Did You Hit the Ad's?

One of the joys I find in genealogical research is digging through historic newspapers. It's fun! Yes, we can gain a great deal of insight and real life experiences of our ancestors from these incredible resources, but there is more. Scanning the headlines, reading the quick notices, the short articles; all of that comes together to create an astonishing experience  placing yourself in that moment in time.

Summit County Journal, Breckenridge, Colorado.
1 Sep 1917, Page 8.

One thing I make sure to look for in newspaper searches is the advertisements. Have you stopped to investigate these as genealogy source? Just this advertisement for the Rogers Furniture & Undertaking Company from Breckenridge, Colorado tells you so much information: location, what they did, note the Proprietress is Mrs. J. GOUGH, and the year the business began. Knowing what I do about Breckenridge history, the date given of 1880 makes sense; the town was created in 1859 and by 1880, it was thriving. Now I know where else to look: 1880 Federal Census, 1885 Colorado State Census, cemetery records (because they acted as Undertakers and Funeral Directors), etc.

Consider the other aspects as well. As a business, they were doing well enough to afford a reasonably sized advertisement in the local paper, but not well enough to get it on the first page (it was found on page 8). In 1917, Mrs. Gough felt confident enough in her role to list herself as the "manager"; or was it that she felt a feminine touch was necessary in this particular industry?

Try a series of dates to learn more!  We can use Robert "Bob" Lott, former resident of Breckenridge, as a fantastic example. When he passed away in 1913, his friends in the community gathered to give him a proper headstone, in the "Pauper Section" of Valley Brook Cemetery. His headstone was so fascinating, it absolutely demanded more attention:

Copyright Jen Baldwin, Ancestral Journeys, 2011.

Although there is little mention of Mr. Lott in standard newspaper articles of the time period, and even less in community historical documents, there are a lot of ad's. I have learned that he went from catering - delivering meals to your home - to owning his own restaurant, partnering with at least three other men in town of varying degrees of status and luck, finally moving back to his original spot in town, where he ran a successful steak house for several years. He was the only African American living in Summit County, Colorado at the time of his death (per his obituary). Just from the newspaper pieces alone, I have been able to establish a decent timeline of his adult life, leading to further investigation. I hope to someday have his life story; where he came from, and how he ended up in the mountains of Colorado. His is one story of our community that deserves to be remembered, and its up to me, since he left no descendants. 

I have to wonder: Oysters or "Rocky Mountain Oysters"?
Summit County Journal, Breckenridge, Colorado.
5 Jan 1907, Page 5.

Have you gained invaluable data from newspaper articles? Do you have one to share? Please let me know! Leave a comment or a link, and I'll be sure to connect with you. 

Where Were They? The Day Standard Time Began

Where were they?  A real question, worthy of evaluating. In the past, we have relived a blizzard and extreme heat. Today, our moment in history is a human development; that of "standard time."

White Pine Cone, White Pine, Gunnison County, Colorado Newspaper
30 Nov 1883, Page 3
Part of an article explaining the change to Standard Time.

18 November 1883. The railroads in the United States and Canada adopt "Standard Time" to unify the schedules and routes across the continent. Starting at exactly noon, we divided into time zones using hour differentials; the same system still in place today. The idea did not necessarily change life as a whole for the average American, it took some time for the effects to spread. The idea of daylight savings time was first concocted by Benjamin Franklin, during his time as Ambassador in France, in 1748, but was not instigated until the 1900's. (Source on all above facts: http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/d.html.)

So, where were they?

Where were my ancestors when standard time went "live"? Were they about to board a train? Were they out in the wilderness and had no idea this was even happening?

Let's find out.

My usual suspects will make their presence known once again: Oscar F. Brown and Eilert Heerten. I've also decided to try to include some folks that were in more urban environments.

The date in question is 18 November 1883. Oscar was 51 years of age, had a wife and four kids, with two more to come later. They were living in Richland, Nebraska, having given up the homesteading life, and Oscar was serving a two year term as a State Senator. We can assume from his "in town" political activity that the family knew of the adoption of standard time. The railway had been in Richland since 1866, and in 1879, they had a grocery store (http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/colfax/richland/). The town was well on its way by 1883.  I wonder if and when the State Senate made the switch? From what I've read, it started with the railroads, and took some time for the rest of society to catch on, so did governments switch earlier than the rest of society? Would the Brown's have adapted to the new system to make life more seamless for Oscar in his public office, or did he just adjust from his personal to professional life?

