Ancestral Breezes

Breckenridge Memorial Day Commemoration

2013-05-22T16:41:00.000-06:00

NEW event at Valley Brook Cemetery on May 27

Breckenridge, CO -- The Town of Breckenridge in collaboration with the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance invite the public to the inaugural Breckenridge Memorial Day Commemoration at Valley Brook Cemetery on Monday, May 27 at 9:00 a.m. to commemorate, acknowledge and memorialize the service and sacrifice of our deceased veterans. The Commemoration will include a keynote speech from Colonel Loren Johnson, the Commander of the 140th Mission Support Group, Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley AFB, an interdenominational service and a wreath-laying.

Headstone of Alonzo Phillips.
© Ancestral Journeys, 2012-2013

The ceremony will be followed by light refreshments. The Breckenridge Heritage Alliance will have an interpretive guide present to answer questions regarding the history of Valley Brook Cemetery. Parking will be available at the Carriage House Learning Center across from the entrance into Valley Brook Cemetery and at the Breckenridge Recreation Center.

Over sixty (60) veterans’ graves have been identified through Valley Brook Cemetery records. Please contact Vanessa Agee at 970-453-3187 x2 to provide further information regarding any veterans who are buried at Valley Brook Cemetery, but whose military service may not be reflected in the cemetery records. Also, volunteers are needed to place flags at each veteran’s grave and to remove flags one month later.

For more information or to volunteer, please call Vanessa Agee at (970) 453-3187 ext 2 or vanessaa@townofbreckenridge.com.

Explosion!

2013-05-18T20:54:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: stock.xchng.com

After an amazing week in Las Vegas at the NGS 2013 Family History Conference, I'm back at home and settling into my usual routine. Right?

Um, no.

As it happens, during the conference, D. Joshua Taylor sent out this tweet:

Little did I know (or him for that matter!) the level of excitement this idea would generate.

Thankfully, we certainly were not the only people thinking about doing something like this. The wonderful Kassie Nelson had already started a Facebook group for the very same thing. However, as a full time student and Mom, it was tough getting things moving for her. We banded together, and I am extremely excited that The NextGen Genealogy Network (NGGN) now has over 120 members!

Just another Facebook group? Hardly.

The organization is doing just that: organizing. We have filed incorporation papers and while we wait for that process to be completed, we are working on creating our structure, finding volunteers to fill those necessary roles to make everything click, and generating ideas for projects, goals and other objectives.

What exactly is NGGN?

Well, our mission statement should give you a pretty good explanation:

"The NextGen Genealogy Network exists to foster the next generation’s interest in family history and engagement in our community through digital channels which virtually connect members throughout the world."

Yes, virtually. Our meetings, conversations, educational programs... everything will be online. We are truly hoping to reach those genealogists and family historians that do not carry a typical schedule because soccer games and scout meetings get in the way. Those folks that are interested, but are trying to get to their Biology 101 class on time. The people that cannot necessarily afford to join their local society, or feel out of place in that environment.

If that sounds intriguing to you, I invite you to do any one of the following three things:

Join our group on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Fill out this Membership form to let us know you want in!

As we continue to collaborate, we'll keep everyone posted on our progress. We do anticipate officially taking members sometime around the first week of July. Hope to see you online!

All of this is certainly keeping me busy, but it's such a good busy. I'm loving every moment of it. I am a proud, almost-card-carrying member ('cause we still have to make some cards!) of this organization, and I cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow!

Uncle Boone

2013-05-15T06:46:00.000-06:00

One a more personal note, my Great Uncle, Don "Boone" Brown passed away last week. Here is his obituary from The Orting News.

I do not yet have a paper copy.

The Passing of Don "Boone" Brown
by Terry Brown
May 8, 2013

Long-time resident of Orting, Don Brown, more popularly known as "Boone ", passed away on the morning of May 8,2013. Boone was born in Chehalis on Nov. 17,1927, but his family soon returned to Orting after his birth. Boone was the youngest of seven children in his family. When his health reached the point that he needed to receive more personal care, he really hated giving up POB 4, which had been in the family name for nearly 100 years. If one did not know Boone personally, one was probably aware of his magnificent flower and vegetable garden on Calistoga, which supplied beauty and fresh food to many friends and acquaintances. Orting is now without a Brown of this family in residence which basically has not happened in nearly 100 years.

Interment will be at the Orting cemetery at 11:00AM on Thursday, May 16th. A potluck reception will follow at the Orting Eagles. Bring your memories to share in the celebration of Boone's life.

Boone holding my father as children. They
were not far apart in age.
Personal collection of author.
Circa 1943, Washington.

NGS 2013: The Sessions

2013-05-14T06:50:00.000-06:00

Although most of my NGS 2013 Conference blogging is taking place on The In-Depth Genealogist, I thought I would share a bit, here, too.

First, it was amazing. If you ever get the chance to attend a conference like this: do it.

We had wonderful opportunities to meet with other people, network, attend sessions, participate in un-conferencing discussions, and much, much more. My colleague and friend at IDG, Terri O'Connell, even won a registration for next year's conference in Virginia!

Terri O'Connell at Opening Session right after
winning a 2014 registration!

I was able to attend several sessions, some of which held local interest for me, which was great. Here's the list of what I was able to see:

People, Policy, and Records: The Importance of Historical Background (Opening Session), Marian Smith
Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War, Mary Penner
The Genealogical Proof Standard in Action! Case Building When No Record States An Answer!, Elizabeth Shown Mills
Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Lecture. Impossible Immigrant! I Know Everything About teh Man Except Where He Came From, F. Warren Bittner
Maximizing Your Use of Evidence, Thomas W. Jones
The Civil War in the American West, Rick Sayre
Borders and Boundaries: Creating Locaility Profiles for Research, D. Joshua Taylor
ProGen Study Groups Breakfast, Angela Packer McGhie
To See the Elephant: The Lure of Riches, Jean Wilcox Hibben
Solving Historical and Family Mysteries with DNA, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
Baker's Dozen to Writing Research Reports, Elizza Scalise Powell
Striking it "Rich" with a Great Genealogical Career: A Guide For Professional Researchers, J. Mark Lowe.

I've been asked more than once already which was my favorite, and my answer is... well... I just cannot say. They were all good in their own way, all the speaker's brought something completely different to the podium, and the lessons learned varied with each.

As an Official Blogger for the conference, I am very grateful to F. Warren Bittner, D. Joshua Taylor, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and J. Mark Lowe for letting us sit down with them for some one-on-one time. You will be able to read more about those conversations on the IDG site.

Some truly fantastic ideas came out of the week in Las Vegas, and I'm looking forward to being a part of some new projects and taking advantage of all that networking to move closer to reaching my professional goals.

I made several new friends in the industry, and we had some very good times, enjoying each other's company and talking about dead people. We raised a glass to Uncle Boone. I have so much more to write about, I really don't expect my "job" as an Official Blogger to be over any time soon. I might be able to get it all done before NGS 2014....

A Challenge Awaits

2013-05-01T11:07:00.001-06:00

In order to improve my skills, I know I must challenge myself. No one else will do it for me.

For that very reason, I have decided to take on the challenge of the ProGen Study Group, and will be a member of ProGen 20. This is something that I have wanted to do for some time, and finally the pieces have come together and it is my turn.

For those of you unfamiliar, ProGen is a program based on the text Professional Genealogy by Elizabeth Shown Mills, (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2001), a respected leader in the genealogy industry. This work has long been considered the standard for most professionals, and the study group was formed and designed to dig deep into the information provided in the text.

