Branches of OUR Tree

Nifty Knots from the Navy

2011-06-07T17:25:00.002-06:00

This is a story about my grandfather who served in the Navy during WWII and something that he helped create during that time period. I have a trip coming up to the National Institute on Genealogical Research this July in Washington, DC and hope to find some clues that might help me find out more about the item while I am there, or possibly even see it.

On with the story. Burnell Bybee worked for a company called Morrison-Knudsen during the years of 1939 to 1941. They were a large engineering firm that built things all over the world. He was working building barracks for the US Government on an island in the South Pacific called Wake Island.

The government knew that the United States would most likely be at war soon and wanted to protect the South Pacific as much as they could. It got to be very dangerous and he ended up on the last ship of civilians to leave the island.

He later learned that all of his friends that stayed were shot by the Japanese down on the beach.

It was that December 5th that he and Gwendolyn Jensen were married and two days later on the 7th of December, Pearl Harbor was bombed. He then decided to join the Navy, along with his two brothers-in-law.

He was sent to Farragut Naval Station, which was a training base in Northern Idaho. He was great at swimming, so he taught the new young navy guys how to swim and how to save their own lives, as well as others, if necessary.
He was also very good with knots and so taught the sailors how to tie the many knots that are used on ships.

He was so good at teaching knots that the US Admiral of the Navy commissioned he and his good friend Carl Lindquist to do a knot board for the Navy Bureau in Washington D.C. as was written on the back of the picture given to me by my grandmother.

Below is a picture of the knot board (click on it to see a larger view). I have always found it very fascinating, but have no idea where it might have ended up. I am told that there is a very similar one hanging in the Farragut Naval Station Museum (http://museum.mil.idaho.gov/farragut.html), but that it doesn't appear to be as big as this one.
I would love to find someone that might tell me if they know anything more about it, where it might be, or who I might contact to find out more. Any help anyone can give me would be much appreciated!!

Ummm, your Urn is Um....Unusual

2011-05-26T01:14:00.002-06:00

Ok, I am all for honoring your ancestors, especially as we near Memorial Day here in the United States, but, am I wrong or is this just a smidge creepy?

"Personal Cremation Urns are the latest in custom personalized cremation urns. They are created from one or two photographs with exceptional attention to details. With advances in facial analysis and the advent of state of the art 3D imaging, these high tech urns can be made to look like anyone. The full sized personal urn can hold all the ashes of an adult"

"The personal urn does not come with hair. For hair we can digitally add hair if you wish. For people with longer hair we can add a wig from your specifications. This cremation urn comes on an elegant solid marble base."
(That marble base would help keep Alice on the Brady Bunch from knocking it over when she comes in late from a date with Sam - see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTncLRZMuHM) otherwise your living room could end up looking like leftovers from Mt St. Helens)

"Personal cremation urns can be designed to look like anyone. We just need good pictures. We prefer one picture from the front and one from the side."(Makes it easy on mob families)

"Complexions can be adjusted in the final stages and customers get a chance to proof the results."(I will refrain from any references to certain singers)

In looking through the site they also have some very nice and a little less disconcerting products available to help you with your cremation needs. However, when I got to the "Scattering Urn Machine" link, I just had to check it out.
The problem with using something like this in my family would be that I could just picture them saying - while gathered reverently around the deployment site - "Thar she blows!!"

Military Monday: Noah Blankenship Crouch - Civil War Veteran

2011-05-16T13:40:00.001-06:00

I had actually intended to write about my 3rd Grandfather - Noah Blankenship Crouch - a couple of weeks ago as part of the kickoff to the 150th Anniversary of the start of the Civil War, but didn't get a chance to, so now I am participating in the Military Monday blogging prompt.
His pension file is special to me because it was the first one that I ever ordered several years back from the National Archives and was amazed at the amount of information that it contained. I am now looking forward to seeing the actual documents when I have the pleasure of attending the National Institute on Genealogical Research this July and will make my first trip to the National Archives.
To start with, I had no idea that he had served in the Civil War. He and wife were one of the "brick walls" that our family had encountered in researching the family tree.
It wasn't until I finally found his wife and children in the 1880 census with a new husband and stepfather, that I began to wonder what happened to him. I then realized that based on the time period and the fact that he had been in Missouri, it was possible that he had been involved in the Civil War.

