FAMILY TIES Article 8, Part One by Dan Burrows Let's break away from the "how to" lessons for a moment and talk about other items of genealogical interest. The research room of the Orange County Genealogical Society in the 1841 Historic Courthouse, 101 Main Street in Goshen has seen many extra researchers over the last three months. Because of Family History Month, the Basic Genealogy Course, and a Genealogical gathering (sponsored by the Warwick Conference Center), the usual heavy traffic through our bookshelves was doubled and tripled during September through November. Our volunteers put in lots of overtime to make these events successful. The Society has just put out a new catalogue with local genealogical local history books for sale. Non members can pick one up or write to the above address to request one. You may also email me at dburrows2@juno.com and put OCGS BOOKLIST in the subject area. Speaking of members, we are at an all time high this year. We mailed out 979 of our Quarterly Journals to our members across the country on November 1st. We will no doubt hit the 1000 mark before our membership year ends on April 30th. I would like to take a moment and briefly touch on another subject that surfaces from time to time. Halberts of Bath, Ohio periodically sends out advertising to thousands of families each week offering the "World Book of Burrows" with your surname being substituted for Burrows. They have used all kinds of tactics (and many different company names) to get people to buy these books which are nothing more than a few genealogical tips and a listing of others of the same surname with their mailing addresses. They will claim that "you are in the book" -- and your name and address from you phone listing will be there. Simply discard these or any similar ads -- they are fraudulent and charges are periodically filed through the post office by larger genealogical organizations in a so far unsuccessful effort to stop their deceitful advertising tactics. You may receive an honest request from time to time from a person conducting research on your surname in your area. Never give out information about your immediate family until you are convinced their request is genuine. Another topic of local genealogical interest is Family Bibles. The Orange County Genealogical Society is interested in collecting data from Family Bibles of Orange County Families. This is done in one of three ways. Many Bibles are simply donated to the Society where we preserve the family pages in acid free sleeves. The Society has been transcribing and publishing these records. Some people photocopy the title page and the family pages and we put them on file. Lastly, some people carefully transcribe the records (including the title page) and place them on file in our research room. Naturally, the older the records, the more people that would be interested in the information contained on those pages. If you have an old Bible and would like to share the family information they contain, please contact the Society. During our Basic Genealogy Course, we hand out several handouts that aid in genealogical research. I would like to include here a list of old terms used for diseases. These are particularly useful helping us to better understand old letters, obituaries, death certificates, and many other older records. As space permits, I will include other research aids in future articles. Ablepsy - Blindness Ague - Malarial Fever American plague - Yellow fever Anasarca - Generalized massive edema Aphonia - Laryngitis Aphtha - The infant disease "thrush" Apoplexy - Paralysis due to stroke Asphycsia/Asphicsia - Cyanotic and lack of oxygen Atrophy - Wasting away or diminishing in size. Bad Blood - Syphilis Bilious fever - Typhoid, malaria, hepatitis or elevated temperature and bile emesis Biliousness - Jaundice associated with liver disease Black plague or death - Bubonic plague Black fever - Acute infection with high temperature and dark red skin lesions and high mortality rate Black pox - Black Small pox Black vomit - Vomiting old black blood due to ulcers or yellow fever Blackwater fever - Dark urine associated with high temperature Bladder in throat - Diphtheria (Seen on death certificates) Blood poisoning - Bacterial infection; septicemia Bloody flux - Bloody stools Bloody sweat - Sweating sickness Bone shave - Sciatica Brain fever - Meningitis Breakbone - Dengue fever Bright's disease - Chronic inflammatory disease of kidneys Bronze John - Yellow fever Bule - Boil, tumor or swelling Cachexy - Malnutrition Cacogastric - Upset stomach Cacospysy - Irregular pulse Caduceus - Subject to falling sickness or epilepsy Camp fever - Typhus; aka Camp diarrhea Canine madness - Rabies, hydrophobia Canker - Ulceration of mouth or lips or herpes simplex Catalepsy - Seizures / trances Catarrhal - Nose and throat discharge from cold or allergy Cerebritis - Inflammation of cerebrum or lead poisoning Chilblain - Swelling of extremities caused by exposure to cold Child bed fever - Infection following birth of a child Chin cough - Whooping cough Chlorosis - Iron deficiency anemia Cholera - Acute severe contagious diarrhea with intestinal lining sloughing Cholera morbus - Characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, elevated temperature, etc. Could be appendicitis Cholecystitus - Inflammation of the gall bladder Cholelithiasis - Gall stones Chorea - Disease characterized by convulsions, contortions and dancing Cold plague - Ague which is characterized by chills Colic - An abdominal pain and cramping Congestive chills - Malaria Consumption - Tuberculosis Congestion - Any collection of fluid in an organ, like the lungs Congestive chills - Malaria with diarrhea Congestive fever - Malaria Corruption - Infection Coryza - A cold Costiveness - Constipation Cramp colic - Appendicitis Crop sickness - Overextended stomach Croup - Laryngitis, diphtheria, or strep throat Cyanosis - Dark skin color from lack of oxygen in blood Cynanche - Diseases of throat Cystitis - Inflammation of the bladder Day fever - Fever lasting one day; sweating sickness Debility - Lack of movement or staying in bed Decrepitude - Feebleness due to old age Delirium tremens - Hallucinations due to alcoholism Dengue - Infectious fever endemic to East Africa Dentition - Cutting of teeth Deplumation - Tumor of the eyelids which causes hair loss Diary fever - A fever that lasts one day Diptheria - Contagious disease of the throat Distemper - Usually animal disease with malaise, discharge from nose and throat, anorexia Dock fever - Yellow fever Dropsy - Edema (swelling), often caused by kidney or heart disease Dropsy of the Brain - Encephalitis Dry Bellyache - Lead poisoning Dyscrasy - An abnormal body condition Dysentery - Inflammation of colon with frequent passage of mucous and blood Dysorexy - Reduced appetite Dyspepsia - Indigestion and heartburn. Heart attack symptoms Dysury - Difficulty in urination Eclampsy - Symptoms of epilepsy, convulsions during labor Ecstasy - A form of catalepsy characterized by loss of reason Edema - Nephrosis; swelling of tissues Edema of lungs - Congestive heart failure, a form of dropsy Eel thing - Erysipelas Elephantiasis - A form of leprosy Encephalitis - Swelling of brain; aka sleeping sickness Enteric fever - Typhoid fever Enterocolitis - Inflammation of the intestines Enteritis - Inflations of the bowels Epitaxis - Nose bleed Erysipelas - Contagious skin disease, due to Streptococci with vesicular and bulbous lesions Extravasted blood - Rupture of a blood vessel Falling sickness - Epilepsy Fatty Liver - Cirrhosis of liver Fits - Sudden attack or seizure of muscle activity Flux - An excessive flow or discharge of fluid like hemorrhage or diarrhea Flux of humour - Circulation French pox - Syphilis Gathering - A collection of pus Glandular fever - Mononucleosis Great pox - Syphilis Green fever / sickness - Anemia Grippe/grip - Influenza like symptoms Grocer's itch - Skin disease caused by mites in sugar or flour Heart sickness - Condition caused by loss of salt from body Heat stroke - Body temperature elevates because of surrounding environment temperature and body does not perspire to reduce temperature. Coma and death result if not reversed Hectical complaint - Recurrent fever Hematemesis - Vomiting blood Hematuria - Bloody urine Hemiplegy - Paralysis of one side of body Hip gout - Osteomylitis Horrors - Delirium tremens Hydrocephalus - Enlarged head, water on the brain Hydropericardium - Heart dropsy Hydrophobia - Rabies Hydrothroax - Dropsy in chest Hypertrophic - Enlargement of organ, like the heart Impetigo - Contagious skin disease characterized by pustules Inanition - Physical condition resulting from lack of food Infantile paralysis - Polio Intestinal colic - Abdominal pain due to improper diet Jail fever - Typhus Jaundice - Condition caused by blockage of intestines ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Dan Burrows dburrows1@juno.comrticle 12 by Dan Burrows This article I would like to lightly touch upon what can be found in your ancestor's military records at the National (or State) Archives. These are generally divided into two categories: Service Records and Veteran's Benefits. The first American War for which there are official records would naturally be the Revolutionary War. The United States did not exist prior to then and therefore the early records of the war are very sketchy or non-existent. Early service records consist of mainly muster rolls and lists of troops. Even a few of these lists exist for the earlier colonial wars on a local basis. The veteran's benefits records will have more to offer since they were derived from legislation that was formulated after the war by an official government. These were generally of two major varieties: pensions and bounty land. Pensions were offered to veterans, their widows, and sometimes their heirs for death or disability for a certain minimum amount of service in the war. Since the movement did not have money to pay soldiers, they were sometimes promised land in return for their service called bounty lands. Service record files most always contain a limited amount of information about the individual while the veteran benefits records, either pension or bounty lands, usually contain much more since the applicants had to prove who they were. Revolutionary war records can be obtained from the National Archives by sending for the forms, filling them out and enclosing the fee or using a credit card number. These records should be searched if your ancestor was of age during the war, if his father was of age, or if a brother of your ancestor served. All these instances might lead you to clues to further your research. After the Revolutionary War and before the Civil War, there were basically 4 sets of service records and 4 sets of benefits records that can be searched. The service records include: Records for the period between the Revolution and the War of 1812; Records for the War of 1812; Records of the Indian and related wars; and lastly records of the Mexican War, 1846-48. The 4 sets of Veteran's Benefits records include: The Old Wars, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Indian Wars. There are many indexes available in the National Archives to help you locate these records. An archivist will search these indexes when you fill out the proper forms. Again, you will probably find more information in the benefits records than the service records. For those who had ancestors in the Civil War, there are also two types of records to be searched: Service records and records of veteran's benefits. In addition to the regular service records, one can also search the service histories of volunteer units, Civil War draft records (such as those discussed in last month's article), burial records of soldiers, headstone applications, and naval service records. The veteran's benefits offered to Civil War soldiers are almost all pensions and these records will of course provide much more information than ordinary service records. Confederate service records have been collected by the National Archives and a good sized collection has been put together. Confederate veteran's benefits were paid by the states and that is where you should request those pension records, etc. Almost all of our male ancestors served in the military or their parents, siblings or children did. Chances are good you will be able to find out something about them by sending for some of the sources mentioned in this article. Many of the indexes to these records are on film at branch offices of the National Archives such as the one in New York City. The information you can obtain will vary greatly from person to person and can be as little as name, rank and unit or it may be loaded with signed depositions, marriage certificates or other valuable sources. For more detailed information about military records, Val Greenwood's book, The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy will be of great assistance. You may also obtain the Guide to Researching at the National Archives. Abstracts of service and pension records for some of the wars are available in the research of the Orange County Genealogical Society. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 10 by Dan Burrows I would like to spend a little time this article talking about researching land records in a County Clerk's Office. These records not only provide an excellent genealogical tool for research, they also provide lawyers with the tools to conduct title searches to property that is being bought or sold by their clients. Attorneys usually hire title searchers to trace the property backwards from the present. This is the same method we can use to trace the path of ownership of the house we live in (or the house our ancestors lived in). The first step is to find yourself (or your ancestor) in the indexes to deeds in the Clerk's office of the county where the property is located. Deed indexes are grouped together by year of sale. You may find a book that covers all deeds recorded from 1975 through 1980. If the property in question was purchased during those years, you will find the buyers and sellers (called grantees and grantors) listed in this index. It will lead you to a book of deeds where you will find a copy of the deed. After reading the deed, you can determine when the seller bought the property and from whom. This date and these names will lead you to the next index. This process can take you back through many years of ownership of the property, but sometimes you cannot find names in the early indexes. This could be because the deed was never recorded with the proper county and was recorded in another county. The other reason might be that the deed was never recorded at all and the original deed was kept by the buyer and passed on to other family members. It is important to know the county line changes and whether or not they might affect the place where a deed might be recorded. If you are tracing a deed in the Newburgh area, it would be helpful to know that Newburgh was part of Ulster County prior to 1798 and the deeds prior to that time would most likely be found in Kingston instead of Goshen. When tracing property ownership in Sullivan County, it would be helpful to know that Sullivan County did not exist at all until 1809. Prior to that time it was all one township known as Mamakating and was part of Ulster County. Prior to 1798, Rockland County did not exist and that area was part of Orange County. If you are researching