Genealogical Time Machine

If you had a time machine, and could go back (or bring forward) anyone to get your genealogical questions answered, who would be your first choice? 

In this minute, I would ask my ancestor, Margaret Skirving nee Wardlaw, what she knew about her mother and could remember about her father. Mainly because I know nothing about her mother and suspect what I do know is wrong.

Or would I choose Nathaniel Davidson, my great-great-great grandfather? I know nothing of his origins other than what the 1850 census says and that can often be wrong. Can I prove he was born in 1797 Kentucky? Nope. 

Would Wilhelmine Kleesaat/Klesat/Clesot/Clesotte ... nee Zabrack (not sure this is even right) be my choice? I would love to know her parents names, her correct maiden name, where she married, where her children were born. She has always been a conundrum. She was my great-great grandmother, so the closest of my ancestors.

I'd also like to talk to my late mother-in-law. I have lots of questions for her. I might even get straight answers from her. 

You know, I'm not sure I could choose. 

Copyright 2010-2020, ACK for Gene Notes

Happy Blogiversary To Me! or 2020 Get Outa Here!

I can't believe it's been 11 years since I started this blog. Looks like I missed marking last year's anniversary. This year is different. Not a good different, but in respects to the crap year this has been for everyone, but different.

I have managed a few blog posts, for which I am grateful. Started doing some data entry and some searches and tried a little thinking outside the box, which has worked well. I am still stymied by some of the people for whom I search. 

I've tried working on eliminating some of the piles of stuff I've found this year, getting it into my program. I have the genealogist problem, this one a good one, of finding more stuff and setting off on research tangents. 

One of my husband's Ecker relatives married a Klein. I am trying to figure out if this Klein is related to the Klein ancestor that married the Ecker ancestor. I haven't answered that question, but have found other things in relation to the family. One of those items was a concentration camp record for an aunt by marriage to hubby. She was transferred from Birkenau-Auschwitz to somewhere else and survived. She married and had at least one child, a son-in-law and grandchildren. 

Even with my successes this year, I will be so glad to see 2020 go bye-bye. 

Copyright 2010-2020, ACK for Gene Notes

I Hate Researching Common Names

It's a conundrum. Either the name is too complex and/or unique that you can't find them in databases, or you are forced to search for a name like Mary Smith. Even her husband Israel Smith is more common than I would like to see. 

I found the family in 1860 In Chautauqua county, New York. I found Israel with one of his daughters in 1865. No Mary. Nothing for either of them on Find-a-Grave. 

I did find an index giving a death date to an Israel Smith in Hanover, New York for May 15, 1891. It could be him. 

Way too many hits on these names. Sigh.

Copyright 2010-2020, ACK for Gene Notes