What are their names???? A Noni Moose wrote: > I have used the Ellis Island website to track my grandparents' entry > into the US. My grandfather made three entries from Switzerland: > > 16 August 1890: Ellis Island records do not go back this far, but, > he listed this date on his application for citizenship as the first > date he entered the US, and, I have the original of his steamship > ticket for this trip. > > June 1897 and October 1910: He shows up in the Ellis Island records > on ship manifests entering the US on these dates. In October 1910 > he was accompanied by my grandmother. > > Now -- is there any way to track his RETURN trips to Switzerland? Unless he got a passport, no > FIRST TRIP: He entered the US in 1890 and again in 1897, so, he > must have gone back to Switzerland at some time in the intervening > seven years. I have no record of his activity for this seven-year > period. > > SECOND TRIP: He entered the US in 1897 and again in 1910. I have a > small notebook that he kept as a diary between September 1903 and > July 1910 but his entries are sporadic. He did, however, note with > each entry where he was located at the time. Entries in this > notebook up to August 1908 are made in the US; beginning in > September 1908 the entries are in Switzerland -- so -- I know he > traveled from the US to Switzerland sometime in August - September > 1908, possibly as early as 6 August 1908. > > "A Noni Moose" <anon@moose.net>

I have used the Ellis Island website to track my grandparents' entry into the US. My grandfather made three entries from Switzerland: 16 August 1890: Ellis Island records do not go back this far, but, he listed this date on his application for citizenship as the first date he entered the US, and, I have the original of his steamship ticket for this trip. June 1897 and October 1910: He shows up in the Ellis Island records on ship manifests entering the US on these dates. In October 1910 he was accompanied by my grandmother. Now -- is there any way to track his RETURN trips to Switzerland? FIRST TRIP: He entered the US in 1890 and again in 1897, so, he must have gone back to Switzerland at some time in the intervening seven years. I have no record of his activity for this seven-year period. SECOND TRIP: He entered the US in 1897 and again in 1910. I have a small notebook that he kept as a diary between September 1903 and July 1910 but his entries are sporadic. He did, however, note with each entry where he was located at the time. Entries in this notebook up to August 1908 are made in the US; beginning in September 1908 the entries are in Switzerland -- so -- I know he traveled from the US to Switzerland sometime in August - September 1908, possibly as early as 6 August 1908. Thanks for your suggestions. "A Noni Moose" <anon@moose.net>

Our research note for March explains how to read Minnesota land descriptions and find clues for additional research. There is also information about on-line landowner maps for Minnesota. You can find it at http://www.parkbooks.com/Html/res_l_ds.html Other notes are linked through our research page http://www.parkbooks.com/Html/research.html I've started a new blog too, looking forward to the upcoming sesquicentennials of the Civil War (Minnesota offered the first troops for the Union Army) and the Dakota War of 1862. You can find that at http://parkbooks.blogspot.com Happy researching! Mary Bakeman Park Genealogical Books Mary Bakeman <mbakeman@parkbooks.com>

Barbara McLeod wrote: > We found these extracts in a book of Tad EVANS newspaper clippings that > concern our ancestor, George KING. > Questions: > 1. was George alive when these levies were made? Probably. > 2. where would we find records that George did/did not pay off > these levies that we are viewing as fines/debts? They're taxes. > 3. what would cause George to have had so many levies against him? There's no reason for taxes, they just are. Also, not all of them are HIS taxes; in at least one, his land is simply a landmark. Nor would I be awfully surprised to find these are all a single suit (I mean, if Malone et al had to sue him to get paid, why on earth would they extend him credit a 2nd or 3rd time?). > 4. what is the meaning of -----"for use of James BLACK"? Unless Ga. laws are very different (but I don't think they are), it means James will get the benefit of the money. OTOH, I could be wrong all 'round. Cheryl singhals <singhals@erols.com>

