Surname Saturday: LYTON or TURK

The LYTON family is my children's paternal grandmother's paternal grandmother's line. For many years, my children's uncle's wife and I poked here and there trying to find more information on this family. All we knew is that my children's father's 2nd-great-grandfather, Henry LYTON, had been born around 1841 in Ottawa, Ontario, and had died in 1874 in Iowa. He had immigrated to the United States to serve in the Union during the Civil War, had married his wife Mariah Emily DAILEY and had three children. His youngest child, my husband's great-grandmother Emma, was born a month after his death.

Five years ago, my children's uncle's wife ran his name through Ancestry's Civil War Veterans' Widows' Pension database and discovered that Henry's widow Mariah had claimed a pension on behalf of her daughter Emma. Mariah stated that Henry's real name was George TURK. At that point, everything clicked and we were able to connect him into a family. We  have not find more information at this point on the TURK line other than there is a very large TURK family (tracing back to 1561) as well as a TURCK family (tracing back to the Netherlands in 1635).

Stories and History:

Ahnentafel #52 - Samuel TURK (c. 1806 - 1880) - info varies as to his birthplace; some records state Canada, while others claim Massachusetts. In Ontario, he married Lydia GILLETT (b. 1808 in New York) whose ancestry can be traced back many, many generations in New England.

Ahnentafel #26 - George TURK, a.k.a. Henry LYTON (c. 1836 - 1874) - born in Ottawa, immigrated to the U.S. to serve in the 1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics (his brother Reuben served in the military under the name Henry GILLETT). George/Henry married Mariah Emily DAILEY (1849 - 1935) August 1868 in Thurman, Fremont Co., Iowa

Ahnentafel #13 - Emma Alice LYTON (1874 - 1959) - born in Thurman, Fremont Co., Iowa, she was raised by her mother and step-father, John Christopher KLINDER in that community with her six younger half-siblings. About 1891, she married Albert Francis CHAPLIN and begin a life of constant migration: Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, with travels back to Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma. She died in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.

Ahnentafel # 6 - Forrest "Frank" L. CHAPLIN (1901 - 1977) - came out West in a covered wagon as a boy with his family...yes, they still had them in the early 1900s!

Ahnentafel #3 - my children's paternal grandmother (living)

Ahnentafel #1 - my children's father (living)

More about the LYTON or TURK family:

1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): LYTON ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)

2. Some LYTON obituaries

3. Posts about LYTON and TURK ancestors and relatives on this blog

4. Some scanned LYTON and TURK photos and documents

My children's LYTON-TURK immigration trail:

MA? > ON > MI > Fremont Co., IA > Butler Co., NE > Fremont Co., IA > Clay Co., SD > Yankton Co., SD > Prowers Co., CO > Cheyenne Co., KS > Payette Co., ID > Clackamas Co., WA > Yakima Co., WA > Clark Co., WA > Adams Co., WA > Yakima Co., WA > Thurston Co., WA > Clark Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA

Fearless Females Prompt 4

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

I have marriage records for every couple in my family tree from my own through my 2nd-great-grandparents, with the exception of one couple, my direct maternal line. They are Charles Frisbe STRONG and Mary Lucy WRIGHT. I do know that they were married in the year 1873 in the Village of Fairfield, Town of Candor, Tioga County, New York.

I thought I would focus, though, on my paternal grandparents. Robert Lewis ROBBINS and Jeanne Marie HOLST (born Jane Mary YORK; she was adopted) were married 12 October 1940 in the Methodist parsonage in Coopersville, Ottawa County, Michigan. My grandfather was 20 and my grandmother had just turned 16 the week before. Because she was underage, she had to get her parents' permission to marry. And because she was legally only a foster child, her foster parents had to legally adopt her in order to grant their permission. Since the adoption process would have taken time, I'm sure they started it sometime before she was marred; perhaps when she started dating my grandfather and they realized they would need to be her legal parents to give her permission to marry, should she choose to marry young as so many women did in those days.

My grandparents' best friends, Ray ADAMS and Geneva PARRISH stood with them; however, Geneva was also underage and that is probably why her name does not appear as the second witness on my grandparents' marriage certificate. The minister's wife's name is listed along with Ray's. Fifty years later, my grandparents celebrated their golden anniversary and Ray and Geneva were among the wedding guests.

