Throughout July, Vol. 1, Issue 2 of ATAVUS is available free to all web site visitors. Within it, you will learn about: - The Cabinet War Rooms: Churchill's Bunker - The O'Neill's of Ulster - The Gore Roll: the oldest catalogue of American Arms - The Earl of Sandwich - Bolton Abbey and other great houses of Yorkshire - Clanship and Chiefs Dress and Arms - Charles and Camilla Read these articles and more now - www.burkes-atavus.com/sites/common/sitepages/at0402.asp ATAVUS is a bi-monthly publication containing high quality articles in the field of genealogy, British history, traditions and related topics. It is available to subscribers of Burke's Peerage & Gentry's online database. More at: www.burkes-atavus.com
Dear Marin County Genealogical Society Members: You may notice a few familiar names in the following article, including Esther Mott! It would be nice to see our Society, as a whole, contribute more of the County's records to the world. Sonoma County is doing a great job! Happy Trails, Lauren ................................. The following article is from Eastmans Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2003 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.RootsForum.com. This article will be found at: http://www.RootsForum.com/newsletter/index.html#GenealogyHeroesandHeroines - Genealogy Heroes and Heroines Every week I list a recent nomination for the title of "Genealogy Hero." This week's nomination comes from Carmen Finley, who nominates a group of people: Hello Dick, In your last newsletter you asked "Do You Know a Genealogy Hero or Heroine." I hope you are interested in the efforts of groups of persons who deserve recognition. I would like to submit the names of persons who, in the last five years, have been instrumental in placing online the indexes of 15 books of data for the Sonoma County [California] Genealogy Society. Starting in 1998 we gathered together volunteer members of the society who used their talents in many different ways project coordinators, technical advisors, historical researchers, data entry persons, proofreaders, editors, producers of camera-ready copy. I am attaching a list of publications produced most, but not all, of which have been published by Heritage Books, Inc., together with the names of individuals contributing to this effort. Carmen J. Finley, Ph.D., CG Sonoma County Genealogical Society Projects Director Santa Rosa, CA Participating Volunteers Andrews, Maggi Lewis, Jane Sapp, Debra Baker, Maxine Lorda, Linda Schefer, Bobbe Benck, Joye Maness, Edmund Smith, June Bouldin, Keith Mazzucchi, Melba Smith, Mary Canavan, Sue Mills, Denise Souther, Armer Chamberlain, Janice Moore, Dick Speer, Darlene Ciabattari, Mary Ann Morrow, Muriel Stelling, Dolores Cloutier, Nancy Mott, Esther Stenger, Janet Conley, Annie Murany, Anne Stephens, Betty Dahlstet, Candice Murphree, Virginia Strickley, Helen DeGolia, Didi Murray, Fran Taylor, Jeanne Dickenson, Doris Nichols, Jeremy Torliatt, Lee Diekman, Barbara Nimmo, Lois Tucker, Pearl Etchell, Marge Owen, Ray Warner, Charles Finley, Carmen OConnor, Camelia Williama, Lenora Gentry, Mary Panaro, Joe Williams, Inez Girard, Cheryl Doran Parmer, Lorraine Williams, Lenora Hall, Patricia Penkala, Jim Wolf, Joan Herman, Audrey Petty, Shirley Yokum, Norma Hershey, Virginia Phillips, Audrey Young, Betty Johnstone, Pat Phinney, Margaret Zenk, Honore Kimball, Francis Sonoma County Genealogical Society Publications and Online Indexes Online Indexes/SCGS Webpage Visitors as of 8 June 2003 Date Placed Online Sonoma County, California, Cemetery Records, 1846-1921 http://www.rootsweb.com/~cascgs/dar/index_intro.htm 19,035 15 Aug. 1999 1890 Census Sonoma County, California (Reconstructed) http://www.rootsweb.com/~cascgs/census/census_intro.htm 11,627 15 Aug. 1999 Sonoma County, California Death Records, 1873-1905 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/dr.htm 11,396 29 Apr. 2000 Early Sonoma County, California, Land Grants, 1846-1850 http://www.rootsweb.com/~cascgs/intro.htm 5,629 6 July 2000 1890 Great Register of Voters, Sonoma County, California http://www.rootsweb.com/~cascgs/gr_intro.htm 5,628 21 Apr. 2000 Naturalization Records In Sonoma County, California: vol. I, 1841-1906 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/nat.htm 4,026 2 Jan. 2001 Vital Data in Newspapers - vol. 3 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/news3.htm 3,574 14 July 2001 Vital Data in Newspapers - vol. 1 (counter reset in Dec.-Jan.- 1,532 in Oct.) http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/news1.htm 2,520 16 Oct. 2000 Vital Data in Newspapers - vol. 2 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/news2.htm 2,494 7 Mar. 2001 Naturalization Records In Sonoma County, California: vol. II, 1906-1930 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/nat2.htm 2,380 12 July 2001 Militia Records http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/militia.htm 1,724 25 Feb. 2002 Judgments (court records of debts) http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/judge.htm 1,613 22 July 2002 Sonoma Searcher Index http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/searcher.htm 1,102 5 June 2002 Vital Data in Newspapers - vol. 4 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/news4.htm 1,090 12 Aug. 2002 Expedientes 1841-1849 http://rootsweb.com/~cascgs/ranchos.htm 48 April 2003
Dear Jerry: Is this to say that the monthly meeting for October, which would normally be held on Wednesday, October 22, will be held, instead on Saturday, October 25 at Mount Tamalpais cemetery? This time of year, as you mentioned, it will be dark earlier. I would think that either morning to early afternoon, or noon to 4 would be better than 1-5 pm. If I understand, the purpose of the meeting/outing will be to transcribe and photograph monument inscriptions to publish as a fund raiser for the Society? And part of the time will be a demonstration of tombstone rubbing, etc. Questions: a) Do you have an idea of the number of burials at this cemetery? b) How many transcribers, computer or otherwise will be needed to do this project in 4 hours? c) Is it expected that the project be completed in the 4 hour window or is that the purpose of digital photos of the stones -- to complete the transcriptions at a later time? d) Will there be recordation of only names and dates, or rather a full transcription of the stones? (others have said in the past that they prefer full transcription) I will mark my calendar for Saturday, October 25, 2003 and can bring my digital camera to assist with photographing the stones. I hope to see as many members and helpers as possible join in this ambitious and worthwhile project! Happy Trails, Lauren
A quick vote, please: Who thinks they might be attending this event, and do you think a weekday or a Saturday or a Sunday would be best. I don't know what percentage of our interested members are retired and In Oct it will be getting dark early. Saturday the 25th is Daylight Savings time and Sunday the 26th is Standard time. Personally I vote for Saturday the 25th, from noon or 1 till 4 or 5. Jerry D. Moore --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
> Hopefully, five things will happen at our October meeting/outing at Mt.Tam cemetery: > 1. We will get to know each other better and have a good time. > 2. We will all learn something > 3. We will 'inventory' the inscriptions at the cemetery for publication and profit, and photograph each stone for (hopefully) additional profit > 4. I will give a demonstration of my 'toolkit' that I take with me when I visit cemeteries, including a nice method of tombstone rubbing, and others there will share their tricks,too. > 5. We will give a 'class' on "reading tombstones and understanding tombstone inscriptions and symbols." > > Questions: > 1. If you have a decent laptop with some memory in it, and you are willing to let that laptop be part of our outing, please advise > 2. If you have a digital camera that will hold LOTS of photos, and can then be downloaded into a laptop while in the field, and if you will let that camera be part of our outing, please advise. > 3. In the past, I have seen things written about the symbols on tombstones. If you have information on this subject, please let me know > Jerry D. Moore --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
GREAT article, Cathy! Thanks for sharing. It is nice to read something positive that a teenager has done to improve his local environment. Instead, so many times all we read or see is the vandalism attributed to youth. Unfortunately, the Pioneer Cemetery in Novato is one that has seen more of vandalism than respect. We should be thankful for those that do take the time and the initiative to return the place our dead lie to one that shows the respect and acknowledgment they deserve. As an aside -- for those that did not make it to the meeting last night, the Program Co-Chairs, Jerry Moore and Ian Sammis, have an event they are planning that will involve a trip (or trips?) to one of our local cemeteries. I am sure you will be reading about it in the monthly newsletter, or perhaps on this list or the Kin Tracer as the details are unfurled. And for those who are unaware, or who may have forgotten.... Cathy Gowdy and Carolyn Schwab have done considerable work in transcribing headstones and records from the Marin County cemeteries. Check the publications section of the Society web site to see what may be available to include in your home library. You can choose the button "publications" from the opening page of the Society site http://www.maringensoc.org/ or if for some reason your computer does not deal well with frames, visit the page directly at http://www.maringensoc.org/sales.html Happy Trails, Lauren
Click Here: <A HREF="http://tennessean.com/local/archives/03/06/34508978.shtml">Scout's project returns dignity to old cemete</A>ry Or in case that doesn't work, here is the URL. Wish there were more kids like th is one! http://tennessean.com/local/archives/03/06/34508978.shtml Cathy
===================================================================== "FINDING MAIDEN OR MARRIED NAMES," by Juliana Smith ===================================================================== I was browsing through the new "French-Canadian Sources" book from Ancestry the other day and I stumbled on an interesting fact. "Women in French society do not lose their maiden names. They are called by their married names socially, but in all official civil and church records they are known by their maiden name. The identity of their spouse may be mentioned, but not necessarily. This usually carries over to their tombstones" (p. 6). I suddenly wished I had more French ancestors. Seriously though, locating our female relatives can be a challenge. We frequently run into situations where we need to take extra steps to find a maiden name, or in some cases, a married name. Typically it is the former, since we usually go backward in time, but occasionally we'll have the maiden name but we'll be unable to locate the married name. Both of these situations will call for some serious digging, and the further back in time the problem dates, the more difficult it can be to locate this information. Today, in light of this difficulty, I thought we'd take a look at some ways I've been able to locate these elusive surnames. A few of these methods contain a few twists and turns. Naturally there will be other options, but to cover them all would make this more of an e- book than an e-zine. Nonetheless, I hope this gives you some ideas. THE CASE OF ELIZA JANE DYER We found Eliza Jane's maiden name in "Bishop Loughlin's Dispensations, Diocese of Brooklyn, 1859-1866, Volume I," compiled by Joseph M. Silinonte. In a dispensation given to her son Edwin Durain and his bride Margaret Dooner, his parents are listed as "Jas, Eliza Neson." For some time we searched high and low for Nesons to no avail, but some further research on Edwin's half sister Suzanne Dyer turned up her marriage certificate. This document gave her mother's maiden name as Nelson. Furthermore, Suzanne named her first son Nelson. The search for Eliza Jane Neson ended there, but the search for Eliza Jane Nelson rages on. Several things came into play here. First we gathered all the information we could find on her children--both direct ancestors and collateral. Even though we might have been tempted to shelve research on Suzanne because she was only a half sister, it turned out that only by seeking out her records were we able to finally locate Eliza's maiden name. Another thing to note is that sometimes maiden names turn up as the given names of children and grandchildren. Marriage records can be particularly valuable because of the information they contain regarding parentage. While information contained in them may vary from place to place and year to year, they are worth seeking out for all of the children of the ancestor in question. If you don't have an exact marriage date you may be able to estimate the date using other events, such as the birth of the first child, appearances in a census with parents and/or husband, (checking all state and federal enumerations where available) and other records. Arranged chronologically, these records can help pin down an approximate date, and then you can look to see what indexes, if any, are available. In the above case, there wasn't an index so we had to browse through several rolls of microfilm to locate the marriage, but it was well worth the effort! THE KELLY FAMILY In our search for the family of my 3rd great-grandmother Catherine Kelly Tobin, although we had her maiden name, we only had the name of one of her sisters and a brother. In Elizabeth Kelly's probate, we learned the married name of the sisters and we also learned of their very existence, thus gaining a wonderful picture of the family structure. Contained in the probate was the following paragraph: "Your petitioner further shows that the only heirs and next of kin of said deceased are, James Kelly, a brother of said deceased residing at 155 Huntington Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Ann Eliza Tobin residing at Mount St. Vincent, N.Y. and Emma Chouaniere residing at 155 Huntington Street. Brooklyn, N.Y., children of Catherine Tobin, a deceased sister of the testatrix; Kate Doherty, only child of Mary A. Doherty, a deceased sister of the testatrix, residing at 777 Lexington Avenue, City of New York; Eugene C. Pechin, your petitioner, Eugenia E. Pechin and Marie L. Pechin, children of Jane Pechin, a deceased sister of the testatrix, all of whom reside at 82 East 83rd Street, City of New York; all of which are of full age: That deceased left neither father, mother, sister or brother, nor any children of a deceased brother or sister her surviving other that here above set forth. That said deceased was unmarried in her lifetime." With this probate we not only learned of the existence of three sisters, we learned their married names, their children's names and addresses, and that all of the siblings save James predeceased Elizabeth, who died in 1883. Death certificates on these siblings eventually told us that their parents were James and Bridget Kelly. Our quest now is to find Bridget's maiden name. Besides death certificates, other death-related records can also contain maiden or married names. Surviving family members are often listed with married and/or maiden names in obituaries. Cemetery records should also be referenced. In-laws can often be found in the same or in neighboring graves. ANN DWYER, WIRE, TOIRE, WARE, WYRE The maiden name of one ancestress is listed as Dwyer--a very common Irish name. Must be ours, right? When we found her name listed on her children's baptismal records as Wire, Ware, Dwyer, Wire, Toire, and Weir, the spelling variations were not too alarming since they all sounded like Dwyer, so we clung to that name. On a recent trip to Ireland though, my parents were able to look at Catherine's baptismal record in the parish registry where her name is listed as Wyre. This is a clear reminder that we need to keep an open mind and check as many records as possible. Also, remember that not all of our ancestors had a formal education and some may not have even known how to write or spell their names. It may have been up to whoever was creating the record to interpret the name phonetically as it was told to them. Picturing my Ann Wyre, fresh from Ireland with her Irish brogue, the multiple spellings are understandable. FINAL THOUGHTS Published family histories and online family trees can also hold clues, but remember to verify everything yourself. While there are some great genealogies both in print and online, there are also some shoddy ones. The only way to tell the difference is to verify each piece of information. Home sources can also contain clues as to our female ancestors' surnames. Old photographs and correspondence can contain a goldmine of information. Clues such as witnesses and sponsors, and other tidbits found in our records should be analyzed thoroughly. For this reason, it's important to go after original records and to not rely on indexes, abstracts, and extracts. Information that may seem trivial to the compiler may be the key to unlocking your family history. Make not of neighbors, as they may also turn out to be family, and names that reappear time after time should definitely warrant a closer look. While the maiden and married names of our female relatives may not always be immediately evident, with a little digging they can come to the surface. ____________________________________________________________________ Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Reprinted by permission from the "Ancestry Daily News"
