Michael John Neill's genealogy website. Things that cross my path, general research suggestions, and whatever else ...with a little bit of attitude. I don't post "news" just to post it, never post a press release (edited or otherwise), don't feign excitement, and pretty much say what I think.
30 June 2009
Before You Buy that CD of Scanned Books on Ebay
Save yourself some money.
Archive.org has Hobart's Biographies of Hancock County
Check out those "etal" deeds
Deed Indexes in Public Land States
29 June 2009
Extra Early Bird Deadline for Family History Library Research Trip May-June 2010
28 June 2009
Fritz or Fred?
You Are Always Going to Forget Something
What I thought was going to be a short project keeps growing. The probate records of John Micahel Trautvetter (died in Hancock County, Illinois in 1917) mention a mortgage on his farm and the approval of interest payments on the mortgage. The probate records make no mention of paying off the mortgage and any such payments are not included in the estate's accountings.
I thought land records would answer my question and they partially did. Turns out I also need the guardianship records for four of John's grandchildren and that may only answer another part of the question. These grandchildren were orphaned when their parents died in the Flu epidemic of 1918, less than a year after their grandfather Trautvetter died.
An upcoming column in "Casefile Clues" in Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter (paid edition) will discuss the records and proces used to see what happened to John's farm after his death.
25 June 2009
William Frame born 1816 in Lancashire
This William Frame was born in 1816 and christened on July 21, 1816 at St. John's Church, Old Haymarket, Liverpool. The parents are John and Rebecca Frame who appear later in County Cumberland, The John and Rebecca Frame in County Cumberland appear to be the parents of Robert Frame who lived in Cumberland from at least 1841 until his death in the 1860s. Robert is known to be my wife's ancestor.
Robert Frame was born in Spain ca. 1814 (but is always indicated as a British subject) and I was hoping that the occupation of John would indicate he was in the service, which would explain a son being born overseas, but that did not happen. A brief history of the church located online gave me a few additional clues which I can follow.
I'll be updating readers of this in an upcoming "Casefile Clues" column. Stay tuned. Suggestions are welcomed---I need them.
Jon and Kate + 8 and Genealogy
But the "he said," "she said" and their upcoming divorce does have some relevance for genealogists.
One must always take divorce records with a grain of salt, sometimes with a shaker. This from a descendant of a woman who was divorced twice from the same man. Barbara Haase divorced Conrad Haase in Hancock County, Illinois, in 1872. They married again and he divorced her in 1884. In the 1872 divorce, her petition complained of his behavior. In the 1884 divorce, his petition complained of her her behavior. There was no response from the other party in either divorce.
Where was the truth? Somewhere in between--which is where it usually is.
In the 1884 divorce, a son testified. He indicated that mother and father both were sometimes difficult to get along with. Frankly, I'm glad the "whole" story is not in their divorce record. Some things are better left unknown.
The good news is that when your ancestor gets divorced it generated a record. Just keep in mind that the records left behind may not tell the whole story and that every statement is always told from someone's perspective.
It is worth noting too that divorce was not as uncommon as people think in the 19th century. A lot of things were not as uncommon as people think. Court records are full of these kinds of stories--search them. The real difference was that most of these "scandals" were not talked about like they are today.
I'm not certain "Conrad+Barbara+6" would have made a good reality show, but it might make for an interesting genealogy lecture.
Oh, and I do have a set of multiple births in my family. My great-aunt had triplets in the 1950s, the old-fashioned way. Identical ones and no one knew about the multiple births until the day of their arrival. Now that's a surprise--with no reality show residuals and no disposable diapers.
23 June 2009
bio
Michael John Neill has been actively involved in genealogical researchsince the early 1980s. He began his research at the age of thirteen, growing up a few miles from the courthouse in the county where many ofhis family had lived since the 1850s. An experienced courthouse, library, and archive researcher, he has researched his children’s ancestry in over fifteen states and six European countries. Michael has lead research trips to the Allen County Public Library and theFamily History Library in Salt Lake City. He has written hundreds of genealogy how-to columns, formerly for Ancestry.com and now writes a regular column, “Casefile Clues,” for Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter.