I believe this photograph was taken outside my great-grandparents ROBBINS' home, but I'm not certain. This photograph was taken outside my great-grandparents HOLST's home in Coopersville. Looking closely at this image, you can see a small dog in the lower left corner and what looks like rhubarb growing against the foundation of the house. My dad recently told me, "Mom and Dad lived on the Holst place in a tiny
trailer at first until dad decided he would get along better with his in-laws if he didn't live too close." My grandparents then purchased some land on River Street and my grandfather began building their house and later the body shop where he had his business.

My grandparents were married for 63 years before my grandfather passed away in 2003. They raised five children and countless foster children. Their home was open to my grandfather's youngest siblings, and they helped raise some of their grandchildren. They also took in my Great-grandmother ROBBINS in her senior years until her health required her to live in a nursing home.

My grandmother is still alive, although she suffers from Alzheimer's. You can read more about my grandfather's life in his AnceStory (ancestor story) on my website here.

For more on the Fearless Females Blogging Prompts, visit The Accidental Genealogist.

An Important Message From U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves

Are you up for the "Take 10" challenge?
On behalf of the U.S. Census Bureau, we are asking our partners to join us in making history by helping to boost the mail back participation rates across the Nation and in your community during the 2010 Census.
During each Decennial Census, the Census Bureau undertakes the count of every person residing in the United States, as mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. To encourage everyone to take 10 minutes to answer the 10 simple questions on the 2010 Census form, we are launching the "Take 10" campaign. Through "Take 10," you can visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/ to get updates on the proportion of households that have mailed back the 2010 Census forms. You also will be able to view differences between your community's participation rates and those of neighboring communities or other areas across the country.

The "Take 10" Challenge - Tools to Inspire the Mail Back Participation Rates for the 2010 Census
During the 2000 Census, 72 percent of occupied households mailed back their forms. In 2010, we are challenging communities to do even better. The Census Bureau's "Take 10" campaign gives you a wide range of tools to inspire your community to meet our challenge. These include:

• An interactive, map-based, "Take 10" Web site that allows local areas to track and compare their 2010 Census mail back participation rates, which will be updated on a daily basis at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/, and to look up their 2000 Census participation rates.
• An electronic toolkit is available which includes talking points, sample speeches, new releases, newsletter copy, event suggestions, flyers, stickers, and doorknob hanger templates, and more.
• Suggestions on how to use friendly competition with other communities to inspire participation in the census.

You can play an important leadership role in encouraging your community to mail back their forms. Most 2010 Census questionnaires are delivered from March 15-17, 2010. From the time the forms are delivered until the closing of the mail campaign at the end of April, you have the opportunity to remind your area residents of the importance of mailing back their census forms. We believe that you can encourage participation through speeches, special events, and challenges.
The stakes are high; an accurate count of the local population helps to ensure that your community receives its fair share of federal funding. This funding includes resources for services, such as health care, education, and roads.


Your constituents must complete and mail back their census forms between March 15, 2010 and April 15, 2010. The good news is that the 2010 Census questionnaire is one of the shortest in history-just 10 questions that only take about 10 minutes to complete. We hope we can count on you to encourage participatation in the 2010 Census. Visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/ now to see your area's 2000 Census mail participation rate and check the site daily for updates beginning March 22


The 2010 Census: It's in our Hands.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Groves
Director
U.S. Census Bureau

WDYTYA? Guest Appearances and New Book

I received a press release from Ancestry stating that people from the Who Do You Think You Are? show will be appearing on various television shows this week to promote the series. No information on exactly who these individuals are, perhaps Lisa Kudrow, producers, or some of the celebrities highlighted. The information below may correct some of the information I have on my Calendar of Events post, particularly The Oprah Show:

* Wednesday, March 3 - Today Show (NBC) 8-9 am; The View (ABC - check your local TV listings); The Joy Behar Show (HLN - Headline News) 9 pm ET
* Friday, March 5 - Today Show (NBC) 10-11 am
* Monday, March 8 - Martha Stewart (check your local TV listings)
* Tuesday, March - Oprah (check your local TV listings);Craig Ferguson (CBS late night)
* Friday, March 19 - Bonnie Hunt (check your local TV listings)

Additionally, I received the following information from Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak:

I am thrilled to announce that my new book, Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History is being released tomorrow! The book is a companion piece to NBC's ground-breaking new genealogy series, Who Do You Think You Are?, which premiers on Friday.