> We found these extracts in a book of Tad EVANS newspaper clippings > that concern our ancestor, George KING. > Questions: > 1. was George alive when these levies were made? > 2. where would we find records that George did/did not pay off > these levies that we are viewing as fines/debts? > 3. what would cause George to have had so many levies against him? > 4. what is the meaning of -----"for use of James BLACK"? > > <snip> > > Barbara McLeod <1brown1blue@gmail.com> Land records should shed some light on this. It seems likely that George King had mortgages on all of that property. Foreclosure of a mortgate on a piece of property often results in the sale of that property in an auction conducted by the sheriff. In any event, the sale of each tract of land sold should have been recorded in the deed records along with the details of why, when, etc. the forced sales took place. Failing that, check court records to see what actions regarding George King and his property might have transpired there. Janey Joyce <jejoyce@sbcglobal.net>

We found these extracts in a book of Tad EVANS newspaper clippings that concern our ancestor, George KING. Questions: 1. was George alive when these levies were made? 2. where would we find records that George did/did not pay off these levies that we are viewing as fines/debts? 3. what would cause George to have had so many levies against him? 4. what is the meaning of -----"for use of James BLACK"? Any and all help appreciated. Barbara Mac ** *Pg. 64 of book* *Tuesday, May 4, 1819* Will be sold at the market-house in the town of Eatonton, on the first Tuesday in June next the following property, viz: 50 acres land, lying on the waters of Rush Creek levied on as the property of John Trammil, to satisfy *George King*. (Signed) William S. Morgan, D. Sheriff. Source: Georgia Journal, Published in Milledgeville. *Pg. 73-74 of book* *Tuesday, January 4, 1820* Will be sold on the 1st Tuesday in February next, at the market-house in the town of Eatonton, Putnam County the following property, viz: 202 acres of land adjoining Beall Flake levied on as the property of *George King*, to satisfy John Malone & Co., and others. One acre land adjoining *George King* levied on as the property of Otho Bell, to satisfy Thomas Killpatrick. (Signed) William Varner, Sheriff. Source: Georgia Journal, Published in Milledgeville. *Pg. 78 of book* *Tuesday, March 28, 1820* Will be sold, at the market-house in the town of Eatonton, Putnam County, on the 1st Tuesday in May next the following property, viz: 12 acres of land levied on as the property of *George King*, to satisfy sundry executions in favor of J. Malone & Co. (Signed) Benjamin Williamson, Sheriff. Source: Georgia Journal, Published in Milledgeville. *Pg. 81 of book* *Tuesday, June 27, 1820* Will be sold at the market-house in the town of Eatonton, Putnam County, on the 1st Tuesday in August next the following property, to wit: 101 acres land 2 beds 96 gallon still levied on as the property of *George King*, to satisfy a fi fa in favor of Allen W. Coleman, for the use of James A. Black. (Signed) Benjamin Williamson, Sheriff. Source: Georgia Journal, Published in Milledgeville. *Note: A fi fa is a write of fieri facias. This is an order which is issued by a judge and directs the levy officer to seize the property of the named defendant.* *Pg. 86-87 of book* *Tuesday, January 30, 1821* On the 1st Tuesday in March next, will be sold at the market-house in the town of Eatonton, Putnam County the following property, to wit: One cotton gin, wheat fan and thrasher, levied on as the property of *George King*, to satisfy an execution in favor of John Malone & Co. (Signed) Benjamin Williamson, Sheriff. Source: Georgia Journal, Published in Milledgeville. *Pg. 89-90 of book* *Tuesday, May 1, 1821* On the 1st Tuesday in June next, will be sold at the market-house in the town of Eatonton, Putnam County the following property, to wit: 1000 acres of land two stills, worms, and stands; levied on as the property of *George King*, to satisfy an execution in favor of Allen W. Coleman, for the use of James A. Black. One cotton gin, one wheat fan and thrasher; levied on as the property of *George King*, to satisfy an execution in favor of John Malone & Co. (Signed) Benjamin Williamson, Sheriff. Source: Georgia Journal, Published in Milledgeville. Barbara McLeod <1brown1blue@gmail.com>

