Two More Carnivals Posted

In the past week, two favorite carnivals by two geneablogging friends have been posted.

My apologies to footnoteMaven for not highlighting her brand new "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival when it first was published last Sunday, May 11th. If you haven't heard, the Maven has a new blog, Shades of the Departed, in which she merges her love of genealogy, history and photography. In the "Smile" carnival, she invites other bloggers to share their personal photos centered around a specific theme. In honor of Mother's Day, her first edition of the carnival had the theme "Mother Love" or "Love of Mother." My submission is here.

The 2nd edition will feature "Belles and Beaus":

The 2nd Edition of Smile For The Camera takes its word prompts from the romance and weddings of the month of June. So, show us your belles and beaus. Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that shows a memorable wedding, courting/dating, or a photograph depicting young/old love.

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for the submission is midnight, 10 June 2008. You can submit your post here.

Yesterday, Jasia of Creative Gene published the 48th Carnival of Genealogy, whose topic was "Mom, How'd You Get So Smart?" In honor of Mother's Day and National Teacher Month, bloggers explored their mother's education, whether formal or informal. Twenty-three bloggers wrote 25 posts about their mothers, mothers-in-law, or as in my case, I invited my mother to write her own educational memories.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Swimsuit Edition! Why should Sports Illustrated have all the fun? This is your chance to show off the bathing beauties in your family. Pull out the old photos of Grandma Moses in her seaside bloomers, Auntie Mae in her pin-up girl suit from the 1940s or 50s, cousin Paula in her psychedelic bikini from the 1970s, or even yourself in your Speedo! Let's have some fun here! Memorial Weekend is knocking on the door and that means the start of the summer sun, sand, and seaside season so let's get in the mood with summer fun photos. What? You don't have any swimsuit photos you dare to share? No problem! Tell us your best family beach stories instead! The deadline for submissions is June 1st.

Thanks to the members of the ScanFest crew who suggested the Swimsuit Edition topic!

Happy Syttende Mai

In honor of my husband's and children's Norwegian ancestry, Happy Syttende Mai (sit-TEN-day MY)!

3D Flags

Fellow Washington State geneablogger Chery of Nordic Blue has a post about the significance of Syytende Mai. I always enjoy reading Chery's blog to gain an understanding of the culture of Norwegian immigrants in the United States' Midwest in the 19th century.

The Next Scanfest is in Two Days!

This time of year everything speeds up. It's part and parcel for school district employees as well as parents of school-age children and teens. I happen to fit both categories. Thirty hours' worth of work, school, housework, and errands seem to be squeezed into each twenty-four-hour period. Add to the mix holidays and celebrations like Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day and graduations, and things really start getting busy!

Which is how the next Scanfest has snuck up on me. In May, it's held one week early because many of us are out of town or busy with family over Memorial Day weekend. SO...if you haven't already made plans for this Sunday the 18th, please join me and the other die-hard Scanfesters from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pacific Daylight Time on Windows Live Messenger:

To join us, you'll need a Hotmail or Gmail account, and Windows Live Messenger downloaded to your computer (Mac users go here to download Microsoft Messenger for Mac). Although WLM states that it is compatible with Yahoo! e-mail accounts, we have had difficulty adding Yahoo! users to our chat conversation. If you don't have a Hotmail or Gmail account, it's very easy (and free) to set one up. Just go to the links in the first sentence of this paragraph. Once you have gotten set up, send me an e-mail (my address is found on this page) and I'll add you to our chat list. You'll receive an invitation message from me at my Hotmail address, which will be sent to the e-mail account that you've set up for Messenger (Hotmail or Gmail), and then you will need to verify that I can add you as a contact.

The second thing you need to do to prepare for scanning is go to Sally's website here and sign up for her free e-mail newsletter. This will then allow you to download her helpful information called 8 Blunders People Make When They Scan Photographs...and How You Can Avoid Them All. Then you will know how to set your scanner correctly to enable you to scan your items without damaging the originals or compromising the digital images you create.

As always, we had an enjoyable time last month. Our group consisted of long-time genea-blogger but first-time Scanfester Steve Danko, as well as Bonnie, Colleen, Donna, Sheri, Craig, John, Renee, and Apple. As you can see, we have a couple of non-bloggers, too; all are welcome! We invite all those who are interested in preserving their family's history to join us on Sunday.

Hellotree

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by John Goodall, CEO and co-founder of www.hellotree.com. Hellotree is "a free family network for sharing photos and building ...collaborative family tree[s]." It "allows you to invite family members, watch your tree grow across geographies and generations and stay in touch."