property in Warwick near the New Jersey border, it often pays to travel to Newton or Patterson to check the Sussex and Passaic County land records. Many times when you get stuck on deed research, it would be beneficial to start checking the mortgage indexes for mortgagors and mortgagees. If the early deed were not recorded but the property owner borrowed money against the property or used it for collateral. For genealogical purposes, these deeds and mortgages can be a gold mine of information. They often name the place from where the parties moved from. For example, the deed might read that John Smith, of Boston, farmer, bought of Samuel Jones of Havestraw, five acres of land formerly owned by the grantor's father, Robert Jones and Sarah, his wife. Often, the grantor's new residence can be determined if he sells his property and states he is now of New York City. Multiple marriages can easily be discovered if the property was frequently mortgaged and different wives are named over a period of time. Many times you will find a statement in a deed concerning the wife as they were often asked in private whether or not they freely consented to the sale. Information about children can be discovered if the property is being disposed of by family members after the death of the owner. Land records in Orange County began in 1703, while those in Ulster County frequently date back to the 1600's. The indexes become very easy to use once you have tried them a couple of times. Microfilm copies of the earlier deed and mortgage indexes can be found at the Orange County Genealogical Society. This is helpful for those who cannot get to the county building during regular business hours. If one determines that there is a deed or mortgage they would like to see, a trip to the County Clerk's Office will be necessary. The following glossary of terms will be very helpful in researching land records and wills etc. Many of the terms are self explanatory but this list is worth keeping. ABSTRACT - Summary of important points of a given text, especially deeds and wills ACRE - See measurements ADMINISTRATION (of estate) - The collection, management and distribution of an estate by proper legal process. ADMINISTRATOR (of estate) - Person appointed to manage or divide the estate of a deceased person. ADMINISTRATRIX - A female administrator. AFFIDAVIT - A statement in writing, sworn to before proper authority. APPRENTICE - One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement or by any means to serve another person for a certain time, with a view of learning an art or trade. APPURTENANCE - That which belongs to something else such as a building, orchard, right of way, etc. ATTEST - To affirm; to certify by signature or oath. BENEFICIARY - One who receives benefit of trust or property. BEQUEATH - To give personal property to a person in a will. Noun -- bequest. BOND - Written, signed, witnessed agreement requiring payment of a specified amount of money on or before a given date. BOUNTY LAND WARRANT - A right to obtain land, specific number of acres of unallocated public land, granted for military service. CERTIFIED COPY - A copy made and attested to by officers having charge of the original and authorized to give copies. CHAIN - See measurements. CHATTEL - Personal property which can include animate as well as inanimate properties. CODICIL - Addition to a will. CONSANGUINITY - Blood relationship. CONSORT - Usually, a wife whose husband is living. CONVEYANCE - See deed. DECEDENT - A deceased person. DECLARATION OF INTENTION - First paper, sworn to and filed in court, by an alien stating that he wants to be come a citizen. DEED - A document by which title in real property is transferred from one party to another. DEPOSITION - A testifying or testimony taken down in writing under oath of affirmation in reply to interrogatories, before a competent officer to replace to oral testimony of a witness. DEVISE - Gift of real property by will. DEVISEE - One to whom real property (land) is given in a will. DEVISOR - One who gives real property in a will. DISTRICT LAND OFFICE PLAT BOOK - Books or rather maps which show the location of the land patentee. DISTRICT LAND OFFICE TRACT BOOK - Books which list individual entries by range and township. DOWER - Legal right or share which a wife acquired by marriage in the real estate of her husband, allotted to her after his death for her lifetime. ESCHEAT - The reversion of property to the state when there are no qualified heirs. ESTATE - All property and debts belonging to a person. ET AL - Latin for "and others". ET UX - Latin for "and wife". ET UXOR - And his wife. Sometimes written simply Et Ux. EXECUTOR - One appointed in a will to carry out its provisions. Female = Executrix. FEE - An estate of inheritance in land, being either fee simple or fee tail. An estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition of the performing of certain services. FEE SIMPLE - An absolute ownership without restriction. FEE TAIL - An estate of inheritance limited to lineal descendant heirs of a person to whom it was granted. FREE HOLD - An estate in fee simple, in fee tail, or for life. FURLONG - See measurements. GLEBE - Land belonging to a parish church. GRANTEE - One who buys property or receives a grant. GRANTOR - One who sells property or makes a grant. GUARDIAN - Person appointed to care for and manage property of a minor orphan or an adult incompetent of managing his own affairs. HEIRS - Those entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit property from another. HOLOGRAPHIC WILL - One written entirely in the testator's own handwriting. INDENTURE - Today it means a contract in 2 or more copies. Originally made in 2 parts by cutting or tearing a single sheet across the middle in a jagged line so the two parts may later be matched. INTESTATE - One who dies without a will or dying without a will. INVENTORY - An account, catalog or schedule, made by an executor or administrator of all the goods and chattels and sometimes of the real estate of a deceased person. LATE - Recently deceased. LEASE - An agreement which creates a landlord - tenant situation. LEGACY - Property or money left to someone in a will. LIEN - A claim against property as security for payment of a debt. LINK - See measurements. LIS PENDENS - Pending court action; usually applies to land title claims. MEASUREMENTS - Link - 7.92 inches; Chain - 100 Links or 66 feet; Furlong - 1000 Links or 660 feet; Rod - 5 1/2 yds or 16 1/2 ft (also called a perch or pole); Rood - From 5 1/2 yards to 8 yards, depending on locality; Acre - 43,560 square ft or 160 square rods. MESSUAGE - A dwelling house. METES AND BOUNDS - Property described by natural boundaries, such as 3 notches in a white oak tree, etc. MINOR - One who is under legal age; not yet a legal adult. MOIETY - A half; an indefinite portion. MORTGAGE - A conditional transfer of title to real property as security for payment of a debt. NONCUPATIVE WILL - One declared or dictated by the testator, usually for persons in last sickness, sudden illness, or military. ORPHAN'S COURT - Orphans being recognized as wards of the states, provisions were made for them in special courts. PATENT - Grant of land from a government to an individual. PERCH - See measurements. POLE - See measurements. POLL - List or record of persons, especially for taxing or voting. POSTERITY - Descendants; those who come after. POWER OF ATTORNEY - When a person is unable to act for himself, he appoints another to act in his behalf. PROBATE - Having to do with wills and the administration of estates. PROVED WILL - A well established as genuine by probate court. QUITCLAIM - A deed conveying the interest of the party at that time. RELICT - Widow; surviving spouse when one has died, husband or wife. ROD - See measurements. ROOD - See measurements. SPONSOR - A bondsman; surety. TESTAMENTARY - Pertaining to a will. TESTATE - A person who dies leaving a valid will. TESTATOR - Person who makes a valid will before his death. TITHABLE - Taxable. TITHE - Formerly, money due as a tax for support of the clergy or church. VERBATIM - Word for word; in the same words, verbally. WILL - Document declaring how a person wants his property divided after his death. WITNESS - One who is present at a transaction, such as a sale of land or signing of a will, who can testify or affirm that it actually took place. YEOMAN - A servant, an attendant or subordinate official in a royal household; a subordinate of a sheriff; an independent farmer. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 14 by Dan Burrows The occupations of our ancestors and other relatives can tell a lot about our families. For example, the first Burrows ancestor on my father's side of the family was sent from Coventry, England to London to become an apprentice butcher. He came to America just before the revolution, joined the American Army, and afterward changed his occupation to ship rigging in New York City, having been affiliated an iron monger. After Thomas Burrows died, his wife and children came upstate again to Orange County and then onto Tioga County where Thomas Jr. and Daniel Burrows became farmers. Thomas Jr.'s youngest son Josiah, my great great grandfather, farmed in Steuben County and was also a finish carpenter and justice of the peace. Josiah's son Daniel decided to further his education and ended up an executive and large stock holder in the Borden's company traveling through upstate New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey before retiring and settling in Chester, New York. Daniel's son Gail was a farmer first and then a butcher for many years with carpenter's ability on the side. His son Daniel, my father, also took up the butcher's trade and did carpentry on the side. As in the repetition of occupations in my family shown above, similar trends seem to prevail in many family lines. Trades were passed down from father to son or grandfather to grandson and these occupations all seem to play a part in what we do today. Below is a list of occupations often referred to in death and marriage certificates, old documents, and family papers. Some are self-explanatory while others could easily fool you. Accomptant -- Accountant Almoner -- Giver of charity to the needy Amanuensis -- Secretary or stenographer Artificer -- A soldier mechanic who does repairs Bailie -- Bailiff Baxter -- Baker Bluestocking -- Female writer Boniface -- Keeper of an inn Brazier -- One who works with brass Brewster -- Beer manufacturer Brightsmith -- Metal Worker Burgonmaster -- Mayor Caulker -- One who filled up cracks (in ships or windows) or seams to make them watertight by using tar or oakum-hemp fiber produced by taking old ropes apart Chaisemaker -- Carriage maker Chandler -- Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries Chiffonier -- Wig maker Clark -- Clerk Clerk -- Clergyman, cleric Clicker -- The servant of a salesman who stood at the door to invite customers; one who received the matter in the galley from the compositors and arranged it in due form ready for printing; one who makes eyelet holes in boots using a machine which clicked. Cohen -- Priest Collier -- Coal miner Colporteur -- Peddler of books Cooper -- One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves & hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc. Cordwainer -- Shoemaker, originally any leather worker using leather from Cordova/Cordoba in Spain Costermonger -- Peddler of fruits and vegetables Crocker -- Potter Crowner -- Coroner Currier -- One who dresses the coat of a horse with a curry comb; one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or grease Docker -- Stevedore, dock worker who loads and unloads cargo Dowser -- One who finds water using a rod or witching stick Draper -- A dealer in dry goods Drayman -- One who drives a long strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads Dresser -- A surgeon's assistant in a hospital Drover -- One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market; a dealer in cattle Duffer -- Peddler Factor -- Agent, commission merchant; one who acts or transacts business for another; Scottish steward or bailiff of an estate Farrier -- A blacksmith, one who shoes horses Faulkner -- Falconer Fell monger -- One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation for leather making Fletcher -- One who made bows and arrows Fuller -- One who fulls cloth; one who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by moistening, heating, and pressing; one who cleans and finishes cloth Goaler -- A keeper of the goal, a jailer Glazier -- Window glassman Hacker -- Maker of hoes Hatcheler -- One who combed out or carded flax Haymonger -- Dealer in hay Hayward -- Keeper of fences Higgler -- Itinerant peddler Hillier -- Roof tiler Hind -- A farm laborer Hostler -- A groom who took care of horses, often at an inn Hooker -- Reaper Hooper -- One who made hoops for casks and barrels Huckster -- Sells small wares Husbandman -- A farmer who cultivated the land Jagger -- Fish peddler Journeyman -- One who had served his apprenticeship and mastered his craft, not bound to serve a master, but hired by the day Joyner / Joiner -- A skilled carpenter Keeler -- Bargeman Kempster -- Wool comber Lardner -- Keeper of the cupboard Lavender -- Washer woman Lederer -- Leather maker Leech -- Physician Longshoreman -- Stevedore Lormer -- Maker of horse gear Malender -- Farmer Maltster -- Brewer Manciple -- A steward Mason -- Bricklayer Mintmaster -- One who issued local currency Monger -- Seller of goods (ale, fish) Muleskinner -- Teamster Neatherder -- Herds cows Ordinary Keeper -- Innkeeper with fixed prices Pattern Maker -- A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring. A clog was a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end Peregrinator -- Itinerant wanderer Peruker -- A wig maker Pettifogger -- A shyster lawyer Pigman -- Crockery dealer Plumber -- One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows. Porter -- Door keeper Puddler -- Wrought iron worker Quarrier -- Quarry worker Rigger -- Hoist tackle worker Ripper -- Seller of fish Roper -- Maker of rope or nets Saddler -- One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses Sawbones -- Physician Sawyer -- One who saws; carpenter Schumacker -- Shoemaker Scribler -- A minor or worthless author Scrivener -- Professional or public copyist or writer; notary public Scrutiner -- Election judge Shrieve -- Sheriff Slater -- Roofer Slopseller -- Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop Snobscat / Snob -- One who repaired shoes Sorter -- Tailor Spinster -- A woman who spins or an unmarried woman Spurrer -- Maker of spurs Squire -- Country gentleman; farm owner; justice of peace Stuff gown or stuff gownsman -- Junior barrister Supercargo -- Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship Tanner -- One who tans (cures) animal hides into leather Tapley -- One who puts the tap in an ale cask Tasker -- Reaper Teamster -- One who drives a team for hauling Thatcher -- Roofer Tide waiter -- Customs inspector Tinker -- An itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman Tipstaff -- Policeman Travers -- Toll bridge collection Tucker -- Cleaner of cloth goods Turner -- A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles Victualer -- A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army, navy, or ship with food supplies Vulcan -- Blacksmith Wagoner -- Teamster not for hire Wainwright -- Wagon maker Waiter -- Customs officer or tide waiter; one who waited on the tide to collect duty on goods brought in Waterman -- Boatman who plies for hire Webster -- Operator of looms Wharfinger -- Owner of a wharf Wheelwright -- One who made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages, etc. Whitesmith -- Tinsmith; worker of iron who finishes or polishes the work Whitewing -- Street sweeper Whitster -- Bleach of cloth Wright -- Workman, especially a construction worker Yeoman -- Farmer who owns his own land ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. 