2009 Genealogy Recap

Note: I would like to credit Randy Seavers of Genea-musings for the topic headings in his post "Grading on my Progress on 2009 Goals and Objectives" I did not use a grade but did a recap instead.

My Genealogy Research
oPosted to gs Genealogy blog Research Blog on Blogger
oGates research on the internet and in the Carlsbad Georgina Cole Library.
oResearched step family: Bartnicki and identified step father’s siblings in photograph.
oMore research on the DeWitt Clinton Graham family of Washington County, PA on World Vital Records website. Discovered that there were two possibilities of Graham families at this location at this time. George Graham, Peter Graham or (the most promising one…Aneas Graham) according to an email contact.
oDiscovered that a fellow Lost Treasures committee member and I were related by a second Wescott marriage (she was a descendant from Wescott and I am descended from Coon)
oWashington County, PA research for Coon
oResearch in Jefferson County, Palmyra for Coon, Congdon, Charley, Dow, Graves.
oConducted land Research for Leander and Milton Coon in Palmyra, Jefferson County, Wisconsin

Obtained a external hard drive for back up.
Sorted step dad’s family photos emailed some to his relatives.
Interviewed step dad’s family.

Genealogy Education:
Joined NSDGS in October 2009: attended program meetings, learned about Google Earth and its applications for Genealogy mapping, attend COG Computer User’s Group: learned about Ancestry new and old searches..Thanks to Randy Seavers of CVGS and his blog: Genea-musings. Learned to search Genealogy websites more effectively. Purchased “More Evidence” by Elizabeth Shown Mills and I am currently reading it.

I took a Photo Shop Elements online class to learn to repair damaged family history photos.

Genealogy Society:
member and chair of the SDGS Lost Treasures Committee: inventoried society collection of items to place with descendants, placed 150 photos which contained five branches of one family with a University Archives, Wisconsin diary, family bible, Rachel Wedgeforth will copies with San Diego Zoo/Wild Animal Park Archives, placed military documents with Sacramento Military museum library. Placed ten items total 2008-2009 average per placement was three months.
Obtained estimated auction value for Brooklyn Bridegooms photos, wrote project volunteer guidelines, conducted orientation for three project volunteers, contacted Ken Kramer (NBC) regarding media coverage of Lost Treasures.
New Chair of Lost Treasures given orientation in August.
Provided internet resources and printed resources to help project researchers get started in finding living descendants.

Monthly volunteer in SDGS library: gave tours, assisted patrons with research, wrote volunteer guidelines for Raw Notes project. Created and maintained website for Lost Treasures. Created Lost Treasures blog regarding item placements.

Genealogy Writing:
Briefly attended Genealogy Writers group at SDGS. Wrote draft regarding my Dutch ancestors. I took an online adult ed class on Biography writing and read three books on the subject. Read four books about writing a family genealogy book.

note: I am not affiliated with Ancestry, although I am a subscriber, I am not affiliated with World Vital Records, although I am a subscriber. I am not an employee of NBC.

My Favorite Christmas Gift

I really don't remember the gifts so much as the food! I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and they have a delectable pastry that they make in the region. It is called Kringle. It is similar to strudel but is lighter and flakier with a sugar topping and fruit fillng. My step dad's relatives still order it and send it to us a Christmas Time. I also remember those ribbon candies and caramels with Christmas trees on them. Yum! My great grandmother made wonderful foods from scratch. My favorite was Swedish Meatballs. I also remember the gift of being able to have the day to play with my myriad of cousins which were all close to my age. The best gift was my large extended family who lived in town and being able to be with them.

Christmas Illness?

The saddest Christmas I can recall was about two years ago. I got the flu for Christmas! I could not go to the family Christmas celebration so I stayed home and was miserable. My son took video greetings from the family to me and took pictures with his digital camera to share with me when he got home. I was so sick I could not enjoy the Christmas goodies they brought home. I could not make my traditional sugar cookies much less eat them.

Another Christmas my son and husband ate too much bratwurst and both felt ill on Christmas Day and they could not eat the ham I had prepared. Both went to sleep and ate the ham alone, not the whole thing of course.

So, I guess having a cold during Christmas is better than the flu, at least you can eat goodies like ham and sugar cookies.

Bartnicki, Luczynski research

I am working on a genealogy project as a gift for my step-brother's family. It is by no means a comprehensive genealogy but a family picture in which each of my step dad's ten siblings are identified. I cooberated by email with two of his remaining living siblings to get the names corrected. I also found the father whose name was Leon Bartnicki in the 1920 Milwaukee census, draft registration cards and immigration records. All of which I located on Ancestry. The family surname is Bartnicki and the family is of Polish descent. My step father's mother's (Josephine) surname was Luczynski and the US WWII Draft Registration card for 1942 for her brother Walter M. Luczynski states that he was from Witowo, Poland. His address was 5203 Racine Avenue, Chicago, Cook, IL. His wife's name was Helen Luczynski. They had a child whose name was Wandz (pronounces "Vash") and she shows up in the 1930 census as Martha (name change per my step aunt). Lastly I located some of my step dad's deceased relatives on the website for the Catholic Archdiosese (Bartnicki)

References are listed below:
Bartnicki:
Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Year: 1920;Census Place: Milwaukee Ward 11, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Roll T625_2001; Page: 27B; Enumeration District: 143; Image: 379.

Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Year: 1912; Microfilm serial: T715; Microfilm roll: T715_1830; Line: 21;
Original Data:
* Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls); Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
* Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957; (National Archives Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls); Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm. Registration Location: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; Roll 1674811; Draft Board: 11.

Ancestry Family History Facts for 1920: Search Bartnicki: map

Ancestry.com. Database: Wisconsin Death Index, 1959-1997

Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Cemeteries
7301 West Nash Street
Milwaukee WI 53216
Telephone
414 438 4420 Fax
414 438 4427
Online Database

Luczynski:
Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. 1930; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll 437; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 509; Image: 461.0.

www.ancestry.com database: U.S. World Ward II Draft Registration cards, 1942:Detail: roll: 30955_165871; Local Board: Chicago, Illinois

(I am not an employee of Ancestry. I am a subscriber to their basic and world database services)

Family Christmas Performances and games

Extended Family Christmas celebrations have been a tradition since before I was born, probably influenced by my great grandmother’s close knit Dutch ancestors. We were fortunate to have a large extended family located near where we lived in Racine, WI. One of the elements that was always included were our own created games and performances.

One year I remember my mom put a piñata up in the basement and all my cousins took a whack at it. It was filled with wonderful Christmas candies that melted in our mouths. Several of the Dahlbergs were musically inclined so we always had piano, guitar, banjo etc. to dance to on Christmas Eve.

When my mom remarried in 1979, mom and I carried our extended family gatherings with performances with us to California.

Some of the performances we have enjoyed over the years have been: puppetry (my mom, me and Josh) Christmas joke monologs (my brother or step dad) Christmas carol sing along by my step brother who plays Christmas carols on my mom's slightly out of tune piano and we gleefully sing along, sports related made up games (popsicle stick ball with ping pong balls and paper snowball fights) by my son, singing or signing by me, one year we made a clay model out of playdough of a family member and have others guess who it is, we tried to stump each other with word games and Christmas Quizzes: Christmas celebrations around the world. We always offer little prizes too.

This year my game will be: Funny captions for old pictures in honor of my step dad who first thought of it and used clip art, collected captions and put them in a special family book.

Happy Thanksgiving

I have never made a turkey in the oven but have made ham for Thanksgiving. When I was little the kids used to go out and fly kites in the brisk winds on a bluff where my uncle lived overlooking Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin. I still have two kites but my son is not interesting in kite flying. I think I forgot how to make the tail out of cotton fabric scraps. The kites now a days are made of plastic instead of the paper ones we used to have. During the past few years I have been making crafts for Christmas time on Thanksgiving. Last year I made some craft items for our local church woman's ministry fundraiser luncheon. I am having difficulty with creative ideas for crafts this year. I am drawn to embroidery. I found an embroidery encyclopedia from the library but unfortunately it was published in the UK. I have an aunt from the Dahlberg (of Chicago, IL) family who made quilts and other needlework. I tried quilting but the rotary cutter and I did not get along too well. Last year I made fleece lizards for Christmas and embroidered felt pillow ornaments.
I am thankful for my family and especially for my Lord Jesus Christ. I am thankful for good health and that I can do genealogy!

Gates Family clues on Ancestry

I just finished a search of Ancestry for Peter GATES my ancestor. I found an index to the Barbour Collection which lists Peter Gates father as Zebadiah Gates and all of Peter's siblings match my friend's Ancestry list for Peter's siblings. The Georgina Cole library has the Barbour Collection for Connecticut Vital records in microfilm and now I know that I can check the B16-31 (Ga-Gaz)rolls for Gates names and B35-5 for Groton 1704-1853. The library published a Genealogy aid for finding things in the Barbour Collection at: http://www.carlsbadca.gov/services/departments/library/research/Pages/genealogy.aspx , I clicked on user guides and found the Barbour collection user guide. I can't wait to see what else I will find while researching Connecticut.

Disclaimer: I am not an employee of Ancestry or in any way affiliated with the company except as a subscriber.

Who was Peter Gates Father?

Looking for the Father of Peter Gates from Groton, New London, Connecticut. Peter was born 26 Feb 1750. An ancestry tree puts Peter as the son on Zebadiah Gates and Sarah Woodmansey but the Book (found on Google Books) Stephen Gates of Hingham and Landcaster, Massachusetts and his descendants by Charles Otis Gates does not support this. It has a completely different list for children of Zebadiah Gates which does not include children: Mary, John, David (brother of Peter who owned land with him in Leyden (Gate's Hill)), Peter (my direct ancestor), Zebediah, Sarah, Esther, Anna and Mary Gates.

My Peter Gates had a daughter named Lephy (aka Lephe, Lefy) Gates who was born in Leyden.

