Maureen Taylor, Genealogist and Historic Photograph Expert

Live in Western Mass? Interested in genealogy and historical photographs? Mark your calendar for November 6, 2013 at 6:00 PM. Maureen Taylor, a nationally renowned lecturer, genealogist, author and expert in historic photography will give a remote presentation via SKYPE on photographic genealogy at the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society.  She has published 2 volumes of Revolutionary War Patriot photographs! Yes!! These are photographs of veterans of the Revolution who fought at some period between 1776 and 1783 who sat for the new technology in the mid 19th century. Maureen is collaborating with award winning documentary film producers Verissima Productions on a film based on the books.  You learn more about Revolutionary Voices at www.lastmusterfilm.com.  Maureen's website can be seen at Maureen Taylor Genealogy.  The event is at the Agawam Senior Center, 954 Main St. Agawam, Mass in their community room.

The public is invited to this event at no charge. But we encourage everyone to become a member of the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, or WMGS. We meet 10 times a year on the first Wednesday of the month from September through the following July. Dues are only $20/year.

In the coming months, we'll have a variety of programs including a "field trip" to the Museum of Springfield History, a repository of an amazing collection of published and unpublished genealogical resource material.

In the spring, a book signing with Kerry Hotaling, local author of "What They Endured, What They Wrought" recalling the regimental casualties of the Battle of Gettysburg which available at Amazon.com.  Kerry is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book to the Gettysburg Foundation.



The Gravestone Girls , cemetery historians, will bring their expertise in ancient gravestones, the culture that created them, the symbolism...fascinating program.  Next, another remote presentation on "Breaking Down Brick Walls" from D Barry Sheldon of Genealogists.com.

We meet at the Agawam Senior Center in their Community Room, a modern, comfortable facility located at 954 Main Street, Agawam, MA. You can contact me directly with questions at dave@oldbones.info or westmassgen@gmail.com.

See you November 6th!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Thomas and Esther Smith House, Agawam Massachusetts, July 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Related articles

• Western Mass Genealogical Society (oldbonessearch.com)


• "What They Endured, What They Wrought" (oldbonessearch.com)


• CrowdSourcing Genealogy (eogn.com)

13,000,000 "Close" Family Members?!?!?

You've got to read this article.  An amazing amount of research combining traditional family research and a serious level of genetics involved!  Here's a link to "Nature - International Weekly Journal of Science". Please click "Continue reading" to activate the link.

Since there are so many people going back so many generations, I have to believe I have family in there somewhere. Nearly every genealogy class I hold in this area, I can usually find at least one cousin...distantly removed but a cousin nonetheless.  It's almost scary!

This chart is probably a little too short to do all the calculations...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] English: A chart illustrating the different types of cousins, including genetic kinship marked within boxes in red which shows the actual genetic degree of relationship (gene share) with 'self' in percentage (%). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Related articles

• Hacker creates 13-million-member family tree (cbsnews.com)

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

This may be a little off topic...OK, a lot off topic...but there's some great advice here!

Hungarian Research? Here's a Link...

This was posted on Facebook by Family Tree Magazine.  (Click "Continue reading" to make the links work) It's a course that costs $99 but some would find that CHEAP!!  Click here for Family Tree University.

Google+ Hangout with GeniAus

There are many links in this particular post.  But I believe that you'll have to click "Continue reading" for them to work!

Now why would I be interested in learning more about Australian genealogy in the first place?  When I say "more", I mean anything at all because I know next to zero about Australian genealogy specifically!

However, as I have learned over the years, it's good to listen to any source in your field.  Especially when the subject matter is completely foreign....no pun intended toward the Australians!

Because of the time zone differences, I got up at 5 AM (...good grief...) in order to be conscious at 6 AM when the Google+ Hangout was scheduled to start.  Congratulations to Australian genealogist Jill Ball as she was the epitome of punctuality....Thank you Jill.

If you have any interest in "Down Under" research, check out her blog at Geniaus and follow her.  Or, if you're on Google+, search for her and add her to your "circles".

Here are some of the web sites and blogs that I think will be useful:

1) Claiming Kin where I was introduced to "Transcript 2.4", a software tool that is free for non-commercial use with a paid professional version.

