Rainy Day Genealogy Readings

Tribune Tuesdays: Amply Rewarded

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:22:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 09 March 1912, Page 16, Column 1

LOST & FOUND

LOST-On Washington st., rear wheel of bicycle. Finder will be amply rewarded by returning to 1115 Broadway, No. 19.

Tribune Tuesdays: Trio of Bold Thieves

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:01:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 09 March 1912, Page 5, Column 2

Young Burglars Will Be Put on Probation for Stealing Old Weapons

For entering several residences in Grand avenue and stealing a collection of ancient and antique weapons, wrenches and tools, three small burglars have been taken into custody by the Oakland police and turned over to the detention home, to be investigated and placed on good behavior. The trio of bold thieves is composed of the following: Johnny Fearton, aged 9 (captain); Tony Malutto, aged 9, and Willie Anselmo, aged 10 years.

The three were arrested by Inspector Richard Quigley and turned over to the detention home.

The loot of the boys consisted of an old-fashioned flint lock pistol, a naval officer's cutlass that had seen service in the Civil War, a M[?] creese, a Philippina bolo and several Japanese and Chinese knives. Six wrenches were taken.

Tribune Tuesdays: Forgot He Had a Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:34:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 06 March 1912, Page 3, Column 6

BERKELEYAN FORGETS HOME AND FRIENDS

Superior Judge W. H. Waste was convinced this morning that E. R. Armstrong, of 1937 Berkeley way, Berkeley, should be placed in the Napa asylum when he appeared in court for an examination as to his sanity and said that he did not remember having been in the room yesterday. He also forgot that he had a home and friends, failing to recognize both for so long that his brother R. R. Armstrong finally swore to a complaint.

Tribune Tuesdays: Dashed from Window to Death!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:22:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 09 March 1912, Page 1, Column 7

DASHED FROM WINDOW TO DEATH
Instantly Killed in Fall
Passers-Bay on Street See Fatal Drop From Third Story
Aged Man's Skull Crushed When Body Hits Cement Pavement

Patrick Higgins, a porter, aged 7? years, fell fifty feet to the cement sidewalk from a third-story window of the Clarendon House, Seventh and Washington streets, at 11:45 o'clock this morning while washing the window, and died instantly of a crushed skull.

He is believed to have been killed accidentally, although there were no witnesses who noticed how he happened to fall. Several persons who were passing on Seventh street when he struck the pavement saw his body hurtling through the air. A few minutes before the fatal accident, Mrs. Mary Marshall, the housekeeper, instructed Higgins to attend to some work other than washing the windows which, she says, is usually done by a regular window washer.

The back of Higgins' head was crushed like and eggshell and a curious crowd instantly surrounded his body. Policeman C. G. Gargadenee notified the police and coroner's office.

Higgins was a former saloonkeeper of Memphis, Tenn., and had been employed as a porter at the Clarendon House, of which C. A. Cammas is proprietor, for two years. He resided at the National House and had no known relatives in this state.

Tribune Tuesdays: Woman, Dog-Lover

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 20:20:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 06 March 1912, Page 2, Column 1

Hold Funeral of Woman, Dog-Lover

ALAMEDA, March 6--Mrs. Mary Dillman, known as "the dog woman," was buried today from an Alameda undertaking parlor, after her body had been kept by an Oakland undertaker pending the expected arrival of the woman's husband from the East.

Dillman has not appeared or sent word and the responsibility for the burial was assumed by Mrs. J. Kreft of this city, with whom Mrs. Dillman formerly lived. Mrs. Dillman died in the East Bay Sanatorium from the effect of injuries received when she was run down in Oakland about three weeks ago by W. G. Davis of Alameda, an automobile dealer. She was a great dog-lover, and had twenty canine pets at the time of her death. The dogs have since been chloroformed by the humane society as there was no one to look after them.

Mrs. Dillman was living in Fruitvale at the time of her death, having left Alameda after the court ordered her to get rid of her dogs as a sanitary measure, the board of health causing the woman's arrest.

Tribune Tuesdays: Refrain from Attacking

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:08:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 06 March 1912, Page 11, Column 2

Promises to Care for Family He Mistreated

W. F. Gillespie, arrested for beating his wife and mother-in-law, was released from custody this morning by Judge Mortimer Smith on his promise to refrain from attacking his family and to work for the support of his wife and four children. The case was continued to April 6, and Gillespie placed on probation till that date on the request of his wife, who declared that his assistance was absolutely essential to the support of the family.

