Back to newsletter listDate:
Wed, January 02, 2008 12:30:09 PMFrom:
Rootsweb Review
Subject:
Rootsweb Review, 02 January 2008, Vol.11, No. 1
RootsWeb Review: RootsWeb's Weekly E-zine
2 January 2008, Vol. 11, No. 1
(c) 1998-2007 RootsWeb.com, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Editor's Desk: News and Notes
1a. Where in Tarnation?
1b. Book Notice
1c. Book Notice
2. Using RootsWeb: A Genealogist's New Year's Resolutions
3. Connecting Through RootsWeb:
Hazel Helps Out
4. Bottomless Mailbag:
Not Such an Uncommon Story
Letting Family Know How
Enumerator Concurs
RE: A Sticky Photo Problem
A Sticky Photo Problem Solution
Genealogy Sources at the Library
5. New at RootsWeb
5a. New User-contributed Databases
5b. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Individuals
5c. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States,
and Genealogical/Historical Societies
5d. New Mailing Lists
6. Humor/Humour
7. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Editor's Desk: News and Notes
1a. Where in Tarnation?
Long-time RootsWeb user and artist Greg Clow has started a business
locating towns, mountains, rivers, mines and other natural and manmade
landmarks with customers' surnames, creating a unique design for each
location/surname, and printing it on a wide assortment of
products--from t-shirts to coffee mugs.
Clow wrote, "Some time back I found that there were a lot of people
like me that had an average name, but couldn't find anything
significant named after our family. So I started doing a search. In my
case, my family name is Clow. I found a 'Clow Mountain' in California!
I was really excited. And my kids were too. I am also an artist, so I
designed a shirt and put the name "Clow Mountain" on it with the
location--it looks very classy. My kids loved it, and they wear it to
school and show their friends. . . . So I put together a website so
that other kids, and adults, could benefit from my searches. "
Check out Clow's unique idea and website, called
"WhereInTarnation.com" here: http://www.whereintarnation.com.
1b. Book Notice
Arrels (Racines, Raices, Roots)
By Josep Bochaca Romaguera
This book contains the story of the BOCHACA / BUCHACA / BOXACA /
BUTXACA / BOTXACA family, descendants of one (first name unknown)
BOXACA born in Catalonia about 1545. Present-day descendants now live
in concentrations in Catalonia, Spain, France, Cuba, and the United
States. Many of the family have very interesting stories: commercial
success, political intrigue, unusual events, etc.
The book is written in Catalonian, Castilian, French, and English and
contains photos and and transcriptions of documents. 832 pages,
paperbound.
For more information, contact Rick Van Dusen at
newnethboy@hotmail.com. Please make your subject line "ROOTS."
1c. Book Notice
The Bedford Connection: The Halls of Bedford County, Tennessee, and
Beyond
By Patricia A. Munroe
pamunroe@comcast.net
This book traces the migration of a group of Halls and related
individuals from Bedford County, Tennessee, to southern Missouri and
northern Arkansas. It includes source documents, pictures, and an
every-name index. 217 pages.
Cost: $24.95
Available from the publisher at
http://www.lulu.com/content/1397524
2. Using RootsWeb:
A Genealogist's New Year's Resolutions
By Joan Young
joan@volunteer.rootsweb.com
You've probably made the usual New Year's resolutions in the past. You
know--the ones about eating less and losing weight, exercising more,
cleaning out the attic and garage. If you are like most of us, those
resolutions are soon broken or forgotten--until a new year rolls
around again.
This year, give some thought to resolutions you could make for the New
Year (one's that might be easier to keep than the above) that would
help you to progress in your genealogical research. I have a list of
genealogical resolutions I'm going to make for the New Year; perhaps
you would like to adopt one or more of them for yourself.
DOCUMENT YOUR SOURCES
At the top of my list is being more meticulous about documenting where
I found information--always listing a source for each event I've found
and listing what records I've used to reach my conclusions.
