Gene Notes

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

Monday, September 30, 2013

I Would Call it a Successful Trip

There is no doubt that my DH and I had a great time on our trip. Yes, we did try to cram in too much stuff early on, and pushed a little too hard on the road the first day. But, we had a fabulous time.

As much as I enjoyed the visits with family and friends, I really enjoyed the research parts of our trip. It had been over two years since visiting a cemetery or library, and it felt good, although tiring, to be back in the research chair again.

My to-do list numbered 237 before we left - that being the number of ALL the items on my to-do list. Now? It is down to 181. I amdone entering info found at the ACPL in Fort Wayne, but all my newspaper articles are done from the Lexington Public Library. And I have linked the photos from the cemetery. I need to make sure the Lexington stuff is up to date before DH and I head up there again soon!

The Wild Ones remember that when we would go to Fort Wayne for our research marathons, I'd often start entering stuff when we got back to the room. For the most part, I wanted to be sure I'd covered all the bases, but I also suffer from insomnia, so it would give me something to do in the wee hours if I didn't need a lot of light!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Happy Anniversary, Honey!

I can't believe it's been 34 years!



Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Sympathy Saturday - Florence Bowman Gay

Florence Bowman Gay was my second cousin three times removed. See note at the bottom.



MRS. FLORENCE GAY DIES NEAR PISGAH

Member of Christ Church Cathedral and Ardent Worker in Guild.


Mrs. Florence Gay, wife of Robert Gay, died at the residence of her husband near Pisgah, Woodford County, last night at 10 o'clock. She had been ill for only a week.

Mrs. Gay's maiden name was Florence Bowman, she being the daughter of John Bowman and a niece of Mrs. Wellington Payne, who is well known throughout Central Kentucky.

Mrs. Gay was a member of Christ Church Cathedral and one of the most valiant workers in the Altar Guild.

The funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Her find-a-grave memorial can be found here.

[Florence was not the daughter of John Bowman, but her death certificate and census records show that she was the daughter of Henry Clay Bowman and Elizabeth Reed. She died from uremic poisoning as a result of childbirth. The infant also died. Florence was 38 years old at the time of her death.]

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, September 27, 2013

Genealogy Roadshow - Nashville

I live an hour + away from Nashville, how did I not know about this?

The show. Well, I loved it and hated it. I liked the pacing, but like Who Do You Think You Are? it seems to pull rabbits out of hats. Actually, there was a little bit more of "I found this on the census" or "He was found on a passenger list." That is good. None of this pulling the fancy charts out with lineages. Ugh.

BUT. And that is a big one. When Josh Taylor made the comment about Polish records being lost? Couldn't he have talked to a genealogist who specializes in Polish or Eastern European research? Maybe he could have said, we couldn't locate a Parish in Poland. He did actually, have the town name. Maybe Josh Taylor didn't know about the little upstart fella, Napoleon, who insisted each parish keep three sets of records, one for the parish level, one for the regional level and one for the archive.

For records that were "lost" I have found most of my hubby's lines in Poland. 

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Too-Too Thursday: Souvenirs

We aren't much for souvenirs, but sometimes we like to pick up interesting stuff we find along the way. One of my favorite shopping places is .. the Liquor Barn in Lexington, Kentucky. Last time we were there, I found a bottle of Virginia Gentleman Bourbon. It was distilled at the A. Smith Bowman distillery in Virginia. He was a second cousin, three times removed. 

I was thrilled to find a bottle of Bowman Brothers, made at the same distillery. I haven't opened it yet, but the bottle is very special.You can barely make out an illustration of the Bowman Brothers - John, Isaac, Abraham and Joseph. All were important in Kentucky history. Joseph died at Vincennes during the revolution. Abraham, of course was my ancestor.

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Wedding Wednesday - Carter & Boyster/Scruggs

Today's marriage is between my great-great-great grandfather, Edwin H. Carter and his third wife, Sarah Royster/Roister nee Scruggs.  They were married September 25th, 1867 in Independence, Missouri.




Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Vacation Was Fun ... Back to Reality

We had a great time on our vacation. This was the first time we've ever been gone longer than 10-12 days. We left the 4th and came back on the 17th. That was fourteen days on the road. We visited family, friends, more family. We paid visits to a couple of my favorite libraries: Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana - and their great genealogical collection and the Lexington (Kentucky) Public library and their Kentucky room. I pulled about 35 more articles from their newspapers. I'm glad I left some because it looks like we might make a return trip soon. We also visited a cemetery. Actually two cemeteries if you count the one we drove through on the way to a winery/brewery/orchard. It looked pretty interesting, but I didn't have anyone buried there.

We've spent the week since housekeeping, oil-changing, cat humoring, along with dental visits, doctor visits, laundry, etc. Seems like there is always something to catch up on.

I spent some of the weekend trying to organize and transcribe some of the articles I pulled in Lexington. I want to make sure those are off my list before my next visit. I started from the back of the book this time and the oldest items on my to-do list were added to the list in 2004. That's nine years of waiting for me to find them. So, even though I didn't complete the list, I made a hefty dent in the 123 items!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, September 23, 2013

Herbert D. Percival, M.D. -- the Mystery Continues

I found this on Dr. Herbert D. Percival on Newspapers.com recently:

H. D. Percival, M. D. of Covington, Kentucky, is in the city and has paid a visit to the chamber (Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.)  He is sent here by a heavy corporation at Covington engaged in the Manufacture of glass. If He can find land suitable to his purpose and a supply of natural gas, a factory will be set up which will employ seven hundred hands.  [Los Angeles Herald, Wed. Aug 20, 1890, p6.]

Well, that explains why he went to California. And I think I know the company in Covington. That would be Hemingray Glass, who made glass insulators.

I learned something new!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Sympathy Saturday - John Bryan Bowman

From the Lexington Transcript, obituary, 23 September 1891, morning edition, p5 c4:

JOHN B. BOWMAN DEAD.

He Expires Tuesday Morning at Harrodsburg - The Burial to Take Place Here.


Col. John B. Bowman, former Regent of Kentucky University, died yesterday morning [September 22, 1891] at Harrodsburg, after a brief illness. A remarkable man has passed away.  Few men possessed his energy, organizing capacity and public spirit. Dr. John Shackelford left for Harrodsburg yesterday afternoon to preach the funeral services, which will take place at ten o'clock. The remains will then be brought here and interred at 3:30 p.m. in the cemetery, where Dr. Shackelford will again officiate.

John Bryan Bowman was born October 16, 1824 in Mercer county. His grandfather [Col. Abraham Bowman] was a colonel in the Revolutionary War, and came to Kentucky at its earliest settlement, with Boone and others. His father, Col. John Bowman, settled in Mercer county in 1779. His mother's name was Mary Mitchum, of a Virginia family that settled early in Kentucky. Col. John Bowman, the father of Regent Bowman, studied law in the office of Henry Clay and was a life-long friend of the Great Commoner. At the age of fifteen Regent Bowman united with the Christian church, and on arriving at man's estate at once became prominent in church, educational and missionary work. He first attended college at Georgetown and afterwards at Bacon College, Harrodsburg, during the presidency of James Shannon. He graduated in 1842 and studied law with Major James Taylor, but he never practiced. At the age of twenty-one he married Miss Mary D. Williams, of Paris. After farming for ten years, he entered upon the project of founding and building up Kentucky University, which at one time had nearly a thousand pupils. The history of this institution is too well known to our people to need relation here. President Grant offered Mr. Bowman the position of Minister to Ecuador, which he declined.

[John B. Bowman was my 1st cousin 4 times removed.]


Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, September 20, 2013

Friday Fun: At the Library

 In our ever-changing and evolving travel plans, DH told me I should be prepared in case we did decide to stop in Lexington, Kentucky. My preparation was a 23 page to-do list for the main Library's "Kentucky Room" and their fantastic Local History Index.

This time, I did something I have never done before: I started at the back of the to-do list. Yeah, I did that because I knew those were the oldest newspapers. And I was pretty successful. There were only three that I could not find - not due to errors on my part. And I hope the librarian can straighten it out too!

Two probably listed the wrong newspaper. The third one? Well, the index has her obit two months before she died. I didn't find her for either date. Sigh. Not too worry, I still have plenty to do!



Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Too-Too Thursday - That's Why You don't Go to THIS Cemetery on Sunday!

Even though hubby and I knew the cemetery office at the Lexington (Kentucky) Cemetery was closed -- after I checked the website -- we ventured there on Sunday anyway. We got there in the morning while it was still cool and bundled up against the mosquitoes.

The drawback? Well, we couldn't go in the office and look at the lot map to find exactly where we should look. As a result, 3 graves went unfound.

While I was at the Library on Monday, DH went and took some test pictures of the map to see if we could actually photograph it for future reference. His photos turned out pretty good. And explained why we had some issues.  And hubby walked to and from the cemetery to take these photos. Next trip, we are getting photos of all the sections. Oh, and the people I couldn't find? Section C-1, lot E-77. I can confidently say, there were no stones.





Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Wedding Wednesday - Chinn & Ferguson

From Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky, marriage, 19 September 1899, p 6.
Weddings and engagements have made up practically the whole of Lexington's social season for some weeks and the end is not yet. Until yesterday, however, society had been duly warned of all the matrimonial alliances which have occurred in its midst. But Monday held a surprise. At 3:30 o'clock Monday afternoon, at the residence of Judge and Mrs. Soule Smith on South Limestone, where the bride and her mother have for some time resided, Mr. Philip Thompson Chinn and Miss Elise Allen Ferguson were united in marriage. Dr. Preston Blake of the First Baptist Church performed the ceremony. The sole witnesses of the marriage were the bride's mother and Mrs. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Chinn remained at Judge Smith's residence till time to go to the depot to take the C & O train for Louisville. They were at the Galt House in Louisville last night and today go to French Lick Springs, Ind. They will remain there two or three days and then proceed to Chicago for a short stay, returning to Lexington in a week or ten days. They have not decided yet where they will reside upon their return, but will probably board at the Phoenix Hotel for a time at least. While the engagement of Mr. Chinn and bride had never been announced, still it had been tacitly understood among their friends for some time past. It was not supposed, though, that their marriage would take place for several months. In fact, it seems that it was only Sunday night that the high contracting parties decided that they would marry Monday. They kept their resolution a profound secret and no one save Mrs. Ferguson and Mrs. Smith knew that the marriage was to take place till after it had occurred. Numerous and hearty were the congratulations wired to the handsome and popular young couple last night by their hosts of friends here, upon whom they had stolen a clever march. The bride is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Ferguson of this city; Mr. Ferguson being a well known turfman and probably the most famous race starter in America. She is a brunette of unusually handsome face and figure and is possessed of a charming disposition and a bright mind. She has long enjoyed an exceeding degree of popularity in local society. The groom is a son of Colon and Mrs. Jack Chinn of Mercer County. He is a handsome, manly young fellow and numbers his friends by the score. He is a former student of Centre College, Danville, and a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity and the local lodge of Elks. Mr. Chinn is well known in the turf world and is a partner in the extensive commission brokerage business of Chinn & Frye, which has headquarters in this city. The Herald extends its congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Chinn and wishes for them a long life and a happy one.



Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Tuesday Travel Tales


The picture above is at the Fallsview Casino on the Canadian side. Yes, the first time we've been in Canada since 9/11. Cousin and DH at the unusual fountain.

And of course, the Falls. Not bad for a picture taken in the car with my phone. 

Monday (the morning after the celebration with the Wild Ones) we shuffled off to Buffalo.  The intention was to drive as far as Erie, PA., due to our not so great long trip the first day out. However, by the time we reached Erie, we decided we could make it to Buffalo the same day. We got there about dinner time -- we drive the southern route through the US -- and surprised DH's cousin. The next few days were filled with laughter, lunch, dinner, desserts, a winery visit, a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, and a casino visit!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, September 16, 2013

Monday-Monday - More Trip Fun

On Sunday, we headed from the west side of the Mitten State* to the east side. There we had lunch with a Tennessee native and friend of DH's. A short rest and then off to dinner with the Wild Ones and spouses. The Wild Ones are my genealogy researching buddies - at least when we lived in the Mitten State. We always have a good time and Sunday was no exception.  Three of the four couples celebrate their wedding anniversaries in September; and one couple shares the same day as us. They also surprised the heck out of us a couple weeks after we moved into our house by showing up! We always have a reason to celebrate.