> > Here in the U.S. Sam's Club carries FTM also Office Depot, etc. > > That's why I think so many people use it. > > I keep a copy #16, just for some of the charts it will make. > > But I have been a FO/RM person for many years. > > With FTM I have to read the book, with RM it is very intuitive. > > > > "L.L. Scott" <llscott2000@bellsouth.net> > > Have you seen the screen shots for RM4? The writeups sound awesome > but you may have to read the book just to learn everything it will > do. > > Bruce Buzbee rides again. > > Eagle@bellsouth.net (J. Hugh Sullivan) I have been checking the RM website, I am ready to preorder :-)

> Here in the U.S. Sam's Club carries FTM also Office Depot, etc. > That's why I think so many people use it. > I keep a copy #16, just for some of the charts it will make. > But I have been a FO/RM person for many years. > With FTM I have to read the book, with RM it is very intuitive. > > "L.L. Scott" <llscott2000@bellsouth.net> Have you seen the screen shots for RM4? The writeups sound awesome but you may have to read the book just to learn everything it will do. Bruce Buzbee rides again. Hugh Eagle@bellsouth.net (J. Hugh Sullivan)

> FTM 2008 isn't the latest version of FTM. 2009 is the current > version and although I don't use FTM (I use RootsMagic) I've heard > that FTM 2008 was intended to be a beginner version and should have > been named as such--but that 2009 reverts more to the earlier > full-featured FTM software. So the problems may be limited to FTM > 2008. In any case, I prefer RootsMagic. <g> > > JYoung6180@aol.com Does anyone out there know whether they've replaced the "everyone in the database" tree in FTM 2009? It was one of the reasons I've stayed with FTM - and its removal was one of the reasons I'm still using FTM 2005. I can't be bothered with all the updates unless they offer something I want. Lesley Robertson "Lesley Robertson" <l.a.robertson@tnw.tudelft.nl>

> Here in the U.S. Sam's Club carries FTM also Office Depot, etc. > That's why I think so many people use it. > I keep a copy #16, just for some of the charts it will make. > But I have been a FO/RM person for many years. > With FTM I have to read the book, with RM it is very intuitive. > > "L.L. Scott" <llscott2000@bellsouth.net> yes I agree RM is good but Legacy is at a price hard to refuse -- Ron Lankshear -Sydney NSW (from London-Shepherds Bush/Chiswick) try my links http://freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lankshear/ Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW <ronlank@hotmail.com>

> The trick is that the link I gave above is to the > Index page - you pick a blog and click and the > comments box is on the right may be down the page > a bit. Some blogs are "old" and comments are closed. > > This is the FTM index page > http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/category/products/ftm/ > > and the index for Michelle the FTM project manager > > http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/author/mpfister/ > > Must be some reason why so many use FTM - I find > Legacy to be very good. The more sophisticated > gedcom managers are too hard for me..... > > Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW <ronlank@hotmail.com> Here in the U.S. Sam's Club carries FTM also Office Depot, etc. That's why I think so many people use it. I keep a copy #16, just for some of the charts it will make. But I have been a FO/RM person for many years. With FTM I have to read the book, with RM it is very intuitive. "L.L. Scott" <llscott2000@bellsouth.net>

> A Nonnie Moose wrote: > > > I ordered a brand new Family Tree Maker and loaded it on the > > computer. FORGET IT. > > > > The newest FTM -- I think it's FTM 2008 -- IS A MESS. DAMN NEAR > > UNUSABLE. > > That is the consensus and it has been upgraded to FTM 2009 > > > I switched to Legacy and will not look back. > > Good Move. > > bob gillis <robertgillis@verizon.net> My friend is leaving FTM claiming she cannot figure it out and is joining RootsMagic because I love it. Sharon