Your source is where you learned your information. It might be a birth
certificate, tombstone inscription, information your grand-aunt
Susannah told you, or even Sally JONES's research files. Don't list a
document as your source if you didn't actually see the document. If
Mary SMITH told you she saw a document, then Mary SMITH is your source
unless or until you also see the document.
Documenting sources and then sitting back and reviewing them can help
you determine whether your sources are good ones that you can readily
accept, or whether you might want to dig a bit deeper for more
reliable documentation. Mary SMITH may be an excellent researcher but
if you have taken her word for the evidence you might want to obtain
the original document she claims to have seen. You might find
something in the document that Mary overlooked.
RECORD NEGATIVE RESULTS
If you have searched the local newspapers looking for an obituary for
Uncle Harry or checked the local cemetery records where you think he
might have been buried, and you have come up empty-handed, make sure
you record the fact that you have searched these resources and list
the date on which you performed your search. This is an error I made
in my early days of research and I can tell you it has led me to
repeat searches unnecessarily in the future, in places I've already
looked. Of course, recording the date you did your search is important
as you might later find that new records have been discovered for the
cemetery you previously searched.
REVISIT DEAD-ENDS
If you have been researching for any length of time, you have probably
come to a dead-end on one or more of your ancestral lines. Among my
brick walls is my Irish MCCONNELL line, mostly because I have been
unable to ascertain where they lived in Ireland before immigrating to
America.
The New Year is an excellent time to pull out all of the information
you have gathered--clues and hints and family stories, and also the
leads you eventually ruled out. Revisit the research with a fresh
look. Also take into consideration that new information may have
become available online that was not there when you last checked.
Don't forget to search the archives of the RootsWeb mailing lists and
message boards as well as look for new Web pages and family trees that
have been posted by others since you last looked.
http://archiver.rootsweb.com
http://boards.rootsweb.com
http://wc.rootsweb.com
CHECK OFF-SHOOTS OF YOUR BRICK WALLS
When you reach a dead-end, sometimes the best approach is to try to
"move sideways" rather than back another generation. By this I mean
you might want to attempt to learn more about the dead-end ancestor's
spouse's family or the ancestor's siblings. You might be able to learn
information about these other people connected to your ancestor. And
through that research you may, in turn, learn about your ancestor.
In one instance in my research I was unsuccessful in obtaining a death
certificate for my ancestor, but I was able to find one for his
brother and their parents' names were listed on his certificate. In
another case, I found the tombstone for my ancestor's brother and
later learned my ancestor was buried in the same cemetery. By
searching for a spouse or sibling's family you might also find another
researcher studying that family who holds the information you need.
CLEAN OUT THE ATTIC
Yes, I know, you vowed in other years to clean out the attic and never
got around to it; but maybe you haven't thought of that chore in light
of your genealogical research. If you (or your grandma) has an attic
in need of attention, it could turn out to be a family history
goldmine rather than just a place where "junk" is gathering dust.
Consider making that resolution again and this time sticking to it and
following through. You might be surprised at the treasures you find.
SHARE WHAT YOU LEARN
Share with others when you do make new discoveries and you will find
that others will be willing to share with you. The greatest resource
in genealogical research is other people interested in the same
families. Remember that RootsWeb provides the resources where you can
meet and share information with newfound cousins.
http://searches.rootsweb.com/share.html
* * * * * * * * * * Advertisements * * * * * * * * * *
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3. Connecting Through RootsWeb:
Hazel Helps Out
By Sylvia McClelland-Morrison
My cousin and I had looked for my great-great-uncle Elisha Vance
McClelland for years without luck. We couldn't locate him on any state
census by searching with either his first or middle name.
I decided to go through all the local "Mc" marriage certificates and
came across one I didn't recognize at all for someone named Hazel. Her
dad was an E.V. McClelland and she was born in Ohio. I went back to
the Ohio census and searched for him but still couldn't find anything.