The sixteen month program takes students through a variety of topics, each with their associated assignment. Participants critique each other’s contributions and meet to virtually discuss the monthly chapter.
I have several peers that are either currently participating or have participated, and I know that the program is tough, demanding and incredibly rewarding. I am very much looking forward to learning from those in my group as well as our mentor and coordinator. I do see this as a step towards eventual certification, or at least a much better understanding of that that process may be like. I have not yet decided to pursue the BCG or the AG (both are appealing in their own way), but am fairly certain that one of those two processes lies in my future. Then of course, there is the newly developed study group based on Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones (National Genealogical Society, 2013), which is also a text I intend to absorb as best I can.

One clear benefit is that I get to meet several of my group members as well as the program coordinator, Angela McGhie, at the quickly approaching NGS 2013 Family History Conference in Las Vegas; as most of us will be participating in the ProGen breakfast on Thursday morning. I think it will be great to have a mutual experience in the conference to get some of us going on our learning journey together!

If you are considering making the “transition” or “going pro” anytime in your near future, I strongly recommend you consider the ProGen program. I’ll be honest, I’ve read the entire book already, cover to cover, and I’ve learned a lot. But I know there is so much waiting for me as I turn the corner into ProGen 20.

Thank a Volunteer!

2013-04-23T08:41:00.000-06:00

National Volunteer Week is happening now, April 21-27, 2013.

I somehow missed the memo on this, so I’ll admit, I’m a day or two late. Forgive me, please.

Ok, I’ll also admit that I did not really know it existed until today. I suppose I could have guessed it, if someone had asked, but no one ever has.

National Volunteer Week. Where would I be in the world of genealogy without volunteers? Where would you be? Think about it. We all take advantage of a wealth of free internet sites, museums, historical archives, look up’s and more. I personally can rattle off at least 20 museum volunteers in my small town alone. RootsWeb. Trails to the Past. Even those of us who have participated, or are participating in the ProGen program; one that is run by volunteers.

How many times have you written to a historical or genealogical society for assistance? How many times did you take advantage of – or assist with – RAOGK (Random Acts Of Genealogical Kindness)? Upload photos to FindAGrave or BillionGraves? Answer a question on a Facebook post or Twitter?

Volunteerism makes the genealogical world go round.

Not to mention those billion indexed records that was recently announced. (Whew! That’s a lot! Good job, everyone!)

In the spirit of the week, I am putting out a “call to action!” Lift someone else up by giving them a long overdue kudos on your blog. Or your Facebook page. Or whatever format you want. Send a thank you card. Shake their hand, give a hug, write a letter, look them in the eye and tell them how much you appreciate them. Do it sincerely, honestly.

I’ll start.

I would like to thank...

LeAnn Knifer Atkin.

LeAnn Knifer Atkin
FamilySearch/Facebook Volunteer
Extraordinaire!
Photo used with permission.

LeAnn and I met through Facebook, probably around six months ago. She is the volunteer coordinator for the Wyoming Genealogy Research page on Facebook, which is one of the many established by FamilySearch. (Oh, how I love those communities!)

I have said it before, and I will say it again: this is, in my opinion, the best FamilySearch state specific page on Facebook. LeAnn is simply amazing in her dedication, her creativity and her ability to provide valuable, meaningful resources every day. She never stops. I’m not even sure she ever sleeps. I find it slightly ironic that the least populated state in our nation with a rather sluggish genealogy community has the most interactive and exciting pages that I am a member of.

The page has been active since 12 March 2012. A little over a year. It currently has 149 “likes,” and I’m sincerely hoping that by the time this post goes live, it will be well over 150. If you have not checked it out yet, please do so. Not because everyone in the world has an ancestral path that takes them through the amazingly beautiful landscape of Wyoming, but because you should see her work. You should see her effort. And you should recognize it.

LeAnn, thank you. The tools you provide to the rest of us, daily, are incredibly helpful. I know that it can take some time and significant effort each day to keep the conversation going, to keep things “fresh.” I appreciate what you do for the Rocky Mountain genealogical community and beyond.

Who is Yours?

So, who is your volunteer? Who is that person that stands out, that reaches farther, that makes an impact? Blog about them, then share the link. I think we could all use a little positive reinforcement right now.

My first look at the Digital Public Library of America

2013-04-21T15:51:00.001-06:00

How excited were you to explore this new amazing resource?

First glimpse: beautiful.

I was very pleased to open the Digital Public Library of America (or DPLA) on Sunday when I finally had some time to devote to it. The format, layout, color scheme… all very well done and easy to navigate. Thank goodness.

One thing that caught my attention right away was the “Timeline” link in the top menu. I love me a good timeline! Nearly every state I research in, this is a vital tool for me; finding a good online timeline for the area that gives me major events in the history of the area. I tried this first, in my exploration of the new site, and did a search for “Colorado.” The site came back with 17,324 results, beginning in 1827. The results were displayed in a graph, and you click on each bar of the graph to see the events. I chose the year 1859, since that was the year that gold was discovered in Breckenridge, to see if it made the list. What I got was this:

Screenshot of "Colorado" search results in the timeline feature. 21 Apr 2013.

Nine images related to “1859” in Colorado. The red link is a title, which then directs you to a citation and brief description of the book. I noticed that you can also view the results of the initial timeline search in list form, or by location on a map. A nice feature.

Screenshot of search results for "Colorado" in the timeline, but displayed on the map. 21 Apr 2013

My next exploration was a general search from the homepage. I looked up “Moravian,” since that is a topic I’m working on right now. It brought me 43 results – which is not too bad compared to other sites I have visited in the past week – and a quick scroll through brought me several options to review. I was able to locate exact articles (which then referred me to sites like Internet Archive); census records; images of artwork, historical objects and portraits, to name a few. One feature I particularly liked about the site was the availability to filter the results by the Owning Institution or online Partner, allowing me to chose just what I could access online. Other filtering options include location, subject, date and language. (Also a nice feature, since many Moravian records are in German!)

First glance, I’m impressed. I see this becoming one of my “go-to” resources, for any major project and plan on using it often.

I recommend following the DPLA on Twitter or Facebook for the latest info and updates. You can find the links on their homepage:

The Digital Public Library of America

Have you had a chance to explore the site yet? What are your thoughts? I would love to hear about it!

Hey! I was on Mondays with Myrt!

2013-04-16T10:19:00.003-06:00

I had the opportunity to join in on Mondays with Myrt yesterday, and it was a ton of fun!

If you haven't experienced the new "Hangout On Air" format, you really should join in. Great conversation, great people, great content!

I come in at about the 30 minute mark, and had the time to talk about Conference Keeper and #genchat.

Packing My Bags

2013-04-06T11:17:00.001-06:00

Hello. My name is Jen, and I'm a blogger.

In exactly one month from today, I'll be heading slightly southwest to Las Vegas, Nevada for the National Genealogical Society 2013 Family History Conference! I am excited for a whole bunch of reasons, and I simply cannot wait to get there!

During the conference, I will be blogging away as an Official Blogger... but not here. Nope! I'll be over on The In-Depth Genealogist blog, collaborating with fellow pirate women, Stephanie Pitcher Fishman and Terri O'Connell, who are also attending. Together, we will represent the team at IDG, missing only 1/4 of our leadership; Jennifer Alford (but, she'll be at home helping us out!)

Another piece of the week I am super excited about? The three of us will also be hosting #genchat from the conference! The twitter based collaboration for genealogists will occur on Friday, May 10 LIVE from Vegas! We will be releasing the details as we get closer to departure date, but you can bet that a true social media event will be taking place that evening, and we are certainly hoping that many of our fellow conference attendees will join us in the fun!