Since the show is the first of its kind on primetime TV, I'd love to hear the thoughts of those in the trenches of the genealogy community - you! Be sure to share your comments on the show (and the book) with me on Facebook and Twitter -- and please spread the word!

Megan
P.S. Amazon is currently selling the book for $16.47 (list price is $24.95). A great bargain!

Fearless Females Prompt 3

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

As my first name is fairly unusual, I was surprised to discover many years ago that I actually did have several ancestors with the same name. One of my maternal 6th-great-grandmothers was Miriam HALL (1757 - 1823), who lived in Mansfield, Tolland County, Connecticut and Duanesburg, Schenectady County, New York. Her mother was Miriam WOLCOTT, of whom I have no information.

I was not named for any of my ancestors. My parents liked the name and picked it from the Bible. When I was nine months old, my parents and I traveled to Michigan from our home in Alaska to spend time with my parents' families for Christmas. I met my great-grandmother, Lillian Fern (STRONG) HOEKSTRA for the first time.  She loved the name Mary so much that she used it as a nickname for herself. She asked my mother to change my name to Mary, but my mother gently told her that I was already used to my name, and since Miriam is the Hebrew variation of the Greek Mary, it was nearly the same thing.

For more on the Fearless Females Blogging Prompts, visit The Accidental Genealogist.

Fearless Females Prompt 2

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

This is a photograph of my 3rd-great-grandparents, Anna (CROTHERS) and John H. YORK, taken in the 1860s, probably in Genesee County, Michigan. I chose this photo because it is of my oldest female ancestor ever photographed, or at least the oldest one of which I have a photo. I have photographs of three other 3rd-great-grandmothers, but Anna was the oldest one of them. She was born 11 December 1825 in Erie County, New York and died 14 February 1905 in Goodrich, Genesee County, Michigan. She is also the daughter of the woman who made the cross-stitch sampler in my previous Fearless Females post.

For more on the Fearless Females Blogging Prompts, visit The Accidental Genealogist.

Findmypast.co.uk Reveals Stark Contrast Between Career Trends in 1911 and 2010

Press release:

CULT OF CELEBRITY MAKING YOUNG PEOPLE SHY AWAY FROM A HARD DAY'S GRAFT
*       Being a famous actress or singer tops career choices for young people in 2010
*       Less than one per cent of 18-24 year olds want manual labour jobs
*       Police officers and politicians are amongst least popular professions
*       Stark contrast to career trends in 1911 v 2010

A new study* by leading family history website, findmypast.co.uk, has revealed that young Brits shy away from jobs requiring hard graft and instead one in six 18-24 year olds aspires to become either a famous singer, actor or member of a band.

In fact, never has there been such a stark contrast between the career choices of today's young people when compared to the manual jobs of their ancestors. In the 1911 census some of the most popular occupations recorded include working in domestic service, agriculture, mining, building and the cotton industry**. Tom Jones' maternal grandfather, Albert Rees Jones, was recorded as working in the mining industry at the time of the 1911 census while David Starkey's paternal grandfather, Robert William Starkey, was employed in the cotton industry. In contrast, less than one per cent of young Brits in the 21st century would like to have a manual job such as a builder or plumber.

Other jobs which are unpopular with today's youth include politicians or police officers, with only one per cent of young people wanting to be a politician and only four per cent aspiring to be a police officer.


Most popular career choices in 2010*
1. Musician, famous singer or band member
2. Teacher/Lecturer
3. Sportsman/Woman
4. Actress/Actor
5. Scientist

Most popular occupations in the 1911 census**
1. Domestic service
2. Agriculture
3. Mining
4. Building
5. Cotton industry


Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.co.uk, said: "It seems the growing obsession with celebrity has really impacted on young people's career choices these days, as our study reveals how the more non-traditional jobs now come high up on the wish-list.

