Scott Jangro's Genealogy Blog

The 1940 U.S. Census Index is Complete

2012-08-05T12:42:11+01:00

Ancestry.com announced on Friday that the 1940 U.S. Census is 100% indexed.

You can now search the entire 1940 index for free, all 48 states (Hawaii and Alaska were not states yet) plus territories. A free account is required, but word is that Ancestry will make this index free through 2013.

According to Ancestry.com:

Our indexing came up with 134,395,545 people counted. Most reports on the 1940 census give the U.S. population as 132 million and change, so you may be wondering where the extra 2 million people came from. Two words: Puerto Rico. OK, and Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Panama Canal Zone. They were all included in the 1940 U.S. census and add another 2.1 million or so records to the final count.

I've found all of my grandparents. How about you?

Search the 1940 index directly here.

Pearl Harbor Day, and My Own Great Uncle Lost at Sea in WWII

2011-12-07T14:10:06+01:00

Today is Pearl Harbor Day here in the U.S., the anniversary of the day Japan executed a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in 1941, killing and wounding thousands, and ushering the U.S. into World War II.

I can imagine that day must have felt a lot like 9/11 to the people of the US, though news surely travelled much more slowly in 1941 than it did 60 years later in 2001. Most Americans surely learned about it in the daily newspaper.

While I had no family members directly affected that day, the course of events led to both my Grandfather and my Great Uncle serving in that great war. I think of my poor grandmother who had both a brother and a husband serving in the war. My grandfather returned home after the war (thankfully, as I would not otherwise exist), but my grandmother's brother did not.

Corporal Arnold Gene McIlwraith was an Engineer gunner on a B-24. He was on flight from Mather Field in Sacramento, CA to John Ridgers Field in Hawaii on Feb 28, 1945 when his plane went missing somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.

I discovered this image recently in the Missing Air Craft Reports (MACR), available in the National Archives, and indexed on Fold3.com.

What's odd to me is that by my reckoning, the coordinates on the report put their airplane well beyond Hawaii, close to Japan.

Did routine B-24 flights from CA to HI have them going via Japan? I don't even think their plane's final point was in range from California. I guess we'll never know.

Explaining Genealogy to my Five Year Old

2011-11-24T04:05:14+01:00

This evening, I sat down to dinner with my family and said to my five year old son, Alex, "Do you know who the Pilgrims are?"

"Yeah, they had a very tough boat ride," he said. "And then they were friends with the native Americans."

"That's about right," I said with a big smile. It was all my wife and I could do to contain ourselves.

Then I said, "So, do you know what a 'great-grandfather' is?"

He looked at me sort of puzzled.

You see where I was going with this? My goal was to explain to him that his 11th-Great grandfather, actually two of them, were on that boat ride.

Then I pulled out a piece of paper, and drew a short family tree starting with him. His little brother, who was listening intently said, "Hey, where am I?" So I added him in, and their big sister Sarah as I knew that was next, though she wasn't there for the discussion.

I pointed at the first stick figure and said, "OK, this is you...and this is me and your mother."

Then I pointed to my parents and said, "Who are they?"

"Grammy?"
"Good."
"Grampy?"
"Yep!"

Then I pointed to his mother's parents...

"Grandma?"
"Grandpa?"

Wow, he's getting it.

Then I drew two more lines and stick figures for my grandfather and grandmother.

"Who are they?" he asked.

"That's my grandfather and grandmother."

"What are their names?" he said, more interested than I expected.

"Robert and Helen," I replied, "That's where you got your middle name. They are my grandparents and they are your great grandparents."

Then what he said next floored me.

"Does it keep going Dad? Who's above them?"

OK, here we go. This was easier than I thought. I drew the next two above my grandfather.

"And what were their names?" he asked excitedly.

He was truly interested in these people and their names and then he started asking if they were still alive. I explained that they were born a very long time ago.

"Vickery Baker was born in 1797. That would make him over 200 years old today."

His eyes lit up, "wow."

I kept going and drew the tree, only including the line up to Stephen Hopkins, and explained who he was.

"Was he the boss of the ship dad?" (heh, 5 year olds have their priorities.) "Well, no."
"How old would he be?"
"About 420."

Alex then wrote, "40020" at the top of the chart, which is his version of Four Hundred and Twenty.

"Does it go all the way back to the cavemen, Dad?"
"Well, I suppose it does, Alex..."

