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30,209
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1,052,676
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1,760,515
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99,510
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20,068
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26 November 2012
New Non-US Databases on FamilySearch
New Non-US databases on FamilySearch--last two weeks or so:
25 November 2012
Does Ancestry.com Know About Decimals?
[this issue has been corrected as of 4 January 2013--see update]
[minor editing of this post at 12:15 PM central on 25 November]
Decimals matter. If you're not certain, ask your bank. They mattered to your ancestor too, especially if he bought and sold real estate.
The first screen shot in this blog post is of the results page for Clark Sargent's entry in the Illinois, Public Land Purchase Records, 1800-1990 database at Ancestry.com.
I thought that the price, total [paid], and acreage looked a little strange. First of all the price [per acre] and the acreage do not compute with the stated acreage of 4000 acres. It's also true that 4000 acres would encompass more than one section in a given Winnebago County township [sections are usually 640 acres]. Something is not right with these numbers.
Searching for Clark on the Illinois State Archives website's version of the database (titled: Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales) confirmed what I expected: the numbers on Ancestry.com were wrong.
There are decimals in the numbers that appeared to be "off." The acreage is 40.00 acres, the price is $1.25 an acre and the total price is $50.00. Those numbers all make more sense than the ones at Ancestry.com.
I guessed that this error did not just happen for Clark. I was right--the search results page at Ancestry.com's database showed the following for another person of interest: Andrew Trask.
Sure enough, those entries had the missing decimals in price, total, and acreage.
I use this database on the Illinois State Archives website regularly and rarely use it at Ancestry.com. Otherwise I might have noticed it easier.
Lessons:
[minor editing of this post at 12:15 PM central on 25 November]
Decimals matter. If you're not certain, ask your bank. They mattered to your ancestor too, especially if he bought and sold real estate.
The first screen shot in this blog post is of the results page for Clark Sargent's entry in the Illinois, Public Land Purchase Records, 1800-1990 database at Ancestry.com.
I thought that the price, total [paid], and acreage looked a little strange. First of all the price [per acre] and the acreage do not compute with the stated acreage of 4000 acres. It's also true that 4000 acres would encompass more than one section in a given Winnebago County township [sections are usually 640 acres]. Something is not right with these numbers.
This is a database that Ancestry.com pulled from another source--which is fine. The State of Illinois (actually the Illinois State Archives) maintains the website on which the state version of the database is maintained. Ancestry.com's "Source Information" is shown below.
Searching for Clark on the Illinois State Archives website's version of the database (titled: Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales) confirmed what I expected: the numbers on Ancestry.com were wrong.
There are decimals in the numbers that appeared to be "off." The acreage is 40.00 acres, the price is $1.25 an acre and the total price is $50.00. Those numbers all make more sense than the ones at Ancestry.com.
I guessed that this error did not just happen for Clark. I was right--the search results page at Ancestry.com's database showed the following for another person of interest: Andrew Trask.
Sure enough, those entries had the missing decimals in price, total, and acreage.
I use this database on the Illinois State Archives website regularly and rarely use it at Ancestry.com. Otherwise I might have noticed it easier.
Lessons:
- Look at the original.
- Never assume an index is correct.
- Check the numbers to see if they "make sense."
Errors like this actually concern me on several levels. If something as simple as decimals can't be transferred over correctly, what else might be a little "off?"
All these search results screens are accurate as of 25 November 2012--1:00 AM CST.
24 November 2012
The Ledger Entry for Rufus' Claim--and Clues to Comrades
In addition to the signed affidavits documenting Rufus D. Stephens' claim for his 1814 requisitioned horse, there is a ledge entry approving the claim.
"General Account of Claims for Compensation for Property Lost, Captured, or Destroyed by the Enemy, while in the Military Service of the United States during the late War with England."
Fixed number 2518, Rufus D.Stephens (attorney Claudius W. Boughton), whose claim was received on 3 June 1817 was from Ontario County, New York. Stephens claimed compensation for the loss of a horse while in the United States service. The amount of his claim was $80 and the proof was sufficient. Stephens' claim was approved on 3 June by Richard Bland Lee "C.C &C."
