Gene Notes

Some random and some not-so-random thoughts on family history.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Freaked Out Friday - Just Hanging!

I've been doing very little in the way of genealogy lately - at least in my office. I get so stiff sitting with my knee bent for long periods of time that I will usually haul my lap desk and laptop out to the living room and do some searching there. In the meantime, I've been working in the "bonus room" aka the "store room" or "craft room" making Christmas and other types of cards.  I'm lucky to get about two or three cut out before I quit for the day. An hour or so of sitting in there is plenty before I get so stiff I can hardly move.

I did get a nice comment on an earlier post "Sympathy Saturday - George Homer Knost." I'm so glad to touch someone enough to comment on  simple remembrance post.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Too-Too Thursday - Family Search Got it Wrong Too!

I finally got the chance to search for Zimmeth in Michigan on FamilySearch's version of the 1940 census. They got my mom's last name wrong too!  They indexed her as Tommeth not Zimmeth!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Wedding Wednesday - Estes & Harris

About August 28, 1791 in Virginia, Elisha Estes to Nancy Harris.



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday - Yeah, It's Unusual!

I first noticed this at a monument company the weekend of the Tennessee Harley-Davidson Rally. DH finally got a picture of it for me! The detail on it is amazing.


Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 27, 2012

Monday Moanin' - What Did I do with Last Week?

Last week really zipped by. The DH and I were very busy enjoying a visit from his cousin, visiting wineries, dining in Nashville. Then we spent a few days recovering and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the summer. Unfortunately, I haven't spent much time looking for census - but my latest number is 361 left to search for and so far 88 left to search for again. Maybe this week will be a little bit more productive!



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sympathy Saturday - Joseph Bowman

 Died on August 25, 1859, probably in Woodford county, Kentucky, Joseph Bowman, son of Isaac Bowman and Mary Jane Chinn. The grave was moved to the Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky in 1867.



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, August 24, 2012

Freaked Out Friday - Family Visits

DH's cousin from Buffalo, New York came for a visit this week and we had so much fun between my bouts with physical therapy and a doctor's visit. I used every excuse to remind DH that I found this cousin of his through my research. It was a great week!  In the photo below, cousin is the guy with the surprised look on his face, older daughter on the left, younger daughter scrunching down in front, me on left next to my DH!

Family Fun!
Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Too-Too Thursday - Yes, THAT is What the Census Says!

Searching the 1940 census for someone with the last name of Dutcher and I came across this record:

 Yes, the man's name is really Outhouse Dutcher. However, they got his occupation wrong. The census says HIRED MAN, not Grandman!


Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Wedding Wednesday - Reno & Stark

On August 22, 1825 Christopher Reno, son of Zelious Reno and Mary "Lila" Chinn married Mary Elizabeth Stark or Stork in Hardin County, Kentucky.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Whittlling it down!

I have 446 1940 Census records left to search for, and in the queue which includes a whole bunch from 1915 and 1925 New York state census, I have 1,396 waiting to be transcribed, sourced and linked! Oh My!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 20, 2012

Family Visit!

DH and I are excited that his first cousin once removed, Dave, is coming for a visit from Buffalo, New York.

Twenty years ago, when I first interviewed DH's dad about his family, he said his mother's youngest sister lived in Buffalo with her husband Ferdinand and that they had two sons.  I had a set of US phone books on CD-ROM (does anyone use that term anymore?) and looked at the Buffalo area for their surname and voila! found a man by each name. The surname - Danish - is not real common.

Two letters were written. One came back, "sorry, no relation." The other came back with photos of  my father-in-law's family. This was indeed a "hit."

Our first visit was that summer.

Now, when my DH makes fun of my family history searching, I just say his cousin's name. It leaves him speechless!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Sympathy Saturday - Edwin Hatch

Edwin Hatch was born October 16, 1809 in Glover, Vermont, the son of Seth Hatch and Rizpah Percival. He died August 18, 1882. You may visit his Find-a-Grave memorial here.



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, August 17, 2012

Pampered and Foiled!

After a somewhat enjoyable day Thursday, I sat down late last night to do some more searching on the 1940 census. Only our internet was down. It also meant I could not post my blog - mainly because it had not yet been written. By the time it came back up, I was in no mood to search anymore, so I read instead.  Hubby was wiped out by his busy day, which started with a walk, a doctor's appointment at 8 am, shopping with me, walking more while I went for a pedicure, dinner, then more walking for hubby (he tries to get in 5 miles every day).

My non-therapy days include me doing my therapy on my own twice a day. Since yesterday also included a pedicure, I think I had the better day. 

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Too-Too Thursday - Oscar Meyer

Not THAT Oscar Meyer. The one I am thinking of is my mom's uncle, Oscar Ferdinand Meyer, known at least to her as Uncle Fred.

I looked all over Ancestry.com for Oscar on the 1940 census. I did not find him there. So I also searched FamilySearch.org. I found him, born in Ohio in 1906, married to Mary E. and father of Jeanne. Wait a minute --- yes -- that is exactly what the census says. Sigh.

Here is the search from Ancestry.com. I did not search for him living in Ohio, because I knew he wasn't. I only searched for him born in Ohio in 1906 +/- 5 years. Ancestry.com search did not find him. Later on when I tried to duplicate the search, I got quite a few more Oscar Meyers living in other places, but still not the one I wanted. The one I wanted was living in Norfolk, Virginia, born in Ohio in 1906, daughter born in Michigan. Why the census taker transcribed Mary E. and Jeanne, I have no idea. Like researching isn't hard enough?



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Wedding Wednesday - DeLong & Wallis


From: Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky, 16 August 1912, p7.