I've been so busy lately, I really haven't had time to try this out; however, I thought some of my readers may be interested, and perhaps a fellow geneablogger may wish to write a review. Maybe this summer when my time gets freed up, I can play with it a bit more.

Family Tree Stands Above the Competition

I received the following e-mail today:

Dear Fellow Genealogist,

This week an article was published in the UK newspaper Daily Mail, quoting Ancestors Magazine, under the title: "£200-a-time ancestral DNA test kits are a rip off, say experts", by Andrew Levy.

The article was based on tests by the following companies: Oxford Ancestors, Ancestry DNA, and International Biosciences.

Family Tree DNA was not contacted for testing purposes, nor mentioned in that article. Having tested over 350,000 individuals (over 100,000 of our direct customers and 250,000 participants in National Geographic's Genographic Project) we could supply anyone who asks us with thousands of examples that prove the opposite of what the article stated.

Unfortunately, the journalist's conclusion is based on opportunist companies who noted our success and jumped into Genetic Genealogy to get a piece of it, but who did not have the science or the database that would allow for a serious work. Again, note that Family Tree DNA was NOT one of the companies that the journalist approached.

About 2 years ago, Oxford Ancestors announced to the world that they found a descendant of Genghis Khan living in Florida - a Caucasian accountant. Family Tree DNA proved that Oxford Ancestors was wrong. Tom Robinson, the person in question, recounts the entire story in his blog at http://trrobinson.com/2006/06/16/genghis-khan-or-not--that-is-the-question.aspx#comment-56635. The Associated Press later distributed the news: "Robinson, an associate accounting professor at the University of Miami, canceled a planned trip to Mongolia after learning of the new results. He said he never sought publicity on his ancestry. “The results that Family Tree DNA gave me are pretty conclusive,” he said. “I’m certainly not going to look for any more tests on Genghis Khan.” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13467247/)

Family Tree DNA is proud to have the largest database of its kind in the world (more than all other companies combined), to adhere to the best science in the field, and to be the expert source for journalists from the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, among others. National Geographic would not tarnish their century-old reputation by partnering with us.

That article, in the end, demonstrates the following:

- While Family Tree DNA prices are in line with other companies, price is not the only thing that matters when choosing a DNA testing company

- Science and database size are important factors when choosing a testing company

You are welcome to share this e-mail with whomever you feel necessary, and we make ourselves available to anyone with questions about our work.

E-mail me anytime!

Max Blankfeld
Vice-President, Operations and Marketing
http://www.FamilyTreeDNA.com
"History Unearthed Daily"
max@familytreedna.com
713-868-1438

A Civil War Soldier: Cpl. Levi E. McCLELLAN (c. 1823 - bef. 1890)

How Related: My 4th-great-grandfather

Born: c. 1823 in New York

Parents: unknown

Siblings: possibly include William J. McClellan (1822 - 1881) who also served in the same company and regiment

Married: by 1854 to Clarissa CLEVELAND (b. c. 1832 - d. c. 1870); married c. 1870 to Mary C. [--?--] MILLER COREY (b. c. 1831)

Children: known children include: William (b. c. 1855), Cornelia (1856 - 1916) - my ancestor, and Edmund McCLELLAN (b. c. 1863) - all apparently with first wife Clarissa; Ira McCLELLAN (b. c. 1870), a son with wife Mary; and stepchildren Martha A. MILLER (b. c. 1864) and Georg A. COREY (b. c. 1866), children of Mary

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Source: Civil War Pension Index Card of Levi E. McLallin. Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900. National Archives and Records Administration. Publication T289. Digital image purchased at Footnote [http://www.footnote.com/].

Enlisted: 24 October 1862 in St. Clair, St. Clair Co., Michigan; private. Enlisted 11 November 1862 in Co. C, 27th Michigan Infantry. Promoted to full corporal 18 July 1863.

Side served: Union

Discharged: due to disability on 21 January 1865 at Petersburg, Virginia

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Biography or Information of Interest: This man has been very difficult to research because McCLELLAN can be spelled so many different ways, and when I've found them on censuses, all the names and ages of the children are always a bit "off." He is a recently discovered ancestor, so I have a lot to learn about him, and he and his family have provided me with many research challenges. Levi served in same company as William J. McCLELLAN, who may have been his brother. He also served in the same regiment (but different company) as William Lee MASSEY. Levi's great-grandaughter, Mary Jane BARBER, married William's great-grand-nephew, Howard Merkel YORK 45 years after the end of the Civil War. They were my great-grandparents. Levi's daughter, Cornelia, was married to two different Civil War veterans, who have already been listed in this series: Sylvester FREDENBURG and Washington Foster JUDD.