Tribune Tuesdays: Beaten by Highwaymen

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:53:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 06 March 1912, Page 10, Column 5

Victim Beaten by Highwaymen
Amil Anderson is Attacked by Thugs and Beaten Unmercifully

Leaping upon Amil Anderson of 1749 Eighty-first avenue without warning, as he passed the corner of East Fourteenth street and Eighty-first avenue, last night, two highwaymen knocked the man down and beat him mercilessly. The two men gave Anderson no chance to turn over his money, but attacked him and after knocking him to the ground, kicked and beat him until he was unconscious. Nothing was taken. The attack occurred at 930 o'clock last night.

Thefts reported to the police are as follows:

James McNamara, 1309 Regent street, Alameda, pockets picked while on county line car on San Pablo avenue, leather purse containing $9.50 taken.

H. A. Powell, 2703 Dwight way, Berkeley, furniture valued at $20 taken by burglars from house at 921 Myrtle street.

Earl Pedlar, 675 Eleventh street, overcoat stolen from Oakland high school.

O. F. Woods, 424 Third street, garments valued at $25 taken from room.

Mrs. H. Wilson, 483 Ninth street, room entered, garments valued at $30 taken.

Tribune Tuesdays: Little Trips into the Country

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:41:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 06 March 1912, Page 3, Column 7

Objects to Way He Obtained Free Rides

The novel method of obtaining buggies and cabs and automobiles to go out on many little trips into the country by representations that he was the agent of a well known firm of Oakland, is declared by Roy Garrrison [sic] of 2720 San Pablo avenue, to have been practiced by Walter L. Howe of 1610 Bonita avenue, Berkeley, for the past few weeks. Garrison had Howe arrested on a technical charge of violating an ordinance as a result of the alleged custom of the man, and the case was called before Judge Samuels this morning. Howe pleaded not guilty and the case was put over till tomorrow for further hearing.

Finding The Rancho

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Now that I own a house (finally!), I get to start the fun of looking into the history of the land upon which I live, and the area I now call home. Our new neighborhood is in the SF Bay Area, but has a legacy of rural living that is still in tact... something which my husband and I found very attractive given our two young kids, ~~four~~ two chickens (another story for another time), and our new dynamic duo of pygmy goats.

Anyways, the area in which we live, according to our grant deed, was once part of the Rancho Las Juntas, the only rancho in Contra Costa County to be granted to a "gringo," who went by the name of William Welch. I found a great post on Contra Costa History that gives the full history on Welch and the land he owned here. Of his original 13,293 acre holding, we are now the proud owners of one acre!

According to the article,

The Rancho Las Juntas was formally granted to William Welch by Governor Manuel Micheltorena on February 21, 1844. This grant was for three leagues of and, as surveyed by the United States Government, contained 13,292 acres. The Spanish settlers recognized its boundaries as El Arroyo de las Nueces (walnut Creek) on the East, the Straits on the North, El Arroyo del Hambre (Alhambra Creek) on the Northwest, La Cuchilla del Reliz (the ridge of the Reliz) on the West, and Las Juntas (the junction of streams) on the South.

To approximate the borders of the original rancho, I used the information on the CoCoHistory article along with the East Contra Costa Historical Creek Map to get a sense of Welch's rancho (zoom out to see the full estimated rancho borders):

View Rancho Las Juntas in a larger map

Anyone versed in California research knows that the way in which Mexican land grants were written--using vague, transitive physical markers that neighbors agreed upon as borders--made settling ownership of land difficult once the more substantive land description requirements of the United States were expected. Many families (including Welch's) spent the years after statehood in court fighting off the invasion of squatters, combating illegal claims of ownership to their land, and enforcing the boundaries of their ranch.

Because Welch passed away relatively young, his name doesn't resonate through Contra Costa and California history the way some of his cohorts' did. But he seems to have been an impressive man all the same!

Where We Live

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Well, I remember when the 1940 census release seemed like a "far off in the distance" event, but now that it is out, getting indexed and getting online, I'm really appreciating having a nearer bridge into family history than the 1930 USFC.

Found my mom's family in a tenement apartment in Milwaukee's Third Ward:

Of course, Ancestry had the name indexed wrong, but I was able to call Mom and narrow down her location in 1940 thanks to her strong memories of her neighbors. Got some great reminiscence stories while we wandered virtually around her old neighborhood... everything from being sent with a jug over to the family saloon across the street for some beer, to her first cigarette and first crush on a boy.

Mom and her mom had only arrived in the US from Italy in 1934, so nigh 6 years on, they were still very poor--but my grandfather was a hardworker, and they never lacked for food or clothes. They were, rather, comfortably poor; as Mom puts it, "we didn't realize how poor we were."

According to the census, my grandfather Salvatore (or Sam, as he called himself in the States), made about $1250 in wages in the previous year! Not bad, I guess, for a clerk at a fruit store.

