weatherby was also born in NY according to the census image in this post. 

While Warren's probate record will be interesting in its own right it is rather unlikely to provide you much insight into Harriet's ancestors. Are there any tax rolls in MO or MI that might help you narrow down when Warren and Harriet moved? This might lead to a newspaper item or land sales that could include Brown mentions.

What was Warren an merchant of? Was this his trade in MI? A family business maybe. Something either distinct or something common enough to leave records.

Following the Weatherby family may prove just as problematic but I have had some success with this approach. I'd at least run it through your most common research protocols for any low hanging fruit. You never know what you might find.

Well said, and I appreciate the comments. I think that after I complete the items on my "Action Items" list, this approach will be next in the search. Certainly I cannot leave this out, in order to have a reasonably exhaustive search. I may already have some of this, actually, in my notes; but will have to back track to find it. Thank you, again, for the suggestions! 

I'm going to ask those questions one last time: 

1. Has a reasonably exhaustive search been conducted? 
2. What other resources need to be examined? 
3. Who is the most likely candidate to be Oscar's father, based on the evidence collected and the conclusions that have been drawn from said evidence?

I think that after I finish this list, then yes, I have conducted an approrpriate search. Aside from actually traveling to New York and/or Michigan to research on site, there does not seem to be much more that I can do. Knowing as I write this, of course, that the records I continue to acquire may only create more questions, and keep the search very much alive. 

So, who was Oscar's Dad? I'm not sure I'm ready just yet to make that determination, but I still feel that Tolman is the most likely given the circumstantial evidence. Instinct, perhaps? 

What do you think? Are you ready to draw a conclusion on this case? 

Oscar F. Brown
Private holdings of author. 

Brickwall: The Case of Oscar F. Brown, Part Four

Please refer to this previous post for the summary on this multi-part series. Thank you! 

Within this series, I have decided to reevaluate my evidence on Oscar Fitzallen Brown, and the theories surrounding who his father may have been. The ultimate goal is to determine the following: 

1. Has a reasonably exhaustive search been conducted? 
2. What other resources need to be examined? 
3. Who is the most reasonable candidate to be Oscar's father? 

Theory Four: Unknown Brown

In Part One, I mentioned briefly that Oscar was living with his sister, Harriet, in Missouri in the 1860 Census. Her family is at the heart of Theory Four: Unknown Brown.

1860 Census, Salt River Township, Shelby County, Missouri.
Household of W.W.W. Weatherby, including Brown, Oscar F. 

In 1860, Oscar would have been about 28 years of age. Certainly old enough to be out on his own, even with his own family, and carving out a life for himself. Considering the time frame, I have to ask myself what made him move to Missouri from Michigan to live with his sister, versus staying with his parents and/or the rest of his family?  Assuming that previous mentions of his father's death occurring in the late 1850's hold true, it might be one explanation.

Let's examine Harriet Brown for just a moment. First, how do I know that Harriet is Oscar's sibling? 

• She is not listed as a part of the household in the 1850 Census. 
• She is not named in his obituary or any other "story" printed about Oscar and his life.
• She is not listed as witness to his marriage, nor is she in any other vital record currently known to exist for Oscar. 

Way back in 2003, I ordered Oscar's military pension file and any other corresponding documents. Although his military records were minimal, his wife, Frances (Lawrence) Brown had a lengthy widow's pension. Two years ago, I took some time to re-examine the documents included in that file, and found the piece that changed everything for me in this search. 

Letter from Jennie Yoe, from the Widow's Pension file
of Frances (Lawrence) Brown.
Personal holdings of author.

On 7 Oct 1907, one year after Oscar's death, the U.S. Pension Office stamped two letters written on behalf of Frances, or Frankie as the family know's her, written by Jennie E. Yoe and W.T. Yoe. The "testimony" was given in front of the Notary Public of Montgomery County, Kansas, E.S. Mears (or Means). In the letter Jennie Yoe states that she is Oscar's niece, that she had known him since "before the war, and he was guest at my father & mother's house in Shelbina, Mo, after the war, when not employed elsewhere." She also mentions that visits had been made back and forth between the Brown's and the Yoe's since the marriage of Oscar and Frances. (The objective of the letter is to ensure to the Pension Board that Frances was Oscar's widow, his only wife, and the marriage was of one in good standing, giving her rights to a widow's pension.)  The letter from W.T. Yoe, Jennie's husband, was similarly written.