===================================================================== "An Exploration of Canadian Immigration Records" By George G. Morgan: "Along Those Lines . . ." ===================================================================== The United States and Canada have always had an interesting relationship. Many of us have ancestors who came to the United States via Canada. Others have ancestors who came to Canada via the United States. Whatever route was taken and whatever means were used, we share many similarities. There are many Canadians or people of Canadian descent conducting their own family history research. Many are using the growing body of Canadian materials at Ancestry.com, and not a week goes by that I don't hear from readers of the "Along Those Lines . . ." column letting me know how much they enjoy it and how they'd like to see more information about Canadian research. So, in the spirit of good neighborliness, this column is for you, my Canadian friends. Read along, non-Canadians, and you'll learn some things too. THE BASICS Approaching genealogical research begins the same way in all places. It means starting with yourself and what you know and working backwards. In some places, there are many, many resources available. In others, you may have to dig fairly deep. Most of us will use the resources of census records where they exist, religious records, vital records, and any other materials available. Another source of information is immigration records--those ships' passenger lists and manifests that document the immigration of our ancestors and where they landed. It's these records that we'll discuss in this column. First, you should know that there are no comprehensive lists of immigrant arrivals in Canada prior to 1865. Until that year, shipping companies were not required to create, retain, or supply their passenger lists to the government offices. There are apparently a few of the lists that include passenger names, and the "Miscellaneous Immigration Index" in the archives' reference room is accessible with those few records. The contents relate to immigrants from the British Isles to Quebec and Ontario between the years 1800 and 1849. That information also is included in the inGeneas website at: http://www.ingeneas.com ARCHIVES ARE GOLDEN There are, fortunately, a good many collections of materials, and not just immigration documents, in the holdings of various archives in Canada. Together, let's document a brief overview of some of these archives and their websites. Later, on your own you may take a brief (or detailed) online tour of these archives to discover all that they have to offer. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES OF CANADA http://www.archives.ca The Library and Archives of Canada provides its content in both English and French. Here you will find a wealth of information for your research, even including portraits of Immigrants and Aboriginal People of Canada, located at: http://collections.ic.gc.ca/portraits/docs/imm/enatimm.htm Descriptions of the archives' immigration records can be located on the following website: http://www.archives.ca/02/02020204_e.html. Here you also will learn something about the immigration policies of the Canadian government. Border Entry records also are available for immigrants arriving across the U.S./Canadian border between April 1908 and December 1935. However, not all immigrants were recorded. Passenger lists from 1865 to 1935 exist and have been microfilmed. Check the website for details at: http://www.archives.ca/02/020202/0202020401_e.html It is important to know that the records are arranged by name of the port of arrival and the date of arrival, with the exception of the years 1923 to 1924 and some records from 1919 to 1922 when a separate governmental reporting Form 30A (individual manifest) was used. Please note that records from 1 January 1936 are still in the custody of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Privacy of individuals is protected, and certain requirements exist. For more information, visit the following website: http://www.archives.ca/02/02020204_e.html#Post-1935%20Immigration%20Records The passenger arrival records in the custody of the National Archives of Canada have been microfilmed. They can be accessed in person by visiting them at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa, Canada, through Interlibrary Loan among the Canadian libraries, and/or through the LDS Family History Center nearest you. More information concerning other genealogical resources at the National Archives of Canada can be found at: http://www.archives.ca/02/020202_e.html. There are a number of other resources available online for individual ports. These can be found by visiting the Canadian GenWeb Project (http://www.rootsweb.com/~canwgw/), Cyndi's List for Canada (http://www.cyndislist.com/canada.htm), or by using a search engine such as Google (http://www.google.com). There are a growing number of valuable sites with databases and helpful information on immigration, as well as other Canadian records. OTHER RECORDS Immigration records are just the tip of the iceberg. Don't forget to use other record types throughout your Canadian research. These include: --- Ecclesiastical records, including letters of membership transfer --- Marriage records --- Census records --- Naturalization papers --- Death records --- Newspaper articles --- Obituaries --- Cemetery records --- Wills and probate packet documents --- Family histories --- Published local and provincial histories --- Genealogical and historical society documents --- Maritime museums and archives --- Academic libraries and archives and their special collections Each of these is a possible source for prospecting for your immigrant ancestors' origins. AND A GREAT NEW BOOK Researchers who are seeking help in their French-Canadian research already know that there is a distinct lack of published guides in this area. What you may not have known is that there is a new book available on the subject. "French-Canadian Sources: A Guide for Genealogists," is a compilation which began as a project of the French-Canadian/Acadian Genealogical Society of Hales Corners, Wisconsin. The book contains excellent introductory materials to acquaint you with Gallic culture and its organization, but presents clearly written descriptions of all types of records, what they contain, and where to locate them, along with scores of illustrations. The book contains an exhaustive appendix of French vocabulary words and phrases. Another appendix addresses dates in French, while two others provide detailed coverage of Canadian census records and census substitutes. Resources for locating those census records as well as the LDS microfilm resources for the Loiselle Marriage Index are also included. Published in late 2002 by Ancestry, I can tell you that this is one book every genealogist working on French-Canadian ancestry should add to their personal reference book collection. A bientot! George __________________________________________________________________ Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Reprinted by permission from the "Ancestry Daily News" and George Morgan.
LEGISLATIVE REPORT - JUNE 2003 As all Californians know, the State has no budget yet. But, we do have good news regarding the funding for the California State Library. Two million dollars of the originally proposed Library budget cut has been reinstated. While this means the Library, like all California agencies, will be affected. Peter Dolgenos, Sutro Library (Branch of the California State Library) tells us: 'The California State Library will be affected by the cuts in the governor's proposed budget, but not as badly as was originally thought. 'As you may know, the Sutro has had to eliminate Saturday hours, but we are still open Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM. 'Our staff has been cut (without layoffs), but we are still able to perform essential tasks such as reshelving books. 'Our acquisitions budget has been cut, but not to zero. We continue to be grateful for material that is donated to us. . . . We do not plan to charge user fees.' In my early reports there was some confusion regarding the planned move of the Sutro Library into the J. Paul Leonard Library on the San Francisco State University campus. This move has been planned for some time and had nothing to do with the budget cuts. The move is scheduled in about four years. Sutro will remain under the control of the State Library, it will continue to be run and managed as it is presently. The move is being made to this up-graded facility for the safety and preservation of the collection. We will learn more about this as plans are worked out. Genealogists can rest assured that Sutro is alive and well according to Dolgenos. The second item I need to report on is the Federal Social Security Misuse Prevention Act, S228 and HR637. Neither bill as had any action since I last reported on them in May. I have not heard any news about the possibility of the author(s) taking amendments to included only living person. I will get back to you with any news on these bills. Just as a reminder, Public Notices are being issued in newspapers throughout the state to explain the July 1, 2003 changes in the law governing requests for California birth and death records: Beginning July 1, 2003 California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 permits only specific individuals to receive an AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED COPY of a birth or death record. An AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED COPY of a birth record is required to obtain a driver's license, passport, social security card and other services related to an individual's identity. An AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED COPY of a death record may be required to obtain death benefits, claim insurance proceeds, notify social security and obtain other services related to an individual's identity. Please see below for a list of authorized individuals. Those who do not meet the criteria for an AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED COPY may receive an INFORMATIONAL CERTIFIED COPY with the words "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY" imprinted across the face of the copy. When ordering in person: an authorized individual must complete an approved application, including a signed statement sworn under penalty of perjury to receive an AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED COPY. When ordering by mail: a notarized Certificate of Identity and completed application form, signed under penalty of perjury by the authorized requestor are required. Applications and Certificate of Identity forms are available on county web sites. Individuals permitted to receive an AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED COPY: * The registrant or a parent or legal guardian of the registrant. * A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record in order to comply with the requirements of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family Code. * A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another government agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business. * A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant. * An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate. * Any funeral director that orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of any individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, or subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety Code. To be added to the Network, send your name, name of your organization, and e-mail address, stating you wish to be added to the Legislative Network, to <[email protected]>.---19 June 2003, CSGA Legislative Network, Iris Carter Jones. [Permission is granted to reprint Legislative reports. Please cite your source.]
I have been informed that a copy of the 1880 Muro-Fraser History of Marin Co. is available for sale on EBay as a CD. If someone would be willing to purchase it, it would make a great contribution to our media library. Here is the item URL http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2933609807 Thanks for the heads-up, Lauren! Cathy
No idea of research logs, allows people to look up quickly if they have used that research before. The first thing to do when you bring the book, census, etc to the table to write, is LOOK UP AND SEE IF YOU HAVE LOOKED AT IT BEFORE. Are ou going to look through three pages? I would not. I use Excell, but you could use Works spreadsheet. Each file is for s separate state, where I am research., but could be by state and the ancestors name, if you have several in that state. My first column in the name of the book, send is the years it covers, and third is where I found the book. If you want to put in Dewey nos. OK, but it won't help at Sutro. I then sort the name of the book alphbelically. Now if I go to the 1860 Census, I will see all the Censuses at once. If I go to Land Records, they are all together for that State. I print these sheets, making sure that the space in the rows, and large enough to write. If I do not have that book, I enter the facts at the end. When I come home I add the new books, then resort, and I am ready for my next resarch. Also I have a copy of that research, if the hard copy is lost. For Louisiana I have three pages, Georgia, two, and Mississip, one. I find this eassier than going through 8 pages to find the name of a book. I am just lazy. Clara
MCGS General Meeting Lutheran Church Annex 1100 Las Gallinas Avenue - San Rafael Wednesday, June 25, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. Hon. Ann Rutherford of Chico "Court Records" This retired judge is a genealogist who has the credentials to tell us everything there is to know about the full array of court records. She will introduce various types of court records as sources of available information. She will also speak at the July general meeting to explain how to use these records. ****************MCGS Board elections will also be held********************
==================================================================== "GENEALOGICAL FALLACIES: FAMILY TRADITION," by Kory L. Meyerink, AG, FUGA ==================================================================== Almost every family has them, and for the family historian they can be both bane and boon. What are they? The almost ever-present traditions about a family's history. The traditions will vary greatly from family to family, because different events happened in different families, but the traditions are there. One tradition may be about a soldier surviving some great battle or other catastrophe, or a tradition may be that an ancestor was the first white child born in a particular county. Perhaps they have to do with when the family came to America (Mayflower or Ellis Island), or with the ethnic background of the family. Often they deal with a person's occupation, residence, or homesteading. Whatever they are, these traditions have been handed down over the generations, like precious jewels, to the younger members of the family. Over time, in some families, traditions can take on an almost sacred nature. On occasion, a family's identity becomes partially consumed by its oral tradition. So, what's wrong with family tradition? Isn't that one of the elements that attracts people to genealogy and family history? Aren't those stories the very aspects that make history and family "come alive" to the less-interested family members? Those are all good