Old Pictures

Marion, Richard & Doris Dennie

Above is a picture of my great grandmother and her siblings. This was taken in the early 1900s. Before 1907 because that's when Doris died. If you don't have documents like death certificates, birth and also marriage certificates you can date photos you or your family has. They do say a picture is worth a thousand words. When I look at this picture I notice that my great grandmother and her brother look sad. Neither one of them are smiling. But Doris has a little smile on her face. Not too long after the picture she died of fever. 

Also remember to go back and look over things. It's like detective work. Sometimes the answers are right there in front of you to find.

Love Lasts Through All Time

This is my favorite picture of my grandparents. It was taken on their 25th wedding anniversary. I just wanted to share this with everyone. 

My grandfather passed away in 1967 and my grandmother joined him in 2008.

Together Again.....

Town Cryer

I am going to start a new posting called Town Cryer. In it I will post some interesting news on history.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

On this day May 23, 1934

Notorious bank robber Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot to death by Texas and Louisiana state police while driving a stolen vehicle near Sailes, Louisiana.

Fighting Begins on the North Anna River in Virginia. The campaign between Union commander Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, continued southward to the North Anna River around Hanover Junction. 

Elsie Mary Hill

Elsie Mary Hill  ( 1883-1970 )

Elsie Hill was the sister of suffragette Helena Hill Weed and the daughter of Congressman Ebenezer Hill of Connecticut. After graduating from Vassar College, Elsie taught high school French before she decided to devote herself to full time suffrage work, becoming a significant figure in the movement.

In 1913, Alice Paul organized a massive protest march as counter programming to the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson. Thanks to their political connections, Elise and her mother Mary Eileen were able to convince the DC police to grand a permit for the march. Elsie organized the college section of the parade. In the end, the march proved to be disastrous when angry men attacked the marchers and the police declined to intervene.However, it was a turning point for the movement as the march focused the country’s attention on suffrage.

Elsie represented the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage and the National Woman’s Party at a 1916 Prohibition Party convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the photo above, Elsie is speaking in favor of suffrage at a street meeting during the convention. By the end of the convention, the Prohibition Party had endorsed women’s suffrage as part of their platform.

Elsie was arrested twice for her suffrage activities. In August 1918, Elsie was sentenced to fifteen days in District jail for speaking at a Lafayette Square meeting. In February 1919, she was sentenced to 8 days in a Boston jail for protesting President Wilson’s visit to the city.

Elsie’s 1921 marriage to Alber t Levitt made national news because of her decision to retain her maiden name. Through his relationship with Elsie, Albert himself became an influential member of the women’s movement. He helped to draft the Equal Rights Amendment and as a judge in the US Virgin Islands forced the local government to abide by the 19^th amendment and enfranchise women.

Elsie was active in international women’s rights and accor ding to her close friend Alice Paul , was instrumental in the development of the UN Status of Women Commission.

In 1968, Elsie made headlines again when a the age of 85 she was among the passengers on the first flight from New York City to Moscow.

Helena Hill Weed is my great great aunt who was married to Walter Harvey Weed the geologist. Elsie is her sister.

What Did They Do?

Now that the 1940 Census is out and we can research the records without any paid subscription more people are able to continue on their family tree or start it for the first time. We can find alot of information on our ancestors including their occupation or what they did for a living. Some of the jobs we already know what they are but some may seem a little foreign to us. Here is a list of occupations and the meanings to help you on your journey to find your family.

• 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 seems to 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
• Chiffonnier -- 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 (descendant of Levi)
• Collier -- Coal miner
• Colporteur -- Peddler of books
• Cooper -- One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves and 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 currycomb; 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 horse
• 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
• Gaoler -- 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 -- Junior barrister
• 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
• 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

Nathan Herbert Weed

Nathan Herbert Weed

When Nathan was nine the family moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1877. They lived on Putnam Street. They lived at #244 in 1878, #254 in 1879 and #245 in 1882/3 when Nathan was 15. His father Samuel was an insurance underwriter in New York City. He attended Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, New York.

Nathan was 23 in 1891 when he and Frances Ten Eyck Walker were married in Ridgefield, New Jersey. She was 18 and born in Chicago in 1873 but living in Brooklyn by 1875 when her sister Nella Louise was born.