So I went to the paid subscription site Ancestry.com and found a
notice of a Vance McClelland marrying a woman with Hazel's mother's
name. The notice was in an old newspaper clipping from Portmonth,
Ohio. Despite contacting everyone imaginable, I couldn't find any
other information.
My hubby says I'm like a dog with a bone and won't let any genealogy
puzzle go I think I can solve. But finally I put it aside for a few
days. I was talking to my cousin about the local census containing a
female relative's name when it hit me. Hazel was an odd enough name
that with Soundex I might be able to find her located on a census
before she was married. Sure enough I was right.
Elisha was not only going by the middle name of Vance, but the census
taker had written directly over his first name in dark letters. But
once I actually saw the census I could make out the "V," the "N," and
the "E."
That discovery alone brought with it all kinds of information not only
on his immediate family, but other family. A whole lot of things began
to fit together and make sense.
So, it's worth searching for those collateral relatives. Since then
I've been able to help quite a few others locate lost relatives with
the same method. Because even Soundex can't help if the census taker
was too casual about the importance of his work.
4. BOTTOMLESS MAILBAG
[Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the
authors and are not necessarily those of the editor or of
RootsWeb.com.]
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Not Such an Uncommon Story
By Richard Weller
In the 5 December 2007 issue of the RootsWeb Review there was a piece
called "Sharing Historic Houses," by Sharon Gray, whose husband had
lived for a time in the same house in the same village where some of
her relations had been born many years earlier. She asked, "What are
the odds of this happening?" It would seem the odds are not as far off
as one might imagine. I know of a similar coincidence from a village
in the next county. My sister Mary Weller of Nottinghamshire married
Peter Wroth from Exeter in Devon. Research has revealed that one of
Peter's great-great-grandmothers, Caroline Smelt, was born in 1705 in
the same house that Mary and I had lived in as children 150 years
later--Gedling Rectory.
* * *
Letting Family Know How
Donna O'Neill
Santa Clara, California
This year I wrote step-by-step instructions on how to get into
RootsWeb and look up my online family tree. I printed the instructions
four-per-sheet, cut them up, and inserted them in all of the Christmas
cards I sent to my family. I've already heard from some that have now
learned how to use RootsWeb, and they were excited. It was new to
them.
Directions to online family tree:
1. Go to http://www.rootsweb.com
2. Down on the left you'll see "Family Trees (World Connect)"
3. Click on "World Connect Project Main Page"
4. Click on "Advanced Search"
5. In the Surname box, put "Bandy"
6. In the Given Name box, put "Eldridge Wade"
7. In the Birth Year box, put "1875"
I think my family tree is the eleventh one down. The database column
will read "doe3719."
8. Click on Eldridge's name. You can click on every name you see
(parents, children, etc.) and that person will come up.
Have fun browsing!
* * *
Enumerator Concurs
By Jim Hallock
This is a response to the 12 December 2007 article by Susan Goerke
Ball about George Sutherland from Saco, Maine, whose occupation was
listed as "Too lazy to do anything" in the 1880 census. A little more
research reveals that the census taker, Chas. S. Hamilton, is listed
about ten pages earlier in the Saco census and according to my mapping
software lived less than a quarter mile down the street from the
"lazy" Mr. Sutherland. While it is entirely possible that the
women-folk in his household had a low opinion of George's work habits,
the enumerator more than likely knew the gentleman and may well have
concurred.
Editor's Note: To read "Too lazy to do anything," visit
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/2007/1212.txt.
* * *
RE: A Sticky Photo Problem
By S. Wilkins
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Several years ago I was faced with the same situation as that
mentioned by Joy Weaver in her 12 December piece titled, "A Sticky
Photo Problem."
I peeled a photo of a young woman I did not recognize from a photo
album and noticed writing on the back--but it was obscured by the
black paper from the album that was stuck to the back.