There is a notation that attorney Claudius W. Boughton received the $80 on 4 June.
There are two additional claims, both submitted and approved on 3 June, and paid on 4 June. Those men, James Spear and Erasmus T. Cammins, were also both from Ontario County, New York. They may have been comrades of Rufus given that the claims were filed simultaneously.
---------------
Source:
National Archives of the United States, Record Group 217, Entry 625, Volume 3, page 205.
"General Account of Claims for Compensation for Property Lost, Captured, or Destroyed by the Enemy, while in the Military Service of the United States during the late War with England."
Fixed number 2518, Rufus D.Stephens (attorney Claudius W. Boughton), whose claim was received on 3 June 1817 was from Ontario County, New York. Stephens claimed compensation for the loss of a horse while in the United States service. The amount of his claim was $80 and the proof was sufficient. Stephens' claim was approved on 3 June by Richard Bland Lee "C.C &C."
There is a notation that attorney Claudius W. Boughton received the $80 on 4 June.
There are two additional claims, both submitted and approved on 3 June, and paid on 4 June. Those men, James Spear and Erasmus T. Cammins, were also both from Ontario County, New York. They may have been comrades of Rufus given that the claims were filed simultaneously.
---------------
Source:
National Archives of the United States, Record Group 217, Entry 625, Volume 3, page 205.
23 November 2012
The Donner Party In the Newspaper--Before It Went South
Did your ancestors respond to a call to travel? Advertisements often lured migrants, including this one published in a local paper by George Donner of Springfield, Illinois. The ad was written in 1846--a year later Donner's name would be associated with the ill-fated Donner Party.
Donner was advertising for men to join him on the trip to California--helping to haul his family and provisions to the west coast.
After the family has started their trip, Mrs. Donner writes back to a friend in Springfield, Illinois. Mrs. Donner's letter to an unnamed friend is printed in it's entirety in the same paper as her husband's advertisement--only parts of it are included in this blog post:
She continues, talking about some of the others who travel with the Donner party:
She ends the letter...
George Donner ends the letter by saying,"Our provisions are in good order and we feel satisfied with our preparations for the trip."
Little did he know.
[note--the book George Donner used as his guide can be viewed or downloaded here http://archive.org/details/emigrantsguideto04hast ]
Donner was advertising for men to join him on the trip to California--helping to haul his family and provisions to the west coast.
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Date: Thursday, March 26, 1846Paper: Illinois Weekly State Journal (Springfield, IL)--obtained onGenealogybank.com |
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Date: Thursday, July 23, 1846Paper: Illinois Weekly State Journal (Springfield, IL)--obtained onGenealogybank.com |
She continues, talking about some of the others who travel with the Donner party:
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Date: Thursday, July 23, 1846Paper: Illinois Weekly State Journal (Springfield, IL)--obtained onGenealogybank.com |
She ends the letter...
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Date: Thursday, July 23, 1846Paper: Illinois Weekly State Journal (Springfield, IL)--obtained onGenealogybank.com |
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Date: Thursday, August 13, 1846Paper: Illinois Weekly State Journal (Springfield, IL)--obtained onGenealogybank.com |
George Donner ends the letter by saying,"Our provisions are in good order and we feel satisfied with our preparations for the trip."
Little did he know.
[note--the book George Donner used as his guide can be viewed or downloaded here http://archive.org/details/emigrantsguideto04hast ]
An 1849 Letter in the Post Office
The United States Post Office didn't always bring letters to your home. This 1849 advertisement from a Springfield, Illinois, newspaper included the names of several area residents who had letters they could pick up in the post office.
Recipients would be charted two cents per letter and had three months to claim the letter. There are notations that some individuals had two letters waiting for them.
The person of interest was Abraham Chaney who is shown on the part of the list reproduced in the following image:
If I had not known when Abraham arrived in Illinois, this would have helped me to approximate that date.