> > > snip > > > Then there's the matter of the Ancestry.com search engine. As best > > > I can tell, over the past 3-4 months, they have changed their online > > > search engine three times and now they have settled on the absolute > > > worst possible search. > > > > > > I tried to find an uncle of mine to verify his death date in the SS > > > death index. With the new Ancestry.com site, I got over 50 hits on > > > his name, none of which was my uncle. I switched to the > > > FamilySearch site and found him in 30 seconds. > > > > > > Guess this is what happens when you employ a shop full of computer > > > nerds who feel that they ABSOLUTELY MUST "improve" things. > > > > > > "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com> > > This is a blog for Ancestry Search project manager. > > Do post concerns there for her notice > > http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/author/amitchell/ > > > > I found the NEW so full of errors I switched back > > to OLD search. > > I come back to New every couple of months > > and repost any errors I find > > > > Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW <ronlank@hotmail.com> > > I don't believe this!! > > Even the FTM blog is impossible to use. I spent 10 minutes poking > around and never did find how to leave a comment!! > > Something else to rant about!!! > > "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com> The trick is that the link I gave above is to the Index page - you pick a blog and click and the comments box is on the right may be down the page a bit. Some blogs are "old" and comments are closed. This is the FTM index page http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/category/products/ftm/ and the index for Michelle the FTM project manager http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/author/mpfister/ Must be some reason why so many use FTM - I find Legacy to be very good. The more sophisticated gedcom managers are too hard for me..... -- Ron Lankshear -Sydney NSW (from London-Shepherds Bush/Chiswick) try my links http://freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lankshear/ Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW <ronlank@hotmail.com>

> > WARNING: The following is a rant that serves no useful purpose but > > to allow the poster to blow off steam. > > > > Rant over. > > > > "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com> > > Agreed - didn't like FTM 2008 and I don't like ancestry's new search > screen either, but somewhere near the top of the main search page, > there is a link to go back to the old search. > > Glad to hear you still have 12 cartons of research remaining after > Katrina. > > "Lisa Lepore" <llepore@comcast.net> Sheer, dumb luck. We moved from E Tennessee to the Gulf Coast and decided to leave our big pieces of furniture, art work, Christmas decs, family history stuff, and a few other treasures in storage in Tennessee. Figured we'd build a house then go back and get the rest. Among the items lost in Katrina were most of my wife's quilt collection -- but -- there's more to the story. Among the items we left in Tennessee was a quilt. Back in the 1930's, my G-Grandmother; two of her daughters (my Grandmother being one of them); and one of her granddaughters (my mother) had worked on the blocks for a Dresden Plate quilt using scraps of cloth from their clothing and shirts belonging to my G-G'father and G'father. My mother inherited these quilt blocks from her mother but had done nothing with them. My wife the quilter and daughter took the blocks, cleaned up the stitching and irregular block sizes, and pieced it into a quilt top. When we left for the Gulf Coast, we left the top with a lady in Tennessee to quilt for us. The quilt had been worked on by five generations -- (1) Nannie; (2) her daughters Mary and Annie Lee; (3) my mother, Annie Lee; (4) my wife; (5) our daughter. The quilt contained material from three generations -- (1) Nannie's dresses and G-G'father Maurice's shirts; (2) G'father and G'mother shirts, blouses, dresses; and, (3) dresses from my mother and her sister, made from flour sack cotton. When we returned to TN after Katrina, the quilting lady had not quite finished the quilting; she finished about three months after my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. My mother thought the quilt had been lost in Katrina. You can imagine her reaction when we came into her bedroom with the quilt and spread it over her. She lay under it for the next three months; we took it to the hospice with her and she died under it. Of all the stuff we have, this quilt is without a doubt the most precious. "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com>

