Just A Reminder ...

I just want to remind everyone that the deadline for the next edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy is week from Sunday. The topic for this carnival is a carousel.

Family History Center Visit 2

Earlier today I visited the local Family History Center, and I took a look at the two microfilms that had come in on Tuesday. The microfilms that came in were the church records for a Catholic church in Elizabeth, New Jersey and tax records for Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

One of my great-grandfathers grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and was raised in the Catholic Church. This ancestor happens to be a bit of a brick wall to me because I am not completely sure as to who his parents were, and I thought viewing the records for the church he attended as a child might provide some answers. Well, I did take a look at the records, but I was unable to determine if the first communion records and confirmation records were of my great-grandfather as there were other boys listed that had the same name and the parents were not listed. So, I'll have to do a little more digging to figure out which one might be my great-grandfather, and until then, searching in this microfilm will be inconclusive.

Although I did not have as much success in searching through the church records, I did have more success with the tax records. Although my ancestors mainly lived in Walker and Juniata Townships, I knew from the 1830 Census that Benjamin Oswalt did live in Hopewell Township at one point, and I decided to order the microfilm that contained tax records for Hopewell Township. The microfilm included the tax records for the years 1823 to 1833 for the township, and to my surprise, I discovered that the tax payers were listed in alphabetical order by last name. (The only exception to that was the single free men section.) I do not have very much experience with tax records, so I am uncertain as to whether or not this is typical. Either way, the alphabetical order of the names made my job of searching the tax records a lot easier.

So, what did I find? Well, I found the listings for my ancestor, Benjamin Oswalt, and another Adam Oswalt. (From looking at the 1820 and 1830 censuses, it appears that this Adam Oswalt was older than Benjamin Oswalt, to the point that he was enough to be Benjamin's father, and therefore, I suspect that Adam might be his father. Of course, at the moment, I am only speculating as I do not have proof yet.) The tax records listed the number and type of animals and amount of land that a tax payer might own. For Benjamin, that happened to be mainly one cow and sometimes one horse, but for Adam, the tax record listed that he owned between 150-164 acres of land, one horse and one cow at various points. Of course, the ownership of land is news to me, so I have another lead to chase down on my Oswalt ancestors, possible and confirmed.

The tax records also contained for some of the years the papers giving a resident of the township the authority to assess all of the residents of the township, and it also listed how much each item was worth. Another column listed the total value of a person's taxable property, and how much the person had to pay in taxes. At the end of each year's assessment, the names of people who owned unseated land, single free men and the names of poor children were listed. Unfortunately, I did not copy any pages from the tax record at this visit, so I do not have any images to show as examples. On my next visit, I'll try to copy some of the pages and post a few examples.

So, that is what I accomplished on this visit. Although I did not find all of the answers I wanted to, I am still happy that I was able to find my Oswalt ancestors on the tax rolls. I know have a better idea of where they were living in between the 1820 and 1830 censuses. I did not order another microfilm as I am still waiting for the third film to come in, but on my next visit, I'll probably order some more microfilms.

Jessica's Genejournal's Best Of The Best 2008

It is February again and that means it is time for the Second Annual iGene Awards. Although this is only the second time that I have participated in this event, I still find it difficult to decide which articles are my best. So, here are my choices for the categories:

Best Picture - I posted several photographs this past year, but I think the best photograph posted was the photograph of my great-grandparents. (Please look on the right side of the page for the picture.) I posted this picture originally for the second edition of the Smile for the Camera, and you can read my post here.

Best Screen Play - This category was difficult for me to choose because I really did not go into detail enough about my family's stories, but I finally decided that the closest article I had to a screen play would be the article on my ancestor, Anton. This article was one of the very few that I happened to post that gave any personal details about my ancestors. Personally, I think the story of his life could probably be made into a movie, although the information in my post is sparse. I can't think of anyone who might portray him, though.

Best Documentary - Again, this was another difficult category for me, but I think the best article for this category was Poverty and My Ancestors: Blog Action Day 2008 Post. In this post, I explored my ancestor's experiences in living with poverty.

Best Biography - I think the article closest to being a biography was A Probable Ancestor: The Independent and Spirited Christoph Friedrich Cotta. Although I did not give too many details on his life (since I am still doing research on him), I think I was able to sum up his life in a couple of paragraphs.

Best Comedy - I think the best article for this category would be the Ten Signs You're Addicted to Genealogy. Of course, I cannot remember if I mentioned this article in last year's iGene awards, but since this was published in 2008, I'm including it even if I already used it last year.

Well, those the articles that I believe were my best? Do you agree with my choices? Which articles would you have chosen? As always, you can leave a comment with your thoughts or ideas. Thanks.

Family History Center Update

Earlier today I received a phone call from the local Family History Center and learned that two of the microfilms, that I ordered, have arrived. I am unsure of which of the two microfilms came in, but I hope to be able to look at the microfilms soon. I just hope that I find some more information on my ancestors. I'll let everyone know if I have found something.

