Saturday, January 19, 2008

Congrats to Jasia!

I just want to say, "Congrats!" to Jasia, who won the free DNA test. You can read Blaine Bettinger's post on the results here.

Some Free Online United Kingdom Databases

In some previous posts, I mentioned that I have British ancestry, and I thought that I would mention a few free online databases for those who are just beginning to do research on their British ancestors. So here are a few free databases and what they cover:
  • Free BMD - This database covers births, marriages and deaths of England and Wales from 1837 to the early 1900s. If you have ancestors who died, married or were born in England and Wales in 1837 or later, you might find them in this index. (Please note: You will not find any vital records later than the early 1900s in this database.)
  • UK BMD - This database covers some vital records from select counties and cities of Wales and England. Again, the vital records begin in 1837, and continue on into the 20th Century a lit bit later than the database above. (Please note: I have linked to the page where one can search the multiple databases, but the page has links to the local county pages.)
  • Public Record Office of Northern Ireland - This site has a couple databases for Northern Ireland records. I learned about this site from John Reid's blog.

As you may have noticed, I have not included any free sites for Scotland as I did not know of any free sites. Hopefully, in future posts, I will write about other free sites for the U.K. If you know of any other sites, any suggestions are welcome. Enjoy!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The latest edition of the carnival of genealogy has been posted! You can read it here. The topic for the next carnival is, "If you could have dinner with four of your ancestors, who would they be and why?"

1808: Where Were My Ancestors?

"Where were your ancestors in 1808?" That is the question that Donna over at What's Past is Prologue has posted. Her post is similar to the challenge that Lisa of 100 Years in America posted, except that the year is 1808 and not 1908.

So, where were my ancestors? Well, the question was not an easy one for me to answer. I have only been able to research back to about the 1820s and to the mid-19th century on my lines, and therefore, I am not completely sure as to where my ancestors were.

For a few lines, I can make an educated guess about the location of some of my ancestors. For my British ancestors, all I can say is that some of them would have been living in the county of the Lancashire. (My ancestors lived in various towns of the county.) As for the rest of my British ancestors, I can't get any more specific.

Three of my American lines go back to Pennsylvania. I can't exactly state where these ancestors were at, but the ancestors of these lines should have been living in Pennsylvania at this time.

As for my German ancestors, I can't state with any certainty which kingdom they lived in, nor do I know with any certainty which towns or villages they lived.

So, as you can see, I have quite a few holes in my research going back to this date. I know less about the location of my ancestors in this year than I did for them in 1908.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Response to "Where Were Your Ancestors in 1908?" Posted

Lisa over at 100 Years in America has posted a list of articles written in response to her question, "Where were your ancestors in 1908?" You can read the article here.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Local History and Genealogy Blogs

Earlier today, Terry Thornton put out a challenge for genealogy bloggers to list local history and genealogy blogs, and I've decided to participate. So, here are my recommendations:

  • Sandusky History - This blog focuses on the history of Sandusky, Ohio and is maintained by the Sandusky Library Archives. I realize that this blog is not from my local area, but I'm including it as my family has a cottage about a half-hour's drive west of Sandusky. So, I guess it would be considered local, as I consider the area a second home.
  • Westport (Massachusetts) History - I am not sure if this site is a blog, but it is the site for the historical society of Westport, Massachusetts.
  • Ancestor Research Log - This a genealogy blog maintained by the public library of Plymouth, Michigan. The blog mostly covers genealogy news and information on genealogy sources, especially on Michigan sources.
  • Pieces of Wild Rose, WI Area Genealogy and My Own - The focus of this blog is on doing genealogical research in the area of Wild Rose, Wisconsin.

At the moment I can't think of anymore blogs. I know I more listed on the lower left side of the page. I have just mentioned blogs that were mainly from the Great Lakes area. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are always welcome.

Update 1/16 at 11:15pm: Correction - I misstated when I said it was Terry who put out the challenge. It was Denise Olson who actually posted the challenge. I'm sorry for any confusion that I might have caused.

Doing Research at the Library of Michigan

Although it has been a while since I have done research at the Library of Michigan, I thought I would write a post about my experiences since Jasia and Randy briefly blogged about the library.