Eilert's whereabouts during this time are a little more uncertain. We know he was in Illinois in 1875, and in Nebraska by 1890, but those in between years are a little gray. For the purposes of this post, I'm going to assume he was already in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, since its only a few years off.   

From what I have been able to find, the Nebraska Northeastern Railway Company and the Burlington-Northern San Francisco (BNSF) currently run routes near Springview, the county seat. Both of these also run near Ainsworth, in neighboring Brown County, which is where the Heerten family is buried. However, the railroading history in the area began in 1883, with the arrival of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (in fact, the town of Ainsworth was named after one of the rail construction engineers); which may seem relatively late to most for the first train. I would have to guess that since the rails were not a significant part of life for the north central area of Nebraska residents, then neither was the designated change to "standard time" in late 1883.

What about those that resided in the cities, or in major transportation hubs? Did it make a bigger difference?

In 1883, the McGowan family was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Patrick worked in the steel industry, and Elizabeth, or "Lizzie", was at home, pregnant with their first of ten children, who would be born Mary Ann.  Knowing little about the steel industry in 1883, I can only assume that they had ties to the railroad system for shipping their material out from their factory or, at the very least, a distribution center of some sort. So, again, I think that my 2nd great grandfather Patrick would have been aware of the new program, and that it affected his work life in some way. (Of course, I've just created a whole new line of research for myself, haven't I?)


How long, I wonder, did it really take for standard time to gain a foothold in every day life.  It must have felt very unnatural to some, to start watching the clock, versus just watching the sun. Did some folks fight it; just absolutely adamantly refuse to adapt? Or did they shrug it off, downplaying the impact on their routines and way of life. It would have mattered, eventually, even in the most basic ways. Churches, government offices, schools, stores and markets. They all would have had to adopt the idea at some point.

Do you think your ancestor welcome standard time with open arms, or did they argue that it was unnecessary and unnatural?

Perhaps, only time will tell...

Geography in Genealogy

They go hand in hand. Geography and genealogy are - must be! - intertwined in your research journey. Following the path of an ancestral line opens new doors, exposes new details and provides new ideas on every branch of the family tree.

Let's go back to Oscar for a great example of what I mean. We'll stick to the geography specific information here.

• Born in New York. 
• Moved to Michigan as a toddler.
• Lived with sister and family in Missouri as a young adult.
• Enlisted in Union forces in Missouri Cav, originally. 
• After the war, he went back to Missouri for a couple of years.
• Homesteaded in Nebraska, spent the remainder of his years in a three county area.

Part of Oscar Brown's Homestead file.
Personal holdings of author.

I know the family moved to Michigan because Oscar ran for state senate at one point, and that tidbit was included in his political ticket in the local newspaper. From there, I was able to locate possible property records held by his assumed father, and the grave of his sister, leading to her family. I never would have found any of that if I had not known he spent time in Michigan.

On the 1860 census, he is listed in the household of his sister in Missouri. When I first found him here, I did not realize it was his sister, but was later able to match the family connection using documents in his pension file. From that information, I searched the Shelby County, Missouri area much more thoroughly, and was able to find employment records for him there after the war. We always assumed he went immediately to Nebraska, but that was not the case. Again, without the geography, those records would not have been located.

His homestead records, the remainder of his census records and other family information tell me about his life in Nebraska, along with that of his wife and children.

Even with all the records in the world, knowing what they experienced in their day to day is so meaningful to so many of us. I have a secret weapon in this part of the search: National Geographic.

The photos, the maps, oh my! A true world treasure, National Geographic has been documenting history since 1888.

This year, I obtained a copy of The Complete National Geographic software. Love it! Immediate access to every issue, every page, right on my desktop! If you have not explored this resource, I highly recommend it. (Note, National Geographic and its affiliates and I have no connection. I am not being compensated in anyway for this mention in my blog.) Simple searches on the software cd's provide exciting and informative background information on many facets of my ancestors' lives, and the places they lived. I have been able to fill my tree with amazing facts, and those maps! I could go on and on about the maps...

Have a great geography resource? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Quick Review: Special Collections & Family History, BYU Idaho

Here's the basics you need to know:

The Special Collections & Family History site offered by BYU Idaho provides indexes and derivatives of genealogical resources, focusing on the western states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah.

You can contact them at: (208) 496 - 9536 or familyhistory@byui.edu.

_________________________________

The collection, housed on the Rexburg, Idaho campus, features several valuable and time saving resources for those researching in the west. Of particular interest is the Western States Marriage Record Index, Japanese Immigrants to the United States 1887-1924, and the Idaho, 1890: A Reconstructed Census from the Idaho State Historical Society.

