Who is a Mortgagor?

Question: If you found a land reference and your ancestor was the mortgagor, would you know if that meant he borrowed the money or loaned the money?
If you said it "doesn't make any difference," you've got some learning to do ;-)
We'll post the answer in a few days.

Answer--the mortgagor is the person who signed the mortgage--that is, they borrowed the money.

Politicians lining up to advertise on Rootdig.com

This is not an endorsement of Douglas Fairbanks or John McCain. One is running for president. One is dead.

I can't specifically control the google ad content on my website, but usually the ads have a genealogical bent. Today that has changed. Politicians have discovered Rootdig.com--candidates are advertising on a site devoted to the search for dead people. Maybe the ads should appear on my pages on Chicago voters from the 1880s--some of them may still be voting.

McCain's ad appeared on my World War I Draft Card for Douglas Fairbanks.

I'm still waiting for return calls from other marketing managers of other national campaigns....

e e was really e e

Ever wonder what e e cummings real name was? Well before he was e e cummings, he was Edward E Cummings. And even if you are into unique ways of writing your name, the draft board is pretty standardized. His signature is shown here as it appears on his World War I Draft Registration Card.

Search the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database at Ancestry.com for your ancestors--who probably left it to the census taker to get creative with how their name was written...

Just Making a Little Pot, Sir--no Beer Here

The World War One Draft Board found this well-known American employed as a chemical engineer for a pottery. Of course 1918 was Prohibition and we can't have any beermaking going on, now can we? This well-known member of a brewing family is making pots until the heat dies down and Prohibition is repealed. He's 34 years old at the time of the draft, but during Prohibition, age was not a factor.

Search the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database at Ancestry.com for your ancestors--you'll have to use other sources to determine how they felt about Prohibition...

World War I Draft Card--Ty Cobb

It might not look like Tyrus R. Cobb, but that is what it is meant to be. The 30 year old baseball player was a father of three and was playing for Detroit (that's his employer) at the time of his registration. He listed his address as 2425 Williams, Augusta, Georgia.

This card comes from the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database--where you might also be able to find your non-famous relatives.

1880 Census--Honus Wagner

His nickname of Honus is derived from a pronunciation of his actual first name of Johannes. Of course the census taker in 1880, not aware his later fame, and desirous to de-Germanize or de-Latinize any names made him John. Honus Wagner is seen here with his older brother Louis in 1880. Of course the family's 1880 entry is split over two pages, and Louis and John appear on the top of the page following their parents. Search the 1880 Census for your own ancestors at Ancestry.com--just remember, sometimes, like Honus Wagner, when we search we strike out!

Analyze the Tradition

We all have family traditions. Some are colorful, some are entertaining; some are exaggerations, and some are bold-faced lies. All can be used genealogically, whether for actual clues or just to provide "colorful" stories to add to the family history.

Most traditions are not completely false and contain a buried grain of truth. Finding that grain of truth and determining the difference between truth and fiction is not a simple matter.

The rest can be read in our "Analyze the Tradition" which was posted to our site some time ago in the pre-blog era.

1920 Census-Famous African-Americans

Famous African-Americans on our site:

• 1920 Census--Louis Armstrong
• 1920 Census--Count Basie
• 1920 Census--George Washington Carver
• 1920 Census--Duke Ellington
• 1920 Census--Ella Fitzgerald
• 1920 Census--Dizzy Gillespie
• 1920 Census--Billy Holiday
• 1920 Census--Joe Lewis
• 1920 Census--Rosa Parks

Ancestry has extended its 3 free day offer of the African-American Collection until 12 March

Ancestry.com extends African-American Month Promotion

Ancestry.com has extended it's African-American History Month promotion until March 12th. You can get three days of free access to materials in their African-American Collection. It might be worth a try. We've blogged about a few famous African-Americans on our site:

• 1880 Census-Frederick Douglass
• 1850 Sojourner Truth
• 1860 Frederick Douglass
• 1870 Scott Joplin
• 1930 Rosa Parks

There are a lot more on our site and we'll try and get an updated list out

1900 Census--Honus Wagner

Having two sons with occupations as ball-players might make a parent wish they would grow up and get a real job (like their brothers who were barbars or laborers). However, this family was a little different. The first "ball-player" in this 1900 census enumeration was John Wagner, better known as Honus Wagner. Now if Mom had just saved a few of those baseball cards.....
You can search the the 1900 census for your own relatives and see what their occupations were.