They lived in Brooklyn until about 1896. Newell was born there in 1892 and then son Walker in 1894. Nathan's business address was 62 Williams St. in New York City 1894/5 and then 50 Pine Street in 1895/6. The Pine street address was also his father's business address. Both were listed as being in insurance.

In 1898 their son Nathan was born in Kirkwood, MO just outside of St. Louis. In 1899 Nathan Sr. purchased the Chicago Independent and renamed it The Life Insurance Independent. In 1903 to 1906 Nathan is listed in Montclair New Jersey as a New York Publisher and lived at 6 James Street. From 1907- 1919 the residence was 21 Upper Mountain Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey. 

Frances Weed was a member of the Daughters of the Revolution. Nathan Sr was a member of the Sons of the Revolution, a Mason, a Knight Templer and a Shriner. 

World War I we find Newell going to France with the Essex Troop, National Guard Cavalry and soon after that became a captain in the new U.S. Army Tank Corps. Tragedy struck the family when early in 1918 Walker, a Navy Flying Corps. ensign, died after the crash of his hydroplane. 

France passed away in 1919 from breast cancer. Nathan later sold The Life Insurance Independent to the Rough Notes Company of Indianapolis and moved there to manage the merge publications till 1927.He lived on Long Island and helped his son Nathan purchase the family home in Merrick. In 1936 Nathan passed away in that house. 

Frances Ten Eyck Walker Weed

Frances T. E. Walker Weed

Frances was a member of D.A.R. which is the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was my great great grandmother on my mother's side. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, during a time that was marked by a revival in patriotism and intense interest in the beginnings of the United States of America. Women felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings and were frustrated by their exclusion from men's organizations formed to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought to make this country free and independent. As a result, a group of pioneering women in the nation's capital formed their own organization and the Daughters of the American Revolution has carried the torch of patriotism ever since.

Her D.A.R. number was 16974

Born in Chicago, Illinois.

Wife of N. Herbert Weed.

Descendant of Barent Ten Eyck, of New York.

Daughter of John Quincy Adams Walker and Mary Campbell, his wife.

Granddaughter of John Walker and Catherine Ten Eyck, his wife.

Gr.-granddaughter of Abram Ten Eyck and Christiana Hallenbeck, his wife.

Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Barent Ten Eyck and Jeanette Concklin, his wife.

Barent Ten Eyck, (1740-1810), was quartermaster in Capt. Isaac Bogart's companyin the regiment of levies commanded by John Harper for service on the frontier,1780. He was born in Livingston, N. Y., and died in Staatzie, N. Y.

She was an ardent genealogist which her love of family history was passed down to her son.

Frances died in 1919 after a long battle with breast cancer at their home at 61 South Fullerton Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey. She had attended Toronto University in Canada. Her son Nathan came and took care of her. He had always thought that maybe the army doctors had killed her since he felt they didn't do enough for her. Being it was 1919 there really doesn't seem that they could have one all that much. Years later he would come and help his own son battle with his disease.  

Famous Ancestors?

Theodore Roosevelt

Are you one of the lucky ones who has a famous ancestor? If your ancestors came here aboard the Mayflower there is a good possibility your ancestor may come from one of our presidents.
One of my Mayflower ancestors is John Howland. And from researching him I have found that, although not a direct line, I am related to Theodore Roosevelt who was the 26th President of the United States. His niece Eleanor married Franklin Delano Roosevelt..another President. The Roosevelts also married into the Astors.
To me this is sooo exciting! Who are you related to?

1940 Census Progress

I have been indexing for Family Search for I think over a year now. I absolutely love it. I feel I am able to give back and help others with their quest in finding their families. I wish I had more time to give. I try to index a few times a week when my schedule allows. Family Search now has a map that you can check to see how the indexing for the 1940 Census is going. You can check that out here. The darker states have already been indexed and you can search through them. Click on a state to see how far along it is.

I am still going page by page through the Bronx to find my family since the state of New York is far from done.  So far no luck. Speaking of luck I wish everyone luck on finding their families in the 1940 Census.