You can follow updates and news from the archives on their blog, BYU-Idaho Family History Center, in which they cover everything from library hours to technology to conferences and regional events.

Go Beyond Records

As genealogists, we are all interested in social history. Well, we should be at least. I recently came across an older blog post, written by Shelley Bishop, on her A Sense of Family site. Her piece, entitled Social History Resources for Genealogists certainly exposed me to some new and great websites to use in my research. Over the years, I have come across a few of my own ideas, and wanted to share some of those, as well. Not necessarily specific resources, but outlets for information.

Did your grandparents
take dancing lessons?

I would say the vast majority of us know the importance of collecting vital information, and for many, the genealogy hunt starts with numbers. It's kinda' like teenagers with Facebook... how many friends do you have? Except our question is, "how big is your file?"  As you mature in your research, the opportunities for social history seem to explode in your face. So, have you thought about...

• Specialized education or training?  Was your ancestor educated outside of public schools or colleges? 
• State licenses? I found my great uncle's fishing license from when he was 25 years old. Cool, huh? 
• Sporting societies?  There was a large Czech population in Colfax County, Nebraska, and their culture brought an emphasis on organized athletics. They had membership papers.
• Olympic Athlete? Maybe your ancestor went a lot farther than local clubs... check out the UK's National Archives; they've just released theirs for the first time online.
• Social clubs, hobbies. Sewing groups, book clubs, you get the idea. Nearly all of these organized groups had membership lists. 
• Occupations, of course, and unions. 
• Military veteran groups. Not just through the government or Veterans of Foregin Affairs (VFA), but groups like the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc. 
• Car clubs!
• Youth groups. What did their children do? Were the parents volunteers? My father and his siblings were very active in the local 4-H Club, and my grandparents were both leaders at one time. I have a considerable collection of club records left over from my grandmother's estate. (Yes, I am trying to get these back to the 4-H where they belong.) You can also search for newspaper records that include these organizations. They may not list your specific ancestor, but if you know already they were members at that time, it can help you put their day to day life together.
• Continuing Education... this is one I think for more recent generations... cooking classes, second languages, etc. 
• Alumni Organizations
• Financial donations... were your ancestors particular active in local or national politics? Did they have a "cause" they worked towards? Were they influential in their religion? Did they have a few dollars to spare? Then you may find them here, in form of a receipt or acknowledgement from the organization.
• Animals... I found a record indicating that my great-great grandfather owned a registered French Draft Horse. I didn't even know there was such a thing before that. 

This list is by no means all inclusive. There are thousands of ways to learn more about their lives and how they spent their time. What motivated them? What were they passionate about?


Think about how they lived, what was happening during their lifetime. My great grandfather grew up in Nebraska, but the oral family history tells us that he "bought a train ticket and went as far west as he could". He ended up getting off the train in Washington State, and settled in a small community. We know already that he ran the local livery stable for some time, he worked on the roads commission, he joined the volunteer fire department and ran the "school bus" for local children. Only later in life, during the recession, did he start working as a farmer again. He lived in town, not out in the country.  That tells you something: he did everything he could to avoid farming.  Those are all clues that would indicate where you could look for records.

I would love to hear what you have discovered, what sources you have used, what stories you have learned. Feel free to leave a comment or a link to your own blog post!

Quick Source Review: JSTOR

JSTOR presents a unique researching opportunity for genealogists and family historians. In the academic world, it is a commonly used and reliable source. From their own website, “…JSTOR is one of the world’s most trusted sources for academic content” (www.jstor.org). It is a part of ITHAKA, an academic preservation not-for-profit. So, what is it, exactly and how can it help me in my genealogy research?

Simply, it is a collection of articles. Journals covering a wide range of topics; publications on Law, Film Studies, Folklore, History, Music, Irish Studies and a vast collection of Scientific Journals… they have thousands of titles available in their database. Run a search, find an article of interest, and download in PDF format. Citation is made easy with their automated cover page for each article. A truly simple system.

The benefits to your research can be truly outstanding. A quick search for “Chicago” resulted in nearly 62,000 hits. An article dated 1867 came up within the first ten results. The historical perspective can add a wealth of knowledge and information to your family history.

The database has free content, and they have a relatively standard agreement policy. When you conduct a search, start by choosing the Advanced Search option. Enter your terms, and then select the “Include Only Content I Can Access” option. This will display only the free results.

It is most certainly a site worth exploring. 

Writing for The In-Depth Genealogist

Hello All!