I have searched through many books on New London, CT but many of them are too early to list Peter's birthdate on 26 Feb 1750.

History of Leyden, MA by Arms with Gates genealogy

"Gates--Coming to Leyden about 1780 with his bride, mary allen of Groton, Conn., Pter Gates soon erected a sturdy Cape Cod home on the Rider Road close to the homestead and mill of Henry Thorne. This house, according to West Leyden historian, Clifford Carey, exactly like the Newcomb homestead on Leyden's East Hill. Nearby, David Gates, peter's brother built a home and put up a mill on Green river. Gates Hill, east of the River road was named for these brothers.
On November 22, 1787, a daughter, Lephe, was born to Peter and Mary Gates. This girl later became the mother of John Leonard Riddell... A son, Ephriam, born in 1783 carried on the farm, as did his son Ephriam Allen Gates. "Allen Gates", as he was known married Eunice Franklin of Mayflower stock. Allen's daughter, Hannah, married James Baldwin Miner--thus uniting two of Leyden's pioneer families.[Arms 196]


1. Arms, William Tyler and Masha E. Arms. The History of Leyden Massachusetts 1676-1959. The Enterprise and Journal. Orange, Massachusetts. 1959. p. 196. (Georgina Cole Library, 974.422 H2 ARM.)

Part 3: Leyden Houses from Arms History of Leyden

Leyden Homes: bolded for emphasis
"Beginning at the North end of River Road in the northwest corner of the town was the 1858 home of Nathaniel Avery; next down the road lived Crandall Thorn. Opposite him was Allen Gates' [I think this should be Peter Allen Gates?] home, birth place of John Riddell's mother [Lephe Gates]. At the foot of the hill was the Thorn Mill. Next down the road lived R. Miner on the old Benj. Baker place, and off to th4e left was the Crandall Homestead, E.G. Miner lived on the thre preent Louise Johnson place...The Mowry home site where John Wells has recently rebuilt, may have been the birthplace of John L. Riddell [father was John Riddell]." [Arms 110]see footnote 1

"The Peter Gates house in West Leyden, home of John Riddell's mother, was torn down in 1908, but it is said to be an exact replica of the Newcomb gouse. When demolished, many unusual antiques, including spinning wheels, oxen equipment and old-time utensils were distovered in the walls." [Arms 196] see footnote 1


1. Arms, William Tyler and Masha E. Arms. The History of Leyden Massachusetts 1676-1959. The Enterprise and Journal. Orange, Massachusetts. 1959. p. 157,196]. (Georgina Cole Library, 974.422 H2 ARM.)

Riddell, Gates and Crumb in The History of Leyden, MA part 2 1795-1806

1795-1800 [bracket items are my comments]

1797 Direct personal property tax on houses:
Nathaniel Avery (2 houses) $150 and $350 [ Desire Avery married Ephriam Gates, Ephriam was the brother to my direct ancestor Lephe Gates I am still in the process of searching for Desire Avery.]
David Gates $180 [David is a brother to my direct ancestor Peter Gates]
Peter Gates $150 [Peter is my direct ancestor, his daughter Lephe Gates married John Riddle (Riddell)].
Oliver Noyes $200 [this person if possibly related to Nathan Noyes who married Susanah Riddle (Riddell)in Colrain. Sussanah was the daughter of Gawn Riddle , MA]
David Potter 460[I have three Potters related by marriage in my genealogy Harriet Potter 1823, Wisconsin; Sarah Potter who married Simon Wescott; and another Sarah Potter married to Andrew Darling, I am unsure how if how David Potter is related to these individuals, another person to research][Arms 92] see footnote 1

Lephe Gates and her son John Leonard Riddell:

"Of immediate interest, however, is the 1806 record of the marriage intentions of "Leafe Gates of Leyden to John Riddle of Colrain'. The Caeer of John Leonard Riddell: Inventor, Botanist and Doctor of Medicine It was in 1787 that Lephe Gates, daughter of Peter and mary Gates, was born in West Leyden in a house nearly opposite the Henry thorn up-and-down saw mill. Lephe grew up on her father's farm which was colse to a side road lieading to a Green river fordway. Ant it was near this fordway that Lephe was courted by John Riddle, son of Robbert Riddle whose fine Scotch-Irish ancestry could be traced back to the 8th century. It was in the West Leyden area, on Vebuary 20, 1807, that John L. [Leonard] Riddle later to be written Riddell) was born. It was doubtless during his long walks to and from "Hollow School house" that young John, later to beocme an outstanding Americal botanist first became interested in wild flowers." [At a later time I will devote a series of posts about John Leonard Riddell. I own two books that were written about him as well as a .PDF file on the Riddell Genealogy written by his brother William Pitt Riddell and edited by John Leonard Riddell.] At this time I will include condensed and brief chronology of Dr. Riddell's life: [John Leonard Riddell was the brother of my ancestor Dr. George Riddell]
1826 Riddell's personal journal [currently housed at Tulane University, Special Collections Library] on aeronautics, philisophy, geology and personal accounts of his life which covers his life in the West (Ohio) and South (New Orleans, Louisiana)
1835 Riddell earns his professorship in botany and chemistry at the Cincinnati Medical College
wrote "A Synopsis of the Flora and Fauna of the United States"
1836 Riddell accepts post as chemistry professor at Louisiana Medical College (Now Tulane University)Riddell was selected as melter and Refiner at the New Orleans mint.
1844 research in bacteriology, invented the binocular microscope and demonstrated it in 1852 and the Army Medical Division in Washington used it.
1847 aerial navigation lecture (space travel)
(he had several more accomplishments which will be posted at a later date)
1865 Riddell dies [of a heart attack] at age 58: [A few months before his death Dr. Riddell proclaimed himself victor in the Louisiana's governor election but Lincoln and the delegates refused to acknowledge that because he allowed the black population and women to vote for him. It also did not help that the state of Louisiana chose to succeed from the Union at about that time. Riddell wrote a letter to Lincoln reassuring him of his faithfulness to the Union see http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/P?mal:1:./temp/~ammem_1AGK::] (Arms 97) see footnote 1

1. Arms, William Tyler and Masha E. Arms. The History of Leyden Massachusetts 1676-1959. The Enterprise and Journal. Orange, Massachusetts. 1959. p. 93, 96. (Georgina Cole Library, 974.422 H2 ARM.)

Riddell, Gates and Crumb in The History of Leyden, MA part 1

1775-1791

I found another very useful book in the Georgina Cole Library. This book covers the History of Leyden. on page 65, 1781 Census, under the heading "Yorkers" I found David Gates listed on River Road East and his brother Peter Gates on River Road North, grand father of John L.{Leonard] Riddell.

Also listed on page 65 under Leyden and Mountain are Phineas Crumb who lived on River Road east and Billington Crumb (descendant of Mayflower stock). The Crumb family married into the Riddell family when Ruel Crumb married Lephe Mirah Riddell who was the sister of John Leonard Riddell Lephe Mirah and John Leonard were daughter and son of Captain John Riddle and Lephe Gates (Peter Gates was Lephe's father).

Again on page 65 is Robert Riddell on River Road, Grandfatehr of J.L. Riddell. Robert was the immigrant ancestor from Coleraine, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

"An especially interesting event in Leyden, was the birth of Miss Lephe Gates on November 22nd (1787). Lephe was the daughter of mary and Peter Gates of West Leyden. She was later to become the mother of John L. Riddell, World-renowned scientist" [He was a brother to my direct ancestor Dr. George Riddell]". (page 78)

"Robert Riddle, grandfather of the Leyden scientist, is listed this year as a "sealer of leather." he saw to it that hides were properly tanned and cured. A road record of this period places Riddle's house in West Leyden on the old Ianthe Cook Place."(page 83) 1.
----

1. Arms, William Tyler and Masha E. Arms. The History of Leyden Massachusetts 1676-1959. The Enterprise and Journal. Orange, Massachusetts. 1959. p. 65,78,83. (Georgina Cole Library, 974.422 H2 ARM.)

Riddell Family from Coleraine, Northern Ireland to Colrain, Massachusetts

I have been spending some time in the Georgina Cole Library researching the Gates/Riddle (Riddell) family of Colrain, Massachusetts. I found a plat map in the back with my ancestor: Gawn Riddle. His property was located on the border of the Original South East Corner of Colrain near the Green river, close to the Gore Tract which was annexed in 1779. Gawn Riddle settled in Colrain in 1781. Gawn's nearest neighbors were James Wallis who had 100 acres and Charles Stewart. Another relative of Gawn's was the Reverend Samuel Taggart whose daughter Margaret Taggart was married to Gawn. The Reverend Samual Taggart settled in Colrain in 1777 and his property is situated about 495 acres south of Gawn Riddle's property. 1.

1. Patrie, Lois McClellan. A History of Colrain Massachusettes, With Genealogies of early Families.(Georgina Cole Library Gen 974.422 D2 PAT)

Note: Some of the Riddell (Riddle) genealogy is listed in this book but I believe I have already copied it for my research files. The plat map was not in the book I originally copied and I was thrilled to have found it in this book.

More on Chicago Research

A new friend in the NSCGS recommended that I check the County Assessors office website for Cook County http://cookcountyassessor.com/Property_Search/Property_Search.aspx but I could not obtain any results without a pin number. I was searching for 5100 Avondale Drive, 2362 Avondale Drive and 3901 Sheridan Road. The Avondale drive addresses were for Ericka Dahlberg and Gustav Dahlberg. The Sheridan Road address was for Leonard Titus Stonequist.

I am also looking for photos of gravestones from Ridgewood 1900 Lawrence Street: Charles Stonequist,
I have other relatives buried at Union Ridge Cemetery located at 6700 West Higgins, Chicago, Illinois: Sandburg, N.J. and Wihilmina and Mormor (buried next to Sandburgs). Other ancestors that are buried in this cemetery include Martin Dahlberg and Ericka Dahlberg. I suppose its off to explore some other mapping sites.