The words I could see identified it was a photo given to her uncle. It
also had an FPO (military) address in New York. Judging by the young
woman's clothing, the photo appeared to have been taken during the
WWII era.
I asked many living relatives about the photo and even posted it on
our family website and no one recognized her, so I took matters into
my own hands.
I found a scalpel in my old college dissecting kit and I very slowly
and carefully scraped away the black paper.
It was labor intensive and time consuming but it revealed enough
information for me to successfully trace this woman and find that she
was the great-granddaughter of my second great-grandfather's son.
I now enjoy a wonderful relationship with a zillion new cousins I
didn't know existed.
Editor's Note: To read, "A Sticky Photo Problem," visit
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/2007/1212.txt.
* * *
A Sticky Photo Problem Solution
By Tracey Fotiou
Quaker Hill, Connecticut
When I removed my grandmother's photos from the black and brown paper
pages in her album--also to see if there was useful information
written on the backs of the photos--I used a dull letter opener and
ever so gently and ever so lightly and ever so painstakingly rubbed
the paper from off the back of each photo.
It is a long and time consuming process but is safe. Before I removed
the photos from the pages I photocopied every page with my
grandmother's handwriting so I could recreate the album on photo-safe
paper. I also saved the leather covers, which have my grandmother's
hand writing on them, to recreate the album for my mother.
I found it easier to scrape the paper off of the photos, which came
off in a tiny ball of fuzz-like material, after they were freshly
pried from the page, so, needless to say, it was done one at a time.
Also, use the dull letter opener (do not use any kind of knife--the
edges will be too sharp, even on a butter knife) at different angles
for different thicknesses of paper. For the thicker patches, use the
part closer to the tip, but not the end, until the patch is thinned;
then use the middle part to finish the rest of the patch. Also, if
there is a "flap" of paper still stuck to the photo, use the scraping
method while holding the loose end of the flap down, and scrape until
the flap comes off. If you pull it off you may tear the photo. I swear
by this process--I used it for all twenty-two pages of my
grandmother's album. Good luck.
* * *
Genealogy Sources at the Library
By Lyndall Maxwell
lymaxwell@sbcglobal.net
America's GenealogyBank.com is a great source of historical documents,
newspapers, and books but you must pay a fee to use it. Previously, I
found that HeritageQuest online was a great source of information
(censuses, books, PERSI, American Revolution documents, etc.) and that
I could get to it from my local public library. So I went back to
check and see if they had GenealogyBank. Sure enough, they did. My
library is the Houston Public Library. If you haven't already, make
sure to check your library to see what genealogy databases you can
access there for free. Many have agreements with the state or other
libraries so that they can have access to these types of resources.
5. New at RootsWeb
5a. New User-contributed Databases at RootsWeb
http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit/
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The following databases have come online recently.
They are searchable, but not browseable.
TENNESSEE. Crockett County. Tipton Cemetery. 25 records. Cristie
Sanders Wright.
http://userdb.rootsweb.com/cemeteries/
TENNESSEE. Crockett County. Avery Cemetery. 30 records. Cristie
Sanders Wright.
http://userdb.rootsweb.com/cemeteries/
5b. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Individuals
To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------
Can your cousins find your website at RootsWeb? Has it ever been
mentioned here or do you have a new, updated, or substantially
revised website at RootsWeb (it will have "freepages" or "homepages"
in the URL)? Send the URL, the title of the website, the name of the
author, and a BRIEF description of the site, including major
surnames, to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com
* * *
If your genealogy- or history-related site is located somewhere
other than at RootsWeb.com, you can add the link here:
http://resources.rootsweb.com/~rootslink/addlink.html
* * *
OUR MATERNAL AND PATERNAL ANCESTORS: 350 YEARS OF HISTORY IN AMERICA.