2) Russ Worthington's blog "Family Tree Maker User" is a must for anyone using Amcestry.com's genealogy software Family Tree Maker.  I purchased my first version of FTM in 1998 (I think) and I've kept it up to date since.  I'm currently running FTM 2014 but, as with anything else, I get into a rut and fail to look at new features or functionality.  I only spent a few minutes there and found myself saying "Wow"!

3) The National Library of Australia's web site contains many sources which can be useful to almost any researcher.  Links to books, images, historic newspapers, maps, music, archives and more can be found there, albeit mostly Australia focused, and might be found to be useful.

4) One Name studies are vital to researchers whose challenge it is to research a surname that can be spelled in a variety of ways.  In other words, virtually every surname out there!  Take a look!!  On their home page they state: "A One-Name Study (ONS) is a project researching all occurrences of a surname, as opposed to a particular pedigree (ancestors of one person) or descendancy (descendants of one person or couple)."

5) Much of the other discussion revolved around FamilySearch.org's WIKI.  I'll admit that I've looked at them before but when I say "before" it was well before the LDS website was "improved" and I haven't been to the WIKI's in a while.  What I can tell you is that after you log in and click the "Search" button, you'll see "WIKI" to the right of the top bar, just underneath the words "Family Tree".  Here's a link to take you directly to the WIKI's main page.

There were a few others, but most concerned the activities and blogs of Australian researchers that I didn't feel would benefit me so I didn't take note of them.

I would appreciate any feedback from readers wo might take a look at any of these sites.  I would also ask for other suggestions that we all could find usefeul.

1921 Census of Canada is Now Available! So That's Where Daniel Dickson Lived!

This morning I discovered on GOOGLE+ that the Canada census for 1921 has been made available.  I know it's indexed on Ancestry.com but I haven't yet checked any of the other"standby's" for delving into census records.

But here's the surprise for me.  I have always had trouble tracking down my maternal great grandfather.  His name was Daniel Alexander Dickson.  I know his father, James Dickson, and his mother, Mary Jane Clement, were both born in Scotland.   They came to Ontario sometime in the mid-19th century.  Daniel married Margaret Meagher whose father was born in Ireland, her mother in Ontario.



I searched for quite some time to find birth and death records for Daniel to no avail.  The first clue to Daniel's fate came when the 1930 US census was released in 2002.  I found Daniel's son, my grandfather right where he should be, living next door to where I lived for the first 7 years of my life.  There I found Clement, my grandfather, his wife, Hazel, my mother, Beatrice and my uncle, Clement, Jr.  at 34 Tyler Street, Springfield, Massachusetts.

Here's the surprise: Included in his household was his mother, Margaret!  She just happened to be visiting her son at the time the census was being enumerated.  Not only did I now know about when she was born, but I learned that her husband, the elusive Daniel, had died before 1930.  She declared herself a widow which may have something to do with why she was spending some time in Springfield with her son's family.  Her occupation was listed as "Gentlewoman"!

So here comes the 1921 Canada census.  The first person I looked for was Margaret as I knew she was alive in 1921.  But Margaret was the head of household.  Did her husband die before 1921? Possibly.  But I still took a shot at finding Daniel.  For reasons unknown to me so far, Daniel was enumerated in Quebec in the household of his son-in-law, John D Hobus.  John's wife was Frances, the third "Frances" born to Daniel and Margaret.  The first 2 died within a year of their birth.  Classic case of a "necronym".  The best guess I have for Daniel's date of death is sometime between 1921 when he was certainly alive and 1930 when Margaret declared herself a widow.  More research.

So now I've got a bug to get more information.  Sadly, anyone who may know has died.  Thus my urging of this generation to INTERVIEW YOUR FAMILY!!  "nuff" said about that!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The first-ever commercial radio station, WBZA, originally broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts in 1921. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Another Definition of "Photo ID"

Everyone has a big box of pictures...or maybe they're all in albums with photos that are glued, taped or otherwise held secure for generations to come.  I'm asking you to stop what you're doing and go get ALL those photos right now!  All right, maybe later when you have an hour or two to devote to a project that can be classified as "Genealogically and Historically Significant".