A native of West-Central Illinois, Michael has a master’s degree in mathematics and is on the faculty of Carl Sandburg College where he also conducts an annual week-long series of genealogy computing workshops. Michael has given all-day seminars and workshops on a wide variety of genealogical topics across the country. He maintains a web presence at http://www.rootdig.com/.
Topics (additional topics can be developed):
Research on a Tight Budget
This lecture discusses some no-cost and low-cost ways to expand your genealogical research. Mention is also made of those times when “free” or “low-cost” is not possible.
Researching the Entire Family
Focusing only on the direct line can cause significant information to be overlooked and larger patterns to go un-noticed. This lecture discusses via examples, the importance of researching the siblings and at least first cousins of a direct ancestor.
Ostfriesian Research
This lecture focuses on unique research opportunities and challenges in this area of northern Germany near the Dutch border. Michael is one-half Ostfriesian by ancestry.
Newspaper Research
This lecture discusses how to access papers, effective search strategies for manual versus digital searching, what types of papers to search, and what to look for in newspapers besides obituaries.
Tried and Tested Tidbits
This lecture contains a wide variety of “quick tips” geared towards genealogists at all levels. A little bit of this and a little bit of that.
An Introduction to the Courthouse
This lecture provides an overview to the records typically found in a county courthouse: land, probate, court, and vital records.
Land Records (Public Land States)
This lecture discusses the basics of how land is described in public land states and effective search strategies for records in these localities, including a discussion of basic terminology. Intended for the researcher with little or no experience in land records.
Land Records (Public Land States): Intermediate
This lecture discusses search strategies via example for land records in public land states. Not geared towards beginning researchers and with the idea that attendees are already familiar with basic land terminology and deed terms.
Organization of Information: Seeing the Patterns
This lecture discusses various ways to organize information with the hope that previously unnoticed trends become apparent. Begins with a brief discussion of family group charts and pedigree charts and continues into chronologies and other less-often used charts and organizational methods.
Locating Emigrant Origins
This lecture discusses sources and methods for possibly locating from where an immigrant ancestor originated.
Naturalization: An Unnatural Process
This lecture discusses naturalization from the colonial era until World War II with an emphasis on how history has impacted the amount of records that were created.
Documentation Roadblocks on the Information Superhighway
The internet contains a great deal of information—some of it accurate and some of it not. This lecture discusses how to assess the validity of online information and concerns about citing online sources.
Court Records (beginning or intermediate)
This lecture discusses county court records, search procedures and analysis. It can be presented at a beginning or an intermediate level. The intermediate level lecture focuses on several case studies and assumes attendees are familiar with basic terminology and how court records are organized and accessed.
Probate Records (beginning or intermediate)
The same as Court Records (see above) only for probate records.
The Search for the Parents of Francis Trautvetter (using Illinois resources)
This lecture provides an good overview of Illinois records and sources all done within the context of a case study of an Illinois native born in 1851.
Why are There Errors in Records?
Errors create a variety of problems for the genealogist. This lecture looks at the causes of errors and discrepancies in records and includes commentary on handling these issues in a genealogical database.
Notetaking, Abstracting, and Extracting
This lecture discusses procedures for notetaking, abstracting, and extracting along with a discussion of what type of source is being used.
Where Could It Be Written?
Finding that fact, date or name frequently boils down to asking “where could that fact be written?” In this lecture, we discuss an approach for determining where a record containing the information we need could be located.
Problem Solving Applied to Genealogy
George Polya designed a 4-step process for solving problems, particularly mathematics “story problems.” This approach is applied to genealogy, both theoretically and through several examples.
Researching Through Footnotes: Using Historical Books and Articles for Genealogical Research
Perhaps a historian has researched a topic extensively that is relevant on your ancestral quest. This lecture discusses how to find these academic articles and put them to use for your own family history research.
I Found it: Now What?
Part of finding something is completely analyzing it. This lecture looks at a dozen or so documents found in actual research and sees what additional sources and methods are suggested by each individual document.
Land Platting in Metes and Bounds
This lecture discusses the basics of platting property in metes and bounds, software that is available for this specific purpose and why the average genealogist would even want to bother platting a piece of property.