Joseph Weed

Joseph Weed

Joseph Weed was the son of Nathan and Mary ( Scofield ) Weed and was born in Stamford, Connecticut on December 14, 1801. He came to New York City in 1820 and took up the hardware business which he was very successful at and continued for several years. He was a prominent figure in New York politics where he was identified with the Whig party and a firm supporter for Henry Clay for the presidency at that time. He served as Alderman and Deputy Sheriff of New York. He went with the forty-niners to California and in 1850 was appointed Collector of Assessments for San Francisco, and afterwards elected magistrate, a position he held for two terms. He wrote a brief history on his immediate branch of the Weed family of Stamford entitled "Recollections of a Good Man, Nathan Weed" containing many facts and stories about his father, Nathan Weed Jr. Joseph died in San Francisco March 9, 1888. He first married Louisa Weed, daughter of Benjamin Weed and Mary Waterbury. Sadly she died in 1834 in her twenties. He then married Jane Tweedy, daughter of William Tweedy.

Jane Tweedy

Joseph Davis Jones

Joseph Davis Jones was born to Charles H. Jones and Sarah Fracker December 13, 1797 on North Street in Boston. Joseph had four sisters and three brothers. One of them was Thomas Kilby Jones who was born in 1820 and was a resident of Portland, Maine. At four years of age, Joseph was sent to a little private school on Hanover Street taught by Miss Anna Howe, and he continued here until he was fitted for grammer school. He then entered the Mayhew School, where his masters were Benjamin Holt and Dr. Mulliken. From this school he graduated at the age of fifteen years, among his classmates being William Alline, afterwards Registrar of Deeds; and Andrew T. Hall who became president of a Boston bank. 

When about sixteen years old he began to learn the trade of a manufacturer of tinware, but soon afterwards went into the dry-goods business, working for his father who kept a store on Union Street.

Mr. Jones married Miss Hannah L. Bates of Boston, by whm he had seven children. They were Mrs. Annie L. McLean, Mrs. Mary Q. Hunt, Mrs. Mattie A. Dill, and Charles H., and Joseph L. Jones. Tow other sons were James W. Jones who died in Charlestowon March 1, 1892 and George W. Jones who died Sept 16, 1893.

In 1817 Mr. Jones commenced the study of music, in which he had a deeply interest in and to which he was given much time and attention during his long life, having belonged to many singing societies and musical clubs of the days gone by. He has also been connected to he Baptist Church since 1817 and was residing at 133 West Springfield Street. 

Deaconess Kate Newell

Sister Kate Newell was a mystery to our family for quite sometime. She was buried in our Weed family plot in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York, but she wasn't a Weed. Sister Kate was actually the first buried in the plot. So we knew she meant some significance to the family but we didn't know why.
She was born about 1843 according to the age she died ( 80 yrs old ). She died February 21, 1914 at the Hotel Chelsea. Sister Kate was buried 2 days later.
Sister Kate made up the first graduating class of the New York Training School for Deaconesses. In a New York paper was the only obituary that I had found:
"Deaconess Kate Newell of the staff of the Grace Episcopal Church died yesterday at the Hotel Chelsea. She was 80 years old and had been in ill health for some time. She was a Deaconess at the church for 20 years."
Then just yesterday I was looking through some New York historical newspaper archives and found this:
"Deaconess Kate Newell, affectionately known on the East side as Sister Kate, who for 20 years was connected to the Grace Church, died yesterday in the apartments of her sister, Mrs. Samuel R. Weed, at the Hotel Chelsea. She retired from active work for Grace Church a year ago."
We had always thought Newell was her last name. It turns out it was her middle name. Her surname was Jones. We now know who she is!
I have found several other articles on her work for the church and how much a part of it she was:

In the parish year book of the Grace Church, New York:


1897
Treasurer was Deaconess Newell
Mrs Brownings advent as House-mother not only gives delight to us all who loves the Mission House also sets Deaconess Newell free to visit her district, which could not but suffer in the year she took temporary charge of the Mission.Things are now as they should be, and cheerful as was the House under Sister Kate's oversight, her time is needed for district visiting.

They Died of What?

You have been searching and found a record on your ancestor of cause of death. But you have never heard of the name or even how to say it. Never fear! You can go to Antiquus Morbus site and find out that mystery illness or disease. This site is to help decipher the cause of death found on the Mortality Lists, Certificate of Death, and Church Records from the 19th century. Hope this helps you out.

Brewster

                                                               Brewster Family Crest


Elder William Brewster born about 1566 in England and died April 10, 1644 in Plymouth Massachusetts. He married Mary. Although her maiden name has not been proven it could be Wyrall.