*If you don't know which state is the Mitten State hold up your right hand palm facing you. Then look at a US map.

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Sympathy Saturday - John Percival

My uncle John Percival died on September 17, 1982, in Holland, Michigan. He was only 61 years old. He was born in Ames, Iowa on February 17, 1921. I was born on his birthday, many years later.  He left a wife, Shirley, children, Mary, Sally & John, two sons-in-law and six grandchildren.


Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, September 13, 2013

Fun With Family

Friday found us leaving Fort Wayne behind and heading up to Holland, Michigan.  We visited with two different sets of relatives. The first set, was Gale, a cousin I found on my mom's side, and is a 3rd cousin once removed. It took a long time to find this side, as they changed their name from Zimmeth to Simmet. And they lived in mid Michigan not all that far from my mom's family who lived in Iosco county.

This was one of the times that my Families app came in handy, as Gale had a question and I was able to look up the person in question on my cell phone and show him what I had. Very cool app. Great visit! Gale had visited us in Tennessee last year shortly before my knee surgery.

The other family we visited, was my Aunt Shirley and cousins Sally and John and Sally's granddaughter, on my dad's side of the family. We really enjoyed catching up with them and returning the visit they paid us last year in early June. My aunt is our oldest living relative, by marriage. I always say I want to be like her when I grow up! She is very active still, still plays bridge and still enjoys her Hope basketball games!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Too-Too Thursday More Fort Wayne - Maybe Fun?

When DH and I arrived at the Allen County Public Library last week, we discovered absolutely no parking spaces and a circus going on in the library. Well, not a real circus, a Senior Fair. Boy, those seniors were loud!

When DH and I departed for lunch, we were offered one of the left over lunches for the seniors as Subway had quite a few left. So we sat outside the library and had lunch. It was delicious.

The Senior Fair gave out about the same time we did. It was a busy if not quite tranquil day!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Wedding Wednesday - Bowman & Crenshaw

Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky, marriage, 15 August 1901, p 6.

The engagement of Miss Margaret Crenshaw of River Forest, Ill., and Mr. Andrew Bowman, of Fayette county, is announced, the wedding to take place the 12th of September, at the bride's home. Miss Crenshaw is the daughter of Mrs. G. D. Crenshaw, and has always been one of Versailles' most admired young women. She removed to Illinois several years ago. Mr. Bowman is one of the county's prominent young farmers, and is very popular in both business and social circles.


Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Fun of Another Kind -- in Fort Wayne

DH and I stayed somewhere different this trip, so we let our navigation system direct us to the library. It set us on a course not previously marked by us - down the Wells Corridor (circa 1860.) It is such a charming area to drive through. I am sure we will get more opportunities to explore it in future trips.

Last trip here, we ate at the Tavern at Coventry Square. We made sure we did this time also. We had another great experience with good food and good beer. The beer was Founder's Porter (Grand Rapids, MI) and the dinner was steak and shrimp with grilled vegetables, rice and red velvet cake!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, September 9, 2013

More Fun in Fort Wayne at the ACPL!

Since I've never been to Salt Lake City, Fort Wayne is my "go to" place for research. I love going there, and I always go prepared with a to-do list.

Some of the items on my to-do list have been there a long time. For instance, there is a book on Will Records of Culpepper county, Virginia that I've wanted to look at for a long time. January 16, 2002 is the day I added it to my list. Every dang time I've gone to the ACPL (Allen County Public Library) it has not been on the shelf. Well, finally, I found it and indeed it proves that Elliott Bohannon is my great-great-great-great-great grandfather! I was never so happy to grab copies for something. 

Then I went in search of a will index for Jackson county, Missouri. I discovered my great-great-great grandfather, Edwin Harvey Carter lived and died in Independence, Missouri. Sure enough, I found the abstract and it mentions my great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Carter Webb. It is just so nice and gratifying to see the connections in print.

Another great find was that I could pull a copy of the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography off the internet and read the letter my great-great-great-great grandfather's brother wrote to an uncle. The brother was Joseph Bowman and the uncle was Isaac Hite, Sr. The postscript mentions Joseph's brother, Abraham Bowman, who just happens to be my great-great-great-great grandfather!