questions. There is nothing inherently wrong with family tradition, although some (perhaps many) specific traditions in individual families are incorrect. They often attract the attention of others in the family and make family history more interesting. The danger in family tradition is the improper weight, or value, that some persons attach to their beloved traditional stories. Perhaps an extended example will best illustrate the fallacy of placing too much weight on family tradition. Over 25 years ago, my wife's family held the following tradition as virtual fact: "Grandfather Andrew Klinesmith came from Holland and was an expert carpenter or cabinetmaker. His family was massacred in the Janesville, Ohio Indian affair. "The Sweat of the Border" by Zane Grey tells the story. His father and mother and sister were all killed. He and another sister escaped by hiding in a hollow log. He then went to Pennsylvania and met grandmother, whose name was Margaret Miller. Margaret Miller's father was given a grant of land for some service and they were well-to-do. Her father did not like Grandfather Klinesmith for a son-in-law, so the two ran off and were married and started back to Ohio." (Letter dated 15 May 1978 from Gertrude Haydon) This is a rich, interesting, and fun tradition, with plenty of significant detail with which to pursue research. However, at least half of it is incorrect. Extensive research on the family has uncovered the truth, and there are elements of it in this story, but following the story too rigidly will keep one from finding the truth. Some elements of this story are easy to refute. There is no Janesville in Ohio; this is likely an error for Zanesville, but there is no evidence the family was ever in that part of Ohio (although they did live on the opposite side of the state for a while. Zane Grey never wrote a book with that title. Most of his books were set in the far west, but one of his Ohio-based books was "The Spirit of the Border." Well, that's pretty similar, isn't it? In title yes, but a close reading reveals no information about a massacre, and no accounts of children hiding in a hollow log. The biggest problem, however, involves setting this story in Ohio and with Andrew Klinesmith. From census and other records, Andrew was born in 1805 in Pennsylvania. He did not come from Holland (his grandfather was Pennsylvania Dutch, meaning German, and arrived in 1752). Andrew was born in Union County, Pennsylvania, near the area where his grandfather (the immigrant), not his parents, was killed by a small Indian raid (not a massacre) in 1780. Only the grandfather was killed; his widow survived through at least 1820. Andrew's father does not appear in the published accounts of the story (see, for example, Annals of Buffalo Valley by John Blair Linn, p. 189). Rather it was his father's two sisters who escaped, and one rolled under a fallen log to avoid the Indian pursuers. Andrew did marry Margaret Miller, who grew up near him in Union County. They did move to Ohio after marriage, and eventually to Iowa. The alleged animosity between her parents and his is hard to judge. Both his father and her parents are buried next to each other in a small cemetery in Laurelton, Pennsylvania. However, a deed from Margaret's father, Henry Miller, to her, for land in Van Wert County, Ohio does not mention her husband Andrew at all. The land was transferred for the "love and affection" they held for their daughter, and for one dollar. The optimists will see the elements of truth in this tradition. The pessimists will want to throw out the entire story. The truth, as it so often does, lies in-between. The careful researcher will probe the story, find that it is not entirely accurate, and set it aside to pursue the truth. Only when the truth is fully revealed can the accuracies and inaccuracies of the tradition be judged. The real value and importance of family traditions is that they should serve as clues or possible suggestions for our research. Perhaps they can even serve as a challenge, a research goal, to prove or disprove the validity of a particular story. However, when we as researchers focus too much on the content of a tradition, and let it dictate where, or in what time frame, we search for evidence, we are falling prey to the fallacy of family tradition. So, the watch cry for the use of family tradition in our research is "caution." It is primarily through careful, cautious evaluation of our traditions that we can avoid this fallacy. ____________________________________________________________________ Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Reprinted with permission from the "Ancestry Daily News".
===================================================================== "AVOIDING DOUBLE DUPLICATE RESEARCH" George G. Morgan: "Along Those Lines . . ." ===================================================================== Drat--I did it again. You'd think that I would know better, but I went off to the library unprepared a few weeks ago. I took only my notebook and some random notes about two individuals of the BALL surname with me. What I failed to take with me was my Research Log for that surname and, as usual, I wasted my time and money researching and copying from a book I'd already photocopied from-- twice before! In this week's "Along Those Lines . . ." column, let's discover how to avoid this kind of duplication--or double duplication--and examine a method to help keep track of what we've already researched. HOW EMBARRASSING I seem to do things three times. Don't ask me why, I just do. There's one book about state census records that I've bought for myself, not once but three times. You'd have thought I would remember the cover and the contents since I'd read it from cover to cover the first time and referred to it on several occasions. Nevertheless, whenever I visit a bookstore, I always look for new genealogy-related books. Seeing what I thought was another great resource on the topic, I strode to the checkout desk and bought the book. When I arrived home, I was dismayed to realize I'd bought a duplicate. "Oh well," I said. "I have a friend who would love the book." And that's how the book became a birthday gift. Six months later, at another bookstore in another town, I purchased the same book again. When I got home this time and discovered my error, I was really embarrassed and felt very stupid indeed. And yes, another friend (not the same one) got a copy of the book as a Christmas present. This embarrassing and costly error underlined for me the need to keep track of what books I've already purchased. As a result, I spent a few hours one evening writing bibliographic citations for each book in my collection using my word processor. I've been using a Sony Clie handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) for a couple of years now, and a program on it called "Word To-Go" allows me to download Microsoft Word documents to the PDA. I now have a handy reference list available on the PDA, which I can check when I visit bookstores to make certain I won't duplicate my book purchases again. AVOIDING DUPLICATE RESEARCH For many years I have been using Research Calendar forms to keep track of my research. If I unfailingly record the information on these log sheets, it helps prevent me from duplicating my research efforts. The Ancestry.com Research Calendar is just one of the free genealogy forms you can find under the Family Trees tab on Ancestry.com. (A direct link to access the form can be found at: http://www.ancestry.com/save/charts/researchcal.htm) What I personally do is maintain a Research Calendar form for at least a family surname. In some cases, because I am performing intensive research on a specific individual, I have created and maintained a separate collection of these forms for that person. If you examine the Ancestry Research Calendar form, you'll see there are a number of columns you might use. Let's briefly discuss how to use them. DATE--Enter the date on which you performed research using each resource you list on the form. REPOSITORY--In this column, enter the name of the place where you accessed the information. This might be a library, archive, courthouse, or another location. The column also has a label for call number or microfilm number. It is always helpful when you're retracing your research steps to know exactly where to locate the particular