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

The New Copy Holder - Part Two

I've had a little time to use the new copy holder and I found out two things.

  1.  It's awesome. It hold paper in landscape and portrait positions and I think It would hold legal size in landscape position if both arms were extended.

  2. It does come up from the desk, but it isn't easy and then restocks really nice. Nano suction indeed.

I give it an A. In the past with my old copy holder that attached to the laptop, you couldn't close your laptop with it attached. It bent out of shape and then eventually broke. I taped it. This will hold a few sheets of paper at a time. 

On Amazon it is Note Tower desktop pro.

Copyright 2010-2020, ACK for Gene Notes

The New Copy Holder

Wow, I don't know why I am getting so excited about a copy holder, but here it is! It's a free standing note tower that will actually hold two sheets up paper when the paper supports on the left side are extended. I have lamented the old gray one I had that finally snapped, and at times I still like to transcribe from paper notes. I made the mistake of attaching it to my desk with the nano suction strips. It's supposed to be easily repositioned. NOPE. 

Copyright 2010-2020, ACK for Gene Notes