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Article 8, Part Two This is a continuation of the list of old dieases in Article 8, Part 1 King's evil - Tuberculosis of neck and lymph glands Kruchhusten - Whooping cough Lagrippe - Influenza Lockjaw - Tetanus or infectious disease affecting the muscles of the neck and jaw. Untreated, it is fatal in 8 days Long sickness - Tuberculosis Lues disease - Syphilis Lues venera - Venereal disease Lumbago - Back pain Lung fever - Pneumonia Lung sickness - Tuberculosis Lying in - Time of delivery of infant Malignant sore throat - Diphtheria Mania - Insanity Marasmus - Progressive wasting away of body, like malnutrition Membranous Croup - Diphtheria Meningitis - Inflations of brain or spinal cord Metritis - Inflammation of uterus or purulent vaginal discharge Miasma - Poisonous vapors thought to infect the air Milk fever - Disease from drinking contaminated milk, like undulant fever or brucellosis Milk leg - Post partum thrombophlebitis Milk sickness - Disease from milk of cattle which had eaten poisonous weeds Mormal - Gangrene Morphew - Scurvy blisters on the body Mortification - Gangrene of necrotic tissue Myelitis - Inflammation of the spine Myocarditis - Inflammation of heart muscles Necrosis - Mortification of bones or tissue Nephrosis - Kidney degeneration Nepritis - Inflammation of kidneys Nervous prostration - Extreme exhaustion from inability to control physical and mental activities Neuralgia - Described as discomfort, such as "Headache" was neuralgia in head Nostalgia - Homesickness Palsy - Paralysis or uncontrolled movement of controlled muscles. It was listed as "Cause of death" Paroxysm - Convulsion Pemphigus - Skin disease of watery blisters Pericarditis - Inflammation of heart Peripneumonia - Inflammation of lungs Peritonotis - Inflammation of abdominal area Petechial Fever - Fever characterized by skin spotting Puerperal exhaustion - Death due to child birth Phthiriasis - Lice infestation Phthisis - Chronic wasting away or a name for tuberculosis Plague - An acute febrile highly infectious disease with a high fatality rate Pleurisy - Any pain in the chest area with each breath Podagra - Gout Poliomyelitis - PolioPotter's asthma - Fibroid pthisis Pott's disease - Tuberculosis of spine Puerperal exhaustion - Death due to childbirth Puerperal fever - Elevated temperature after giving birth to an infant Puking fever - Milk sickness Putrid fever - Diphtheria. Quinsy - Tonsillitis. Remitting fever - Malaria Rheumatism - Any disorder associated with pain in joints Rickets - Disease of skeletal system Rose cold - Hay fever or nasal symptoms of an allergy Rotanny fever - (Child's disease) ??? Rubeola - German measles Sanguineous crust - Scab Scarlatina - Scarlet fever Scarlet fever - A disease characterized by red rash Scarlet rash - Roseola Sciatica - Rheumatism in the hips Scirrhus - Cancerous tumors Scotomy - Dizziness, nausea and dimness of sight Scrivener's palsy - Writer's cramp Screws - Rheumatism Scrofula - Tuberculosis of neck lymph glands. Progresses slowly with abscesses and pistulas develop. Young person's disease Scrumpox - Skin disease, impetigo Scurvy - Lack of vitamin C. Symptoms of weakness, spongy gums and hemorrhages under skin Septicemia - Blood poisoning Shakes - Delirium tremens Shaking - Chills, ague Shingles - Viral disease with skin blisters Ship fever - Typhus Siriasis - Inflammation of the brain due to sun exposure Sloes - Milk sickness Small pox - Contagious disease with fever and blisters Softening of brain - Result of stroke or hemorrhage in the brain, with an end result of the tissue softening in that area Sore throat distemper - Diphtheria or quinsy Spanish influenza - Epidemic influenza Spasms - Sudden involuntary contraction of muscle or group of muscles, like a convulsion Spina bifida - Deformity of spine Spotted fever - Either typhus or meningitis Sprue - Tropical disease characterized by intestinal disorders and sore throat St. Anthony's fire - Also erysipelas, but named so because of affected skin areas are bright red in appearance St. Vitas dance - Ceaseless occurrence of rapid complex jerking movements performed involuntary Stomatitis - Inflammation of the mouth Stranger's fever - Yellow fever Strangery - Rupture Sudor anglicus - Sweating sickness Summer complaint - Diarrhea, usually in infants caused by spoiled milk Sunstroke - Uncontrolled elevation of body temperature due to environment heat. Lack of sodium in the body is a predisposing cause Swamp sickness - Could be malaria, typhoid or encephalitis Sweating sickness - Infectious and fatal disease common to UK in 15th century Tetanus - Infectious fever characterized by high fever, headache and dizziness Thrombosis - Blood clot inside blood vessel Thrush - Childhood disease characterized by spots on mouth, lips and throat Tick fever - Rocky mountain spotted fever Toxemia of pregnancy - Eclampsia Trench mouth - Painful ulcers found along gum line, Caused by poor nutrition and poor hygiene Tussis convulsiva - Whooping cough Typhus - Infectious fever characterized high fever, headache, and dizziness Variola - Smallpox Venesection - Bleeding Viper's dance - St. Vitus Dance Water on brain - Enlarged head White swelling - Tuberculosis of the bone Winter fever - Pneumonia Womb fever - Infection of the uterus. Worm fit - Convulsions associated with teething, worms, elevated temperature or diarrhea Yellowjacket - Yellow fever. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 9 by Dan Burrows I would like to spend a little time this article talking about other places to do genealogical research in Orange County. I have spoken frequently about the research room of the Orange County Genealogical Society at 101 Main Street in Goshen. There are several other places nearby that also have great resources. One of my favorite nearby places to visit is the Newburgh Free Library on Grand Street in Newburgh. They have an excellent "Local History Room" and it is certainly not limited to Newburgh. It has resources that reach far beyond Orange County. I recall the time I spent a week in Maine researching my wife's Thompson ancestors and came home empty handed. Two weeks later I found a book on the Thompson Family of Maine sitting on the shelves of the Newburgh Library. My wife's great grandmother had actually furnished quite a bit of family information to the author and I had the line traced from the early 1600's in Maine to 1907 in Massachusetts and only had to go to Newburgh to do it. Unfortunately, the Newburgh Library does not allow photocopying of their rare collection so I had to do a lot of note taking that day. I have since found the same book in other libraries and copied all the pages I needed. If you plan to visit the Newburgh Library Local History room, plan to go on a Monday through Thursday morning when part time librarian Rita Forrester is on duty to show you around the local history room. The room is accessible other times but your help will be limited. The Minisink Valley Historical Society located on the second floor of the Port Jervis Library has an excellent local history and genealogical collection. Peter Osborn is the knowledgeable director and volunteer Miral Haubner knows the collection inside and out. The main focus in the research room is the Tri- State area but much useful information is available on a countywide basis. I was able to trace my wife's Jennings ancestors from Sussex and Bergen Counties, New Jersey by only traveling 10 miles. The research room is open on Thursday afternoons and again Thursday evenings. You may call 856- 2375 for more information on hours. The Port Jervis Library has a small local research room itself, but the card index to the "Gazette" genealogical information is a gold mine of Orange County data making the trip worthwhile. The Goshen Library houses the Elizabeth Sharts room which has a nice collection of local interest. The hours are limited and you might want to call a verify hours. In the main part of the library there is a microfilm collection of early Goshen newspapers which is always available. Thrall Library in Middletown has developed a collection of local materials, but hours of availability are also limited. Appointments are available to use the local history room by calling the library. Available in the main part of the library is an excellent microfilm collection of old Orange County newspapers. These may be used at any time. The Middletown and Wallkill Precinct Historical Society on East Avenue in Middletown has a small research room in the upstairs of the Van Duzer House. Many local family bibles and other helpful items make this a nice place to research on a Wednesday afternoon when they are open from 1 - 4 PM. The Town of Minisink is developing a research facility near their Town Hall and one can contact Town Historian Edna Raymond for more information. Most town libraries in Orange County have something of genealogical value but those listed above have the best collections. It never hurts to give a local library a call and ask if they have any materials that can help your research. The Orange County Surrogate's Court in Goshen houses all the wills and other probate papers since the system began in 1787. Prior to that, local wills were either filed in New York City, Albany, and sometimes Kingston. The Orange County Clerk's Office in Goshen houses the early deeds and mortgages from 1703 through present. The following list gives many examples of what records can be found there. Some records, however, have been transferred to other storage facilities and must be requested for research. Assignment of Mortgages Assumed Business Certificates (1899 - Date) Assignment for Benefit of Creditors (1932 - Date) Building and Loan Agreements Bonds Certificates of Incorporation (1837 - Date) Census Records (1820 - 1925) Convictions (1816 - Date) Justice & City Courts County Court Convictions (Court of Record) 1797 - Date) Court Actions (Supreme & County) (1703 - Date) Chattel Mortgages (Prior to 1964 filed with Town or City - After 1964 Filed with Uniform Commercial Code) Coroners Decisions (Sealed) (1810 - Date) Consolidated Lien Docket (1952 - Date) Court and Trust Fund Book (1910 - Date) Deeds (1703 - Date) Note: Grantee and Grantor Indexes also available on Microfilm at OCGS. Divorce Records (Sealed except Decree of Divorce) Executions (Income & Property) (1793 - Date) Federal Tax Liens (1926 - Date) Good for 6 years from Assessment Date Farm Names (1912 - Date) Homestead Exemptions (1830 - Date) Incompetent Proceedings Indictments (An Accusation by Grand Jury) (1755 - Date) Judgments (1848 - Date) Good for 10 years on personal property and 20 years on real property (money) Lis Pendens (1823 - Date) Limited Partnerships (1869 - Date) Marriage Records (1908 - 1935) Earlier than 1908 with State Librarian. After 1935 filed with Town or City Clerks when license was first obtained. Mortgages (1703 - Date) Note: Mortgagee and Mortgagor Indexes also on Microfilm at OCGS Maps (Any number, cemetery, subdivisions, Atlas 1875 & 1909, patent maps, 1967 tax maps) Mechanic's Liens Notaries Public (1958 - Date) Naturalization Records (1827 - Date) No Bills (1913 - Date) Oaths (Town & County Officials & Employees of County) Pistol Permits Public Welfare Liens (1964 - Date) (Injury Cases) Religious Corporations (1784 - Date) Separation Agreements (Sealed) (1966 - Date) Sheriff's Certificate of Sale (1820 - Date) Transfer Tax (1890 - Date) U.S. Service Discharges (1921 - Date) Wage Assignments (1924 - Date) There were several county and state border changes prior to 1798 in the Orange County area and the following libraries are therefore important places for local research. These are facilities with excellent genealogical collections: The Elting Library in New Paltz, NY, the Library of the Huguenot Society in New Paltz, NY, the Ulster County Genealogical Society in Hurley, NY, the Adriance Library in Poughkeepsie, the New City Library (Rockland County) in New City, NY, the Sussex County Historical Society in Newton, NJ, and the Sussex County Library in Branchville, NJ. Finally and at the risk of being repetitive, the research room of the Orange County Genealogical Society is by far your best source of Orange County information. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 13 by Dan Burrows The Newburgh Free Library and its local history staff put together a three booklet set in the early 1980's which is available in some nearby libraries, but for the most part one or more volumes of the set is missing or unknown to the library staff. Volume one consists of a listing, first by county and then alphabetically of all known newspapers held by these local Orange, Sullivan, or Ulster County libraries and other institutions. This is useful when trying to quickly discover where copies of a certain newspaper can be found. Volume two consists of a listing, first by county, and then by year of the same papers. For instance, if your ancestor died in 1892 in Orange County, it will show you all the available newspapers in 1892 and where you may find a copy for research, usually on microfilm. Volume three consists of a history, in the form of a diagram, of each newspaper showing where it originated and what it became. It also shows the various mergers that took place between different newspapers. Browsing through microfilms of old newspapers can often make you feel as though you are experiencing history as it was happening. You will find that different newspapers give totally different perspectives on the same events -- a common practice even today -- but with the lack of other news media in the 1800's and early 1900's, it can easily be seen how misconceptions of the true facts evolved. Newspapers, needless to say, are a great genealogical source. One can find obituaries, marriage and birth announcements, engagement announcements and wedding stories, legal notices, notices of thanks and news items about families. While the listing of vital records such as births, marriages and deaths are the most common helpful research tools, newspapers also reflect the day-to- day lives of our ancestors and the environment they lived in. It should be remembered that getting the facts exactly correct was not the priority of older newspapers. Much genealogical hearsay (also known as family tradition) was published when family members gave information about their ancestors. Weekly newspapers, as a general rule, contained more genealogical information than the dailies. The following bibliography of newspapers should be available at most major libraries. I have truthfully never used any of these, but after writing this article, I certainly intend to locate copies and take a look. Other areas of the country may not be as fortunate as Orange County in having a "Union List" prepared such as those described above and locating the local newspapers of the past can be difficult. The first step would be to consult the published county histories to learn the names