Look carefully at each of the pictures.  Do you know who those people are?  Good!  Now get a #2 pencil for the soft lead that creates legible writing.  Turn the picture over and identify everyone in the shot AND where the photo was taken.  First names and their relationship to you or the others in the picture is important.  But most important is to INCLUDE THEIR LAST NAMES!!!  I wish I had a nickel for every picture I have that says "Aunt Edie with Joan".  Who is "Aunt Edie" and why is she in a picture with Joan?  And who is "Joan"???

If you know where or about about what year the picture was taken, it would be a good idea to put that on the back as well... "about 1912 at City High School"

Don't press too hard or you'll make indentations that will  show up on the front.

I suggest a #2 pencil because it creates fairly thick letters as opposed to the harder #3 or fine leaded mechanical pencils.

At the beginning of this post I said "...for generations to come."  Well, YOU are the generation that came and you've inherited these pictures.  Now you'll be helping future family researchers.

They'll thank you for requesting a "Photo ID"!

List of Abbreviations

I'm passing this along for those who may find it helpful. Genealogy In Time Magazine publishes helpful articles.  First, click "Continue reading" to make the links work.  Then click the link for the "List of Abbreviations". You may consider getting on their mailing list!

DNA - What is it and how do you spell it???

I'll be presenting a 1 1/2 hour program on the basics of DNA at the Chicopee Public Library Conference Room, 449 Front Street, Chicopee, MA at 6:30 PM, November 12, 2013. After the program, there'll be time for some Q&A.

It's not going to be a boring and scientific and technical and full of odd sounding scientific words....well, maybe a few.  We're going to learn the basics, what it can help us with, how it impacts our family research and what are the benefits and concerns with having a DNA test.   It's all a part of the ever expanding Genealogy and Family History Program sponsored by the library.

We'll learn what this is:

In addition, the Library hosts a variety of free classes on researching your family throughout the year.  When there's no specific classes scheduled, the computer lab in the Reference Department (lower level) is devoted entirely to genealogical research.

Please call the library at 413-594-1800 x 108 to register....it's FREE!!

The 1930 US Census, FDR and "Radio Set"

This idea came to me somewhat spontaneously several months ago when I was teaching a class about census records and what can be gleaned from them.  We all know about the 1790 "Heads of Households" census and that nothing particularly interesting until the 1850 census was enumerated.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="240"] 1930 census - William Brooks (Photo credit: Birdie Holsclaw)[/caption]

But when I get to the 1930 census, I usually point out the odd question in column 9 "Radio Set".  Then one night, I put out this theory and readily admitted it was just a theory!   We know that various levels of government have access to census results as soon as the data is complied...no 72 year rule. As I was trying to rationalize why the radio question appeared, I came up with lots of ideas, and if anyone knows the answer, PLEASE add a comment and straighten out my thinking.  Then I ask the class who do they know who may have taken unusual advantage of the radio data in the early 1930's.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photograph of a young girl listening to the radio during the Great Depression. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

I have this "theory" about a particular by-product of the data from column 9:  I'm quite sure that FDR was privy to all of the data available to him as President.  My theory is that he very creatively saw the usefulness of how many American households were listening to radios during the Great Depression.  I believe he came up with the idea that this was a new and very modern way to communicate to the masses; an early 20th century Twitter or Facebook account!  I believe....and I certainly have no proof...that FDR crafted his fireside chats as a result of the knowledge that he could easily reach perhaps millions of Americans by broadcasting to all the households where a radio was available.

Your thoughts??

 

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Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, Jr - Father of General Douglas MacArthur

Every once in a while, I think about all the famous people who were born or at least had lived in or near Springfield, Massachusetts.  The list is long!  We live in Chicopee, Mass which is a city that until 1848 was part of Springfield.

Springfield is the home of many well known companies: Smith and Wesson, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, the Springfield Armory (which is a National Historic site having been founded by George Washington in 1777 to provide arms for the Revolutionary War), Breck Shampoo, Merriam Webster Dictionary, Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, Indian Motocycle,  Milton Bradley Corp (Milton Bradley himself is buried in the Springfield Cemetery) and many others that most would recognize.  Even Rolls Royce was once manufactured here.  There are several excellent examples of the Rolls' that were built here in Springfield that are housed in the Museum of Springfield History.  Springfield is also the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame as this city is where the game was first played.