Across the country, my Dad was growing up in quite different circumstances, one of two children born to a naval pilot and his wife. Stationed in Seattle, Washington at the time, they were enjoying a fine rental house on an open Seattle street, and even had a live-in "servant," bearing the memorable name of Hazel Finkbonner (who appears on the next census page):

Dad's upbringing as the son of a pilot (later a Captain) was quite different than that of my mom's. My grandfather Jones ( known as "Doc"-- why is for another post) reported wages of about $5,000 for the previous year... almost four times as much as my other grandfather!

Unfortunately, thanks to Dad's dementia, I can't ask him much about his Seattle days (they moved around a lot as a military family), but I do recall him telling me that his most notable memories of Seattle included a nearby cherry tree which captivated his 9 year-old attention. Yet another opportunity to learn more about my family robbed by a very pernicious disease.

Of course, it's been taking me a while to get around to my genealogy work. It would take you a long time, too, if you just recently bought a new house that looked like THIS inside:

Ugh! Hopefully by the time of the 2020 census, this place will look halfway decent!

Actually, about 6 weeks of ownership and the floors have all been redone, the wallpaper removed and walls decently painted, the roof redone and the windows replaced. Only 4,685 things left on the list, but it will make a good story for the kids some day... "remember how this place used to look?"

Finding Release: Taming Information Overload

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:23:00 +0000

After a particularly stressful 2011, I've taken the cue that I need to divest myself of the many things in my life that are weighing me down, whether tangible (ala' my midsection) or less so (my messy desktop).

So I've been paying particular attention to things that stress me out. Particularly when they are intertwined with things that I happen to enjoy. And in doing so I recently figured out that something I enjoy--reading genealogy blogs-- and the way in which I enjoy them--via Google Reader--was really giving me steam.

You see, besides the genealogy blogs, I was subscribed to innumerable cooking, parenting, investing, financial, crafting, lifestyle, real estate, writing and couponing blogs. As you can imagine, my Google Reader was overflowing with information, articles, tips, resources, blah blah blah that I, for some reason, felt beholden to subscribe to, lest I fall short of the perfect person with the beautiful life that reading all of these blog posts would surely turn me into.

I love a good read, but every morning when I first sat at my computer, my Google Reader seemed to be screaming at me:

1000+ Unread!!!!!!

Now, I take my responsibilities seriously, so I would conscientiously page through the posts, one by one, looking for intellectual or practical enlightenment, until my eyes glazed over, and I had spent my few hours of babysitter-sponsored free time consuming the content of others, and not producing a damn thing--poor form for a freelance writer. Not to mention that I was more ornery, slovenly in posture and outraged at my lack of productivity after the fact than I was before.

So I did what anyone in their right mind would do.

I shut off the spigot.

That's right. I had over 200+ subscriptions to various blogs, amassed throughout the past four years.

And I unsubscribed from them all.

And just for one moment, I could hear the beautiful sounds of silence.

But, of course, I need to be in the loop. I can't miss out on hot and heavy genealogical discussions like who posts the most interesting fevered rantings on citations, or whether or not my backyard chickens are practicing genealogy as a hobby or simply as amateur professionals.

So I began to recreate my subscription list, based upon two things:

1. The blogs I recall reading, and recall enjoying. That was about ten.
2. The blogs from which I had recently starred posts. This added about ten more.

Everything else, I either can't remember ever reading, or they never did me any good, so good riddance!

In the two weeks since I staunched the flow, I find that I look forward to my morning Google Reader list, instead of fearing it like I used to.

Good posts from authors I like on topics that I enjoy aren't swamped into oblivion by posts from hundreds of otherblogs in which I don't have any real interest. And after about fifteen minutes of reading, I am greeted by a beautiful sight, that lets me tackle the rest of my day with a cheery heart and a non-stressed brain:

Genealogy Resolutions- The 2012 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

The title to this blog post may be a little disingenuous, seeing as how I don't put much stock into resolutions. Case in point, last year I was supposed to run in my first official 5k, and while I gave it my best shot, I'm still fatter and more out of shape than I was at this time last year! Why? Life. Life intervenes, and the best of intentions (and resolutions) get pushed to the side.

This year, my personal resolutions (which I have no moral imperative to keep, by the way) include running my 5k. This is the third year running (no pun...) that it's appeared on my list. And while the pursuit of it keeps me on the treadmill (and yes, I CAN run 3 miles, although it takes me about 45 minutes), who knows if I'll make it. One year I had a baby. A 5k was asking too much. Last year, I broke my toe, which slowed me down, as you may imagine.

