One Will Equal Two and The Great Migration -- Follow Friday

Thomas Scott, who migrated 1634 from England and settled in Massachusetts, gave me a lot of problems. I used several references and some of the data didn't mesh. One source had Thomas as having four children, another had him having seven. His birth was off by three years, and the death by 10 years. The Scott family went into my tree, and online on RootsWeb, and I knew it was wrong. I was Just waiting for somebody to correct me. Finally, the best of the best books was published by Robert C. Anderson, The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Vol. 6, R-S in 2006. I just recently got around to looking at it, because the last of the series, Vol. 7, was released a few months ago, and I went through both books. (See below for more information about the books.)


Imagine, there two Thomas Scotts, both coming to America in 1634, both having children named: Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Thomas! And they both lived for a time in Cambridge, MA. A merge and corrections were made, and just as quickly I uploaded it into my RootsWeb, and nobody ever knew of my error!

One of the more popular sources for doing early New England research are a series of books called, The Great Migration : Immigrants to New England. The first series comes in three volumes with the title, The Great Migration Begins : Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, published in 1995 and contains more than nine hundred sketches. The second series, The Great Migration : Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, consists of seven volumes, the last volume published recently. Robert Charles Anderson, of the New England Historic Genealogical Society is the main author, and NEHGS is the publisher.

What can you do, if you can't purchase a volume? There are two options, the first is to go to www.worldcat.org (well-known library catalogue) and you should see that 320 libraries own a copy of the first series (1620-1633). Perhaps a library is near you.

The second option is to use Ancestry.com, if you are a subscriber. The first series is on their site, so in a way, it is free for you, since you already subscribe.

Want to Read about Executions for Follow Friday?

While looking for some background information on somebody in my family, a google search brought me to an interesting site called An NYCHS Timeline on Executions by Hanging in New York State. The NYCHS stands for New York Correction History Society. Not only did I find information on my guy, but a lot on others who committed crimes. The timeline covers 1779 to 1824, and many listed were convicted for being spies, robbers or murderers. A few of the names will be recognizable by some of you. Sure made for some interesting reading.


The NYCHS also has a webpage New York Correction History Society which is a "resource for NY correction history --- 7000+ files of text & images totaling 460+ Mbs."


Any idea who I am going to write about? His wife was my 4th great-grandaunt.

Follow Friday -- Massachusetts Meanderings and More

For my first Follow Friday of a genealogy blog, I felt I couldn't go wrong with choosing, "Massachusetts Meanderings and More...Seeking Ancestors in Connecticut and Massachusetts" by Bonnie MacDonald, a professional genealogist from Washington state. She began her blog in February outlining her plans for a three-week research trip to three New England states and attending the New England Regional Genealogical Conference (NERGC). Fortunately, I found out about her blog when she was at the conference, and decided to Follow her, and she didn't disappoint.

After her NERGC write-ups, her real trip began. Bonnie visited archives, libraries, societies, town halls, many, many cemeteries (many off a well-traveled road), and was fortunate to stay at a lot of B&B's. Even though she was less than three hours from me, she went to many places I've never heard of. But there were some places I've been, and we have ancestors buried in the same cemetery in Lancaster and Hartford. She even took a photo of a memorial stone of my ancestor, Rowland Stebbins. (Thanks Bonnie.)

I eagerly looked for her post to see how she was managing during our cold, wet spring. Like a trooper, she was out there hunting for her ancestor's gravestones or trying to find a place to eat. At one point, when she was really close to me, I wrote to see about meeting, but it didn't work out for us. In one of her more recent posts, she was surprised the had two followers, I had hoped she would have 100 or more.

There are good hints as to how to prepare a research trip, lots of reference materials and many photos. Regarding the preparing for a trip, Bonnie did not know about the two  holidays in one week, for Massachusetts. Patriots Day (on Monday), and Good Friday (on Friday) changed her plans because many town and state buildings were closed. If you like travelogues with lots of information, you will love this.

Even if you don't have ancestors in Massachusetts or Connecticut, I hope you take a look at her blog, and follow her.

Wish My Ancstors Went to Hawaii -- Follow Friday

My 6th Lowrey cousin in Hawaii.

We all love receiving messages from distant cousins, but hearing from one who lives in Hawaii was extra  special. She and three generations of her Lowrey ancestors have lived there! In the past, I have written about my Lowrey line, one article was, Follow Reunions --  One of Mine Started in 1875.  My entire Lowrey line remained in Connecticut. All that made for pretty easy research, and sometimes not so interesting either. So, it was a real surprise to hear that we share the same ancestor, an ancestor who came from Ireland and married in Boston, then moved to Connecticut.

Her Lowrey great-grandfather left Massachusetts and traveled to Hawaii in 1879. There is a lot of information on her family on the internet, and one article illustrates why:

"Merchant, Honolulu; born Oct. 18, 1858, at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Mass.; son of Frederick Canfield and Alice L. (Moore) Lowrey; descendant of long line of military officers of the War of Revolution, including Col. Samuel Canfield, Captains Daniel Jewett, Abijah Moore and Joseph Higley; educated in public schools of Pittsfield, Mass., and California, and business college; married Cherilla L. Storrs in Honolulu, Jan. 17, 1884; four children: Frederick Dwight, Sherwood Moore, Helen Storrs (deceased), Alan Jewett. Began business career in San Francisco, Cal., and in Honolulu with Lewers and Dickson, in 1879; later with Lewers & Cooke, hardware and lumber merchants; became president of Lewers & Cooke, Ltd., when incorporated Jan. 1, 1901; president of Oahu Sugar Co., Ltd.; president of Waiahole Water Co., Ltd.; vice-president, Honolulu Gas Co., Ltd. Was chairman, Board of Prison Inspectors; member, Board of Health during plague epidemic; sergeant and later captain, Citizens' Guard; ex-president, Queen's Hospital; president, Oahu Cemetery Assn.; president. Hawaiian Board; president, Trustees Central Union Church; trustee and ex-president, Y. M. C. A.; member and ex-president, Social Science Assn.; trustee and ex-president, Cham, of Com. Member Pacific, Commercial and Country Clubs."

During our emails, I discovered that she has New England roots on her mother's side, Boston to be exact. One little tidbit she shared with me was, "If you've ever been to the Plimouth Plantation, the land it sits on was donated to the plantation by my mom's families." Now that impressed me. If you have ever been Plymouth, Massachusetts, you probably went to the Plimouth Plantation. Below is a photo taken ages ago, when my husband and I first went there. It was so faded, I took most of the color out, and made it black and white.

Marilu Henner of "Taxi" Fame -- Follow Friday

Why would I want to follow the actress, Marilu Henner? If you are a news junkie, you already know, but if not, let me explain. Ms. Henner has a condition, I want. It is called Superior Autobiographical Memory, or hyperthymesia. Marilu has appeared recently on "60 Minutes" and just the other day on "The Today Show" and spoke about her rare condition. Although, has spoken of it in the past, those two recent shows were the first times I'd heard of it. I don't know a whole lot about her, other than watching her on "Taxi" and "The Apprentice" of which she didn't win, and a few movies. There are a lot of photos of her through Google images, I'm certain most of you will recognize her.


Can you imagine what it would be like, as a genealogist, to remember everything your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or any other member of the family ever told you about their lives? Does she even know what genealogy is? Here, I couldn't even remember how to spell her name, or what I needed at the grocery store.


I wonder if she has traced her lineage to see if anybody else in her tree had the same condition.  Could it be heredity? I don't know, but she did mention that her son also has the ability to recall what happened on such and such a date. Imagine that you would never be wrong with dates, events, and who said what. I could live with that.

Follow Friday -- Rock of Ages Resource...A Genealogy Booklet!

Some of you may have heard of the company, Rock of Ages. It is a company that had been in business since 1885, and they specialize in headstones, mausoleums, and memorials. The company is based in Vermont, and even provides a factory tour of their facility. All this might not be interesting but, they apparently believe in the slogan, "Families Are Forever..."


About six years ago, when I first began teaching beginning genealogy at a local library, I used to hand out the Rock of Ages wonderful 16 page booklet, The Rock of Ages Family Genealogy Workbook to the students. The company sent me about 24 heavy cover and think paper booklets to hand out. Now, you can download it to your computer. The picture above is from the booklet I used, but the information is the same now, with the exception of several updated pages covering genealogy websites, and software to use. All you need to do is provide them with your email address and zip code, and then they allow you to use the download link immediately.


