Sympathy Saturday Fannie Runyon Chinn

 Fannie Runyon was the widow of Addison Ball Chinn, who was child  number 8 of 12 of Dr. Joseph Graves Chinn and Barbara Garland Graves. Addison had the misfortune to be murdered in a home invasion in 1902, in which his son Asa was also injured.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Great Unknown, Photo 4, Simmet? Helwig?

Not sure where this photo was taken. Most certainly either Erie county, New York or Gratiot or Montcalm county, Michigan. 

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Too-Too Thursday - Them or Me?

I am using (I wrote this a couple weeks ago) GenSmarts to help me locate people on the New York 1915 and 1925 census. In searching using soundex to look for Joseph Schwartz in 1915 in Lancaster, NY, I'm coming up with a big fat ZERO.  So I looked for just Joseph. Nada. Amelia Schwartz. Nope. Just Amelia. Bingo. She is listed as Schwarz - soundex didn't work with the absence of the 't.' And Joseph was there, but indexed as Jaseph. And the actual 1915 census page? Joseph Schwartz. Another case of really crappy indexing. When will Ancestry.com learn that their method doesn't work.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Percival & West

On June 27, 1860, Mahatable Cochran, daughter of Henry Cochran and Martha Percival, married William James West in Newton, Texas. Her mother was one of the brave pioneers who left Massachusetts and headed for the wilds of Texas, where she married Henry Cochran.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Great Unknown, Photo 3, Simmet? Helwig?

Not sure where this photo was taken. Most certainly either Erie county, New York or Gratiot or Montcalm county, Michigan. 

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

The Great Unknown, Photo 2, Simmet? Helwig?

Not sure where this photo was taken. Most certainly either Erie county, New York or Gratiot or Montcalm county, Michigan.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Sympathy Saturday - Louis DeLong

Louis DeLong, son of  George "Ally" DeLong and Louise "Lulu" Middleton DeLong, was born on December 25, 1883 and died on June 23, 1884 just shy of six months. Lulu died on January 20, 1884.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

The Great Unknown, Photo 1, Simmet? Helwig?

I'm recuperating (hopefully, I am doing very well) from knee replacement surgery. While I am recuperating, I will be sharing scans of tintypes and other photos taken in Erie county, New York or in Michigan that were shared with me by my cousin (third cousin, once removed) Gale Simmet. Presumably and hopefully all of these images have a Simmet/Zimmeth/Helwig connection. If there is anyone out there in the cyber world who might have a clue as to the identity of anyone in these pictures, please leave a comment.

 This one was obviously done in Buffalo.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Too Too Thursday - Alois Bauer 1915 New York

Its tough picking out which one of the incorrectly indexed 1915 Census to pick for today's Too-Too. However, I settled on Aloysius or Alois Bauer and his family. He married Florence Ast.

After searching Aloysius, Alois, Florence, I finally figured I would just search for them with their birth year +/- 2 years. No luck. Then I focused on their son Eugene born in 1910.

What I found on the index was Engene, son of Alvice and Frances. Um, Ancestry.com, NO! When I looked at the census I found Alois, Florence, Eugene and Richard (their youngest.)

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Percival & Mammoser

On June 20, 1936, W. McKinley Percival married Elizabeth Mammosser in Rome, New York.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Obituary

I have one thing in common with other researchers, we all come across it, the dreaded obituary with no citation as to paper, date or anything else.

Cousin Gale gave me one that went one up on that - no translation. Yes, it was in German. Someday I may discover the newspaper that published it, until then I have this nice scan of it, along with my translation.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Third Cousin, Once Removed

It's so much fun meeting relatives you didn't know you had. In this instance, it is on my mom's father's side - The Simmets as opposed to our Zimmeths. Gale found me through postings I had done on Find-A-Grave, while he was searching for information on his Simmets. Because of the name change by his branch of the family, he had some difficulty tracing his line back.

I knew about the Simmets in Michigan, his branch at any case, because I found them accidentally while searching census records. We shared a good day together and wow did I scan some stuff! Lots of stuff.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Sympathy Saturday - Janet Allison Schultz

From the Plymouth Observer & Eccentric:

SCHULTZ, JANET A.

11:24 AM, Jan. 3, 2012 

Of Plymouth. December 20, 2011. Age 60.

Loving mother of Matthew and Phillip. Dear sister of James (Cynthia) Allison.
Memorial Service Saturday, January 14th at Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 10101 West Ann Arbor Rd, Plymouth at 11:00 am. A Memorial Gathering at the church will begin at 10:00 am.
Arrangments by Czopek Funeral Directors (734) 285-9000.

Janet was a friend I made in 1978. We were both members of the Ford Pendulum Club and bowled on one of the leagues, but not on the same team. We had such great times together. One of my favorite memories is singing at her wedding (she got married in October of 1982) "The Christmas Song" at the top of our lungs with friend Linda Morin.

Jan was diagnosed with multiple myeloma several years back, around the time my DH and I moved to Tennessee, and fought it courageously. I miss her tremendously.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

More Census Fun - 1925 Revisited

I can't tell you how much I really do appreciate the New York State Census. It has been so helpful in those years ending in 5. I hate the indexing though!

Case in point: I am looking for Leon Kruszka and family in 1925. I thought the family had moved to Michigan by then, but apparently not.  On page 31 of Election district 1, ward 9 of Buffalo, New York, I find Leon Kruszka, wife Mary, sons Arthur and Bernard. On the next page their daughter is enumerated as Lona Gruszka. I won't blame the indexers on this one.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Too-Too Thursday - Which Should I Choose?

I am having fun with these 1915 New York State Census records. But I've come across one that just blew me away. It was actually two census records for one family.

