Making a "Bee" to Move the Fence

In reviewing material from a Civil War pension file, I came across a deposition that partially confused me.

Ira Boyd is making testimony in October of 1918 in the pension application of Emmar Osenbaugh. He has been asked how he came to know Osenbaugh and her husband, John. He states, in part:

"I came to Iowa about 50 year ago and soon after I came here I became acquainted with John Osenbaugh. The way I got acquainted with him was in the spring of 1869 when we were moving a partition fence for a man named Nathan Dix. Dix made a "bee" to move the fence and Osenbaugh was in the bee."

Any ideas on what a "bee" is to move the fence?

Back From Salt Lake

I've just returned from my annual research trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake. I had a really great time and made a few minor discoveries of my own and made copies for illustrations in several upcoming issues of Casefile Clues.

We had a good group and are looking forward to our trip in 2012.

Having been buried in research and helping others for nearly a week reminded me of several genealogy lessons and I'll be blogging about my experiences over the next several blog posts.

I asked about two questions while I was there. I hate to just "dump" papers in the consultants lap as I know from personal experience that can make helping the person even more difficult.

I asked a consultant on the British Isles floor to help me with Robert Frame, cotton warper from County Cumberland, who was born in Spain about 1814 and died in Cumberland sometime in the 1860s. I had not planned to ask about him while there, but needing a change of pace I decided to.

Before I asked the question, I quickly re-located Robert in the 1841-1861 censuses and the marriage entry from the church where he married. I also re-located the 1841-1851 census entries on Rebecca Frame, who lived nearby and whom I am assuming was his mother. I also re-located some christening entries in Carlisle (where Robert lived) for Rebecca's two children. Those entries indicated a husband of John--possibly Robert's father.

Before I dumped all this on the desk for the consultant, I typed it all up. I summarized what I had on Robert and his potential parents. I tried to make it as easy to read as possible. Then I went and presented my problem to the consultant.

I explained that I was uncertain why Robert was born in Spain and that I thought perhaps his father had been in the military.

The consultant I talked with told me how to search the military records and gave me assistance in locating the military records for John Frames who fit my time "frame."

Did it make it easier for her to have somewhat "organized" information? I'm guessing so and I'm hoping so. I do know that it made it much easier for me to explain my problem to her and there was a lot less paper-shuffling in the process.

In the interest of time while at the Family History Library, I just copied the entire service files of the four John Frames who fit my time frame. I decided it was best to analyze them when I got home and could be somewhat more thorough in my analysis. There'll be time later to go back and work on them further.

Ancestry.com's Search Comments, etc.

Here's my take on Ancestry.com's search:

1) I like the proximity feature. However, I do wonder what map or database they used to determine what bordered what. Do they count counties and geographic locations that are "corner to corner?" I don't like not knowing how things are done or determined.

2) I hate the pre-filled boxes that come up. Absolutely do not like them. I would like to know why on a United States database, they cannot filter out non-US locations. Also like to know why they can't filter out United States locations when I'm searching the 1851 UK census. If you're gonna make that junk come up automatically, at least have it be from the correct country.

3) Get rid of the family member option on the censuses that have it and simply put "in household" of. I like the ability to search for siblings, don't get me wrong. However, there are times when Ancestry.com thinks the head of household is the parent when even the census indicates that they are not. Set this to "lives in the same household" and be done with it. Or at least add that option.

4) Improve the navigational structure of the site. There are databases on Ancestry.com I use regularly and I get sick of the navigational structure and the card catalog is a pain. I don't make bookmarks myself because they are a pain. If there is a database I've used before on Ancestry.com, I just google it to find it.

I like most of the features of the new search. But I do tend to get a little tired of being given new features and then being told to like them because we have them. Geesh--I'm not five anymore. And sometimes I really really wonder how many in the research trenches genealogists really test these new features out. Not people who were geeks first, but people who were (and are) genealogists first.

I also don't think the new features support the documentation of the search process. Not documentation of results, but documentation of process.