All the personalities are too numerous to mention but include Johnny "Appleseed", Samuel Bowles (one of the founders of the Republican Party), Theodor Geissel (Dr Seuss), Kurt Russell (actor), Taj Mahal (blues musician),  Timothy Leary (drug culture guru), James Naismith (inventor of basketball) and Tim Mayotte (professional tennis player).

But today, in response to a request from a fellow blogger, I'm mentioning Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, Jr who was the father of his even more famous son, General Douglas MacArthur.  The elder McArthur was born in what is now Chicopee Falls, Mass when it was part of the larger Springfield, Mass.  I promised that the next time I drove past the memorial in the center of Chicopee Falls (and the weather was good!) that I would take a picture or two of "MacArthur's Ball" and post it here on my blog. So, here they are!

The biographies and careers of both MacArthur's are extensive which is why I've provided the links to their articles on WikiPedia.  And there is certainly plenty more than what can be found there!

The elder MacArthur was the Military Governor-General of the Philippines until he clashed with the civilian Governor, the future president, William Howard Taft.  (Taft, by the way is in my family tree somewhere but only very distantly related.) At the age of 17, he became a commissioned officer in 1862 and saw action in many battles of the Civil War for which he earned the Medal of Honor.  That was when he was 19 years old!  He became a brevetted colonel and became known nationwide as "The Boy Colonel".

After service in the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, he returned to the United States as one of the last officers on active duty who had served in the Civil War.

He died in Milwaukee waiting to address a reunion of his Civil War unit.  He suffered a heart attack while on the dais.  Originally buried in Milwaukee, he is now interred at Arlington National Cemetery.  But his impressive memorial stands proudly right here in little old Chicopee, Massachusetts!

First Cousins? Second Cousins? Once Removed? Always Removed!!

In my class on genealogy research, I try to spend some time on relationships.  Truthfully, I have family tree software that calculates how I'm related to the 39,700 people in my data base.  Really?  39,700???  Yes, really.  Many of my maternal lines go as far as Plymouth Colony (Yes, there's a Mayflower or two in the mix) And you know those folks from way back before TV and the internet....they had kids, lots of kids!  So those fecund families spread their names far and wide across this country.  That also holds true for my paternal lines.  My direct great grandfathers were mostly in Alabama and Tennessee but their progenitor, I believe, was an early 1700's Scotch-Irish immigrant who may have settled first in New England and then gradually migrated south.  (Oh...."fecund"...it's not a bad word but I challenge you to look it up...I just never get a chance to use it!!)

But I digress.  Archives.com has published an excellent article that describes in simple terms what those simple terms mean: First cousin, once removed, third cousin 4 times removed and so forth.  I won't get into "Mother-In-Law of the 7th cousin twice removed of the grandson of the 3rd cousin three times removed" but they're out there.

Anyway, click the "Archives" link above and see if that's a  description you can live with.   I also have a chart  by Alice J Ramsey that you might like to look at.  I can e-mail that to you by you requesting it at dave@oldbones.info.

Have fun!

Lincoln's Gate, Ames Manufacturing Co, Chicopee, MA

One of the most important manufacturers of swords and canon before and especially during the Civil War was Ames Manufacturing.  The company had its origins in Chelmsford, Massachusetts where blacksmith and founder John Ames made some of the first manufactured shovels beginning in 1774. Ames The Manufacturing Company was founded in 1791.  The company continued under the son, Nathan Ames who was lured to its current location along the Chicopee River in Chicopee, Massachusetts for the availability of cheap water power provided by the river.  Ames was granted the "privilege" to take advantage of that power and since thus, its name, "Ames Privilege".

Ames soon became the premier manufacturer of swords for the US Government starting in 1832.  The complex of buildings were added to the National Historic Register in 1983.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was scheduled to visit the factory and in his honor, a special "gate" was constructed through which it was planned Lincoln could enter the grounds.  "Lincoln's Gate" is still a part of the property although the once bustling factories have been in the process of conversion to apartments.



Due to subversive activities in the area in 1864, Lincoln's trip to Chicopee was cancelled and never rode through the gate. The "gate" is now a huge window that, due to reconstruction and remodeling, sits at the end of one of the lobbies and looks out into what was once the entrance to the grounds where wagon loads of raw materials entered and finished goods were shipped.