1920 Census--Honus Wagner

We went ahead and located baseball great Honus Wagner in the 1920 census as well. He is living on the same street as 1930, but the house number in 1920 is 605 Beechwood Avenue while in 1930 it is 615 Beechwood Avenue. Nothing major, but just remember that people do occasionally move and house numbers do get changed. And of course, sometimes street renumberings are done solely to confuse genealogists..... ;-)

Of course, you can search the everyname index to the 1920 United States Federal Census for your own relatives.

World War I Draft Card--Casey Stengel

Ball Player for the Brooklyn Base Ball Club is Casey Stengel's occupation when registering for the World War I Draft. The 26 year old was born in Kansas City, where he registered.

His card comes from the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database at Ancestry.com.

World War I Draft Card-John D. Rockefeller

His signature is somewhat difficult to read, but it is his handwriting. The complete card shows a residential address on West 54th Street in New York City. Like other draft cards it is somewhat difficult to read, but not impossible.

This card comes from the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database where you can search for your less famous relatives.

1910 Census--Wright Brothers

1910 finds the Wright brothers Orville and Wilbur living with their father (a retired minister) in Ohio. Both have the interesting occupation as "Aeroplane Inventors" as shown on the image to the right. Filling out the household is their sister.

Search the 1910 United States Federal Census for your own relatives.

1880 Census--Jefferson Davis

The 1880 census enumerator found the former president of the Confederacy living in Biloxi, Missisippi, as a planter with his wife and his nephew's family--and more servants than family members. A pretty run of the mill census entry, although since Joseph's daughter was born during the census year, her month of birth is listed on the complete enumeration.

You can search the 1880 Census at Ancestry.com for your relatives or other famous Civil War participants.

The Space Time Continuum

I have long been aware of the importance of developing a chronology in working on the life of a specific ancestor. A simple ordering of the events in an ancestor's life from their birth to their death helps the researcher to see unaccounted for time periods, gaps in research, and records that have not been accessed. A chronology can also be an excellent synopsis of an ancestor's life, albeit a limited one. It provides a different perspective on an ancestor than does a family group or pedigree chart and can even be the framework for creating an ancestral biography.

The rest of the article on chronologies was posted as The Space Time Continuum on my website.

Sharpton Wants DNA test....

Al Sharpton now wants a DNA test to see if he has any paternal ties to the Thurmond family.
I am soooo glad I don't have any really famous relatives (although I am related to two well-known genealogists who shall remain anonymous).
While I like finding famous people in the census, obscurity has its benefits.

Figuring Out Iam Jones

A few years ago, we looked at an interesting census enumeration for an "Iam Jones." Our two part analysis discussed which parts of this census entry we thought were in error and which parts we thought were correct. It is important to note that the census taker occasionally makes mistakes.

The first article I am Jones or am I Something Else? begins our analysis and the second I am what I am, or am I?

1880 Census--Coleman Sharpton

With a little snooping it was relatively easy to locate Coleman Sharpton (ancestor of Al Sharpton) living in Liberty County, Florida with his family in 1880. Those who want to see the whole image can search the 1880 Census on the Ancestry.com site. Strom Thurmond was not alive at the time of the 1880 census....

1850 Census-Julia Thurmond Sharpton

Little did she know she would hit the newswires so long after her death. Julia Thurmond Sharpton, shown here in the 1850 Census for Liberty County, Florida, once owned Al Sharpton's ancestor, Coleman Sharpton.

Julia's husband was Jefferson Sharpton, shown here in 1850 as well.

Those interested in the complete image can Search the 1850 Census at Ancestry.com--the Sharptons didn't rate as "famous" enough for our famous pages...

News? or Not?

Strom Thurmond's family used to own slaves. Absolutely shocking. I am completely floored and taken aback by the fact that a Southern family before the Civil War era owned slaves. Stop the presses (oh, they already did that). Rewrite the history books (oh wait..that's another story). This slave-owning thing is supposed to be a surprise? According to CNN it is. Any historian or genealogist with a modicum of experience in Southern research should great the revelation with a yawn. Many Southern families with a plantation or more than a subsistence level farming operation in the antebellum era owned slaves. Even my run of the mill families in Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky owned slaves before the Civil War and they certainly were not large plantation owners. While it is nothing to brag about....it should come as no great surprise either.

And one of Thurmond's shirttail relatives owned one of Sharpton's ancestors for a while? An interesting coincidence perhaps, but certainly not worthy of all the hoopla that has been made of it.

