A New Approach: Blogging My Own Family History

It's been ages since my last post.  "Real life" interceded and I've spent the past few years busy with work and life in a new part of the world (northern Colorado).  I intend to pick up again where I left off, however with a slightly different goal:  blogging my own family's history so that cousins near and far can learn much more of what I've gathered over the past several years. 

Several times now I've gotten requests from distant cousins for "any and all information" that I have on a branch of the family, and it is a tough request in which to respond.  I am happy to share what records I have, but often that's dozens of papers or files that without context don't really tell a story, and probably leave people a little bit confused or unsatisfied.  And I've come to peace with the knowledge that I will probably never have the time or energy to sit down and write a book on the various lines in the family. 

What I can do though, is occasionally pick a person, a family line, or a topic, and share what I find most interesting, along with the records and photos that help tell the stories.  In this way, I hope to share more efficiently and effectively all the cool stuff I've been learning with all my cousins out there. 

I hope to keep it interesting and fun, and as always welcome any of your questions, suggestions or comments.  Looking forward to getting back on track with this new focus, but also continuing to share resources and information I think might be universally helpful or entertaining.  I hope to not disappoint!

Civil War Pension File Received!

I'd waited MONTHS for this, and the day finally arrived. I received my ancestor Ezra Wilkinson Nichols' Civil War pension file!!

First though, a bone to pick, and then a sincere thank you to the folks at NARA. I received the *wrong* pension file TWICE in a row before finally getting the right one on the third try. It would have seemed more understandable to me if they had gotten the name only slightly wrong, or been off by a number or two. Instead though, it was as if someone had picked out a file at random, stuffed it into a big envelope with my original request, and sent it off on its way. I still do not understand how this occurred, or how it happened not once, but TWO times. Each time, I emailed customer service to tell them of the error. The first time they asked that I send the file back (at my expense I might add). The second time, in my complaint message I demanded that they send me the correct file and I refused to send the new one back. I had wasted a good $10+ on sending the first one, and it had been their mistake after all.

To the folks at NARA's credit, my second complaint was handled *personally* by the gentleman receiving and answering these correspondence. He went to the files personally, secured the copy, and got it ready for shipping to me, and then sent me a personal apology and note. So THANK YOU to him. He has proved that there are some great, competent folks there, and I'd like to think I just got a bad apple or two the first two times.

I still have the pension file for one mistaken person. It is at my mother's place now, but when I go back to visit - probably this summer or spring - I will post the name in appropriate message boards and offer to send it just for the cost of shipping, to any descendant or researcher of his line.

But now for the correct file. The file was IMMENSE. Possibly 1.5 inches thick! I believe I would have been required to send additional payment for the whole thing normally, but due to NARA's first few mistakes, they didn't ask me. (Thanks NARA!) I've skimmed the whole thing and taken some notes. It didn't give me the answers I was hoping for on Wilkinson Nichols' ancestry, however it did give me a whole lot of answers I wasn't looking for. It confirmed some family connections and migrations I hadn't been able to confirm by any other sources except for censuses. And it painted a wonderfully detailed story of the personalities of some my ancestors, and their trials and tribulations navigating multiple, perhaps bigamous marriages.

In my next post, I'll talk a bit about just what is in a Civil War Pension file, and what you might find.

More Genealogy on TV!!

Ahhh... a genealogist's dream. MORE genealogy programming! In addition to the American version of "Who Do you Think You Are" and PBS's "Faces of America", I came across a television show produced by the original genealogy exports - the Mormons.

Specifically, Brigham Young University is producing a show featuring everyday citizens and their quests to learn more about their ancestors. It's titled "The Generations Project".

If you don't get BYU TV - and I imagine most of us don't - you can watch the most recent episode online on their website here.

I am halfway through the most recent episode and really like it. I feel like it goes more in-depth on a single individual or branch of the tree than the other two programs. I also appreciate hearing about the history of "ordinary" people's families. It's a different take than the celebrity route. Though of course I think that everyone's family history is really equally interesting!