I want to thank you for reading my blog over the past months. I have enjoyed the challenge it presents me and look forward to many more years of writing about my family history.

I would also like to share that I have taken on a new role, writing for the digi-mag, The In-Depth Genealogist. I am very excited about this project, and I hope you will be too! IDG has a simple mission statement, but one that every genealogist, on any level, can understand: "contribute to the advancement of all genealogists."

My contributions will be on state resources from across the country. If you have something wonderful you would like me to look at, please feel free to contact me. I am proud to join a group of respected professionals from all corners of this country.

You can read about IDG and my role on their website: http://www.theindepthgenealogist.com/.

Thank you, and have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,

Jen

Why an Index is Only A Starting Point

Indexes to available local records are becoming more and more common across the internet, and these resources can be incredibly helpful. It is important to remember though that these lists are a starting point for your research, not the end result.

Let's compare to make our point.

There are a few wonderful state or county sponsored sites that I have come across in researching my family. One of which is the Washington State Digital Archives and the other is the Madison County, Alabama Records Center.  Both have excellent resources for genealogists, and both are very supportive in the efforts of the research community. I have interacted with both organizations on the phone as well as via email, and have found them to be incredibly friendly and welcoming of questions and inquiries.

The most significant difference between the two is this: Washington State has started to digitize their records and make some of the images available on line, via the site. So when you conduct a search, you get not only the index of the record source, but you can download or purchase a copy of the actual record. That's about as good as its going to get.

The Records Center for Madison County has the advantage of offering indexes on a variety of record sources; some of which are rather unique to that area. Although they do not offer online images, their copying costs are extremely minimal, which is nice to see these days.

Many indexes provide as much information as the actual document, so what is the difference?  Can't I just take the info from the index and not bother to request (and commonly pay for) the actual record?

Well, yes, you can. But as an intentional researcher, by which I mean a person who is truly trying to compile and quality and well thought out family history, you have to ask yourself some questions when using an index as a "source."

1. How do you know the transcriber read all of the information correctly? 
2. How do you know there isn't more to learn by gaining access to the actual record? 
3. Can you be 100% positive that this is the correct individual? What if the records were transcribed over a period of time, and the person creating the index got them out of order? 
4. What if the original is damaged, and the transcriber made a "best guess"? 
5. Is the name of the person you are looking for a common one? How can you be sure that the index you have found belongs to your Chris Thompson, and not his cousin, Chris Thompson, who lives three doors down? 

Numerous what if's exist in this situation, too many to list here. 

All the talk recently has been centered around the 1940 Census, and the push to get it indexed. If you have volunteered in this effort, you know exactly what I'm referring to. Handwriting, abbreviations, wrinkles in the page, crossed out lines, small print... all of these things and more can get in the way of an accurate index. 

Take the time, put in the extra effort, even the cash if necessary, to get a copy of the record before you make any conclusions. I promise you, its worth it. 

One Mother: Four Birth Certificates; Finding Mistakes in Vital Records

Most genealogists rely on basic information on an individual to build a simple profile of that person's life. Once you have those pieces, the rest of their history is much easier to accumulate. The birth, marriage and death dates and locations are extremely important to building a strong case in your research. Those vital's, the BMD, are typically the first items you look for upon learning of a new ancestor.

We have to remember, however, that those forms were completed by humans. Even those found in recent history commonly have errors and misspellings. Just because its on a BMD record, does not mean its correct. This post will give you an example of that situation.

One Mother: Four Birth Certificates

(Because this example is about real people, who are still alive, actual names have been replaced with those out of my imagination.)

Sally Lorraine Kniver married William J. Wilson in 1960 in Birmingham, Alabama. William was a military man, so they lived in various places along the eastern seaboard during their early years as a family. They had four children in all, born in three different states. The two eldest children, the son and the first daughter, have birth certificates from Maryland and Alabama respectively. Both of those have correct information, with no errors. The other two daughters, however, are different.

The third child was also born in Maryland. The certificate lists birthplace of the babies father and mother, and while William Wilson was born in Washington, it was Washington State, not Washington D.C. as listed on the certificate. Additionally, the information on the mother's residence is incorrect:

Usual Residence of Mother:
State: DC
County: Enumclaw
City or Town: Wash DC

An address is also listed, which happens to be located in Enumclaw, King County, Washington. As a District, Washington DC does not actually reside in a "county", so obviously the information listed on the certificate is confused at best. If you were to just use the information on the certificate of this child alone, as a researcher, you may be quite lost as to where this woman actually lived. (Until you Googled "Enumclaw" that is - trust me, there is only one of those.)