A very informative book about Ames Manufacturing can be ordered at Amazon.com.  "The Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee Massachusetts" by Jacqueline T Lynch contains the stories of three men who were all associated with Ames Manufacturing. One was a founder of the company; another a machinist who went off to war and left a leg on the battlefield and received the Medal of Honor; a third who worked the foundry left the company and became a world renowned forger of bronze statuary.

Chicopee will be the site of the semi-annual Ames Society Convention October 4 and 5, 2014.  Members of numerous branches of the Ames, Amos and Amis families will gather for speeches, a tour of the factory complex and general camaraderie.

"What They Endured, What They Wrought"

I've read many posts recently about the Battle of Gettysburg and they all remind me about the new release "What They Endured, What They Wrought - Comparing Regimental Casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg".  All the reviews I've read are very enthusiastic about its content and accuracy.  It's available at Amazon.com at a very reasonable price.  Also...and this is important...the author, Kerry Hotaling, is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale to benefit the Gettysburg Foundation.



This 150th anniversary of the most tragic battle to ever occur on American soil always makes me stop and reflect on the consequences of disagreement taken to the extreme. We are fortunate that the results were what they were and we can now live in relative peace. The current infantile posturing of our legislators points to how the failure to get on with the business of running the most powerful nation on earth underscores what spawns conflicts that can rage out of control.

Dead at Gettysburg

This 150th anniversary of the most tragic battle to ever occur on American soil always makes me stop and reflect on the consequences of disagreement taken to the extreme. We are fortunate that the results were what they were and we can now live in relative peace. The current infantile posturing of our legislators points to how the failure to get on with the business of running the most powerful nation on earth underscores what spawns conflicts that can rage out of control.

Massachusetts Lawmakers Weighing Public Records Bill

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Massachusetts Statehouse (Photo credit: Amir Nejad)[/caption]

In an age where some states are considering privatizing even more public records and genealogists are working to keep those traditional public records available, what appears to be good news might be happening in Massachusetts.  The article at this link from Channel 22 in Springfield, Mass isn't very descriptive.  But when they're discussing "public records" I have to believe that the reference includes vital records as well.

Imagine how easy it could be to access those types of records on line without having to visit a town or city clerk's office.  I'm sure there would be a fee involved, but that certainly beats driving from one end of the state to another.  (Keep in mind that the Mass Turnpike tolls have been restored for the western end of the state for the first time since 1996.)

 

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New Family Research Photo Site in the Works: YouWho.com

The latest web site hoping to appeal to family researchers is being developed by former Ancestry.com executives.  That may be good news or bad news depending how you feel about Ancestry.com!  With $5 million in seed money from Lightspeed Venture Partners, it looks like they're taking a very serious run at it.

Today, I took a look at their site, or tried to anyway...  YouWho will show you a few bits and pieces of what's to come in a brief video.  What is being attempted may prove to be an interesting variation on the "cloud" by virtue of the fact that what you upload can remain private, shared with who you choose or offered for sale to the researchers who visit the site. Like I said, "interesting"!  Joining and, apparently, uploading photos and documents will be free.  I can only assume that revenue will be generated through a share of the sale of genealogical material from one person to another.

Andre Brummer, a co-founder, has stated that they expect an integration with Facebook (another red flag in my opinion) will allow people to upload and tag items.  He also states that the company has 200 million items awaiting the opening of the site.

Another co-founder is Thomas G Stockham, a former CEO at Ancestry.com who left that company "quietly"...whatever that means...

So I signed up to see what was beyond the introductory video.   User name, password, etc... and so far, all I've gotten is a cheery message: "Sweet! You are *so* on the list! We're rolling out our red Beta carpet right now.  We'll send you a link to your spiffy new 'My Home' page soon."

"Spiffy"??? I can't wait...

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Hope for Ancestry DNA Testing???

The title of their blog is "Coming Soon - Ancestry DNA is Evolving".  So I'll post this for the benefit of those who have paid the piper and came back with far from satisfactory results: Native Americans who are told they are 97% Scandinavian, for example!   If I had a nickel for every complaint I've seen....well, you know!!

It seems to me that the first rush of tests that were done at Ancestry produced results based on a very small data base.  Eventually, they were able to purchase a large data base from Sorenson Molecular Genetic Genalogy to help them fine tune their analyses.  We'll see!