At any rate, here I am. This year, I'm angling to do the 5k all over again. And much like the 5k, there are some genealogical resolutions hanging around my head like sticky cobwebs. I'll try in 2012 to get this stuff done, but who knows what'll happen... break my thumbs and havenospacesinanyofmyblogposts, probably.

So here we go:

1. Finally fix all of the fudged citations from my 2010 migration from PAF to FTM. It's only been two years, and I only have a few thousand people in my database. You'd think this would be simpler.

2. Publish another article in a genealogical journal. Last one was in 2008, which was back when my son took two two-hour naps a day, and I had lots of time to sit around. Now I have a preschooler and a toddler and cheerios in my slippers. Prospect for getting this one done? Depends upon whether or not the babysitter quits on me!

3. Create to-do lists for each direct ancestor, then follow up on those to-do lists. I love lists, but sometimes I love making them more than I do completing the tasks on them. We'll have to see if I can move past the prepping stage, and get into a rolling boil on this.

4. Attend at least one genealogy seminar, meeting, webinar or conference. Last year I managed to volunteer for Ancestry Day in SF, which was great. And I know that I'll be registering to go to NGS in Vegas in 2013 (yay!)... so I think the will is there, it's all about scrounging up the way.

5. Reorganize my paper research files. Right now everything is split between folders and files. I'm realizing from the number of times that I shut the file drawer in disgust or stomp away from the bookcase that having both wastes my time, because I never know in which area my files are. Right now I'm leaning toward folders, because I like the portability.

6. Organize my digital files. They're on the computer, in surname folders. But they're not tagged, they're not named in any one convention, and I don't have any easy way of knowing what photos I have. I hate re-discovering things that I already have on my hard drive!

7. Get in more research time. This is one of those nebulous ones, but I'm trying to make 2012 more about working on the things that I love. Last year's rebirth into the working world (via my freelance writing) was great, but it sapped all of my research time. More balance is what I need, and I can rationalize it all away by saying that I'm building fodder for my forthcoming genealogy journal article... whatever that may end up being.

I'll check in on April 1st to see if I'm totally fooling myself with my resolutions this year. Probably, but hey.... maybe I'll have been extra busy working up a sweat on the treadmill!

Tribune Tuesdays: Liberal Reward

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:08:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 12 February 1912

LOST AND FOUND

LOST in the vicinity of 16th and Clay st., Saturday afternoon, gold nugget bracelet; name Marjorie engraved on nuggets. Return to owner, Miss Marjorie Rambeau, Box Office Ye Liberty Theater; liberal reward.

Tribune Tuesdays: Lincoln Was an Aviator

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:44:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 12 February 1912

Two Out of Forty Knew of Lincoln

Out of 40 drunks arrested in the past 24 hours whose release on recognizance was authorized by Judges Mortimer Smith and George Samuels this morning only two were able to tell who Abraham Lincoln was and for what he was famous.

Captain J. F. Lynch received the authorization from the two judges to release the prisoners arrested for drunkenness on their own recognizance. Captain Lynch decided to put his inebriates through a short examination before releasing them.

"Whose birthday is this?" was the first question. It was met with blank surprise.

"Who is Abraham Lincoln?" Lynch demanded of each of the long line as they stood ready for release.

"He was a great general and father of this country," responded a Swede.

"I don't know," answered an ordinary American when cross examined. Several ventured guesses, and one man suggested that the great Liberator was an aviator.

Tribune Tuesdays: Autoist Takes Victim

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:31:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 02 November 1912

Autoist Takes Victim Home and Disappears

H. B. Jackson, a stationary engineer for the California Best Wall Company, living at 2496 Peralta avenue, was run down by an automobile while riding his bicycle on Fruitvale avenue near Tallant street last evening. Jackson sustained a fracture of two ribs. The chauffeur removed him to his home and then disappeared. The police have not ascertained the name of the driver of the machine. Dr. Munroe attended the injured man.

Tribune Tuesdays: Badly Beaten by Victim

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:17:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 01 November 1912 (evening)

Bandit is Badly Beaten by Victim
The Blood of Fighter Flows through Veins of Louis Goubert

The great grandfather of Louis Goubert of 230 Seventh street fought with the great Napoleon at Waterloo and some of the fighting blood of his ancestor has been inherited by young Goubert. As a consequence a robber who attempted to hold up the fighting Frenchman fared ill, and in addition to being badly bruised in an encounter, was captured and consigned to a cell in the city prison.

Goubert is an employee of Chanquet Bros. wine and liquor merchants of 734 Broadway. While on his way home from the store about 1 o'clock this morning, he was accosted at Seventh and Webster streets by a stranger, who struck Goubert with his fist and then started to reach for his purse.