I also do not like it when databases are "updated"or added to with no idea of what's been changed or added. That makes it incredibly frustrating for a database I have already searched extensively to find that it has been "improved" or added to with no idea of what records were added. I've mentioned this complaint before, but I've never gotten any feedback on that complaint. And usually when I complain about something and fail to get a response, that usually tells me something.

Don't get me wrong, I really get a lot of use out of Ancestry.com. But there are times when it is very frustrating to be given "new improvements" without adequate details or changed search techniques and being told we should "like them and get used to them."

2012 Family History Library Trip

We have set the dates for our 2012 Family History Research Trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City--start at 6:30 on Wednesday night and running through a departure the following Wednesday.

• start on 23 May 2012


• end on 30 May 2012

We'll post additional information over the next few weeks. Trip members can get help from Michael before the trip and request help with pre-trip planning, research suggestions, etc. We have 8 am. morning sessions (optional), as many consultations as necessary with Michael, assistance with scanning files, deciding what to research next, etc. If using certain records confuses you, I've helped people use various microfilmed indexes, etc.

Early bird registration (complete fee of $175) is due by 1 December. The deposit is only $50. We keep our group size small so that you don't get lost in the crowd (unless you want to).

You can make your deposit here.

1900 US Census Occupations

Made this discovery on Google Books today. Not time to prattle on about it, but it is a listing of occupations as sampled from the 1900 census. It was put together by the Bureau of the Census. Neat stuff.

Casefile Clues for Beginners

At the request of some readers and survey takers, we are trying out a "beginning" version of Casefile Clues, yet unnamed.

More details on the Casefile Clues blog.

Memory Medallions, etc.

Mark me down on the cynical side, but I don't think I want someone sticking one of these on my ancestor's tombstone.

1) Who decides which descendant gets to put it on?
2) Is it going to permanently mark the stone in some way?
3) Will it work in 50 years? 20 years?

Here's one site. There are others.

I'm not opposed to preserving memories and information. I'm just not certain this is the way to do it.

Punch cards? Floppy disks? Who can say this is any more permanent?

Publish your genealogy and preserve that. I'm certain others will disagree with me, but I'm just not certain this is the way to go about it.

NGS Casefile Clues Offer

You can still take advantage of an NGS offer on Casefile Clues even if you are not at the conference. Through the conference, you can subscribe for our regular rate of $17 and we'll throw in the most recent 14 issues from volume 2. Subscriptions must be done through this link to get the offer. Not valid with any other offer. Thanks!

Family Search's Civil War Database Search

Family Search has a special site to search just their Civil War materials. I'm a little bit confused. This is the search screen I got when I searched for Riley Rampley. It said there were no results that matched "strongly," yet the "non-strong" match was for the exact name I put in. Just makes me a little curious as to whether or not the search is actually working right.

I'll post a follow up if I have one.

Family Search Releases Draft Registration Cards, compiled 1948-1959

Just for these two states, FamilySearch released Draft Registration Cards, compiled 1948-1959 :

• Arkansas


• Louisiana

Why To Transcribe Exactly

There are many reasons to transcribe a document exactly. This letter taken from the Georgia Confederate Pension application of H. W. Rucker (and his widow) makes the point. The letter is dated 19 Sept 1925. Bennett indicates Mrs. Rucker died on 29 Sept 1925. Something is wrong. Is it the date of the letter or the date of the death? Without looking at other records, the transcriber does not know. The transcription should render it as it is.

In this case, there may be other records to allow one to determine if the date of death is correct. One will not always be that lucky.

Ancestry.com's Updating of Databases

I wish the Ancestry.com blog had some real information about their new or recently updated databases in it--instead of being vastly marketing material.

Their passport applications are indicated as being "updated" again, but I have no clue how. Does this mean I have to search them again for people I've already searched for in the database?

The last time it was updated there were "new" applications in there for people I had already located.

It is a little frustrating for databases to be "updated" multiple times. Don't get me wrong, I use Ancestry.com and like it, but these updates without information on "how they are updated" is frustrating--especially when it doesn't enable me to know whether to search the database or not.

Hopefully I'm wrong and there's information on the update somewhere that I have just overlooked.