Died: between 1880 and 1890 (Levi's widow, Mary, appears on the 1890 Civil War Veterans Census), possibly in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, as that is where he was living in 1880

Buried: unknown; unable to locate grave

A Civil War Soldier: Pvt. William Lee MASSEY (1828 - 1864)

How Related: Brother of my 4th-great-grandmother, Catherine MASSEY

Born: 11 November 1828 in Greece, Monroe Co., New York

Parents: Joseph P. MASSEY (1786 - 1858) and Susanna LEDDYCK (d. 1878)

Siblings: My ancestor Catherine (1812 - 1882), Sarah (1814 - 1896), Mary "Polly" (b. 1822), and Rebecca MASSEY (1824 - 1905)

Married: Susan Elizabeth FOX (1837 - 1906) on 1 January 1854 in Greenbush Twp., Clinton Co., Michigan

Children: William Henry (1856 - 1934), James Marion (1858 - 1943), Charles Benjamin (1859 - 1934), and Mary Ellen MASSEY (1863 - 1921).

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Source: Civil War Pension Index Card of William L. Massey. Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900. National Archives and Records Administration. Publication T289. Digital image purchased at Footnote [http://www.footnote.com/].

Enlisted: 30 November 1863 at Bingham Twp., Clinton Co., Michigan; private. Enlisted in Co. I, 27th Michigan Infantry on 29 December 1863.

Side served: Union

Discharged: died while in service

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Biography or Information of Interest: Here's another veteran I know very little about, other than he was the younger brother of my 4th-great-grandmother. The Massey family is my one line that hails from south of the Mason-Dixon line, in Maryland. After arriving in Queen Anne County in the mid-1600s, the family remained in the area for seven generations, before William's father Joseph P. MASSEY, relocated to New York by 1810.

Died: of disease on 27 May 1864 in Harewood Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Source: Tombstone of W.L. Massey, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington Co., Virginia. Digital photograph. 2006. Photographed by Find A Grave photo volunteer "Hope".

Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington Co., Virginia

Edits and Updates

As I play catch-up from my break from blogging, I wanted to let you know of some edits and updates I've made to some of my recent posts:

1) I found that I had some scanned photos of most of the schools my mother attended as well as some snapshots and portraits of her during those years to illustrate each post in the series she wrote about her school years for the 48th Carnival of Genealogy. I especially love her Kindergarten portrait; she looks like the little tomboy I'm sure she was, and can't you just see her telling her mother about the infamous Purple Hairbrush?! ;-)

2) I have posted the next three biographical sketches of the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors in my husband's and my family trees. I "cheated" and adjusted the post dates so that they will appear on the dates they were originally slated to be posted, even though I wasn't blogging much that week. The posts are of the three Kimball brothers, Benjamin, David, and William.

3) I'd like to publicly thank Jason Felton, a photograph volunteer from Find A Grave, who took the time to go to Maple Grove Cemetery in Fremont, Michigan and photograph the impressive tombstone of my 3rd-great-grandfather, Benjamin Henry Kimball. I had requested this some time ago, and Jason's act of kindness was very timely, allowing me to post the photo on Benjamin's biographical sketch for my Civil War Soldiers and Sailors series.

4) I'd also like to publicly thank Donald Ladd, another Find A Grave photo volunteer, who recently photographed the grave of my 4th-great-grandfather, Ezra Dickinson, another soldier in my Civil War series. I've just added that photo to Ezra's biographical sketch.

5) If you've clicked on any of the links to the histories of the units of my Civil War Soldiers and Sailors for those sketches posted before April 30th, you'll notice that you can no longer view them. I had unwittingly linked to a subscription Civil War website that was offering a trial free-access period during the month of April, and they are no longer available to view for free. The National Parks Service's Civil War Soldiers and Sailors website has free information on the histories of the military units. I'll be changing the links over as time allows.

"School Years: Part III" by Faith L. Robbins

Written by guest blogger, Faith L. (Valk) Robbins (my mother) for the 48th Carnival of Genealogy, "Mom, How'd You Get So Smart?":

Source: Creston High School, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photograph. C. 1960. Original in the possession of Faith Valk Robbins, Colville, Washington. 2008.

In September, 1960, I entered Creston High School with a student body of nearly 2000 whereas the student body of Riverside Junior High was less than one-third of its size. Everything seemed very confusing to me and my classes were hard, especially geometry. Beth was in my homeroom only (its duration was a mere few minutes) and soon had another best friend. In spite of that, two great things happened that year: I received all A's in gym class merely for suiting up and fulfilling my quota of showers (I was not athletically inclined), and I joined the school choir led by Frank Goodwin. The rules were strict: among them, three dismissals (for not listening, talking, etc.) and you were counted out for the rest of the semester. But he taught us to believe in ourselves. Number one, you are the best! Number two, if you make a mistake, act as if everything is okay. And three, if someone compliments you and you know you messed up, just say thank you. After all, you don't want to be impolite and contradict them.

