Diigo Bookmarks (weekly)

• Connecticut State Library

  tags: no_tag

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday in the Attic – 01/30/10

This is a copy of the marriage record for my  third great-grandparents, James MULLIGAN and Sarah Norton WEBSTER.  They were married on 5 November 1865 in Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan.

To my knowledge, James was married twice prior to marrying Sarah.  He was first marriage to a Margaret, and had at least four children:  Maria, Patrick, Michael, and Bridget.  He then married a Sophia, and had three children:  Joseph, James P, and Julia.

Sarah was first married to Abram Marshall COFFINGER.  The were married on 5 May 1850, in Michigan.  Together they had at least five children:  Esther Besty, Calvin William, Amos Parks, Emma Amelia, and Mary Ellen.  Abram died on 29 September 1863 in Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan.

James and Sarah had at least three children together:  Edward Peter, Sarah Jane, and Margaret Elizabeth.  Margaret died on 6 February 1886 at the age of 12.

James died on 8 September 1879 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan.  Sometime between 1888 and 1892, Sarah, Edward, and Sarah Jane relocated to Chicago.

My Mobile Scanner Is Even Handier Than I Thought!

About a year ago, I purchased a mobile scanner (Pentax DSmobile 600 Scanner).  It was prompted by a trip I took in December 2009.  It’s a great tool to use when on the go and certainly saves me from having to photocopy papers.  You can read more at my previous post, Another New Gadget - Mobile Scanner.

I never use it at home, as I have a flatbed scanner as part of my printer.  But there is a limitation with my flatbed scanner…I can’t scan legal-size documents in their entirety.  I’ve been debating how to digitize get my legal-size documents, thinking one day I would head to Kinko’s as they probably have a larger scanner.  The other day it occurred to me, why not use the portable scanner?  Paper is fed through the scanner, which can handle legal-size documents.  So that’s what I did today.  Only took me a year to figure this handy little tidbit out ;)

Upcoming Genealogy Events in Illinois

There are several genealogy events coming up in the Land of Lincoln.  Here is a listing of just some of those events.

---

                                                                  ~~FEATURED EVENT~~

Illinois State Genealogical Society Spring Tour & Workshops
When:  April 10, 2010
Where:  Springfield
Details:  Sign up for a tour of the Illinois State Archives and/or the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, a workshop in military records and/or land records, or gain assistance in locating Illinois death certificates.  Use the Spring Tours & Workshop form for additional information and to sign up.

---

Chicago Genealogical Society – Digital Restoration of Photographs 
When:  February 6, 2010
Where:  Chicago
Details:  Larry L. Pepper will demonstrate how to restore photos using image editing software.  Visit the CGS Calendar for additional information.

---

Genealogical Forum of Elmhurst, Illinois – German Ancestry Research
When:  February 7, 2010
Where:  Elmhurst
Details:  Patricia Reaves will be presenting on German ancestry “researching in different time periods using available source materials.”  Visit the Genealogical Forum’s website for additional information.

---

Kane County Genealogical Society – A Genealogist’s Introduction to WorldCat 
When:  February 25, 2010
Where:  Geneva
Details:  Learn about WorldCat from speaker, Sarah A. V. Kirby.  Visit the KCGS website for more information.

---

DuPage County Genealogical Society Conference – Genealogical Building Blocks
When:  February 27, 2010
Where:  St. Charles
Details:  Featured speakers include Elissa Scalise Powell, John P. Colletta, Kathy Meade, and Jeffrey A. Bockman.  Program details and a registration form can be found at the DCGS website.  

---

Lake County Genealogical Society – They Came on Ships
When:  February 16, 2010
Where:  Mundelein
Details:  Jeffrey A. Bockman will be the speaker.  Visit the LCGS website for additional information.

---

McLean County Genealogical Society – Brick Walls & Break Throughs
When:  February 16, 2010
Where:  Bloomington
Details:  Share your brick walls with other genealogists who may be able to help you break through.  Help others by sharing your success stories.  Visit the MCGS website for more information.

---

Chicago Genealogical Society – Swedish American Museum & Genealogy Research Center Tour 
When:  March 6, 2010
Where:  Chicago
Details:  Visit the CGS Calendar for additional information.

---

Lake County Genealogical Society – Write Your Family History NOW!
When:  March 9, 2010
Where:  Mundelein
Details:  Mike Karsen will be the speaker.  Visit the LCGS website for additional information.

---

Kane County Genealogical Society – Start Your Family Social History Right Write Now
When:  March 25, 2010
Where:  Geneva
Details:  Roger Higgs will be the speaker.  Visit the KCGS website for more information.