William Brewster was a leader of the Pilgrims, who established Plymouth Colony. In England he studied briefly at Cambridge, the only Pilgrim father to have some university training. A member of the local gentry in Scrooby, Yorkshire, he helped organize a separatist religious congregation in 1606 and financed its move to Holland in 1608. His influence was instrumental in winning the approval of the Virginia Company for the proposal to resettle the congregation in America, and he one of the few original Scrooby separatists who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. As the church's ruling elder in Leyden and then in Plymouth, Brewster shared with William Bradford and Edward Winslow in the leadership of the Pilgrim enterprise. ( Oscar Zeichner Bibliography: Sherwood, M. B., Pilgrim 1982 )
There is a tablet erected by the Pilgrim Society of Plymouth, Mass. to mark the site of the ancient manor-house where William Brewster lived from 1588 to 1608. And where he organized the Pilgrim Church of which he became ruling Elder.
At the time of the burial of Elder William Brewster's child in St. Pancras, Saturday June 20 1609, as recorded at Leyden, he lived in Stinksteeg, a short lane near the Hoogwoerds Bridge and five days later he moved to St. Ursulusteeg.
The Dutch Reformed Church in Delfs-haven, Holland was built in 1416. In this church the Pilgrims held a farewell service just previous to their departure to the New World in 1620. This church stood at the edge of the canal neat where the Speedwell was moored.
The Mayflower was charted by the Merchant Adventures of London, to transport part of the Leyden Church congregation to this country. She sailed from Southampton, England, August 15 and then from Plymouth, England Sept 16 and then onto and anchored in Cape Cod Harbor November 21 1620.

William Brewster was born during the last half of 1556 or the first half of 1557. This is determined by an affidavit made at Leyden, Holland, June 26 1609, in which he, his wife Mary an his son Jonathan declared their ages to be respectively 42, 40 and 16 years old. His father William Brewster of Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, held various offices of responsibility in that place, was of goo family, and belonged to the gentleman class.

The ancestral tree of the Brewster family in America finds its root in the advent of Elder William Brewster, the organizer and head of the pilgrims who came to Plymouth in 1620.

The name Brewster appears among the old families in the reign of Edward III, as ranking with the "English landed gentry". John Brewster was witness to a deed in the parish of Henstead, in Suffolk in the year 1375. Not long after that in the reign of Richard II a John Brewsterwas presented to the rectory of Godwich, in the county of Norfolk. This Norfolk branch became connected by marriage with the distinguished houses of DeNarburgh, Spelman, Gleane and Coke of Holkham; and in the county of Suffolk, Robert Brewster of Mutford, possessed also lands in Henstead, and it is stated that William Brewster of Henstead and Robert Brewster of Rushmore, died possessed of these estates prior to 1497.
From this Suffolk connection a branch became established at Castle Hedington, in Essex, and formed a connection with several knightly families.

Elder William and Mary Brewster had the following children:
Jonathan Brewster
Love Brewster
Fear Brewster
Patience Brewster
Wrestling Brewster
and another child who died young. some say his name was Edward.

Deeds

I have found a site called Family Deeds which has transcribed documents you can search through for free. Just quickly looking through I see that it might be mostly from the UK. And searching just the names leads to transcriptions with more names. I haven't really looking into family deeds too much so I am a little unfamiliar with this. But I did come across this site and felt I should share it. I am sure it will help someone out there.

Cemeteries ( ALABAMA )

Autauga County

Apperson Family Cemetery
Autaugaville Cemetery
Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
Bethlehem West Cemetery
Boones Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery
Burt Cemetery
Carter Hill Family Cemetery
Carver/Vinson Family Cemetery
Colee Cemetery, Billingsley


more to come

6 Days Till the 1940 Census!!

I am so excited! Is everyone ready for it? THE 1940 CENSUS IS ALMOST HERE! This will be a free search which is great because then more people will be able to find information out on their own. I also have read it will be a little different to search as it will not be searchable by surnames when it first comes out but rather by counties. So we will be going through pages of records looking for our families. But the reward will be priceless. There is so much more information in the 1940 Census than past ones. I know I will be able to get past a few brick walls that I have when this comes out. You may not see me for a few days LOL...just can't wait! Hopefully the web can handle the many people trying to go through the records.

Genealogy On Ebay?