Finally, the fourth child, and last girl of the family. Born in Enumclaw, Washington after William left his military service. The majority of information on her vital record is correct, except for the spelling of her mother's maiden name. The correct spelling is KNIVER, but the record has it as KNIVED. A small error, but another likely to cause confusion, especially with the novice researcher.

If you had all four of these birth records, you would be able to make highly educated assumptions about the family, do some additional research, and find the correct information fairly easily. However, if you have only one or two, and at least one of those has errors, it could certainly lead you down the wrong path. It is important to remember to search along the branches of your tree, just as much as the trunk. In other words, research the siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles along with your direct ancestral line to find as much information as possible; in order to build an accurate and full family history.

Records can be fudged, errors are made, even in today's world. In the above examples, the children were all born in the 1970's, and although corrections have been made to the records, there are many more out there that sit in error.

Example of a Vital Record: Certificate of Marriage

Mortimer J. Lawrence

The Lawrence family was essentially split in two, financially speaking. One side had siblings that were farmers, nearly destitute, with several children to each family and visibly struggling. On the other was Uncle Mortimer, or "Mort" and Warren. Together, they owned, operated and edited The Ohio Farmer and other monthly publications.

Mortimer liked to travel, and there are several surviving letters and postcards from his journeys in the family archives today. There did not seem to be any tension between the farmers back in Nebraska and the well to do Uncle, at least none that is obvious from their correspondance. Mortimer especially kept in touch with his niece, Carrie Brown, daughter of Frances (his sister) and Oscar. 

Front Image

Postcard from Brazil

Mortimer James Lawrence was born 8 Dec 1843 in Springfield, Pennsylvania to John Horatio Lawrence, Sr. and Sarah Evans. By the 1860 census, the family was residing in Ohio, and this is where he enlisted for service in the 3rd Ohio Cavalry, Co. B. He was captured and served time as a POW in Andersonville Prison. In 1866, after the war, he attended Bryant & Stratton Commercial College in Oberlin, and spent several years working in the news industry in the Cleveland area. By 1887, he owned a home in Denver, Colorado, which had running water and electricity, and he was the President & Owner of the People's Savings and Deposit Bank.

On June 25, 1888, the Charter was issued to the thirty ninth Shrine Temple, the El Jebel Shrine, in Denver. During their first meeting, Mortimer suggested the name, "El Jebel", meaning "The Mountain" in Arabic.

On 20 Dec 1866, Mortimer married Hellen J. Mattison, of Cleveland, and they had four sons: M. Lyman, George Stone, Mortimer William, and Paul Terry.

Throughout his life, he resided in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington D.C., New York, and Florida, and had traveled to Brazil, the Bahamas, Europe, and sailed extensively throughout the Atlantic on his yacht. A few days before his death, his former business associate, W.W. Porter, dreamed of it happening. Mortimer passed away on 30 Nov 1922 in Washington, D.C. 

Website Review: Colorado State Archives Historical Records Index Search

This post is an overview of the Historical Records Index Search system on the Colorado State Archives website. You can find this immensely helpful Colorado resource here:

Colorado State Archives: http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/
Colorado Historical Records Index main page: http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/hrd/index.htm

If you are researching the State of Colorado, the Archives is a must hit resource. By indexing the available records, they have provided historians and genealogists with a easy to use and free resource, allowing researchers to identify possible records prior to visiting the Archives or making requests for copies.

There are numerous databases available, and you can see the list at the bottom of the Index main page (link above).  The last update was made 25 June 2012, and at that time, there were 2,243,831 entries. If you need information on a specific record type, you can peruse the Records Descriptions page, which lists each resource individually. Included in the site is everything from federal census', "Amache Japanese Internment Camp Teachers", "Prohibition Arrests", "Non-Fatal Mine Accidents", county records, and much more.

When you conduct a search, the system will display the first 200 matches, and no more. You cannot move to page two. If you are searching for "Bill Jones", all record types, in Denver, you will need to be more specific to find who and what you are looking for. However, if you are searching a rather unusual name, for example, "Widmeyer" you can be rather vague in your search terms. Please note, the system does not use Soundex, so you will have to search all the various spellings you can think of to find all of the resources available.

Searches can be conducted by last name only, first name only, or a combination. "Smith, John" or Smith, Jo" for example. You can also search by county, year range, and record type.

Although the site states that Internet Explorer works best, I have been solely using Chrome, and it has worked fine for me.