"Times have certainly changed when it comes to young people's career choices. A look at the 1911 census provides a fascinating insight into the professions of our ancestors and you can really see how times have dramatically changed.  On the other hand, in some cases, it can be interesting to see how some families have carried the same profession down through the family tree to the modern day. In our recent study it was revealed that, worryingly, a fifth (22%) of those aged 18-24 years do not know what their grandparents did for a living.

For those young people who do want to find out more about their ancestors' professions and how they may have shaped their lives they can visit findmypast.co.uk."

The full set of censuses from 1841 to 1911 is only available on the leading UK family history website, findmypast.co.uk .

Frugal Genealogy: Books and Magazine Subscriptions

Looking for some good genealogy books? See if you can find them for sale online. I'm not just talking about auction sites or new or used store websites. Many genealogical and historical societies sell used or duplicate copies of books on their websites. Fiske Genealogical Library, for instance, has a running list of its latest items for purchase.

Do you or other members of your society subscribe to magazines and have stacks of old issues lying around? Start a genealogy magazine exchange box! My own society, the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, does this and it's very simple. We have a large cardboard box that comes out to our Ways and Means table at all our general meetings each month. Members are encouraged to bring their own past issues of their favorite subscriptions and take home whatever interests them. Some borrow and return issues; others keep them permanently. We make it easy by not requiring a "check-out" system or keeping tabs, yet everyone seems happy with it.

This post is part of a ten-part series on Frugal Genealogy, based on my most-requested presentation, "Frugal Genealogy, or How Not to Spend a Fortune on Your Family Tree." Each post in this series will focus on one of ten topics I discuss in my presentation, and I freely share one tip from each topic. If you would like me to speak to your group anywhere in the Pacific Northwest on this or any other subject, please contact me.

Fearless Females Prompt 1

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

I can't say I have a favorite female ancestor, because I enjoy researching them all! But one I would like to find out more about is my 4th-great-grandmother, Mary "Polly" (WYCOFF) CROTHERS CHAPPEL. I don't know when or where she died or was buried. I know she was alive in 1880 in Millington Township, Tuscola County, Michigan, but there seems to be no death record for her. Polly made a beautiful cross-stitch sampler as a young unmarried woman, which I possess--truly one of my favorite treasures!

For more on the Fearless Females Blogging Prompts, visit The Accidental Genealogist.

Update to March 2010 Calendar of Events

I made some corrections and additions to my March 2010 Calendar of Events posts.

First, the correction: the Carnival of African-American Genealogy submission due date is March 12th, not the 19th as I originally stated. March 19th will be the publishing date of that carnival.

Addtions: I've updated the Calendar to show the genealogy television shows airing this month. I've also posted the link to the newest published carnival, the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival. And I posted a direct link to Thomas' Backup Day post.

Madness Monday: Attempting to Find Online Naturalization Records for James W. BARBER

In both the 1900 and the 1910 U.S. Federal Censuses, my 2nd-great-grandfather and brickwall ancestor James W. BARBER is listed as being a naturalized citizen. So if he was indeed naturalized, it's likely that it occurred by 1900.

Since James lived in Michigan from the time he immigrated from Canada (c. 1876) until his death in 1912, I need to look for a Michigan naturalization record.The state of Michigan has online naturalization records indexes for the following counties here: Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Barry, Bay, Chippewa, Clare, Clinton, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Genesee, Grand Traverse, Huron, Iosco, Iron, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Lapeer, Lenawee, Mackinac, Macomb, Marquette, Mason, Newaygo, Oakland, Ontonagon, Otsego, Ottawa, St. Clair and Sanilac.There is also an online index to naturalization papers of the U.S. Circuit Court, Eastern District of Michigan (Detroit), 1837 - 1903 and the Iosco County naturalization index, 1885 - 1910 available on Ancestry, with the later database being free to search for non-subscribers. Furthermore, the website for Tuscola County at the American Local History Network lists a naturalization index for 1850 - 1880. All this information was gathered at Joe Beine's Online Searchable Naturalization Indexes and Records page.

Because I've been able to find James living in Lapeer, Oakland, Genesee, and Ingham Counties, I searched for him at the state of Michigan site in the first three counties mentioned. No luck. I also searched the Detroit index on Ancestry. Still no luck. I went back to the Michigan state site and searched Clinton, Macomb and St. Clair Counties, since they border or are near the counties I know James lived in. Nada. I returned to Ancestry and took a look at all their naturalization databases, running James's name through each one. Nothing.

I think it's time to look for a naturalization record offline. That will be the subject of my next Madness Monday post.


This Madness Monday series featuring my brickwall ancestor, James W. BARBER (1841 - 1912) has been written to highlight and analyze all records of this individual with the hope that I can eventually uncover information that will lead to his specific birthplace and the names of his parents and any siblings he may have had. Other posts on this topic include:

The Death Certificate of James W. BARBER

Madness Monday Post Delayed

Update on James W. BARBER's Death Certificate

The Obituary of James W. BARBER
Cemetery Records of James W. BARBER
James W. BARBER in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census
The Death Notice of James W. BARBER's son, Orlando
Update to James W. BARBER in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census
James W. BARBER in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census

March 2010 Calendar of Events

March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.




Holidays, History, and Heritage

March is...

Irish-American Heritage Month (United States)

Women's History Month (global)

March 1: Korean Independence Movement Day
(celebrated in both North and South Korea - independence from Japan)
St. David's Day (Wales)

March 2: Texas Independence Day (Texas)

March 8: International Women's Day (global)

March 14: Daylight Savings Time Begins

March 17: St. Patrick's Day (Ireland, United States)

March 20: Vernal Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)
Autumnal Equinox (Southern Hemisphere)

March 25: Greek Independence Day

Do any of the above events feature in or affect your heritage, culture, or family history?




Carnivals and Other Events:

 Need help? Read my post, "How to Submit a Post to a Carnival", here.

New!

March 1-31 - The March 2010 Edition of the Family Curator's Genealogy and Family History Blogger's Almanac

New!

March 1-31 - Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women's History Month

Posted March 1 - the March 2010 Edition of the Graveyard Rabbit Carnival - Forgotten Cemeteries

New!
Posted March 10 - the 1st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogical Societies - Doin' Things Right

Posted March 14 - Shades of the Departed - March 2010 Issue

March 17 - the 21st Edition of Smile for the Camera - Give Their Face a Place

Posted March 17 - the 18th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture - 3rd Annual Patrick's Day Parade

New!
Posted March 18 - the 1st Edition of the Carnival of African-American Genealogy - Slave Records

Posted March 18 - the 91st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - A Tribute to Women
(No March 1st edition this month)

Posted March 22 - the 30th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - The Village of My Ancestor

Heads up! Submissions for the 9th Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival (Canadian Fashion Fads) will be due April 16th. And stay tuned for more information on the May 2010 Edition of the Festival of Postcards (Geography)!




March 1 - Data Backup Day

Read the latest "Backup Day" post by Thomas MacEntee at Geneabloggers.

Genealogy Television Shows
(check your local listings for accurate local airing times and reruns)

The Generations Project
Monday Nights at 8 PM on BYU-TV
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

The View
 March 3
Click the link above to watch the interview of Lisa Kudrow

Faces of America
March 3 - Episode 4

Today Show
March 5
Click the link above to watch the interview of Lisa Kudrow

Who Do You Think You Are?
Friday Nights at 8 PM on NBC
March 5 - Sarah Jessica Parker
March 12 - Emmitt Smith
March 19 - Lisa Kudrow
March 26 - Matthew Broderick

Martha Stewart Show
March 8
Click the link above to watch the interview of Lisa Kudrow




Scanfest: Sunday, March 28th

Go here to learn how to join Scanfest and our group of chatting, scanning family archivists, historians, and bloggers!




Go here to add the above deadlines and dates to your Google Calendar, courtesy of Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.


March comes in like a lion
and goes out like a lamb.

February 2010 Scanfest - Part 2

February 2010 Scanfest

52 Weeks of Online American Digital Archives and Databases: The District of Columbia and U.S. Territories

This is the ninth post in a weekly series of Online American Digital Archives and Databases found for free at state, county, municipal, college and university history, library, and archive websites, as well as public and private library and museum sites, and historical and genealogical society sites.