Beginning German Research
This lecture discusses the beginning stages of German family history research.
Effective Internet Search Techniques
Online searching is more than typing a name in a search box. This lecture looks at several suggestions for getting the most from your online time.
Where did the Farm Go?
Your ancestor owned a farm? How it was transferred from his ownership may provide more genealogical clues than you suspect.
Math for Genealogists
This lecture looks at fractions, graph theory, logic, and other mathematical concepts within a genealogical frame work. No advanced math knowledge is necessary.
Using Records from the Family History Library when You Don't Know the Language
Reading records in Swedish, German, Latin, or any other European language is not quite as difficult as it may appear on the surface. We’ll discuss a general approach to reading non-English records. Learning the script and 50 basic words will accomplish wonders.
Brick Walls From A to Z
This lecture is an alphabetical listing of “brick wall breakers.”
Preparing for your Genealogical Research Trip Using Your Computer
This lecture discusses several ways to use your computer and your genealogical database to prepare for your next family history research trip. Planning is more than typing locations into Mapquest.
Marriage Bond from New Brunswick
I made a digital copy of it a few years ago on an earlier trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake. While reviewing my files today I realized I never followed up on the record and located the actual church records. I am working on those and will post an update as soon as I have one. The bond was dated 8 Nov 1865 and the couple were married the next day. Both were living in Simonds Parish.
22 June 2009
Michael's "page" on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/rootdig/
BYU Conference on Family History Schedule Online
The complete schedule can be viewed online (PDF version). There are four registration options listed on the conference website.
My four lectures will be:
Establishing Your Own Migration Trail
100 Acres, a Mortgage, and Three Sisters
Pig Blood in the Snow: Court Records Can Solve Problems
From New Jersey to Ohio - Establishing an Early 19th Century Migration Trail
Hope to see some readers of the blog and "Casefile Clues" there.
Genealogy App for Blackberry
Readers who have ideas are welcome to post them.
Signature of John Lake--Missouri-1855
World War II Draft Registration Card
Special Extra Early Discount for Rootdig 2010 Trip to Salt Lake
There is more information about the trip on our site at http://www.rootdig.com/slctrip.html
This discount won't be posted on those pages, email Michael at mjnrootdig@gmail.com for a registration brochure with the discounted price or questions.
Thanks!
20 June 2009
Casefile Clues for Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
I know this because I got my mother a short subscription to EOGN for her birthday so she read the columns without me having to send them to her. She was not autosubscribed and hasn't been getting "extra" messages--she would have told me if she had. Subscribers get a daily email with article titles and links to the articles.
Casefile Clues contains articles about original records from a variety of locations and about how those records were located, analyzed, and used for further research. I only write about my research of my children's ancestry, but that covers most states east of the Mississippi and six countries in Europe---which is enough! The intent of Casefile Clues is to help you with your research by giving you ideas and exposing you to records you might not have thought to look for.
I enjoy writing my Casefile Clues column and hearing from readers. Each column runs at least 1200 words and is geared towards all levels of researchers. Suggestions for future columns are welcome and can be submitted to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.
Those who have not seen Eastman's Free Edition of the newsletter can view it here.
Sit Down and Organize
I have even made contact with two distant cousins working on one of the same families--one cousin in the UK and another in Australia. That falls into the category of "neat" too.
The one thing I have not done is to organize what I have found and entered the information into my files. While at the library, I took notes of what I did, or scanned enough information so that I could follow my line of reasoning. What I should have done was started the data entry as soon as I got home from Salt Lake. I can still pretty much retrace my steps, but the longer it is from the time I found it, the more likely it is that I won't remember what I did.
So for now, instead of trying to find more information, I need to organize and put together what I have. Those who subscribe to Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and read my "Casefile Clues" column will read about my work in the Cumberland records as I organize what I have. Writing is a great way to help me to organize and put together my materials.
There is another reason to organize my material. I'll be presenting at the BYU Genealogy Conference at the end of July and am hoping to sneak in a little time at the Family History Library on Saturday. I can't effectively get more information if I don't organize what I already have.
17 June 2009
The Pre-emption Claim for John Lake
Need A Genealogy Speaker in 2009 or 2010?