---

Chicago Genealogical Society – Genealogy Roundtable Discussion 
When:  February 6, 2010
Where:  Chicago
Details:  Visit the CGS Calendar for additional information.

---

Genealogical Forum of Elmhurst, Illinois – Naturalization—Congratulations-You Are Now a Citizen
When:  April 11, 2010
Where:  Elmhurst
Details:  Kathryn Barrett will be the speaker.  Visit the Genealogical Forum’s website for additional information.

---

Kane County Genealogical Society – You Can Pick Your Relatives—Connecting the Living Through Genealogy
When:  April 22, 2010
Where:  Geneva
Details:  Mike Karsen will be the speaker.  Visit the KCGS website for more information.

---

Lake County Genealogical Society – Nordic Family Genealogy Center Resources
When:  April 23, 2010
Where:  Mundelein
Details:  Learn about the resources available at the Nordic Family Genealogy Center in Chicago from Kathy Meade.  Visit the LCGS website for additional information.

---

Lake County Genealogical Society – Irish Immigration Library
When:  May 11, 2010
Where:  Mundelein
Details:  Incoming president of the Irish Genealogical Society of Wisconsin will discuss the varied resources available in the Irish Immigration Library in Milwaukee, Wisconsin..  Visit the LCGS for additional information.

---

Kane County Genealogical Society – Marriage—More Than a Date
When:  May 27, 2010
Where:  Geneva
Details:  Jeff Bockman will be the speaker.  Visit the KCGS website for more information.

---

Genealogical Forum of Elmhurst, Illinois – Breaking Down Brick Walls
When:  June 6, 2010
Where:  Elmhurst
Details:  Nancy Salmela will be the speaker.  Visit the Genealogical Forum’s website for additional information.

---

Kane County Genealogical Society – Genealogy Research Reasoning—Learning to Think Like an Expert
When:  June 17, 2010
Where:  Geneva
Details:  Everett Butler will be the speaker.  Visit the KCGS website for more information.

---

Illinois State Genealogical Society Fall Conference
When:  October 23, 2010
Where:  Peoria
Details:  Attend this year’s conference to hear wonderful presentation on a variety of genealogy topics, network with other genealogists, and visit an array of exhibits.  This year’s conference will also feature a Youth Workshop for children 12 to 15 years of age.  Refer to the conference flyer for additional information.

---

Be sure to attend!!

Friday Finds – 01/29/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Article – Apple, over at Apple’s Tree, posted a perfect example of why it’s important to seek out the original record, even if you have a transcription of it from another source.  Read about her important discovery in, Finding the Original Pays Off!

Website – The Connecticut State Library has a wonderful website providing a great deal of information to their historical and genealogical holdings.  I found two research guides particularly helpful:  Research Guide to Probate Records at the Connecticut State Library and Research Guide to Connecticut Land Records.

Research – It turns out, there is an entry in the Cook County Circuit Court records index for a divorce proceeding for Emil and Hulda Miller.  This is a huge find, and the file is being ordered to find out more.  Thanks to Cynthia of Chicago Genealogy for providing this lookup service on Genlighten.

Wordless Wednesday – 01/27/10

52 Weeks to Better Genealogy – Challenge #3, Assess Yourself

The challenge for week 3 is:  Assess Yourself!

You’re great at researching everyone else’s history, but how much of your own have you recorded? Do an assessment of your personal records and timeline events to ensure your own life is as well-documented as that of your ancestors. If you have a genealogy blog, write about the status of your own research and steps you may take to fill gaps and document your own life.

This is something I actually took the time to do awhile ago.  I’m probably the most complete person in my genealogy database!  My birth, baptism, and marriage, are of course recorded, and the certificates are in my possession.  But I also have items listed such as residences (where and when), schools (where, when, graduation dates), jobs (where, when), memberships (professional, academic, personal), and other assorted events (music competitions, family weddings attended, my confirmation, etc.).

This challenge did prompt me to do some updating, as a few things needed to be updated, as well as added.  Below is a screenshot of part of my own timeline.

 

I wish I had half of this type of information for my ancestors.  Maybe in time, I will get there!

Saturday in the Attic – 01/23/10

I really do wish this item was in the attic, as opposed to where I actually found it.  It would be so neat to have an artifact this old in my personal collection.

It’s a letter written by John Hopkins to Gov. John Winthrop.  It was found at the beginning of the book John Hopkins of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1634 and Some of His Descendants (by Timothy Hopkins, Palo Alto, CA, 1932).

While the letter is in great condition, it is mounted on a page in the book and is bound with the pages of the book.  While the artifact is a wonderful addition to the book, the way it’s preserved, mounted, and bound is less than desirable. 