Julia Thurmond Sharpton was Strom Thurmond's first cousin twice removed. I have lots of first cousins twice removed. A first cousin twice removed would be a first cousin of my grandparent. I at least a hundred of those, many I never ever met.

Should we be surprised that the media are shocked about slave ownership and the Sharpton-Thurmond connection? Probably not. After all, the media have been focused on:

• Brittany's shaved head.
• Anna Nicole's decadent life and death.
• the endless parade of anexoric actresses and models.

My great-great-parents were husband and wife and step-brother and step-sister. I'm still waiting for the news crew ;-)

1870 Census--P T Barnum

The 1870 census indicates P T Barnum was relatively well-off, with real estate valued at $800, 000. Barnum is living with his wife in Connecticut, apparently on the "right side of the tracks." Keep in mind that even if you ancestor always went by his full name, the censustaker still might have decided to enumerate him only with his initials.

This image was part of the census images database at Ancestry.Com.

Where Did the Farm Go?

Determining how your ancestor's farm left his possession may provide valuable genealogical clues. Land research is not complete until you have all the "ins and outs" the purchases and the sales or transfers of each piece of property. An article we posted on our site a few years ago discusses ways to locate these records--all of which may not be deeds. Of course, if your ancestor "bought the farm" before he had a chance to sell the farm, you will need to look at probate or estate records. That is, assuming had a farm in the first place.

1850 Census--Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth did not always use that name. She used the last names of Baumfree or VanWaggener as well. The 1850 census taker found her in Northampton, Massachusetts, listed as age 60 and enumerated as Isabelle Vanwaggener. Of course, by 1880 she is indicating she was 104 years of age. The 1850 Census can be searched at Ancestry.com

1880 Census--Sojourner Truth

While I really doubt if she is 104 years of age, the 1880 census for Sojourner Truth finds her living on College Avenue in Battle Creek, Michigan. Keep in mind that your ancestor's age in the census could easily be off as well, but perhaps not by quite this much. Search the 1880 Census for your own family member at Ancestry.com--remember the 1880 database at Ancestry.com is free--the images are not.

Still Room in Genealogy Computing Week

In less than two weeks we start our 9th annual Genealogy Computing Week at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois. There is still room in each of our day-long, hands-on workshops. Our atmosphere is very relaxed and laid back, yet informative. Galesburg is easy to get to via Interstate 74 and there are motels close to the College.
More information on our week of workshops can be found on our website. We would love to have you join us for one or more days. Questions can be emailed to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com

Bremen Passenger Lists 1920 - 1939

A newfound cousin passed along this website to me for passenger lists in Bremen. This database contains over 637,000 names from Bremen Passenger Lists 1920 - 1939. It may be old news to many, but it was new to me and I've already spent more time today on it than I should have!

1900 Census--William McKinley

President William McKinley is US president in 1900 and is enumerated while living in the White House.

Of course the census taker did not refer to it as the "White House," it is referred to as the "President's Mansion" in a notation made on the far right hand side of the enumeration. The 1900 Census is searchable on Ancestry.com.

The entry for McKinley is difficult to read, given that a statistician from the Bureau of the Census has made a notation right above his last name. This is compounded by the fact that the enumerator spelled the president's last name incorrectly (it's pretty clear that the last two letters of the name are "ly" as written in the census).

This is the screen that shows how McKinley's name was indexed---pretty reasonable for him considering what it looked like. Users can enter corrections or comments--which is what I intend to do as soon as I post this blog entry. His wife was Ida Sexton, although it is not the easiest thing to read either. If you find someone whose index entry is wrong (or that needs a comment because the original is slightly off) consider entering that comment when you find the name in a census entry at Ancestry.com. Those names eventually are searchable after the corrections and comments have been uploaded.

1921 Murder or Suicide in Kansas City?

My great-uncle, Henry Goldenstein, died on 7 July 1921 in Kansas City, Missouri. I had never bothered to get a copy of his death certificate until recently when the Missouri Death Index came online at the Missouri State Archives.



The death certificate indicates he died at the Midwest Hotel in Kansas City and that the cause of death was suicide.
The family back home in Illinois was convinced that he was robbed and murdered. Tradition has it that an inquest was held into his death when his body was returned to Illinois for burial.
My goal is to learn more about this inquest. There are several things I am going to do as a part of this search:

• Attempt to obtain coroner's records for Jackson County, Kansas, where the death took place.
• Attempt to obtain corner's records for Adams County, Illinois, where the body was sent to and where the burial took place.
• Attempt to locate newspaper accounts of this event in newspapers in the Kansas City, Missouri, area as well as in Quincy, Illinois (the Adams County, Illinois county seat) and Golden, Illinois (where the burial took place).