Which sort of blows my mind to contemplate that.

Here's the entire chart. It starts at the bottom right.

As I was going through this exercise, I realized that I had never actually drawn that tree by hand. What a shame that I had never done that, and that I couldn't do it from memory. And while I did know that I'm 13th generation Mayflower ancestor, I couldn't have told you without looking it up that the male line includes one Hopkins, Five Snows, and Five Bakers before it changed to my surname with my father.

I'm not sure who learned more, my son or me.

I look forward to more genealogy sessions with Alex.

My Mayflower Connections - 2. Stephen Hopkins

2011-11-23T15:41:37+01:00

This week, Thanksgiving here in the U.S., a number of genealogy bloggers are posting their Mayflower connections.

I've got two documented, William Brewster and Stephen Hopkins. Both are accepted by the Massachusetts Mayflower Society.

Here's Stephen Hopkins.

Stephen Hopkins b: 29 Oct 1581 in Wotten-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England, d: 27 Jul 1644 in Plymouth, Massachussetts
+married: Constance UNKNOWN m: Bef. 1605 in England, d: Aft. 22 Dec 1609 in London, England
Constance Hopkins b: 1605 in Wotton Under Edge, Gloucestershire, England
+married: Nicolas Snow
Stephen Snow d: 17 Dec 1705 in Eastmam, MA
+married: Susanna Rogers m: 28 Oct 1663 in Eastmam, MA, d: 1701
Ebenezer Snow d: 09 Apr 1725 in Eastmam, MA
+married: Hope Horton m: 22 Dec 1968 in Eastmam, MA, d: 1725
Thomas Snow b: 01 Feb 1702 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA., d: Bet. 1765-1766 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA.
+married: Abigail Doane b: 29 Dec 1706 in Eastmam, MA, m: 27 Jan 1732 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA., d: Aft. 07 May 1765 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA.
Elnathan Snow b: 02 May 1734 in Eastmam, MA
+married: Phebe Sparrow b: 03 Jan 1738 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA, m: 04 Dec 1755 in Eastmam, MA
Abigail Snow b: 28 Dec 1766 in Eastmam, MA, d: 30 Jun 1840 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA
+married: Benoni Baker b: 1755 in Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States, m: 19 Sep 1783 in Eastmam, MA, d: 01 May 1838 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Vickery Baker b: 22 Jul 1797 in Orleans, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA, d: 12 Jul 1870 in Brookfield, Orange, Vermont, USA
+married: Priscilla Walker b: 02 Apr 1787 in Orleans, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts, m: 27 Nov 1817 in West Boylston, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, d: 06 Oct 1886 in Northfield, Washington, Vermont, USA
Joseph Baker b: 20 Jun 1841 in Brookfield, Orange Co., Vermont, d: 15 Apr 1924 in Northfield, Washington, Vermont, USA
+married: Coralinn Slade b: 11 Oct 1843 in Northfield, VT, m: 31 Dec 1863 in Northfield, VT, d: 17 Jun 1926 in Chittenden, Vermont
Arthur Garfield Baker b: 02 Jul 1881 in Brookfield, VT, d: 12 Apr 1965 in Wakefield, MA
+married: Harriet Helen Hurley b: 05 Feb 1882 in Northfield,VT, m: 24 Oct 1908 in Northfield, VT, d: 14 Sep 1949 in Melrose, MA
Robert Slade Baker b: Abt. 7 Dec 1915 in Massachusetts
+married: Dora Helen McIlwraith b: 12 Sep 1915 in Melrose, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA, d: 03 Aug 1982 in Sarasota, Florida, United States
Living
+married: Living
Scott Jangro

A Thanksgiving Genealogy Reading List

2011-11-23T15:16:27+01:00

As I read around the genealogy blogging community, there are a number of posts related to Thanksgiving. Of course, since the pilgrims are some of the oldest US-based ancestors (non-native, of course), Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on our ancestors.

Here is some great reading, in no particular order...

Update:

And I humbly add my own to the list...

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you here in the States.

My Mayflower Connections - 1. William Brewster

2011-11-23T14:38:02+01:00

This week, Thanksgiving here in the U.S., a number of genealogy bloggers are posting their Mayflower connections.

I've got two documented, William Brewster and Stephen Hopkins. Both are accepted by the Massachusetts Mayflower Society.

Here's William Brewster...

William III Brewster b: Abt. 1566/67 in prob Scrooby, Nottingham, England, d: 10 Apr 1644 in Plymouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
+married: Mary m: Abt. 1568 in England
Patience Brewster b: Abt. 1600 in prob Scrooby, Nottingham, England, d: Bef. 12 Dec 1634 in Plymouth, Barnstable County, Massachusettes
+married: Thomas II Prence b: Abt. 1600 in England, m: 05 Aug 1624 in Plymouth, Barnstable County, Massachusettes, d: 1673
Mercy Brewster Prence b: 1631
+married John Freeman b: 28 Jan 1627 in Billinghurst, Devonshire, England, m: 13 Feb 1650 in Sandwich, Bristol Co MA, d: 28 Oct 1719 in in Eastham, Barnstable Co MA
Edmund Freeman
+married: Ruth Merrick
Ruth Freeman b: 1680 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA., d: 07 Jun 1728 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA.
+married: Israel Doane b: Bet. 1671-1672 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA., m: 1697 in , Barnstable, MA., d: Aft. 05 Jun 1740 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA.
Abigail Doane b: 29 Dec 1706 in Eastmam, MA, d: Aft. 07 May 1765 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA.
+married: Thomas Snow b: 01 Feb 1702 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA., m: 27 Jan 1732 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA., d: Bet. 1765-1766 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., MA.
Elnathan Snow b: 02 May 1734 in Eastmam, MA
+married: Phebe Sparrow b: 03 Jan 1738 in Eastham, Barnstable, MA, m: 04 Dec 1755 in Eastmam, MA
Abigail Snow b: 28 Dec 1766 in Eastmam, MA, d: 30 Jun 1840 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA
+married: Benoni Baker b: 1755 in Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States, m: 19 Sep 1783 in Eastmam, MA, d: 01 May 1838 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Vickery Baker b: 22 Jul 1797 in Orleans, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA, d: 12 Jul 1870 in Brookfield, Orange, Vermont, USA
+married: Priscilla Walker b: 02 Apr 1787 in Orleans, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts, m: 27 Nov 1817 in West Boylston, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, d: 06 Oct 1886 in Northfield, Washington, Vermont, USA
Joseph Baker b: 20 Jun 1841 in Brookfield, Orange Co., Vermont, d: 15 Apr 1924 in Northfield, Washington, Vermont, USA
+married: Coralinn Slade b: 11 Oct 1843 in Northfield, VT, m: 31 Dec 1863 in Northfield, VT, d: 17 Jun 1926 in Chittenden, Vermont
Arthur Garfield Baker b: 02 Jul 1881 in Brookfield, VT, d: 12 Apr 1965 in Wakefield, MA
+married: Harriet Helen Hurley b: 05 Feb 1882 in Northfield,VT, m: 24 Oct 1908 in Northfield, VT, d: 14 Sep 1949 in Melrose, MA
Robert Slade Baker b: 7 Dec 1915 in Massachusetts, d: -
+married: Dora Helen McIlwraith b: 12 Sep 1915 in Melrose, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA, d: 03 Aug 1982 in Sarasota, Florida, United States
Living
+married: Living
Scott Jangro

Do you have a Mayflower connection? Why not post your own.

Use some of the posts here on this list of Thanksgiving Genealogy blog posts for further inspiration.

Genealogy meme: So You Think You're Tech Savvy

2011-09-23T14:22:20+01:00

Are you a tech savvy genealogist? Well if you're reading this, then I think that's a sign that you are. Even if you're not, here's a great list of things you might want to perhaps become familiar with.

The original blog post for this is here on Geniaus.

And here are my responses.

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven't done or found and don't care to: plain type
Feel free to add extra comments in brackets after each item

Which of these apply to you?

