Last night, Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings put forth the following challenge for Saturday Night Genealogical Fun:
1) List your 16 great-great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places.
2) Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them.
3) Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each (obviously, this is approximate).
4) If you don't know all 16 of your great-great-grandparents, then do it for the last full generation you have.
5) Write your own blog post, or make a comment on Facebook or in this post.
Here goes:
16. Angelo Merrick ROBBINS, Sr. - born 24 Feb 1874 in Southbrook Twp., Cottonwood Co., Minesota; married 23 Nov 1892 in Hesperia, Denver Twp., Newaygo Co., Michigan; died 16 Jul 1923 in Muskegon, Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)
17. Mary May KIMBALL (a.k.a. Lula WEAVER as she was "adopted" [raised] by her maternal aunt and her husband) - born 27 Mar 1873 in Newaygo Co., Michigan (probably in Hesperia); died 27 Dec 1950 in Fruitport Twp., Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)
18. George Emmett LEWIS - born 10 Dec 1868 in St. Johns, Clinton Co., Michigan; married 31 Dec 1891 in Muskegon, Muskegon Co., Michigan; died 16 May 1964 in Whitehall, Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)
19. Mary J. WILKINSON - born 17 Apr 1872 in Port Hope, Northumberland (now Durham) Co., Ontario; died 25 Oct 1940 in Muskegon Heights, Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)
20. James L. YORK - born 7 Oct 1867 in Goodrich, Genesee Co., Michigan; married 3 Jul 1893 in St. Johns, Clinton Co., Michigan; died 15 Sep 1933 in Lake Orion, Oakland Co., Michigan. (English)
21. Mary E. "Mae" McARTHUR - born 18 Jan 1875 in Washington Twp., Gratiot Co., Michigan; died 16 Oct 1959 in Alma, Gratiot Co., Michigan. (half Scots, half English)
22. Orlando BARBER - born 22 Mar 1864 in Ontario (probably Owen Sound, Grey Co.); married 31 Mar 1894 in Lapeer, Lapeer Co., Michigan; died 16 Dec 1910 in Lapeer, Lapeer Co., Michigan. (English)
23. Mary Jane FREDENBURG - born 30 Nov 1875 in Chesterfield Twp., Macomb Co., Michigan; died 27 Aug 1962 in Lapeer, Lapeer Co., Michigan. (English)
24. Tjamme Wiegers "James" VALK - born 24 Jun 1860 in Ferwerderadeel Municipality, Friesland, the Netherlands (probably in the village of Marrum); married 21 Jun 1882 in Rock Island Co., Illinois (probably in the city of Rock Island); died 15 May 1922 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (Frisian)
25. Berber J. "Barbara" DeJONG - born 9 Apr 1858 in the Netherlands (possibly in the province of Groningen); died 1 Jun 1934 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (probably Frisian)
26. Geert Aukes "George" TUINSTRA - born 20 Jan 1851 in Franeker, Friesland, the Netherlands; married 6 Nov 1884 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan; died 14 Sep 1928 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (Frisian)
27. Doetje "Dorothy" WIERSMA - born 1 Mar 1854 in Wonseradeel Municipality, Friesland, the Netherlands; died 5 Dec 1916 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (Frisian)
28. Martin HOEKSTRA - born 13 Aug 1868 in Holland, Ottawa Co., Michigan; married 27 Nov 1886 in Holland, Ottawa Co., Michigan; died 12 Dec 1944 in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan. (half Frisian, half Dutch)
29. Janna "Jennie" TON - born 23 Aug 1867 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio; died 11 Dec 1943 in Allegan, Allegan Co., Michigan. (Dutch)
30. Charles Frisbie STRONG - born 12 Jul 1852 in the Town of Candor, Tioga Co., New York; married 1873 in the Town of Candor, Tioga Co., New York; died 11 Apr 1921 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon. (English)
31. Mary Lucy WRIGHT - born 22 Feb 1859 in Tioga Co., New York (probably in the Town of Newark); died 14 Sep 1946 in Stanwood, Snohomish Co., Washington. (English)
There you have it: five of my eight great-great-grandmothers were named Mary; two of my great-great-grandfathers were named George, and another two named James. Although not obvious from some of their birth, marriage, and death places, every one of these individuals lived for a major part of their lives in the state of Michigan, as did each of their descendants that I descend from, through my parents' generation.
Using the information here, I can determine that I am 59.375% English, 23.125% Frisian, 3.125% Dutch, and 3.125% Scots. However, I do know that some of the English represented here is actually mixed with a lot of Dutch and Scots, plus a little French. Some of the English and Frisian represented here also has some German as well. I know of no other ancestry; all my heritage appears to come from the British Isles and Western Europe.