 

There's a DNA blog which I've recommended before.  II have to mention Roberta Estes who, I believe, is one of the premiere experts and writes a very down-to-earth blog called "DNAeXplained-Genetic Genealogy".  She has fielded hundreds of the complaints about AncestryDNA and handles them well.   She the right one to follow for your own "personal" course in genetic DNA.  Most of her blogs are not only informative but they're written in the English that most of us speak (not highly technical "scientist-speak") and always injects a bit of humor.

 

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Gravestone Photographic Resources - A Research Resource Website

Here's a site I found while poking around one of Facebook's genealogy focused pages.  Take a look at Gravestone Photographic  Resources.  (You may have to expand this to see the full post in order for the links to work.)  It''s an impressive website, but it is totally focused on the British Isles.  They are actively seeking volunteers in the US which is why I'm posting this in case any of you have any gravestone photos you'd like to share.

I have a number of questions for them such as if I'll be able to stamp my photos with a copyright.  Most of what I've uploaded lately to my Ancestry.com tree or to Find-A-Grave have been so marked.  If I decide to contribute, it would be a huge project as I've accumulated hundreds of photos over the years.  And I certainly have enough to do other than filling out spreadsheets!

But I thought if anyone else is interested, I'd spread the word.

Have fun!  And good luck in your own research....

 

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An Update from Scott Sorensen - Chief Technology Officer at Ancestry.com

Rather than trying to repeat Sorensen's message, click this link to the Ancestry.com blog to read the full story of the technical problems they've been facing.  At least they're not doing nothing about it.  The link should appear in the body of this "preview" but you may have to click the headline above for the link to activate...I don't know why!!!

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Genealogy Roadshow---Tonight, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 9 PM Eastern

Quick reminder to everyone that the latest edition of Genealogy Roadshow will be broadcast on PBS tonight at 9 PM Eastern. Kenyatta Berry and Josh Taylor, both professional genealogists, will be working with families in San Francisco. Set your DVR's!

"Preserve the Pensions" - War of 1812

This post is an invitation to visit the "Preserve the Pensions" web site.  You can read about the project at their site, but basically, Ancestry.com is offering to match dollar for dollar any tax-deductible contribution made to fund the digitizing of the original records that are at risk of permanent deterioration.  Fold3.com (an Ancestry.com company) will allow access to the results for free for an indefinite length of time.

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Hezekiah Robertson? Robinson? Robison? Robrson? Chapter One

There's a lot to this story and I'm trying to get this up on the blog quickly...I should never rush a post...but I've got some family members I've met only of Facebook who would like to see some of the data I've compiled on the past 15 years or so.

I'll begin this post with a quick story on my 4th great grandfather.  Hezekiah was born, probably in Virginia.  Exactly where is a mystery but it might even be that part of Virginia that is now West Virginia.  His year of birth was sometime between 1777 and 1784, the discrepancy due to what he reported on various records and what is inscribed on his gravestone.  His gravestone....more on that later!

Hezekiah joined Andrew Jackson's East Tennessee Volunteers and served in the War of 1812.  He left his you wife at home with their 2 sons.   Anne Grantham took sick and died shortly after Hezekiah returned home.  He then soon married his sister-in-law, Tabitha.  This was a common practice which was clearly beneficial to the children and also freed Hezekiah to farm what became about 660 acres of land just over the Tennessee line from Giles County to Limestone County, Alabama.

The area is known as Robinson Hollow, where Robinson Road runs right through it.   It's also where you can find Hezekiah's resting place in the Robinson Cemetery.   According to the gravestone, he died in 1852 at age 75 and here's where the odd spelling "ROBRSON" comes from: That's what's inscribed on the stone in the Robinson Cemetery!

The vagaries of how to spell "ROBINSON" continued for generations.   When the widow Tabitha applied for her War of 1812 Widow's pension, she was denied many times.  The correspondence clearly shows that even Hezekiah wasn't consistent.  Various records use at least three spellings of the name: "Robinson", "Robertson" and "Robison".  And of course, there's the gravestone! Tabitha's efforts to collect her pension as a widow of a veteran of the War of 1812 was thwarted for a number of years.  I have copies of the correspondence form the National Archives showing how many times her claim was rejected. She outlived the denials and managed to collect for a couple of years before she died in 1884 on their farm in Robinson Hollow, Limestone County, Alabama.