This discovery, of course, stopped me dead in my tracks. Who was Jennie? How was she connected to Oscar? Who's child was she, to be his niece? It did not take me long to find the answers, as the Yoe family is actually quite well documented. 

Located on the KSGenWeb Project is a transcription of Volume 4 of A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, written and compiled by William E. Connelley, Secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka. (Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1918. Pages 1739-1740. Originally transcribed 1998, modified 2003 by Carolyn Ward. http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1918ks/bioi/indetrib.html.)  This text includes a biography of W.T. Yoe and his brother, Charles, who were Editor and President of The Tribune Printing Company, running The Independence Tribune newspaper, one of the "oldest papers in Kansas." From this text: 

"W.T. Yoe is a republican of the old school, a member of the Methodist Church, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights and Ladies of Security and the Sons and Daughters of Justice. A number of years ago he was appointed postmaster at Independence by President Chester A. Arthur, and served three years, resiging before the expiration of his term. Governor Humphrey also appointed him a member of the state board of charities and for a time hew as one of the board of regents of the State Agricultural College at Manhattan. He married Jennie E. Weatherby, a daughter of Warren W. and Harriet Weatherby, both of whom are now deceased. Her father was at one time postmaster at Shelbina, Missouri. Their children are seven: Harriet, living at home with her parents; Roy, on a farm in Southern Montgomery County; Edna May, wife of A.L. Bryan, who lives near Los Angeles, California, and is in the automobile supply business; Earl, foreman in the Tribune printing office at Independence; Ruth, wife of Guy Are of Independence, Mr. Arey being in the oil business; Warren W., with the Petroleum Products Company; and George, in the engineering department for the Kansas Natural Gas Company, employed in the Oklahoma fields."

I was able to locate the Yoe family pretty quickly in U.S. Census records, including 1880, 1900, 1910 and 1920.  The article above led me back to a source I already had: the 1860 Census. I'd had it all along, and knew that Oscar was living with another family in Shelby County, Missouri. From this article and other sources found after the fact, I was able to confirm that he was indeed living with his sister, Harriet (Brown) Weatherby.

Harriet, born around 1819, presumably in New York, married Warren W. Weatherby (1815-1871) in 1842 in Washtenaw County, and had two children: Jennifer Elizabeth (1848 -  ) and Willard (1843 -  ).

Action Item: Order copy of the marriage record between Warren Weatherby and Harriet Brown. Source currently on record is an index only.



Now. Backtrack Harriet Brown to find her parents, and the riddle is solved, right?

Um, right.

I can't seem to find anything on Harriet prior to her marriage. I did find an index for a probate record listing Harriet and Jennie, for Warren Weatherby when he died in 1871. I am hoping to make contact with the appropriate person holding that document soon, though phone calls to date to the historical society listed have proven to be ineffective. Just for the record, though:

Action Item: Continue to try to track the probate record for Warren Weatherby and obtain a copy. 


The 1880 Census lists her as living with her son, Williard, and his wife in Appleton, St. Clair County, Missouri. It indicates that she, and both her parents, were born in New York. I know that she died in Independence  Kansas, indicating that she lived in Jennie's household, or nearby, at the time of her death. I cannot seem to locate her death certificate, however. Such a shame about the 1890 Census... *sigh*.  At this point, I have not been able to locate the cemetery she is buried in, either.

Tracking Harriet has proven to be just as challenging as everything else with the family! (At least, things don't really change much... their descendants can be just as stubborn!)  The period between her birth in 1819 in New York and her marriage in 1842 in Michigan is a large black hole. I have not found a single record indicating a relationship between Harriet and her father, mentioned by name.

Back to the beginning:

1. Has a reasonably exhaustive search been conducted? I have a couple of items to collect, but I really would like to be able to find her burial site, obituary, burial records, etc. It's also possible that Warren Weatherby had a pension file, and therefore Harriet may too, as a widow, so that is an avenue I need to explore. 
2. What other resources need to be examined? Although she died in Kansas, I feel I need to focus on her life in Michigan and Missouri more. So, any further resources would be found there. 
3. Who is the most reasonable candidate to be Oscar's father?  Since this man is not truly "named", it's entirely possible that he is the same as Tolman, William, or Abraham. So, I will hold with the previously made stance that Tolman has the most evidence, direct or indirect, and is still the most likely candidate. 

What's next? One more possible father, and a follow up to all these great comments I've been getting. Keep 'em coming! 