Images are not available through the site, only derivatives. You can order records through the site, however, which is a nice feature. When you have found a record you are interested in purchasing, simply click the box next to it in the results list, and hit the "Add/Remove to Inquiry" button at the top of the spreadsheet. When you are done searching, and have added all the records to your inquiry, click on the "Complete Email Request" button, and you will be led to an online form to complete. Their fee system is listed at the bottom of this post.

The State Archives also has several other resources and historically interesting links:
Digital Archives
Family History Site
Governor Ritter Historical Archives
Governor Owens Historical Archives
Listen to D-Day Radio Broadcasts
Digital Trademarks


The Colorado State Archives is managed by Terry Ketelsen.

Found at 1313 Sherman, Room 1B20, Denver, Colorado 80203, you can contact them via phone at: 303-866-2358. The public research room is open 9:00am - 4:30pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. They are closed on weekends and Wednesdays, and state holidays.

General Requests
Colorado Residents: $15.00 per search or name to include 3 pages of copies with additional pages of copy work at $1.25 per page.
Out of State Requests: $25.00 per search or name to include 3 pages of copies with additional pages of copy work at $1.25 per page.
Certified Copies: $10.00 and up per document.
Professional Assistance: $28.00 per hour charged in fifteen minute intervals ($7.00 for every fifteen minutes.)

Specific Requests
Corporation Searches: $25.00 per corporation to include 3 pages of copies with additional pages of copy work at $1.25 per page.
Radon Searches: $25.00 per name to include 3 pages of copies with additional pages of copy work at $1.25 per page.

There Is A Line: The Difference Between Collaboration and Cheating

Recently, I had a message sent to me on my www.ancestry.com account. Here is a person asking for access to my private tree, so she can "use" my information. I have several concerns about this. Let me state now, before I get going on my rant, that I am in no way affiliated with Ancestry.com, except for the fact that I purchase access to their system.

I actually have several tree's on ancestry. All the projects I work on eventually end up there. I think of them as rough drafts, and that is the primary reason why I keep them private. I do not want anyone using me as a resource when the original is about as far from polished as you can get. The tree's are like a working theory; as I find clues or names that may (or may not) help me, I add them in to see what will happen. It allows me the creative freedom to prove or disprove a theory or assumption. Sometimes, I can delete that new idea immediately - it's obviously not a match to who I'm looking for. There are other times when an idea becomes its own tree, so I can continue to progress in my work at a later date and time. (See, I have this thing called a toddler. She's not exactly willing to let Mommy sit at the computer all day.) Life interrupts, so I have to save it all and come back to it again and again. Not everything on my tree's are correctly cited, not everything has been judged against the Genealogical Proof Standard. Therefore, it is private.

As much as I value the resources that Ancestry.com provides to me, it is not the end all and be all of genealogical research. There is so much more out there to investigate. The vast majority of that work goes into a much different database on my hard drive, and never gets posted to an individual's online profile.

When I send a message on ancestry, it goes something like this...

"Hello, I'm looking for information on So-And-So and his wife, Mrs. So-And-So. Here is what I know about them already: he was born... she was born... they married on this day, year... they lived here... they had these children... they are buried... Thank you so much for your time and consideration in sharing any new information you may have."


Etc., etc., etc.

I include as many details as I think I can without losing the interest of the reader. I do this to show that I am willing to share as much as I give, I am genuine, and I care about the ancestor in question. I care about the researcher's credibility and the ancestor's "online image" so to speak. I can recite that last line verbatim, because that is how I have been ending my messages and emails for collaboration requests for as long as I can remember. This is personal stuff. It doesn't get any more personal than your family. People out there in the genealogical community generally recognize this fact, and strive to ensure that the trust and respect from one researcher to another is displayed upon first contact; and continues to be present and obvious as long as the collaboration continues. It is displayed in comments and credits given to each researcher.

Please, don't be a cheater. Collaborate with the world, but don't cheat. Take credit for your individual work, and give credit where credit is due. It's very important, and unfortunately, its rampant in amateur and hobbyist genealogy.

The Adams Family

Buried together in a small corner of the Valley Brook Cemetery in Breckenridge, Colorado, sits the Adams Family: Josie, Marie Therese (mother), Paul G., and Philip P., (father). Little Josie caught my interest first, as early deaths are wont to do, and tucked on my maternal heart strings. Today I got the chance to take a look at her family in a more structured and intentional way. 

Adams Family Plot

Josie Adams did not survive for long in the sometimes extreme environment of Summit County, Colorado. Born in September, she lived just over a year.

According to the 1900 and 1910 census records for Summit County, Philip was born in Germany, and arrived in the United States in 1880. The State of Colorado Historical Records Index Search (http://www.colorado.gov) revealed nothing, neither did the Bureau of Land Management General Land Office Records database (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx). Since both of these are initial search resources for me, I had to dig a little deeper. The 1920 census reveals that Philip became a Naturalized Citizen in 1894, but does not mention the still living Marie in the same household, though it does say that Philip is still married.

Census records tell me that Marie was born in Wisconsin. The 1900 Federal Census provides a marriage date of 1883, and I was able to locate a marriage record in the BYU Idaho Special Collections & Family History (http://abish.byui.edu) system for Philip Adams of Breckenridge and Threasa KLANKA of Breckenridge, 24 May 1884 (Western States Marriage Record Index, ID 349647, Vol. A, Page 21). The marriage took place in Breckenridge, so this is more than likely the correct Philip and Therese.  Using the spelling of her first name provided by the headstone, rather than the alternate on the marriage index, searching for Therese Klanka born in Wisconsin in 1859 on FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) gives me the following result:
1870 Federal Census, Therese KLENKE, born 1859, Wisconsin. Daughter of Anton and Dore, sister to Herman and Carl. Residing in the Town of Herman, Sheboygan County, about 65 miles north of Wisconsin, just inland from the shore of Lake Michigan.

From what I have already collected, the Adams also had children Dora, Agnes and Clara, all born in Colorado. So what happened to them? Since they all survived at least long enough to be recorded in the 1900 Census, they probably married and moved on with their new families.

Paul G. Adams, born Sept. 13, 1885, is also buried in Valley Brook next to his parents and baby sister. The General Land Office Records database (see above link) tells us that he obtained property in Baca County, Colorado in 1920; but the 1930 census has him back in Breckenridge. Where will he be in 1940, I wonder? Guess I still have a few days before that information becomes available... (see the 1940 U.S. Census Project for more information!)

If I had the inclination and time, I would order Philip's naturalization papers to see what else I could learn. However, for the purpose of this summary, I believe I have said enough. Please note all of the above resources were accessed on 25 Mar 2012, and a FindAGrave memorial has been created for Philip Adams (www.findagrave.com, memorial # 87354918); I would imagine the rest of the headstones will be added to the site before the end of the day. The research done for the purpose of this blog was also conducted and completed on 25 Mar 2012, and is stored in the personal files of Jen Baldwin, Ancestral Journeys, author. A full genealogical report will be posted on the Summit County Trails to the Past website in the near future (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cosummtp/).

Using OneNote to Prep for the 1940 US Census

I know, I know. All the hype lately has been on Evernote. I use Evernote, and I like it. It helps me. But for the 1940 US Census, I turned to OneNote. It just flows better for me.

So here is what I did. This may help you, it may not, but putting it all out there step by step helps me, so that's what I'm going to do.

I started with my Top 10, and created a new Notebook, simply called 1940 Census. Within it, I created a new page for each geographical area for my Top 10. There were a few goals that were simple, so I made a quick note for each on the page. (One thing I really like about OneNote is that I can write anywhere. My brain does not operate in list form, it's all over the place. So, my notes are too.)

Next, I went to http://stevemorse.org/ to use his One Step Tools (thank God for Steve Morse!). I used his Unified 1940 Census ED Finder tool to determine the Enumeration Districts for each city or town that I had previously listed. Then I just moved back over to OneNote, used the Screen Clipping tool, and *poof*! All those ED's were in my notes.

After watching the recent webinar by Thomas MacEntee on prepping for the big day (Navigating the 1940 U.S. Census), I decided to look at WWII draft cards for many of my individuals. Once found, and for some that meant going back through my paper records, and others it was searching online, I was able to again make a quick note on the geographical page for each person. Now I have their ED and their physical address all in one place. Hooray!

Then I thought... I don't want to have to toggle back and forth too much. So, I opened my genealogy database (I use Family Tree Maker 2010 right now) and did a screen clipping on just the vitals of each head of household I was interested in. *Poof* again!

I now have twelve geographic locations listed in OneNote. Some are tiny, with only one ED for the community. Some, like Birmingham, Alabama, have too many to count. I will continue to use the tools made available by Steve Morse and team to narrow down those as much as I can. I am thinking that before the census is actually released, I will have at least twice as many, if not more.

24 days and we're all counting!

BCG Mentor

As I continue to develop my skills and prepare myself for going through the certification process with the Board for Certified Genealogists, or BCG, I have decided to look for a mentor to assist me. This is recommended by the Board, and is something I would very much like to have. I have contacted a couple local folks from the web site, but none of them seem very open to the idea, with time consuming projects of their own.

I am looking for someone to proof read my material, critique my processes and summaries and just provide general morale support. The BCG process is long and, I've heard, can be overwhelming. Locally or digitally, it would sure be nice to have someone "hold my hand."

Please pass this on if you know of anybody that might be interested. Thank you.

http://www.bcgcertification.org/

They Are Out There... Just Waiting For Me: My Top 10

In just under 30 days, the 1940 US Census will be released, and there are so many of us just itching to get to it. Midnight on April 2 is a hefty deadline.

I started preparing for this major records release a few weeks ago, by gathering names, enumeration districts, dates and information from the 1930 census; all designed to aide in my search. Since the 1940 US Census will not be name indexed upon release, there is some basic information that is essentially required knowledge to get to what you want. Unless, of course, you are willing to spend countless hours scrolling page after page. I just don't have that kind of time.

The first person I am going to try to find is my father. I've never been able to find a still living member of my family in a census before, so it would be quite something to see his name listed. Since he was born in early June of 1940, he really shouldn't be there. Enumerators were supposed to record the family as it existed on April 1 of the year of the census. Which means, even if he knocked on my grandparents door on the first of July, technically, he should not have written down my father's name. We'll see. I have other records from 1920 and 1930 where the enumerator documented someone outside of the instructions. This of course means that Grandma Elsie and Grandpa Harley are persons #2 and #3 on my list. They'll be in Orting, Pierce County, Washington.

It's a strong potential that my great-uncle, who is also still alive, will be on the same page as my grandparents household. He's person #4 to find.

#5 Emma Brown, also a resident in the same town, and likely listed in the same household as my great-uncle.
#6 Charlotte Anderson (Andersson), mother of Emma, Orting, Washington.
#7 The Heerten's of Keya Paha County, Nebraska. They'll all be together. They always are.
#8 Mortimer J. Brown and wife Ethel in Lake County, Oregon. Mortimer died in 1941, so this would be a potential last known document on his life.
#9 Warren L Brown and wife Sousie, possibly on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Klamath, Oregon. After 1930, I lose track of them almost completely.
#10 Summit County, Colorado. I have been so engrossed in researching my new environment, I just can't leave them out. Family names that have absolutely zero biological connection to me (at least, not yet) and I am really anxious to find out who stayed in the area during the depression and who didn't. That era was tough on Summit County; after mining, before skiing. Many left.

I will say this. Don't try to communicate with me on April 2, 3 or 4... I'll be busy.

You can find resources and helpful tools on the 1940 US Census release here: http://the1940census.com/. The project is also seeking volunteers to help index, you can find that information on the above site, also.

Headstones

There are numerous resources available on the iconology of headstones, and even more websites. I prefer to use the tried and true... here are a couple good ones:

Stories Told In Stone: Cemetery Iconology by Gaylord Cooper (MOTES Publisher, 2009)
Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography. Keister, Douglas (photographer) (Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2004).

In my experience, you shouldn't be surprised at anything you see in a cemetery. Headstones are often designed to reflect the life of the deceased, or the emotions of those in the family left behind. Here are some typical and not so typical examples I have come across.

The lamb is typical of a child's grave.

Standard and simple flat headstone 

 

One example of a photo headstone.

Full grave marked by a headstone and a toe stone.

Ornate and large marker. This example is about 6 feet tall.

The rock. Often used in mountainous environments.

Another rock example.

Engraved picture, personalizing the marker.
This one with a snowboarder image.

The gates typically represent the entrance to heaven.

Military marker.

Older military marker.

Religious symbolism.

Heart shape on pedestal.

This is much more unique, designed to look
like a BLM marker. 

Top of BLM style marker.

One plaque, three names, with a rock to represent each individual. 

Headstone and "assumed" toe stones,
with a large gap in between and a drainage ditch of sorts.
The grave does not appear to extend from one side to the other. 

Another rock, but this one is quite large.
Approx. 4 feet across, and 2 feet high.

One of the few wooden markers I have seen with  surviving inscription.

A bench near a family plot, without engraving.
Intended just for sitting and remembering -
an invitation to those left behind.

Engraved bench memorial.

(All of the photos were taken at Valley Brook Cemetery, Breckenridge, Summit, Colorado. Photographer: Jen Baldwin. Copyright 2011, published.)