For more information on speaking availability, fees, expenses, and opportunities, send an email to me at michaeln2@winco.net. Please indicate the potential date of the seminar, typical format, and general audience level. We can go from there.
Lectures are informative, relaxed, and fun.Topics can be arranged and new lectures can be developed upon request.I have presented over fifty all-day workshops across the United States on a wide variety of genealogy and computer genealogy topics. Some have been hands on all day workshops on Ancestry.com, Genline, Family Tree Maker.
Others have been more traditional days of lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics.I have lectured for small and large groups including NGS and FGS conferences.A list of incomplete topics is available at http://www.rootdig.com/topics.html. Most upcoming engagements are listed at http://www.rootdig.com/labels/speaking.html
James Hodgson died 1778 Castle Carrock
16 June 2009
Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois Fall 09 Conference
For information on having me present at your conference or workshop, send me an email.
Harlem Township 1827 Personal Property Tax List
15 June 2009
Illinois State Genealogical Society Conference Registration Online
14 June 2009
McDonough County Illinois Genealogical Society
My topic is Brick Walls from A to Z.
11 June 2009
Always Get Those Second Marriages
Eleanor's first marriage to Robert Frame, nearly thirty years earlier, does provide any information on her parents, of course it does provide her maiden name of Carlisle as her marriage to Robert Frame was her first marriage.
It always pays to search all the marriage records of any ancestor.
This record came from the microfilm of the St. Mary's Church records at the Family History Library in Salt Lake.
More on Reverend Bouton
A reader graciously commented privately on my post on searching for the Reverend O. R. Bouton--the obituaries from the New York Times are free, as long as they are before 1922. All I had to do was click on the link to view it and there it was. The good thing was that I had done a screen shot which showed my search terms from yesterday, so all I had to do was to re-enter those terms.
Well, not exactly. The search I performed yesterday did not give me the same results today. This was partially due to the fact that I blogged about my search and those blog entries came up in the results. There were other differences. Fortunately, I had made a screen shot of the results page and (armed with many of the words in the "hit" from the New York Times) I was able to find the entry again for Bouton's obituary.
There is still work to do--I'm trying to find out if there might be church records anywhere. I'm not surprised he was a Methodist as the bride's family was known to be Methodist. But at least now I have a few more details about Rev. Bouton to help me search for more information on him.
10 June 2009
Rev. Bouton of Macon County, Missouri
An earlier blog post mentioned a minister who married William Rhodes/Rhodus and Lucretia Jones in Macon County, Missouri in 1860. A little googling and I might have found him.
Unfortunately, the link for "OBITUARY" comes from the New York Times and the first paragraph was unavailable. Fortunately the snippet from Google's search results provided me with at least a potential name for this man. There's a good chance it is the one I want as the marriage license is signed by O. R. Bouton--not the most common name. Back to searching.
Getting A Preemption Claim
John Lake appears on the Bureau of Land Management's database of land patents as having received a land patent for property in Chariton County, Missouri, in April of 1857. Never having seen a preemption claim, I am curious exactly what it contains. My contact at the National Archives is working on getting me a copy of the file. I'll post more when I know more and will probably use the information from the file for a future Casefile Clues column for Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter.
John Lake was in Mercer County, Kentucky, in 1850. I'm hoping there will be something in his preemption claim file that will help me pinpoint his migration into Missouri.
05 June 2009
Dates of 2010 Salt Lake City Research Trip
- 27 June 2010 through 3 June 2010
More details (and correct dates) are posted at http://www.rootdig.com/slctrip.html
Thanks to DZ for pointing this out to me.
02 June 2009
Finding a Minister
01 June 2009
Death Bed Care in 1869
Herbert was allowed $4.50 per day for taking care of Trautvetter in his final illness. I'm not certain if there was a table of rates the court used or not. Interestingly enough, just for comparision, the refreshments at the wake were $4.75--just about the same as the per day allowance for care.
So to put that in modern terms, the refreshments at the funeral cost about as much as a one-day stay in the nursing home (smirk).
Note: this image comes from the scan I made while viewing the file at the Family History Library in Salt Lake.