Oscar F. Brown
Personal holdings of author.

Brickwall: The Case of Oscar F. Brown, Part One

Please refer to this previous post for the summary on this multi-part series. Thank you! 

Within this series, I have decided to reevaluate my evidence on Oscar Fitzallen Brown, and the theories surrounding who his father may have been. The ultimate goal is to determine the following: 

1. Has a reasonably exhaustive search been conducted? 
2. What other resources need to be examined? 
3. Who is the most likely candidate to be Oscar's father, based on the evidence collected and the conclusions that have been drawn from said evidence? 

Theory One: Abraham Brown

In the obituary for Oscar Fitzallen Brown, Abraham is listed as his father. Although the hand written notes on this photo copy indicate the newspaper is not known, I have since been able to determine that this was printed in the Central City NonPareil, Merrick County, Nebraska on 18 October 1906. 

Additionally, this was printed in The Freeland, 19 October 1906, Page 10: 

"Died in Central City, Nebraska, on Saturday October 19 at 75 years of age. Buried at Richland cemetery, with services in Richland Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, and at the grave side. Oscar was one of the early homesteaders North East of Richland. He was heavily involved in community service including public affairs, school boards, grange organizer, delegate to conventions, and acting as an assessor."

 Assuming the dates in the obituary are correct, or even within a year or two, Oscar and his family should be listed in the following census records and locations:

• 1840: Michigan. In order to narrow down this search, I am forced to include information from other sources, as the 1840 Census did not list anyone by name other than the head of household, who would have been Abraham. The obituary states that Oscar had four older siblings, so the family should have included a husband and wife, and five children. That is, of course, making some rather large assumptions. At this time, no likely candidates have been found. There are two sources that list a possible move date for the family to have left New York and gone to Michigan: this obituary, and a Political Ticket for Oscar from The Columbus Journal, October 21, 1882, Platte County, Nebraska, when he ran for State Senate. In that column, it states he was born in Danville, now Town of Sanford, in Broome County, New York in 1832 and moved to Michigan only two years later, putting the family there in 1834, versus the 1836 date that the obituary suggests (born in 1831, moved at age of 5 years). To be thorough, a similar search of the 1840 Census was conducted for the family in New York, and three results came back as potential matches, however, their locations were far from what I would have expected to see for Oscar and Abraham. I backed up ten years, looking for 1830, and again, nothing was found that would indicate a match to this family without more information. Also, the Town of Sanford was contacted, and no record of birth for Oscar Brown exists, though they indicated that much of their historical collection was lost to flood several years ago (Letter dated 13 Feb 2007, Town Clerk/Registrar).

Action Item: Try to obtain a copy of the original newspaper article for Oscar's political ticket. The copy currently held is a transcription. 

• 1850: Michigan. Lists an Oscar F. Brown in the household of Tolman Brown of Pittsfield, Washtenaw County. No other candidates for Oscar were found in this census in the correct state. 
• 1860: Michigan or Missouri: Located in the household of W.W.W. Weatherby and his wife, Harriet, living in Salt River Township, Shelby County, Missouri. Later determined that Harriet and Oscar are siblings.
• 1870: Nebraska. Colfax County, Nebraska, living independently as a farmer, born in Michigan (not New York). 
• 1880: Nebraska: Richland, Colfax County, Nebraska, with wife Frances and two children, as well as two boarders. Birth place listed as New York. 
• 1900: Nebraska. Central City, Merrick County, in a household with wife Frances and his two youngest children, born in New York. 

In 1890, Nebraska conducted a Special Census of Civil War survivors and/or their widows along with the state census. Oscar is listed as a resident of Richland, Nebraska at this time.

Moving away from census records, I have not been able to locate vital, property, tax, probate or any other record for an Abraham Brown, father of Oscar. Since this is the only real information I have on Abraham, searching for such a common name has not been easy, nor fruitful.

Other records provide nothing to support the theory that Oscar's father was Abraham, and we will get into these in more detail as the series continues, but Abraham is not found on his marriage record, death record, military records, etc. In fact, the only mention of Abraham that I can confirm is the obituary.

I have been able to confirm two of Oscar's sister's: Harriet (mentioned above) and Mary. Both list other men as their father (not only are they not Abraham, they don't match each other, either.)

Considering the obituary is an indirect source (meaning, someone besides Oscar or his father would have had to have given the information to the newspaper), I am going to officially mark Abraham as "not very likely" in the race to be Oscar's paternal ancestor.