record(s) you discovered. The call number is the Dewey Decimal Classification (in public libraries) or the Library of Congress Classification (in most academic libraries) under which the resource is filed. If you are using microfilm or microfiche, enter the number associated with that resource, including the reel number on the film or the page number of the fiche. The name of the repository is essential, especially when you have accessed unique, rare, or one-of-a-kind materials, but it also helps you avoid researching the same materials in a repository you visit on multiple occasions. DESCRIPTION OF SOURCE--In this column, you should enter a description that is as complete as possible. For example, if I were entering material on a book, I would note the bibliographic citation information such as in the following: Wright, Stuart T., "Historical Sketch of Person County." Danville, Va.: Womack Press, 1974. If I access documents at a courthouse, I would enter a citation such as the following: Georgia, Floyd County. Probate Court Office, Rome. Probate file #676 (Recorded Book J, Page 476), 1962, Anna Lorena Holder. NOTE: It helps to memorize the citation formats for the most common materials you will use so that you know all the information you will likely need to record. Elizabeth Shown Mills' book, "Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian," is the definitive reference book for writing citations of all types of materials. TIME PERIOD/NAMES SEARCHED--In this column, you can note the names of the persons whose information you were researching as well as the time period in which you were researching. I initially started using the Research Calendar form without entering the time period and ultimately regretted that I had not. This information helps me to recognize what historical period the contents include, and I will use this reference when I begin searching for other family members' records. This simple notation can, at a glance, give me a pointer to specific resources that might contain the informational treasures I seek. RESULTS--The last column is used to indicate briefly what you found, or didn't find. You definitely want to record every resource you have checked on the Research Calendar, regardless of your results. In genealogy, we all learn that sometimes it isn't what you do find, but what you don't find that may speak volumes. By indicating what your research results were for every source, you will be creating a reference that prevents you from looking at a source more than once. CREATING AN ELECTRONIC RESEARCH CALENDAR I know some people who have created their own versions of the Research Calendar in a spreadsheet program. While this requires a lot of data entry upfront to produce, if you design it well in the beginning and define columns for name, date, repository, etc., you can then use your spreadsheet program to sort the data by each of these fields. As an example, you might sort an entire Research Calendar spreadsheet by surname and given name, and that would allow you to group all the resources you've researched for that individual together. Another possible sort might be first by repository, and then by source. This would group all the resources of a particular library together, for instance, so that you know what you have already researched and so you can avoid duplication. SUMMARY My double duplicate research isn't part of my increasing number of "senior moments," I'm sure. It is a result of my enthusiasm for the research and my hunger for new materials. However, I really would rather spend my time and money in working with new materials rather than covering old territory again and again. You'll find that by using the Research Calendar approach and investing time and discipline in recording the information, you will actually save time and money and become a more effective researcher. Happy Hunting, George Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Reprinted by permission from the "Ancestry Daily News" and George Morgan.
Due to a lack of sign-ups, the field trip planned for Sutro Library on Thursday, 6/12/03, will be canceled. Those who did sign up have been notified by telephone by Esther K. This is just to notify anyone who had not actually signed up. This trip may be rescheduled later, depending on interest. (Last month's field trip to the Sonoma County Library Genealogical Annex was a great success.)
MCGS COMPUTER INTEREST GROUP - NEXT MEETING The Marin County Genealogical Society's Computer Interest Group (CIG) will meet Saturday, June 21, 2003 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Villa Marin, San Rafael. Our topic will be: Research Logs (purpose, how to create and use) by Gene Pennington. Contact John Deadman ([email protected]) or Gene Pennington ([email protected]) if you need directions to meeting location or need more information. These meetings are free to the public. Visit the MCGS website at http://www.maringensoc.org/sigs.html There is NO meeting in July. Don't forget to sign up for Cyndi Howells Presentation on "Genealogy Research on the Internet" on Saturday, July 26, 2003 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Embassy Suites in San Rafael. For more information, go to --> http://www.penningtonresearch.org/news_events/Meetings/2003mtg.htm and click on the link to sign up for Cyndi's presentation. The cost is $35 per person and includes a box lunch. A $5.00 donation is made to the Marin County Genealogical Society for each member who registers from the MCGS and attends the conference. Gene Pennington MCGS CIG http://www.maringensoc.org/sigs.html ================================================= Directions: FROM SOUTH of San Rafael: take hwy 101 to the Freitas Parkway exit at Terra Linda. Go over the overpass, head west to Northgate Drive (at the second signal) turn left onto Northgate Drive (you will see a Pier One Imports store on your right.) follow Northgate Drive 0.4 miles south across Las Gallinas Avenue towards Northgate One and past Mervyn's. Turn right onto Thorndale Dr. proceed 0.2 miles to your destination at 100 Thorndale Dr. FROM NORTH of San Rafael: Take Hwy 101 to the Freitas Parkway exit at Terra Linda, get in the right lane and do *not* follow the right turn lane as it would make it necessary for you to immediately cross three lanes of traffic! Continue in the right lane as though you were going to proceed through the intersection and simply turn right onto Freitas Parkway. Immediately get in the left lane and prepare to make a left turn onto Northgate Drive. (you will see a Pier One Imports store on your right.) Follow Northgate Drive 0.4 miles south across Las Gallinas Avenue towards Northgate One and past Mervyn's. Turn right onto Thorndale Dr. proceed 0.2 miles to your destination at 100 Thorndale Dr. It has been requested that we park on the street or in places which are uncovered. The Meeting will be held in the Auditorium, which is to the left and down the hall from the entrance. End
===================================================================== "HONORING OUR ANCESTORS: SEEKING FOREIGN WAR LETTERS," by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak ===================================================================== He's at it again. Andrew Carroll, best-selling author of "Letters of a Nation" and "War Letters," and founder of the Legacy Project, which collects and preserves wartime correspondence, is launching another initiative. (See previous articles at: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A511901 and http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A578201 ) And this project is one that's especially appropriate to discuss as we approach Memorial Day. AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHT MONTHS Starting in August, he's beginning an eight-month, 25-nation trip to seek out war letters written by and to foreign troops. What prompted this? Andy explains: "The Legacy Project (LP) focuses on American war letters. Since 1998, people have sent me an estimated 75,000 pieces of war correspondence from every conflict in U.S. history, ranging from (photocopies of) handwritten missives from the American Revolution to emails from Iraq. "As I have traveled around the U.S. speaking with veterans and active duty personnel, they have repeatedly asked me if I would ever consider seeking out letters by troops from other nations. Service members emphasize that they, personally, would be interested to learn how major wars have been perceived through the eyes of both allies (for example, Russians in WWII, South Koreans in the Korean War, Australians serving in Iraq, etc.) and our former enemies (the Germans in the two World Wars, the North Vietnamese, etc.). The veterans I talked with made a special point of saying that they recognized many of their 'enemies' were young kids like themselves who simply wanted to get home alive. "The Legacy Project has already received a handful of incredible foreign war letters, which were shared with us by the American-born children of veterans from other countries. I thought it would be great to expand on what we have by putting the word out in the States and, most important, traveling the world to search for more letters. On the trip, I also intend to set up efforts similar to the Legacy Project in other countries. They, like the U.S., are losing their veterans--and an important part of their history--on a daily basis." "As with the 75,000 letters the LP has already received, the international war correspondence will be donated to a respected museum or archive. Some of the most moving, thought-provoking, dramatic, unexpected, amusing, or otherwise exceptional ones may also be featured in another book and possibly a documentary (although nothing is used without permission from the contributor)." A CHANCE TO HONOR THE VETERANS IN YOUR FAMILY Although Andy will be taking this extended trip to gather such letters, it's not necessary to wait until August to submit copies or transcriptions of any you might have in your personal collection. This is a unique opportunity to humanize warfare through the words of those who have endured it firsthand, as well as a fitting way to pay tribute to the veterans and active duty personnel in your family by ensuring that their words and experiences will be captured for posterity. And we, as genealogists, know how important this is. In fact, previous articles about the LP in "Ancestry Daily News" generated more responses from readers than stories in national newspapers and magazines. Let's keep our reputation intact and our loved ones' memories preserved by supporting the Legacy Project's latest initiative! BUT DOES IT APPLY TO ME? You may be thinking, "But they're looking for war letters by foreigners and my grandfather was American." I know from the emails I receive that many readers are from around the globe, so this project may be of particular interest to you and I especially hope you will participate. But while it's true that emphasis is being placed on letters from the international community, the LP is continuing to accept American letters too (and is especially interested in letters and emails from Iraq). And if you think about it, many who have served for the U.S. were born elsewhere. All war-related letters pertaining to a conflict in which the U.S. was involved in some significant way qualify. These include the American Revolution, the Civil War, the War of 1812, the Spanish- American War, the Philippines, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom, etc. I know that those in my own family who served in the Civil War were all born in Ireland. Michael Strank, one of those commemorated in the famous Iwo Jima Memorial, emigrated to the U.S. from what is now Slovakia. These are just a couple of examples. I suspect that with a little consideration, we would discover that a surprising number of Americans' military heroes were foreign-born. And the letters don't have to be from actual combatants. Just to be clear, here are some additional details to give you an idea of what the Legacy Project is seeking: --- Letters and emails written by soldiers, as well as those written to them by their loved ones at home --- Letters from civilians (e.g., the British in London during the Blitz, Germans in Dresden, Kuwaitis during the 1990 invasion, New Yorkers during 9/11, etc.) --- Letters from other non-combatants such as nurses and members of peacekeeping forces --- Letters from foreign-born war brides of American service personnel --- Letters between veterans from different countries who have corresponded after they returned home are especially appreciated. (There are many moving stories of former enemies who wrote to one another and ultimately became friends.) In short, the odds are very good that this project applies to your family regardless of where you may be reading these words. HOW DO I PARTICIPATE? If you have some letters you'd like to submit, please copy the original and/or make a typed transcript. If a letter is in a language other than English, the LP would appreciate it if you could send a translation, but it's not a requirement. And if you're certain you don't have letters to share, you can help the LP with this historic initiative by simply spreading the word in your community or online. You can email submissions to mailto:[email protected] or mail them to, The Legacy Project, P.O. Box 53250, Washington, D.C. 20009. For more information about the history of the LP, go to: http://www.warletters.com. Everything goes directly to Andy, and again, nothing is used without permission. If you're American, why not steal a few quiet moments this Memorial Day to make a copy of that letter written by your German-born great- great-great-great-grandfather during the Revolutionary War or your Mexican-born uncle in Korea? And if you're the proud citizen of any other country, I ask you even more fervently to consider sending a copy of that letter about your grandfather's service in Gallipoli or your son's involvement in Bosnia. Andy would also welcome ideas on military museums, archives, memorials, and other important places he should visit as he travels the globe. A few minutes' effort by many of us can go a long way to ensuring that the contributions of our loved ones will become a part of our all of our nations' recorded history. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries Reprinted by permission from the "Ancestry Daily News"
===================================================================== "TALES FROM THE FRIDGE" (OR "FAMILY HISTORY FROM BEHIND THE COTTAGE CHEESE"), by Juliana Smith ===================================================================== After last week's column, in which I drew some parallels between my clogged vacuum cleaner and problems we may encounter in our family history research, I received some very kind messages from readers. ("Family History Strategies from A Clogged Vacuum Cleaner" http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A713208 ) Thanks to everyone who wrote in--you made my week! At the end of the column, I suggested that I would be cleaning my refrigerator next and several of you even expressed interest in that subject as well, so in today's "Family History Compass," I thought it would be fun to share a few thoughts along that line as well. (See what happens when you encourage me?) RECOGNIZING THE UNRECOGNIZABLE I used to have a Garfield cartoon on my fridge where Garfield was running hysterically to Jon, telling him something to the effect of, "Jon, the mystery meat in the tin foil just snapped at me!" Since I've unintentionally started some interesting science projects in my fridge, I could relate to it. Typically it's that forgotten opaque container that keeps getting shoved to the back of the fridge until shopping day, when we need to make room for new science projects to grow. I muster up the courage to peek in and see what's inside and there is this unrecognizable substance. Funny, I don't remember serving fur to my family, but there it is. The truth of the matter is, some changes have taken place. When searching for missing ancestors, we should keep in mind that changes may have taken place during their lives that may render them unrecognizable to us. I don't mean that they sprouted a cover of mold, but just as our lives often switch course, so might theirs. They may have changed occupations. James Kelly, the baker in one census or directory, may have switched jobs or expanded upon his business and become James Kelly the grocer. Some ancestors may have changed their names, possibly to fit in better in their new homeland, and some may have had their names misspelled or ages listed incorrectly by a not-so-diligent record keeper. We need to keep our minds open and look for clues to changes that may have occurred