| RootsWeb Review: RootsWeb's Weekly E-zine 22 November 2006, Vol. 9, No. 47 (c) 1998-2006 RootsWeb.com, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/ * * * Editor: Myra Vanderpool Gormley, Certified Genealogist Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com Certification: http://www.bcgcertification.org/certification/ * * * ROOTSWEB HELPDESK: Check here for announcements: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ * * * ROOTSWEB REVIEW ARCHIVES: Current and previous editions: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/2006/1122.txt http://e-zine.rootsweb.com/ ========================================================= IN THIS ISSUE: 1. 1a. Editor's Desk: News, Notes, and Some Sites Worth Seeing News: Turkey Time (Thanksgiving holiday) in America Book Notes: Mayflower Passengers and Missouri Presbytery Sites: British Home Children Society; Idaho; Red Star Line. 1b. Tips from Readers: It's All Fine Print! Overlooking Critical Details 1c. Using RootsWeb: Family Gatherings and RootsWeb Perfect Together 2. Connecting Through RootsWeb: Joys of Online Genealogy New Zealand Brick Wall Crumbles Red-headed Twin Sons' Birth Makes Local News What's Your Story? 3. New User-contributed Databases 4. New/Updated FreePages and HomePages 5. New at RootsWeb 6. RootsWeb Review's Bottomless Mailbag: A DICKENS of a Search Following the Cookie Crumb Trail Working Around Spam Filters and Paranoia 7. Humor/Humour: Canadian Casanova's Tombstone 8. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints ======================================================= IN THIS ISSUE: 1a. Editor's Desk: News, Notes; Some Sites Worth Seeing NEWS. Turkey Time (Thanksgiving holiday) in America So who did the cooking and cleanup at the first Thanksgiving? According to Mayflower historian, Caleb Johnson, only five women survived the first winter (1620/21) in America and another Katherine Carver died in May 1621 of a "broken heart." So by the time of the famous celebration in the autumn of 1621, there were only four women left to care for the colony's 50 men and children. Learn who they were and more at: http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/History/women.php There are millions of Mayflower descendants living today. You might be one and don't even know it. Many famous people have a Mayflower line (or several), including eight U.S. presidents, astronauts, poets, actors, politicians, musicians, directors and inventors. Many of these lineages have been traced and published by Gary Boyd Roberts of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (Roberts' website is NotableKin.org). Discover who some of the famous descendants of the Mayflower passengers are and check your pedigree charts to see if you connect. http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/Genealogy/famousdescendants.php http://www.notablekin.org/ * * * BOOK NOTES: Mayflower Passengers and Missouri Presbytery The Mayflower and Her Passengers. This book by Caleb Johnson is the culmination of eight years of research carried out by him as the MayflowerHistory.com author. It begins with original, never before published information about the Mayflower ship itself, and its history before and after she became the famous vessel that brought the Pilgrims to America. The remainder of the book consists of short biographies of each passenger or family group that came on the Mayflower the first attempt to create individual biographies for each of the passengers or family groups. This is a great genealogical and biographical resource for anyone interested in the Pilgrims. This is not just another retelling of the history of Plymouth and the Pilgrims, but rather one with stories that humanize the Pilgrims by providing individual biographies. It contains extensive endnotes that refer the reader to original primary source materials that were used. http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/ Available in both hardback and softcover editions. http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/NewBook.php * * * The Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy (Greater Saint Louis, Missouri) has published a book titled "Past and Present," chronicling the churches of the presbytery from the earliest days. The 238-page softcover book measures 8.5x11 inches. Of particular interest to genealogists is the duplication in the book of excerpts from the Presbyterian Blue Book of 1902, which, in addition to brief histories of each church and mission in existence at that time, includes the names of pastors, church officers and in some cases notable members of the churches. "Past and Present" ($22 postpaid in USA) may be ordered by sending a check payable to the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, 2236 Tower Grove Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110. * * * SOME SITES WORTH SEEING. British Home Children Society. It is estimated that 100,000 British Home Children were sent to Canada to work as indentured farm labourers and domestic servants as part of the British Child Emigration Scheme to Canada (1870-1957). Their familial ties were broken once "in care" and sent to Canada. Many British Home Children spent their lives trying to find their parents and siblings. Many of their descendants