The family in question is William A & Susie A. Willmore/Wellmore Percival and family. One one census in Blenheim, Schoharie county, New York only two of their children are enumerated. One, Donald is listed as an auto mechanic. The other son is Charles who is listed is an electrical engineer.

The other one is taken in Portville, Cattaraugus county, New York and lists all of their children except daughter, Evelyn, who married in 1913.

The last column is listed as For Inmate of Institutions, Infants under One year of age.  All four of their enumerated children: Donald, Charles, William and Caroline are listed as being in institutions. Donald, machinist in N. Blenheim, Pennsylvania; Charles at school in Brooklyn, NY; William A. Jr, Salesman in a grocery in Olean, NY and Caroline, school teacher in Bath, NY.

It makes one wonder what the census taker or subject misunderstood. On the Schoharie county census, no listings under Institutions. Not sure how I am treating these yet.



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Sherman & Percival

One June 13, 1867 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, Emma Percival, daughter of Benjamin and Anna (Buffum) Percival to Samuel Sherman, son of Peleg & Sarah Sherman.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Sometimes ...

1940 New York Census. A Blessing and a curse. First of all, whomever transcribed it could have differentiated better than his 'h' and 'k.' Secondly, the indexer, missed a letter when indexing. The last name is Klijewski not Kijewski. And the first name is Frank not Franh! I had even searched for Mruk but did not think to look for Mruh(next family down is Mrs. Klijewski's parents.) And Stella becomes Stolt by this indexer.  You can take my word for it or click on the image. First two families.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

In the Queue

Oh yes, it is census time again. Last week, Ancestry.com released the index for the 1940 New York census as well as 1915 and 1925. I picked up a few of them off the top of my head for 1915 and 1925 and will delve into them a little more when I start adding the 1940 census. Right now I have 342 census in the queue. I have almost been exclusively using GenSmarts v 2 for this with the latest update as it seems to be more accurate. And pulling them as they come out? I feel less overwhelmed by the sheer numbers I am finding!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Sympathy Saturday - Isaac Gatewood Bowman, Jr

Isaac Gatewood Bowman, Jr., son of Isaac Gatewood Bowman and Mary Catherine Armstrong was born September 27, 1851 in Union, Kentucky and died on June 9, 1927 in Dallas, Texas. He was a great-great grandson of Georg Bowman and Mary Hite.


Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

The Eight Hundred and Other Numbers

Oh yeah. You think I don't keep track of things? Hah, y'all know me better than that. I just happened to look at the number of posts for this blog and I've posted 800 times. Not bad for never on Sunday unless it's something special.

Other numbers are climbing, too. Namely census. I was keeping up with it pretty much until Ancestry.com released the 1940 New York census. I'm still going through all those. And adding 1915 and 1925 New York State census as I go along. And picking up the odd pre-1940 Federal census along the way.  So, I'm up to 240 and I am sure that will climb higher as more states are indexed!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Too-Too Thursday - Family Search Vs Ancestry

 So far the 1940 index score is Family Search 17 and Ancestry 5. And as usual the indexing on Ancestry is being done by trained monkeys or people for whom English is not their first or even second language. Why? Because to find my husband's great grandfather on the 1940 New York census, I had to look for the family he lived with (a granddaughter and her husband) because Michael Kruszka was not indexed.

To redeem themselves Ancestry also released more New York databases which include the 1915 and 1925 state census which had previously been unindexed. Even there I could not find Michael Kruszka or his wife in 1925. Indexed as Kuczka. I had to search by first name only to find them. Oh and the indexer was wrong.


Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Happy Anniversary - Di & Pat!

On June 6, 1975 in Redford Township, Michigan, Miss Diane Percival, daughter of Frank "Hank" & Catherine "Kaye" Percival to Mr. Patrick Michael Foley, Jr., son of Patrick and Eleanor Foley.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Family Time!

Last weekend we had a great visit with my aunt Shirley, and cousins Sally and Johnny! This was their first trip to Cookeville and they didn't think it was as small as I do! 

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Signed, Sealed & Delivered! Or Maybe Proofed, Printed & Burned!

Burned is not a term you want to see in association with family letters. In this case, however, burned refers to the transferring of all the image files and transcriptions of the letters written to my uncle John Percival during World War II by friends and family (excluding those written by his fiance/wife, Shirley!

Finally, all letters were scanned, transcribed, proofed, printed and delivered to my cousin Sally, who was nice enough to loan them to me for that purpose. They were delivered over the weekend, upon the occasion of a visit by the Holland, Michigan area Percivals with us here in Tennessee.

Relieved doesn't even begin to describe how I feel!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Sympathy Saturday - Celestina Irr

Celestina Irr, daughter of Victor Irr, Sr., and Barbara Amann was born August 19, 1871 in West Seneca, New York and died on June 2, 1945. She is buried with the family in Fourteen Holy Helpers Cemetery in West Seneca.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Hey, Indexers, PAY ATTENTION!

 I have been searching the 1900 Census for my step-grandmother, Florence Christie Percival, nee Bush for 10 years. Sometimes, you just can't find them for various reasons. Searching BUSH via Soundex didn't work. I searched for Florence, born in 1893 +/- 5 years, and came up with more than I wanted to search for. I searched for Milton, b 1868 in New York. Her mother's name was Mary, so I skipped her. Finally, today, I decided to search for Lyle, one of her younger brothers. I remember him. The closest I could come was one Lyle Berst, son of Molton and Mary. Sigh. Yep, this was the family, only I read BUSH not Berst, and Milton not Molton. And there was Florence.

Really, whomever transcribed this census didn't do that bad, but the indexer failed. Totally.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes