Riddell family of Roxburgshire Research

I have been researching my Riddell lines from of Roxburgshire, Scotland (Borders area).

This family seems to be intermarried with the Scott family also of this area.  In Hawick there is a new Family Research archives, see this post by the Scottish government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/06/Scottish-family-history

Borders Family History Society
http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/BFHSOGHPage.asp

Google Books (Free)

The Covenanters of Teviotdale and neighbouring districts

 By Duncan Stewart, John Smith (Minister of Denholm.):

 Archibald Riddell is on page 61 to 76 and a mention in connection with Semple on page 77.
 The other information I have is not as complete on Archibald's life as in this account. Archibald Riddell's connection to the Sir Walter Scott family is also detailed.  Blackadder was exiled to a rock with Riddell for preaching the gospel with him.  Teviotdale is in Roxburgshire, Scotland (in the Scottish borders area). 

Archibald Riddell is also found in the National Archive of Scotland:
1680-1729 regarding examination:  "Copy of examination of Archibald Riddell before the committee of the [Privy] Council.  Gives questions to put Riddell anent preaching in the fields, by Lord Linlithgow, the lord advocate, the justice clerk." [ Reference GD237/20/27] October 1, 1680.  It is believed that by this time my ancestors who are related to this branch went to Northern Ireland, Londonderry County possibly Coleraine. But what I do not know is when they left Roxburgshire. 

Goldielands which was called "Glen Riddell" was located on the Teviot river, North of Hawick. This family of Glen Riddell was a friend and patron of Robert Burns. I am still sorting out all the marriages and relationships in that area and will post more on this branch later.

Newspaper Search on Chronicling America from the LOC

What free newspapers are available for Genealogy?
Take a look at the Library of Congress' Chronicling America Website
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/
This list will show you what newspapers have been digitized as well as the dates of the newspapers.
The newspapers are listed by state.
I did not see any newspapers digitized for Wisconsin?
I viewer on this website is easy to use even on a small screen.  You can use the mouse wheel to zoom.
The search results are highlighted in pink in a full page thumbnail of the newspaper image.

West Virginia Genealogy Source

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History has information on West Virginia records in their "Archives and History News" Subject Index.  Here you can find tips and clues for researching West Virginia or pre West Virginia folks who were Virginians.  The subjects include: Adjutant General Papers,  Archival Collections, Birth Records, Cemeteries,  Civil War, County Records, Death Records, Deeds, Statehood and many more subject of interest to genealogists.  "Archives and History News" is the newsletter for the WV Division of Culture and History. 
http://www.wvculture.org/history/ahnews/ahnewssubjectindex.html

I am researching William Ward of Hardy County Virginia who I believe was possibly born in 1782 and who married Sarah Shobe 19 February 1804.  Hardy County was created in 1786 from Hampshire County, Virginia.  Hardy County became part of West Virginia on October 24, 1861.


I followed the trail of land records from the BLM GLO.

 In 1808 William Ward of Franklin County purchased land in Amelia, Fairfield, Ohio.

William is also found on the 1830 Census for  Amelia, Fairfield County, Ohio.

WIlliam Ward  of Fairfield County, Ohio purchases land in Putnam County in 1838. (Note that is also where my ancestor Edward Ward resided). Also, found in the same section at the same time is Christian Miller.  Christian Miller is also found in the section just North of where Margaret Miller (Edward Ward's wife) is buried.  It is unknown whether Edward Ward is buried there and Margaret Miller's stone has been badly damaged.  Also in the same cemetary isburied John M. Ward who died Dec 19, 1878 aged 20 years 3 months.   The cemetary is "Wisely Cemetery" 40.9428,-84.018 (GPS coordinates) it is near Cranberry Creek.

Christian Miller records from BLM GLO are as follows:  1807 Military Warrant of 100 Acres in Lot 50 in the Military District. 7 North, 16W Section 2.

1820 Christian Miller of Perry County, Ohio in Ohio River Survey.
1835 Christian Miller of Perry County buys land in Fairfield County, Ohio.
1837 Christian Miller of Fairfield County, Ohio buys land in Putnam County, Ohio.

Also in Putnam County at the same time was James Ward also of Fairfield County, Ohio in 1838 same date as William Ward.

Edward Ward was born about 1794.  Could William possibly be his brother or other relative?

My next steps are to figure out who Williams parents were.

For the history of Putnam County, Columbus Grove (Pleasant)
see http://www.columbusgrove.org/history.htm

Book Review: Firestorm at Peshtigo Wisconsin

I am reading a book suggested by a San Diego Genealogical Society Member. The title is "Firestorm at Peshtigo" and the authors are Denise Gess and William Lutz.  I have some ancestors from Door County, Wisconsin which was partially affected by this fire.  There are maps included in the book as research which was done on individuals involved in the area of Peshtigo.  I recognized the surname of Luther Noyes who was the publisher of Marinette and Peshtigo Eagle.  His parents were Dr. Isaac Noyes and Minerva Osgood.  He was born on December 17, 1830.  He was from the Chenango county which is the same county in which my ancestor Dr. George Riddell was born in Preston.
"The History of Chenango" lists several persons of the Noyes surname who resided in the county.
There are details about the following individuals in the book as well William Butler Ogden and Mahlon D. Ogden (also of Chicago), Isaac Stephenson of Marinettee and Menominee.  I am sure there are others, but these are a place to begin.  I will post the "characters" in this real life, true story as I come across them in this book.  The authors effectively use the newspapers at the time to enhance the information they present in this book.