John Hopkins was born about 1613 in England and died about 1654 in Connecticut.  He and his wife, Jane Goody Strong, are my eleventh great-grandparents.  It is debatable as to whether or not John is the son of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower.  John left England and settled in Massachusetts, where he was made a freeman on 4  March 1634/35.  He later removed to Hartford, Connecticut.

Friday Finds – 01/22/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Blog – A new blog, Geneapprentice, entered the GeneaBlogger world last week.  The blogger, Sarah, is working on two certificates under the National Institute of Genealogical Studies program and will blog about her experience, as well as her own research.  I’m very excited about this blog and can’t wait to hear more about NIGS, as I just signed up for classes this week.

Blog – A new blog focusing on genealogy research in the states in the Midwest.  Midwest Genealogy is authored by Sharlene Miller.

Blog – A gave a presentation about genealogy blogging a few months ago at a DAR District meeting.  I made a new friend, Alice, and she developed her own genealogy blog!  She’s off to a great start, so be sure to check out her blog, My Genealogy Research.

Article – Allen R. Peterson, CG, wrote an article entitled, “Questionable Information and the English Origin of Thomas Dyson’s Marietta, Georgia, Family,” which appeared in the December 2009 (Vol. 97, No. 4) edition of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.  In this article, Allen discusses how a family Bible revealed clues as to the origin of the Dysons.  In addition, he compares some entries found in a family Bible to actual sources.  Reading this article gave me some ideas on analyzing my own family Bible (my Webster line).  I plan to do a comparison of Bible entries and actual sources, and try to determine when the entries were written and by whom (certainly ggg-grandma Webster did not write her own death date in her Bible).

Wordless Wednesday – 01/20/10

Diigo Bookmarks (weekly)

• Archives Department of Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court

  tags: Chicago, Cook County, Cook County Court

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday in the Attic – 01/16/10

This is the obituary for my third great-grandmother, Margaret RYAN Murnane McMahon.  It, along with the 1880 census helped me to identify that she was married prior to marrying my third great-grandfather, Timothy McMahon in 1873.  The 1880 census provided the maiden names of the two daughters born to the first husband.  This obituary provides the married names for those daughters.  Eventually, this led me to discover an old friend was in fact a fourth cousin!

Source:  Obituary for Margaret RYAN McMahon, Chicago Daily Tribune, 25 July 1928, p 30.

Friday Finds – 01/15/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

When I upgraded from Windows XP to 7 I forgot to back up my blog drafts that were saved locally, so I lost the post I started for this week’s Finds.  I remember some of them, but I know I’ve missed some.  Here are the one I remember.

Article – Granny Pam over at Granny’s Genealogy posted two wonderful articles in October, each having to do with land records.  I particularly like the template she created to abstract/extract data from deeds while working in the courthouse.  Be sure to take a look at both posts, as well as her series of posts regarding land records:  Wexford County Deeds, Part 2 and Land Records, what next?.

List – Indexes to Michigan Newspapers

Article - Katrina McQuarrie at Kick-Ass Genealogy wrote a great article about organizing genealogy files.  She gives the basic idea of how the systems works and provides ideas to modify the system to suit your own needs.  Be sure to read the article Colour Coding for Fun and Profit.

Article – Over at Lineage Keeper, I found an interesting article, Possessions of Mayflower Passengers.

Wordless Wednesday – 01/13/10

New Development in the Emil Miller Case

Part of my next assignment is to create a research plan.  We are to pick a problem from our own genealogy and develop a research plan around that problem.  I’ve blogged (see related posts) about my second great-grandfather in the past, and two of those recent posts have been a research plan of sorts.  I debated whether I wanted to do the assignment on this problem, or chose another problem to tackle. 

I decided to review my previous two plans and create a more “formal” research plan tackling the specific goal of finding records of Emil and  Hulda’s deaths.  In reviewing the previous plans, one item was to locate the birth certificates of their son, Emil, and daughter, Ida.  I check the FamilySearch Pilot Search nearly every day to see if the Cook County, Illinois birth registers or certificates databases have been updated.  Although neither had been in a while, I decided to search for the certificates AGAIN!  But this time, I got a little creative and search only for children with parents Emil and Hulda.  I didn’t use a last name, as I’ve tried variants of Miller/Muller/Mueller before.  Wouldn’t you know, I finally found son Emil’s birth certificate.  It had been there all along.  It never showed up in search results because it was indexed as Muillar and Hulda’s maiden name was not indexed.  Unfortunately, I still have not found Ida’s, but am hoping the database will be updated soon.