Goubert was not slow to respond to the attack and came back with a right swing which cut a gash in his opponent's cheek. While struggling Goubert shouted for reinforcements.

Patrolmen Green and Gardiner were in the neighborhood arresting a drunk, and brought up a posse which started in pursuit of the robber. The man was followed to the Bethel lodging house, 823 Harrison street, where he was arrested and identified by the cut in his cheek by Goubert.

The prisoner gave his name as Albert Kersting of Alameda, but refused to discuss the holdup. Kersting was placed in detinue, and is being questioned by Inspectors T. J. Flynn and Dennis Holland.

Beautiful Books: Brecknock

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:18:00 +0000

A gorgeous title page from 1809:

Tribune Tuesdays: Girls in Male Attire

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:10:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 01 November 1912 (Evening edition)

4 Girls in Male Attire Arrested
Sixteen year-old Maiden Says She Had Long Wanted to Be Boy.

"Ever since I can remember I have wanted to be a boy, and this was my first chance," explained pretty Blanche Sizzelove, aged 16 years, when she appeared in Judge George Samuels' court room this morning following her arrest with three other girls for masquerading in boys' clothes on the street as a Hallowe'en prank last night. The other girls arrested by Patrolman William Tusher while sporting coats, shirts, and trousers were Celeste Dufin, 567 Sixth street, aged 16; Frances Sheen, 602 Sixth street, aged 18 years, and Helen Flentt, 564 Sixth street, aged 18.

The girls were arrested last night and were later released on $5 bail each, furnished by their fathers. When they appeared before Judge Samuels this morning Prosecuting Attorney W. J. Hennessey questioned them and received demure replies from all but Blanche Sizelove [sic], who declared that not only on Hallowe'en by every other day of the 365 she wished to wear male attire.

No complaints had been filed. On the motion of Hennessey the cases were dismissed and the bail returned.

Due to the strict orders issued by Chief of Police Walter J. Petersen for the observance of the curfew law, few acts of vandalism were reported to the police last night, and Oakland passed one of the quietest Hallowe'en celebrations in its history.

Beautiful Books: A Dainty Authoress

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:21:00 +0000

It may just be me, but I love the author photos of the women who created a number of our most genealogically-valuable books. What strikes me most is that the male authors tend toward very stoic portraits of them in waistcoat with chain, while the women seem to opt for being shown with their weapon of choice: their pen.

From: Biographical History of Cloud County, Kansas (1903).

The Full Story

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:39:00 +0000

I love newspapers, because they give us so much information, but sometimes what we learn is so tantalizing, I can't help but wish I could get the full story. Like this Want Ad from the 02 November 1912 issue of The Oakland Tribune:

REFINED young lady (blond) is desirous of meeting dark complected gentleman between 30 and 35, temperate habits, medium height, comfortable income; object matrimony; no triflers. Box 87??, Tribune.

Of course, who knows what her "object" really was, but I can't help but imagine a petite young woman dropping off this want ad at the Tribune offices. I wonder if she ever found what she was looking for? Judging by what I remember from dating, probably a whole lot of "triflers!"

Tribune Tuesdays: Into a Tub of Water

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:53:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 01 November 1912

Jaw Dislocated; Goes to Hospital; Loses Prize

While bobbing into a tub of water for an apple at a Hallowe'en party last night, John Coyne of 1414 West street opened his mouth so wide that he dislocated his lower jaw. The police ambulance was summoned and Coyne was taken to the Receiving hospital, where the dislocation was reduced by Dr. W. H. Irwin and Steward Emlay. He then returned to the festival but in the meantime the prize had been carried off by a competitor. Coyne is an electrical worker and 31 years old.

Defining Research, Part Two: The Internet vs. Research Skill

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:24:00 +0000

"Mother, what are these strange things?"

In my last post on the topic of defining research, I ~~ranted about~~ discussed what I consider to pass only falsely as real genealogical research. But, shy of ~~getting irate about~~ calmly considering how such people influence the overall tenor of the genealogical community, the thread of importance involved in assessing the calibre of their research seems to end there. Much more interesting, to me, is how, when interacting with other genealogists, our personal definitions of research (and even our own estimations of our abilities) can get in the way of the potential for productive discussion.

By way of an example, I was lucky enough to volunteer for the daylong Ancestry Day in San Francisco this past weekend, a one-day genealogy "mini-conference" that was hosted by the California Genealogical Society, of which I am a member. I was able to work through the day as one of a battalion of genealogical consults, sitting with researchers and spending a strict 15-minutes helping these clients review issues or dead-ends they had reached in their research. It was an amazing experience, and a great chance to connect with some people who were incredibly enthusiastic and excited about their research adventures.