have inherited their ancestors' lifelong search for their identities. The primary goal of this society is to maintain a comprehensive database of individual records called the British Home Children Registry (50,000 records). http://members.shaw.ca/persnow/ * * * IDAHO. The website of Bonner County Genealogical Society, located in Sandpoint, has some new pages with links to Bonner County and Idaho genealogical and historical information. http://www.rootsweb.com/~idbcgs/ * * * RED STAR LINE. From 1873 to 1935 the Red Star Line shipping company transported nearly three million people from Antwerp, Belgium to the USA and Canada. There's considerable data concerning the ships and the company and pictures with a link to the Belgium-Roots Project, which contains an alphabetical list of individuals who emigrated from Belgium and are being researched by others. RED STAR LINE: http://www.redstarline.eu/ BELGIUM-ROOTS PROUJECT: http://belgium.rootsweb.com/_fam/emigrants/ * * * 1b. Tips from Readers: It's All Fine Print! Overlooking Critical Details By Robert Docker I have been hunting information about my paternal grandmother, Rosa. She married in Italy, arrived in the USA in May of 1884 bound for Buffalo, New York. Her first child, per the 1900 census, was born January 1884 (and baptized 2 February 1884) baptized before she arrived? Rosa and grandpa produced kids annually until 18876, then a pause, and then three more, ending in 1897. These are documented. My search for a marriage record for Rosa and grandpa has been fruitless. Same for her death record. Then the 1910 census hit me hard. I never noticed it, but a friend in California pointed out that in that census, grandpa is listed as "M2" (married twice). So here I am hunting for Grandma No. 2 who just happened to have the same first name as Grandma No. 1. I am waiting replies from Buffalo and New York trying to find out who did what to whom. Catholic church rules were and are, no baptism without proof of marriage. but the diocese has not answered my letters asking "what kind of proof" was offered. The lesson is I never really read carefully the documents I had. I missed the "M2" and even if I had seen it I would not have known its importance. However, I refuse to quit. * * * 1c. Using RootsWeb: Family Gatherings and RootsWeb Perfect Together Thanksgiving is a time for huge family gatherings in America. People travel from coast to coast by cars, trains, and planes to spend this one special day with family. It is often the only occasion during the year that every family member is under one roof from grandaunt Marian, who always brings the homemade pumpkin pie, to cousin Sarah, who supplies the secret family recipe green-bean casserole. In addition to everyone stuffing themselves with nearly forgotten favorite recipes, stories are shared and embellished around the dinner table. The family historian in the crowd perks up her ears in an effort to learn something new, especially from elderly family members. If you are that family historian, this year make an effort to jot down the stories and all of the details you have heard. Don't trust them to your memory. Make note of all of the names, dates, and places and any clues that will later help you to check out the stories and either confirm or refute them with evidence you might be able to find through various resources. Be certain to note the source of the stories which family member told the tales about Uncle Harry having died at sea or cousin Ruppert being a decorated war veteran. Among the resources you might want to use to further research the family stories and help sort out their authenticity are RootsWeb mailing lists and message boards. Other researchers familiar with the history of the localities where your stories are set or with the family members themselves may be able to shed some light on the family lore or tell you how to learn more about investigating Harry's death on the high seas and obtaining documentation of Ruppert's military service. If you return home with old family photos perhaps even photos no one could identify upload them as attachments to the pertinent RootsWeb message board (in most cases this would be the surname board for the family surname) and maybe someone will come along who might be able to identify some or all of those people in the pictures. Perhaps someone else possesses a copy of the same photos and can fill in the unknown names for you. And, perhaps most important of all, if you return home with old yearbooks, newspaper clippings, family Bible records or other keepsakes containing data, be sure to join in the spirit of sharing this holiday season by posting the data to the RootsWeb message boards or by submitting the information to the RootsWeb User-contributed Databases. You can locate RootsWeb mailing lists here: http://lists.rootsweb.com/ Message boards are located here: http://boards.rootsweb.com/ For User-contributed Database submissions, start here: http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit/ * * * * * * * * * * Advertisements * * * * * * * * * * REQUEST A SEARCH FOR YOUR ANCESTORS AT THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY ANCESTOR SEEKERS researchers at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City will search this vast collection