of the newspapers for that area and then to consult the following bibliographies: History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690 - 1820 (2 Vols.) by Clarence Saunders Brigham, 1962 American Newspapers, 1821 - 1936 by Winifred Gregory (editor), 1937 The Ayer Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals (An Annual publication of present newspapers) Also contact the current newspaper operating in the city or county where your ancestors lived. Many newspapers maintain their own archive or library of past issues and if you are fortunate, they have preserved copies of the other newspapers in that same area. A great research tip that has helped many researchers is to place an ad in a local newspaper where your ancestors used to live. This ad might bring unexpected and rewarding results. A letter to a small town local newspaper might even get you an article with even better returns. The following two definitions are very important to be familiar with when reading through old newspapers. They are used frequently and their definitions are a constant stumbling block for many researchers. Instant Often abbreviated "inst." means of or occurring in the present or current month. Ultimo Often abbreviated "ult." means of or occurring in the month preceding the present. Using old newspapers and the tools mentioned above that lead you to them can give you some very rewarding results to your genealogical or historical research. You will find it very difficult not to read many other articles whose headlines catch you eye. Reading about yourself or people you know ( or knew way back when) in the birth or marriage announcements and taking note of the events going on in the world at the same time can be quite entertaining and good way to kill an afternoon at the library. Dan Burrows dburrows1@juno.com ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 11 by Dan Burrows I happened upon an excellent genealogical find recently and I think it is worth sharing here. Ben Coleman, my co-instructor for the basic genealogy classes we have taught for years at the Orange County Genealogical Society, gave me some pages from the October 8, 1863 issue of the Middletown Mercury, a former newspaper for Orange County. These pages contained the civil war draft list (also known as the list of conscripts) for Orange County and some interesting stories that went with these names. To my knowledge, this list has never been published which I intend to do in the near future so that other researchers can have this comprehensive list of names available. In the mean time the following article, taken word for word from that paper should make some interesting reading. I have put some notes in parenthesis to help clarify a couple of items. Middletown Mercury, October 8th, 1863 The "lottery of life" for the 11th Congressional District began at Goshen, according to previous announcement, on Wednesday last. In connection with the draft, the authorities at Washington thought fit to send into our county the Fifth Wisconsin volunteers, Col. Allen, four hundred strong, and a section of artillery. These troops are quartered at Goshen for the time being, and their martial appearance and movements, if serving no other purpose, afford a novel and interesting spectacle to the public, unaccustomed to such a feature in the administration of the affairs of a free people. The draft took place in the hall of the brick building opposite the Democrat office (The Democrat was the name of a newspaper published in Goshen). The machinery for drawing the conscripts consisted of a hollow revolving wheel of tin, some thirty inches in diameter, within which were deposited slips containing the names of those enrolled in the first class (I have been unable to determine thus far what was meant by first and second class), each town in its order -- the slips rolled up and compressed by a gutta-percha band. The slips for each town were counted by the Supervisor of the town, before and after the drawing to verify the proper number. In this connection it may be said that the Board of Commissioners evinced throughout the proceedings, and anxious desire to satisfy the public that their duties were discharged with entire fairness and impartiality. At the time and place appointed, a crowd of perhaps a hundred persons gathered to witness the proceedings. Shortly after ten o'clock, Provost Marshall Nanny read the order for the draft, and invited the Judges, Sheriff, and Supervisors of the county, within the bar to overlook the drawing. The quota for the district was fixed by the order at 1926, and fifty per cent additional, altogether 2898; Orange 2131 and Sullivan 767. Marshall Nanny announced that the drawing would commence with the 1st sub-district, Newburgh, and accordingly the slips containing the names of those enrolled in the first class in that town were counted and deposited in the wheel and the drawing commenced. Gabriel Coleman, of Goshen, and aged blind man, officiated in drawing the slips from the wheel, and the names of the conscripts, as they were drawn, were announced by Commissioner Holley. The drawing for the other sub-districts of Orange followed in regular order, and the work for the county was concluded at noon to-day (Friday). We publish herewith a carefully prepared list of the conscripts in this county. It will be noted that here, as elsewhere, the list includes representatives of all classes and conditions. The names of three of the reverend clergy of Newburgh, and two or three elsewhere; of Judge Geo. W. Greene, and Messrs. J. Hallock Drake, John C. McConnell, C. C. McQuoid, B.R. Champion, and E D Stokem, of our county bar; School Commissioner H. H. Clark; Joshua Ward, the champion oarsman, and John Hancon, also a noted oarsman, occur among the conscripts. The names of a number of those now serving in the 19th Regiment were drawn from the wheel; also of others now serving in different Regiments. One man in Cornwall, seventy-two years old, was conscripted; and in several instances were drawn the names of persons who are resting in their graves. That portion of out population styled by Mr. Lincoln "colored Americans of African descent," suffered some; nine were drawn in Goshen, four in Wallkill, and a due proportion in other districts. Among those drafted is the Enrolling Officer of the town of Montgomery, and two of the clerks in the Provost Marshal's office. Where the name of a conscript is twice printed, it will be understood that the name was twice drawn from the wheel. It appears that there were options for these draftees and I quote the following small article from the same Middletown Mercury: What A Drafted Man Can Do ----- A conscript (draftee) can do one of five things. The latter expedient is not "according to Hoyle" and has an unhealthy tendency, as the fugitive runs the risk of being overhauled for desertion. First -- He can report for service. Second -- He can furnish a substitute. Third -- He can pay $300 to the Collector of the District, and present his receipt to the enrolling officer, which will secure his discharge. Fourth -- He can be examined by the government surgeon and be exempted on physical grounds. Fifth -- He can skedaddle. The following similar article shows a slightly different slant to the proceedings. Independent Republican, October 15, 1863 On Tuesday evening about 700 U.S. troops arrived in Goshen to assist in enforcing the Drat and quell any disturbance which might arise. During the night, this force was augmented by the arrival of two field batteries, and the whole force is now located upon the vacant lot owned by A. S. Murray, Esq., opposite the Furniture Store of Conrad Brown. The troops are a hardy, good looking set of men and seem disposed to make themselves sociable and agreeable. Drafting was commenced in this village for the 11th District, (comprising Orange and Sullivan Counties) on Wednesday morning at about half-past ten o'clock, at which time very few of the citizens from adjoining towns were present. During the day, however, large numbers arrived, and seemingly very much interested in the proceedings. Everything connected with the Draft was done in an orderly and satisfactory manner. - (The rest of this article is repetitive of the Mercury article above.) In an advertisement published in the October 20 issue of the Independent Republican, I quote the following: ATTENTION DRAFTED MEN Substitutes can be furnished at reasonable prices by immediate application to Henry M. Little Goshen Oct. 15, 1863. I hope many of you find these accounts of the proceedings interesting and note the fact that things have not really changed in the last 135 years. As stated earlier, the entire list of draftees along with these and other articles are a planned publication of the Orange County Genealogical Society. This will turn out to be an excellent new research tool to find those elusive Orange and Sullivan County ancestors of the mid to late 1800's. Note: A list of the Draftees is not included here as it would be to large to post. It is planned as a future publication of the Society. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

Census records, continued from part 1 SOUNDEX FOR 1880, 1900, 1910, & 1920 To find an individual name among the millions listed in the 1880, 1900, 1910 (Only 21 States were indexed in 1910, New York not included) or 1920 Census records you must use an indexing and filing system known as Soundex. The Soundex is a coded surname index based on the way a name sounds rather than the way it is spelled. In this way Smith, Smyth, Smithe, and Smit will be filed together allowing you to easily find a surname recorded under various spellings. These indexes were made on special cards, put in alpha-numeric order by Soundex Code, then alphabetized by given name (first name). They were then put onto rolls of microfilm which can be found at many libraries and archives. Unfortunately, the 1880 Soundex was limited and only indexed families that contained children under the age of ten. If the child was not a child of head of house hold, he and the family were indexed on separate cards. To search for a surname, you must work out the Soundex Code, which will consist of the first letter of the surname followed by 3 numbers. These numbers are figured according to the Soundex coding guide listed below. SOUNDEX CODING GUIDE The number Represents the letters 1 B P F V 2 C S K G J QX Z 3 D T 4 L 5 M N 6 R Disregard the letters A E I O U W Y H With the workspace below, most names can be coded using the following 4 steps. Note in the sample using my name below that the "u", the second "r", the "o", and the "w" were disregarded when making the code. A zero was added on the end in order to give the code one letter and 3 numbers. See the three special easy rules below that apply for surnames with double letters, letters side by side that have the same number on the Soundex Coding Guide, or surnames that have prefixes: Line 1: B U R R O W S Line 2: B 6 2 0 Line 1: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Line 2: __ __ __ __ Line 1: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Line 2: __ __ __ __ Step 1 On line 1, write the surname you are coding, placing one letter on each line. Step 2 On line 2, write the first letter of the surname on the first line. Step 3 On line 1, disregard the first letter and slash through the remaining letters A, E, I, O, U, W, Y, and H. Step 4 On line 2, write the numbers found on the Soundex Coding Guide for the first three remaining un-slashed letters. Add zeros to any empty lines. Note: Since there must be three numbers, use only the first three code numbers in long names. Names that have less than 3 code numbers, simply add "Zeros" to the end to obtain your three numbers. If your surname has double letters, they should be treated as one letter. Slash out the second "r" in the name "Burrows" and the second "l" in Lloyd. If your surname has letters side by side that happen to have the same number from the Soundex Coding Guide, keep only the first letter and slash out the remaining side by side letters that have the same code.. Slash out the "K" and the "S" in the name "Jackson" It does not matter where the side by side letters are located. Even if the first two letters of the name such as "Pfister", the f would be slashed out. If your surname has a prefix such as Van, Von, De, Di, or Le the Soundex Code should be figured both with and without the prefix because it might be listed under either code. (Mc and Mac are not considered prefixes) GETTING MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE OUT OF CENSUS RECORDS Now that we have discussed what can obviously be found in the various census returns, let us move on to the not so obvious. *** In the census returns that show the birthplace of an individual and the birth place of the individual's parents, much circumstantial evidence is present as to the family structure. If it shows the mother of the household's place of birth as New York but the place of birth of some or all of the children's mother as Massachusetts, one can start making other assumptions as to how many wives the husband had and which children if not all might be from another marriage. *** The presence of an elderly person in the household of the same surname might indicate a parent, aunt or uncle of the husband. If the surname is different, it might be a mother or father in law and watch out for remarriages of this newly found grandma before jumping to the conclusions that you have discovered a maiden name for the wife. *** Always take note of the families nearby (census takers usually took the houses in order that they were situated) and also take note of any families that are housing one person of your surname of interest. The data you transcribe in doing this will very often reap rewards of family connections later down the line. *** Take note of the places of birth of your family and the other families in the area with the same origins whether it be the same state or the same country. You will often find that people moved in groups or invited friends and relatives from their former home to join them. *** Taking note of the places of birth of all the children can tell a story of family movement and judging from the length of time they lived in a particular area (perhaps 3 children were born in Vermont over a 10 year period) one can determine whether or not a search for a deed or other documents in that area would be worthwhile. *** The education of a family can be determined from the number in a family who can read and write and if the children did or did not attend school. *** The value of property and other monetary facts might give you a clue as to whether a will or other estate papers might be found. It could also help you determine whether they might be mentioned in a local history. MORTALITY SCHEDULES Beginning with the 1850 Federal Census and ending with the 1880, Congress authorized a listing of persons who died within the census year to be entered into a separate schedule. These 4 sets of records were turned over to the States in 1918-19 and those few states that did not want them had theirs sent to the National DAR Library who in 1980 turned them back over to the National Archives. These are not on the same roll of film as the regular census records and must be consulted on either microfilm or in the location at the state level where they were deposited. NYS Mortality Schedules are at the State Library. The type of information typically found in