Both the Library of Michigan and the State Archives of Michigan are in the same building, but are on different sides of the building. Again, I will only be posting in this post on the library.

The library is on the left side (walking into the building) of the building and is on the second floor. After taking the elevator up to the second floor, one will notice that the floor is divided between two sides of bookshelves and in the center, a row of tables. On the side of the floor that has the elevator, there is an area where one can access the internet and genealogy databases from a computer. Near the computer work-stations is the librarian's reference desk. Past the reference desk is the microfilm room where one can view censuses and vital records. The other side of the floor also has a microfilm room, but that room holds the microfilms of newspapers. (I have only gone into the newspaper room once, so I am not as familiar with what newspapers are on microfilm.)

The microfilm room near the reference desk holds, among other records, vital records and censuses. The library holds these vital records:
  • Marriages - 1867 (or 1868 for some counties) to 1925. I forget the exact year, but I believe after 1921, the marriages are not indexed.
  • Births - Supposedly from 1867 to 1915. (I have only seen indexes for a few years, and I haven't found any actual images for the early births.
  • Deaths - 1867 to 1920. After 1915, the deaths are not indexed. Please note that Detroit deaths (and births) are kept on separate films from the rest of Wayne County.
  • Censuses - Federal and state. (Most of the state censuses are from the years 1885 and 1895.) You will only be able to view the population schedules for the federal censuses. If you want to view the other schedules of those censuses, you will have to go to the State Archives.

In addition to records on microfilm, the library also has information on Michigan and other states, and has city directories for Michigan cities.

Again, I must state that I am relying on my memory for this post. I could be wrong. To check for more up-to-date information, click here to go to the library's website.

Top Ten Genealogy Blogs List Posted!

I just want to briefly mention that Kimberly Powell of About.com:Genealogy has posted a list of the top ten genealogy blogs. Of course I wasn't the first to post about this list. Randy Seaver, Jasia and Terry Thornton all blogged about this article before me, and I don't believe I can add any more to my post than what they have in their posts. Even though I am not on the top ten list, I still thought it would be nice to mention that a list has been published, and I just want to say, "Congrats!" to those who did get on the list.

Monday, January 14, 2008

World Vital Records Changes Name!

I just learned earlier today from World Vital Record's e-mail newsletter that World Vital Records has changed its name to Familylink.com. You can read more about the name change here.

Genealogy and History Thoughts - Column Ten

Why should genealogists cite their sources?

I realize that I and other genealogy bloggers have blogged before or touched on the issue of citing sources, but I wanted write about this issue again.

The lack of citations on genealogical information is a pet-peeve for me. It could just be that the drilling and insistence upon citing sources in papers in school has made me hyper-aware of the need for citations, but when I see family trees without citations, I get upset. As a history student, I have to cite my sources in any paper that I write, or I will face serious reprisals if I do not. I would be guilty of plagiarism, a form of stealing, and I could face either failing a paper or a course or getting expelled from school. Outside of academia, I could possibly be sued, as the lack of citations would indicate that I was claiming the words or ideas were my own, which in reality was not true.

I realize that from the previous paragraph, some people will consider my stance on this issue as being too serious, as these people are only doing genealogy for fun. I am also doing my family's genealogy for fun (I'm not a professional genealogist), but I am taking the time to cite my sources because the practice is ethical and because the practice saves me time. Even though I am a college student, I don't have all the time in the world, as is probably true for most genealogists. I do most of my research in the summer when I am not in school, and although I have more time then, I usually only get to visit the area where my ancestors lived about once, if I get the chance at all. I don't want to waste my limited time going over sources that I have looked at before. Plus, I am not going to remember where I found all of my information when I look over it later that evening. The citation of sources is even more important for me as I always have a couple of family members assisting with the research. If my relatives don't cite the source of their information, I am going to waste time trying to find the source of that information, especially when I could be spending the time looking at another source. I should be able to spend my time efficiently since I have relatives helping me. Of course, I have had the situation where one of my relatives did not put down the citation, and I had to spend time looking for that information again. I have also mistakenly transcribed a couple of records, and I have had to double-check some records. If you have the citation for the source, you can easily find the source within a couple of minutes. Thus, citing one's sources is quite practical.