I was looking at some information to get ready for the 1940 Census coming out and after following link after link as you know we do when we research,  I came across an Ebay listing for $50 for 6 hours of research. And as I read on they claimed all they needed was your name, birth date, where you were born and marriage date. Parents and grandparents weren't necessary and they could do your family history. How could they do your family history without knowing who your parents were? This just doesn't seem right to me.  I know I wouldn't give someone my information like that. They can find more information on my grandparents and great grandparents than personal information about myself. I just feel leery about this. And if you wanted more information they would charge more. What do you think? Does it sound like a scam?

Newspapers

When researching you can also check newspaper archives online. There are many things that could be printed about your relatives in a local newspaper.

 Death Notices- Not only do these give information on when the person died but also how old they were at the time of their death, where they died, how, where they came from, family and relatives who are still alive or deceased themselves and where the service was held and burial information.

Engagement and Wedding Announcements- These usually have information on the bride and groom and their families, friends, dates, where the happy couple was from. Where they will be going for their honeymoon, or where they will live. Where they got married, how they met. Some even give details on the wedding ceremony and reception afterwards.

Traveling- Many local hometown papers being small and needing news to print would announce if the local people were going out of town to visit relatives or coming back from being out of town. Moving, death in the family, or traveling for business or pleasure can be some of the other information these articles will list.

Advertisements- If your relative owned a company or was part of a company you can find advertisement about their company. This will give you more information on what the company services were and maybe what your relative did in and for the company.

Here is a list of free newspapers archives online I found:

Historic American Newspapers  
These go by states and there are a few states not listed but hopefully in the future they will be added. They only have papers from 1836-1922. If you are going to search a person's name put the whole name in quotations so you wont be getting every paper that lists just "John" or "Smith".

California Digital Newspapers
These list a few counties of California and are from 1846 to present but they are still adding to this site. Use the same formula above when searching names.

Wyoming Newspapers
From years 1849 through 1922.

Walla Wallop Historic WWII Airport Newspaper
As a tribute to the men and women who trained and served in the Walla Walla Army Airbase during WWII, the port of Walla Wall has launched this website containing the former airbase newspapers. It was called Walla Wallop and was published once a week from May 19, 1944 to June 21, 1946.

Washington State Newspapers
Searchable database

Northern New York Historical Newspapers
Searchable database for the following counties: Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton and Essex.

Suffolk County New York Historic Newspapers
Just click on any of the names of the newspapers you see on the page and it will bring you to the search page. You will be able to search separate papers in the advanced search and all of Suffolk county papers with a regular search. These are just the clippings of the original articles not the whole paper.

The New York Times Archive
I included this paper because some of the articles you don't need a subscription for. If you are lucky and have one you will be able to have no problem in reading the articles. Even the ones you have to pay for at least gives you a snippet of the article which might have some information you can use.

Irish Links

I have been researching my great grandmother's family on my mom's side for quite some now.  I had hit a few snags and brick walls. ( haven't we all? ) We know she came from Ireland and I wasn't having much luck on finding any information about her family back home. Now I know why. It seems some birth years and names were wrong and spelled different than what we had.  We always thought she was born in 1897 but she was baptized in 1894. That is a three year difference. And we weren't sure of all of her brothers names or birth dates of her parents. Until now.
If you are having problems finding your Irish families here are a few sites:

National Archives of Ireland
This link is to the 1901 and 1911 Census in Ireland. You can even view the original manuscript. 

Conners Genealogy
This site is wonderful and has parishes and marriage records. All free to see.

Irish Church Services
I really enjoy this one. It is a live stream of Irish Church services in Ireland. I watch every Sunday and send a link to one of the churches to my mom. Unfortunately they do not have our family church but they have a nice selection and maybe one day the Church of Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph will have one.

Genealogy Quote of The Day

George B. Durrant who was for many years the director of Priesthood Genealogy for the church. said, "I have heard some members say, "But our family names are all done." It is all right to say such a thing as long as you realize you are only kidding. Of this, Elder W. Grant Bangerter has said: "Your genealogy has not all been done. My own grandparents performed ‘all' the temple work for their deceased relatives fifty-five years ago. Since that time our family has discovered sixteen thousand others."

Geronimo!