One letter is listed as being for Jno Baird or Milas James. If one of those men had been the person of interest, this list would have indicated that they were associates. That clue might not be stated in other contemporary documents.
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Date: Wednesday, May 2, 1849Paper: Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield, IL)-obtained onGenealogybank.com |
Recipients would be charted two cents per letter and had three months to claim the letter. There are notations that some individuals had two letters waiting for them.
The person of interest was Abraham Chaney who is shown on the part of the list reproduced in the following image:
 |
Date: Wednesday, May 2, 1849Paper: Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield, IL)-obtained onGenealogybank.com |
If I had not known when Abraham arrived in Illinois, this would have helped me to approximate that date.
One letter is listed as being for Jno Baird or Milas James. If one of those men had been the person of interest, this list would have indicated that they were associates. That clue might not be stated in other contemporary documents.
22 November 2012
Baptist Priests? I Don't Think So
I know it is an index entry. But really, couldn't they have used "officiant" or something a little more accurate and all-encompassing when transcribing entries from the Indiana county marriages to create the "Indiana Marriages, 1811-1959," at FamilySearch?
This is the database entry for my ancestors, William Newman and Rebecca Tinsley, who were married in Rush County, Indiana.
The database term that was used to describe the person was "priest." It seems to this researcher that there are other, more generic terms that could have been used. There are many denominations that do not use the term priest to refer to their "leaders."
The Newmans were Baptists--Regular Baptists at that. The license refers to Jones as a minister.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the indexes on FamilySearch and the access they give us to indexes. I just wish that this description was a little more accurate--particularly because I know there are people who will not look at the original and will conclude that the Newmans were married by a priest, which they were not. And it's just one step from there to conclude that they were members of an entirely different denomination.
The record does not refer to Jones as a priest. The index should not either.
This is the database entry for my ancestors, William Newman and Rebecca Tinsley, who were married in Rush County, Indiana.
The Newmans were Baptists--Regular Baptists at that. The license refers to Jones as a minister.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the indexes on FamilySearch and the access they give us to indexes. I just wish that this description was a little more accurate--particularly because I know there are people who will not look at the original and will conclude that the Newmans were married by a priest, which they were not. And it's just one step from there to conclude that they were members of an entirely different denomination.
The record does not refer to Jones as a priest. The index should not either.
More on Inst. and Ult.
We mentioned the difference between "inst." and "ult" in an earlier post and newspaper articles that apparently had the two terms mixed up.
A search of newspapers for additional articles about the incident resulted in several hits which are shown in this screen shot from Genealogybank.com .
Five of the results are shown. The word "inst." has been circled in those clippings where it appears.
A search of newspapers for additional articles about the incident resulted in several hits which are shown in this screen shot from Genealogybank.com .
Five of the results are shown. The word "inst." has been circled in those clippings where it appears.
 |
| Partial screen shot of results from Genealogybank.com 20 November 2012 |
The January references all refer to the event as being on the 2d "ult." Obviously if the items are in January editions of newspapers the actual incident could not have taken place in February. "Inst." refers to the present month--which is what both January items use.
The last match makes it easy to see how the confusion between "inst" and "ult" came into being in some of the references. The last match is shows a 7 January date--most likely indicating that the item was copied from a newspaper in Herkimer County, New York, on 7 January. In that original article "inst." would have made sense.
Be aware of the difference between these two words, but make certain that you apply a little common sense as well.
Rufus Stephens in War of 1812 Service Records
Continuing our work on Rufus D. Stephens, I decided to obtain the compiled service record cards for him from National Archives Microfilm Publication M602. These are online at Archive.org and were discussed briefly in a blog post at "Search Tip of the Day."
There are four cards for a Rufus Stephens--two for Rufus Stephens and two cards for Rufus D. Stephens. I'm going to have to do some work on these cards as I have a few questions about them that I am hoping to get answered.
The following images from National Archives Microfilm Publication M602, roll 198. They were obtained digitally on Archive.org (http://www.archive.org)
Stay tuned!