Own an Android or Windows tablet or an iPad
Use a tablet or iPad for genealogy related purposes
Have used Skype for genealogy purposes
Have used a camera to capture images in a library/archives/ancestor's home
Use a genealogy software program on your computer to manage your family tree
Have a Twitter account [Several, @familytreescott for genealogy]
Tweet daily [Well, mostly]
Have a genealogy blog
Have more then one genealogy blog
Have lectured/presented to a genealogy group on a technology topic
Currently an active member of Genealogy Wise
Have a Facebook Account
Have connected with genealogists via Facebook
Maintain a genealogy related Facebook Page
Maintain a blog or website for a genealogy society
Have submitted text corrections online to Ancestry, Trove or a similar site
Have registered a domain name
Post regularly to Google+
Have a blog listed on Geneabloggers [I used to, but I think it got removed for inactivity]
Have transcribed/indexed records for FamilySearch or a similar project
Own a Flip-Pal or hand-held scanner
Can code a webpage in .html
Own a smartphone
Have a personal subscription to one or more paid genealogy databases
Use a digital voice recorder to record genealogy lectures
Have contributed to a genealogy blog carnival
Use Chrome as a Browser
Have participated in a genealogy webinar
Have taken a DNA test for genealogy purposes
Have a personal genealogy website
Have found mention of an ancestor in an online newspaper archive
Have tweeted during a genealogy lecture
Have scanned your hardcopy genealogy files
Use an RSS Reader to follow genealogy news and blogs
Have uploaded a gedcom file to a site like Geni, MyHeritage or Ancestry
Own a netbook
Use a computer/tablet/smartphone to take genealogy lecture notes [Well, I would if I attended a genealogy lecture]
Have a profile on LinkedIn that mentions your genealogy habit
Have developed a genealogy software program, app or widget [I'm going to count FamilyTreeCircles here]
Have listened to a genealogy podcast online
Have downloaded genealogy podcasts for later listening
Backup your files to a portable hard drive
Have a copy of your genealogy files stored offsite
Know about Rootstech
Have listened to a Blogtalk radio session about genealogy
Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud
Schedule regular email backups [I use GMail, which I think counts]
Have contriibuted to the Familysearch Wiki
Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs
Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format

What do you think about this list? Is it a good representative of being a tech-savvy genealogist? I think it is a pretty good list, except that it makes an assumption that the person going through this exercise attends genealogy lectures... which to me isn't in itself a technical activity. Anyway, not to be picky. I just didn't like losing those points. :-)

I think it would be fun if others here would like to post the same for themselves. Please feel free to do that in a journal here on Family Tree Circles.

instructions on making text bold and italics are on the add journal page.

My Slade Ancestors, Descendants of John SLADE

2011-03-28T11:10:02+01:00

Generation 1

1. John Slade-1 was born in 1725 in CT. He died on 17 Mar 1797 in Windsor, Connecticut. He married Martha Abbe on 12 Sep 1751 in Windsor, Connecticut, daughter of Thomas Abbe. She was born on 01 Mar 1728 in Wethersfield, Conn. She died on 22 Aug 1795 in Alstead, New Hampshire.

Child of John Slade and Martha Abbe is:

2.i. William Slade, B: 25 Nov 1756 in Enfield, Hartford Co., Conn., D: 25 Oct 1857 in Alstead, Cheshire Co. New Hampshire.

Generation 2

2. William Slade-2(John-1) was born on 25 Nov 1756 in Enfield, Hartford Co., Conn.. He died on 25 Oct 1857 in Alstead, Cheshire Co. New Hampshire. He married Anna Root.She was born on 08 Sep 1758. She died on 25 Oct 1838.

Children of William Slade and Anna Root are:

i. William Slade, B: 06 Aug 1790.
ii. Henry Slade, B: 11 Oct 1798.
iii. Achsah Slade, B: 01 Apr 1785.
iv. John Slade, B: 06 Aug 1792.
3.v. Thomas Slade, B: 21 May 1780, D: 12 Dec 1830, M: Clarissa Borroughs, 15 Jan 1801 in New Hampshire.
vi. Arsenath Slade, B: 06 Apr 1787.
vii. Allen Slade, B: 26 May 1796.
viii. Anna Slade, B: 29 Mar 1782, D: 02 Oct 1837 in Alstead, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire, M: John Burroughs VI, 03 Mar 1805 in Alstead, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire.

Generation 3

3. Thomas Slade-3(William-2, John-1) was born on 21 May 1780. He died on 12 Dec 1830. He married Clarissa Borroughs on 15 Jan 1801 in New Hampshire, daughter of John Burroughs V and Mehitable Carlton. She was born on 23 Oct 1779 in Alstead, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. She died on 01 Oct 1866 in Brookfield, Orange Co., Vermont.

Children of Thomas Slade and Clarissa Borroughs are:

4.i. Lavinia Slade, B: 1805 in New Hampshire, D: 10 Jan 1880 in Walpole, , NH, M: Charles Rice, 18 Mar 1832 in Rockingham, , VT.
ii. Allen Slade.
5.iii.
Thomas Slade Jr., B: 29 Nov 1814, D: 03 May 1905, M: Elvira Adams, 19 Oct 1842.
iv. Howard Slade, D: 31 Aug 1893, M: Sally G. Barton, 20 Jul 1828.

Generation 4

4. Lavinia Slade-4(Thomas-3, William-2, John-1) was born in 1805 in New Hampshire. She died on 10 Jan 1880 in Walpole, , NH. She married Charles Rice on 18 Mar 1832 in Rockingham, , VT.He was born in 1807 in Walpole, New Hampshire. He died on 16 Jul 1878 in Walpole, , NH.

Children of Lavinia Slade and Charles Rice are:

i. Charles Edward Rice, B: 23 Apr 1845 in , , NH Prob, D: 21 Apr 1876 in , , , @@29 Unm.
ii. Eliza M Rice, B: Abt. 1834 in , , NH Prob, D: 16 Jul 1864 in , , , @@30.
iii. George Allen Rice, B: Abt. 1840 in , , NH Prob, D: , , , D @@1Yr11mos.
iv. Martha "Mattie" Ellen Rice, B: 06 Feb 1848 in , , NH Prob, D: 15 Oct 1927 in Langdon, , NH.
v. Thomas S Rice, B: Abt. 1836 in , , NH Prob, D: 17 Aug 1855 in , , , @@19.
vi. Lucy Ann Rice, B: 26 Apr 1842 in , , NH Prob, M: Charles E Hartwell, 08 Nov 1860 in Langdon, , NH Poss.
vii. Henry E Rice, B: 16 Feb 1833 in , , NH Prob.
viii. Harriet "Hattie" Rice, B: Abt. 1838 in New Hampshire.

5. Thomas Slade Jr.-4(Thomas-3, William-2, John-1) was born on 29 Nov 1814. He died on 03 May 1905. He married Elvira Adams on 19 Oct 1842, daughter of Anson Adams and Sukey Gold. She was born on 04 Jul 1814. She died on 11 Mar 1890.

Children of Thomas Slade Jr. and Elvira Adams are:
i. Coralinn Slade, B: 11 Oct 1843 in Northfield, VT, D: 17 Jun 1926 in Chittenden, Vermont, M: Joseph Baker, 31 Dec 1863 in Northfield, VT.
ii. William Thomas Slade, B: 30 Sep 1855, D: 21 Sep 1874.
iii. Adelinn Slade, B: 28 May 1845, D: 23 Oct 1932, M: Nathan Baxter Stark, 26 Jan 1869.
iv. Ora Allen Slade, B: 22 May 1858, D: 05 Jan 1926.
v. Elva Slade, B: 16 Jan 1852.

Children and Ancestors of Martin GINGRAS and Emilie MAYRAND

2010-05-30T12:14:12+01:00

A member asked me if I had any information on Martin GINGRAS m. Emilie MAYRAND Aug 25 1846.

I found this couple in the GINGRAS FAMILY MARRIAGES book by Andrew GINGRAS, July 1995.

It is important to note that this book is NOT primary documentation. The tireless work of Andrew GINGRAS over the years produced an incredible amount of information, but I am not certain that it is all sourced with primary documentation. It is a wonderful collection nonetheless and we’re lucky to have it.

The formatting of this book can be difficult to get used to, but this first image shows the header format. Here’s Martin and Emilie with their parents Magloire GINGRAS and Vicroire GAVREAU and Children.

Here they have 7 children who were married (non married Gingrases don’t make this book): Rene, Philippe, Alfred, Leopold, Emma, Jeanne, and Emelia.

Going back…

Again, the formatting of this book can be confusing, but the first line in each of these families is the husband/wife. The second line is their parents, and the third+ lines are their children.

Magloire GINGRAS m. Emilie MAYRAND Feb 22 1802

Pierre GINGRAS m. Catherine GRENIER Apr 19 1773

Pierre GINGRAS m. Anne BELANGER Nov 21 1740

Jean GINGRAS m. Madeleine LEFEBVRE Feb 17 1705

which brings us to Charles and Francoise AMIOT at the base of the GINGRAS tree…

Charles GINGRAS m. Francoise AMIOT Nov 05, 1675

Family Bee: Genealogy App for Android phones

2010-05-14T18:42:00+01:00

How many times have you been out visiting family and end up in a discussion about your family tree? It doesn't take too many generations back for the details of who's who to become fuzzy and if you're like my family, you end up spending more time trying to recreate the tree in your heads than having some more productive discussion around family history.