The District of Columbia is a federal district, and its inhabitants are United States citizens, with all the rights and privileges of American citizens born or naturalized elsewhere. In my post today, I am only focusing on digital archives and databases that are related to the district itself, and not on national ones located within the district, such as the National Archives. I will leave those for my last post in this series, which will focus on national online archives and databases. Today's post also focuses on online archives and databases for U.S. territories. The territories' citizens have limited rights and you can read more about those here. According to Wikipedia, the following are inhabited unincorporated United States territories: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.

District of Columbia

3DFlags.com

District of Columbia Office of Tax Revenue Real Property Assessment and Sales Databases - http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/otr/cwp/view,a,1330,q,594345.asp - for researching ancestral homes

Historical Society of Washington, D.C. - http://www.historydc.org/Do_Research/collections.asp - while there aren't really online archives or databases on this site, there is an online catalog as well as finding aids. This is a great resource if you have DC ancestry.

Washington Research Library Consortium Digital and Special Collections - https://www.aladin.wrlc.org/dl/ - links to the digital and special collections of seven universities in Washington, D.C. comprising a treasure chest of photographs, documents, audio recordings, digitized newspapers, letters and much much more. The universities included are American University, Catholic University of American, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, and the University of the District of Columbia. Fabulous collections!

---

American Samoa
 

3DFlags.com

American Samoa Historical Preservation Office - http://www.ashpo.org/ - history, newspaper articles, photographs and links to online maps

---

Guam


3DFlags.com

University of Guam's Micronesian Area Research Center - http://www.uog.edu/dynamicdata/MicroAreaResearchCenter.aspx?siteid=1&p=52 - this is the only website I could find for Guam, and currently there are no digital archives uploaded to this site, although I did find this message: "We strive to acquire, preserve and provide access to collections of archival maps, photographs, texts and cultural materials.  This website will host much of our collections as we expand and dedicate staff time to digital resources."

---

Northern Mariana Islands

3DFlags.com

Northern Marianas College Library - http://www.nmcnet.edu/content.php?id=3 - no online archives or databases are available, but you can browse through the list of their collections and online catalog

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Photo Archives - http://libweb.hawaii.edu/digicoll/ttp/ttpi.html - in collaboration with the University of Hawai`i Library, these digitized photos showcase the Former Trust Territory, which included the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, The Federated States of Micronesia, The Republic of the Marshall Islands, and The Republic of Paulau. Follow the links on this page to be brought to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Voyager Database as well.

---

Puerto Rico

3DFlags.com

Archivo General de Puerto Rico/General Archives of Puerto Rico - http://www.icp.gobierno.pr/agp/ - (in Spanish) scanned archives newsletters; sample photo, document, and audio files from the collections

Collectión Historia de Puerto Rico/The Ponce's Historical Archive & Historical Museum Digitalized - http://ponce.inter.edu/cai/connection_eng/index.html - digitized by the University of Illinois, this collection contains letters, documents, slavery censuses, photographs, maps, and other resources

El Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano/Diocesan Archives of the Archdiocese of  San Juan, Puerto Rico  - http://www.preb.com/geneal/ahasjpr.htm - (in Spanish) while there really isn't archival material or databases online, there are some helpful genealogical information and links. Use Google to translate your pages.

Puerto Rico en breve/Puerto Rico in Brief - http://www.preb.com/ - (in Spanish) historical and genealogical links, census transcriptions, contact information for archives and parishes; appears to be a subscription website

---

United States Virgin Islands

3DFlags.com

University of the Virgin Islands Special Collections - http://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Pages/Library-Special_Collections.aspx - includes funeral booklets, historical photographs, newspaper articles, research reports and occasional papers

---

Check out my District of Columbia Online Historical Directories and my District of Columbia Online Historical Newspapers pages.

Nicollett Avenue at Night, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sofia (Lerfald) Line, unknown location (possibly Minneapolis, Minnesota) to
Rena Lerfald, postcard, unknown date. Digitized and privately held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. Original collection privately held by Troy W. Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Vancouver, Washington.


(reverse)
Click on either image to be brought to a larger, zoomable view.

The above postcard was sent to my husband's great-grandmother, Rena LERFALD, by her older sister, Sofia LERFALD (a.k.a. Mrs. Alpha A. LINE). It appears that it was not mailed, but instead sent by hand or perhaps was mailed inside an envelope, since there is no stamp or postmark. Sofia may have been living in or near Minneapolis, as the obverse is a photograph of Nicollett Avenue at night, in that city.  The note reads:

Hello sis how are you? Rec'd your letter today. Alph went out to work this morning so I have spent the day at Anna's place [their sister] Say sis you better come out here this spring  You wont have to work you just play lady. You can afford to lay off  You stay with us till we go home  Alph can get a pass for you, or you can stay longer and get some work  Well you better come out here when John [their brother] comes. Love to all

Rena had been working as a maid in various places in the midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota) from about 1909 to 1912. She often received postcards from her sisters and her brother John. The postcards from her sisters often encouraged her to visit them and to find work near them. She eventually moved to Montana, as did they, and met and married my husband's great-grandfather, George Rice WESTABY, III.

This postcard comes from the combined collection of postcards that Rena received, along with those her husband George would find and send to family members while he was working on the Northern Pacific Railroad.

This post has been written for the 7th Edition of the Festival of Postcards, whose topic is Light. I really enjoy this colorized photo of the streetlights of Minneapolis. I'm sure this view of the big city was enticing to young people of the surrounding rural areas.

Surname Saturday: BOS or BUSH

The BOS-BUSH family is my maternal step-grandfather's maternal line. BOS means "bunch" in Dutch, and I believe a better definition would be "clump of trees," but I'm not sure. When these Dutch-speaking immigrants arrived in Michigan, the name was anglicized to BUSH, which isn't far off from the original meaning.

Stories and History:

The earliest BOS ancestors I can find originated in the province of Groningen, in the villages of Uithuizermeeden in the municipality of Eemsmond and Bierum in the municipality of Delfzijl. In 1879, my step-2nd-great-grandparents, Melle BOS and Trientje ZIGTERMAN immigrated to Western Michigan.

(I use the letter "C" to differentiate between my biological family tree and my step-family tree. Similarly, I use the letter "B" to mark my paternal grandmother's adoptive family tree.)

Ahnentafel #416C - Klaassen BOS

Ahnentafel #208C - Jan Klaassens BOS; m. Ida Meinderts

Ahnentafel #104C - Eewe Jans BOS (b. 1789 in Uithuizermeeden); m. 1818 in Bierum to Kunje Alberts (de) WEERT

Ahnentafel #52C - Jan Eewe BOS (b. c. 1823); m.1849 in Bierum to Geertje Melles DIJKEMA

Ahnentafel #26C - Melle "Millard" BOS (b. c. 1853 - d. c. 1888); m. 1877 in Bierum to Trientje ZIGTERMAN; immigrated 1879 to Michigan; have been unable to find death record for Melle; his widow married 1889 in Lamont, Ottawa Co., Michigan to Pieter BARSEMA

Ahnentafel #13C - Johanna BOS (a.k.a. Josephine BUSH) - (1885 - 1946); m. 1911 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan to Jarig Egbert Binnes DeVRIES (a.k.a. George Edward Benjamin DeVRIES)

Ahnentafel # 6C - Adrian "Ed" DeVRIES (1916 - 2007) - my beloved maternal (step) grandfather, greatly missed; m. 1947 in Wyoming Twp., Kent Co., Michigan to Ruth Lillian (HOEKSTRA) VALK

More about the BOS family:

1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): BUSH and BOS ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)

2. Some BOS obituaries

3. Posts about BOS ancestors and relatives on this blog

4. Some scanned BOS photos

My BOS immigration trail:

Eemsmond, Groningen, the Netherlands > Delfzijl, Groningen, the Netherlands > Missaukee Co., MI > Ottawa Co., MI > Kent Co., MI > AK > Stevens Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA

Winter 2010 GeneaBlogger Games Stats: Day 10 - 15

Just like the real Olympic Games, my own GeneaBlogger Games have had what can only be described as not the best of luck. I really was unable to make the effort I would have liked, timewise. But I have immensely enjoyed reading others' successes and if nothing more, being a part of a fun geneablogger activity.

My final stats are as follows:

Category 1: 0

Category 2: 0

Category 5: Silver

Thank you to Thomas MacEntee for organizing the games, and to all the other "athletes" who worked so hard and competed in the events. I'm looking forward to the next GeneaBlogger Games...see you in Summer 2012!

Using Timelines

In both the Winter 2010 Genea-Blogger Games (Category 4, Task B) and the upcoming 91st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, using a timeline of your ancestor's life is suggested for organizing your information for your research and your blogging. There are all kinds of genealogy and history software and websites that can generate timelines for your ancestors which will list many of the historical events that happened in your ancestor's life. These are great tools, but I'd also like to suggest something very simple to start with. Before you get going with all the major historical events in your ancestor's life, have you truly documented all the major life events? These would include births, marriages, and deaths for your ancestor's parents, siblings, spouses, children, and grandchildren, as well as censuses, military service, migration, land purchases, etc.

I started out by creating and using a very simple Timeline form (found online here - http://tinyurl.com/Miriam-timeline).  There are 40 lines (years) on this form and by printing it on both the front and back of a piece of paper it gave me 80 years...an average lifespan. For a few ancestors who lived past the age of 80, I needed another piece of paper printed on one side. Then I started with the year a particular ancestor was born (or the earliest I could estimate) and numbered every year of their life on the form. I filled in whatever information (events and locations) I could for as many years possible. I also wrote their age in the margin for every event. I listed where they were in census years, where they lived when their siblings or children were born or when close family members died. Every time I found them on a record, I wrote it down on the timeline. This did three things for me:

1. It gave me a chronology of the events of their life, as I knew it at that point.

2. It gave me a chronology of their locations, so I could see migration patterns.

3. Most importantly, it gave me a visual of the years where there are blanks (where I have no information about that ancestor's life!).

My genealogy software will show me the first two things, but not the last. I have heard professional genealogists state that good family research will account for an ancestor's whereabouts with gaps no more than two years apart! In other words, you should be able to find a record showing your ancestors' whereabouts every one to two years of their lives!

This timeline helped me immensely when reading about my husband's great-grandfather, Albert Francis CHAPLIN, I. According to a written history one of Norm's grandaunts wrote, the family moved back and forth between the West (Colorado, Washington, and Oregon) and the midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma). As this was the early 1900s and they were often traveling by covered wagon (and probably later by train), I wondered about this. Was Albert not able to find jobs? Did he have an itchy foot? Was the law after them? How could they afford to resettle every few years? When I put all the outlying events of his life (siblings' and parents' events) in order with his own life events, I saw that his widowed mother and single brothers back east all died within a short period of time. I had found him in Kansas in 1920 after living out West for many years. I realized that the family had gone back to Kansas, probably to help with the nursing of the relatives (many of them died of tuberculosis), taking care of the family farm, and settling the estate. I would never had figured this out if I hadn't used the timeline!

Historic Map Works Purchases Metsker Maps

Historic Map Works is pleased to announce the acquisition of Metsker Maps, the long running map publishing business from Tacoma, Washington.

During their almost century long run, the Metsker family produced approximately 300 county atlases and 400 county wall maps of Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, and Northern California. Scanning the newly acquired maps will add approximately 10,000 images to the 1.2 million map related images already available on www.HistoricMapWorks.com You can read more about these historic maps and see examples of our first scans from the new collection here.

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On a personal note, my husband and I have been using Metsker maps over the course of the last 22 years, for camping, history, local road trips, and the like. They are very common here in Washington, and it's not unusual to see them in any hardware or convenience store. The fact that they were only limited to the West is news to me; I thought they had mapped the entire U.S., and always planned to purchase some for my ancestral locations:

Unlike many publishers of the time who limited themselves to publishing maps of more developed areas, the Metsker family excelled at recording the history of the then rural and wilderness geographies. Many of our users already use Metsker Maps to study the boundary changes to state and national parks as well as helping land use enthusiast to locate former logging trails, timber camps, gold mines, and other areas of industry which flourished and then quietly faded away during the Northwest's various booms and busts. In many instances, the only way to locate these now ghost towns and overgrown roads is to look on a map published by Metsker Maps.