This website features three separate family sub-sites as follows: (1)
DELLINGER, KNECHT, PFEFFER, SILAR, and allied families; (2) BOZARTH,
PEIFFER, QUIGLEY, RHUBART, and allied families; (3) MORELAND,
MCVICKER, PINNELL, SCRUGGS, and allied families. View new and updated
Web pages added between 1 October 2007 and 31 December 2007 at:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~tqpeiffer/
* * *
FULGHAM-FULGHUM FAMILY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FFFNA). By Robert S.
Fulghum and Brent Fulgham. This site contains a history of the
Fulgham/Fulghum family, including information on how to pronounce the
name, major functions and objectives of the association, and names and
addresses of officers. It also includes directions for applying for
our scholarship. The site has links to FFFNA databases of more than
18,000 individuals, including at least one generation of known related
families (too many to list here). You can now apply for membership
directly on the site.
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~fulghum/web-text-html.htm
5c. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and
Genealogical/Historical Societies
To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/
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No New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and
Genealogical/Historical Societies
5d. New Mailing Lists
To Request a New Mailing List: http://resources.rootsweb.com/adopt/
-------------------------------------------------------------
For information and an index to the more than 30,000 RootsWeb-hosted
genealogy Mailing Lists and for easy subscribing (joining) options go
to: http://lists.rootsweb.com/
NEW SURNAME MAILING LISTS
BRUDZINSKI
LESTRANGE
MACHINSKY
MCHOLLAND
TREGO
WEEDMARK
WURZBACH
NEW REGIONAL MAILING LISTS
LAURENTIDES -- This is a mailing list for the study of those from
Argenteuil County, Quebec Province, and the adjoining counties. These
counties are now part of "Principalities."
NEW ETHNIC OR SPECIAL INTEREST MAILING LISTS
QUAKER-DNA -- This is a mailing list for people with Quaker
ancestors who are interested in discussing the genetic genealogy of
those ancestors.
6. Humor/Humour
One of my relatives (Charles Peek) was listed as Deadon Peek in the
1910 census of Amador County, California. His occupation at the time
was as a stage driver for the railroad. I guess he was bragging about
his ability to meet the stage coach schedule on time.
--Thanks to Rich Culhane
* * *
I recall my mother, born 1898 in Blaydon, Durham, UK, telling me how
when she was a child she and her siblings referred to their
grandmothers by the towns where they lived. One was known as the Ryton
Ganny and the other as the Bottle Ganny. As a child I had visions of
Bottle Ganny being a woman who liked her liquor too much. It wasn't
until years later that I realized Bottle Ganny was so named because
she lived in Walbottle.
--Thanks to Terry Jackson
* * *
Found a funny or "proper name for the job" in old records, or an
amusing entry in census, parish, church, or other records? Send them
to:
Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com. We also welcome other humorous
genealogy-related submissions.
7. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints
-------------------------------------------------------------
SUBSCRIPTIONS. You received this newsletter because you are subscribed
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If you use a spam-filtering program, in order to receive the RootsWeb
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rootswebreview@email.rootsweb.com. The RootsWeb Review is a free
publication of The Generations Network, Inc., 360 West 4800 North,
Provo, UT, 84604
* * *
The RootsWeb Review does not publish or answer genealogical queries,
and the editor regrets that she is unable to provide any personal
research assistance or advice. RootsWeb Review welcomes short (500
words or less) articles, humor, stories, or letters, and reserves the
right to edit all submissions. The announcement of books and products
is provided as a community service and is not an endorsement in any
way. All mail sent to the RootsWeb Review editor is considered to be
for publication--send in plain text (please, no attachments) to:
Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com and please include your full name and e-mail
address in the text.
* * *
ROOTSWEB REVIEW ADVERTISING CONTACTS.
AdSales Worldwide: Tami Deleeuw, tdeleeuw@tgn.com
* * *
REPRINTS. Permission to reprint articles from RootsWeb Review is
granted unless specifically stated otherwise, provided: (1) the
reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the
following notice appears at the end of the article: Previously
published in RootsWeb Review: 2 January 2008, Vol. 11, No. 1.
* * * *