It's a strange fate that the bones of one of America's most fearful enemies have come to define one of its most hallowed institutions of power. The Apache warlord Geronimo, part-guerrilla, part-shaman, launched raids across the Southwest and harried and evaded U.S. and Mexican troops for nearly three decades until his capture in 1886.
But, as the story goes, the legendary rebel was not allowed to lie in peace after his death in U.S. captivity in 1909: Six members of Yale's Skull and Bones secret society, including Prescott Bush, grandfather of 43rd President George W. Bush, allegedly dug up Geronimo's grave while serving as army volunteers in Oklahoma during World War I. A letter written by one of the member's of the society in 1918 was brought to light by a New Haven-based researcher four years ago: "The skull of the worthy Geronimo the Terrible," it read, "exhumed from its tomb at Fort Sill by your club... is now safe inside the tomb and bone together with his well worn femurs, bit and saddle horn."

The second "tomb" mentioned presumably refers to the society's windowless, red stone edifice in New Haven. Numerous law suits to retrieve Geronimo's skull followed, but have been deflected by the Skull and Bones, which even to this day denies possession of the Geronimo's remains. It still can't ward away campus rumors of the skull appearing in the society's nocturnal initiation rites, staring hollowly at the future rulers of the nation whose expansion he fought so fiercely.

Family Tree Circles

I am more amazed when searching my family history to find information to break through the brick walls. I am even more amazed when I find stories to go along with the information. We all have stories about our families. But have we ever thought of writing them down? How many of you do that? What a great thing to pass down to your children and their children and future generations.
I came across a website called Family Tree Circles. This is not your typical family tree website where you download your GEDCOM file or fill in your tree by hand. It's basically a genealogy journal that you can keep. Of stories. Things you are working on. You share these with others. You can also submit questions too that other genealogist can help you with or even fill in the blanks. Not only can you put a list of surnames you are working on but also pictures. And share with family. I am still just starting with it and so far I really like it. I don't think there is a limit to how many journal entries you can make so you could share an amazing amount of information.
Just remember like with most genealogy sites only include information on deceased relatives. If you are going to mention someone living than be discreet. I find that uploading your tree file to some websites they may not add relatives as living and you will find all of their information right out there in the open. Not a good thing. Some people also like to keep their family tree information to themselves. I don't understand this as you may be helping someone else or they might be able to help you. I have found information by sharing and asking questions. Whether it's with relatives or people you don't even know. Most of the genealogy groups are very helpful. They have this special need to help one another. Looking up information even if it doesn't pertain to their family. I love this. So don't feel your brick wall is unbreakable. You just need someone to help you break through it.

We Have A Forum!

I decided to start a forum. Not like I have anymore extra time to be administer to a forum but i think this may also help people too.
Not That Far From The Tree Forum

You will have to register. And if you help with alot of information and are active I will make you a moderator. I will definetly need help lol..

Hope you will enjoy the forum and will be able to put it to good use.

Catching Up

I haven't added to this blog in a few weeks. Been very busy trying to put together one of the Rootsweb free page sites. I find I now have to learn HTLM tags in order to set it up and it is becoming confusing. I have put that aside for a bit and found some more information on the Feagle family I am working on and the Roosevelts. It's great to be able to find actually stories related to these people. I am hoping to be able to put together a book for a very special person. I can't say who because I do not want to spoil the surprise. I really hope they like it.
I found some ancestry of Theodore Roosevelt that I didn't have before. The book is actually called " The Ancestry of Theodore Roosevelt" So I can now go back a little farther than before.
Earlier in the day I was working on Catha Lee Feagle. I am very excited about this as I now have more pictures of the Feagles and I now know where Hezekiah Feagle's land was in Lake City and will be going I hope sometime this year to take pictures of it. This was a great find which I was so happy to share with Gator. I will have more to add here soon. this work is never ending and to me is the most satisfying.

Abbott Family

My Abbott line includes Lucien P. Abbott who was born in 1836 and died in 1922. He did serve in the War but there were several Lucien Abbotts and not sure which one he is. He married Nettie M. Hall and she was born 1843 in Ohio and died in 1933. They had the following children:

Clara May Abbott
Eva V. Abbott
Carrie H. Abbott
Frederick Abbott
Leonard Abbott

Nettie's mother was Caroline Hall and she was born in 1813 and died in 1901.

Cemetery Links

I have composed a list of cemetery links to help you in finding your relatives. I have been able to find a few of my ancestors on some of these webpages. Some even had information I did not have. One I even was able to have back in our family's possession a book that belonged to my great grandfather.

Find A Grave
This is a wonderful sight in so many ways. I belong to this site and have contributed my share of memorials. It is also free. I have family listed in other states and I love the fact I can "visit" them pay my respects. Also I have found where family has been buried that I didn't know about or have the information. Always double check your information too. Sometimes you will find mistakes and not every cemetery is complete. But all in all this is a great site.