[caption id="attachment_1296" align="aligncenter" width="300"] ...or is it Robertson. Or maybe Robison?

English: The signature of Andrew Jackson. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

The Ellis Island Myth on the Genealogy Roadshow

 

The PBS series "Genealogy Roadshow" is the same as only different from "Who Do You Think You Are?".  The refreshing premise is that professional genealogists are working for average people who are looking for genealogical answers: Am I descended from Ponce de Leon? Am I related to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln or any famous or infamous person?

 

"Who Do You Think You Are?" (WDYTYA) is a very entertaining show.  Famous personalities who jet off to Barcelona as easily as I go to Home Depot.  OK, I can accept that.  They live in their world and I live in mine.  The upside of this all is that the stories are compelling.

 

"Genealogy Roadshow" is equally entertaining and equally compelling.  And it's the opposite: Famous person to average ancestors versus average person to famous ancestors.

 

I was a bit taken aback when Joshua Taylor's comments about the Ellis Island myth seemed to substantiate that people's names were changed at Ellis Island.  The simple answer is that they were not.  Joshua attributes the way his comments came across to editing.  Here's a link to his blog on the subject.  He states here what I've already learned and what I say to people who seem to have the name-changed-at-Ellis-Island syndrome.  The manifests were written in the country of origin and, for the most part,  WHERE THE LANGUAGE WAS SPOKEN.  Most of the documents that were used at Ellis Island were handled by people who were familiar with those languages.  Did anyone's name change? Absolutely.  Was it a capricious act by a government official who was too lackadaisical to "get it right"? Absolutely NOT!  Were there spelling errors? Absolutely.  Did the immigrant him- or herself make the change? More than likely.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] English: Ellis Island's Immigrant Landing Station, February 24, 1905. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

 

Consider someone of Eastern European origin with a name that was profoundly unpronounceable by a native born citizen.  How could that person even begin to be accepted in a community, get a place to live in that community and most importantly, get a job?  Were some (or many) of these folks illiterate?  Sure.  Did it make a big difference to them if their name was misspelled?  Probably not.   Did Wojzonowska become Waters? Maybe!

 

So Joshua Taylor does a little bit of a walk-back which I'm glad he did.  As I watched the Roadshow and heard Joshua, I said to myself, "What???"

 

At least he cleared it up.  Good for you Joshua!

 

 

Related articles

• Joshua Taylor Clarifies His Comments about Ellis Island Made on Genealogy Roadshow (eogn.com)


• Your Ancestor's Surname Was Not Changed Upon Arrival In The US At Ellis Island; Dick Eastman Has Updated His Writing On The Subject; Link To His Post Included (genealogywithtony.wordpress.com)


• Take a Peek Inside Ellis Island's Abandoned Baggage and Dormitory Building Falling to Ruin (theblaze.com)


• Want to Appear on Genealogy Roadshow? (eogn.com)

Lisa Dougherty, Irish Genealogist to Speak in Agawam, MA

The Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society meets on the first Wednesday of every month from September to June.  Tomorrow night, WMGS is sponsoring Lisa Dougherty's presentation focusing on researching your Irish ancestors. Browse her website at this link.

I've mentioned Lisa's appearance in earlier posts.   Coincidentally, Global Genealogy has put together a web page of many volumes of books and CD's on Irish genealogical research.  Click this link and take a look!   If you're an Irish researcher or just have Irish ancestors, some of these volumes might be of interest.  The featured book is "The Famine Ships, The Irish Exodus to America" by Edward Laxton.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="197"] Cover via Amazon[/caption]

If you're in or around Agawam, Mass on Wednesday night, stop by the Agawam Senior Center on Main St around 6 PM for some coffee, some conversation and the Lisa Dougherty presentation.  You might even consider taking a membership.  It's only $20 a year.  Not only are you invited to our monthly meetings, members can take part in our Genealogy Research workshops held on the 3rd and 4th Thursday of the month during our season.

Related articles

• Find tools for researching your family history at New York's The Genealogy Event (irishcentral.com)


• 10 ways genealogists are journalists (famtastichistory.wordpress.com)


• More than 80 Million Professional and Amateur Genealogists around the World! (eogn.com)


• A Word About the (Irish) Genealogy Advisory Service (eogn.com)