But something struck me about these consults, and made me realize how definition of terms can be incredibly important... namely, how one defines "research." In essence, it gets to the issue, I think, of how records and resources available on the internet have fundamentally defined the concept of research for most genealogists.

Here's what I mean: in the course of speaking with a number of my consults, I was struck time and time again by them saying that they had "done the research," that they "couldn't find a trace" of their ancestors, and that these ancestors had, as far as their research was concerned, disappeared.

It took me a few consults to get the hang of the tight time, so after a few I began to ask, "When you say research, what do you mean?" or "You say you researched, which records did you check?"

In most cases, the answer was "Well, I looked on Ancestry."

Now, despite the fact that many of these consults self-identified as intermediate level researchers, the truth was that many were actually still in the beginning stages of their research experience. Many had never written for a vital record, hadn't visited the NARA website, and some were unaware that the Catholic church kept extensive records that would be of help to genealogical researchers. So, in many ways, I don't fault these researchers for not looking beyond the internet to solve their research problems. What I found myself saying, again and again, was:

"You're going to have to move your research offline."

My advice to many researchers included how to write to various offices, how to order records from NARA, and how to go about ordering microfilm to be reviewed at a local FHC. Not terribly complicated stuff, but a revelation for many of my consult clients.

Now, when it comes to defining "research," if I had not asked explicitly in what places, in what resources, and in what record groups these individuals had looked, we may have run in circles for quite a long time. Why? Well, when speaking to a researcher who considers themselves intermediate I would assume that they have already done things like contact county offices regarding death records, or searched for probate documents, or even taken the time to determine the religion of the people they are researching. I would never assume that they had searched on Ancestry and then, finding nothing more, determined that they had run into a brick wall.

But this, I think, is a consequence of the emergence of records on the internet. Digitization facilitates research immensely, and I am one of its largest and strongest advocates. I like to go to sleep at night dreaming that every record I may need will be online some day. But, of course, they aren't, and so genealogy remains an endeavor that is aided by technology, but still depends upon some very dusty, blurry or even archaic means of discovery.

However, the quick successes that internet-centric genealogy affords also, I think, gives a false sense of research success to individuals, who, instead of plotting out specific approaches to solving research problems just type a name into a database interface and hope for the best. The former approach is focused and targeted, while the other is simply casting a wide net and hoping to find something of import. Both yield results, but only one builds skill and increases knowledge. Only one, in my opinion, is research. Many who may believe that they are intermediate researchers, but the truth is that many have only accumulated names and cherry-picked online records--leaving them with substantial trees but very little real research skill.

Of course, it's been said time and time again that even as companies like Ancestry increase the efficiency and abilities of us all to complete our research, it does, in some way, retard the generation of true research ability by truncating the experience that leads to improved research skills. In a way, we become dependent upon the easy availability of online records, and I wonder, if in the long run, this hurts us as researchers--even as much as it helps us as genealogists.

What I do know is that those who are starting genealogy now are at even more of a disadvantage in this regard than someone like me, who has been researching for just ten years. When I began, much was online, but the offerings have become staggeringly robust in the past decade, to the point that many of the records I sent off for and files that I ordered when I was first beginning (as well as books I consulted and resources at offices I visited) are now available online. New researchers can save time and money over what I had to expend, but they do, I think, lose something in the process--mainly an understanding of what research truly is, and how, in reality, it takes offline experience to gain the sorts of skills that can help solve some of genealogy's most difficult problems.

Beautiful Books: Nebraska's Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Not sure what this is all about, but it did catch my eye:

Could be there because the book was sponsored in a way by the Nebraska Farmer Company.

From: A Condensed History of Nebraska (1903).

Tribune Tuesdays: Music Teacher, Armed with Spike

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

From: The Oakland Tribune, 21 October 1912

WOMAN DEFENDS DIVORCED HUBBY
Music Teacher, Armed with Spike, Party to Peace Disturbance

For the purpose of defense purely the matrimonial alliance of Mrs. Eva Lincoln, a music teacher, and H. C. Rodgers, her divorced husband, was resumed yesterday when the police went to the latter's home to arrest him for disturbing the peace of Mrs. Charles Conlin, a neighbor. Mrs. Conlin telephoned to the police that Rodgers had played a hose through her parlor window.

Corporal James Flynn and Patrolman Nick Williams went to Rodgers' home at 2724 West street to make the arrest, and Mrs. Lincoln thereupon alleged to have gone to the defense of her former husband with a a wagon spoke, aiming her blows at the complaining witness.