Noah Blankenship Crouch discharge certificate

Finding his entry in the index on Ancestry.com, and with his wife's fairly unique name I was able to see that he served in Company I, 44th Infantry Regiment of the Missouri Volunteers. With this information I was able to order his military pension file and find out many more details about him and his family.
He joined the military effort in September of 1864 and fairly quickly developed gastrointestinal issues that lead to his disability discharge in May of 1865.
The pension file papers then provided more details about these health issues that plagued him until his death in 1870.
These details then lead me to find a picture of his headstone on findagrave.com where he is buried in Deeds Cemetery, Sullivan County, Missouri.
He didn't serve a great deal of time during the war, but like so many individuals and families, was affected by it for the rest of his life.
I often wonder how his life may have been different had he had access to some of the medicines that we take for granted today.
I also am immensely grateful to the companies, societies, archives, groups or individuals that give us the tools and content that we need to discover these details about our ancestors and come to understand them as more than just names and dates.

Chillin' with the Chart Chick

2011-05-15T12:14:00.001-06:00

The next blog review from my favorites list is the The Chart Chick. This blog by Janet Hovorka, reflects her connection to the Generation Maps company that she started with her husband Kim.
Their company is a fantastic online genealogy chart printing service and Janet is a fantastic speaker and friend to genealogy. In addition to blogging, she also serves as the Utah Genealogical Association President and teaches at a local community college. She is one busy lady!
After my comments regarding sources in the last blog review, it's ironic that Janet would be next in line. Among her many wonderful and interesting presentation titles are ones that she gives where she discusses the importance and value of citing sources. She does this in a very user-friendly and straightforward way.
To give you an example, during one presentation at RootsTech 2011 she said, "Well documented sources establish the credibility of the researcher, and well documented sources help in analyzing the research of another person. Citing your sources doesn’t have to be a perfect science. Record enough information so that another researcher can follow your path and not have to redo your research. It is also important to record any analysis surrounding the source. Record why you think this is a good or bad source and why you came to that conclusion.
It is this type of easy-to-understand explanation of the importance of source citations that most users can relate to and accept. This is the reason that it is such a pleasure to be working with Janet on the Education Committee for UGA where we are working hard to bring tools to researchers to help them improve their skills.
Janet's blog shows her unique awareness as a researcher, teacher and vendor when she explores the goings-on in the genealogy world. She often gives one something to think about as you read about her take on how we do things as researchers and conference attendees. Cheers to the Chart Chick!

Inside the Insider

2011-05-11T12:57:00.000-06:00

The next review from my list of favorite blogs is one that I have a love-hate relationship with.
The Ancestry Insider blog I have followed from the beginning and enjoy his take on how he sees things as an employee - from the inside of first Ancestry.com and then later FamilySearch.org.
I have had the pleasure of meeting him a few times under his real name and occasionally run into him under his blog pseudonym. At one time I said hi to him while he was taking a picture at the FamilySearch Center's 'immigration photo op' and yet he chose a picture of just himself to post on his blog (sad, huh!?) Anyway...
I often attend his presentations at different conferences or events and appreciate his knowledge and enthusiasm about genealogy. He has some great ideas and I love hearing his point of view on how the genealogy community can improve.
My frustration sometimes comes in his obsession with the precise way things are documented by both individuals and companies. What I find that most of these 'source-centric' people miss out on, is the fact that beginners get turned off by a large list of requirements that they are "exhorted" to follow. I think this is the reason that many users historically ended up putting sources into their notes instead of the areas created by software vendors.
I also believe in pushing for FamilySearch and others to improve the sourcing of the data in shared trees, however, it has to also be something that users will use and won't just scare them off.
Believe me, I am all for citing your sources and doing it well!! However, there is a need to give users tools that start them off on a good foot and prepare them to develop 'proper' citation skills as they develop their research skills and knowledge.
Since I really enjoy getting beginners involved in family history research, I would recommend that they read his blog and get from it the many great ideas that he espouses. But, at the same time, temper it with the understanding that it may take some time to reach his passion for 'proper' citations.
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced researcher, join in the conversation on his blog and bring your opinion to the table.