in our ancestors' lives that may cause them to be unrecognizable to us. PRESERVATION CONSIDERATIONS To avoid the aforementioned science projects, we need to take steps to ensure the preservation of our food, such as putting them in appropriate storage containers and not leaving perishables out where fungus can get a real head start in decaying the food. Similarly, we want to take care to put our ancestors' records, particularly those that are the most fragile, into archivally sound protectors. Archival-quality sleeves can be found in most office supply stores and in online shops. You will also not want to leave the originals of old photos or documents out where the sun and/or dust can hasten their deterioration. By making extra copies you will be able to put the original treasures in a safe place, allowing them to last much longer, while the copies can be referenced for research and put on display. If you want to display your family history and you desire an antique effect, you can stain the copies of documents with tea, which will give them a yellowed appearance, or while I haven't tried this myself, I'm guessing there may be ways you can achieve this look using photo editing software. (If you have a tip on this to share, send it to [email protected] and we can use them in an upcoming Quick Tip Jamboree.) Whatever you do though, don't try the tea staining or any other irreversible process with the original! If something goes wrong, you may end up losing your treasured item. With foods, if we're not going to use them right away, we might want to store them in the freezer lest they become "mystery foods" before we get a chance to eat them. There will also be odds and ends we come up with in our family history that we may not be able to use right away, but that should be stored in case they become significant as our research progresses. To keep them useful, they should be filed in an orderly fashion so that when the time comes, we can access them quickly and easily. You may want to consider either a separate file or section in a binder (or if you have a lot of these odds and ends, a separate binder entirely) under the surname(s) they reference. I file mine by surname, given name, and then chronologically, so that when I locate information on a new family member, I can go quickly to that name and find any other tidbits I have collected over the years quickly and easily. Listings with multiple given names, such as indexes, go behind these, and are also filed chronologically. WHAT'S A CRISPER? The new refrigerator that came with the house we bought early last fall has some neat controls that I never had before and while I knew that veggies should go in the crisper, I was never quite sure what to do with that humidity control thingy. As one astute reader pointed out last week, I probably should have read the manual that came with my vacuum cleaner when it came to taking it apart to look for the clog, so to answer this question, I pulled out the refrigerator manual that the previous owners had left for us. Sure enough, it took me two seconds to locate the crisper section in the index, and when I went to that section I learned to do the following: "Slide control to high for produce with leaves such as lettuce, spinach, or cabbage. Slide control to low for produce with skins such as cauliflower, corn, or tomatoes." Hmmm. Does cauliflower have skin? And shouldn't tomatoes go on the counter? Oh well, the moral of the story here is what my dad always used to tell me, "If all else fails, follow directions"--advice we would do well to heed in our family history research as well. Are we taking the time to learn about the software we use so that we can use it correctly and take advantage of all the features it offers? Are we looking at the background information for databases and other record compilations so that we can best analyze our findings (or non-findings)? Have we learned as much as we can about the record availability, history, and culture of the areas in which we are conducting our research? There are a plethora of reference books we can refer to in our search for knowledge and many of them may be as close as your local library. Classes are available both online and offline. See today's Fast Fact or go to http://www.myfamily.com/isapi.dll?c=home&htx=gentraining to learn about upcoming MyFamily.com classes which include a free month of access to Ancestry.com databases. In addition, there are many other forums, both physical in the form of genealogical and historical societies, and virtual in the form of message boards and mailing lists, where we can take our questions and share our knowledge with friends doing similar research. It is easier than ever to get instructions on where to go next and how to get the most from your family history research. THE NEED TO SEE WHAT YOU NEED Arrangement can be key to successfully avoiding fungus in the fridge. It's the stuff that gets buried in the back of the fridge that is in the most danger of being missed. Being able to see what's in there can allow you to plan your meals so that less food goes to waste. Similarly, if your findings get bogged down in disorderly piles (not that I would know anything about that!), you may miss vital clues. By keeping your findings filed and entering them into your databases as you go along, you can be assured that you will be able to locate information when you need it instead of having to tear apart your workspace looking for that little scrap of information that "you're sure you have here somewhere. . . ." (Okay, maybe this happens to me once in a while.) Just as I like to line my milk cartons up in order of expiration date, you may want to "line your ancestors up" by date. Entering the dates of events and records you have found on an individual--from birth to "expiration" (sorry, couldn't resist)--into a chronology can be very helpful in locating gaps in your research and in putting your ancestor's life into perspective. SET ASIDE SOME TIME TO CLEAN IT OUT Just as we need to set aside time to clean out our fridge and keep it tidy, we need to make time to keep our family history files neat and orderly. I love Pat's suggestions for "Genealogy on Four Hours a Week" and plan to implement them this summer. Now if I could just figure out a way to keep my house clean on four hours a week, I'd have even more time for family history! Note: Pat's "Genealogy on Four Hours a Week" article is at: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A697001 And for more information on preservation, see the following articles: "General Guidelines for Storing Materials," by Barbara Sagraves (Excerpt from "A Preservation Guide: Saving the Past and the Present for the Future") http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A469701 "Preservation of Your Paper Treasures," by George G. Morgan http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A092401 "Protect Your Keepsakes" Series Part 1: Photos, by Karen Frisch http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A035501 Part 2: Paper, by Barbara Sagraves http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A125601 Part 3: Books, by Joan Nay http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A029901 Part 4: Textiles, by George G. Morgan http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A125801 Part 5: Other Treasures, by Miriam Plans http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=A026001 ____________________________________________________________________ Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries.) Reprinted with permission from the "Ancestry Daily News"
Cows At California Ranch Make Like Lemmings, Run Off Cliff May 15, 2003 SAN FRANCISCO -- A dozen Holstein cows grazing in a field north of San Francisco suddenly decided to act like lemmings: they ran off a 50-foot cliff. Motorists say they saw the cows cascade off the hilltop, with some of the bovines tumbling end-over-end down the slate-and-gravel cliff. Marin Humane Society spokesman John Reese says the young heifers probably were spooked by a noise, or by a dog or some other animal. The Marin County Sheriff's Department says a deputy euthanized two of the cows at the scene. The others were taken to their owners at Silveira Ranch and were checked by a veterinarian. A ranch owner said cows will sometimes break fences, but not run off cliffs. She said something spooked them very badly.