In any case, I like to have my family research with me wherever I am as I never know when I'll need it.

iPhone owners have been blessed with a plethora of GEDCOM-viewing apps that have been available for years now.

Though if you've got an Android-based smartphone (like the Motorola Droid or the Google Nexus One) and have been feeling left out, there's now a nifty application available that allows you to store and view one or more GEDCOM files, called Family Bee, available from Beekeeper Labs.

Family Bee is a simple GEDCOM viewer (not editor), which means you can store your GEDCOM file(s) in your Android phone and view any of the people in your tree in many different ways (more on that below). But you cannot edit and make changes. This is fine with me, as I'd prefer to be able to carefully make edits to my family tree information at the comfort of my computer keyboard.

Set up

After purchasing it from the Android Marketplace and installing it, you're prompted with three ways to import your GEDCOM file:

Download directly from the web
Email as an attachment
Copy from the computer via USB

I chose the third option as it seemed the simplest, and it was. I copied my largest (and most bloated with inaccuracies) GEDCOM file downloaded fresh from Ancestry.com into the /familybee folder on my phone's SD card.

�

Once this was done, Family Bee quickly loaded the file and displayed the list of people in my tree.

Using Family Bee

The first thing you see when loading Family Bee is a list of people in the GEDCOM. You can scroll through this list or search. Here I searched for the name SLADE.

Once you choose a person, here Coralinn SLADE, you're presented with the Family View.

Next you can drill down to the details on a specific person in the Detail View

And finally you can get in to the very specific details on any record such as Residence data, birth, death, etc. Virtually all information included in the GEDCOM source and notes fields are accessible.

And for any person, you can view their list of descendants, here switching to someone way back with a big list, Abigail ADAMS.

Switching to Tree View, you can navigate the entire tree by touching each box. Touching boxes on the right will move the tree to the right. Touching a box on the left will prompt you with a list of children to choose from.

Family Bee should with with any Android phone. I scrolled through the comments in the marketplace and didn't see any major issues with specific phones. It currently has a 4.5 star rating and virtually nothing but great reviews.

All in all, this is a very function GEDCOM viewer for the Android OS, and well worth the $10 price tag to always have my family tree in my pocket.

Happy Mothers Day -- My Umbilical Line

2010-05-09T16:59:00+01:00

On this Mother's Day I thought it would be fun to post our matrilineal lines, in other words, our lines up through our mothers, and their mothers, and so on.

In the genealogy blogosphere, there's a meme going on this weekend to post about our maternal line, like Randy Seaver has done here.

This, by the way, is where we get our mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, which is passed in its entirety from a mother to her children. It just so happens that I purchased a DNA test from 23andme.com a few weeks ago when they had their $99 special. Though as I stare at this test kit to spit into, I admit I'm getting cold feet.

Have you had a DNA test of any type for genealogy purposes?

Anyway, here's my line, that I've also posted as a journal here on FamilyTreeCircles.

Scott JANGRO (that's me)
[living] BAKER m. [living] JANGRO
Dora Helen MCILWRAITH (1915-1982) m. Robert Slade BAKER
Margaret HOURIHAN (1890-1931) m. Robert MCILWRAITH
Frances Mary LYNCH (????) m. Thomas HOURIHAN

That's it! It ends quickly with the jump to Ireland, which is where the line ends. I don't even have documentation on Frances and Thomas.

This is where I get my Irish and Scottish blood. I wish we had more. Someday I'll make a trip to Ireland

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

If you'd like to post your own matrilineal line as a journal, just start here.

My Maternal Line, HOURIHAN, MCILWRAITH, LYNCH of Ireland

2010-05-09T12:51:16+01:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there. I though it would be fun to post my maternal line (however short it is!)

- Scott JANGRO (that's me)
- [living] BAKER m. [living] JANGRO
- Dora Helen MCILWRAITH (1915-1982) m. Robert Slade BAKER
- Margaret HOURIHAN (1890-1931) m. Robert MCILWRAITH
- Frances Mary LYNCH (????) m. Thomas HOURIHAN

I've omitted my parents first names for their own privacy's sake since they're still with us. Though I'm pretty certain that's not difficult information to locate.

