Foote Memorial, Wethersfield, Connectiicut

 Wethersfield, Connecticut

Nathaniel Foote

The Settler

Born in England 1593

Died in Wethersfield 1644

Erected By The

Foote Family Association

Of America

On The Original Home Lot

September 7, 1908

For those trying to locate this, Mark, a reader and friend gave me the location and the Google photo of where this monument was taken. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Robbinswood+Dr+%26+Broad+St,+Wethersfield,+CT+06109/@41.7039105,-72.6552483,3a,75y,58.45h,94.76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sppbovUbrWif0Jy0jEH3JLQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e65267c863c665:0xd5b96c862685c831!8m2!3d41.7090552!4d-72.6519413

"Between Broad Street and Foote Path Lane.  The grassy 'median' between North and South Broad Street is what Wethersfield considers its town common."

Did Somebody REALLY Cut out the Tombstone?

A recent cemetery trip to Lancaster, Massachusetts to find several direct ancestors proved quite interesting. One of the oldest stones there was for Thomas Wilder, my 9th great grandfather. Upon locating this stone, I noticed a small piece of paper stuck on it, then realized it was either glued or put in the hole. I removed it, and to my amazement, saw that a chiseled out block had been done, so the paper could fit. FindAGrave shows the damage, with the paper removed.

What was on the paper? Four generations of the Wilder family with birth dates.

Burl A. Wilder, 1899-1993 

Alan S. Wilder, 1932

David A. Wilder, 1964

Nicholas F. Wilder, 1997

SACRED
to the Memory of
THOMAS WILDER,
from Lancaster in England,
who first settled at Hingham
in 1641, and came to this Town
July 1, 1659, and died Oct 23,
1667, leaving three sons - viz
THOMAS, JOHN and NATHANIEL,
from whom are derived all
of the name WILDER in
this Town and vicinity  ***

 

Old Common Burying Ground

Lancaster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts

*** Now, it turns out some of the information on the above stone is incorrect! A person posted updated genealogical information and fortunately, I found the source. New information on the FAG site is: "New information, based on DNA testing, has indicated he was not related to Edward Wilder of Hingham, and is not of the Shiplake, Oxfordhire Wilder family. His origins are therefore unknown at present, including a supposed birth year of 1618. He may have been from the Lancaster area in England, but this has not been established with any degree of certainty. (See "American Ancestors"(NEHGS) Spring 2010 issue.) The reference to him living at Hingham on the latter day stone erected in the cemetery (see photo and inscription) is incorrect.

He was of Charlestown, MA, admitted as freeman in 1641, marrying there, and purchasing land in 1643.

He was living on 1 July 1659 at Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, when he signed the Town Orders. He left a will on 22 January 1666/67 at Lancaster, and he served on 3 February 1667 as Selectman of Lancaster. Thomas's estate was inventoried on 29 November 1667 at Lancaster, and his estate was probated there on 4 March 1667/68." I'd like to give credit to the person who wrote this, but I don't know who it was.

New York City Public Library, New York City -- History and Genealogy Room

New York City Public Library

 Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street

On the most beautiful spring day, I spent several hours at the New York City Public Library. There were three books I absolutely had to look at, and I knew they were there because I had checked their card catalog. Once at the library, I went immediately to the Milstein Division (history and genealogy section), on the first floor. See posts about two previous (interesting visits) I was there, HERE. Photos below show the open stacks and no library card is needed. However, I needed one because I wanted books in the closed stack area. I applied for it and received it almost immediately. For the books I wanted, I had to fill out a request form for each book. An employee retrieved them and I was looking at them within minutes.

Milstein Division (history and genealogy section)

The Rose Reading Room, where non-genealogists go (above and below).

UPDATE 3/5/17: "This timelapse footage of 52,000 books being reshelved is strangely beautiful.

After closing for a two-year renovation, the New York Public Library's historic Rose Main Reading Room has finally reopened."

https://www.facebook.com/qznews/videos/1484476841586013/

Picking up requested books to look at on-site.

If you want to make copies, which I did, (60 at .15 each) you'll need to buy a copy card. I was very fortunate, since I was able to make them all at the same time, no line, and used the only one copy machine. I shudder to think if there were lots of people needing copies.

As indicated in my photos, it was a very quiet afternoon in the genealogy section, and only two people were in the microfilm room, located a few doors away! The next time I go, I intend to visit the Manuscripts and Archive Room, to see if I can find anything about one of the earliest families in Amsterdam / New York City, my Ten Eyck ancestors. That's a real goal of mine.

Not all are Tan (Massachusetts Vital Records Series)

Many genealogists doing early Massachusetts research will probably use the Vital Records, either on microfilm or in book form. The books are often referred to as the "Tan Books." However, as indicated by the photos below, that term may not make much sense in the future. As I've been revisiting the majority of the libraries for my Library series, I've noticed a change. The "Tan Books" are changing color. The orange books are from the Chelmsford, MA library, and the black ones from Lowell, MA. In addition, I've seen blue and green bound books. I'm not sure if the library is deciding on the colors when they are rebound, maybe I'll ask. All I want you to be aware of is the fact that they are not all tan.

From Archive Publishing, their description of the Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 is below.

PRINTED VITAL RECORDS FOR 2/3 OF STATE

Are you searching for names in Massachusetts? If so, maybe you've already looked through the tan books of the old printed series of vital records to 1850. This series, published nearly a hundred years ago for 210 of the 350 or so Massachusetts towns and cities, lists births, marriages, and deaths for the earliest settlers, and continues through 1849.

 

SOURCE OF DATA

Most of the data come from original records safeguarded in town halls, sometimes supplemented with facts from church, cemetery, court, or family bibles. Because the information comes from such a diverse group of sources, many now missing; these books, compiled years ago as a secondary source, sometimes now serve as the only link to primary-source documents.

 

VALUE OF PRINTED RECORDS

Not only do these volumes contain valuable data, but they are easy to use; being printed, with names arranged alphabetically, cross-referenced to alternate spellings, and placed in categories of births, marriages, and deaths. Further, though not entirely error-free, these records are remarkably accurate. 

_____________

An example of a book is for Dana is below. It gives you an idea of what is included. (Some larger towns, like Salem, MA have six volumes, two for births, for marriages and deaths.) Regarding Dana, Massachusetts, unfortunately, the town (with others) was flooded to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir in 1938. The entire Dana Vital Records book is online, maybe seen HERE.

 

Beads and Things from New York City

I used to visit various stores frequently to buy my Christmas ornament supplies. M. and  J. Design was my favorite store. The beads were used to make my own designed Christmas balls. At one time, I had over 150 ornaments, all different. The hobby began around 1965 when I used kits, but soon after I designed my own. The last one I made was around 2000.

The www.mjtrim.com website on window.

Sights and Flowers of New York City in April

A beautiful and warm day on April 21, 2012, to walk around New York City to see familiar sights.

Radio City.

Inside Trump Towers, on an escalator, opposite mirrors and pink granite.

The NBC studios at Rockefeller Square (above) and inside Saint Patrick's Cathedral (below).

I was here on a very warm April day, everybody was out to enjoy the weather.

Bryant Park with popular Carousel and pink roses.

Skaters at Rockefeller Square, and lots of flowers in the plaza.

 New York Public Library on 5th Avenue.

 Pretty fancy public water fountain.

 Empire State Building as seen from inside the New York Public Library.

 The main reading room is called the Rose Room.