Chicago Street name changes 1909 to 1911

Pondering a pre 1909 locality in the Windy City? This may help:
go to http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~itappcnc/pipcnstreet.htm and you can search for Chicago Street names and name changes, one of the links listed is for 1909 which explains the street name changes: http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1909snc/start.pdf and another link which refers you to conversion changes in the heart of the Loop in 1911. I still need to make full use of this site because I keep finding more Chicago ancestors. For more information on the pre 1909 addresses this website refers you to the Chicago Historical Society files. Lets see what they have online....http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1205.html
This article comments on the background of the decision to change the street names. The Chicago Historical Society also has a list of "zoomable" maps of Chicago from 1812 to the present. http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/700011.html. Another resource is a Publication by the Chicago Historical Society Your House Has A History which also mentions the street name and address changes. http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/pdf/Your_House_Has_A_History.pdf and also contains another link to the digitized address conversion guide from 1910 and an additional publication from 1948. The Chicago Architecture History page is on the following page:
http://www.chicagohistory.org/research/resources/architecture

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun on Monday....

I really liked Randy Seavers' Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Ahnentafel Roulette on his Genea-Musings blog dated September 19, 2009 here is my reply.

My father is 72 and after I divided that by 4, I came up with #18.

#18 Ada Martina Coon

Facts about her:

o She had a heart for children and worked in an orphanage.
o She was one of the first of my ancestors to move to California, where she resided in Long Beach.
o I do not know what happened to her first husband but Ada remarried Julius Delos Wescott, son of Sarah Potter and Simon Wescott on 25 March 1893.
o I several pictures of Ada, some are cabinet cards and two tintypes.

A curious coincidence: I was working with the Lost Treasures committee at the San Diego Genealogical society with another society member and discovered we were distantly related through the marriage of Ada and Juluis. She was related to Sarah Potter and I was related to Ada (nee Coon). We were able to trade information and fill in holes in our research.

Preparation for Library Trip Next Month

In order to prepare for my research trip in October, I have downloaded research guides from the Georgia Cole Library (Carlsbad, CA) Genealogy website and now I am in the process of looking at the electronic catalog for items pertaining to my research. I just barely started Ashland, OH and the Ward and Malcolm families. The Ward family is still stumping me. I can't seem to be able to go back any further than Ohio. I found a database reference to a marriage record for Edward Ward and Margaret Miller in Allegheny county, Maryland but that is all I have so far. My aunt claims that the Wards were from Lynchburg, Virginia and that they were confederates. I looked for the supposed confederate ancestor "Joel Ward" but he was in Ohio by the time of the Civil War were there people who fought on the confederate side from Ohio? I thought most Ohio folks of the Civil War era were either neutral or Union sympathizers. Anyone who could shed some light on this problem?

Google Maps App, Thanks Randy!

Thanks to Randy Seavers' for his tip in his Genea-Musings blog dated: Monday, September 14, 2009: Using Google Earth to find land location in the Public Land Survey System States: I was able to locate land for Leander Coon in Ohio: NEQ, NWQ; Sec 35; TWP 5N; Range 16E. I used Google Earth with the website Randy suggested. Thanks Randy!

Catching up on my Legacy database entries

I have been using this time of infirmary to catch up on my Legacy genealogy data entry. Here are excerpts from the items entered

Alexander Graham:
One entry that I need to do more research on is an email I received from a Graham researcher. The email states that Alexander Graham was the oldest of 6 children of Aeneas and Sarah Graham. The sender deduced that he was born after the 1810 census but before the1830 census. He was counted in 1830. I have Alexander's wife as Elizabeth Rose. (DeWitt Clinton Graham's pension records)

Robert Malcolm:
I also have a copy of an email from genealogy.com in whiche the sender mentions three brother Robert, Archibald and Thomas Malcolm and that they were from Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Their parents were Alexander Malcolm and Barbara Ritchie. The email contains the name of a book "The Hills of Home" by Rober K. McLain. I will check Google Books or a university library for the book. This is also a lead I need to follow.

I also entered some obituaries:
John W. Priaulx of Racine WI who passed away on March 6, 2004
and Robert E. Richards of Peoria, AZ who passed away Oct 7, 2008
(these were uncles of mine.)

Dahlberg:
I also transcribed the captions from the Edith Dahlberg Woods' Photograph Album, whose daughter Geraldine Woods Urban identified the photos. I also have these scanned into my computer as well as in my genealogy files. This Dahlberg family lived in Jefferson Park, Chicago, Illinois where they lived at 5100 Avondale. I also have a scrapbook which lists the Dahlberg family and Deyoung family kept by Katherine (nee DeYoung) Dahlberg and given to me by Katherine's daugter Phyllis Dahlberg's children. This is digitized.

Stonequist:
Arthur, Titus, and Fredrick Stonequist who were sons of Charles Stonequist: scans of Marriage Licenses from Family Search collection of Illinois, Cook County Marriages 1871-1920.