Besides enabling one to find a source, citing also allows one the ability to be able to share quality information. What I mean is the information that one gives on a person is verifiable. The person requesting the information can find out where you got your information. For example, if someone requested information from me about one of my ancestors, I should be able to not only give that person information but I should be able to point that person in the right direction if that person wants to be able to look-up the information himself. Or in my case, when I have inquired for information on a person, who might be the same person as my ancestor, in another family tree, I hoping that I the owner of the tree will have some new information or will be able to point me in the direction where I can find a source of information. There have been times when I have contacted people who did not have any information on sources or where I could find their information. It is always frustrating to me when I find a tree with a possible connection, only to learn that the owner does not have any hard evidence to back up his or her claim.

Hopefully, by the end of this column you have understood the importance of citing one's sources. I realize that there are many experienced genealogists out there who already cite the sources of their information. My intention is not to patronize those who already know the importance of citing, but rather at those who are just beginning to do research, so that newcomers will understand why writing down where one found information is important.

So, what do you think? As always, you are welcome to leave a comment.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Family Mystery - Missing Person ...

Almost all of us probably have some family mysteries or something close to being a mystery. I blogged about one mystery a couple of months ago, but I haven't blogged about another mystery that I am trying to solve.

I only call it a mystery as I have not been able to find one of my ancestor's older brothers. (This is for a different family than the ones I have blogged about before.) The last time I can find him is in the 1900 census. After that, I have no idea where is. In his father's probate packet, his sister listed his place of residence as unknown, and that was in 1910. There is a probate file for him in the Saint Joseph County's Probate office, and the reason given for the file is missing. I have not yet checked this probate file, so I might be able to find some answers or clues from that packet. Hopefully, when I have time, I'll be able to take a look, as this inability to find him has been frustrating to me. (I'm sorry, if I'm starting to rant.)

So, why am I writing this? Well, I figured that other genealogists have come across a problem similar to one like mine. Has anyone been able to resolve a missing ancestral relative mystery? How did you solve the mystery?

Just A Quick Reminder ...

I just want to remind everyone that entries for the next Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy are due by January 25. The topic for this upcoming carnival is on stories. The entries can range from folklore stories to stories about your ancestors from Central and Eastern Europe. You can find out more here.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Connecting With Cousins

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have made connections with distant cousins, even though I have not met them in person. (I will not mention the names of my cousins as I do not have their permission. I'm not going to use any names, real or fake.)

So, how did I connect with other cousins? I mainly made connections through the message boards at Rootsweb and Genealogy.com. I have also connected with other cousins through contacting the owners of family trees that have my ancestors. In a couple of cases, I connected with cousins that I did not know, but were known by my grandparents. So, I have been able to verify people's claims that way. I must state, though, that I have only connected with a few cousins. I have not connected with very many cousins.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Genealogy and History Thoughts - Column Nine

Over this past week, Randy Seaver and Lee Anders have blogged about whether or not to help other people search for living people, and I thought that I would add my two cents to this debate.

To be honest, I really haven't searched for living people at the request of strangers. The closest I have come to looking for a living person is when I looked up the phone number of cousin for one of my cousins. Of course, I also knew why my distant cousin wanted to contact this other cousin; we were both hoping that this cousin might know more about our family's history. Outside of that situation, I have not been asked to search for living people.

Would I search for living people? Probably not. Personally, I don't like searching for living people as I feel that would be an invasion of a person's privacy. I truly believe that people have a right to their privacy, and I don't like the idea of intruding into people's lives. As I have stated before, I really haven't had to deal with this issue, and I really don't have any experience in searching for living people.

The only genealogy research that I engage in at the moment is my own genealogy. I have never been asked to help anyone do any genealogical research. When I have contacted people that I did not know on a line, I have either contacted that person through e-mail or on a message board, and even then, I clearly state that I believe we share a connection with the explanation as to how. Again, when I do contact strangers, I am only contacting that person or persons in the hope that maybe he or she has some information that would help me make a connection with an ancestor.