Mortality Schedules is the name of the person, his age, sex, state of birth, month of death and cause of death. The 1880 schedules also included the state of birth of each parent of the deceased, but not their names. LIMITATIONS AND PITFALLS OF CENSUS RESEARCH Now that the good possibilities of census searching have been covered, it is equally important to look at the limitations and other downsides of this research tool. ***Due to the fact that federal census enumeration was not done until 1790, a large gap is open in American History and other records must be used for the colonial period. ***As before mentioned, earlier census records give far less information that those taken in 1850 and later. ***Many families were missed completely and others listed twice during enumeration because of the length of time needed to take a complete census combined with the mobility of American families. Earlier censuses took 9 months to complete. In 1850 the time was reduced to 6 months and in 1870 it was further reduced to 1 month. ***Many families that lived in multiple dwelling units were missed because the census taker did not know that a large house had more than one family. ***Schedules for certain census years are completely missing for some counties or even entire states. Incorrect data was given to enumerators by family members. Anyone who has researched multiple census schedules for a particular family can tell you of the inconsistencies in ages, places of birth and other important data. It is often hard to tell whether the errors were intentional or not and who made the errors. Was dad's memory slipping? Did the enumerator not care or was he hard of hearing. Was the information given by a child home alone or did the neighbor supply the information. Perhaps an enumerator being paid by the number of families he counted deliberately listed a family twice but changed the data slightly to make it look good. ***Even though the census page you are researching was taken on a certain date, only the information for the census year was to be included. If a child was born on Aug. 2nd, the just before the census taker took the information, he would not be listed in the enumeration if the census date was June 1st. The census dates for various years are as follows: 1790 - 1820 First Monday in August; 1830 - 1900 June 1st; 1910 April 15th; 1920 January 1st; 1930 - present April 1st. SOME DO'S AND DON'TS WITH CENSUS RECORDS ***Do not stop with Soundex finds -- do look at the original record. ***Do not assume census indexes are correct or complete. ***Do not assume spellings are as you think. ***Do not assume relationships are exactly as stated. ***Do not assume a wife is the mother of all or any of the listed children. ***Do not assume ages listed are correct. ***Do take note of all of your surname in the county and pay close attention to the neighbors of your ancestors. ***Do study all possible census years for your family. ***Do copy down all information from all columns and the top of page also. ***Do believe that all census records are important -- even the earlier ones. ***Do make use of the Veteran's column in the 1840 census ***Do use the 1890 Veterans (and widows of Veterans) Schedules. ***Do use the state census records ***Do not believe all census data to be true and correct. ***Do study the enumerator's handwriting so you can make comparisons. ***Do watch for families split onto two pages with the surname not repeated at the top of the next page. ***Do try to find your ancestors in every census taken in their life time. ***Do check family histories and other sources of neighbors who might have come from the same state to locate a town of residence if you can not determine that information on your ancestor. ***Do remember that when searching an entire town for ancestor, the town enumeration may be split and not be kept together on the film --- cities are often listed separately from the town they are connected with. ***Do take note of real estate and personal property values to determine if a deed or will search is appropriate. ***Do use maps in conjunction with your census searching ***Do search across state, county, and town lines if your ancestors lived near a border. ***Do go back and look again at census records to see what you might of missed -- especially if you have learned of new surnames (maiden names) or other family connections. ***Do consider typographical errors when using indexes -- know the keyboard and what letters could have been punched in by mistake. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. 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FAMILY TIES Article 6, Part One Tracing your ancestry with the use of Census Records -- the next step after searching official and alternative vital records. by Dan Burrows Census records are familiar to all of us and we sometimes feel burdened with having to fill them out every ten years. Census returns are beyond doubt the most informative source of genealogical information for the period of 1790 through 1920 (and beyond). We are able to look at these old census records on microfilms at many genealogical societies, major libraries, and branches of the National Archives. There are also companies that will rent or sell you copies of the films so you may view them on any microfilm machine. It cannot be over emphasized that every census that was taken during the lifetime of your ancestor must be researched and compared in order to get a full picture of his family structure. The Orange County Genealogical Society has many local census records on film. We are giving this subject a lot of extra space because of it's importance and extreme value in the hunt for ancestors. Census research can also be fun. I recall looking at the 1920 Census of Chester where I grew up. I saw families that I knew in the 1950's and beyond -- I saw their families, occupations, where they lived, and other revealing details. It was like taking a look back in time. FEDERAL CENSUS RETURNS 1790 - 1920 (and beyond) The first Federal Census was taken in 1790 as a method of proportioning representatives in the government as well as a means distributing the tax burden according to the spread of the population. A count of able bodied men for military purposes cannot be overlooked either. An excellent genealogical research tool is merely a great byproduct of this endeavor. The 1790 census enumeration was limited in that its purpose was to count the population. It did so by listing the number of males under 16, males 16 & over, and females (all ages listed together). There was also a column for slaves and another for "other free persons". Fortunately, the names of heads of households were listed, but unfortunately the names of other family members were not. In 1908, the 1790 census was printed in book form for each state and nicely indexed. It is of course advisable to look at the original (the primary source on microfilm), especially if you cannot find the family where they should have been. These statewide indexes are a great aid in locating families when you are not sure where they lived within a state. The federal census records from 1800 through 1840 are also very limited in information. They also listed just the name of the head of household and a breakdown of household members by sex and age. The age increments, as we shall see, became smaller with each succeeding census allowing us to get a closer idea to the ages of each child. As earlier stated, only by comparing all available census years for a family and all persons of your surname in the area of your interest, can you get them most out of these early enumerations. The information, when combined and studied, can easily lead you to other sources such as deeds, wills, church or other local records. The censuses of 1800 and 1810 listed five age categories for white males and 5 for white females, but otherwise contained no more information than the 1790 census. The census of 1820 added one more age category for white males in addition to giving age categories for other free male and female persons. It asked how many "foreign and not naturalized" and whether engaged in agriculture, commerce, or manufacturing. The census of 1830 listed 13 age categories for white males and 13 for white females, 6 each for other free persons and 6 each for slaves. The family picture begins to get much clearer at this point but we must remember that all persons listed were not necessarily family members. Questions about the blind, deaf and dumb were asked for the first time. The census of 1840 had the same age and sex breakdowns but counted persons engaged in mining, agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, ocean navigation, canal or lake or river navigation, and learned professors and engineers. The often overlooked bonus of the 1840 census was the listing of names and ages of revolutionary war pensioners. Beginning with the censuses of 1850 and 1860, a clearer picture of the households can now be seen. Besides the head of household, other persons living in the house are listed showing their sex, age, color, profession, value of real estate, place of birth, whether or not married within the year, in school within the year, able to read & write, and whether or not deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict. There are also slave schedules listing the owner of the slaves and other information by age and sex. The information that you have assembled from the earlier 1790 - 1840 census schedules will probably start to take better shape. You should record information from all families in the area that have persons of the surname you are researching. A household with just one person with your surname might later turn out to be important relatives that will lead you to more information. The census of 1870 adds information about value of personal property, whether or not the parents are foreign born, and the month of birth or marriages if the event occurred within the year. It was asked whether or not the males were eligible to vote. The census of 1880 is in a class of its own due to the fact that relationships to the head of household (but not to each other) are now added and no longer have to be guessed at. Do not assume the relationship is as stated -- perhaps the niece is really just a wife of a nephew. Marital status, health questions, and unemployment questions are asked. Alleged states or countries of birth are listed for each person's father and mother (these are often incorrect). A partial Soundex index (households with children under the age of ten) was done for each state and will be discussed later under indexes. The census of 1890 was mostly destroyed by fire in 1921. Very little exists at all but the Veterans (or widow of a veteran) special census also taken that year has survived. The census of 1900 added the questions of "month and year" of birth of each individual, "number of years married", and the "mother of how many children". Important questions of "year of immigration" and "number of years in the US" along with occupational, educational, and financial information make this a gold mine of information. The census of 1910 asked how many children still living, what language spoken, and if a Civil War Veteran in addition to the same questions as the 1900 census except birth date was omitted. The census of 1920 was similar to the 1910 but also asked the "mother tongue of the parents of each individual. A sneak preview of the census of 1930 shows that they asked if a radio was owned, age at first marriage, and if a veteran of any war. This will probably be released to the public in the year 2002. STATE CENSUS RECORDS In addition to the census records taken by the federal government, many states have taken their own census enumerations and they are readily available through filming by the Mormon Church at government centers. For the most part they are not indexed and availability varies with locality. The book State Census Records by Ann Lainhart will give you a listing state by state of which censuses are available. New York State conducted census enumerations for 1825, 1835, and 1845 that were similar to the federal returns for that period in that they only listed the head of household and grouped the rest of the household by age and sex. Census records taken in 1855, 1865, and 1875 took the format of the 1850 Federal census with the major difference being that relationship to head of household was given. The 1865 and 1875 NY State censuses also contained deaths and marriages for the period of 1 year prior to the census date of June 1st -- a great source of untapped vital records for the most part. The 1865 NYS census also listed persons who had died in or of injuries from the Civil War since April 1861. Probably the most important NY State census enumeration is the 1892 which was kind of the halfway mark between the 1875 and 1905 that nicely fills the gap left by the destruction by fire of the 1890 Federal Census. Unfortunately many have been lost including Orange County but they do exist for some other areas. 1905, 1915, & 1925 have been a great help in recent years because of the delayed release dates of the Federal 1910, 1920 and the anticipated release of the 1930. State censuses are not indexed unless done locally. Again -- check all censuses and all families with your surname of interest in the locality you are researching. INDEXES FOR 1790 THROUGH 1870 FEDERAL CENSUSES There are now indexes for the 1800 through 1860 (and some 1870) in book form by state. Remember the printed 1790 had its self contained index. Never assume the surname is was spelled as you know it now. These indexes can be very helpful but bear in mind there are certainly a multitude of mistakes contained within them and they are certainly not complete. Names were misread and occasionally skipped, and some of the basic index rules were not followed to the letter. Naturally 1800 - 1840 indexes contain only the head of household while the 1850 and later indexes also list a person who lived in a household with a different surname and sometimes the person at the top of the next page even if they have the same surname. This can be very helpful when trying to locate all family members as many times older children were hired out and living with friends, neighbors, and often relatives. See Article 6, part 2 for continuation ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 7 Tracing your ancestry with the use of Compiled Sources -- the mostly widely used genealogical tools. by Dan Burrows Fortunately and unfortunately, much of our genealogical research is done with compiled sources. It is fortunate that so many useful and easily accessible resources are out there, and unfortunate that we often do not have access to the original documents (primary sources). Compiled sources are collections of information brought together in one place -- usually in some form of a book and are often broken down into seven major categories. **Family histories and genealogies **Local histories **Compiled lists (genealogical dictionaries, directories, registers, etc.) **Biographical works **Genealogical and historical periodicals **Compendium genealogies **Special manuscript collections Compiled sources are always considered secondary records (not original) and are the result of someone's research. Secondary does not mean the source is inferior -- if it is well documented (sources cited) it is invaluable but the original sources cited should be consulted whenever possible