Rodgers started to run and was tripped down the front stairs by Flynn. The divorced couple were taken to the city jail in the patrol wagon. This morning the neighborhood wrangle was adjusted to the police court of Judge George Samuels when the husband pleaded guilty and his wife pleaded innocent. The former will be sentenced October 23 and the wife will be tried on the same day.

Tribune Tuesdays Follow-Up: Death Stopped Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 02:31:00 +0000

I posted earlier this week a Tribune Tuesday story about Alice Atwood, whose fiancee died just three days before their scheduled wedding in 1904. A few people mentioned in comments and emails how sad and haunting the story was, and most wondered what the rest of Alice's life was like.

Well, I did too, so I set off to find out!

Now, what follows here is a mash-up of what I've been able to find online, so I haven't gone and ordered any records or consulted anything in person, however, I think I've been pretty successful in finding out about Alice's life.

Armed with the knowledge that Alice Atwood was living in Oakland in 1904, and was the daughter of E. N. Atwood, I started out checking Alameda county voter registrations to see if I could establish her father's first name. I was able to locate an Edward C. Atwood, but nothing more. Searches of directories turned up blank.

I had my first big clue when I went back to the noblest source of all (NEWSPAPERS!) and found this item in the Oakland Tribune, 30 June 1907:

Atwood-Walthal
The marriage of Miss Alice Atwood and John Madison Walthal was quietly solemnized last Tuesday at Trinity Episcopal Church. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. John Bakewell. There were no attendants and only the immediate relatives of the couple attended the wedding.
The bride has won many friends by her gracious personality and attractive manner. She is popular in society about the bay.
Walthal is a graduate of the State University and is prominent in politics, holding the office of District Attorney in Modesto.
After a honeymoon trip Mr. and Mrs. Walthal will make their home in Modesto.

Now, nothing here corroborated that this was the same Alice Atwood, but I found it peculiar that two likely young people would celebrate a wedding in so restrained a fashion--particularly when the society pages were overflowing with details about the elaborate (and costly... and large) weddings that seemed to typify the time. If this were the same Alice Atwood, it seemed to me, the muted nature of the 1907 wedding would have happened out of a sense of respect and sorrow over the death of her first intended.

With this information, I looked up Alice and her husband in the 1910 US Federal Census. I found a listing in Modesto for a "Mathew L. Walthall" and his wife, Alice A. Walthall, who was born in Maine. Although the name for the groom was off, this seemed likely to be the right household. In 1920, in Modesto, Stanislaus, California, I found this:

Walthall, John M., 48, California, Attorney
Walthall, Alice A., 35, Maine
Walthall, Sidney, 8, California
Atwood, Elizabeth, SIL, 32, Maine

It seemed clear I had identified the Alice and John who were married in Oakland, and I now had a name of one of Alice's siblings: Elizabeth. Taking this under advisement, I jumped back in time to see if I could identify Alice in the 1900 census, and get a fairer idea if this was the correct woman.

In the 1900 Federal Census for Lake Valley, El Dorado, California, I found the following clincher:

Edward Atwood, 38, Maine
Alice Atwood, 16, Maine
Bessie Atwood, 14, Maine
Lillian Atwood, 13, Maine
George Whitefield, 25, England (Physician)

Remember, of course, that the name of Alice's intended that had passed away in Los Angeles was named Dr. Whitfield [sic], a physician from England. The same, it appears, was enumerated along with the family in 1900, as a visitor! There's Alice, born in Maine abt. 1884, and her sister Elizabeth from the 1920 enumeration, born in Maine about 1886. Why were they in Lake Valley in El Dorado county? My best guess is that, as the census was performed in June, the family and guest were enjoying themselves in Lake Valley--perched on the beautiful southern shore of Lake Tahoe.

Feeling sure that I had found "our Alice," I moved forward to find out more about her life after her marriage to J. M. Walthall. And, by all apparencies, it seems to have been a good one.

Firstly, Mr. Walthall wasn't a shabby looker, as you can see by a portrait of him in the History of the Bench and Bar of California, 1901:

And, according to a passport application Mr. Walthall filed in 1908, he stood at 6'3" tall... the perfect imposing height for a man working as an attorney-at-law.

This same passport application revealed Alice's birthplace and birthdate, including the lines "accompanied by my wife, Alice A. Walthall, born at Portland, Maine, on the 17th of September, 1883..." The couple, it seems, travelled abroad for a bit in 1908, returning to New York City from Liverpool, England on 16 September 1908 aboard the ship Etruria. I couldn't help but wonder: did she visit Dr. Whitefield's home and family while she was there?