for your ancestors from the USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Russia, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Italy. If you commission the work (there's no obligation to do that!) prices start from $55 (US). For a FREE! initial e-mail consultation visit http://www.ancestorseekers.com/research/rwr/ For help in finding ancestors from England or Scotland request a FREE e-mail assessment from http://www.britishancestors.com/ or join us FEBRUARY 18-23 for our Seventh Salt Lake City Research Trip the ideal genealogy vacation! * * * Have you thought about your health? We have. Join AARP Today. Join AARP today to belong to a network of 37 million people with the same interest at heart: getting the most out of life. Anyone over 50 can get all the great benefits of membership in AARP for only $12.50 a year. Plus, free membership for your spouse or partner! Some of our benefits include AARP The Magazine, access to AARP-sponsored insurance plans, access to the AARP Legal Assistance Network, opportunities to volunteer in your community, and much more. At AARP, we work on the issues that matter to you. Get the latest information on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, economic security and health care. Our goal is to deliver value to our members through information, advocacy and service. Click here to join AARP today! http://www.aarp.org/sk/membership.html?keycode=M5PAA9 * * * * * * * * * * End of Advertisements * * * * * * * * * * 2. Connecting Through RootsWeb: Joys of Online Genealogy By Rose Parks in Texas, USA Ever since I put my genealogy file on the WorldConnect Project, I have had lots of contacts. A few because I had something wrong and a few just because of an allied family name they wanted more information about (that I didn't have), but most were contacting me to give me more information on their branch of the family. Most of them had hit a brick wall in finding ancestors, but had done much research on lines of the family other than mine, so it has been a great experience. I have had one or two contacts that even filled out some other lines they found on my tree because they were connected in some way or because of the county history. I have found everyone to be sharing and helpful and I try to be the same. I know there are trees out there that have copied my information because of the notes I had put with mine, but I do share it with everyone who ask for more information and it is mostly public information, if you know where to go to find it. I never dreamed when I started doing genealogy 25 years ago that you would be able to find so much helpful information without leaving your home. It's really great! * * * New Zealand Brick Wall Crumbles By Avis McDonald in New Zealand Five years ago I listed William SHIELDS who married Elizabeth WAUGH in Edinburgh, Scotland on RootsWeb. William SHIELDS was the only member of a large family who did not immigrate to New Zealand and the only knowledge the family had was of his marriage and that he had three children. . This year a descendant of William SHIELDS made contact with me after reading my query. Thanks to RootsWeb this broke down a 20-year brick wall. This reinforces the experts' advice of listing missing ancestors on several different, but relevant, lists [and boards]. * * * Red-headed Twin Sons' Birth Makes Local News Griffith Family Welcomes Twin Boys. Draketown News Robt. Griffith is the happiest man in these diggins. His wife, yesterday, presented him with two fine red-headed boys. He has suspended work in the blacksmith shop and has been nursing them continuously since yesterday morning. (Haralson County (Georgia) GaArchives News. "The Carroll County Times" Carrollton, Carroll County, Georgia Newspaper: Friday, 26 July 1878). [File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: C. T. Gravelle. http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/haralson/newspapers/griffith1966gnw.txt] * * * What's your story? Have you made a big breakthrough in 2006? Did you leap over some brick walls or cleverly figure out where your grandmother was hiding in a census? Do tell! Has some kind soul provided you with help or information about your family? Dazzle us with your brilliant sleuthing or uncanny luck. We're all ears. Send your tales of online genealogical adventure (short ones preferred) to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com * * * 3. New User-Contributed Databases at RootsWeb http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit/ The following databases have come online recently. They are searchable, but not browseable. Search: To look for specific data or occurrence of text in a file. Browse: To view the entire contents of a file or a group of files. CALIFORNIA. San Mateo County. Burlingame. Burlingame High School Class of 1951 219 records; Judy Steele http://userdb.rootsweb.com/alumni/ IDAHO. Shoshone County. Kellogg-Wardner High School alumni, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934; 323 records; Catherine Carlson Van Cott http://userdb.rootsweb.com/alumni/ TEXAS. Wichita County. Wichita Falls. Wichita Falls Times Record News; obits 3/4/1993; 9 records; Jane Engbrock http://userdb.rootsweb.com/obituaries/ 4. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages 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 (its Web address), along with a brief description, including the major pertinent surnames and what is available on your site, to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com * * * If your genealogical or historical related site is located somewhere other than at RootsWeb.com, you can add the link here: http://resources.rootsweb.com/~rootslink/addlink.html * * * 472nd ENGINEER MAINTENANCE COMPANY WORLD WAR II. A brief history of this company, which served 30 months in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands and 21 months at Espirito Santos, New Hebrides. This site contains a list of those who served in this company, plus pictures. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~boneplace/ww2/472.html WILEY. Thomas and Jenny Wiley Descendants. Surnames include WILEY, WILLIAMSON, STAPLETON, VANHOOSE, and many others. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bjwiley/rr_toc.htm * * * 5. New at RootsWeb To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/ - Some of these webpages might not yet be accessible. They are created by volunteers, so if one that interests you isn't up yet, please check again in a few days or next week. http://www.rootsweb.com/~xxxxxx[accountname] IRELAND Iredoneg Donegal (Ireland) U.S.A. azghcdar Governor George W. P. Hunt (Arizona) Chapter DAR azlkcdar Lewis Kingman (Arizona) Chapter DAR inmario3 Marion County (Indiana) kycarol3 Carroll County (Kentucky) kygalla3 Gallatin County (Kentucky) kyhenry2 Henry County (Kentucky) kyowen3 Owen County (Kentucky) kytrimb2 Trimble County (Kentucky) moharri2 Harrison County (Missouri) pafayet2 Fayette County (Pennsylvania) psbsgs Border States Genealogical Society (Plains States) usgwhelp USGenWeb (help pages) Key: DARDaughters of the American Revolution * * * New Mailing Lists at RootsWeb 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 BESECKER CATSON ELLMER LACHAT, LOUT MCCLEESE NORCUTT RYDEHEARD WACKLER, WHIPP NEW ETHNIC OR SPECIAL INTEREST MAILING LISTS CFHS-IDEAS For members of the Cornwall Family History Society to discuss ideas and suggestions for the society. DPS-QUEENSLAND HM-CUSTOMS-WATERGUARD IRISH-IN-WI Immigration and settlement of Irish families in Wisconsin, USA WIREWALKING-ROPEWALKING * * * 6. FROM ROOTSWEB REVIEW'S 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]. A DICKENS of a Search By Patricia Lovell in the UK As a native of Portsmouth in the UK, I have been brought up with the knowledge that the author Charles DICKENS was born and lived less than half a mile from my own birth place. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/dickens_charles.shtml) In the year 2012 there are likely to be celebrations held to commemorate the bicentenary of his birth and I expect that many authors are even now gearing up to write the best-selling new version of the authors life. As I spend many happy hours on-line trying to find my own family history, I thought I would do a preliminary search or two as if he were an unknown ancestor of my own. What to try first well, the IGI is a pretty fair bet as thousands of people use it in order to research their families, some actually claiming to have found, thereby, their ancestors back to the days when Adam was a lad. The IGI consists basically of two sources of information; that which has been extracted from official records, and that submitted by members of the LDS Church. The official record, based on the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is that Charles Dickens was born on 7 February 1812 in a house in Mile End Terrace, Portsea, Portsmouth, the second child and first son of John Dickens and Elizabeth Barrow. John Dickens came from Cheshire, where his parents worked at Crewe Hall. On entering details in the IGI, at one time omitting year of birth and another time omitting county, I came across several entries. Firstly, we seem to have been spelling his name incorrectly. In the extracted entry for the marriage of John and Elizabeth, Charles' parents, the surname was DICKINS. This put paid to my rule of, generally speaking, accepting extracted records on the whole, but taking submitted records with more caution. They were married at Saint Mary Le Strand, Westminster, London, on 13 June 1809 or were they? The marriage is also given in one entry as being in 1805 in "Landsport, Portsmouth" or even in 1809 in Stafford, a difference of some 180 miles and four years! Landport (not Landsport) is another name for the district of Portsea where Charles Dickens was born. John Dickens' place of birth is also given on one of these entries as "Portsmouth." The children of this couple are: Frances Elizabeth or Fanny, born 1810 in "Land" or "Landport" or "Mile End Terrace" in Portsea. Six entries came up for my IGI search, only the baptism has her full name of Frances Elizabeth. Charles Dickens. There are 14 entries in this search, some with the middle names variously as John Huffam, Huffham or Huffman. Apparently the baptism register also errs in this instance by misspelling the name of his godfather which is included as a middle name as Huffham, as several sources give him to be Christopher Huffam, a rigger and mast, oar and block maker. Letitia. Letitia Mary, four entries are