I'll keep you posted and suggestions are welcomed.

Using UK Census Records 1841-1871

For those who have never seen or used census records from the United Kingdom, we have posted samples from the family of Robert Frame in Carlisle, Cumberland, England on our site. Also included is an article discussing how these records were analyzed for clues to help us continue research on this family.
One of the Frame children emigrated to Chicago, Illinois, where many of his descendants live today.
I'd be interesting in hearing from anyone who is related to the Frame family, as Robert is my wife's 3rd great-grandfather.

1881 Census--Winston Churchill

None of my ancestors ever had "Master" in front of their name in the census--of course none of mine were the child of a lord who was a member of Parliament either. The 1881 UK Census finds Churchill and his family living in Westminster. The 1881 England Census is available at Ancestry.com for those who wish to search for their less well-known family members.

1891 Census--Charlie Chaplin

The 1891 England Census taker found Charlie Chaplin living with his mother Hannah and brother Sydney in Surrey. The mother's occupation is listed as "Professional Music."

1900 Census--Mary Baker Eddy

The 1900 census enumerator found Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, but he did not find her too cooperative. She refused to give her age or month and year of birth as shown in this enumeration. She is also enumerated with no occupation. Of course searching for her in the 1900 census for index requires that I leave the age or year of birth blank. Most of our ancestors were not quite that stubborn.

1900 Census--Humphrey Bogart

1900 census enumerators found Humphrey Bogart twice, once here in Ontario County, New York as shown and again with his family in Manhattan. Both images can be viewed on our site.

I've found several of my relatives (all non-famous), enumerated in the same census more than once. It does happen...especially if people are moving at the time, or working and still living at "home." In some cases, marital discord may be the reason great-grandpa appears as the "head of household" and as a boarder in a boarding house in a nearby neighborhood.

This image comes from the 1900 census at Ancestry.com

When the Index does not help

Research is much easier when the names are spelled and indexed correctly. Researchers who've progressed beyond surfing internet sites quickly realize that alternate spellings are a reality, especially in a time when ancestors were either not literate or unable to speak the language of their adopted land.


We've posted a couple articles on our site to hopefully give readers some ideas of what to do when the index is not helpful and you are "certain" the person is in there:

• When the Index is no help


• From Eliney to Frederick and Back
  
  

The second article discusses why I think an 1893 birth record for an individual named Eliney is actually supposed to be Frederick.

Does it look like Frederick to you?
The article also discusses how the error likely happened. Sometimes this cannot be determined, but if the genealogist can figure out "why" or reasonably explain the error, it helps to make the case.

Booze, Politics, and My Ancestor

Political oneriness is nothing new. My own ancestor, John Rucker, was involved in some interesting events in a 1740s era election in Orange County, Virginia. Booze, dancing on the courthouse tables, and swords were involved.

Of course, this was during the era when only propertied men were allowed to vote ;-)

1870 census--Laura Ingalls Wilder

The 1870 census is the first one in which future author Laura Ingalls Wilder is enumerated. At the time her family is living in

Montgomery County, Kansas, which can be seen in the complete enumeration.

The 1870 United States Federal Census has been indexed and can be searched at Ancestry.com

1920 Census--Mae West

The 1920 census entry for actress Mae West finds her in Queens, New York with her parents and siblings enumerated as Mary J. West. The complete enumeration shows the address and lists her occupation as theatre actress. The 1920 United States Federal Census can be searched at Ancestry.com

1920 Census-Franklin Roosevelt

The 1920 census found Franklin Roosevelt living with his family in Washington, DC while working as assistant secretary of the Navy.

The complete enumeration can be viewed on our site.

The 1920 United States Federal Census can be searched at Ancestry.com

Making a Case that Frames are Apgars

Work on my wife's family in Chicago has been challenging. The reasons are many. My one brick wall in Chicago, is a William Frame (aka William Apgar) born in Chicago in the 1880s, the son of English immigrants. For reasons that are unclear, he takes the name Apgar at the time of his marriage in 1909. This name has no significance in his family whatsoever.

A while back we posted an article where I outlined my "proof" that a 1910 census enumeration for William Frame is actually that of William Apgar. It shows how I outlined my case and organized the details to see if my conclusion was correct. Based upon what I knew then (and what I know now) I know I have the right person.

Of course, the problem is that William Frame/William Apgar disappears around 1918 and is never heard from again.

1910 Census--Bette Davis

The 1910 census found future actress Bette Davis living with her parents in Somerville, Mass. The complete enumeration can be found on our site. The 1910 United States Federal Census can be searched at Ancestry.com

How Do I Know I Have the Right Family?

Sometimes knowing one has the right family can be difficult and in some situations it can be "easy" to inadvertantly connect two unrelated families. We've posted an article on our site that focuses on 1850-1900 census records with migrating families that discusses some ways one can avoid barking up the wrong tree.

Can You Read It?

This signature comes from a late nineteenth century Civil War Pension file. This Ohio native, born in the 1840s, was testifying for her sister-in-law.

Go ahead and post a guess...

1860 Census--Jesse James

The 1860 census finds Jesse James living in Clay County, Missouri. The partial image on the right shows him as twelve years of age, living with Reuben Samuel and family. The complete image can be viewed here. The the 1860 census has been indexed and is online at Ancestry.com

Just a little difficult to read

I'm not certain if it qualifies as difficult to read, but this signature comes from the World War I Draft Card of a member of a well-known family. The complete card can be seen here. This card comes from the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database at Ancestry.com. Fortunately the registrar wrote the name more legibly than this signature.

Watch For Your Reflection When Photographing Tombstones

I got to looking at the picture we took of my grandparents' tombstone near West Point, Illinois, today and I realized that someone's reflection is in the picture. I'm not certain if I took it or if my wife took it, but it is just something to think about. Of course, reflections are not a problem with older stones.

Michael's Trautvetter Connection

I'll post a longer entry here when I have more time, but for now and for anyone interested:

Erasmus and Mary (Gross) Trautvetter, of Thuringen, Germany, were the parents of several children, including John George Trautvetter.

John George Trautvetter (1798-1871), was born in Bad Salzungen, Thuringen, Germany, immigrated to Hancock County, Illinois, with his family and returned to Bad Salzungen where he died in 1871. His wife was Sophia Elizabeth Derle (1808-1877). She is buried at the church cemetery in Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois. They were the parents of several children including John Michael Trautvetter.

John Michael Trautvetter was born in Wohlmuthausen, Germany in 1839 and died near Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois in 1917. He married Franciska Bieger in 1868 in Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois. She was born in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois in 1851 and died near Tioga in 1888. They are buried at the church cemetery in Tioga. They were the parents of several children, including George Adolph Trautvetter.

George Adolph Trautvetter was born in 1869 near Tioga and died in 1935 in Jacksonville, Morgan, Illinois. He was married to Ida May Sargent in 1898. She was born probably in Warsaw in 1874 and died in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois in 1939. They are also buried in Tioga. They were the parents of seven children, including Ida.

Ida Trautvetter was born near Elderville, Hancock County, Illinois in 1910 and died near Carthage, Illinois, in 1994. She married Cecil Neill in 1935. He was born near Stillwell, Hancock County, Illinois in 1903 and died in Keokuk, Iowa in 1968. They are buried in the West Point, Illinois, cemetery. They were my grandparents.

We'll post more as time allows. The Trautvetters a very colorful family and have been very fun to research. Hopefully I'll be able to work more on their German connections.

Probate mentioned in the Papers

A search of the online Quincy, Illinois, newspapers located this mention of my ancestor's estate in The Quincy Daily Whig of 14 Aug 1889. I already had seen the will, but there are a few things about this worth noting:

• in an earlier era, many newspapers published summaries of probate information--may be helpful if the courthouse can't find the record, burned, etc.
• more and more newspapers are being put online and can be searched via OCR. If I had not already had the probate information this would have been a neat way to locate it.
• if I did not have the probate information, I would want to contact the courthouse in order to locate it. This is only a summary of the information, the probate packet contains an inventory of the estate.
• Newspapers sometimes get things wrong--granddaughter Ricka Iders is actually Ricka Ideus.

I descend from three of the people mentioned: Ulfert Behrens, Trientje Satorius, and Ricka (Reka) Sartorius. Reka Satorius Janssen is my great-great-grandmother.

Changing History?

I found a typo on one of my old blog posts and after I fixed it, the old entry (with the error) no longer existed and it got me to thinking.

I think it is Orwell's 1984 where people are employed to go back and "edit" newspapers after the fact...to change history as it were. I may have the wrong book, but the memory sticks with me from somewhere.

Ever wondered about when we get to the day where we have no print news and the only archives are electronic? How easy will it be for someone to change an old online article from five years ago to "clean it up" or alter it in someway?