This new information, namely the residence, puts a kink in my suspicions about the 1900 census and the Emil located at 29 Clarinda from 1888 to 1902 in the Chicago city directories (see Finding Emil).  Reason being, the address listed on Emil’s birth certificate is 55 Emma (which coincidentally is across the street from my third great-grandparents James and Bridget Ward, in my father’s line; the Millers are in my mother’s line).  This places that family at a residence other than 29 Clarinda, during the span listed in the directories, thus meaning it’s quite possible they are two different people. 

With this new information, I went back to my maps to see if I had plotted an Emil at that address from the directory search.  I hadn’t, and even though it’s in the proximity of the church (which I would have plotted) I went back to the directories looking for a match to this address, just in case I missed it.  Unfortunately, there was not listing at this address for 1888, 1889, 1890.

Hopefully Ida’s birth certificate will turn up and give me another data point.  In the meantime, my new research plan includes finding church records and looking for Hulda’s death certificate in McHenry County.

Related Posts

• Finding Emil
• An Update on Emil

Diigo Bookmarks (weekly)

• GooBooGenI

  Google Books Genealogy Index

  tags: no_tag

• Indexes to Michigan Newspapers

  tags: Michigan, Michigan newspapers

• Michigan Oakland County Genealogical Society

  tags: Michigan, Oakland County

• US State History Timelines (American History)

  "Provides a chronological timeline chart of important events and dates in the history of each of the fifty (50) US States. Browse key events in each states history chronological from 1600's to 2000's, with developments in politics, presidents, popular, Native American, planetary, technology, and culture. Also, access the United States early history (historical timeline), state facts, state history firsts, and famous people."

  tags: history, U.S. history, timeline

• World History : HyperHistory

  "World History : HyperHistory Online navigates through 3 000 years of World History with links to important persons of world historical importance; civilization timelines; events and facts; and historical maps"

  tags: timeline, history

• Linn County Iowa Recorder's Office

  tags: no_tag

• Oakland County, Michigan

  tags: no_tag

• Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office General Search Page

  tags: Ohio, Cuyahoga County, deeds

• Online Historical Newspapers Website

  tags: newspapers

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday in the Attic – 01/09/10

My grandmother, Joan McMAHON Cahill made many ceramics.  This one was made for me when I was born.  It’s in the shape of a large mug; my mom thinks it was meant to be a planter.

Legacy Family Tree v7.4 Integration With FamilySearch

Just got word that Legacy FT version 7.4 will integrate with FamilySearch.  Version 7.4 should be available sometime this month.  Read more at their website.

Friday Finds – 01/08/10

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted this column.  With the new year upon us, I figured it’s time to start it up again.

Blog – One of my new favorite blogs is Blog of a Genealogist in Training.  Right now, the main focus of the blog is the authors work on completing the NGS Home Study Course.

Revolutionary War Pension File – This week, I found (by accident) the pension file for my sixth great-grandfather Solomon NORTON (aka NAUGHTON) on Footnote.  What was more interesting than the pension papers, were the varied query letters in the file.  One letter’s author I recognized immediately.  But there are letters from two other individuals who are apparently Solomon’s heirs, but I do not have them in my tree as of yet, so I’m curious to know how they are related.

Irish Records – I’m just about finished reading the book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, Third Edition, by John Grenham.  So far I’ve learned about what records exist, where they exist, and how to obtain them.  I can’t wait to dive into my Irish heritage, and this book is a huge stepping stone to doing so.

Article – From Kimberly Powell’s About.com Genealogy Blog, is a good primer article, Starting a Genealogy Business.

52 Weeks to Better Genealogy – Challenge #1, The Local Public Library

The debut challenge for 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy is The Local Public Library.

Go to your local public library branch. Make a note of the genealogy books in the collection that may help you gain research knowledge. Don’t forget to check the shelves in both the non-fiction section and the reference section. If you do not already have a library card, take the time to get one. If you have a genealogy blog, write about what you find in your library’s genealogy collection.

I guess being in the “Twin Cities” of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois is good for something.  There are two wonderful local libraries, one in each town, that have pretty good collections.  Here is a list of resources from each of the local libraries.

Bloomington Public Library

• How To Research a Family With Illinois Roots, by Lowell M. Volkel, 1977.  This is a little outdated, but who knows, maybe I’ll learn something new.  Can’t hurt to take a look.
  
• Tracing Your English Ancestors, by Colin Darlington, 1989.  Another source that’s a bit outdated, but it’s the only book in this library related to English ancestry, so it’s a start.
  
• In Search of Your German Roots, by Angus Baxter, 1987.  There is a current edition (4th, 2009) available, so if this 1987 version seems to be promising, I may buy the 2009 version.
  