Who Do YOU Think You Are?

The NBC series "Who Do You Think You Are" premieres tonight. I am psyched! Speculation is that this will lead to an increase in the number of Americans interested in family history, and I couldn't be happier if this is true. That means more cousins to collaborate with, and more possibilities at finding old family documents, bibles, photos, and more.

Watching a preview clip for the first episode, I was surprised to realize that Sarah Jessica Parker is a cousin of mine. Ok, a distant cousin, but the connection is on her and my ELWELL line in Massachusetts. Of course, more than a few of you reading this blog probably have New England ancestors, and a few Elwells hiding out, so this is not an exclusive group at all!

Who might you be related to who will appear in this season? Spike Lee? Susan Sarandon? Matthew Broderick?

I know I have been away from blogging for some time. I also made all my videos public once again after rectifying some problems with a "stalker" I was having. Creepy.

I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on the show tonight! Post a comment and let me know.

Area Man has Far Greater Knowledge of Marvel Universe Than Own Family Tree

In very loosely genealogical-related news, comes this article from The Onion, a satirical paper I love to read. Thanks to Scotto-san for sending it.

"Sundling, who cannot identify his ancestral homeland or the meaning of his surname, possesses extensive knowledge of the creation of superhero teams, the history of imaginary alien races, and the special powers of countless characters."

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/area_man_has_far_greater_knowledge?utm_source=EMTF_Onion

Top Ten Reasons Our Ancestors Came to America

I didn't write this one, but it was too good to resist re-posting here:

Top Ten Reasons Our Ancestors Came to America

10. Took wrong turn at Bering land bridge.

9. Slavers seemed pretty insistent.

8. Sought religious freedom and the right to disembowel Quakers.

7. Nothing good to watch on BBC.

6. Took their orders from Neil Diamond.

5. Potato famine put big dent in profits from Irish fish-and-chip franchises.

4. To oppose anyone else being allowed to immigrate to America.

3. Sick of having unpronounceable names.

2. Wanted the right to vote on behalf of their wives.

1. Hoped to one day be listed on Ellis Island website.

I stole this (rather shamelessly) from The Genealogue, who publishes all kinds of other "Genealogy News You Can't Possibly Use". He has an excellent and highly entertaining blog filled with news that you can definitely use, or at least get a laugh from. Check him out at:

http://www.genealogue.com

And for ALL of his "Top 10" lists, visit:

http://www.genealogue.com/2005/05/top-ten-list-index.html

Off the Beaten Genealogical Path

Sometimes I get tired of ordering birth and death certificates, sifting through census data, or searching cemetery databases. Not tired of genealogy, but tired of the "traditional" channels for research.

That's when an article like Kathy Jones-Kristof's comes in to play. Her "Unusual Places to Look for Genealogy" does a great job of listing a number of different avenues for research - some that you probably have never thought about, and some which you have probably not tried for awhile. It's worth taking a fresh look at the article, as well as the rest of her blog:

http://genealogyhelpandhints.com/2008/07/05/unusual-places-to-look-for-genealogy/

Inspired by her post (it was written awhile ago but I just came across it today), I decided to search some Unclaimed Property type sites and actually came across three recently-deceased cousins listed. I've contacted their next of kin, and am hoping that there is some sort of positive payout for them!

Leningrad, Then and Now

Stumbled upon these very cool photos that combine the past and the present in a very creative way.

Leningrad, then and now:
http://izismile.com/2009/02/27/leningrad_back_then_and_now_15_pics.html

This makes me think of some interesting things one could do when visiting the hometowns and homesteads of our ancestors if you have an old photo to refer to!

'Grave' Humor & Interesting Epitaphs

I was searching findagrave.com for ancestors and came across a category just for interesting or humorous tombstone texts.

Some of my favorites:

From a dentist's gravestone:
"I'm filling my last cavity."