The 1921 History of Stanislaus County included the following information on John Madison Walthall and his wife, Alice Norton Atwood:

At Oakland, on June 25, 1907, Mr. Walthall married Miss Alice N. Atwood, a native of Portland, Me., daughter of Edward N. and Emma Atwood. Mrs. Walthall's grandfather was an analytical chemist and discovered a process to make kerosene out of a liquid found in Lake Trinidad ; but about the same time oil was discovered in Pennsylvania, and John D. Rockefeller put the scientist out of business before he had really begun to accomplish his aim. Afterward, Edward N. Atwood was employed by Mr. Rockefeller as an assistant to Henry Rogers in the Philadelphia office of the Standard Oil Company; and when his health broke, he settled in Oakland, where he became general western manager for a large Eastern life insurance company. And in Oakland, in October, 1909, he passed away, esteemed by all men.

Mrs. Walthall went to college, and also attended the Convent of the Holy Names in Oakland, receiving there that finish to an education and culture which have always been recognized as among her real accomplishments. Mr. and Mrs. Walthall have one daughter, Sidney, nine years of age, a bright pupil in Modesto grammar school.

The "E. N. Atwood" who was mentioned in the 1904 article turns out to be Edward N. Atwood, and Miss Alice Atwood turns out to be a rather accomplished and educated lady in her own right.

The Modesto papers on which I did a general search turned up a number of tidbits about the Walthall family, featuring, as they did, prominently on the society pages. They hosted bridge clubs, and summered in their cabin on Pinecrest Lake in the Stanislaus National Forest. Life, it seemed, was pretty good, at least until J. M. Walthall died on October 6th, 1933.

Her daughter, Sidney, didn't turn out to be a slouch, either, if one can judge by her interesting and heartfelt obituary posted on SFGate.

Sidney's obituary mentions that in 1938, "after the Japanese surrounded Peking," she left China with her young son and went " to her mother's home in Alameda, California." The obituary also notes that Alice's middle name was Norton... a few more details that might help track down Alice's final years.

So what happened to Alice after her husband's death?

I lost the thread on Ancestry and other sites, so decided to do a general Google search on "Alice Walthall" +Alameda. What I found was a cemetery survey for Mountain View Cemetery, listing what seems to be a burial for "Alice A. Walthall Peck," born 1883, died 1976. The plot was shared with a Lillian Peck, and Elizabeth Atwood as buried in the plot.

Had Alice remarried?

My first stop to investigate the new information was the California Death Index, where, sure enough, there was listed an Alice W. Peck, born 17 September 1883 in Maine, died 15 January 1976 in Alameda.

It seemed apparent that Alice, after her husband's death in 1933, had remarried.

Diving back into the newspapers, I located a 30 July 1937 Oakland Tribune article about growing tensions in "Peiping" and some of the Bay Area residents who were living in China at the time. Mentioned was Sidney Walthall Lismer, along with a picture and a note that Mrs. Lismer was "a niece of Elizabeth Atwood and Arthur Peck of Alameda."

Did Alice marry an Arthur Peck?

A death notice from the 13th December 1934 issue of The Oakland Tribune provided another interesting twist to the mystery:

PECK- In Alameda, December 12, 1934, Lillian Atwood Peck, loving wife of Arthur Preston Peck, mother of Alison Preston Peck, and Norton Atwood Peck, sister of Mrs. Alice A. Walthall, and Miss Elizabeth Atwood, aunt of Sidney Walthall; a native of Maine, aged 48 years. [Interment Mountain View Cemetery]

So, it appears that it was actually Alice's sister Lillian who married Arthur Peck, and perhaps not Alice at all. So what to do with the information we have and how can we reconcile it?

Without having seen a photo of the gravesite enumerated in the Mountain View Cemetery, I can imagine that there is a large plot headstone with the name "Peck" engraved on it, then listings of the individuals buried in the plot, which include Lillian's two sisters, the maiden Bessie Atwood and Alice Walthal. Thus, in the course of the gravesite listing, Alice may have been listed as a Peck.

How to explain, though, the question of the California Death Index's entry for an Alice W. Peck, with the same birthdate and place as our Alice? Did Alice coincidentally marry a man by the name of Peck? Or perhaps an in-law of her sisters? Or did she marry her dead sister's husband? Or is this an error in indexing or record creation? Of course, the mystery may be solved by ordering the actual certificate... but since I probably won't be dropping the $14 for it, I guess this mystery will have to stand for now!

Overall, I think this afternoon-long exercise in online resources offers a good glimpse of poor Alice Atwood's life after the tragic death of her young husband-to-be, George Whitefield. Her descendants--through her daughter Sidney and her son Peter--still live in the Bay Area, and who knows... they may even run across this blog entry! Should they turn up, I can only say: what a wonderful family story.