All Have A Leaf But The Guy I Want

I have several private trees at Ancestry.com. I largely use them to keep track of things I have already found on Ancestry.com, particularly families I am researching for Casefile Clues. These online trees are not my "real" databases--I don't use Ancestry's cloud for my personal research, largely because I'm a down to earth person.

Sometimes I do find the leaves helpful, if for no other reason than it saves time in locating certain things. Does Ancestry.com find things that are totally "out there?" Of course. Do they find things that are correct? Yes. Like any other source, one has to constantly be evaluating and judging. I don't often use the trees of others, unless I'm trying to connect with others working on the same brick wall people that I am.

I don't even always contact other submitters. In many cases, I can tell they've most likely not done any original research--seeing "errors" from my early days of research is a good indicator of this. I won't share those errors here, but I know them when I see them and I can tell that the person hasn't done any "new" work or they would have picked up on the errors themselves.

The image with this blog post makes the point I was originally going to make with this post:

"the leaves don't often help on your real brick wall problems"

The leaves on my tree as shown above appear for all the names, sans one, Benjamin Butler. The leaves are usually indicating there's a census record (which I already have, but just don't have "linked" in this tree) or to public member trees that pretty much are just copies of what I've already located myself.

Benjamin Butler, the guy I'm "really stuck on" has no leaves--no suggestions.

All the other suggestions are to things I've already found and that someone else has submitted--except for Clark Sargent whose family has been documented to early New England families.

I find that the leaves aren't always there for the people on whom I'm really stuck. Or if they are, the suggestions are really out in left field.

A part of this problem is that Ancestry.com's leaves are not all that helpful for pre-1850 era American families when someone hasn't already done (or tried to do) the work. When there's not a tree that may provide suggestions, the leaves just aren't that helpful in this era.

And so I'm back to working on Benjamin Butler, without leaves. Ancestry.com's indexes will help me, but there probably won't be any leaves and I'll have to be using records besides those on Ancestry.


At least in my experience.

Free Copy of article "Brick Walls from A to Z"

I'll send a free copy of my article "Genealogy Brick Walls from A to Z" to anyone who wants it. Requests can be sent to brickwallsa2z@gmail.com. Feel to share the news about this offer.

Thanks!

Don't get me wrong. I get a great deal of good information from the Family History Library in Salt Lake. But their catalog was created by humans and the occasional error can creep in and users (as humans) can interpret things incorrectly.

This image is from the catalog entry from the Bethany United Church of Christ in Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois, where my grandmother was christened in 1915 and where her family had attended since the 1850s.

The notes contain an error--indicating the originals are at Eden Theological Seminar in Webster Groves, Illinois. It is actually in Webster Groves, Missouri (here's the webpage). It's a lovely campus, having been there many years ago.

The other item of concern is with the year range for the records--1805 to 1884. The records actually start in the 1850s, but death register entries do refer to individuals with an 1805 date of birth. There are no records from the church going back to 1805.

Just take a look at what you are using and keep in mind that catalogers can make mistakes or may be interpreting things in ways that the user is not.

Casefile Clues Subscription Palns

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The Long Form Versus the Short Form

Years ago, I got an exact certified photocopy of my birth certificate from the vital records office in the county where I was born. It had a copy of my mother's signature on it, along with the signature of the attending physician. I do not have my actual birth certificate. I have a certified copy of it (a reproduction). It is made "official," because it includes the raised seal, the date the certificate was issued, and the signature of the records official. The courthouse has the actual birth certificate.

After my oldest daughter was born, I went to the local vital records office and got an exact certified photocopy of her birth certificate. Again, I do not have the actual certificate. The actual birth certificate is in the records office. I have a certified copy of the actual certificate.

A few years ago, when I couldn't find the certified copy of my birth certificate and needed one, I had my mother obtain a copy for me. I was sorely disappointed. All I got was a "certificate of live birth." It was an EXTRACT from the actual birth certificate. The extract basically said I was born on a certain date in a certain place. My parents' names are on it, but the essence of the form is that it indicates my date and place of birth are contained in a record in the office that has their raised seal stamped on the "certificate of live birth."