What a wild wonderful weekend!

2011-04-25T15:36:00.000-06:00

No, not because the Easter Bunny came, but rather because of a trip to Eastern Idaho and the fun that my wife and I had visiting family that I don't get a chance to see very often, a wonderful family history quest, and teaching at the BYU Idaho Rexburg Area Family History Conference.
The weekend started off visiting an aunt in Blackfoot . We had a good time catching up with her during the nice lunch that she had prepared. We talked about each of our families and showed her pictures from our photo collection on my laptop. (Wonderful not to have to carry around all those photo albums, isn't it?!)
We then stayed that night near Idaho Falls with a cousin that I haven't seen in quite some time, but yet was very close to while growing up. This cousin and her family are also caring for our 95-year-old grandmother and it was fun to talk with Grandma even though the conversation kind of had to follow her memory and train of thought as it moved through various time periods and recollections. She has had a very full life and we shared some memories. My cousin and I were able to also remember some stories from our times together and with Grandma. We each got misty-eyed as I showed her my blog and family history site and she read my St. Patrick's Day post about Grandma and the four-leaf clovers. She let me know that she had found a great uncle of ours buried just down the street in the Ammon Cemetery, and I was able to get a photo of their gravestone marker.
We also talked about some information that I had found about our GG Grandfather - Thomas Elliott, that no one in the family had been aware of until I discovered a reference in a photo that I was scanning from Grandma's collection. I'll write more on that when I get chance to gather some additional details during a future trip to the area.

I bring this up because one of the things we also discussed was GG Grandfather and GG Grandmother Elliott's house built about 100 years ago in St Anthony, Idaho. (about 40 minutes north of Idaho Falls). There are several pictures in the family of the Elliott's house and it was always talked about as being right near the river, but no one remembered enough information to locate it on a map. I also looked to see if it might be in other records or on a historical landmarks list - if it still existed. I mentioned to my cousin that I had recently realized that a street was referenced on the 1910 census for the family, but I hadn't been able to locate that street on any maps of the area - neither modern nor historical ones. I told her that I hoped to find out anything that I could from the County Courthouse in St. Anthony about where the house might have been or if it still possibly exists.

Thomas and Agnes Burkinshaw Elliott at their home in St Anthony, Idaho

So, after my wife and I checked into the Rexburg hotel (where we stayed for the conference), we called the courthouse to make sure that they were still open and finding that they were, we headed out. Arriving at the courthouse - a very historical building itself - we parked and went in. Finding the County Clerks office I said that I hoped to find out some information about a street found on a 1910 census that doesn't seem to be on any maps today. I also pulled out my laptop to show them pictures of the house that we were looking for. One clerk said that it looked like Rexburg and we assured her that everything had always referred to St Anthony, near the river. Meanwhile, another clerk began looking at some historic maps that he had on their computer system. After several tries, she found one that showed the street we were looking for and when compared to a modern map show it was likely under what was today the highway.
We were just about to leave, believing that the house probably was gone due to historical changes in the area, when another clerk said, "Let me see the picture again". When showing her the picture she said "Wait, that looks like that house that is near the river, that has an art gallery and occasional craft show going on." Several others agreed and another clerk printed out the tax assessment photo that had been done last year. We all agreed that if that wasn't the house it was a near duplicate version of the one that we were looking for. We got directions to the address and off we went.
We drove up to the "potential" house and found it to look very, very much like the pictures that I had shown to the clerks. We went up the walk and admired the large porch and woodwork around the doors and windows. We went in and found three people (a couple and their daughter) who came out. As we explained that we believed this to possibly be my GG Grandfather's house they said "Oh, would that be the Elliotts?" We assured them that it was and we showed them the pictures that I had with us on my laptop.