My junior year went much better and I started to make new friends. Then came my senior year and it turned out to be awesome! Beginning the summer of 1961, my family and I went camping near Hart, Michigan to a campground named Silver Lake. I met a young handsome man named Bryan Robbins who was out there camping with his family. (The evening we met happened to be my seventeenth birthday). He asked me to go out in his boat with him the next day which I did and then we walked for several hours over the sand dunes getting acquainted. We shared our views on the political scene and world events. He asked for my address that afternoon just before our family headed for home.

My studies went very well that year, thanks to my physiology teacher--and sponsor of the Senior Honor Society--named Evelyn Ostrander who showed movies to us about study habits for a few weeks before we finally settled down to the subject at hand. That year, I finally made the honor roll which made my parents and myself more than happy. Then there were dates with Bryan every so often and his phone calls. He would turn out to be the love of my life and my future husband.

Source: Senior Portrait of Faith L. Valk. Digitally restored photograph. 1961 - 1962. Digital image in the possession of Miriam Robbins Midkiff, Spokane, Washington. 2008.

I graduated number 48 in a class of 360 and made plans to attend Grand Rapids Junior College now called G.R. Community College. I would graduate with an Associate of Arts in 1964 and go on to enter what is now called Cornerstone University for one year. My husband and I were married in June 1965. Therefore is the saga of my school years ended.

School Years: Part I
School Years: Part II

Note from Miriam: Although her step-father attended the University of Michigan, my mother was the first generation in either her mother's or her biological father's direct lines to attend college and obtain a degree. As her biological father had an eighth-grade education, she was also the first generation in her father's direct line to attend and graduate from high school.

Both my parents have been--what we call in the education world--life-long learners, and they shared their love of learning with my siblings and me. Our home was always filled with books and music and they set the example for us by always learning new skills. History, art, geography, and science, as well as my heritage and culture, were taught in everyday, ordinary situations. In many ways, they prepared me for my avocation in genealogy.

One of these times, I'll ask my father to be a guest blogger as well. I know you'll enjoy his stories as much as you've enjoyed my mother's.

A Civil War Soldier: Sgt. Daniel J. MacARTHUR (1827 - 1919)

How Related: My 3rd-great-grandfather

Born: 7 June 1827 in Glengarry Co., Ontario, Canada

Parents: Donald MacARTHUR (d. bef. 1842) and Catherine Anne "Nancy" MUNRO (dates unknown)

Siblings: Arthur "Duncan" (b. 1818), and sister Jesse D. MacARTHUR (1822 - c. 1903)

Source: MacArthur, Daniel J. and Martha Johnson. Photograph. C. 1863. Original photograph believed to be in the possession of Nancy Masten Peugh, Manton, Michigan. 1999.

Married: 27 February 1863 to Martha JOHNSON (1844 - 1897), probably in Montcalm Co., Michigan

Children: Henry A. (1865 - 1944), Daniel Thomas (1867 - 1945), Catherine A. "Kate" (1869 - 1956), George Clinton "Clint" (1871 - 1936), my ancestor Mary E. "Mae" (1875 - 1959), William Edward "Will" (1880 -1873), and Arlie Mae (1884 - 1971)

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Enlisted: 17 December 1861 at Evergreen, Michigan in Co. I, 1st Sharpshooter's (Bergan's) Regiment, U.S. Volunteers; private. Charge of desertion. Enlisted again in same company on 4 March 1862.

Side served: Union

Discharged: see biographical information, below

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Source: Four generations of M(a)cArthurs. Photograph. C. 1917. Original photograph believed to be in the possession of Nancy Masten Peugh, Manton, Michigan. 1999.

Biography or Information of Interest: In the photograph above, Daniel is seated with his great-granddaughter, believed to be Katherine L. YORK. Her father, Daniel's grandson, Ernest Lee YORK is standing on the left. Ernest's mother, Daniel's daughter, Mary E. "Mae" (McARTHUR) YORK RANDELL is standing in the back. Mae is also my 2nd-great-grandmother. See my Wordless Wednesday follow-up post about Daniel here for more information about his life and military experience.

Died: 10 March 1919 in Oxford Twp., Oakland Co., Michigan

Buried: Hill (Danley) Cemetery, Fulton Twp., Gratiot Co., Michigan