I am going to conclude by answering my initial questions:

1. Has a reasonably exhaustive search been conducted? Based on the information I can confirm as of now, I believe it has. There is more history beyond what has been touched on here, I have just featured the highlights, and truly, I have attempted every search configuration I can think of utilizing just the combination of names. Unless further information is obtained to narrow down the parameters of the search, I have done what I can do. 
2. What other resources need to be examined?  This is not something I can answer at this time. Without further details on this individual, I would not know where to start looking or what to look at. It would be like looking for hay in the hay stack.  
3. Who is the most likely candidate to be Oscar's father, based on the evidence collected and the conclusions that have been drawn from said evidence? Only time will tell... stay tuned for theory number two! 

Capt. Oscar F. Brown
Personal archives of author.

The Family of John H. Lawrence and Sarah Evans

John Horatio Lawrence and Sarah Evans came together about 1835 in Lockport, Niagra County, New York. They had ten children, and both lived to their mid '70's.

Let's get the facts out of the way:

• John Horatio Lawrence, born 2 Jan 1806 in Birmingham, West Midlands, England. Died 29 Apr 1880 in Colfax County, Nebraska.
• Sarah Evans, born 7 Aug 1816 in New York, and died 22 Feb 1892 in Brighton, Adams County, Colorado. 

John H. Lawrence, Sr.
Personal archives of author.

The family story tells us that John served in the English Army, including at least one tour in India, and eventually made his way to the U.S. in June 1829 at the age of 26. He was the youngest son of the family, with only one surviving sibling, Ann King, who was ten years older than he. His parents are said to have had ten children, the other eight all died in infancy. The father was a silversmith in the English middle class, and his uncle was knighted, prior to 1830, "based on his achievement as an artist." In 1840, the legend continues, John's mother died in England, and he traveled back home to attend the funeral. His money was stolen from him on the boat, and it took him twice as long to come home.

The couple moved from the Lockport area to Pennsylvania, then finally to Ohio, eventually setting in Wakeman. John was said to be a shoemaker, learning his trade from Sarah's adopted father.

Sarah Evans. Her early life is a mystery. Again, we return to the family oral history. Sarah's birth father was killed when she was three years old, by a man who was the former property owner of the family farm. There is not mention of her mother, but the large family was supposedly scattered, and the Kaiser's adopted Sarah as their only child. They were well off, and she had a good childhood. When Sarah and John married, Mr. & Mrs. Kaiser offered them property and income, as a partner in his business, if they remained in the area. It didn't last too long, because by 1841 they were in Pennsylvania. She must have been well educated, as later in life, she wrote for a newspaper in Silver Creek, Nebraska. Other sources name her as the "daughter of a Methodist minister."

Sarah Evans Lawrence
Personal archives of author.

Lafayette was the first, born in 1838. Then came Sarah Ann, John Horatio, Jr., Mortimer James, Blanche, Augustus Warner, Edward, Mary Josephine, Frances Elizabeth, and finally William Henry in 1856. Soon after William's birth, John and Sarah separated, and he left the family. Sarah and the elder children struggled, but were able to adapt. Thanks to the success of son, Mortimer, and his biography in A History of Cleveland, Ohio: Biographical. Illustrated, Volume II, by Samuel Peter Orth.  (The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1910, Chicago-Cleveland. Page 596), we have more details about that time in the life of the family. Mrs. Lawrence supported her family through carpet weaving and "other work".


In 1896, A Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve was edited by Gertrude Van Rensselear Wickham, (Published under the auspices of the Woman's Department of the Cleveland Centennial Commission 2 volumes, 1896; reprint, Middleton, KY.: Wihiporwill Press, 1981, pages 559-563). In it, this quote: "Mrs. Lawrence (Sarah Evans) came later. She must have been a bonnie lass, for in middle life she was fair to look upon, she was a constant reader, and wielded a ready pen. It was to this intellectual mother, probably, that her son. M. J. Lawrence of the OHIO FARMER owes his many gifts." (Transcribed by Cathi Vannice 01 January 2002, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohhuron/pwakeman.htm.)

As their children began to marry and move, John and Sarah did also. For a time, both lived near the Colfax County area of Nebraska, and they appeared to reunite as a married couple again in their later years. John passed first, and is buried in Nebraska. Sarah moved farther west to live with son, Mortimer and his family in Colorado. Here, she wrote a letter to her daughter Frances back in Nebraska, talking about the home and its extravagance in running water, indoor baths and toilets. She talks of her son and daughter-in-law's busy lives, and her loneliness as she sat in her upstairs room, watching the world go by on the street below, with no one to keep her company.