The house as it is now

They were amazed to see pictures from the early days of the house and mentioned that they had a letter from a granddaughter of the Elliott's who had written to previous owners of the house to give them details to help with their restoration of some of the rooms, etc. In this eight page letter she describes the process of how the house was designed by Thomas Elliott to be a custom built home ordered from "Sears". The letter described how he wanted certain details and fixtures like clawfoot tubs extra-deep so that one "could almost float". Included was also a drawing of the homes original layout that labeled the rooms and described life in the home and features of the yard.
We then began a walkthrough of the areas of the home that were accessible. Parts of the house had been broken up at one point into 9 apartments and an area of the main floor is still used as an apartment. We marveled at the workmanship and the fact that someone at some point had painted the mantle which had been restored to its original beautiful wood grain. We admired the wonderful character of the home and the large kitchen cabinets and clawfoot tubs still in place. We relished the view of the river from the extra large picture window in back of the house where the once fully-screened back porch had been built-in sometime ago. While the mother and daughter went to get copies of the letter made for us, the father took us through the basement, old boiler and coal furnace room and a couple of the apartments that were there. We then headed out to stand and enjoy the nice weather on the banks of the river behind the house and admire the improvements that they had been working on. I also thrilled as a fly fisherman to see the trout rising in the wonderful deep hole in the river. I joked that I might have to miss the conference the next day and come fishing.
We then got the copies of the letter and exchanged information so that I might email them the copies of the pictures that I had, as well as some information about the family.
As we headed back I called my cousin and said, "Guess where we just got through touring?!". She was excited and grateful that we had found it and hopes to get there soon.
The next day as I taught several conference classes, I was able to share several things from the experience that fit the topics being discussed. I also met many attendees and was able to discuss this exciting hobby/passion that we share.
Easter Sunday we were able to stop on our way home and have a short Easter Dinner with my Uncle and Aunt in Blackfoot along with their daughter and grandson. It was a nice ending to a very full weekend.

What to say about Renee!?

2011-04-20T12:25:00.000-06:00

The next blog that I have the pleasure to review from my favorite's list is Renee's Genealogy Blog. If you haven't had the pleasure of checking out Renee's blog, make sure to make it a priority. This blog was one of the very first that I ever really started to follow closely. From the beginning, it was fun to watch to see who among some of the best known bloggers would get "scooped" by her on some tidbit of genealogy news.
She has contacts in the industry that regularly trust her to help disseminate information in a thoughtful and timely way. This results in her often hearing about - or getting a different twist - on what things are going on and how they might affect us in our research.
I have also had the pleasure to know her personally for many years now and appreciate her friendship, research knowledge and support. In fact, she had the great distinction <grin> of being the first to welcome me to the genealogy blogosphere with a comment on my first post!
So, what to say about Renee?! She will make your day as she blogs away!

You like me, you really like me!

2011-04-20T11:53:00.000-06:00

Wow! Deborah Andrew of
"The Sum of All My Research" at http://debsresearch.blogspot.com has given me my first award and I would like to thank her for her kindness. It is the "One Lovely Blog Award".
As part of accepting the award, I must also give it to 15 other deserving bloggers. I haven't yet decided who they are going to be, so I won't post it to my not-yet -created awardw page until I do so. Stay tuned!

The Next Blog Rocks!

2011-04-12T21:01:00.000-06:00

The next blog that I wanted to mention on my list of favorite family history blogs is "Granite Genealogy" by my friend Sue Maxwell. Sue's blog is the place to find out what is happening genealogically in the Greater Salt Lake City area, as well as updates to news and upcoming events. Sue is a great teacher and presenter as well as a trainer extraordinaire of the RootsMagic genealogy software. Much like me, she loves technology and has a way to bring it down to a level where people and feel comfortable and less hesitant to try something new.
Even though she was recently named a Vice-President of the Utah Genealogical Association she still makes time for working in many different aspects of genealogy and helping people get the information that they need to succeed. Rock on Sue!

Saved

He's Baaaaack....well sorta

2011-04-08T23:10:00.000-06:00

THAT was certainly a bigger blog break than I intended. It has now been almost three weeks since I posted last. Shame on me! Although I must confess it was mostly unintentional. In those three weeks I have had to update, finalize and/or teach over 10 different lectures and work out the scheduling and details for several more coming up later in the year! That, with all the other commitments that I have, has left me with very little time to post the continuing reviews of my favorite family history blogs.
I hope to continue those reviews shortly, as well as to discuss the various goings-on in the area of genealogy lately. And boy has it been busy. Conferences, TV shows, podcasts, etc. And certainly don't forget the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. There is so much to talk about. Don't give up on me, I WILL strive to be more diligent, I promise.
As I sit here to tonight writing a short message, I am excited for tomorrow's Boise Area Family History Conference. It is always such fun to visit and stay with family that live in Boise, meet with the wonderful people that attend the conference, and teach those who are excited to learn about genealogy.
I am teaching four fairly different topics that are always a lot of fun. I look forward to hearing from those that attend about the things that they liked and even those that they didn't like about each class. I also look forward to hearing about their experiences with researching their families. One of the most wonderful things about speaking at conference is learning from those you teach. Someone always brings something new or interesting to think about with each particular subject. Also, I almost always run into someone who I discover is related somehow. That's part of the reason I call this blog and family tree site "Branches of OUR Tree", because it really is OUR tree, not just mine.
I also hope to have a little time to hear from a few of the other teachers at the conference and continue to further my own knowledge and expertise. Wish me luck!

Brief St. Patrick's Day break...

2011-03-17T17:44:00.000-06:00

In honor of the St Patrick's day let's take a brief break from reviewing my favorite family history blogs, as I recall a fun family history memory.
This time of year always brings to mind a memory about my Maternal Grandmother who turned 95 last October.
Anytime she had a moment and was walking through a lawn filled with a patch of clover she would suddenly reach down and pick something up gently among the many clover and present to the nearest person - often a grandchild - the prize of a fresh four-leaf clover.
As hard as we grand kids might try, we could never seem to find one ourselves, yet we watched her to it with ease.
Here she is presenting one to my youngest brother in the mid 1980s from our family's front lawn.
Amazingly enough, as far as I know she has absolutely no Irish ancestry, but sure seemed to have the luck-of-the-Irish in finding these natural treasures.
Her eyesight doesn't really let her do this anymore, so I found one for her this year.
Happy St Patrick's Day whether you are Irish or not!!

How to Find Four-Leaf Clover

The next blog in the favorites list.....THE Genealogy Blog

2011-03-16T16:40:00.000-06:00

Ya gotta love the title 'cause that's what it is! Although I added the capitalized "THE" in front of Genealogy Blog - written by one of my all-time favorite people - Leland Meitzler.
He doesn't know it, but he is one of the primary reasons that I decided to become a genealogy speaker. It was his easy-going, enthusiastic style of energizing presentations that I hope to employ as as speaker. He really enjoys what he is doing and works to engage with those in the class to better their experience. His knowledge of family history research, and the skills required runs, deep within him and are reflected in the many stories and examples he shares with rapt audiences.
As far as his blog goes, it was one of the first that I really remember seeing and hearing about regularly in the genealogy blogosphere and I have followed it from those early days.
Leland brings so many eclectic things to the table when writing about what may be happening in genealogy...or is about to happen. News, oddities, upcoming events, insights, and experiences abound as he shares and often uncovers unheard of news tidbits.
Leland also has many other irons in the fire with his Family Roots Publishing Company that provides regular specials and upcoming events through his blog as well as a regular newsletter.
I hope it doesn't sound to much like some strange stalker, but "Leland, I am watching you! (And wishing you many more years of all that you do for genealogy)"

Holy Blogging Tools Batman!