An interesting story behind this one that reads "DAMN THE STATE DEPT"
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSie=1&GRid=10860996&

A Canadian says "I told you so..."
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSie=1&GRid=7968130&

A sad one:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15912681

The Actor Jack Lemmon's last "role":
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=22822

An older man who obviously loved life til the last breath:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=17000569&PIpi=4774598

Perhaps it sounds morbid, but what would you have *yours* read? :)

Overcoming Those "Brick Walls"

This time around, a little bit of a personal story on my family history research, and how I was able to overcome what I thought was a "brick wall".

Watching the video you'll see that I had a clue the whole time, and didn't even realize it. :)

Best "Buys" for your Genealogy Research Dollars

Sorry to everyone for my long absence. Just got caught up with the JOB search. Speaking of which - if you know anyone looking for an experienced marketer with her MBA, please let me know! :)

This video sums up where (with what resources) I've had the most success in researching my family tree. You may be using the same sites and methods. If you have any thoughts, I'd be happy to see your comments.

I also mention one website I feel I wasted some money and time on - PublicRecordsPro.com If you made the same mistake let me know. Alternatively, if you feel the site was a great help, I'd love to hear where and how it was most helpful to you!

Thomas Jefferson's Mac & Cheese... Your Ancestors' Recipes

I came across this video recipe, which is supposedly the former American President Thomas Jefferson's favorite "macaroni and cheese". Now, I don't believe that this is actually Thomas Jefferson's recipe, as there is no historic proof of this, but it did get me thinking about the very cool legacy we are left in the recipe cards or informal cooking lessons we get from our mothers, fathers, their mothers and fathers, and so on.

How cool is it that we can bake a batch of cookies the same way our great-grandmothers did? Or whip up a casserole in the same way that an ancestor in England, France, you-name-it, did? It makes me feel closer to those people, though they've lived and died long, long ago.

I have several recipes which were my great-grandmother Isabelle's.  Her parents were English immigrants, so it's possible that some of them were old English recipes, or ones adapted for life and the ingredients commonly found in the US.  

There is one recipe in particular for a "drop" sugar cookie made with soured milk and a bit of nutmeg.  Unlike most sugar cookies, you don't roll the dough and cut them out.  Instead, you "drop" a bit of the cake-like batter onto your cookie sheet with a spoon, and they come out of the oven, soft, white, and almost like small cakes.  These are my very favorite cookies in the world except for my Mom's oatmeal raisin, or her datenut cookies -- supposedly a recipe given by an Eastern European friend to my grandmother years ago.

I've sort of guarded this recipe for years, but have thought I should start sharing it - at least with distant cousins, Isabelle's other descendants.  I suppose I don't want people NOT to see it.  It's just that I don't feel right about posting that "treasure" out there online and having it passed anonymously around. :)

In lieu of Isabelle's sugar cookies, here is Thomas Jefferson's Mac & Cheese.  I think you'll appreciate Chef John's other recipes at foodwishes.com as well!

Color, Race, and the Family Tree

An interesting segment aired on NPR just today which brings together genealogy, our notions of race, skin color, genetics and evolution:

To begin, please point your elbow to the ceiling.

Then imagine yourself naked.

Then look at the patch of skin on the inside of your upper arm, the part of you that almost never sees the sun.

Whatever color you see there is what experts call your basic skin color, according to professor Nina Jablonski, head of the Penn State Department of Anthropology.

And that color, the one you have now, says Jablonski, is very probably not the color your ancient ancestors had — even if you think your family has been the same color for a long, long time.

Continue reading, or listen to "Your Family May Once Have Been a Different Color."

American Royalty Deep in the Heart of Texas

If George Washington had demanded to become the King of the US, and not our first president, who would be ruling today?

Though Washington's descendants are many (though he himself fathered no children, nieces and nephews would have been next in line), and royal line rules vary by country, genealogists have traced the lines to one man who is doubly descended from Washington's family.

His location?  The lonestar state.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/162914

What's Your Haplogroup?

In this video, I talk a little bit about haplogroup testing.  I'm no expert, but am annoyed by some of the myths that prevail.