Coon:
Milton Coon: census records and land records from Ancestry
Leander Coon: census records and land records from Ancestry

From a publication Index to Names in the History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin Illustrated: Coon, Congdon and Dow listed in this index which I found at the San Diego Genealogical Society library.

Randy Seavers' Suggestion

I really liked the suggestion Randy Seavers, Genea-Musings made in his repost from April 22, 2008 on Friday, August 28, 2009 which he titled: The Place of Genealogy Research-Post 1:
After I recover from a recent surgery I plan on joining the North San Diego Genealogical Society and will take Randy's advice when he blogged on his idea of offering a free hour of research consultation at the genealogy library for the society's monthly meeting drawings. I don't think the North San Diego Genealogical Society has a research group that currently meets, so this would be a good way for me to mentor others in using the computer for genealogy research and get to know other genealogists in North County. I agree with Randy in that I don't do the research for the inquirer so they can have their own successes with genealogy research databases.

Internet is finally up and running

I am amazed at how many dishes I accumulated. Combining a household is tough. I discovered an heirloom vase from my great great grandmother. Its not very fancy but its made of smokey colored glass and I am keeping a close watch on it to make sure it does not get discarded! Off to preop visits to the Dr. and have surgery on Friday. I will be out of commission for a while again.
I have enjoyed keeping up with Randy Seavers posts on Geneamusings but have been too busy unpacking to venture over to the genealogy library, hopefully I will make it there after the Dr. says I can drive post surgery.

Coon Family of Palmyra, Jefferson County, and Mendon, Ontario County, NY

I am researching collateral lines to the Coon family: Congdon, Charley (Palmyra, Jefferson County, Wisconsin) and from Honeoye Falls Village, Mendon Township, Ontario County, New York: Surnames are: Strong, Knapp, Avery, Pattee, Brisbin, Potter.

Also regarding Potter in Palmyra, Jefferson County, Wisconsin) Ada Coon married Julius Delos Wescott who was the son of Simon Wescott and Sarah Potter.

Changed blog name

I looked at Genealbloggers and discovered that there was another blog called "Genealogical Treasures" so I changed my blog to gsgenealogy.

I am in the process of moving and my access to reference materials is somewhat limited. I will blog more in a few weeks after I get my new cable modem router set up.

I have been pondering the Chicago address problem. There is one city directory ( I think it was in the 1920s) that lists all the address and street name changes that can be a nightmare for genealogists. I will research this more in a few weeks and post more details. My Stonequist, Dahlberg and Samuelson family tree branches hail from Chicago.

I am a genealogist and I collect dust bunnies and lots of genealogy books!

Wisconsin Civil War GAR post resource

I found this book on Google Books today, If you have any Civil War Ancestors from Wisconsin check search in this book at http://books.google.com

Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Wisconsin

By Thomas J. McCrory

http://books.google.com/books?id=JeuBye82K0EC&lpg=PA138&dq=GAR%20%2BJefferson%20County%20%2BWisconsin&pg=PA138

You may also want to try a Google Books search with +Wisconsin +GAR

Coon, Congdon, Dow families of Palmyra WI

I am following up on previous research on the Coon, Congdon and Dow families. My grandfather had written Myra Congdon, daughter of Susan (nee Coon) Congdon. It took a second look to realize the letter said "my mother frequently spoke about her grandfather Coon". Gary Corrigan gave me the clue that this was Susan (nee Coon) Congdon which I verified with the census. I am working on other collateral lines to this family. I keep coming up with the surname "Potter". Potters in Palymyra, Wisconsin who are you? Never be afraid to go back and look for something you missed on the first reading. Apparently the Congdons were from Whitewater and I need to investigate more photos from the cabinet card album that say the photographer is from Whitewater. These may be photos of Congdons.

County Formation Maps of PA and Graham Family

Thanks to a tip from Randy Seaver's (Genea-Musings blog) where he recommended the county formation maps on: http://www.familyhistory101.com/maps I was able to track two ancestor localities. One was the Graham family of Monongahela, Washington County, Pennsylvania during the years 1776, 1779 and 1781. In 1776 part of what was then Yohogania (Virginia) is now Washington County. The Grahams I am seeking were in Washington County (possibly near Cross Creek) in Monongahela, PA. DeWitt Clinton Graham, whose father and two sisters died of consumption, lived in Monongahela and California in Washington County, PA before the Civil War. I am in the process of scanning DeWitts NARA Pension file which is quite large. DeWitt's mother remarried a man named Samuel Lewis who was a ship's carpenter. DeWitt (aka Clinton Graham) or just Clint in the pension file filed for disability due to consumption he contracted while on guard on Cheat Mountain in Virgina during the civil war.

The second ancestor locality that I found was the Edward Ward (born about 1800) and supposedly migrated from Allegheny County, Maryland with new wife Margaret Miller. He migrated to an area of Wayne County, Ohio which later became integrated into Ashland County, Ohio in 1846.