What is covered?  All the basics and it is perfect for beginners. There is a Research Log, Work Sheet, Pedigree Chart, Family Name Register and a Family Tree chart (fan design). You can copy or print out as many pages as you need.


My copy was printed in 2002, and even then their advice was relevant in their Ten Basic Research Rules. For example:
"Never assume. Prove it instead.
Do not rely solely on computer databases.
Do not rush the research or jump to hasty conclusions.
Work with facts; not guesses.
Keep an open mind.
Accept the fact that some people cannot be found."

Follow Friday -- Follow the Surname

When I received the marriage certificate with the big ugly red stamp, and copied off-center I was a little upset. But then I read it. Darn, this wasn't to my liking, my great-grandparents had the same 

surname!

I probably stewed about it, then went on to other things, all the while angry for the mistake.  But, there was no mistake.  A good deal later, I discovered that Charles Clarence Poole and Anna "Annie" Poole were related, they were second cousins once removed!  That discovery made for a quick lineage for Annie, as I only had to add a few lines, then merge her file into her husband's.  Even when I used FamilyTreeMaker to calculate their relationship, they don't show up as husband and wife, but as second cousins once removed.

If you ever come across something like this, you might be luckier than unlucky.  And, don't always assume the certificate is wrong!

Many years later, I now can see the record online at Family Search through their Records Search Pilot option (the link isn't exact for some reason, but the name is #3, so click on that).  If I had waited 13 years, I wouldn't have had to wait for the snail mail, pay for the copy or receive a copy with the red stamp. However, this one is also off center as well.  Can't do anything about that...

Follow Friday -- I Don't Want to Follow Them

Why I ever decided to subscribe to World Vital Records, I wish I knew.  It was just about a year ago, and I assumed I would use it along with several other subscriptions for aiding in my genealogy research.  I've nothing against the company, it was just that blogging got in the way.  My research time was cut way back.


Last week, I received a call from the company, and was asked if I wanted to renew.  When I replied, "no" that is when I was asked a number of questions.  I held my breath and even offered the bit of information, I hoped was true. I said, I hadn't used it in almost a year.  Well, I was right, she had the exact date!  No secrets there. So, with my "no thank you," I think that means a "maybe we can change her mind."  For the past week, I've received the following emails from them.   (I realize the dates don't show below, but they are daily, and two for today.)

Is there anybody who thinks I should reconsider?

		WorldVitalRecords		World Vital Records SPECIAL OFFER: 7 Days to Search GenealogyBank for FREE!‎ - Having trouble viewing the images in this email? View our online version. Become a Fan Follow us …		10:41 am
		WorldVitalRecords Newsle.		World Vital Records Five Ways to Document a Death‎ - If you would like to view the newsletter in your browser, click here. In This Issue …		8:51 am
		WorldVitalRecords		World Vital Records LAST CHANCE for Buy 1 Year Get 1 Year for Penny‎ - If you are already a member, you may use the special to extend your subscription.) Having trouble …		Aug 9
		WorldVitalRecords		World Vital Records Discover Your Ancestors With 3 Great Sources‎ - REMINDER: LAST CHANCE on our Subscription Specials (If you are already a member, you may use …		Aug 8
		WorldVitalRecords		World Vital Records FREE Access to Yearbooks + FREE Month + 50% OFF Collections‎ - Having trouble viewing the images in this email? View our online version. Become a Fan Follow us …		Aug 7
		WorldVitalRecords		World Vital Records Discover Your Ancestors in the Newspaper Archive‎ - Having trouble viewing the images in this email? View our online version. Discover Your Ancestors …		Aug 6
		WorldVitalRecords		World Vital Records 45% OFF! 2 Genealogy Subscriptions For 1 Low Price‎ - Having trouble viewing the images in this email? View our online version. Become a Fan Follow us …		Aug 5

Follow Friday -- Becky of KINEXXIONS

For many months, I've been following a fabulous blog called Kinexxions by Becky Wiseman.  She began her journey alone, from Indiana last August, and has traveled through New England, down south, then the southwest, west and up through many of the national parks. Since I had been in many of the parks and various other sites, I've enjoyed her journey on a personal level.


Follow Friday is a day when genealogists can write about another blog, book, genealogy society / historical society or anything they recommend to others. For this reason, I choose Becky's site.


