Life From The Roots: Research

The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Scramlin --- What a Difference Time Makes -- Using Google Photos

I used Google to search my surname Scramlin images on April 26, 2004. As you can see, from the above print, only seven images appeared. Fortunately, there were two tombstone photos, but they didn't help with my research.

Fast forward to December 17, 2023, now there are too many to number. For images, there are photos of people, farms, houses, a few maps, business pictures, and my blog. https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=591685144&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS1002US1002&sxsrf=AM9HkKmUTkX7VeON2SEY1Z7botiZ4kQSfg:1702831922020&q=scramlin&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwj-xcue95aDAxWWGFkFHTlTDjAQ0pQJegQIDRAB&biw=1024&bih=454&dpr=1.5

I think I was far more excited about 20 years ago doing online research than now.

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

The Librarian's Guide Might Help You With Your Research

First the background, then the forms

When I first wrote about this guide, The Librarian's Guide go Genealogical Services and Research in October 2010, I knew it was something that could help genealogists with their research. Over the years, I was always aware that people were looking at this blog post. Six months ago I was able to track how many people were looking at it out because I only wrote posts about the city I live in and that made it easy to look at the Google statistics. My Lowell posts were very high in readership, but I always saw at least 20-30 hits for this post in the top 10 for each day. The total of hits since 2010 per Google is over 3,400.

I recently purchased the book from Amazon, now out of print, and I lucked out with a brand new-looking book with a CD, it came from a library. So I decided to write about this guide again because of the interest many of us have in the 1950 census (being released on April 1, 2022). So, many hours were spent last week trying to get in touch with the publisher for permission to use the forms again. I couldn't find the author anywhere, and the publisher seems to have disappeared (Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.) but I learned it is now under the wing of the ALA (American Library Association). Well, it seems I know about that organization because my great, great grandfather was an early president of it. (William Frederick Poole). So, happily I called and left messages for the research department...four times and never heard back. Again, I called the main number and got a 25-year dedicated employee who told me I should be talking to the copyright department. Yes, well I left a message and nothing.

Fast forward to five days ago when I reread my initial post. Low and behold, per that post, "I indicated I wrote to the publisher for permission to share some examples with you. He responded today (Oct. 4, 2010), and wrote this: "This is fine. Please just add a line to each: Reprinted with permission from <book title> by James Swan. Copyright 2004 by James Swan. All rights reserved. Based on this, I am sharing some forms that might help you. Some were from years ago and some from photos.

My two previous posts (Oct. 1, 2010, and Oct. 4, 2010) about the book are:

http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2010/10/follow-friday-librarians-guide-to.html

I explain a lot about the book, table of contents, and where you can find it (WorldCat).

https://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2010/10/librarians-guide-to-genealogical.html

I am not doing a review of the 356-page book because it is not in print. This is his sixth book. There are few websites listed, but I imagine many have been changed. Mr. Swan's forms are valuable to us and will be for many years.

About 164 libraries in the United States have this book according to WorldCat.org.

https://www.worldcat.org/title/librarians-guide-to-genealogical-services-and-research/oclc/779915739?referer=br&ht=edition

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Doing Research at the Rowley, Massachusetts Town Hall

Rowley Town Hall

139 Main Street

Rowley, MA 01969

(978) 948-2081

townclerk@townofrowley.org

I have a George Kilborn / Kilbourn born in 1611 in Wood Ditton, England, and he had six children born in Rowley, MA. The family left Connecticut sometime before 1649. This is not a direct line, but Thomas Kilborn, the father, was my 10th great-grandfather. So, as I mentioned, George had six children born in Rowley. One of the sons, Joseph had seven born in Rowley. One of Joseph's sons had six children born in Rowley! It was the third Joseph Kilborn's gravestone that I was able to find. He died in 1806. Because Rowley isn't too far from where I live, I was pretty excited to think George Kilborn traveled from Connecticut to Massachusetts, and I wanted to search for some clues searching for clues.

On May 9, 2019, my husband and I went to Rowley, MA specifically to speak with the Town Clerk, Susan G. Hazen. I am glad I made an appointment because she allocated a good deal of time for me. I had seen the cemetery the previous fall, so I knew it was huge. Note: Rowley is not a city it is a town.

When I walked in, there she was at the copy machine.

Two parts of the office. Look at the great Rowley books.

Births from 1925-1932.

The earlier binder has records from 1843-1908.

Their mapping system is pretty self-explanatory.

My Joseph Kilborn and his wife are listed on this page, and with the exact location in the cemetery, it made for a pretty easy find.

So, we strolled in the cemetery and couldn't find my couple because the sun was in the wrong direction. Darn, we knew we had to come back. And we did, on August 10th. (It was just a month later when we discovered Bill had brain cancer. A word to the wise, do all you can when you can.)

More records below

The Library is next door to the Town Hall, and both places share parking space behind the Town Hall. See a previous post, Rowley Public Library, posted on October 8, 2018.

This desk displayed some Rowley history-related items. I don't recall if they were free or not.

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