I won't go into detail about the ethical and legal issues of this problem as the issues have already been covered and to write about them would be redundant. But I can't help putting myself into the shoes of the person who is being searched for. If I knew that someone was searching for me, would I like that? Probably not. I mean, would I really want a classmate from elementary school searching for me? Probably not. Sometimes people don't want to be contacted by someone from their past for various reasons. If this person had not been a friend, I'm not sure if I would want to be contacted by someone who I haven't seen for the past forty years. Of course, some people would not have a problem. Maybe it is just me who has the problem. I honestly don't know.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Congragulations to Blaine Bettinger!

I just want to congratulate Blaine Bettinger for becoming a member of the Journal of Genetic Genealogy. I just noticed his announcement, and I want to say, "Congrats!"

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

New Poll Created!

I have just created a new poll, in order to determine what topics I should write about in my Genealogy and History Thoughts columns. The question is: "What topics would you like to see covered in the Genealogy and History Thoughts columns?" The choices are:
  • Personal research experiences
  • Contemporary genealogy issues
  • Information on historical events
  • Information on historical places or landmarks
  • Information on the history of a location

Even though I have given five choices, you do not have to limit yourself to these five. If you would like to see a topic or have an idea, please feel free to leave a comment on this post.

Note About the Genealogy and History Thoughts Columns

As you probably know, I have not posted a Genealogy and History Thoughts column in a while. Since I last posted one of the columns, I have been very busy. I have not discontinued the column, and I will start posting this columns. I do not believe I will be able to post a column every week as I originally intended because I am expecting another busy semester at school. Even though the columns will not be as regular, I still hope to write and post more columns in the coming months.

Genealogy Article on Pennsylvania Records ...

A couple of days ago, I noticed that Randy Seaver posted an article on Pennsylvania records. I have been busy lately, so I did not have a chance to post on this article earlier.

Of course, I read this article with interest, as I have at least three major lines that come from Pennsylvania. The only problem for me is that my ancestors lived in Pennsylvania before the state began to collect vital records. All of them died before death records were instituted, so I don't have death certificates to look at. The only records on death that I would find are probate records, church records, or newspaper death notices/obituaries. My biggest problem at the moment is trying to determine the church or churches that my ancestors attended. So far, I have not been successful in determining which ones those churches are. Another road block to my research is that I do not live in Pennsylvania, and so far, I have only been able to do my research from outside of the state. I have not researched in Pennsylvania yet.

But I digress, as the article was not on records before recording was instituted. This article was on the efforts of other researchers to get Pennsylvania to allow for wider access to its vital records, especially in the form of death certificates. The article ended with the suggestion that researchers write to the Governor and state Representatives about changing the law. Even though most of my research will deal with records pre-1906, I probably should write a letter when I have the time to do so.

Also, on another note, I just want to mention that Lisa at Small-Leaved Shamrock also wrote an article about this issue back in December.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

New Genealogy Blog Added!

Today, I have added another genealogy blog. The blog added is:
  • What's Past Is Prologue

I first learned about this blog from Jasia's post. You can find this blog and other genealogy and history blogs on the lower left hand side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

Monday, January 7, 2008

The Genetic Genealogist Hosts Contest For Free DNA Test!

I realize that other people have already posted about this contest in the past few days that Blaine Bettinger at The Genetic Genealogist, but I decided to post on this contest as well.

So, what are the requirements to enter? Well, one could post an article on the contest on his or her blog, and leave a comment with the URL for the post entry. One could subscribe to the feed of The Genetic Genealogist blog, or one could leave a comment explaining why one would to win the contest.

What is the prize? The prize is a free DNA test, and one could choose one test out of three. One could choose either a mDNA test, or from two different y-DNA tests.

To be honest, I am not sure what I would actually do with a genetic test, as I have never talked to any of family members about doing one. I am not sure if I could get my family to agree to the test. If I had to choose, I think I would do a y-DNA test on my last name, as that might be the easiest option in doing research. If other DNA tests have been done by people of the same last name, I might be able to make a connection, but that is, again, an if.