My matrilineal line ends very quickly as soon as we make the jump to Ireland (Cork county, I believe). I've got a cousin who's been more vigorously researching this line and he has not uncovered much, unfortunately.

Researching Irish surnames can be quite a challenge. There are a LOT of them here in Boston!

Mayflower Project: The Application Process

2010-05-07T15:54:00+01:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'll be sharing the details of the application process to get my kids into the Massachusetts Mayflower Society. I assume this process is similar for other state Mayflower Societies.

I've got one line documented and approved for my membership, through Stephen Hopkins. There's a person in that line that is a "freebie" to William Brewster, Abigail DOANE. Her father (Israel DOANE) goes to Stephen Hopkins and her mother (Ruth FREEMAN) goes to William Brewster.

Back eight years ago I decided to make the second line to William Brewster official at the same time as getting my daughter Sarah inducted.

When you apply to the Mayflower Society, you're provided with a worksheet like the ones pictured below with the documentation that they have and the documentation that they are missing (and require).

Here's first few pages of the application worksheet that was given to me back in 2002. The historian's note indicated that the Society was now requiring more primary documentation, and she marked each required document with a star.

(later generations omitted to protect the living)

What I thought was going to be merely a formality of updating the latest documents for my daughter turned into having to get death certificates for ancestors back 7 generations well into the 18th century. I also knew from my grandparents research that the town records for Orleans, MA were destroyed in a fire.

My fortitude wasn't enough to take on a project that seemed like I was set up for failure right from the start and I gave up.

Trying Again

Eight years later, much has changed. Hopefully more records have turned up in the Society's library, and if not, at least the amount of information available both offline and online has expanded greatly. So I contacted the Mayflower Society again to inquire about requirements for documenting my Mayflower lines.

The current historian explained to me that they acknowledged that it was just unrealistic to get primary documentation all the way back to the Pilgrims. What they "want" for documentation is not the same as what they will "accept". However, they do require full documentation for the last three generations, including spouses.

He put together a new worksheet for me. Note this one is for Stephen Hopkins and the above one is for William Brewster, but they are the same since generation 7 and 6 respectively.

(later generations omitted to protect the living)

Note that they do now seem to have some additional information for Abigail SNOW, Benoni BAKER, and Vickery BAKER, and he's not asking for the missing death records for Elnatan SNOW and Phebe SPARROW. (phew!)

The wildcards here will be Priscilla WALKER and Joseph BAKER up in Northfield and Brookfield, Vermont. I don't have full confidence in the availability of these records, but this certainly feels more doable.

It looks like a roadtrip to Vermont is in my near future. Fortunately, Northfield is only a three hour drive from my home in MA.

Getting into the Mayflower Society

2010-05-03T21:37:00+01:00

About 25 years ago, my grandfather purchased Massachusetts Mayflower Society Life memberships for my mother, my sister and me (having himself been accepted into the Mayflower Society about ten years prior).

If I remember the process correctly, there was little to do for my mother who actually took care of the correspondence. My grandfather was in and all we needed to do was provide some easily accessible birth certificates. It took a bit over a year for the actual approval process (I'm not sure why), but there wasn't any pushback that I recall. Just a lot of waiting.

Now I've got children of my own and I'd like to continue the tradition. About 8 years ago I embarked on the same process, (a) to get my daughter (my only child at the time) inducted, and (b) to document a second lineage to the Mayflower passenger William Brewster.

I provided the appropriate birth certificates and submitted the application with the $100 processing fee.

It was rejected!

It turns out that after 20 years, the Mayflower Society has become much more strict in their documentation requirements. The historian returned my William Brewster lineage papers all marked up with red stars where I was missing information. Further, even with my currently documented line to Stephen Hopkins, they cannot be admitted without further documentation.

They require all Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce records for each person in the line. A tall order.

This was information not required for my Grandfather to get himself and two subsequent generations in. Now I've got three children, and more than ever I want to give them the same gift that my Grandfather gave to us.

It seems that I've got some work to do. And I know from personal experience, and listening to stories, that there are some pretty tough cases in the mix here.

Time has passed, and technology has advanced. We'll see if I can't get the holes filled. Maybe with a little help from my friends here on FamilyTreeCircles, Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.