A "certificate of live birth" is a fairly typical way in which to issue a "copy" of a birth certificate.

The genealogist in me would rather have the copy of the actual certificate, but for most other purposes, the "certificate of live birth" is just fine.

Genealogists would consider the actual copy of the birth certificate an image copy, a derivative typically considered to be the equivalent of the original. The "certification of live birth" would technically be a transcription. Transcriptions are not necessarily bad, just different.

There is nothing unusual about a "certificate of live birth." Millions of Americans have them.

And my birth announcement appears in the local newspaper, too.

I'm My Own Cousin

Roolf Alberts Fecht, born 1710 Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany:

1. Gerjet Albers Fecht, born 1747 Wiesens
2. Tjark Gerjets Fecht, born 1803 Wiesens
3. Elska Fecht Janssen, born 1829 Wiesens
4. Jans Janssen, born 1856 Wiesens--died 1929 Basco, Hancock County, Illinois, USA
5. Trientje Janssen Ufkes, born 1895 Basco--1986 Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, USA
6. John Henry Ufkes, born 1917 Basco--died 2003 Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, USA (my grandfather)

Roolf Alberts Fecht, born 1710 Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany:

1. Albert Roolfs Fecht, born 1740 Wiesens
2. Jacob Alberts Fecht, died 1843 Wiesens
3. Hinrich Jacobs Fecht, born 1823 Wiesens--died 1912 Elvaston, Hancock County, Illinois, USA
4. Anke Hinrichs Fecht Habben, born 1860 Wiesens--died 1939 Elvaston, Hancock County, Illinois
5. Mimke Habben, born 1881 Prairie Township, Hancock County, Illinois--died 1969 Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois
6. Dorothy Habben Ufkes, born 1924 Prairie Township, Hancock County, Illinois--died 2008 Florida (my grandmother)

I have numerous multiple descents from various Ostfriesen ancestors. In this case, I'm my own 7th cousin.

William Sartorius in the Army in 1902-Regular US Army Infantry Regimentsrmy

I'm fairly certain the William A. Sartorius (number 26) on this U.S. Returns from Regular Army Infantry Regiments, 1821-1916 is the William A. Sartorius who was born in Adams County, Illinois, in the 1870s. There is still some research to do. The top image is from the top of the page and the second one is the part that shows the Sartorius entry.

The heading says May of 1892, but it appears that the person who filled the form out simply didn't change the form which apparently was pre-printed for the 1800s and used into the 1900s. The stamp indicates a year of 1902--so it looks like these enlisted men had their terms of service expire in 1902.

Those interested can search these infantry regiment records at Ancestry.com.

This record indicates Sartorius was in the 12th US Infantry. I've got more research to do on William and we'll have updates as details are located. I know the William I'm looking for was in Canada in the 1920s and on and I have copies of his homestead records which are being written up for an issue of Casefile Clues.

Revolutionary War Court Appearance

The devil is in the details.
Don't get me wrong--I really love Footnote, but it is irritating when promotional materials get factual details incorrect as this ad does for Footnote's Revolutionary War Collection of Materials.

This ad for Footnote's current offer indicates one of the documents as a "Revolutionary War Court Appearance." The referenced document is from testimony in a Revolutionary War Pension file--apparently in September of 1820.

I use Footnote.'s collection of Revolutionary War materials regularly and like it a lot.

My Blogs, Blogging Philosophy, Etc.

Sometimes I think I have too many blogs.

I have Genealogy Tip of the Day, where each day a research tip is posted. These usually come from actual research I'm doing or questions people ask about the newsletter, when I lecture, etc. These tips focus on records interpretation, genealogical problem-solving, etc. and not on computer use.

I also have Research Tip of the Day, where each day a search tip for using online databases, websites, etc. is posted.

Daily Genealogy Transcriber publishes a signature or name from a document, posted as a "can you read it" type scenario. Usually the next day I post the answer to what the name actually was.