There are four cards for a Rufus Stephens--two for Rufus Stephens and two cards for Rufus D. Stephens. I'm going to have to do some work on these cards as I have a few questions about them that I am hoping to get answered.
The following images from National Archives Microfilm Publication M602, roll 198. They were obtained digitally on Archive.org (http://www.archive.org)
Stay tuned!
21 November 2012
New On FamilySearch
New on FamilySearch 21 and 22 November (since our last update):
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38,625
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2,067,319
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Ult. Verus Inst.---At Least I Think
Organizing what I've gotten on Rufus D. Stephens reminded me of the difference between "ult" and "inst." At least I thought I knew what the difference was between the two abbreviations that one encounters in items from the 19th century and beyond.
These two clippings located on Genealogybank.com discuss a manslaughter case in which Rufus was involved. I'm trying to "fix" the date of the event and that's where I noticed a problem. Both papers were printed in February and one refers to the event as the "2d ult." and another refers to it as the "2d inst."
One of these has to be incorrect. The question is, "which one?"
ult. stands for the Latin "ultimo" meaning the preceding month.
inst. stands for "instant" meaning the current month.
We're working on a longer post explaining what I think happened.
[link to update]
------------------------------
Reminder--we don't include complete citations on blog posts--just our personal preference. Complete citations are always included in Casefile Clues or you can learn about citations in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained. We always do include enough background information in blog posts that readers can find our original sources.If you think we don't, please fire off an email to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com
These two clippings located on Genealogybank.com discuss a manslaughter case in which Rufus was involved. I'm trying to "fix" the date of the event and that's where I noticed a problem. Both papers were printed in February and one refers to the event as the "2d ult." and another refers to it as the "2d inst."
6 February 1805--refers to the date as "2d ult."
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Date: Wednesday, February 6, 1805Paper: Democrat (Boston, MA)obtained onGenealogybank.com |
14 February 1805-refers to the date as "2d inst."
 |
Date: Thursday, February 14, 1805Paper: Northern Post (Salem, NY)-obtained onGenealogybank.com |
ult. stands for the Latin "ultimo" meaning the preceding month.
inst. stands for "instant" meaning the current month.
We're working on a longer post explaining what I think happened.
[link to update]
------------------------------
Reminder--we don't include complete citations on blog posts--just our personal preference. Complete citations are always included in Casefile Clues or you can learn about citations in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained. We always do include enough background information in blog posts that readers can find our original sources.If you think we don't, please fire off an email to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com
An 1811 Arrival for Rufus D. Stephens in Penfield, New York
There is a reference in an 1851 history to Rufus D. Stephens which indicates that he arrived in Penfield, New York in 1811. Attempts to document his movement need to use every source that can be located. This item was located by a search on Google Books.
While there is always the possibility that his year of arrival is off, it will be assumed to be correct unless information to the contrary can be located. There are other who settled in the area as well and it is possible that they shared a common "point of origin" with Rufus.
This is the only mention of him in the book:
Those interested in the entire book can view it here--it may start with the cover--a lovely shade of gray:
------------------------------
Reminder--we don't include complete citations on blog posts--just our personal preference. Complete citations are always included in Casefile Clues or you can learn about citations in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained. We always do include enough background information in blog posts that readers can find our original sources.If you think we don't, please fire off an email to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com
While there is always the possibility that his year of arrival is off, it will be assumed to be correct unless information to the contrary can be located. There are other who settled in the area as well and it is possible that they shared a common "point of origin" with Rufus.
This is the only mention of him in the book:
 |
| part of page 525 discussing the town of Penfield, New York. |
Those interested in the entire book can view it here--it may start with the cover--a lovely shade of gray:
------------------------------
Reminder--we don't include complete citations on blog posts--just our personal preference. Complete citations are always included in Casefile Clues or you can learn about citations in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained. We always do include enough background information in blog posts that readers can find our original sources.If you think we don't, please fire off an email to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com
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