• Illinois Genealogical Research, by George Keene Schweitzer, 1997.
  
• Roots of the Prairie: Tracing Your Illinois Ancestors, by Patricia A. Hamilton, 1996.
  
• Tracing Your Irish Family History, by Anthony Adolph, 2009.  Probably one of the newest in the library’s genealogical collection.
  
• A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Italian Ancestors, by Lynn Nelson, 1997.  This could be of help with my step-father’s Italian family.
  
• The Handybook For Genealogists, Everton Publishers, 1999.  This book’s been on my wish list for some time, but for now, the library’s holding will have to do.
  
• The Genealogist’s Question & Answer Book, by Marcia Yannizze Melnyk, 2002.
  
• The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845-1849, by Cecil Woodham-Smith, 1991.

Normal Public Library

• Unpuzzling Your Past, by Emily Anne Croom, 2001.
  
• The Weekend Genealogist: Timesaving Techniques for Effective Research, by Marcia Yannizze Melnyk, 2000.
  
• Writing Family Histories and Memoirs, by Kirk Polking, 1995.  Since my new goal for professional genealogy is on the writing side of things, any book that can offer advice is a must-read for me.
  
• Clans and Families of Ireland, by John Grenham, 1993,
  
• Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, by Lucy Mary Kellogg, 1975.  Wonder if there’s information in here connecting my Hopkins to the Mayflower Hopkins.  It’s worth a look!

Some of the holdings at each of the libraries overlap, however each has their own unique collection.  There are many other books that are not listed, as they do not pertain to my research focus, educational plans, or I already own them.

Wordless Wednesday – 01/06/10

Saturday in the Attic – 01/02/10

It’s a new year, and time to get back to my Saturday in the Attic column!

This is a large pasta bowl that belonged to my grandmother, Joan McMAHON Cahill.  I have no idea where or when she got it, but it sure is a pretty dish.

Irish Genealogy Treasures

The 17th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture is a Genealogy treasure "show and tell."

Genealogists are treasure hunters of a different kind. Instead of searching for riches, we dig for information. Instead of prizing gold, we value documents - the visual proof of the life stories of families that have passed before us.

Share with us the image of and the story behind a document (or documents) that have been valuable to you during your search for an Irish branch of your family. How and where did you find these documents? What are their significance to your research and/or why are they special to you? Here's your chance to show off some of your genealogical "loot" at our online "show and tell."

The following obituary is for my second great-grandmother, Margareth “Maggie” MILLET Cahill[1].  In it, her place of birth is listed as Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland.  Had I not already found this information in other sources, this would have been a gold mine, as it pinpoints a specific location in Ireland to search “across the pond.”

Having obtained a location, as well as her parent’s names from her marriage license, I searched for a baptism record for Margaret using Irish Family History Foundation website [2].  I found the following extraction among the results, which seems to fit.

I am not 100% sure this is her, but it’s certainly a possibility.  First, the parents names (except the surname spelling) match the information provided on Margaret’s marriage license.  Additionally, the baptism took place in County Kilkenny.  The baptism date is also consistent with the age provided on the marriage license. 

But, according to her death certificate, and the obituary, the baptism date is too early.  The death certificate records her birth as 28 February 1865, and the age listed in the obituary is consistent with that.  Additionally, the death certificate records her father as Michael Millet and a mother unknown.  I tend to rely more on the marriage license because it was created closer to the date of birth, and the information was more than likely provided by Margaret, whereas the death certificate is a secondary source of the birth information created 79-82 years after her birth (the information was provided by her son).  Another source that aligns with the marriage license, and this baptism extraction, is the 1900 census [3], which indicates her birth month and year as January 1863.

There is still much work to be done with this family.  I have received some information from one of Margaret’s granddaughters, which is mostly consistent with other sources.  She does indicate that there has always been a discrepancy in Margaret’s date of birth.  The granddaughter only mentioned one sibling, Catherine, who stayed in Ireland.  The obituary, however, provides details for at least two additional siblings, and their locations in the U.S.  That said, the obituary is a wealth of information in that respect, which will hopefully help me to find the other siblings in the U.S. as well as research the family in Ireland.

Sources

1. Obituary for Margaret Cahill, 8 January 1945, Beacon News (Aurora, Illinois), p. 4, col. 4-5. 
2. Margaret MILOT, "Rothe House," database, Irish Family History Foundation (http://kilkenny.brsgenealogy.com/search.php). 
3. 1900 U.S. census population schedule, Aurora Ward 3, Kane, Illinois, enumeration district (ED) 68, sheet 9B, p. 18, dwelling 209, family 222; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623.