Interment ( Cemetery Records Online )
Another great site. Although I find more older inscriptions here. And less complete than Find A Grave. But I still have managed to find family here too that I did not find anywhere else. This is also free to view.

Names In Stone
This one does have a few inscriptions and cemeteries but only from cemeteries themselves. Seems this is a free site but if you subscribe monthly you will be able to get around more here. Also the cemeteries themselves have to pay to add themselves.

The Ancestor Project
Looking for cemeteries in Alaska? This has a few of them and pictures too. This is free and forum based.

Oops

So I haven't been around lately and for that I am so sorry. The real world caught up to me and had a few things that needed my undivided attention. With that said and done I will be at least trying to add a few things a week here. I have been finding alot of neat websites to help with my genealogy. I will be sharing those links with everyone in the up and coming days.
Sundays I have started a new ritual quite by accident. As I started looking through things and websites I found a website that has televised masses from Ireland. The churches there are beautiful. I only wish it was televised from my great grandmother's church. But still listening to the Sunday Mass is wonderful. I will be posting the links soon within the next couple of days. So I am back and ready to go.

Preserve and Honor

It doesn't take much to make a difference but when a young person goes a little beyond the normal things a person his age would do and makes an even bigger difference...then I am truly amazed. Ricky Gilleland is one of those. Taking pictures of fallen heroes graves at Arlington National Cemetery and making his own website is really remarkable.
There is a story behind this which you can read here and here is the site itself

Names I Am Researching

Abbott, Ackley, Adams, Alberts, Aldrich, Ames, Andrus, Angell, Arnold, Ashley, Ashton, Axtell, Ayers, Badcock, Baker, Ballard, Barber, Barry, Beale, Belcher, Benedict, Bent, Bigelow, Blossom, Blott, Boele, Bowen, Brandish, Bratt, Brewster, Bridgham, Brown, Campbell, Chapin, Charnock, Clark, Clarke, Clock, Cobb, Coeymans, Coffin, Collier, Cooley, Cross, Cutler, Davis, Davidson, Decter, Derby, DeVos, DeWeever, Dewey, Droogh, Duxford, Edwards, Egmont, Eggleston, Fellows, Fitzrandolphe, Flint, Fracker, French, Freeman, Frende, Fuller, Gardner, Garnsey, Garred, Gates, Gilman, Glover, Goeway, Goodall, Goodenow, Goodeth, Gorham, Greenleaf, Gulliver, Hall, Hallenbeck, Hanse, Hart, Haymes, Hayward, Hejlsdon, Henage, Herrick, Hickok, Higginbotham, Hill, Hinckley, Hobart, Hodsoll, Holebrook, Holmes, Hopcott, Horton, How, Howland, Hubbard, Humphrey, Hurst, Hyde, Inman, Jacob, Jacobson, Jenks, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Jordon, Kendrick, King, Kingman, Kingsley, Kip, Klock, Larkin, Laskin, Learned, Lee, Leland, Leonard, Lessies, Lewes, Lockerman, Lockwood, Love, Macomber, Macy, Marr, Martin, Masson, Masterson, May, Mellows, Moore, Morgan, Morse, Mowry, Muldor, Muller, Munnings, Munson, Newell, Nichols, Olmstead, Osborne, Otis, Park, Parkhurst, Partridge, Patch, Penny, Philips, Phipps, Pierce, Pitt, Pitts, Prence, Proctor, Purple, Read, Reed, Robrets, Rockwell, Rogers, Roosevelt, Rux, Schermerhorn, Scherp, Schofield, Scofield, Seall, Severance, Sharparowe, Shattuck, Sheldon, Shumway, Singer, Soule, Spaulding, Spencer, Smith, Spoor, Starkweather, Starr, Stearns, Stevens, Stimson, Stone, Talcott, Ten Eyck, Thayer, Thompson, Thember, Tidd, Tilley, Tracey, Tuck, Tweedy, Van Buren, Van der Huel, Van Slyck, Van Whitbeck, Varney, Veare, Wait, Walker, Warren, Weed, Wells, Westcoat, Whedon, Wheeler, Wheelock, Whipple, Whitbeck, White, Whilton, Williard, Williams, Winne, Witter, Wood, Woodbury, Woodford, Wright.