(If you haven't yet experienced #genchat, read all about it on Conference Keeper and come learn with us on April 12, as we discuss the FamilySearch Wiki!)

Over the next four weeks, I'll be posting more and more - on all the accounts I have! - about the conference. I love conferences. I love social media. It's all coming together for me in May! Posts will be here, on IDG and on the Conference Keeper blog: CK Updates!

I am going to issue an invitation, too, to you. If you blog, if you blog about genealogy, if you are going to or will be blogging about the NGS Conference this year, please join our little group over on Facebook. IDG has created a group just for Genealogy Bloggers at NGS 2013; and we're using it as a platform for geneabloggers to communicate, make plans, share ideas and little tidbits we pick up about Vegas itself. All sorts of preparation for the conference. During the actual event, we'll be using it to share posts and arrange meet ups. Come be a part of the community! We'd love to have you.

Ancestry.com at Rootstech 2013

2013-03-25T16:42:00.000-06:00

I received this today from Ancestry.com regarding the keynote address on Saturday at RoosTech 2013 from Tim Sullivan, CEO.

Enjoy!

I wanted to send a recap of Tim Sullivan’s Saturday keynote address at RootsTech. Some of the largest highlights include:

· Ancestry.com is partnering with FamilySearch to bring 140 million pages of US Probate Records covering more than 130 years.

· Over the next 5 years, we will be spending $100 million to digitize, index and put online new content on Ancestry.com, Fold3, Archives an d Newspapers.com

· AncestryDNA is now available to everyone (subscriber and non-subscribers) for $99

· The AncestryDNA database has more than 120,000 samples and we’ve delivered more than 2 million fourth cousin DNA matches

· Ancestry.com’s new iOS 4.1 update will be available soon (now available as of today 3/25)

· More than 1/3 of our new registrants on Ancestry.com are coming from mobile devices

· That same 1/3 are younger than our typical website user and this is a great sign of the future health of the family history category

· Collaboration is key. We encourage everyone to share and help each other.

· We are constantly looking at ways to appeal to the beginner and the expert genealogist. This can be difficult when the two ends of the spectrum speak a different language, but we are determined to find the best way to appeal to both parties.

You can view the entire address online at RootsTech.org: Tim Sullivan, CEO of Ancestry.com

This was a great event and I’m looking forward to RootsTech 2014 next February.

Wintermute Cross

2013-03-18T21:08:00.000-06:00

Actually, a very tragic story. The Wintermute family in Breckenridge was short lived, and though I will spare the details, the basics of it is this:

They married. They had a daughter. The wife died from childbirth complications. The daughter was sent to be raised by family in California. The husband was depressed and turned to alcohol. He ultimately killed himself at this site, next to his wife's memorial, and is buried along side her.

My First Look at DNA

2013-03-14T15:27:00.002-06:00

It came! It came!

The results from my father’s AncestryDNA test came back, and I was ever so excited to see it. Here is how the Brown family breaks down in terms of genetic ethnicity:

British Isles: 43%
Eastern European: 25%
Central European: 23%
Scandinavian: 9%

I like how the DNA results compare to the family tree information I currently have on the site in my personal research. When comparing the DNA results to what I have in my database, you can see there are some gaps and some consistencies. The birth locations I have in my family tree currently break down like this:

USA 34%
Sweden 30%
Poland 15%
Russia 15%
Other 6%

Essentially, I feel really good about how the results came back, because it confirms most of my research on a certain level. It tells me I’m on the right path to finding more clues on my ancestors, and that confirmation is nice to have. No surprises, and although at first I was admittedly a tad disappointed, after some contemplation time, I can see how much positive information I can gain from this evaluation.

The big question for me was this: can DNA help me learn more about my brick wall ancestor, Oscar F. Brown. He was born in New York, but I have not been able to confirm the identity of his parents. (Read all about Oscar here!) The answer? Yes, I think it will help. I know that I need to continue to focus my search in the same ways that I have been. With a name like Oscar Brown, I have always had in the back of my mind that his origins go back to Central Europe, and the DNA test seems to support that to a degree. The test supports my research plan as it is currently laid out.

Sarah (Evans) Lawrence, presumably
with one of her children.
Photo: Personal Collection of Author

So far, I have been able to find one positive match – a new 4th cousin through my great grandaunt, Mary Josephine Lawrence (sister to Oscar’s wife, Frances E Lawrence). I’m excited to connect with this researcher and learn more about their side of the family, see if they have any new clues on Mary and Frances’ parents: John Horatio Lawrence and Sarah Evans. I have had the pleasure of meeting other descendants from the Lawrence side, and have always had very positive experiences. I hope this turns out the same!

What’s next?

My maternal side. I had one of my Uncles – my Mom’s brother – take a test as well. For him, we utilized a different service, so I could compare notes on the pros/cons of how two of the major players in the DNA game work. Of course, the sale price from FamilyTreeDNA helped convince him. Actually, he was pretty willing from the first moment we asked, and has been very open to the idea. I am hoping to learn more about my Irish heritage with this test, as I have at least one line that can be traced back to the Emerald Isle. My 2nd great-grandfather, Patrick Henry McGowan (1854-1924) and his mother, Bridget (father unknown) were both born there, we think. I’m also hoping to be able to explore more of the German side of the family: Although I know quite a bit about the Heerten side of the family, all my knowledge begins when they step foot for the first time in the U.S. Before that, I pretty much just have “Germany” and that’s where it stops.

Perhaps too much to expect from one little test?

While I wait, I shall read. I have been slowly trying to grasp the major concepts behind the DNA study as it relates to genealogy, and I will continue to do so. I’m looking forward to a DNA session or two at the NGS Conference in Vegas, also.

The only thing so far in this experience that has been negative is the quantity of emails I have been receiving from other AncestryDNA customers. There are as many reasons to take a test like this as there are researchers, so please, stop sending me generic emails telling me to make my family tree on Ancestry.com public (vs the private setting I have now). I have a whole list of reasons to keep it private, and DNA will not change that! I’m more than willing to compare notes to see if there is a connection; I love finding new cousins! But you have to say “please” and “thank you” just like my four year old does. Sorry, that’s just how I roll.

After that, I really want my husband to do a test. We know very little of his birth father, and literally nothing of his paternal history. I think he might have a bit of Italian in him, so I'm incredibly curious to see what that might tell us.

What's on your DNA to-do list? Have any awesome websites or learning resources to share? I'd love to see them.

Summit County in the Census’

2013-03-04T16:33:00.001-07:00

One thing that happens often in census records is border changes.

This could mean that a territory become a state, a state changes size, counties merge or split from each other… even towns increase in size, decrease, or disappear from the record set altogether. Ten years can mean a lot of change in some areas.

One of the things I have had on my list for some time is to look at the towns that existed in the early census collections for Summit County. Technically, the first census here was in 1860, but it is listed under Nebraska Territory, and the records are difficult to find at best. Therefore, I will start with 1870 and move forward.

Summit County was established in 1861 with Colorado statehood. It was one of the original seventeen counties, and that first set of borders included essentially the entire northwest corner of the state. By 1877, the borders we see on the map now existed. Six other counties were eventually carved from this area: Grand, Routt, Eagle, Garfield, Moffat and Rio Blanco.

The first county seat was Parkville, but the title was quickly transferred to Breckenridge (the general story being that residents of Breckenridge literally stole the county papers in the middle of the night, and hid them until Parkville gave up; they then claimed ownership to the county seat); and the current population resides in the towns of Dillon, Frisco, Breckenridge, Blue River, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Montezuma, Silverthorne and Heeney.

Census Year	Census Location
1870	Breckenridge, Montezuma, Not Stated
1880	Breckenridge, Carbonateville, Chihuahua, Clinton Gulch, Decatur, Eagle River, French Gulch, Frisco, Gold Hill, Gold Run Creek, Jack Mountain, Kokomo, Lincoln City, Montezuma, Not Stated, Robinsons Camp, Sheep Mountain, Swan River Valley, Ten Mile
1900	Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Kokomo, Robinson, Precinct 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14
1910	Argentine, Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Kokomo, Lakeside, Lincoln, Montezuma, Robinson, Slate Creek
1920	Breckenridge, Dillon, Lakeside, Montezuma, Slate Creek, Precinct 2, 7, 8
1930	Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Kokomo, Lakeside, Montezuma, Slate Creek, Precinct 8, 9
1940	Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Kokomo, Lakeside, Montezuma, Slate Creek

Interesting, no?

1880 is filled with small gold and silver camps as the area experienced its second rush of mining operations. Some of these areas, like French Gulch, are now considered part of the other towns (French Gulch is an area within the Town of Breckenridge), and some are completely gone.

Both Robinson and Kokomo were left as ghost towns, and eventually the ruins were covered with a reservoir for the Climax Mining Operation on the edge of Summit and Lake Counties. Dillon, although consistent in the census records, has actually moved twice as a community – as in, pick the buildings up and put them somewhere else – and now sits in its (let’s hope!) final location along the shores of the Dillon Reservoir, a major water supply for the front range and City of Denver. Lakeside is another town that was extinguished for water; it is underneath the Green Mountain Reservoir in the northern arm of the county.

If you research one primary area, I would encourage you to do this same comparison. Fairly easy, I just pulled up the Census and Voter Lists search page on Ancestry.com, chose my State, County, and then used the drop down for “Populated Place” to identify the names of the communities. Perhaps not scientific, but it is certainly enough for my purposes.

The immediate benefit of doing this, at least to me, is that I can easily see how the population fluctuated over time. The fewer locations listed in the census generally indicates less communities, so you can see the swells in the main residential areas, at least as far as the Federal Government was concerned. Having a relatively thorough of the area as it is now, and the history behind some of the ghost towns and other communities gives me a broad understanding of how the county developed to be what it is now.

Of course, just like with anything in the genealogy field, it leaves me with more questions. In this case, I am especially interested in the Precincts. What were their boundaries, how were they determined, why did the numbers associated with them change over time? This is something for another post, perhaps…

If you chose to conduct a similar comparison, I would be interested in reading it! Leave me a comment with a link here, or on my Facebook or Twitter accounts. Let’s see what other goodies we can come up with across the country!

Proudly Presenting...

2013-02-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you do any genealogy research in the Rocky Mountains, you know one thing: there is a genuine lack of printed research guides for this area.

There are general guides, and those are helpful, but there are very few texts of any kind written specifically for the geographical area of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. I know, I’ve looked.

And looked.

And looked.

Knowing that, the pieces that have been written are all very good. Truly.

So when the opportunity came knocking on my door to write such a guide, I snagged it. Immediately.

The best part for me is that these are my favorite types of guides to use. Simple, concise, no frills. Just four pages of resources on the topic, with good information and very easy to use. I prefer the laminated version, and have several on a variety of other topics; everything from citing sources to world history. I buy them for my family, too; my niece received two for Christmas this past year on algebra. Partly because she’s really enjoying her math class this year, and party because I’m a good aunt who likes to encourage the educational efforts of the next generation.

The first two to be published are Colorado Genealogy and Wyoming Genealogy. I’ll admit: I was venturing into new territory here and wanted to stick with topics I was well versed in. I am happy to report they came out incredibly well. They are currently available for purchase from the Legacy Family Tree store, as a PDF download, at a mere $2.95.

Here is the description of the Colorado guide from Legacy Family Tree store:

"Colorado has experienced more than one gold rush in its history. The original sent masses to Pike’s Peak in 1859; additional mineral booms throughout the late 1800s continued population growth, and now the “white gold” covering the mountains bring winter sports enthusiast from around the world.Looking to find those elusive Centennial State ancestors?

The Colorado Genealogy Legacy QuickGuide™ contains useful information including a timeline of Colorado history events, tips on Colorado research strategy, outline of major immigrant groups, and more. Also included are links to websites and resources covering vital records, church records, census records, as well as general Colorado resources. Utilize this handy 4-page PDF guide on your computer or mobile device for anytime access to create your own genealogy gold rush!"

"Genealogy gold rush!" I love it! I'm going to be using that one quite a bit, I think.

Next on the list? More states! In the next month, I’ll be working on Montana, New Mexico and Washington. Watch my Facebook and Twitter accounts; I’ll definitely be posting when those are available.

That’s not all! I’ll be branching out of geography in the near future, with “Using Fraternal Society Records,” “Researching Germans from Russia,” and “Moravian Genealogy.” Three topics that come straight from my own personal research. (You can read some of my posts about the Moravian religion here.)

Above all, I hope that other researcher’s find these guides useful. They were certainly useful to write, and truly opened my eyes to the variety of sources one can use in genealogical research. I often write – and think – about creative research, but in this manner I have written it all down and truly tried to go beyond the traditional borders.

Let me know if you love it or hate it. This is my first major "pitch" of a blog post, but I am just too excited about this to not write it.

Running Them Through the Sluice Box: Continuing to Filter the Records for Anna & Robert

2013-02-25T17:02:00.001-07:00

Hydraulic Placer Mining, ca 1935.
Image courtesy of the Denver Public
Library Digital Collections, Denver,
Colorado.

Have you ever seen how a sluice box works?

The sediment is poured into the top, and water runs over it, like a stream. This allows for the larger, heavier pieces of earth to be retained in the different sections, and the smaller sediment to eventually be washed away.

This seems to me the next logical step as I search for Anna & Robert Hamilton of Breckenridge, Colorado. They arrived here during a mining boom, and I've been “panning for genealogical gold” for several months.

In past posts, I've explored the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Federal Census records for the family; I've examined my original source, and created some initial questions I wanted to ask. I think it is time to pause, and reassess my timeline and research strategy on the Hamilton’s. We already know quite a bit about the first few years of their marriage, so let’s take a look at all of that, and outline what we don’t know.

Going back to that “original source.” Sandra F. Mather, PhD authored They Weren't All Prostitutes and Gamblers; The Women of Summit County from 1859 to the Turn of the Century. (Summit Historical Society, 2009). In the ending chapter, Dr. Mather introduces us to Anna (Sadler) Hamilton and her husband Robert. Anna kept a journal, and those were examined in order to compose this chapter. From this text, I began to create a timeline of Anna’s life.

2 Sep 1862, birth, Grundy County, Illinois
1870, census, Vienna Township, Grundy County, Illinois
1880, census, Vienna Township, Grundy County, Illinois
1884, teacher’s certificate issued, Grundy County, Illinois
11 Feb 1885, marriage, Grundy County, Illinois to Robert Hamilton
1885, Colorado state census, Summit County, Colorado
13 May 1885, property, purchased a horse in Summit County, Colorado
Jul 1885, illness, Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado
1888, property, owned mining claims in her name, Summit County, Colorado
1904, property, sold mining claims
Probably before 1915, death

Although property records can be excellent to utilize, it is not necessary to reside on the land, or in the area, of the property in question. It is possible that Robert purchased this land on her behalf… and a million other “what if’s?” Because I do not have a solid chain of evidence, I am summarizing that I essentially lose Anna’s trail in 1885 when the Colorado State Census was conducted.