found, including having been baptised 16 May 1816 at St. Mary, Marylebone, but born in "Land" or "Landport" or London. Harriett. She only merits one entry, but was, according to the IGI, born in "Land, Portsea" about 1818, which was after the Dickens family had left the area and after her elder sister, Letitia, had been born in London. Frederick. Frederick William Dickens or Dickins, was born in 1820 in "Land, Portsea," "Chatham," "Landport" or London. There are four entries in the IGI all submitted. Alfred Lernest or Lambert or Lamert Dickens, born in "Land, Portsea," London, "Ordnance Terrace, Chatham" or "Land Port, Portsea." Again, four entries all submitted. Last but not least. Augustine or Augustus Newnham, born in "Land, Portsea," "Landport," London, and baptised in Old Church, Saint Pancras. London. Four entries all submitted. It certainly gives one pause for thought that if one takes a well- known person and finds discrepancies in so many matters of fact regarding them, how much faith should we have in recording information about our own, less-celebrated, ancestors gleaned from such sources? How many of the "trees" found online have sources given, which can be used to make checks for oneself? And having made any checks and having discovered errors, how many sources are amenable to accepting proof that they are mistaken and will correct them? * * * Following the Cookie Crumb Trail By Sharon in Iowa This is just a story to show others how little pieces can add to filling in places on our search for family. I was doing searches on Ancestry.com for an uncle named Benjamin NICHOLS. I found a record on the 1910 census for a 2-year-old grandson named George A. SECOR, b. Iowa. Aha! Put on my thinking cap. Benjamin Nichols had five children according to my records. 1. Lena NICHOLS female 1877-1907 married to George CISCO. 2. Lottie NICHOLS female 1880-1891 (only 11 years old at death) 3. Minnie NICHOLS female 1885-1949 4. Jessie NICHOLS male 1887 (died in dentist's chair in Iowa) 5. Chester NICHOLS male 1893-1947 Checking the Illinois marriage index, I found several Minnie NICHOLS, but none married to a SECOR. OK I thought, now I need a bigger thinking cap. I searched for just SECOR in the bridegroom list. Bingo! Andrew M. SECOR married to Jessie E. NICHOLS (who I had listed as male). So I now had the correct sex for Jessie a middle initial for Jessie a name for her husband, with a date for the marriage license including the county where the license was obtained All this from just a name of a grandson listed on the census. This is why it is so much fun to do genealogy. I am continually amazed at where "bits and pieces" can lead us. * * * Working Around Spam Filters and Paranoia By Sue Moore in Manchester, England In addition to over-sensitive spam filters, there's a risk that genuine messages that do get through may be mistaken for spam. It's a sad fact that spam has reached such a level that one naturally assumes that unsolicited messages are virus-laden or offensive rubbish. Last summer I received an e-mail entitled "family" from "Linda." The majority of spam e-mails promising me physically impossible body enhancement appear to be from senders with "ordinary" names, so I nearly deleted it unopened. At the last minute I decided to read it just in case. Linda turned out to be a fellow QUARTERMAN researcher and my second cousin once removed (2C1R), thus filling in a branch of the family I had been unaware of my first contact with a "new" QUARTERMAN relative! Can I make a plea that anyone contacting a fellow researcher for the first time include the family name or other wording in the subject which will ensure the recipient realises this is one e-mail they should open! You wouldn't want to be deleted, now, would you? * * * 7. Humor/Humour: Canadian Casanova's Tombstone Thanks to: Eileen Younggren We went to Burns Lake, British Columbia from Minnesota to research on my CARROLL relatives. We were lucky to meet two delightful older CARROLL sisters. Jean gave me information on the ones I asked about and finally I asked about William CARROLL and if he had married. She paused a moment and said, "Yes, he had married, but because he was a womanizer, his wife left him. Later we went to the cemetery where I found his tombstone. It reads: "William CarrollLoved by all" * * * Found a funny or "proper name for the job" in old records or an amusing entry in census, parish, church, etc. records? Send them to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com 8. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints - SUBSCRIPTIONS. To manage your e-mail communications (i.e. to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, or to sign up for others), visit our newsletter management center any time at: http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ If you use a spam-filtering program, in order to receive the RootsWeb Review please make sure that you're allowing e-mail from: newsletter@reply.myfamilyinc.com The RootsWeb Review is a free publication of MyFamily.com, 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: Shana Davis, creative@myfamilyinc.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: 22 November 2006, Vol. 9, No. 47. * * * * | |
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