I didn't have a lot on my list, and I didn't find everything, and some were fishing expeditions, but I am really happy with the information that I found.

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Sympathy Saturday - Benjamin Benkelman

Benjamin Benkelman was born in 1863 in Bowmansville, New York. In 1892, he married Wilhelmina Jesse (daughter of George Gesse* and Maria Klevsaat) in Kansas. He died September 7, 1952 in Cass City, Michigan. A search of the Cass City newspapers elicited this obituary.

 
His wife was my third cousin twice removed.



 * These are the spellings I took from the records.

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, September 6, 2013

Fun in Fort Wayne, Indiana

DH and I made our first trip up to Fort Wayne in three years on Wednesday. It was so much more fun driving from Michigan - just over 3 hours. The trip from the Cumberland Plateau? Ten hours including stops and nasty traffic in Indianapolis. No wonder I hurt so bad. This is the first "big" trip since my right knee replacement last year. We learned that I can't travel that far in one day. So next time? We'll stop along the way.

Our hotel is okay. Never noticed that there weren't elevators. No problem, since they booked us into a first floor room. With a plumbing problem. So up to the second floor with all our luggage for a fourteen day trip. Bed time couldn't come early enough!

That is day one. More to come, as I try to milk this trip for as many blog posts as possible!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Too-Too Thursday - To NARA or Not?

Late Monday, I heard that the next two days the National Archives was hosting webinars. Goody, Goody. Whether or not I attended them would be due to the organizational project going on so that we could leave for our trip "North."
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was able to attend one session on Tuesday afternoon. The one I am really interested in is scheduled for the day we leave. Here's hoping they will post a link to it!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Wedding Wednesday - Bowman & Poague

On September 4, 1834, in Fayette county, Kentucky, Miss Isabella Bowman (daughter of William Bowman and Nancy Parker) married Mr. Thomas Poague. Unfortunately, Isabella died April 8, 1834 at the age of 19. Family records indicate she was buried in the Parkers Mill Road Cemetery in Fayette county.

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Check, Check and Check!

Ooh boy! My to-do lists are up to date, printed & bound. Part of my frenzy this afternoon was seeking a solution to printing in Excel (2003) on my Canon MX860 multifunction printer. A search of the internet elicited a viable solution, and I was soon printing up cemetery spreadsheets!

My Allen County Public Library (Fort Wayne, IN) to do list grew by about 2 full pages and I am pretty happy with it. I'm sure I'll uncover other sources while pulling books and other records.

As for Lexington, Kentucky? Well, the lists are ready in case we do stop there. Our plans are changing on a daily basis, but I have been promised a trip there just in case time runs out!

Tomorrow will be spent pulling the rest of the pieces together and packing. I can't wait!

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, September 2, 2013

To-Do or Ta-Da?

I have been diligently working on my to-do lists for our trip, which is sneaking up on us. I have three: Allen County (Indiana) Public Library Genealogy section, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library, and the Lexington (Kentucky) Cemetery.

The ACPL to-do list is pitiful - so far it is only 5 pages long. My Wild One friends will attest that my lists are usually much longer. And it isn't like the items on my list are the only ones I will search for once I arrive. I'll grab anything on the shelf that I think will relate. I am rarely disappointed there.

The list for the Lexington Public library on the other hand, is still 23 pages. I knocked several pages off it last visit, and hope to get it below 20 pages on this visit. Problem is, I usually find more stuff to add after adding all the information and linking the images to my database.

Then there is the Cemetery list. We've been going through the cemetery section by section. Depending on the weather and time of day, we may get several sections done. Hubby knows that this list grows by leaps and bounds every year as I find more relatives buried there. Find-a-Grave has been a great help, because a lot of them are added periodically by other researchers. However, in the case of a direct line relative, I'll go search it out myself, just because I want that connection. My great-great-great and great-great-great-great grandparents - Bowman side - are buried there. My great-great-great grandfather, Joseph Chinn is buried there, also. I think for every three I find, I add one more.  Hopefully, I haven't added anyone to a section we've already checked!

So, the prep continues.

Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes