Road trips may breakdown roadblocks

           As researchers run into road blocks finding limited resources online or microfilms available at family history centers, the need arises to find information available locally where ancestors lived.

            How to do this?  County historical societies and local libraries can be great resources.  Often they provide information for a small fee.  Another resource would be a local funeral home, but which one?

 
            A fun and interesting way to defeat roadblocks is the road trip.

 

             Do your homework before you go.

             Know where the county courthouses are, their hours and fees.  Are their records microfilmed or do you need to go through old books.  Don’t forget supplies and keeping a careful record of completed searches.  Not only have a list of the names you are seeking information about, but of inlaws or other possibly related families.  Your specific ancestor may not appear in the records, but her husband’s brother might and that information may lead to more clues.

             Know where public libraries are and especially what potential resources they may have.  On a road trip to Illinois, we planned to visit a cemetery, but we were faced with rain.  Our alternate use of time was visiting a local library.  Their genealogical section included local records that helped fill in information gaps.

             Contact county historical societies.  These will often be able to assist in locating obscure  cemeteries and burial grounds.  Generally those involved with historical societies have a passion for local history and love to share the pride they have in their community.

             Armed with a plan of where you want to visit, don’t forget to talk with people.  Someone might know someone who remembers the family.  This form of networking might provide you that little piece of information that will open new vistas. 

 

            Visiting a cemetery in Buel, New York was difficult.  Family records spoke of Buel, but New York’s automobile association had great difficulty finding this no longer existing area.  Finally, we learned it was up a hill near Canojaharie.  We nearly missed the cemetery as most of the stones were no longer upright and it was located in a very tree shaded spot.  After walking this small cemetery, we noticed a gentleman by a garage across the road, spoke with him and learned that he had possession of a cemetery listing—something we likely wouldn’t have found without talking.

             Sometimes as we visit these areas we sense a little of the lives of ancestors and new ideas impress us of who they were and how we might better identify them.

 

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Brickwalls to Ancestry Organizations

An acquaintance recently presented a brickwall problem.  She wanted to join an organization similar to the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) or Colonial Dames.  These organizations want proof of relationships; some kind of document tying each generation to the preceding one.

As she did her research, she found that her second great grandfather and his wife had both died at relatively young ages.  He was listed with his parents in the 1850 census and then with his wife and two children in the 1860 census.  By the 1870 census the two children from the 1860 census and what appear to be two additional children are found in the grandparents’ household and no record can be found for the parents.

The dilemma is proving that one of the two additional children found in 1870—one being her great grandfather—was a son.  Currently, the evidence is circumstantial.

Possible solutions to this brickwall would be to find the father’s will and determine if the child is mentioned.  Another possibility is to find guardianship papers likely indicating the grandfather as the guardian of the four grandchildren, children of his deceased son.  A record like this would actually prove two generations:  children to father and father to grandfather.

If these records aren’t available, tying the siblings together could help prove the two younger were children of the same parents.  An obituary for one of the older children might provide information such as, “survived by brother George of Missouri.”  An obituary might list that he was the child of John, who died when he was only 6.  Another possiblity would be to find an obituary of the father's brothers or sisters to see if any mention is made of him.

 



 





This obituary lists both his father and what apparently is his maternal grandfather's name as well.  The balance of the obituary lists that he was survived by his mother as well as things he accomplished in his life.   This obituary would have broken a brick wall.

Some marriage records provide the names of parents, but that would be a rare, but choice find.

Never give up, but keep pursuing information about the generations involved.  Some random bit of information might tie the generations together.

Marriage Records

Marriage records are considered a good source of information—good meaning accurate--and can often break brickwalls.  Marriage records include certificates, indexes, Bible records, and announcements.

In Bullitt County, Kentucky, old marriage records often indicate the bride’s father’s name.  This is a great way to connect generations.  Many states have marriage indexes online which are helpful, including Illinois and Minnesota.  To determine if other states have records online search by state name and then “marriage records”.

Illinois:  http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/marriage.html

LICHTY, ELIAS D

RODERICK, CORA E

1876-12-21

CARROLL

This entry yields the groom’s name, bride’s name, and date and county of marriage.  Not always, but often, marriages occur in the area where the families live so researching the 1870 census for Carroll County could yield Cora or Elias’ family.  This marriage index may be searched by the bride’s name, the groom’s name and the search may be narrowed by county.