Will you follow along with me on this personal project?

I'll be documenting in detail what I am going through. Please follow along and see if you can't help me get through some brick walls as I attempt to complete the documentation of my lines to William Brewster and Stephen Hopkins.

At the very least, wish me luck!

Continue reading about my "Mayflower Project" here: The Mayflower Society application process...

Spike Lee on Who Do You Think You Are?

2010-05-01T08:28:00+01:00

If you're in the U.S., did you watch this season's last episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?" I haven't watched all the episodes yet, but this one, to me, was the most powerful. I guess that's why the saved it for last.

Film-maker and outspoken black-rights advocate, Spike Lee went on a journey to Atlanta, Georgia to learn about his slave roots on his mother's side.

As he uncovered his family history, he was confronted with some very powerful facts and ideas.

His GGrandfather Mars Jackson was a major land-owner after the emancipation, owning over 80 acres. He did not learn of why or how he lost that land.

His GGGrandfather worked in a Cotton Gin that was converted into a pistol factory. He was making pistols that were used against those who were fighting for his freedom.

That same GGGrandfather was taken by none other than General Sherman's army as they razed that town and pistol factory, and likely never heard from again.

His GGGrandmother was "Mulato" and likely the product of her mother being raped by their slave-owner.

He met his current, likely third cousin (twice removed), in real life and they had an emotional moment together on her sofa where they together faced the truths about the things that their ancestors did and lived through.

Thankfully, as far as I know, all of my ancestors were from New England and fought for the Union. I can only imagine how it must feel for genealogy researchers who have roots in the south to deal with the idea that their ancestors, not very long ago, had slaves and in many cases treated and traded them like objects.

As I watched this episode, I couldn't help but sing this verse of Ben Folds' "Rockin' the Suburbs" in my head.

     In a haze these days 
     I pull up to the stoplight 
     I can feel that something's not right 
     I can feel that someone's blasting me 
     With hate and bass 
     Sending dirty vibes my way 
     'Cause my great great great great granddad      
     Made someone's great great great great grandaddy slaves 
     It wasn't my idea 
     It wasn't my idea 
     It never was my idea 
     I just drove to the store 
     For some Preparation H

This episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the others can be seen on nbc.com.

Starting Over with Reunion for the Mac

2010-04-29T08:14:00+01:00

Today, I decided to start fresh with my family tree and create a new one that contains only sourced records. I've got a tree that I've been building over the past 20 years that has over 1000 people in it. Big deal, because it is filled with the early mistakes that any newbie family tree researcher makes which is to merge trees from other researchers without regard for accuracy.

With that, I've created a new tree in my genealogy software and I'll be adding people slowly and deliberately, citing sources along the way as I pull the information from the old tree.

I've also purchased a license of Reunion 9 for the Mac (I've switched to a Mac since I've been working on my tree in earnest). It figures, because Ancestry.com just announced FTM for the Mac after all these years.

Literally decades have passed without FTM on the Mac. I purchase software and merely hours later, Ancestry makes that announcement. The story of my life.

That's ok, as a Mac user I'm used to spending lots of money.

Joseph A. Jangro of Florida, MA in 1900.

2010-03-20T12:38:21+01:00

I found a Joseph A. Jangro in the 1900 census who lived next door to John Jangro (m. Nancy Jangro)

At the time of the 1900 census Joseph A was 48 and he is a widower. He lived with children Aleena Jangro (!5), Mary Jangro (13), Iris Jangro (13), and Nellie Jangro (7).

I don't think I know who this Joseph was. They lived next door to John and Nancy Jangro in Florida, MA in 1900 and both worked on the B&M Railroad. Were they brothers? cousins?

Joseph A. was born in Canada and may have moved down to US not too long prior. The oldest daughter Aleena was born in Vermont in 1884.

There's a Joseph P Jangro from the same western Mass. area born in 1880.

Hattie Rugg

2006-05-12T18:11:53+01:00

Does anyone know this person?

Her name is Hattie RUGG and it appears that this picture was taken in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

My BAKER line has a dead-end at a BENONI BAKER who married ABIGAIL ADA...

2002-06-14T08:56:12+01:00

My BAKER line has a dead-end at a BENONI BAKER who married ABIGAIL ADAMS. Benoni was born in Orleans, MA in the early 1860's, not to be confused with the other very well documented Benoni Baker from the same timeframe.