to rule out errors or misinterpretations. Following are brief discussions of these various sources: FAMILY HISTORIES AND GENEALOGIES This is by far the largest and fastest growing category of compiled sources. The error rate in these printed genealogies is extremely large -- depending on the thoroughness of the compiler. The major reasons for this high error rate are: Laziness of the compiler by guessing at facts and relationships instead of laboring over many sources and paying attention to detail. Ignorance of the fact that many documentary archival sources are available to use instead of relying on previously printed secondary sources. The expense involved in doing documentary research from primary sources can be overwhelming to some. It should be remembered that something that is worthwhile doing is worth doing well. The fascination of some who would rather accept a line of descent that sounds or appears better than to prove that it might be incorrect. When evaluating family genealogies and family histories, an educated guess to their reliability can usually be made by asking: Are the sources well documented? Are the sources primary or secondary? Are genealogical problems thoroughly discussed so the reader can see the basis of their acceptance or even research the problem on their own? There are bibliographical sources that can be consulted for determining whether or not a genealogy exists about a family that you are researching such as the book Genealogies in the Library of Congress which covers up to 1976 and the various supplements that have followed. The card catalogue of the Mormon Church, catalogues from larger book dealers, and book reviews in periodicals are a few examples. LOCAL HISTORIES Most areas of the United States have had local histories written about them -- many done in the late 1800's and others done in more contemporary times. These, like family genealogies vary greatly in style and accuracy and the many of the same guidelines should be used in evaluating them. There are several bibliographies of available histories to be consulted but when in doubt one might consult a local historian or genealogical society. Munsell's Index has been one of the most widely used for finding buried genealogies contained in local histories but it only covers only those printed up to 1909. Sinclair's recent index to New Jersey biographies and Copely's index to 3 or more generations of genealogy in New Hampshire town histories are great examples. These can be found in many genealogical libraries. Many times your ancestor may be too obscure to have a history or biography included in a local history, but you might come across a valuable clue by his or her casual mention in someone else's biography. Some local histories contain valuable biographical sketches throughout the text and others have separate biographical sketches. Fortunately many of the older histories are being indexed by local groups or individuals to make your research easier but some indexes are incomplete. COMPILED LISTS Several genealogical dictionaries have been compiled through the years. Some of the most prominent are Savage's Dictionary, the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, the Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, and the Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army. These usually have sources cited so that researcher can do further investigation of the facts. An example of a local dictionaries for our area would be Pioneers of Orange County. Other compilers have done these massive compilations of mini genealogies (sometimes called registers) for specific localities. Local directories (similar to today's phone books) are a very valuable genealogical source as you can track families in specific towns for years. Sometimes notations are made to advise you that a person has removed to another locality. They can often help you pinpoint a death if the listing changes from Mr. to Mrs. or disappears completely when it is known that the person did not remove to another location. BIOGRAPHICAL WORKS Biographical works usually deal with persons who have achieved some prominence but they many times mention not so prominent persons affiliated or related to those persons. There are many of these compilations and the most famous are of a national scope such as the Cyclopedia of American Biography. Their intentions are simply biographical and not genealogical. Most are of relatively recent information, contemporary to the time of publication which is the major difference separating them from the compiled lists mentioned previously. Some local biographical works are available for many parts of the country and they vary greatly in form. One of the most popular done in the very late 1800's were the Commemorative Biographical Records. These are also known as "Mug Books" (as were some of the more "biographical" county histories). Persons usually paid to have their family and personal information printed in these books. Though much of the information was given directly from the families, a certain amount of exaggeration occurred and one must evaluate the more illustrious statements. Much valuable information and many clues can be found in these local biographical works and again we are fortunate that many are being indexed. GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL PERIODICALS This is by far one of the most useful sources for solving genealogical problems. These vary greatly from the scholarly journals of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society to mimeographed newsletters of local groups. They contain a wealth of genealogical information such as: **Genealogies and family histories **Family and biographical sketches **Indexes to otherwise un-indexed records **Information from valuable unpublished private sources **Copies of lost records **Genealogical queries, book reviews **Much valuable local information **"How to" and new useful tips Most of the information in the smaller periodical lies buried and untapped but some indexes are available to guide you to this information such as: **Jacobus' Index to Genealogical Periodicals *Genealogical Periodical Annual Index **Munsell's Index to American Genealogies **Self-contained indexes to major genealogical periodicals COMPENDIUM GENEALOGIES Compendium genealogies are similar to genealogical dictionaries except that the thoroughness of research is usually much less. Compendiums are mass gatherings of sketches usually put together from other secondary sources or family information. These should always be used with caution and documented whenever possible from primary or well documented secondary sources. A couple of major examples would be: **The Compendium of American Genealogy by Virkus **Colonial Families of the United States of America by Mackenzie **American Ancestry by Munsell SPECIAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS Many people spend years compiling genealogical information that never gets published. These end up in trunks up in the attic, donated to libraries and genealogical societies and worst of all destroyed by uninterested family members. When researching in a specific locality, ask around about manuscript collections and if they have any kind of index. These are very difficult to locate, even if you know they exist for the can change hands unnoticed. When citing a manuscript as a source it is very important to note its location and the date so that future researchers have a better chance of tracking it down. OTHER COMPILED SOURCES Other compiled sources that are very important to genealogical research are: **Transcribed census records -- when found you should always consult the originals. **Transcribed church records -- these can save you hours of thumbing you way through disorganized church registers but again it is useful whenever possible to consult originals **Military records are sometimes organized and put together by interested persons and can be a great source of genealogical source material. **Indexes **Bibliographies NEWSPAPERS Newspapers, though not actually compiled, are a great genealogical source. One can find obituaries, marriage and engagement announcements and stories, birth announcements, legal notices, notices of thanks and news items about families. It should be remembered that getting the facts exact was not the priority of older newspapers. Weekly newspapers, as a general rule, contained more genealogical information than the dailies. Bibliographies of newspapers can be found in the following: **History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690 - 1820 (2 Vols.) by Clarence Saunders Brigham, 1962 **American Newspapers, 1821 - 1936 by Winifred Gregory (editor), 1937 **The Ayer Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals (An Annual publication of present newspapers) Note: In many older newspapers, the following words occur when dates are mentioned and they are defined as follows: Instant: Of or occurring in the present or current month. Sometimes abbreviated inst. Ultimo: Of or occurring in the month preceding the present. Sometimes abbreviated ult. Speaking of newspapers, an ad in a local newspaper where your ancestors used to live might bring unexpected results. An interesting letter to a small town local paper might even get you an article with even better returns. LIMITATIONS OF COMPILED SOURCES Though compiled sources have many problems, errors, and limitations -- one should not be discouraged from using them for all their good points. Some of the limitations are as follows: Accessibility and availability -- lack of indexes, no knowledge of existence, and inability to find. Reliability -- Lack of documentation, guesswork, typographical errors, and carelessness are frequent problems but there are a lot of good works out there. Completeness -- Many genealogies are far from complete with large gaps omitted because enough research has not been done. Many times the information that is given is incomplete. Documentation -- If documentation cannot lead you to the primary source, the possibility of error is more likely. Too often, mistaken information is copied over and over again from one compiler to the next. The Dilemma -- If our research begins and ends in the library we may be missing out on many of the real facts and passing that misinformation on to others. Try to find the original sources!! ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 1 by Dan Burrows The best way to start this column is to introduce you to your local genealogical society. Genealogical societies can be found in most areas through out the world. They all pretty much have the same purposes as your local society -- some are more active than others and Orange County sets a good example. The Orange County Genealogical Society, 101 Main Street, Goshen, New York 10924 was formed in 1971 and is now commencing its 29th Year. The purposes of the Society are to encourage genealogical research, collect and preserve genealogical and family papers making them available for study, and educate the public as to the importance of genealogical research for the preservation of the family --- past, present and future. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in genealogy. Monthly meetings are the 1st Saturday of the month at 9AM. Most meetings are followed by a guest speaker on a genealogical or historical subject. Attending meetings is not required to be a member. The Society offers genealogy classes from time to time which are free and open to the public. Many people are totally unaware of what information or sources are available to them. Many things can be discovered about one's ancestry and we are often surprised at where the information turns up. Persons interested in these classes can leave their name on file to be contacted when dates are known. The Society has 5 major working Committees that are responsible for its success. The Program Committee puts on an Annual Seminar and an Annual Dinner each May, organizes the Genealogy Classes, and arranges for our guest speakers. The Research Room Committee staffs our facilities in the 1841 Courthouse. They are constantly acquiring new materials to help researchers by either purchase or donation. They arrange for bookbinding and other preservation projects. OCGS has one of the most extensive Genealogical collections in the area. Library staff will guide you to all our resources and help you start your research. The hours are as follows: EVERY MONDAY & FRIDAY MORNINGS (Except Holidays) 8:30 - 1200 FIRST & THIRD TUESDAY EVENINGS (Of Each Month) 6:30 - 9:30 FIRST & THIRD WEDNESDAY ALL DAY (Of Each Month) 8:30 - 4:00 THIRD SATURDAY ALL DAY (Of Each Month) 9:00 - 4:00 FIRST SATURDAY AFTERNOON (After meeting & program) 12:00 - 4:00 The Editorial Committee publishes a 12 page fact-filled Quarterly Journal every three months and an annual index. A 25 year Subject Index is planned for the near future. Back issues are available for purchase or to look at in the Research Room. They offer hours of interesting and informative reading. Members send in queries regarding the families they are researching. Church records and other sources of information are printed in each issue. The Membership Committee continually maintains a file of our nearly 1,000 members across the nation, Canada, and other countries. Annual dues are only $10.00 per year which entitle you to our Quarterly Journal, free queries, and a chance to do some volunteer work if you prefer. Life membership is available for $175.00. You may send a stamped self-addressed envelope to the Society and request information about membership or visit us in Goshen and inquire in person. The Publications Committee manages the Society's "Items Offered For Sale" and the mailing of the Quarterly Journal. New items that would aid Orange County researchers are constantly being added. You may send a stamped self-addressed business size envelope to the Society and request a copy of the publications list. Persons interested in local history will also find something on this list. Throughout the past 28 years the Society has undertaken many projects that it has felt useful to the genealogical world. We have published 3 Cemetery books and are currently working on our 4th. We have reprinted the 3 major Orange County Histories with new indexes to make them easy to use. We have worked closely with other organizations and libraries and shared resources with them to make information more readily available. The Orange County Genealogical Society welcomes new members and appreciates all those who offer so much of their volunteer time. In the articles that follow I will talk about the different avenues and methods of genealogical research. In article 2 we give you pointers on getting started with family history research. The are many things you can do without leaving your home. Anyone who wants to start right away should visit the Society research room this week. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 2 by Dan Burrows Have you ever wondered about your ancestors -- who they were, where they lived, and what they did. Finding out just might be easier than you think and relatives (sometimes very distant relatives) may be waiting for some tiny bit of information that you happen to have. I remember asking my grandmother about her family when I was a child. She was one of 15 children, born and raised in Erie County, NY. I remember the tales of the hard times -- she worked at a Borden's factory soldering cans of milk closed for pennies an hour and most of that was turned over to the family for room and board. She told me about her parents and her aunts and uncles and I wrote it all down and stuffed it in the family bible which she kept in the living room. Thirty years later, my father's first cousin in Illinois (he would be my first cousin, one generation removed) wrote to me asking questions about the bible which had already been handed down to me. When I dug it out, there were my notes I had written. Grandma had passed away 5 years previous so the notes had become even more valuable. Needless to say it was shortly after that I caught the genealogy fever. Since that time I have dug through 375 years of records in this country and learned a great deal about the generations before me. My wife so often reminds me that I sometimes spend more time with the dead than I do with the living. What I had done as a child was actually the first step in preparing to start my genealogy --- gathering up all the facts that can be found around the house and interviewing elderly family members. It is amazing where family bibles, photos, old letters and other fact-filled goodies will show up. My grandmother's address book is a gold mine of genealogical facts including birth, death and marriage dates. The addresses she had kept for over 40 years, crossed out and changed, let me know where my relatives had moved from place to place. Old newspaper clippings shoved here and there and old Christmas and birthday cards often contain good little notes. Once you start working on your genealogy you become an official family detective. It is time to start gathering all the tidbits of information and piecing them together. It is a good time to pick up a some charts which are available at most Genealogical Societies. Take a blank chart and photocopy it or even make up your own version. If you have a computer, a genealogical program will make them for you. It is also a good time to get a large notebook and start writing down your sources for all the information you gather. It is best to have a section for each surname you research. Five years from now you can look back at your notes and see what books you have looked at and whom you have talked to, etc. When interviewing elderly (or even not so elderly) relatives, take a prepared list of questions, an inconspicuous tape recorder, and all your patience. Be relaxed and let them be relaxed. Give them something to think about for a while and you will be amazed what they can remember an hour or even a day later. Ask them about their parents, grandparents and the family stories that their grandparents use to tell. This brings us to a subject that you will most certainly run across. Family traditions are stories that have been handed down for generations -- sometimes in writing and sometimes by word of mouth. If you have ever played telephone, you will understand why we must be careful about family traditions. Things have a way of being exaggerated and glorified each time a story is told. The story that was handed down in my family written by a sister to my great-great grandfather stating she had learned this information from her uncle. She claimed that her grandfather Thomas Burrows the immigrant in 1783 was a Captain in Col. Livingston's Regiment and was severely wounded at the battle of Ticonderoga during the Revolutionary War. I later proved that he was a private and it seems that absolutely no one was injured in that battle. He got the nick-name Captain from being a ship rigger when he lived in New York City after the War. I have proved most of the other information contained in the tradition to be true. Once you have gathered up all the information available from family sources, you can start to fill out those charts. I am sure by this time you have gathered up many birth, death, and marriage dates along with the places they happened. Start with yourself and record your parents, your grandparents and your great grandparents. If you do not have the information -- leave that part of the chart blank for now. It won't be long and you will begin to make a pedigree of yourself. One important factor when filling in names on a chart -- females are recorded by their maiden name (i.e., name at birth) and not their married names. After making a pedigree chart, the next step is to make family charts (known as family group sheets). Every family chart has a mother, father, and a list of all the children and perhaps the husband or wife of each child. The charts have a place to fill in all that information when known. It is OK to leave blank spaces where the information is not known. Now that we have taken the first few steps, it's time to dig out the typewriter and drop a note to some of those aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives. If you think they can fill in some blanks for you, just send them a copy of your chart with a kind note asking them to look it over and add anything they might know. You can even supply a stamped self-addressed envelope (known as an SASE) to make it more convenient for them to reply. Ask them if they have some pictures you could look at some day. When you feel you have learned everything possible from things around the house, pictures, letters, and relatives it might be time to venture out. A trip to a library, town hall, newspaper files, historical or genealogical societies and even a cemetery or two. If you are anxious to learn more about how to go about it, there are a couple of especially good "how to" genealogy books available. Searching For Your Ancestors by Doane and Bell is great for beginners and The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Val Greenwood can take you a little further. Both are available in many libraries or you can purchase them from the Orange County Genealogical Society, 101 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924. Coming up in future articles: Other places and resources in Orange County for Genealogical Research The role of Village, Town, and the County Historian Birth, death, and marriage records -- the where and how Census records -- the most informative of genealogical sources ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Aritcle 5 Tracing your ancestry -- the next step after writing to historians and searching official vital records. by Dan Burrows Last article we discussed how to write to a historian and what types of questions to ask. We also covered Official Vital Records (birth, death, and marriage records) and what types of information might be found in them. Now lets learn about alternative vital records. These alternative sources are the only places you can use to find births, deaths, and marriages if "official vital records" cannot be found or never existed for the location and time of your ancestor's event. Genealogical sources are always classified in one of two ways and this will hold true whether they be vital records or any other piece of genealogical information. Primary sources -- those being original records such as the official vital records we discussed last month, original church records, deeds, mortgages, miscellaneous court records, wills, original bible records, and other similar original items. Secondary sources -- those being transcripts (handwritten or typed copies) of primary records (such as a published book of Mount Hope Presbyterian Church records or a book containing abstracts of deeds or wills, etc.) If you are not using the original records or an actual photocopy of the original records, then you are using a secondary source. A book written about a family showing specific information about individuals (known as a printed family genealogy) is a good example of a secondary source. All secondary sources leave room for errors and whenever possible, the original source (provided the author has listed his sources) should always be consulted. Unfortunately, secondary records are usually all we have access to without extensive travel to the homes of your ancestors. Church records are an excellent example and the most widely used of alternative vital records. These come in various forms but unless you can visit your ancestor's church or see a microfilm of the original church records, you will most likely be looking at some one else's interpretation of the records. Many times in church records you will have to settle for a baptismal date or funeral date rather than an actual birth or death date. Knowing the customs of your ancestor's church will help you determine how old the child might have been when baptized. Also bear in mind that many people were baptized as adults before they were allowed to join a church. It is usually assumed that a death occurred a couple days before a funeral, but like anything else there will be exceptions to the rule. You might have to settle for a wedding intention date (also known as banns) instead of an actual marriage date. A word of caution -- sometimes intended weddings did not become formalized, but if you find birth or baptismal records of their children, you could assume the wedding took place. Cemetery records and tombstones are another great example of alternative vital records. You can come up with an approximate birth date by calculating the age at death if that is the only information given. You might have to prove a marriage occurred by citing a tombstone showing that your ancestor was listed as a husband, wife, widow or relict of someone else. I recall the shock of receiving a picture of my great great grandfather, Josiah T. Burrows' tombstone from Steuben County, New York showing that he had two wives. The family bible seemed to neglect that fact. Speaking of family bibles, they are an excellent source of alternative vital records. They turn up in the most unexpected places. My father- in-law fortunately was handed his family bible one day by his father's sister's second husband's daughter from a previous marriage. What a gold mine of information that turned out to be and it almost went to the dump. Bible records often contain family information not available anyplace else. They often contain loose obituaries and funeral cards. When using family bible records, it is important to determine the date the bible was published. If the bible was published in 1850, but lists the birth dates of family members from 1818 through 1863, you can be sure the earlier entries were copied from another source and entered all at once leaving more room for errors. Note the handwriting and ink that was used. As a general rule, entries that are made as the events happened will vary in handwriting and ink. Speaking of obituaries, many of the previously mentioned alternative vital records or official vital records can give us a date to search for an obituary or death notice. These articles in themselves are considered an alternative vital record. Depending on the period of time, the location of the event, and the policies of the newspaper, these obituaries can really divulge some useful and important family information. Sometimes, however, you will see quite a bit of exaggeration in the details. Newspaper notices of births (only in recent years) and marriages are very helpful. Most libraries have microfilms of the old papers and some historical societies have them glued flat in large books. If you are lucky, some volunteer has created an index to the genealogical information such as the Port Jervis Library's card index to the Gazette. Court papers, wills, deeds, mortgages, depositions and other miscellaneous items found in the county records offices and town or village halls will many times list vital records as a proof of identity or verification of transaction. An old deed might state your great grandfather was 21 when he bought the property and a will can give you his date of death. A war pension application by his widow will most certainly have a date of marriage. The possibilities are endless. And don't forget school, college, military, and employment records. Do you remember all the information you had to put down on your social security application. You are leaving a trail for future researchers. Old family diaries are another source of alternative vital records and events were most likely entered as they happened. Scrapbooks containing newspaper obituaries and other miscellaneous family notes can be a source of these vital records. Old letters often contain tidbits of information. Families always wrote each other about births, deaths, and marriages. As mentioned in a previous article, old address books can be a gold mine for alternative vital records. Dates written on the backs of old photographs could be another source. I am sure that most of you can think of more household sources and the habits of your family can open many genealogical doors. Some families are keepers of old calendars, notebooks, clippings, and other items in their attics. A good genealogical detective will piece all these bits of information together and be able to put together a good time line chart of the ancestor they are researching. As you can see there are many great alternative sources for gathering the vital record information about your ancestors needed to trace your family. I certainly did not mention them all. Each bit of gathered information may lead you back to an earlier generation. Many times it takes a lot of bits to do the job. If a close estimate of date is all you can come up with, quote it as such. You could say that Grandpa was "born about 1888" (also written: born ca 1888 or born circa 1888) and if you have a will that was probated on January 3rd 1953 and you cannot determine the exact date of death, you could say that grandpa died "before 3 Jan 1953". If his first child was born in 1903 and you cannot find a marriage record, you could say Grandpa was married "ca 1902" or "before 1903". Next article we will discuss census records in detail and how to get the most out of them. Federal census records were taken every ten years starting in 1790 and are readily available for research up to 1920 at present. They are not only an alternative for vital records, but the most revealing source of genealogical information available. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 4 Tracing your ancestry -- the next step after visiting genealogical and historical libraries. by Dan Burrows Last article we discussed researching in libraries and other repositories of genealogical information. Another good source for family information could be the local Town, Village or County Historian where your ancestors lived. A word of caution -- most historians do not have access to genealogical records since their job (usually volunteer or token salaried) is to collect, preserve and make available items of a historical nature. Even though it is hard to draw the line between regular history and family history, there is a clear cut difference. The usual and ideal type of letter to send to a historian would be historical or geographical in nature. If you feel it might be worthwhile to send a letter requesting genealogical information, make it a brief, one paragraph outline of the problem you are trying to solve. Follow this by an even shorter paragraph asking if they have access to records that might help solve your problem, or if not, would they direct you (or forward your letter) to someone who can. Always include an SASE, and for even better results, make a place on your letter for their response. I usually type the word "response" followed by 5 or 6 double spaced blank lines. Since we are writing a very short letter, it can all be done on one page. Typical information you could request from historians might include: ===The names, addresses, and phone numbers of churches where your ancestors might have attended. ===The names, addresses and phone numbers of local libraries, genealogical societies, and other genealogical repositories and what types of collections they have. ===The names, addresses, and phone numbers of paid genealogists in the area. ===The names, addresses, and phone numbers of Town and Village Clerks and ask how receptive they usually are to genealogical requests. ===The names, addresses, and phone numbers of any families of the same surname you are researching in their Town or Village, since many families remain for many generations in the same locality. Never send a long and boring letter which they might have to read three or four times before they can figure out exactly what question you are asking. Be specific and to the point. It is appropriate to send a single pedigree chart of the family you are researching as a guide to show the historian what you know and do not know, but again -- do not burden them with twenty pages of charts. Another great and usually reliable source for genealogical information is official vital records. These are the official records kept by local, county, or state governments for births, marriages, and deaths. As a general rule, duplicates of all Town Vitals are kept at the State level, but in some cases (especially the earlier years) one should never rule out double checking their accuracy with the local clerk. Official Vital Records are maintained by government agencies to acquire statistics or to verify eligibility (or ineligibility) for its programs or services. Family genealogists use these official vital records to verify actual dates or locations of births, deaths, and marriages. These records often include or can lead us to more information about the individual, the individual's parents, or even the individual's children or other relatives. A typical and ideal birth record gives the full name of child, the sex, the names of the parents (including the maiden name of the mother), the place of birth and the place of registration, the date of birth, the date filed, and the registration number. A typical and ideal death record gives the actual name of deceased at time of death, the place of death and place of filing, the names of parents (usually with maiden name of mother), the birth place of deceased and of both parents, the cause of death, occupation, marital status, the place of burial and the name of undertaker, the name of attending physician at time of death, the name of person giving personal information (most important when trying to ascertain how accurate the information might be), the date of birth or the age at death, the Social Security number and whether or not a veteran on more recent records, and how long at last residence. A typical and ideal marriage record gives the names of both parties, the places of birth of both parties, the names of parents (including maiden names of both parents), the places of birth of all parents, the number of marriages for both parties, the occupations of both parties, the name of person officiating the marriage, the date and place of marriage, the names of witnesses(often relatives), the ages of both parties, and the places of residence of both parties. Marriage records vary in form but can contain up to 3 documents: [1] Affidavit for license to marry; [2] Marriage license; [3] Marriage certificate. Older town records in New England also list "intentions of marriage" which may contain additional information. The examples of information you might obtain from official vital records as listed above are the "ideal situations". In all actuality, much of the information may not have been known or may not have been required during the earlier years. Official vital records are sometimes infested with errors and omissions because of unavailability of information, delay in reporting, guesswork by family members, laziness of clerks, and deliberate lies and exaggerations -- especially in marriage records. As stated above, it often pays to check both the records of the state and local registrar, especially the earlier records where and exact copy was not forwarded to the state, and it is always better to examine an original record rather than a transcript. Information on the addresses, application forms, and required fees for obtain vital records from the various states may be found in Kemp's Vital Records Handbook available at most genealogical libraries. Seeking the information from local clerks can sometimes be difficult. Many clerks do not wish to be bothered or do not follow the guidelines of the State Health Department or State Vital Records departments for availability of records. Most clerks, however are very helpful and will make the information available to you. In New York State, birth records are closed for 75 years, marriage and death records are closed for 50 years. This usually does not apply if you are a direct descendant of the person to whom the record refers (child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc). Official vital records in New York State commenced in 1881, though some do exist for the three year period from 1847 through 1849. (For other states, see Kemp's book mentioned above for available years) Indexes to these records are available at the State Archives in Albany for viewing in person or by mail for a fee. The records themselves are kept at the State Department of Health and for some unknown reason, there is a long wait to obtain copies, even though they are charging and making money from this service. When Official Vital Records are not available, Church Records, Obituaries (Or Death Notices), Cemetery Records, Undertaker's Records, Diaries, Scrapbooks, and with any luck a Family Bible should be referred to. These are considered "substitute vital records" and this will be a future topic. ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

FAMILY TIES Article 2 Tracing your ancestry -- the next step after gathering up the information at home and from relatives. by Dan Burrows Once you have done the preliminary work of gathering up all the genealogical material around the house from family bibles, address books, old letters, photographs, and interviews of the more elderly relatives, you are ready to venture out to libraries, town halls, county records centers, cemeteries, and more. (For more information on how to get started, see "Family Ties" article 2) We are now going to discuss research libraries and what you might expect to find. It is very important to remember that you should always research and do your detective work close to the source of the problem you are trying to solve. If Grandma was born in Horseheads, NY, that is where you want to look for information. You might find a tidbit of information in a local library, but to get the most benefit of your time, it always pays to go close to the source. Your second best source would be your State Library which usually houses information from all areas of the state. The first thing to do in this instance, would be to locate Horseheads. An atlas or even better yet, a New York State gazetteer is a great starting point. French's 1860 Gazetteer and Spafford's 1824 Gazetteer are the most useful for NYS research. These are available in most libraries. You would find out that Horseheads is in Chemung County, except that prior to the county line changes in May of 1823, it was in Tioga County. Knowing the county is important when looking for wills and deeds to aid in your research. The next step is to locate research facilities near Horseheads. Your local library or genealogical society can help you. You would discover that the Steele Memorial Library in Elmira, NY has an excellent genealogical collection as does the Chemung County Historical Society. There are directories to these libraries and the Genealogical Helper Magazine published by Everton Publishers (available at many libraries) publishes a list once a year of most places to do your research -- listed first by country, then state, and then alphabetically. Suppose you cannot travel to where Grandma was born. The US postal service is one of the great genealogical tools at your disposal. Simply write a one paragraph letter outlining your problem. Example: I wish to learn the parents of my great grandmother Mary Smith who married John Jones. She was born in Horseheads 25 Nov 1866. Can you help me or direct to where I might find information. Keep it short and sweet, send them a SASE (stamped self-addressed envelope) and a couple of bucks to cover copying costs or donation. Keep track of who you have written to and whether or not you received a response. I wrote a letter to a Genealogical Society in Ontario, Canada and the volunteer who was assigned to my letter happened to have written a book on the family I was researching and she copied many cemetery records that were of great help to me. She also sold me one of her books. I once visited the State Vital Records Department in Concord, New Hampshire only to find a distant cousin with whom I had corresponded with for 2 years was in charge that day and she let me look at what ever records I wanted without restraint. I later discovered she had been to a seminar where I was a speaker and she had sat in the front row. No wonder she looked familiar. You will soon discover that the Genealogical World is very small and that all these "nice genealogists" will cross your path over and over again. Assuming that you are able to travel, bear in mind that every research facility is unique. The scope and focus of materials they house will vary greatly in addition to the amount of resources, their form, and their availability. The worst type of facility has "closed stacks" where you must request books, files, and other materials and wait for someone to retrieve them for you. Places where you have access to the materials yourself will reap you the most benefits and give you the most research for your time. Examples of types of libraries are: 1.Town/village or other municipal Libraries 2.Genealogical or HistoricalSocieties * 3.Family History Libraries (Mormon Church) 4.State Libraries and archives 5.Library of Congress and National Archives 6.Family Organizations or Private Collections * Some Societies do not have their own libraries and house their collections within other libraries. Before visiting a library or research facility for the first time, talk to someone who has been there or better yet go with them. Call for a general idea of the type of collection they have. Ask for directions, hours of operation and fees (some historical societies do charge a small fee to use their library), parking accommodations, photocopy policies and prices, places to purchase meals or to eat your brown bag lunch, other nearby places to research, and by all means ask if they have open or closed stacks. As stated before, the closer to the source or problem, the better chance of finding something. Have a specific research plan and stick to it. Plan which families and what problems your are trying to solve. If you strike out, have some ideas jotted down for alternative research. When you first arrive at a research facility, find a knowledgeable staff member to give you a tour of the collection and how to retrieve it. Let them show you the card catalogue, use of the computer, specialty files and extra projects and resources. Whenever photocopying materials at a far away library be sure to get the title page, name of library and call number. Suppose you get home and discover you are missing page 23 of a book and it just happens to contain the information you wanted. You can write the library, send them a dollar and an SASE, give them the information about the book, and ask them to send you the copy of the page you missed. Before going to a far away library or other research facility, visit your local Genealogical Society research room.Learn what types of resources are out there and get a general idea of what you might find at a genealogical library. You will usually find town, county, and state histories, family genealogies in book form or files, microfilms of census and other records, church records, cemetery transcriptions, maps, will abstracts, military information, and newspapers on microfilm just to mention a few. There are so many things to look at in a genealogical library that 6 hours will seem like a half hour. Plan on spending a few hours and be sure to take your notes and charts with you. Coming up in future articles: The role of Village, Town, and the County Historian Birth, death, and marriage records -- the where and how Census records -- the most informative of genealogical sources Other places and resources in Orange County for Genealogical Research ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

Dear List . I am reposting the genealogy articles as many people have advised me they missed some or deleted some in error. I will include articles 1 and 11 this time to make a whole set. Please save to file or print if you are interested. Cheers Dan Burrows Orange County Genealogical Society ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

We all owe Dan a great big thank you for the wonderful articles. And, Cal thanks also for the very generous offer of the whole series all ready to go. Every one of us will do well to take advantage of the generosity of these two men. Thanks once again, Sharon

Mortgage Or Co. May 5, 1775 Phinias Dunn, yeoman, Goshen to Daniel Denton, John Kinner (?Hinner), John Jackson, Goshen. Eastern Div Goshen, Wa. patten, part of lot #13 borders south Michael Jackson, North # 14, now in possesion of JOSEPH CARPENTER, N W Michael Jackson. Pd. July 1776 LDS film# 0833709 Does anyone know of any relationship between any of these people? Was this Joseph the Joseph from Jamaica or the Joseph from OB? Phoebe

Dear Folks, For years I have been mystified by a statement pgs. 1084 and 1085 of <HISTORY AND GENEALOGY OF THE FAMILIES OF OLD FAIRFIELD>, author, I believe is Jacobus. The statement is, " Hull. (pgae 510) Nathaniel (No. 24) settled in Marlborough, N.Y., a little south of Poughkeepsie, and in 1790 purchased 300 acres in Washington County Val, from Thomas Woolsey and Sarah, his wife; in 1797 Nathaniel and Abigail his wife conveyed to Samuel Hull and Ezekiel Hull (their sons). It was prob. their son NATHANIEL and THOMAS CARPENTER-HULL, and daus. Eunice, Dayton, JOHANAH CARPENTER, ABIGAIL CARPENTER, Lucy Hull, Julianna Hull, Elizabeth Hull, Lucrecia Hull, and Anna Hull. [Contributed by W. Herbert Wood, Esq., Elbridge, N. Y.] Now, the reason that I copied this is because I am doing research on the Moses CARPENTER family that moved from Orange Co. NY to Onondaga Co. NY and are buried in the ELBRIDGE, CEMETERY. Moses Carpenter had four daughers, two were named JOANNAH and ABIGAIL. (Note the contributer was W. Herbert Wood, of Elbridge, NY) Does anyone have any information that might shed some light on this. Were the Hulls in anyway related to the Carpenters????? Any clues would be greatly appreciated. Phoebe in CA Does anyone have any Searching: Moses Carpenter, Ruth Coe, Mary Thompson, Marah McDowell NY: LI: Coe, Carpenter Or Co. Carpenter, Coe, Jayne, McDowell, Thompson, Wisner, Woodhull Onondaga Co. Carpenter, Wisner Ontario Co. Melvin, Leland Chautaqua Co. Melvin, Wisner, NJ: Mo Co. Coe, Runyon, Halstead connections?