I'd love to hear what haplogroups you all have found yourself associated with.  Please feel free to comment or make your own video.

Find Your Ancestors in Family Histories and other books

Whether famous, infamous, wealthy or poor - you may find some of your ancestors in family history books written by your distant cousins. Here are a few sites to start the search for genealogies and histories written about various parts of your family!

URLs mentioned in the video:

http://www.lib.byu.edu/fhc/index.php
http://books.google.com
http://www.ancestry.com
http://www.bookfinder.com

Also be sure to check out the ideas in the comments section below the video on YouTube here.

Your Unexpected Finds?

The discovery by a distant cousin of mine that one of our ancestors was wanted in connection with a crime led me to wonder what other types of unexpected finds you all have had when researching your family trees.

I'd love to hear your own stories of crazy, interesting, or unexpected things you discovered in your own genealogical research. Feel free to reply to the video via comment or vlog.

First Web Resources - Part II

Part II of this video presents two other great Web resources for tracing your family tree.  Both of these are free.




The first is World Connect Community Project:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com 

 

The second is simply Google:

http://www.google.com

Also, check out these Google searches, modified especially for genealogists

http://www.searchforancestors.com/google/searcher.html

I found several of them very helpful!

First Web Resources for Researching your Family Tree!

This video, along with the links below, should help you get started on a lot of totally free resources out there on the Web for finding your ancestors and the all-essential, birth, death, marriage and census data. Some sites will give you the information for free but will require a fee or subscription for the actual records...

I find that what you can find truly for free varies depending on the ancestor, the timeframe, his or her location, etc...  These links should give you plenty to start with, and I will be bringing up more interesting websites and reviews in the future!  Stay tuned!




FamilySearch
http://www.familysearch.org

Search the Social Security Death Index
(one of several sites to do this):
http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi

Order your deceased ancestor's SS-5 (Social Security application) ONLINE at:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps7/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp

FamilySearch has listed a LOT more free records and indexes online on this PDF:
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Home/News/frameset_news.asp?PAGE=Press/Free_Online_Records.pdf

...

On a side note, because there is a lot of confusion surrounding these, I thought I'd paste in what the Social Security Association has to say about genealogical research and what they can do to help:

Q9: What information is available from Social Security records to help in genealogical research?

A: You might want to start by checking out the Social Security Death Index which is available online from a variety of commercial services (usually the search is free). The Death Index contains a listing of persons who had a Social Security number, who are deceased, and whose death was reported to the Social Security Administration. (The information in the Death Index for people who died prior to 1962 is sketchy since SSA's death information was not automated before that date. Death information for persons who died before 1962 is generally only in the Death Index if the death was actually reported to SSA after 1962, even though the death occurred prior to that year.)

If you find a person in the Death Index you will learn the date of birth and Social Security Number for that person. (The Social Security Death Index is not published by SSA for public use, but is made available by commercial entities using information from SSA records. We do not offer support of these commercial products nor can we answer questions about the material in the Death Index.)

Other records potentially available from SSA include the Application for a Social Security Number (form SS-5). To obtain any information from SSA you will need to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps7/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp

Getting Started - Tracing Your Family Tree

Here are my thoughts on getting started - the first steps you should take in tracing your family tree.  Video below.  As for the links mentioned in the video, I'll place them just below the video.

In addition to watching and checking out the links below, I'd recommend checking out fellow researcher on YouTube, jeromeyward's video series on genealogy on the cheap. In his first video there is an explanation of some totally FREE software for keeping your tree which is downloadable on familysearch.org.

Pedigree chart:

http://www.ancestry.com/charts/ancchart.aspx

Other useful paper forms:

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/ContentCenters/contentCenter.aspx?page=trees&sp=forms

The steps I cover:

1. Get organized.
2. Record what you know.
3. Reach out to family.
4. Search the attic, the basement, etc...
5. Plan your next move.

More to come in the next video on online databases for continuing the search!