Another resource I frequently use is "The Census Map Book", by William Dollarhide.

Socolich Surname and Locality in Croatia

My father in law found this post from Joe Staugaitis from 10 Mar 2000 on Croatia-L Archives:
http://listsearchers.rootsweb.com/th/read/CROATIA/2000-03/0952669006
"The Sokolich surname (also Soccolich, Socolich, Soccoli, Rocchi and Falchi) is prominent on otoci Losinj and Cres, and is on the larger families in Nerezine, dating back to its founding in the mid-1500s. Sokolich is also seen in Mali and Veli Losinj, Cunski and Osor as well as Venezia, Milano, Genova, California, and NY. There is a painting of Mary which was in the old church of Sb. Marija Magdalena in nerezine, which family legend says was protected by the original Sokolich to arrive on Losinj, as they fled from the Ottomans in Bosnia centures ago."

This is a very interesting clue, I will see what I can find out about the church and blog about it at a later time.

Found on Family Search Labs!

I found scans of marriage licenses for five Chicago relatives:
in Family search Labs collection: Illinois, Cook County Marriages 1871-1920

Edith M. Dahlberg and David P. Hanson married 6 May 1915

Charles Stonequist (age 55) and Bertha E. Blume (age 22) married 7 October 1918
Children of Charles above:
Arthur J. Stonequist and Minnie Hall married 12 May 1908
Titus Stonequist and Flora W. Petry married 31 March 1920
Fredrick C. Stonequist married Esther Salling on 14 May 1913

Last Placement for Lost Treasures, new adventures ahead

I am shipping the Emma Weaver documents to the Champaign County Ohio Museum Archives in Ohio. This is my last assignment for Lost Treasures. I am no longer Chair of this committee.

Our family will be relocating to a different area and I will join the Genealogy Society there in the fall. Hopefully I can volunteer at their library and help people with their research.

I really enjoyed working with the people at the San Diego Genealogical Society. Our head librarian at the Genealogical Society Library is very knowledgeable and she was patient with me when I needed to discuss committee and library issues with her. Our President always had workable solutions to sticky issues that came up and she is a skilled negotiator and organizer.

Lost Treasures Committee is fortunate to have a skilled researcher on their team. She is adept at finding living descendants for placement of our items and helping our volunteers with research and organization. One of our other researchers came from the British Isles Research group and she is lending us her wisdom and expertise which is an asset to the committee. Another committee member is excited over her first descendant placement of a family Bible. She expanded the foundational work of a previous committee member and was successful in her research outcome. Our project volunteers are gracious to step up to the plate and help with the placement of documents. I appreciated the opportunity to work with the Lost Treasures Committee and the SDGS Library.

This blog will no longer be for Lost Treasures... It may take me a few months to get sorted and packed but I will post my personal research efforts when possible in the midst of packing boxes.

I will be working on my own personal placement of a Darling Bible and Photos. Darling is the surname of the items which I will obtain from a fellow SDGS member. I hope to be able to come and attend some of the general SDGS meetings, I really like the variety of speakers we have at the society.

Randy Seaver gave me an idea in regard to how I can maintain the skills I have obtained with my own genealogical research and Lost Treasures to help with Unclaimed Persons cases. In the Fall I plan to join him and many other genealogical sleuths in their research for Unclaimed Persons: http://www.unclaimedpersons.org/

More Lost Treasures Placements for May

I am in the process of placing will copies from Rachel Wegeforth with the San Diego Zoo archives. Rachel's husband Harry Wegeforth started the San Diego Zoo. I will be meeting with the Zoo Archivist to personally deliver these will copies. The Junior League of San Diego is housed in the original Wegeforth house.

I am also in the process of placing Helen McKinnon documents with the University of California at Berkeley Archives. Helen was a librarian at the university for several years.

I am working on Henry and Emma Weaver documents which include deeds with Urbana, Ohio museum in Champaign County.

The San Diego State University Special Collections was not interested in our George Sands literary notebook. There was no definitive author of the notebook and no established provenance. We will be putting this item up on the San Diego Genealogical Society's eBay website.

Also, another candidate for the eBay site are two photos one each of Fanny Friend and her husband Edward Friend who were shop owners in Riverside, California. I contacted the genealogy society in Riverside for assistance but they received no response. Apparently, a member recognized the surname but knew of no descendants. Along this line I pursued the search for a living descendant of a sister of Fanny Friend: Saloma Paisley which resulted in no living descendants.

I am hoping that the Sacramento Military Museum Library in Sacramento will take the Frank Wood, Spanish American War military documents for their collection.

The search continues!

Lost Treasures Placements

We had our monthly Lost Treasures meeting on April 8 and we invited the project volunteers to join us. They are working on Photographs, a Family Bible, a DAR Certificate and a Marriage Certificate. I conducted an orientation for Lost Treasures and our newest Lost Treasures committee member brought a box of documents to be inventoried from the Bean/Hill family of Los Angeles. Our new committee member will research and attempt to place these documents.