Showing posts with label Saturday Night Fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saturday Night Fun. Show all posts
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday Night Fun - Finding FHL Resources
Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings has put forth his weekly challenge, Saturday Night Fun. Tonight's focus is on the resources at the Family History Library and its online catalog. Very timely, as I spent all morning at my local Family History Center (a branch library of the main one in Salt Lake City), giving two presentations for their Family Trees and Ancestories Conference. I usually visit my local Family History Center several times a month, either to do my own research, or to do lookups for others through requests made through the Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness website. The following are Randy's step-by-step procedures with my answers:
Here is the "assignment" for tonight's SNGF:
1. Identify one "elusive ancestor" family (perhaps one you just found, or one you've not found any information about), and the county/state that they resided in. Tell us the family name and the county/state. One of my elusive ancestors (and the topic of my April Brickwall post) is Nelson H. PECK (c. 1819 - 1849) who probably died in Coudersport, Potter Co., Pennsylvania. I found his date of death listed in the Potter County Historical Society's archives of transcribed newspaper extractions. There were no citations listed for the newspaper's name, date, or page number.
2. Go to the FHL Catalog, find the resources for that county/state. The Family History Library Catalog has resources for Potter County here and resources for Coudersport here. Since Pennsylvania did not require the keeping of birth and death records until 1906 and marriage records in 1885, the vital records the FHL filmed will not be of use to me. I'll have to rely on land and perhaps court records to find useful information that might lead me back another generation.
3. Identify at least three items from the FHL Catalog that you need to look into in an effort to further your knowledge about that family's history. Tell us about them. One set of records that may be of help to me is the Orphans' court docket, 1836-1855. Even though Nelson's daughter, my 3rd-great-grandmother, Viola Gertrude PECK, was not truly an orphan when her father died, because her mother, Lura Ann JACKSON PECK, was still alive, there is a possibility that some sort of record could be listed for her.
Another possibility is Cemetery records, 1756-1973. Perhaps Nelson's burial place is listed, with other PECK family members buried nearby to give me some ideas of possible relatives. There are a lot of PECKs in this county; I just have no clue how they're related.
A third set of records would be the deeds for Potter County, which might show that Nelson purchased or inherited land from family members, or that it was sold or given to family members after his death.
One last set of possible helpful records would be the Registers docket, 1836-1908. Although these wouldn't probably give me direct information and original documents, they might lead me to any probate records Nelson had. The FHL didn't microfilm them, so I'll have to research where they're archived.
4. Do you know where your nearest Family History Center is? If not, go here and look for it. Tell us where it is. Yes. As mentioned before, I frequent it regularly. It is the North Spokane Stake FHC. We have three others in this county, and I've been to two of them.
5. Are you willing to make a commitment to go to the FHC and rent microfilms in order to pursue that elusive ancestral family? If so, tell us about your commitment. I'm currently researching another brickwall line, and hope to get to Nelson later this year. He's one of my lines I'm working on breaking down as a goal for this year.
Here is the "assignment" for tonight's SNGF:
1. Identify one "elusive ancestor" family (perhaps one you just found, or one you've not found any information about), and the county/state that they resided in. Tell us the family name and the county/state. One of my elusive ancestors (and the topic of my April Brickwall post) is Nelson H. PECK (c. 1819 - 1849) who probably died in Coudersport, Potter Co., Pennsylvania. I found his date of death listed in the Potter County Historical Society's archives of transcribed newspaper extractions. There were no citations listed for the newspaper's name, date, or page number.
2. Go to the FHL Catalog, find the resources for that county/state. The Family History Library Catalog has resources for Potter County here and resources for Coudersport here. Since Pennsylvania did not require the keeping of birth and death records until 1906 and marriage records in 1885, the vital records the FHL filmed will not be of use to me. I'll have to rely on land and perhaps court records to find useful information that might lead me back another generation.
3. Identify at least three items from the FHL Catalog that you need to look into in an effort to further your knowledge about that family's history. Tell us about them. One set of records that may be of help to me is the Orphans' court docket, 1836-1855. Even though Nelson's daughter, my 3rd-great-grandmother, Viola Gertrude PECK, was not truly an orphan when her father died, because her mother, Lura Ann JACKSON PECK, was still alive, there is a possibility that some sort of record could be listed for her.
Another possibility is Cemetery records, 1756-1973. Perhaps Nelson's burial place is listed, with other PECK family members buried nearby to give me some ideas of possible relatives. There are a lot of PECKs in this county; I just have no clue how they're related.
A third set of records would be the deeds for Potter County, which might show that Nelson purchased or inherited land from family members, or that it was sold or given to family members after his death.
One last set of possible helpful records would be the Registers docket, 1836-1908. Although these wouldn't probably give me direct information and original documents, they might lead me to any probate records Nelson had. The FHL didn't microfilm them, so I'll have to research where they're archived.
4. Do you know where your nearest Family History Center is? If not, go here and look for it. Tell us where it is. Yes. As mentioned before, I frequent it regularly. It is the North Spokane Stake FHC. We have three others in this county, and I've been to two of them.
5. Are you willing to make a commitment to go to the FHC and rent microfilms in order to pursue that elusive ancestral family? If so, tell us about your commitment. I'm currently researching another brickwall line, and hope to get to Nelson later this year. He's one of my lines I'm working on breaking down as a goal for this year.
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