However, Robert’s timeline does provide more clues…

Cal 1857, birth, Canada
1880, census, Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado
11 Feb 1885, marriage, Grundy County, Illinois to Anna Sadler
1885, Colorado state census, Summit County, Colorado
1909, residence, Oxford, Nebraska (per newspaper article in Summit County Journal)
1910, property, Denver, Denver County, Colorado
7 Feb 1911, property, Summit County, Colorado (per newspaper article in Summit County Journal. Language of article implies that he resided on his ranch, as well.)
1912, property, Denver, Denver County, Colorado
8 Aug 1913, residence, Weld County, Colorado
Abt 1915, residence, Denver, Denver County, Colorado
1916, property, Summit County, Colorado

A couple items to note:

The article dated 1909 indicates that Mr. Hamilton, his wife and children were visiting Summit County at the time from Oxford, Nebraska, where he operated a highly successful “large stock farm.” This is the only indication I have that the Hamilton’s ever had any children.

Also, the 1911 article indicates that his ranch was “down the blue,” a local term indicating the Blue River. This could have meant north of present day Silverthorne or south of the Town of Breckenridge. If he went north, he still would have been in Summit County for several miles, but going south means either Park or Lake Counties, depending on how far he went. If he went south, it would have made more sense for him to do business in growing Leadville, rather than coming back to Breckenridge.

Here is what I do not know:

Robert’s actual birth date and location. I have an estimated year based on other record sources, and a country. His father, William, was born in Ormstown, Quebec, in 1830, and arrived in the U.S. in 1881, well after Robert’s birth.
Death dates and locations for both Anna and Robert. Anna’s father, John, was listed in The History of Grundy County, Illinois (Munsell Publishing, Chicago. 1914. Pages 896-897); and this text indicated that Anna had already passed at the time of printing. I have absolutely nothing to give me an idea of when Robert may have died.
Did Robert and Anna have any children? If so, where and when?
How long were they in Nebraska? Did Robert stay in the cattle industry? He easily could have moved his operation to Colorado and had success.

There appears to be a good deal of information on other member’s of their families… The Sadlers' in Illinois are fairly well documented, as is one of Anna’s brothers that became a politician in Colorado. The Hamilton’s are also represented well. I have been able to track down descendants from both families and inquired if they knew anything of either Anna or Robert. All that has been confirmed was that they existed. Nothing more.

Next steps.

I am going to follow a bit of my own advice, and look into Livestock Brands for both Nebraska and Colorado. There is a chance that I can at least identify Robert’s residences.
Vital records from family members in Illinois and Canada may provide clues, as well.
Religious sources may be helpful here, also. My first goal will be to determine the Hamilton’s religious preferences while here in Breckenridge. The options in 1885 were fairly limited, and I happen to know that historic records have been preserved fairly well. Even if I cannot pinpoint a particular denomination, it will not take long to examine the available materials, and at the very least, exclude that as an option for more information.

Just a bit more on the parents…

Robert’s father was born in Ormstown. Anna’s father was born in Ormstown. Robert’s mother’s maiden name was SADLER. Anna’s maiden name was SADLER. Both families eventually had connections to Grundy County, Illinois.

Coincidence?

Oh, I don’t think so!

[Sandra F. Mather, PhD., is the author of at least ten books, all discussing the history and geology of Summit County, Colorado. She is a volunteer for both the Summit Historical Society and the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance.]

AncestryDNA Now Available to General Public

2013-02-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

AncestryDNA Test Provides An Affordable, Easy Way to Learn About Your Past and Family

Innovative test now available to the general public provides analysis of your genetic ethnicity, living relative matches, and further ins ight into family history research

(PROVO, Utah) – February 21, 2013 –Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced the public availability of its AncestryDNA test to U.S. residents. This easy-to-use, comprehensive test provides consumers with their genetic ethnicity and the unique opportunity to connect DNA results directly to any applicable Ancestry.com family trees, matching test takers with other close or distant family members. Combined, these features provide the most complete snapshot of one’s family history that has ever been available.

Interest in using DNA to explore family history is growing. In a 2012 Harris Interactive survey, 56 percent of Americans—more than 110 million people—stated they would be interested in taking a DNA genealogy test. This number is 14 percent higher than the previous year. For many, this interest in family history extends far beyond American soil. Nearly two out of three respondents told Harris that learning about their family’s roots outside the U.S. is one of the most important benefits of researching family history.

AncestryDNA picks up where the paper trail leaves off. Whereas older consumer DNA tests utilized only 46 DNA markers, this new test analyzes more than 700,000 DNA marker locations and cross-references them with its one-of-a-kind comprehensive worldwide catalogue of DNA samples. The combination of an individual’s DNA with more than 40 million family trees and 11 billion records on Ancestry.com can help people find specific ancestors as far back as the mid-17th century by connecting with living relatives. Additionally, AncestryDNA gives people their ethnic breakdown by percentage from 20 populations including the British Isles or Native American—automatically tracing their ethnicity and displaying the results in an interactive and simple way.

“AncestryDNA provides consumers with exciting insights into their ethnic background and helps them find relatives who may hold the keys to exciting new family history discoveries,” said Tim Sullivan, President and CEO of Ancestry.com. “As a company, we are committed to helping people connect with their past and we are excited to be able to offer a unique, affordable, and easy way for people to learn even more about their personal history.”

AncestryDNA helps determine geographic and ethnic origins by comparing test-takers’ unique DNA signatures to the DNA of people from across the globe. In the initial beta release, users were matched with a significant number of living relatives, and more than two million fourth-cousin DNA matches have been found for customers potentially sharing an ancestor in the database. As more people take the test, the database will continue to grow, providing a richer experience and more clues. People who have already taken the test receive regular updates with the latest findings. Because these results include the users’ ethnicities, they may produce surprising findings that provide additional curiosities for future research. Since the launch, 7.7 million ancestors are now available to discover through family trees linked to DNA results.

“We believe that the cutting edge of DNA technology used in AncestryDNA will revolutionize the entire family history experience,” said Ken Chahine, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AncestryDNA. “We have already seen huge success with our beta launch as users discover new clues and living relatives passed down through DNA. As more people take the test, we look forward to seeing even greater results and more family history connections.”

Find out where you come from with an AncestryDNA test. You can learn even more about your family history by visiting Ancestry.com and signing up for a free 14-day trial.

Pricing and Availability

AncestryDNA is now available and tests start at $129 for Ancestry.com subscribers. Learn more at www.ancestrydna.com.

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com Inc. is the world's largest online family history resource, with approximately 2 million paying subscribers. More than 11 billion records have been added to the site in the past 16 years . Ancestry users have created more than 44 million family trees containing more than 4 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship site www.ancestry.com, Ancestry.com offers several localized websites designed to empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history.

About Ancestry.com DNA, LLC

Ancestry.com DNA, LLC is a subsidiary of Ancestry.com Inc. AncestryDNA uses a simple test to analyze an individual’s DNA. AncestryDNA offers the potential of identifying new insights into people’s ancient ancestry to help them collaborate with distant cousins and make even more discoveries in their family history. For more information visit www.ancestrydna.com.

Getting Past Cabin Fever

2013-02-14T15:30:00.001-07:00

For some of us around the globe, winter can last a very long time. You start to dream of the simple things: grass, going outside without multiple layers of clothing, a day free of snow shovels.

As a genealogist, I start thinking about which cemeteries I want to visit, and when. Which ghost town’s I want to see during the limited summer months.

Not complaining, here. We love where we live. It’s just… well, yea, the cold gets to you once in a while.

So, here are my top ten ways to get past that winter cabin fever.