As of April 8, 2009, I have placed two more items. One collection of Deeds is from the Byam family of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The Chelmsford Historical Society is in the process of digitizing deeds and this will be the perfect addition to their collection. No living descendant from this Byam branch was located.

Also, I placed the Cora Hanson (Hauptmann) diary with the Black River Falls Public Library in Jackson County, Wisconsin.

I am working on placing a literary notebook with San Diego State University, Special Collections.

I sent an email to the Military Museum in Sacramento, Library. I am hoping they will take the Frank C. Woods military documents because no living descendant could be located for placement. The Miller Stevens papers were placed with a descendant of Jedediah Miller and Jonas Stevens (of Steuben County, NY). A copy was sent to the Steuben County Historian in New York. This Miller/Stevens family is no relation to any other items we have in our inventory. Although the names Miller and Stevens do occur in the inventory the names and locations do not match, this has been verified several times.

My Search continues for McKinnon, Weaver, Ringstrom, Lewis, Hendricksons, Thayer, Clark, Trebes and Edward and Fanny Friend (photos of Riverside,CA).

Ed and Fanny Friend of Riverside

I am working with the Genealogy Society of Riverside (GSOR) to try to identify descendants of William Edward Friend and Fanny (nee Hunter) Friend.

Hopefully a descendant will come forward and claim the two pictures we have, one each of William Edward Friend and Fanny Friend.

I am also working on a collateral line for Fannie (nee Hunter) Friend. In the 1920 census Saloma Paisley is listed as "Aunt in Law" to William Edward Friend. Saloma filed for divorce from an abusive husband (George Paisley) in 1891 (newspaper article), when she was awarded custody of her three children: Paul Paisley, b. 1880 (census in 1900 and 1930 tracked him to Los Angeles County along with voter registration). Saloma's other children were George Paisley(the second) (born after 1881 but before 1891) and Elizabeth Paisley (b. 1881).

Lost Treasures Placements April 2008 to March 2009

The Lost Treasures Group placed the following items for this year April 2008 to March 2009:

• Two sets of newspaper clippings
• Family Bibles: Samuel Clark, Edwin Clark / Butler, Britton / Moon and Mosher / Forbes Family Bibles.
• Family Photos: The Edna Banta Photo Collection: Simmons, Harve, Simmons, Dodge, Barrow, Bunn, Galbraith, Walker and Wyatt; the Gulick photo collection; and the Blanchard photos.
• Miscell. Documents: Lastly we found a home for the Jedediah Miller and Jonas Stevens document collection which included Land Deeds, an account passbook, a general inventory of documents, a will for Jedediah Miller. If you would like further information on these Documents please contact the San Diego Genealogical Society email SDGSinfo@yahoo.com

Our average time for placement was 3.5 months. This average will probably increase due to increased complexity of the miscellaneous documents and scanning and transcribing Family Bibles that have not yet been published in the San Diego Genealogical Society's publication "Leaves and Saplings". We will offer short term research projects for other researchers in the San Diego Genealogical Society.

Miller/Stevens Documents placed with descendant

The two volume collection of Jedediah Miller and Jonas Stevens documents was placed with a descendant of this family (both Jedediah Miller and Jonas Stevens). The collection included original land records and a will for Jedediah Miller. An inventory was completed more than ten years ago by a SDGS volunteer. One of the interesting things in the pass book (account book) for Jonas Stevens from the 1800s.

Ed and Fanny Friend more information

Searching for descendants of Ed Friend who married Fanny Hunter who lived on Vine Street in Riverside, Riverside County, California (1910) Census. The 1920 Census shows Fanny Friend born in Kansas, living with William Friend (age 45 at the time) Ed working as a foreman at a gas company. Frances Friend (Aunt) is LVN nurse, Saloma Paisley is Aunt in Law and is 78. (possibly Fanny's mother's sister?) Hunter, William B. , Father in law to William Friend. 1922 San Diego County: Fannie Friend and Walter Friend (Salesman). We have city directories in the SDGS library and I will check these for years after 1922 in the attempt to locate a descendant.
(I believe Ed Friend and William Friend are the same person)

My Personal Genealogical Research

If you are researching the following surnames: Darling, Dow, Thayer, Stonequist, Socolich, Thayer, Riddell, Sankey, Malcolm, Graham or Hawkins, please see my personal website http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gwynngenealogy/ On my genealogy site I have a beginner's genealogy research tutorial, timelines, photos and research brickwalls.

I have two related blogs: http://gsgenealogy.wordpress.com/ (my current genealogy research and problems with research)

Back to Lost Treasure Hunting!

The holidays were full of craft making and strengthening family ties. I am recovering from the flu and am thankful that I have this week to rest. Next week the hunt for new homes for our homeless bibles, photos and other documents resumes with our monthly meeting. I will have my hands full with scanning and photographing our documents for the SDGS archives.

Any one know about silver stars? One of our document collections includes three Army silver stars and original veteran records of Frank C. Wood. Free except that we would ask for a donation for shipping.