Minnesota:

http://www.mncounty.com/Modules/Certificates/Marriage/Default.aspx

WINONA

BRAPRRCOUEL

6/6/1873

BRAITHWAIT, PRESTON R

COULTER, ELIZABETH

Minnesota’s system is similar and provides an easy search as well.  This is only an index.  The actual certificate may be worth ordering to identify other information.

For example, Ontario Canada records found on Ancestry.com include parents names, places of birth, ages, and witnesses.  Witnesses are often relatives.  An extraction of one record follows:

                  Ontario, Registration District:  Simcoe  Division:  Vespra

          His name:  Alonzo Cornelius Knapp, 20, residence Vespra, born Waterloo, bachelor, farmer, parents, John and Hannah Matilda Knapp.

          Her name:  Mary Ann Richards, 18, residence Vespra, born England, spinster, parents:  James and Sarah Richards.
          Witnesses:  John Wesley Orchard of Vespra
                                Eliza Jane Parkhouse of Vespra
           Date and Place of marriage:  31 August 1876 at Vespra, Ontario
           Religious denomination of the groom:  Baptist
          Religious denomination of the bride:  Church of England
          Married by whom:  James McFarlane M Minister

          Marriage records are key sources to help build family relationships and should be included in family history searching.

                  

Canadian Census Records

Canadian census records began in 1851.  Enumerated were the entire family including ages, religion, place of birth, gender, etc.

The census was taken every ten years, 1861, 1871, etc.  One unique feature of the 1901 census was the inclusion of full birthdates.  But remember, it is only as accurate as the person who provided the information.  Ontario has a great birth record collection found on Ancestry.com and this can confirm or dispute a birth date found in a census.

If you want the 1861 census for Prince Edward Island, you won’t find it.  Prince Edward Island didn’t join Canada until 1873 so 1881 is the first year it was included in the Canadian census.  The area including the present day province of Manitoba and west were known as the Northwest Territories and entered the Canadian union in 1870.  As a consequence some census records should be available in 1871.  Gradually, provinces were formed and ultimately absorbed more territory leaving the area currently known as the Northwest Territory.

My opinion is that few U.S. citizens are as familiar with the Canadian provinces as Canadians seem to be of US states.

The following list is a guideline to aid in Canadian research.  It may help to answer the question, “When my family went west, was it to a province?”

According to Wikipedia four provinces entered the Canadian confederation July 1, 1867:  Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.  Manitoba joined July 15, 1870, British Columbia July 20, 1871, Prince Edward Island July 1, 1873, Saskatchewan and Alberta September 1, 1905 and Newfoundland and Labrador March 31, 1949.  Keep these dates in mind to avoid frustration when beginning a census search.

http://www.censusfinder.com/canada-census-records.htm is a good source for searching the Canadian census or at least its indexes.

Invitation

I’ve introduced some of the basic sources of family history or genealogy research in the United States, and will continue to add descriptions of possible sources; however, it is my goal to be of actual help.

Consequently, if anyone faces a brickwall, please comment on the blog so that I can attempt to address that challenge.

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Where has the 1890 US Census gone?

While the United States has taken a census every ten years since 1790, the 1890 census is missing.  In 1921 a fire destroyed a part of the census and water and smoke damaged most of the remainder. 

This leaves a twenty (20) year gap, almost a generation, a different brickwall.  There are several ways to fill in some of this “gap time.”  One approach is searching state census records. 

For example, Kansas took a state census every ten years beginning in 1865 and ending in 1925.  These would provide two opportunities to fill in the “gap years.”  Other states that offer state census records for this period include Minnesota, Iowa, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, Oregon, Indiana, Washington and Wisconsin.

State and territorial census are available both earlier and later.  Researchers can search the internet for the states needed to see what is available.

Where Has My Family Gone?

One of the frustrations researchers face is not finding family in the census when they absolutely should be there.

Breath deeply and don’t worry. 

Think of alternative spellings for the surname.  How might a census taker have misspelled the surname.  For example, Henry Yanowine of the 1850 census became Henry Yenowine in the 1860 census.  I found no Henry Yenowine in 1870, but a P H Yenowine in the 1870.  The Y of the 1870 session looked similar to the cursive letter G.

Search surname with approximate birth year.   For example, when I couldn’t locate Henry Yenowine in the 1870 census, I could have searched for a male “Yenowine” born about 1835.

Search for other family members.  Often family moved in tandem so finding a sibling might lead to the family your seeking.

Search a different census year.  If these tricks don’t yield your ancestor, look for him or her in the census ten years later.  The missing census could have been such poor quality that it was impossible to read.  The family could have simply been missed in the census.