Just something to think about.

Can You Read It?

This name comes from a mid 1740 era estate settlement in Orange County, Virginia. This is a name, but not a signature.

Go ahead and post a guess.

Can You Read It?

This comes from the name of a godparent on a 1860 christening record in Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany...it's not too hard.

Did Your Ancestors Get Divorced?

Some would have us believe that divorce and family discord started in the 1960s and that it has been all downhill ever since. Genealogists who have spent time searching in court records know that is far from the truth.

Divorce is not a 20th century invention. Court records from the early 20th and nineteenth century contain numerous divorce records. These are records that every genealogist should include as a part of a conprehensive research design.

My wife's great-grandmother was divorced in Chicago twice in the early twentieth century.
My 3rd great-grandmother was divorced twice in rural Illinois in the late nineteenth century.
In both cases the records of these divorces were very telling and provided significant genealogical clues.
We've posted an article on divorce records on our site--something you should consider--unless you think your ancestors never never had a disagreement ;-)

Who is it in 1930?

This family's 1930 census entry in Hamilton County, Ohio, contains a well-known actor--the 18 year old son. Any guesses as to who it is?

World War I Draft Card--Duke Ellington

I realized we had a "bad image" for Duke Ellington's World War I draft card, so we have re-uploaded it to our site. The 19 year old government messenger is living in Washington, DC and listed his mother as his next of kin.

The World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 are one of the databases at Ancestry.com

1930 Census--Laura Ingalls Wilder

The 1930 census enumeration for Laura Ingalls Wilder as shown to the right indicates the importance of looking at the neighbors--her daughter, author Rose Wilder Lane, is living next door.

The Wilder's complete enumeration in Wright County, Missouri, can be viewed on our site. The 1930 can be searched at Ancestry.com.

1860 Census--Frederick Douglass

Writer and anti-slavery activist Frederick Douglass is living in Monroe County, New York in the 1850 census. He is apparently listed with an occupation of Editor--at least that is what I think "E D ' R" stands for in the complete enumeration.

As a note to those using the 1860 index at Ancestry.com:

Douglass' place of birth is somewhat difficult to read. While the intent was Maryland, the indexer read it as "Mordland" and that is what appears as the place of birth in the index. Another reason to occasionally omit the birthplace when census searching.

1930 Census--Howard Hughes

Billionaire Howard Hughes is living at 211 Muirfield Road in 1930 in a home valued at $45,000. The 24 year old Iowa native is listed as a film producer. His complete enumeration can be seen here.

The 1930 census and other census records have been completely indexed by Ancestry.Com.

Pre-1850 Census Searching

Ancestry.com's blog has published my latest article Starting Pre-1850 Census Searching. Working with pre-1850 census records can be a challenge, especially the first time around. This article focuses on my search for a William Newman and includes information on how I found him in the 1840 census. Census records before 1850 can be used, but it takes some time and practice to avoid making incorrect conclusions. We will follow this article with more on census records in this era. Suggestions can be sent to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.

I know there are a great number of genealogists who struggle with census records during this period--I know I did when I first started.

1861 Census--Karl Marx

To the untrained eye, it certainly looks like Karl Mara, but in actuality it is Karl Marx, famed philosopher whose writings have caused all kinds of twentieth and twenty-first century problems.

He and his family are living in the United Kingdom in the 1861 census which can be viewed on our site.

The 1861 England Census can be searched at Ancestry.com

Poor Farm, Girl Friends, Sisters, and who knows?

One of the most confusing families I have had to sort out has been the family of Philip and Sarah Kile Smith of Mercer County, Illinois. This couple lived in Keithsburg, Mercer County, Illinois from the 1870s until the early 1900s. The problem was that Philip also had a long-standing relationship with his wife Sarah's sister. Philip also had children with this sister-in-law, Nancy Kile.

Part of locating information on this family hinged on local poor farm records from when the family was institutionalized in the 1870s. An article explaining more about our search for this family and the importance of not jumping to conclusions and not immediately performing data entry has been posted on our site.

Every genealogy should have at least one Smith line. It makes things interesting.

Manifests--Babe Ruth 1938

In 1938, baseball great Babe Ruth and his wife apparently spent some time in Bermuda, returning to New York in March 1938 on board the Monarch of Bermuda.

Ruth is listed under his actual name of George H. Ruth and the Ruths indicated an NYC address as shown below.

These lists can be searched as a part of the Ancestry.com collection