Today, when she posted a map of her newest detour, that of driving to Alaska (see her map, click to enlarge), I thought this would be a great way for children to follow along.  Many still have a month of vacation, and they can take the trip with her.  What a wonderful way to learn.  And, as she mentioned today, she might not always have wifi, so if there is a lapse, you can always go back through her blogs and read about other locations and see some of the best photos you will ever see.  She doesn't sightsee like me....she does it, as in taking long hikes and getting the best shots (unlike mine taken a few feet from the car). In addition, she explains things and discusses history...it isn't just photos.


I wish her a safe journey and hope many of you will follow her along this great journey.

Follow Friday -- Keeping up with FindAGrave Errors

The other day I received an email from a 5th cousin stating that I spelled the name of a cemetery wrong, I had Piegeon Hill instead of Pigeon.  Upon closer inspection, I saw that it indeed was listed as Piegeon.  Horrors, but I didn't spell it that way. The person who initiated the site in Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada spelled it wrong. There was no contact name, or email, so I wrote to http://www.findagrave.com/ and explained the situation.


Then hours later, I received a wonderful email, in which the person wrote, "Hello Barbara, I'm so happy that I found your link while I viewing the Cross family at Piegeon Hill Cemetery." Both of the emails came within a 24-hour period. One error travels fast!


I never heard back from the people at FindAGrave, but did check back on the Pigeon Hill Cemetery site and saw that it was corrected.


Several hours later, while working on a completely different cemetery, I discovered that the same Horace Adams is listed in two cemeteries in Batavia, Genesee Co., New York.  I wrote the administrator, but haven't heard anything yet (perhaps on vacation).


These errors are minor, they probably only affect me.  But, I do want things to be correct.  FindAGrave is a fabulous organization, no question about that. Just think 48 million records for free, and most with photos.  I am not complaining, just following them.

Follow Friday -- Riverdale, Michigan

Why write about Riverdale, Michigan you might ask.  My 6th cousin recently sent me a 75 page Centennial booklet for her town with a "population of 300-400 if everyone is home."  She lives in this town.  We began sharing our family information a good four years ago and we stopped, some time passed and we started up, this has happened several times.  Nice to have relatives like that, somebody you are comfortable with and who will share.


Because I knew nothing about Riverdale in Seville Township, I checked with google and found a site about
Gratiot County, Michigan, it appears to be in the center of the state, and the Pine River runs through it.  From the booklet, I learned that lumbering was abundant, and the finest pines could be found there in the early days. "In 1854, lured here by the forest of pines, white people started to settle in the area.  Large log drives used to take place where millions of feet of logs were floated downstream to the mills which soon started along the banks."

My ancestors on our shared Schrambling / Scramlin line settled in Michigan, but not this town.  However, cousin Linda had several generations who live there, and currently her parents have a life-lease on a farm, and Linda also resides there.

The town celebrated their Centennial in 1974, and then in 1999 this book was published, which contains some of the original material as well as updates from the past 25 years.  Throughout the book are old and new photos of schools, houses, churches, banks, old sawmills and other buildings. And, many old family photos.  Linda kindly went through each page and wrote on stickies additional bits of information.  There is even a photo of her 130+ year old house, one of oldest in the town!

I particularly enjoyed the piece about the Riverdale Library. "It was started in June of 1941 by Mrs. Josephine Scramlin Bradley.  She collected a few books from the townspeople and borrowed a number of books from the State Library in Lansing." This wonderful lady was Linda's great-aunt!

While trying to locate additional information about the town, I found a listing of some burials at Riverdale Cemetery from Google images.

I no longer have the need to keep her book, and Linda has allowed me to donate it to the New England Historic and Genealogical Soceity's Library (NEHGS).  It will have a safe home, and perhaps others will use it.

Follow Friday -- Facebook or Google

If somebody had asked me which of the two, Facebook or Google, was getting the most hits per week, I would have said Google without a doubt.

Imagine my surprise when, I read in the Boston Globe the other day that "Facebook surpasses Google in US hits" wow, I thought what does this mean?  Of course, I know what it means, but what about down the road? I can imagine Google starting up a social network site of its own, (not the new Buzz, but something totally different) and Facebook will offer a blogging format. Now a days, you shouldn't get too used to anything on the net, because it will change soon.  This is a little news item, nothing more.  I just thought it was interesting.  So for Follow Friday, I will be following whatever news there is on Facebook and Google, and may the best site win.