The Lawrence home in Denver, where Sarah spent her last years.
Personal archives of author. 

John and Sarah left a legacy of intrigue and just plain great genealogy. Their children were involved in newspapers, politics, wars - including at least two recorded prisoners of war, held by the Confederates - and murder.

Which hashtag is right for me? #Twitter

Recently, Marian Pierre-Louis posed a question on Google+:

"Question for all you social media friends out there: Have any of you ever done a study to determine which Twitter keywords have strong, loyal followings and which keywords seem to remain rapid fire and random without a core group? Just wondering..."

Although she was not referring to specifically genealogy related terms, her questions and further comments were intriguing to me, so I decided to do a little digging.

I found the site, www.HashTracking.com. You input a hashtag, and it tells you how many original tweets, retweets and mentions used that tag in the last twenty-four hours.

Here's a quick look at my results. I did this from 4:10pm - 4:15pm on 11 June 2012. For comparison purposes, I used common genealogy tags that I've seen used:

• #genealogy: 359 original tweets, 89 retweets, 21 mentions
• #familyhistory: 98 original tweets, 26 retweets, 7 mentions
• #ancestry: 28 original tweets, 2 retweets, 0 mentions
• #history: 829 original tweets, 552 retweets, 119 mentions
• #socialmedia: 1194 original tweets, 269 retweets, 37 mentions
• #archives: 187 original tweets, 81 retweets, 4 mentions

 I think, simply, an interesting look at the use of social media as our community continues to grow online. Personally, I try to use as many as possible in each post, within the confines of 140 characters.

The question posed is still one to be considered, and I thank Marian for putting it out there for us to spend a few minutes pondering. I would pass it forward to all of you: what hashtags do you use regularly, what do you use in passing?

Baaaaa.... Black Sheep

Creative Commons: scenicreflections.com

Black sheep.

Life is full of interesting characters, and some of those are considered the "bad guys," the "oddballs," the skeletons in the closet. My own husband claims to be one.

I firmly believe its important to research them, to learn about them. Certainly they must be included in any client research or volunteer project.

The question is, what do you do with them in your own family? Especially when no one else wants to talk about them?

Do you even blog about them?

Here's an example. When my great-grandfather was a young man in Nebraska, he got married, and they had one baby; a girl. The marriage failed, and he got on a train westbound, settled in Washington, married again and had a new family. No one ever really knew about the first wife, the daughter; that entire part of his history was completely absent from our collective knowledge as a family until I discovered the marriage certificate. That started to bring back some of the story.

If that's not sheepy enough for you, here's the rest of the story.

Researching the first wife and daughter led me to an interesting website; the archives of the Nevada state penitentiary system. The mother/daughter combo stayed in Nebraska, and the daughter got married there. Eventually, the couple headed west themselves, and made it to Nevada. In the 1930s, he came across a young couple, a soldier and his wife, along a quiet highway in the desert. He murdered them. Caught and thrown in jail, he was sentenced to the death penalty, and his life was ended behind the walls of the Nevada prison system.

They had children. They have descendants. Bet you can guess not one of them wants to talk about Grandpa or his wife.

So, now we know that these people exist, that we all came from a common ancestor in my great-grandfather. But, they want nothing to do with us, understandably, they don't want to relive, as a family, the history of their grandfather. I've decided to leave it alone. They know how to reach us if they ever change their minds, and in the meantime, my family has an interesting story to talk about among ourselves.

You'll note in this post, I haven't used any names. That's intentional too. Stories like this affect all of us, and it would be just as easy for a member of that second family to come across this post as it would be for one of my family. So, to respect their decision and their privacy, I've left out those  details.

Perhaps if I'd known them longer, had a more personal relationship with them, I would have pushed harder for information. I'm really more interested in their grandmother, anyway, the daughter of my great-grandfather. I want to know if they have any pictures of her, to see the family resemblance. I want to know if she knew about us growing up, to know if her mother told her about the family in Washington.

What does that family know about us that we don't?

Because of the black sheep, however, we may never find out. Perhaps someday our descendants will connect again, but for now, I am forced to let it sit.

What do you do with your black sheep? How do you deal with the emotional side effects that your research brings back to the surface for your family members?  I would love to hear your thoughts...