Updates in FamilySearch's Record Search

I just happened to take a look at FamilySearch's Record Search and noticed that the Michigan deaths and marriages databases were updated yesterday. Although the death records will still only show the first half of the record, if you click the next button, you will now see the other half of the page. As for the marriage records, I haven't noticed what was changed or updated, but I will let everyone know once I have looked at the database. I hope this helps. Enjoy!

65th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The 65th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy has been posted! You can read it here. The topic for the next edition is:

"iGene Awards, The Best of The Best! It's Academy awards time... time for
the Academy of Genealogy and Family History, aka AGFH, to honor their best blog
posts of 2008* in the following 5 categories:
Best Picture - Best old family
photo that appeared on your blog in 2008. Tell us which you liked best and why.
Best Screen Play - Which family story that you shared in 2008 would make the
best movie? Who would you cast as your family members?
Best Documentary -
Which was the best informational article you wrote about a place, thing, or
event involving your family's history in 2008?
Best Biography - Which was
the best biographical article you wrote in 2008?
Best Comedy - Which was the
best funny story, poem, joke, photo, or video that you shared on your blog in
2008? Please
feel free to use this graphic on your post.Start digging back into your archives
and choose which of your blog posts deserve to be recognized for outstanding
achievement. This is not a competition between bloggers but a chance for you to
spotlight your own shining efforts at recording your genealogy and family
history in 2008*.There is no nomination process. You just need to announce your
winning blog posts for the 5 categories mentioned above in an article on your
blog and submit it to the Carnival of Genealogy. Please act as your own "award
presenter" by writing an introduction and include it in the "Remarks" box on the
BlogCarnival submission form.The deadline for submissions is February 15,
2009.*We're going to define "2008" to include any posts written in 2008 as well
as those written Jan. 1-Feb. 15, 2009 as well (so that new bloggers can
participate)."

Enjoy!

Searching in FamilySearch Record Search's Germany Burials Database

On Saturday I mentioned that FamilySearch had added a database of German burials to its site, and afterward, I did a little searching in the database. Well, I found some information, and I thought I would share my thoughts on what I found.

So, did I find any information on my ancestors? Well, I did find some new information, and I might have been able to add another generation to one of my lines. I also found a possible sibling for one of my ancestors, and I was able to find the death and burial dates for a couple of my ancestors. Of course, I will still have to confirm the information with primary sources, but I think this new information will be able to help me narrow down dates of deaths for my ancestors. I just wish that FamilySearch had included the images from the microfilm with the database.

My only other gripe is that searching for burials by location does not work very well. I tried to search for graves by locations mentioned in the records, but it would come up as not having any results. My guess is that this might be a glitch in the database, and I hope that I will be able to search by location in the future.

Google Analytics Results For January 2009

Well, another month has gone by, and that means that it is time for another Google Analytics Report. So, here are the results for January 2009:

The top ten countries, in number of visits, are:

1. United States - 692 visits
2. Canada - 83 visits
3. United Kingdom - 65 visits
4. Jamaica - 11 visits
5. Australia - 10 visits
6. Israel - 7 visits
7. Norway - 6 visits
8. Germany - 5 visits
9. Ireland - 4 visits
10. Philippines - 4 visits

The top ten states in the United States, in number of visits, are:

1. Michigan - 108 visits
2. California - 66 visits
3. Illinois - 57 visits
4. Texas - 56 visits
5. New York - 55 visits
6. Tennessee - 36 visits
7. Virginia - 35 visits
8. Ohio - 29 visits
9. Pennsylvania - 26 visits
10. Utah - 20 visits

The top ten locations in Michigan, in number of visits, are:

1. Hamburg - 72 visits
2. Southfield - 7 visits
3. St. Joseph - 4 visits
4. Grand Rapids - 3 visits
5. Livonia - 2 visits
6. Lansing - 2 visits
7. East Lansing - 2 visits
8. Oak Park - 2 visits
9. Redford - 2 visits
10. Battle Creek - 1 visit

The top ten article, in number of views, are:

1. Some Info on the 1911 U. K. Census ... - 50 views
2. Who Are They? - 38 views
3. My Genealogy and Blogging Resolutions For 2009 - 34 views
4. Forgot To Mention: An Article and Genealogy Databases - 32 views
5. My Scotch-Irish Ancestors: My Key To Ireland? - 29 views
6. 63rd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy Posted! - 23 views
7. Google Analytics For December 2008 - 23 views
8. Looking For Future Hosts: Update - 22 views
9. The 99+ Genealogy Meme - 21 views
10. More Records Added to FamilySearch Lab's Record Search -21 views

Well, that is it for this Google Analytics report. (If you would like to have Google Analytics monitor your blog, click here.) To my readers, thank you for reading my blog!

Another Shipwreck Found!

Another shipwreck has been found! This time the shipwreck was found in the English Channel. You can read more about it here.

Has the Griffin Been Found?

I just learned about a court fight over a shipwreck that might be the Griffin from Brenda's post. For those who don't know, the Griffin was one of the first European-style ships to sink in the Great Lakes in 1679, and since the ship sank, people have been searching for it. At the moment, I have not decided what I think about this story, but I might post my thoughts about this case later.

Another New Carnival!

I just want to let everyone know that there is another carnival, and this carnival is hosted by the Association of Graveyard Rabbits. You find out more information here. The topic for the first edition is a rare find.

More Records Added to FamilySearch's Record Search

I just want to let everyone know that more records have been added to FamilySearch Lab's Record Search. The records added are vital records for the Netherlands, Philippines marriage records, and burials in Germany. I hope you are able to find an ancestor. Enjoy!

A New History Carnival!

I just happened to learn about a new history carnival, the Black History Carnival, from Lidian's post. The topic for this edition of the carnival is Black History Month. You can find out more information here. Enjoy!

Family History Center Visit 1 for 2009

Earlier today I paid a visit to the local Family History Center, and I ordered three microfilms. I order a microfilm of Catholic church records that one of my ancestors attended, and I hope I'll find his confirmation record. I also ordered a microfilm of death records from Trippstadt, Germany and ordered a microfilm of tax records from Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Hopefully, the records will all come in a couple of weeks, and I'll be able to find out more information on my ancestors. Wish me luck!

Doing the Happy Dance: Finding Answers

To be honest, I'm not sure I have ever done a happy dance after finding a key piece of information, but I do know that I have uncovered some key pieces of information in the few years since I started doing genealogy research. Even though I don't actually get up and dance when I find a new piece of information, I am cheering in my mind. So, here are a few of the successes I have had since I began researching my family's history:

• Finding an ancestor's grave. - I have already started to write about the search for this ancestor's grave on my other genealogy blog, but I haven't finished the story yet. You can read the first three parts here, here and here.
• Finding the county in Pennsylvania where my Civil War ancestor came from. - When I ordered Adam Oswalt's Civil War Pension file, he gave his birthplace as outside of Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. Since the information came from his testimony, the chances are pretty good that the information is accurate.
• Finding my ancestors in the 1894 Michigan state census. - This census helped to establish a link to my ancestor to another man, who had the same surname as my ancestor, that I suspect was connected but did not have proof.

Of course, there are several other successes that I have had in the five plus years that I began doing genealogy, but at the moment, I can't think of all of them. Someday, I'll list the other successes when I have a little bit more time.

A Little Update on That Michigan History Article ...

I just want to give everyone an update on the history article for Michigan that I was going to post on this blog. I am unsure if I will actually post an article because I have decided to turn this idea into a book, but I might post something. At the moment, I have just begun to do research on the topic, and I don't know when I will finish my research. I might post some more updates on the topic in the future. I just thought I would let everyone know.

Looking For Future Hosts

As everyone probably knows by now, I am still looking for hosts for future editions of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. Here are the months that are still available:

• April
• May
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

If you are interested in hosting an edition, please contact me at jess_history at yahoo dot com. Thanks!

Looking For Future Hosts ...

I just want to let everyone know that I am still looking for future hosts for upcoming editions of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. Here are the months that are still open:

• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

If you are interested in hosting a future edition, please contact me at jess_history at yahoo dot com. Thanks!

15th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy

The fifteenth edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy has finally arrived! For this edition, the submitters were asked to submit articles on history books they read or are reading that deal with Central and Eastern European history. This edition is a bit longer than the last edition, but it contains articles on history books from different countries. So, let's take a look at the books!

First off, we have an article from Diane Rogers of CanadaGenealogy. In Ukraine: An Illustrated History -Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - 15th Edition, she writes about an illustrated book on an overview of the history of Ukraine, and she also recommends other history and genealogy books that deal with Ukraine and Ukrainian emigration to Canada.

Next, we have an article from Lisa of 100 Years in America. In A lot can happen in 100 years, she writes about a book that depicts images of places around the world from 100 years ago to the present day, and some of the pictures she highlights were taken in Central and Eastern Europe.

Next, we have an article from Miriam of AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors. In The Zion Covenant Series, she writes about a series of historical fiction books that are mostly set in Central and Eastern Europe during the Holocaust and World War Two.

Last, but not least, we have two articles from Jessica of Jessica's Genejournal. In The Byzantine Empire: A History Book, she writes about a history book she is reading that gives an overview of the history of the Byzantine Empire. In A History of Hungary, she resubmits a previous submission on a book that gives an overview of the history of Hungary.

Well, that is it for this edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and I hope a history book that you might be interested in reading. The topic for the next edition will be a carousel, so all articles that focus on genealogy and Central and Eastern Europe will be accepted. Submissions are due on February 22, and the edition will be published on the 24th. You can submit your article here. Enjoy!

Three Ladies in the 1940s?

This photograph is another picture from my great-aunt's album, and again, I do not know who these women are. I am assuming that they are either family members or friends of my great-aunt. I am guessing that this picture was taken in the 1940s and that it had to be either summer or early fall when this picture was taken. This picture could have been taken in Michigan, but I do not know for sure. If you recognize any of these ladies, please contact me by e-mail at jess_history at yahoo dot com. Thanks!