2011-03-13T17:31:00.000-06:00

It's Geneabloggers! A wonderful, amazing and powerful resource for all things related to blogging in the exciting world of genealogy.
Thomas MacEntee owns and administers this tool that I have found extremely helpful and encouraging as I prepared to begin my own blog to share with others.
If you are thinking about blogging and just haven't been quite ready to do so for whatever reason, check out the variety of ideas and helps that are available to you there.
Thomas also has a variety of his own blogs and is a very dynamic speaker with a focus on using technology and social media to improve how we work together as family history enthusiasts and improve our own research at the same time.
Here's to Thomas and all of the other bloggers that contribute to this phenomenal tool on the blogging tool belt!

See Dick Run . . .

2011-03-13T16:51:00.000-06:00

That should probably be the real title for the next blog on my list - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter written by genealogy technologist Dick Eastman as he is is always on the go both physically as well as technologically.
If you haven't ready his free newsletter - offered in blog format - or the more advanced paid version, you may be one of the few out there in the genealogy world sadly left out of this informational extravaganza!
I really enjoy Dick's straightforwardness on all things related to technology, and other topics sprinkled liberally throughout his very regular postings, on how we do things as genealogists and how these tools/concepts affect our lives.
I can't begin to list the number of hints that I have gotten from Dick and his readers, who regularly comment and share other insights about the themes at hand.
All I can say is, Go Dick Go!

Good Ol' Myrt....

2011-03-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

I can't say enough about our next blogger. I have followed her since some of her early days online when I was just starting college. We finally got to meet when she moved out West to get away from all of those long Florida summers <grin>. I am of course talking about DearMYRTLE (aka - Pat Richley-Erickson), that wonderful down-to-earth genealogy guru that many know and love.
DearMYRTLE has done about everything there is to do in genealogy. Besides her blog, she has done podcasts, webinars, books, online lesson materials, panel discussions, et cetera, et cetera, etc. Boy, I wish I knew where she finds all the time!
It was DearMYRTLE's recent webinars on blogging (hosted by Legacy Family Tree) that were an amazing help in getting me to finish up all of my preparations for this blog and I so appreciate her advice and tutelage.
Make sure you watch her blog for always-helpful and very practical information on things technical as well as living life as a organized, fun-loving genealogist. I also hear she is a pretty good grandma as well!

On to the good Doctor....

2011-03-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of favorite blogs is one by Arlene Eakle, PhD. If you ever get a chance to take a class from Arlene I would most strongly recommend it. Although, I must warn you that many times you may come away hoping to remember half of the wonderful information that she has just rolling of her tongue like it she has known it from birth. She has contributed to so many different books on such a variety of topics that it would make your head spin.
Her blog - Arlene Eakles Genealogy Blog is a combination of her experiences while doing client research, along with hints, tips and essays on research skills and case studies that she has encountered along the way. Her blog is also a very good way to keep track of where she is speaking next so that you can attend her presentations and soak up her wisdom and insights. This is one doctor you don't want to avoid with an apple-a-day!

Hello Big Beautiful Blogospere!!

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello readers out there in the virtual world of Family History Blogging. I am very excited to finally be joining many of my wonderful friends and colleagues in the blogosphere. I look forward to sharing the goings-on in my research, teaching and all that is my passion for family history.
To start off what I wanted to do was tell everyone about some of my favorite blogs. I know the authors of many of them personally or really, really hope to meet them someday.
You will see as I discuss each one of them, how and why they are important to me.
I am going in alphabetical order according to the list under the Favorite Family History Blogs to the right, that way there hopefully won't be any glaringly obvious favortism. Believe me it was hard enough to limit it to the ones that I did! There are many, many amazing bloggers out there and this list only contains a few of them.
Let's start with the About.com Genealogy Blog by Kimberly Powell . She is referred to as the "Genealogy Guide" for About.com and that she most certainly is! She regularly provides guidance to all sorts of subjects related to genealogy.
She is also the author of the book The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy. What I love about her blog is that she always describes things in a very user-friendly way and I can always learn something new from one of her timely posts.
Thanks so much Kimberly for sharing your knowledge!