These three really don't take all that much time and are actually kind of fun. The tips are meant to be short, quick, and easy to follow. Nothing intense and no 1,000 word case studies or really intricate problems or suggestions. They are meant to be a quick read.

There is the blog for Casefile Clues, the weekly newsletter I write. There I usually blog about upcoming articles, research problems, methodology, etc. all of which support the newsletter.

Then there is this blog, Rootdig, which has changed since I started it several years ago.

Rootdig really talks about genealogy in general, things that irritate me, problems I see in databases and websites and things of that type. Sometimes I'll just dump some interesting documents I've found into the website.

I've pretty much given up on using the websites and blogs to generate any significant income. All my blogs/sites except for Casefile Clues have advertising. However, I quit trying to maximize the income from the ads on my other sites. I stopped trying to promote sales, etc. from vendors and put up more generic ads that don't have to be pulled when the sales are over. The ads partially cover some costs, but the income is minimal. Attempts to drive enough traffic to make any significant income took up entirely too much time, time away from genealogy, research and writing. I was not interested in working to optimize search engine traffic, and marketing really is not one of my interests. Consequently while I have the ads and they do generate revenue, I'm certainly not making any sort of real profit on the sites.

Personally I was never comfortable writing about something just to promote a sale, a site or a link which is what I felt I had to do to generate enough web traffic to make any sort of real income from the ads. I like to write about things I was actually researching, not just something I found on a database in an attempt to promote a sale or promotion. And so I stopped concentrating on generating traffic to my ads. The ads were left up because it was easier than removing them and they do generate enough income to pay for the occasional death certificate or movie rental.

I find it easier to concentrate on writing and research and blogging about things I'm currently working on. If that generates traffic and followers, then so be it. I've decided I'm just going to put on the blogs what interests me and if that interests others, then fine.

I thought this was going to turn into a post on how to allocate professional time, make your professional reputation from your blog, etc. etc. I decided writing about that doesn't really interest me either.

Illinois Marriage Records Index On FamilySearch

FamilySearch added Illinois Marriages 1810-1934 to their list of databases. Currently it only contains Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Brown, Champaign, Christian, Clark and Clay Counties.

Personally very good for me as Adams is one of two counties where most of my family lived!

They Were Sailors Who Deserted

Stories of relatives who "left the German army" are common--proving them is usually a bit more difficult. A search of


This is an incomplete post. The first image above is from the Bremer Musterungslisten der Schiffe, 1815-1917 for Jurgen Ehmen. This is from a muster list and is only part of the entry. The entry indicates Jurgen was born in 1832 in Wris[s]e, which is where Jurgen Ehmen, first cousin of my great-great-grandfather was born.

A search of deserters in Seemansamt Bremen, Deserteurlisten, 1855-1874 indicated Jurgen was listed there as well, apparently having deserted in August of 1860. Not only was Jurgen on that list, his brother Joh. Luken was as well. Jurgen was born in 1832 and Joh. was born in 1838. The rest of the entry I need to translate.
We'll have an update as new information is located--possibly a Casefile Clues article if there is enough information to warrant.

UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 on Ancestry.com

Virgil A. Rampley, private, arrived in Liverpool, England in September of 1918 on the S.S. Lancashire. He lists an address of West Point, Illinois, and indicates a next of kin as his mother Nancy J. Rampley. I noticed several other Hancock County boys on the ship as well. I included the heading of the manifest page here as well. The entire manifest can be viewed at Ancestry.com. Virgil is a brother to Fannie Rampley Neill, my great-grandmother.

The database on Ancestry.com, UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 can be searched on their site.

Civil War Draft Registration Riley Rampley

This is part of the Civil War Draft Registration for Riley Rampley which was recently released on Ancestry.com as their the in their collection of Civil War materials.The entry for Riley indicates he was living in Walker [Township] Hancock County, Illinois. His age, and that of his brother John, are left off the registration. In fact several registrations further down on the page also contain no age listed. Riley was white and listed as a farmer. The second half of the page indicates that Riley and his brother, as well as several others on the page, had already enlisted.

I'm not certain why the Rampley's registration is incomplete, but it is.