Another wedding celebrated yesterday was that of Miss Nell Wallis and Mr. Sidney DeLong, which was celebrated at 5 o'clock at the first Baptist church



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Relocating -- Projects

I am relocating -- one of my projects -- going through all the photos is being relocated to the storage room/craft room. I finally feel up to sitting longer every day, and can't wait to get that stuff out of my living room. I've moved this item up to the top of my DH's honey-do list. Not that he doesn't have a lot of stuff on his list already, but neatness inside the house is higher rated to me than the garage! Now I just have to tell him it has to go back!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 13, 2012

Whittling That Number Down

In between Physical Therapy, husband working on organizing the garage, shopping and census searching, I've been keeping pretty busy. Not only do I go out for physical therapy three days a week, but am expected to come home and duplicate some of the therapy here! Oi!

What that usually means is that I can't sit and poke around the census online like I used to. I miss that.

However, I've whittled my 1940 census list down to 605! Progress!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Sympathy Saturday - Mary Ann Bowman Percival

My grandmother, Mary Bowman Percival, died at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, while the family was on vacation.  My dad was 13 at the time and it was devastating to the family. The death notice is from The Evening News, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, obituary, 12 August 1938, p3.

Mrs. Mary Percival

Mrs. Mary Percival, 45, of 15766 Ferguson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, died at the Sault War Memorial hospital at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, August 11, 1938.  She was admitted to the hospital yesterday in critical condition, being brought here from St. Ignace by her husband and son.

The body was to be removed to Detroit today for services.  Later it will be taken to Lexington, Mo., her former home, for burial. 

The following obituary is from the Lexington, Missouri newspaper. Her hometown. Note that her hometown paper couldn't get Percival or Rankin spelled correctly. Nor did they get her place of death correct.


FORMER RESIDENT DIES IN MICHIGAN

Mrs. Mary Percival Succumbs Last Night


Mrs. Mary Bowman Percival, the daughter of Mrs. Frank Bowman of Lexington, died suddenly last night at her home in Detroit,  Mich.

Mrs. Percival was born in Lexington and was educated here in the public schools and at the former Baptist College. She was a member of the Christian church.

Mrs. Percival was married to John S. Percivel of Richmond, who survives her, at Lexington in 1920.

Besides her husband and mother, she is survived by two sons, John S. Percivel, jr., and Frank Bowman Percivel; a sister, Mrs. James Raikin of Claremont, Calif.; a brother John Bowman of Washington, Mo.; a niece Mary Elizabeth Rogers, and a nephew James A. Rankin, Jr. of Claremont.

No word has been received as yet as to funeral arrangements.

[Researcher's notes: The names are as they appear in the obituary. The names should read as Percival & Rankin.]

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, August 10, 2012

Freaked Out Friday - More Census

Nine more states left to do in the 1940 census. When those are complete, I'll load up the revisit later items and give those another try. Over all, I am pleased with my results using GenSmarts. I did try RootsMagic's  "who was there" list, but it just didn't work for me. GenSmarts does - because I can check off "Found," "Not Found," "Ignore," and "Revisit Later." Seems like it won't be long before I am entering all this data! Gulp!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Too-Too Thursday - Additional Names

One thing that surprised me while searching the 1940 census is the number of women whose maiden names were included. Sure takes the guess work out of searching. The other bonus - to me - is the inclusion of middle names. So helpful when you are searching a common name.

I am winding up the Missouri search and then on to search the rest of the states. After that, will go through my "Revisit later" tags in GenSmarts to see if I can find some that were MIA the first time around!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Wedding Wednesday - Stearns & Hunter

On August 8, 1837 in Tolland, Connecticut, Mr. Theodore Stearns to  Martha Hunter. Theodore was a grandson of Dr. John Stearns and Elizabeth Willis, my great-great-great-great-great grandparents.



Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

And The Count is ...

My overall census queue count? It is 1,273. Of those 1,037 are the 1940 census. And I am still searching.


Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 6, 2012

Still Waiting - Still Searching

I am continuing the search on Ancestry.com while I await the release of the entire index on FamilySearch.org. I mean to switch as soon as possible and get all the ones I marked to search for again. I know that the quality on FamilySearch far outshines the indexing on Ancestry. Just about every person I've searched for on Ancestry.com has an issue. And I know there are a lot of people I should find that Ancestry seems to have missed.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Sympathy Saturday - Julia Kibbe Percival

Julia was born about 1826 and died August 4, 1854 in Somers, Tolland, Connecticut. She was buried in West Cemetery in Somers. She was the wife of Lorin Warren Percival.

Visit he Find-A-Grave Memorial here.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, August 3, 2012

Gold Medal for ...

Yes, I am watching the Olympics. I am an Olympics junkie. In 2010, I got addicted to the Snowboarding events. I don't ski. Who knew? Now in 2012, I have become fascinated by the kayaking events.  I have gone white water rafting, which is exhilarating, but there is no way I could perform the feats they do in the kayaking events.

And as always I am fascinated by the gymnasts. And the synchronized diving. I cannot abide synchronized swimming, but the diving is something else.

I think I should win a gold medal for 1940 census records searched for and found during the summer olympics!

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Too-Too Thursday - Mrs Lynn Gordon Buford

I'm not sure whether I am happy or frustrated that Mrs. Lynn G. Buford gave her name as such on the 1940 census. I was searching for Elizabeth Buford, instead I found her listed as Mrs Lynn G. Buford, a widow and head of household.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Wedding Wednesday - Percival and Spilman

On August 1, 1844 in Decatur county, Indiana, Amelia Percival, daughter of Timothy Percival and Nancy Parker married John Dyke Spilman.

Copyright 2010-2012, ACK for Gene Notes