Take a walk. Even if it is only 15 F outside, bundle yourself up and get some fresh air. You may just have a light bulb moment, causing you to rush back to your research plan, blog, or anything else you might have going. If you cannot, for whatever reason, actually go outside; open your window for a few minutes. Let that fresh air in!
Go back in your files. Give yourself some time to rediscover a piece you may have forgotten about in your files. You never know what you may learn, and it may just kick start your energy level.
Reach out. Collaborate! Social media is available for all of us, and the online genealogy community gets bigger each day. There is so much to learn just by talking to each other! Best tip, though; if you live in a cold climate, when you are feeling really down about the weather, talk to other’s who live in cold climates, too. Don’t chat it up with your best genea friend in southern Florida, it will only make you feel worse. Find someone in a similar situation and share sob stories for a minute or two.
Don’t Dwell. Share that sob story! But keep it to a limit. If you wallow in the bad weather, as we all well know, it will only make it worse. Put on some upbeat music, and let yourself find a happy place.
Find a Small Museum. Find one, the smallest you can, and plan to spend at least two hours there. Trust me, the person tending the site will be happy to have someone to chat with, and undoubtedly, you will learn something.
Idaho Springs, Colorado Cemetery
© Ancestral Journeys, 2012-2013

Research a Stranger. This is one of my favorite things to break up the repetition, and I plan for it during the summer months. I’ll stop at a random cemetery or historical society and take pictures of something that has no relevance to my current research whatsoever. Then during the winter, I pull those out and just start digging. Don’t have those unknown photos laying about? Grab a local history book from the library, and research someone from your community.
Go Elsewhere. Get out of the house. Again. Find a local coffee shop that has comfy chairs and sit there for a bit. Let the local traffic distract you. A new set of walls can do a world of good, and you never know, you may meet someone with similar interests.
Move Seats. If you cannot get out of the house (which is often my situation, as I’m a Mommy, too), then give yourself a different view from within your home. Go from office, to table, to bedroom and back again. This does not necessarily mean that your computer needs to travel with you; sometimes your best friend can be a notepad and pen.
Break Up Your Routine. I write most often with a cup of tea at hand. In the afternoon’s. With music on. Nearly every day, that is where you will find me. Every once in a while, though, I need to stimulate my routine with a change, even a small one. A cold beverage instead of hot; write in the morning, or stay up late. Change the music; listen to a podcast or webinar instead. It can be something very small, but it may make a difference. We are creatures of habit, and we can just as easily get into the habit of winter blues as we can anything else.
Challenge Yourself. Do something bold, something new. Venture into new territory. This may mean that you join us for #genchat on Twitter, or it might be going to a new repository or archives in another city. Out of your comfort zone. Be creative, spontaneous, adventurous!

Keep in mind - and this is very important - winter can only last so long. Before you know it, you'll be back in those cemeteries, back to getting your hands dirty (literally) on the research goods. Don't despair, it's already almost March!

Grand Tetons National Park flower.
© Ancestral Journeys, 2012-2013

One Worth Watching

2013-01-31T22:18:00.001-07:00

My continuing education is incredibly important to me. I value the gift I am giving to myself to further my knowledge base and allowing my imagination to expand within the confines of real world research challenges. I believe it to be one of the best activities to engage in that will truly add depth and meaning to the idea of professional genealogist.

In 2013, I have committed to a goal of two genealogy webinars, four FamilySearch lessons and at least one business related webinar each month. That averages to five hours a month. That is obtainable, and I was able to meet that goal in January. I chose the FamilySearch platform for the year because they have so many options, varying in depth, scope and length. Generally speaking, I have enjoyed them.

This was different.

On the 28th of January, I watched “Thinking Creatively About Research Problems”, while doing the dishes. Multi-tasking at its best, right? I’ll be honest. I was floored. The 39 minute lesson is presented by Apryl Cox, AG; and was first put online 4 May 2010. It is essentially a case study, and Mrs. Cox describes how she gets around some very difficult obstacles to find a member of her own family. The lesson is listed as intermediate level.

I was fascinated. Honestly, it was one of the best sessions I have ever listened to. Period.

So much so, that I watched it a second time later that evening, when I could really focus. So good that I looked her up in the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Directory and sent her an email with my compliments. I was happy to receive her reply, in which she indicated that she presents this as a live session, as well.

It wasn't that Mrs. Cox offered me my own brick wall ancestor (Oscar) on a silver platter; it was the way she spoke. Naturally, fluidly, comfortably. And it made all the difference. We've all said it, and I’m sure we will say it again: there is nothing worse than having someone “present” by reading their presentation slides like a script. This lesson was filled with entertaining – and real – stories, of a real person; with real life problems. Her challenges included getting around her ancestor’s own lies, and then having to admit to herself that he lied.

I nearly lost a plate.

Creative Commons

When my "lightbulb" went off, I was up to my elbows in bubbly dish water, with a dinner plate mid-scour. It almost hit the floor. Oh my! What if Oscar didn't want his father to be identified?? I have five theories as to who Oscar's father was. Did he hide the truth, did he give a different name, different story, different identity on every record to distance himself from his actual Dad?

Every record that I have been able to identify that Oscar would have had some influence on - his marriage license, his political campaign in the local newspaper, the information given to family members used in his obituary - all contain a different name for his father. I have always assumed (there's that nasty word again!) that I was making a mistake in my research; that I was "not seeing" something. Human error on the part of the clerk. The father's first and middle names were used interchangeably.

I had not once before considered the idea that this could be an intentionally hidden truth.

The questions only continued to expand from there. Was he ashamed of his father, or some other member of his family? Was he, Oscar, in fact the "black sheep?" Was he adopted or illegitimate? I know that one of his sisters, Mary (Brown) Collins, was said to have been "crazy" when she died. Was there more stigma attached to the family that Oscar was running away from?

The simple truth is that when the research becomes so personal, when the challenge drives you to search through record sets until dawn; admitting that the ancestor you seek may have not shared your own values is difficult at best, if not impossible. That is one of the greatest lessons of Mrs. Cox's lesson: you must distance yourself emotionally and think "creatively" to find the answer. I will leave the rest of the lesson for you to discover from the source; as she says it far better than I ever could.

If you watch any webinar or session in the near future (excluding perhaps the live stream of RootsTech 2013, which I’ll be glued to); watch this one. You can bet that if I ever have the chance to see Apryl Cox speak live, I'll be first in line. I hope you'll be there with me.

Speeches Making History

2013-01-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Constitution of the United States
of America.
Photo: Jen Baldwin, 2008.

We just experienced another moment in history. The inauguration of Barack Obama, for the second term, as President of the United States of America.

This morning, I was reminded of the history of all of the Presidents, and the moments in time that have been remembered since, captured in their inaugural speeches. I sat and listened as a community group were lightheartedly quizzed on which speech excerpt belonged to which President. I will take a moment to pat myself on the back; I got all five of them right. (Of course, folks like Lincoln, FDR and JFK were easy to recognize.)

The variety of guesses being contributed reminded me that not everyone enjoys soaking up all these little tidbits of history. My friend sitting next to me even had “that look” on her face (addressed towards me): did you just consume a high school history book? Someone else commented that he “remembered” the speech from George Washington (which got us all laughing, because he’s an older gentleman), then clarified that he had to memorize it during his own secondary education years.

What’s my point?

Presidential speeches are a reflection of that era in our countries history, and an amazing way to put context into the life of our ancestors.

Try it. Look at Lincoln’s speech, in which he directly addresses Civil War and “coming together” as a nation. His first term began in 1861 and his second in 1865… Where were your family members? What was the social climate in their lives? Were they far enough away from the border states to have peace in the early period of his Presidency? Were they right in the middle of the unfolding drama?

Were there other years that made a huge impact on the history of your family? Perhaps you had a ggggrandfather “go west” to Ohio or Missouri in the early 1800s, and that resulted in several generations of now native Ohioans? What was the motivation for the original move? Clues may be waiting for you in the list of speeches.

You can find a complete list of Presidents, their term years and their transcribed speeches on The Avalon Project website, part of the Yale Law School Lillian Goldman Law Library. The page is entitled, “The Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents.”

I will challenge you to go through this exercise, you may learn a thing or two about an ancestor. If nothing else, you will get a chance to read some incredibly well written speeches of the state of the affairs in the United States. Leave a comment, let me know what you discover.

Author at the National Mall, 2008.
Photo Credit: Jeff Baldwin

Everybody’s Talking: All At Once

2013-01-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

Thirteen months and one day ago, I had a conversation with my big brother. I remember it so well because it occurred on Christmas Day, and well, because big brother’s are good at this kind of thing. We were talking about my new “business” which at the time of course, consisted of very little. Ancestral Journeys was very new, in fact, it technically had not even been launched yet. That happened on 1 Jan.

I digress.

Big brother makes the following statement, and I took it to heart:

"Social media isn’t going anywhere. It’s only going to grow. So you can either jump in or be left behind."

I listened. I activated a new Twitter account, grabbed onto Facebook and started exploring Google+. Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr… yes, I dove into them all.

Who knew that thirteen short months later, I would be hosting a Twitter Chat.

Those words had never entered my sphere before, but I now know them so very well. I have learned a great deal from a variety of chats, including #blogchat, #saturdayschool and #lulybchat; but none has ever been as enjoyable as last night’s #genchat.

The idea struck me a couple of months ago, but it was something I knew I could not do alone. I circled the wagons with Terri O’Connell and Stephanie Pitcher Fishman, and we got to work. Last night’s inaugural experience was amazing, and I cannot say thank you to my co-hosts enough, nor can I ever express how truly awesome it was to see so many genealogy folks participate. It was incredible watching the message pass by; everything and everyone coming at you so fast! I’ve seen some chats that really move before, but this was something really special.

I love the comparison of Twitter to a cocktail party. I think its an amazing analogy to explain what Twitter is designed to be. Last night’s cocktail party was absolutely one I will not forget.

Here’s some stats, in case you were interested. (Source: www.hashtracking.com, compiled at 11:15pm MST, 26 Jan 2013. This site produces statistics based on an individual hashtag for the past twenty-four hour period.) The #genchat hash tag produced…

1,146 tweets, which generated…
766,955 impressions, reaching an audience of…
33,560 followers

That’s pretty impressive stuff!

It is an absolute compliment to see tweets such as this…

@familyreflect: “Totally planned my entire evening so I would be home in time for the first #genchat.”

@wakela: “Mind still going a mile a minute after the great #genchat can’t wait until Feb 8th for next one.”

@ddaruth: “Great #genealogy #genchat tweets running in my brain! Lots of great ideas & info for today’s research. nice way to spend a Friday night!”

You can see all the topic specific tweets on Storify. I cut out a few of the jokes. You kinda’ had to be there. Make sure to read all the way through to the end, though, because that’s where all the little hints and goodies for location specific research went.

The next #genchat will occur on Feb 8, 9pm CST, when we will discuss “Your Best 60 Minutes of Research.” The schedule for the entire year is available on Conference Keeper, as well as badges you can download and put on your own blog or website.

So, Big Brother, did you ever think that Little Sister would be doing this when you gave me that fateful advice?

Big Brother playing Santa Claus, with me on his knee.
Many years ago...
Photo: Personal archives of the author.

Taking Notes From the Bible

2013-01-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

I’m finally getting some time to sit down and compare my information to that provided by the Bible of Carrie L. (Brown) Carlyle, which was sent to me earlier this month by Mr. Illinois. If you missed it, you can do a genealogy happy dance with me via this post.

I’m first going to examine the family page that goes back to my second great grandfather, Oscar F. Brown:

Starting at the top of the page, and working my way down.

Family Register
Grandparents

Grandfather (Father’s Side) Date of Birth Date of Death

James Carlyle May 1, 1841 March 27, 1889

Grandmother (Father’s Side) Date of Birth Date of Death

Jane Reid 1840 1881

Grandfather (Mother’s Side Date of Birth Date of Death

Oscar Fitzallan Brown 1831 1906

Grandmother (Mother’s Side) Date of Birth Date of Death

Frances Elizabeth Lawrence July 20, 1853 June 7, 1929

Parents
Nov 12, 1912 Married Orting, Washington
Adam Carlyle (Husband)
Date of Birth: Aug 19, 1874
Place of Birth: Vernon, Osgood, Ontario, Canada
Date of Death: June 26, 1945 Snohomish, Wash. G.A.R. Cemetery, Snohomish
Carrie Louise Brown (Wife)
Date of Birth Oct 3, 1886
Place of Birth: Richland, Nebraska

I am assuming Carrie wrote this in herself. I have samples of her writing from her teenage years through the end of her life, and this writing seems to loosely match her style. The Bible was “presented to” her son, Lawrence Byron Carlyle in 1946, so it would appear that she filled in this information prior to gifting it to him.

Comparing this data with what I already knew…

James Carlyle: I have been able to add his birth date and month, but I knew the year already. I also had the death date correct.
Jane Reid: All I had originally was that she died “after 1895”, which conflicts with the Bible a great deal, but I will use the Bible as my primary information source for now.
Oscar F. Brown: His birth year has been disputed for some time, but we always knew it was around 1831/1832. The Bible gives the earlier date. We knew his death date already.
Frances E. Lawrence: All of the information listed for her we already knew.
Adam Carlyle: I had his birth date as 18 Aug 1876, but the Bible states 19 Aug 1874. The location is the same. We also had his death information and burial location, as well as the marriage date and place between Adam and Carrie.
Carrie Brown: Her birth date was the same, but the location varied slightly. The Bible states Richland, Nebraska, and I had Central City. The two communities are about an hour apart from each other in today’s terms, and the Brown family moved back and forth between them several times, though their homestead was closer to Central City.

The following page lists the Children’s Registry:

Lawrence Byron Carlyle: b. Nov 16, 1913, Orting, Washington
Stuart Brown Caryle: b. Nov 3, 1914, Orting, Washington. “Sgt. U.S. Army; Inducted Sept 1940, Discharged Nov 1945”
Helen Elizabeth Carlyle: b. April 9, 1917, Wauna, Washington (which is just north of Gig Harbor, and makes sense geographically). Married June 27, 1945 in Seattle, Washington to Sgt. Jerry William De Vries. “School teacher for eight years.” All of this information except her birth year, marriage year and the surname of her husband is new to me.
Ruth Louise Carlyle: b. April 10, 1920, Tacoma, Washington. Married to Joseph E. Miller, Seattle, Washington.
Robert Adam Carlyle: b. April 10, 1920, Tacoma, Washington (he and Ruth were twins). “2nd Lieut. U.S. Army, Over 5 yrs in Service, Unknown, Germany, Feb 19, 1945”. From his gravestone, I know he received a Purple Heart for his service, but I did not have information on where he served, nor did I have what I am assuming to be his discharge date.

I have much more to learn from these texts, and this is but a simple comparison between the Bible and my genealogy software.

#GENCHAT is coming! #GENCHAT is coming!

2013-01-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Are you ready? This is going to be good, you do not want to miss out!

The theme for the first #GENCHAT is “Starting your 2013 research in the right way.” Are you ready to learn via the awesome power of Twitter? Here are a few simple steps to make sure you are “good to go.”

If you do not already have a Twitter account, you will need one. It is free, and you can sign up at www.twitter.com. Learn the basics of the system before 25 Jan. There are many great tutorials and other tools to help you. If you can’t figure it out, drop me an email, and I can help you.
Decide if you are going to use a site like TweetDeck, HootSuite, TwitterFall or TweetGrid to follow and participate in the chat. Get into that a couple days in advance, so you can see how to use it before #genchat actually starts.
On the appropriate day and time, log into your preferred site (see #2) and follow the hashtag #genchat. We’ll be there!
Follow the hosts: @cornandcotton, @ancestryjourney and/or @tracingmyfamily.

A few other tips…

It’s great to let other folks know you will be participating, even the hosts! We would love to hear from you before hand.
Re-tweeting during the chat is a great way to show your agreement with a statement, or reinforce an idea that has been expressed.
With many participants, Twitter chats can be lively and fast! Don’t worry if you miss something, we will be putting out summaries and other tools in the days that follow. You can also search for #genchat on Twitter, and get all of the posts using that hashtag.

#GENCHAT is a community event, and we are hoping for interaction from around the globe. If you have something to contribute to the conversation, please do so, but keep in mind that the central idea here is collaboration. We are hoping to learn from each other. We are hoping that although a few prompts may be necessary, the conversation will naturally flow and the chat will turn into a helpful event for all participants.
To put it simply, come ready to learn AND to teach. We can all help each other.

If you have any questions, please email me or comment below.

The full schedule for 2013 is available exclusively on the Conference Keeper website. You can also download a badge to use on your own website or blog and help spread the word about #genchat!

My three focus words for 2013 are Clarification, Collaboration and Courage. #GENCHAT is one way in which I can collaborate with genealogists and family historians around the world, and I'm excited for it to begin. Join us!

Hidden Sources

2013-01-16T15:16:00.002-07:00

This past summer, someone asked me where they could find a list of all the Mayor’s that had served for Breckenridge (Summit County, Colorado). At the time, I didn’t know the answer. I put in a few phone calls, but either no one was home at the time, or they never got back to me.

About a week later, I walked into the Breckenridge Town Hall to talk to the records office dealing with our cemetery papers. In the entryway was this plaque:

How many times had I walked past this? Too many to count. There it was, for all to see, a historical record of our Town Mayors.

What’s the point of this short and simple post? You just never know where your information may come from. Where you might find another clue. At the time I took this photo, I was actively researching three of the men on this list. Not all had been identified in my notes as Mayor.

By the way, in case you need a transcription of the list, there is one at the Summit County, Colorado Trails to the Past website.

Torn and Ragged

2013-01-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

About a week ago, I got the email that every family historian dreams of.

It happened. It really happened.

A man in Illinois (for privacy reasons, I will simply refer to him as Mr. Illinois) had discovered a piece of my history, a piece of my family; one we did not even know was missing. He found it in his Grandmother’s attic, in a trunk, with a few other odd items. No one in his family, not his mother or any of her siblings, had any idea why Grandma possessed these items. No one knew they were there. No one knew that she had held onto them, carefully wrapped, gently placed. How did she obtain them? Why? The answers are still to be discovered, perhaps we’ll never know.

Torn and Ragged
The Bible that originally belong to
Adam and Carrie (Brown) Carlyle of
Orting, Washington.

It came to me torn and ragged. It felt I was living out some kind of alternate space. It all happened so quickly!

You see, Mr. Illinois found part of the answer to his many questions on his search engine. A quick look at the oldest name in the Bible sent him to my blog, to this very site, to me. He realized that he needed to contact me, to find out about Oscar F. Brown. Yes, my Oscar. My most challenging brick wall ancestor. The one I have written about over and over. The one I will continue to write about until some of the mysteries are solved.

(Tell me again that genealogy blogs do not need to utilize search engine optimization! He found me easily and quickly!)

So, that phone call came. A conversation of discovery, matching names, dates and locations. Enough that both of us were satisfied: yes, it’s a match.

What he found in his Grandmother’s attic was a collection. Two Bibles, a letter with photographs, and a photo album of Civil War soldiers; all members of the unique Mississippi Marine Brigade. In one evening, I went from hopeful to elated: the family in Illinois had decided to send me the Bibles. The photo album will be copied professionally, then sent on to the Civil War Museum in Virginia. Where it belongs, because, truly, the collection is a national treasure. It is not just for my family alone. That is very satisfying.

Back to the Bibles. One was property of Carrie (Brown) and Adam Carlyle, my great aunt and uncle. The other belonged to their eldest son. Their descendants are my 2nd cousins, and after a few years of research in their own right, they have passed on their own family collection of letters, photos and other heirlooms to me. I have referred to this vast collection before, and have coined it, "The Carlyle Collection." The decision was made that I should receive the treasure, and that I did.

Surprisingly, Mr. Illinois sent it rather quickly, in a simple U.S. Post Office box. He had either had it long enough that his curiosity was sedated or was ready to get rid of them. Either way, within a week, they were sitting on my dining room table. It is not lost on me that the table belonged to my own Grandparents originally, and here I am, using its surface to photograph the penmanship of Grandpa’s aunt. Oh, how the wheel of life turns…

I am sure that future posts will detail all I learn from these precious gifts. For now, it is enough to say that my family is incredibly grateful to another family in Illinois. We have regained a piece of us; we have been able to connect with another part of us that makes us who we are. For that, Mr. Illinois, I will never forget you.

Both Bibles, side by side.

The inside cover of the oldest Bible, belonging
to Carrie (Brown) and Adam Carlyle. The writing
lists the lineage of Adam.
The copyright is 1895.

The In-Depth Genealogist Announces Changes for 2013

2013-01-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

Contact: Jen Baldwin, Director of Operations
The In-Depth Genealogist
jen@theindepthgenealogists.com

For Immediate Release

PRESS RELEASE

The In-Depth Genealogist Announces Changes for 2013

New Leadership Structure and Digital Format Included

January 12, 2013: The team at The In-Depth Genealogist is excited for a year of growth and new ventures in 2013. After an incredible first year of operation, we will begin the New Year in style.

As of 11 Jan 2013, the In-Depth Genealogist website will have a new, updated look. We are also happy to announce a series of new contributors and columns:

· Andrea Johnson Becker, Twisted Roots
Dr. James Ryan, Irish Research
Shannon Combs Bennett, all things tech! and “The Society Pages”
Gena Philibert Ortega, “Remembering the Ladies: Researching Your Female Ancestors”
Julie Goucher, “Across the Pond” Research in the United Kingdom

Additionally, Jen Baldwin, a regular contributor and blogger, will be stepping into the role of Director of Operations. Terri O’Connell will hold the role of Executive Director and Stephanie Pitcher Fishman will continue as the Creative Director.

Beginning in February, the digital magazine will be launched, providing easier reading formats for all of our user’s, whether on a standard computer, eReader or tablet or smart phone.

For more information or for interviews, please contact Jen Baldwin.

Grandfather (Father’s Side)	Date of Birth	Date of Death
James Carlyle	May 1, 1841	March 27, 1889
Grandmother (Father’s Side)	Date of Birth	Date of Death
Jane Reid	1840	1881
Grandfather (Mother’s Side	Date of Birth	Date of Death
Oscar Fitzallan Brown	1831	1906
Grandmother (Mother’s Side)	Date of Birth	Date of Death
Frances Elizabeth Lawrence	July 20, 1853	June 7, 1929