> > snip > > Then there's the matter of the Ancestry.com search engine. As best > > I can tell, over the past 3-4 months, they have changed their online > > search engine three times and now they have settled on the absolute > > worst possible search. > > > > I tried to find an uncle of mine to verify his death date in the SS > > death index. With the new Ancestry.com site, I got over 50 hits on > > his name, none of which was my uncle. I switched to the > > FamilySearch site and found him in 30 seconds. > > > > Guess this is what happens when you employ a shop full of computer > > nerds who feel that they ABSOLUTELY MUST "improve" things. > > > > "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com> > > This is a blog for Ancestry Search project manager. > Do post concerns there for her notice > http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/author/amitchell/ > > I found the NEW so full of errors I switched back > to OLD search. > I come back to New every couple of months > and repost any errors I find > > Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW <ronlank@hotmail.com> I don't believe this!! Even the FTM blog is impossible to use. I spent 10 minutes poking around and never did find how to leave a comment!! Something else to rant about!!! "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com>

A Nonnie Moose wrote: > Guess this is what happens when you employ a shop full of computer > nerds who feel that they ABSOLUTELY MUST "improve" things. As far as web sites are concerned I think part of the problem is with marketing types who've been persuaded that people won't keep using the site unless the "experience" is regularly "improved" (meaning "changed"). Beware anything which has to be described as "experience"! As regards software - well they've got to make it different so that you'll think you're getting value for money for you nice new version. Having said that any developer who describes something as "cool" should be sacked immediately. It almost invariably means that they value styles over function. -- Ian Hotmail is for spammers. Real mail address is igoddard at nildram co uk Ian Goddard <goddai01@hotmail.co.uk>

A Nonnie Moose wrote: > I ordered a brand new Family Tree Maker and loaded it on the > computer. FORGET IT. > > The newest FTM -- I think it's FTM 2008 -- IS A MESS. DAMN NEAR > UNUSABLE. That is the consensus and it has been upgraded to FTM 2009 > I switched to Legacy and will not look back. Good Move. bob gillis bob gillis <robertgillis@verizon.net>

> WARNING: The following is a rant that serves no useful purpose but > to allow the poster to blow off steam. > > Rant over. > > "A Nonnie Moose" <moose@nonnie.com> Agreed - didn't like FTM 2008 and I don't like ancestry's new search screen either, but somewhere near the top of the main search page, there is a link to go back to the old search. Glad to hear you still have 12 cartons of research remaining after Katrina. Lisa "Lisa Lepore" <llepore@comcast.net>

> I've also been less than happy with some of the changes at > ancestry.com, but have found workarounds - the first being to not > use the default search screen. > > John <news@picaxe.us> Would you please explain how you get past the default search screen? Pat

On Wednesday 18 February 2009 08:20, A Nonnie Moose (moose@nonnie.com) opined: > WARNING: The following is a rant that serves no useful purpose but > to allow the poster to blow off steam. <snip> > Guess this is what happens when you employ a shop full of computer > nerds who feel that they ABSOLUTELY MUST "improve" things. Disclaimer: I do not presently use FTM and have not used it since my initial experience with it back in the late 90's. I do not and will not subscribe to Ancestry, for reasons I've expounded elsewhere. I'm not so sure I'd blame the shop full of computer nerds. Rather, I'd blame the business model, which seems to mandate change/ "improvement" in order to maintain or increase sales. FTM seems prey to this "feeping creaturism", at least more so than other, similar products out in the wilds of userland. But to blame the programmers for this is like blaming the pistol for the murder. The same, I think, is true of the Ancestry user interface: in an effort to make the site appear new and improved, management has mandated that changes will be made. While these changes are frequently only cosmetic, they often lead to unintended side effects which make the site less user friendly and, consequently, less useful. But Sales can point to the "improvements" as proof that things are better than ever. And that, I think, is the crux of the problem: if your only focus is your quarterly bottom line, you will do what's necessary or expedient to make sure that bottom line improves from quarter to quarter. Ain't business wonderful? Cynical Ol' Bob (Yeah, I know, isn't an "S" - but the _sound_ is) -- Robert G. Melson | Rio Grande MicroSolutions | El Paso, Texas ----- Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason so few engage in it. -- Henry Ford Bob Melson <amia9018@mypacks.net>