Plus these of immediate family :

Bourke-Bohola, Mayo County Ireland, Mackrodt- Bronx, NY, Kilgallon- Bohola, Mayo County Ireland, Swenson- Kings County, NY, Weed- NY, CT Dennie- MA and CT, Wells- Wantagh, NY, Mayflower- Brewster, Howland, Tilley Allerton, Feagle-NewberrySC, Lake City, Florida

Book Sources

Besides just getting information from family members you can always try books. This is a list that I will add too of sources where you might find that book on your family's origins.


Kindle - Do you own a Kindle? Even if you dont you can download their software for the PC and read books on your computer. Here is a list of Kindle Books about Genealogy ( the list changes and may include novels so look over the description carefully )

Alibris- This is a new or used book store online. Books range in price from $.99 an up. Some are even books from libraries. I have found some books on Irish cemeteries and some New York ones.

eBay- Great place to find old books like family bibles and other genealogy works. Just double check and make sure the book you found has the information before buying it and that it's from a reliable source.

Burke/ Bourke

Bridget Agnes Bourke was born Feb 3r or 5th in 1897. We were told she never could remember what day it was. I have always found that a bit odd. Her parents were Patrick Bourke and Ann Kilgallon. They were married in the Church of Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph in Bohola, Ireland in 1890 I believe and the name was Burke. There were brothers too; John and Walter, which we are positive of. But there was one or 2 more. There was a story told that one of her brothers was killed while walking down the road by a gang of uprisers but we do not know when or who this brother was.
Unfortunately there are many Burkes/Bourkes in that area even though Bohola is a small town. So finding them in censuses has been difficult. We do know John was living in Chesire England in the 30s or 40s and Walter in Bohola because Bridget had them listed in her address book. There was an Aunt Mary and Uncle Walter Bourke mentioned in postcards and postcards from them that my grandmother had ( Bridget's oldest daughter ) and this was after Bridget had died. Bridget later went by her middle name Agnes because it was said she didnt not want to be known as Bea. But on one of her son's birth certificate she is listed as Beatrice. We do not know why. Later in life she went by Agnes. Agnes is listed in the 1930 US Census as immigrating here in 1914.

Name:	Agnes Wascher
Event:	Census
Event Date:	1930
Event Place:	Freeport, Nassau, New York
Gender:	Female
Age:	34
Marital Status:	Married
Race:	White
Birthplace:	Ireland
Estimated Birth Year:	1896
Immigration Year:	1914
Relationship to Head of Household:	Wife
Father's Birthplace:	Ireland
Mother's Birthplace:	Ireland
Enumeration District Number:	0029
Family Number:	250
Sheet Number and Letter:	10A
Line Number:	13
NARA Publication:	T626, roll 1458
Film Number:	2341193
Digital Folder Number:	4661128
Image Number:	00184
	Household	Gender	Age
Spouse	Walter Wascher	M	40
	Agnes Wascher	F	34
Child	Walter Wascher	M	11
Child	Margaret Wascher	F	9
Child	Dorothy Wascher	F	7

But we cant find her in the Ellis records.  We were told she was sponsered by her uncle Thomas Kilgallon but he is not mentioned in any Ellis files with any Bourke/Burke. I am now being lead to believe he only paid her way and that was considered being her sponsor. One that does fit her description with having a father in Limerick as Patrick was Bridget Burke and she came here in 1914 and was born in 1897. But as far as who she was going to see was an aunt Chrissie Plunkett and we have never heard of that name. But the height is too tall and has her listed as having blue eyes and brown hair when she was not even 5 foot tall and had black hair and brown eyes.

The Church of Immaculate Conception and St Joseph has been a family church of the Bourkes and Kilgallons. St Joseph's Cemetery is the church cemetery but it is not on the church property. A listing of internments on findagrave only mentions a Jimmy Kilgallon but I see its not complete as in the cemetery picture there is a Mary Burke that isnt even listed.
Agnes died in 1952 from pancreatic cancer in Freeport. Her husband Walter had left the family in 1939 and we later found out he went to Maryland and worked for the Social Security Board and then moved out to California where he died in 1952 also. He changed his middle name from James to John. We do not know why he left. As far as we know Agnes never heard from him after he left. He is buried in an unmarked grave in CA. Agnes and Walter had 3 sons and 3 daughters. They are all deceased now.