24 May 2014
1940 Census -- Quick Fact
This may very well be my shortest blog, but I wanted to post this while I was thinking about it. Wouldn't it be great to know who the enumerators interviewed in a census record? The 1940 census will tell you. Just to the right of the person's name you'll see an X in a circle. Bingo! There's your answer!
21 May 2014
Gravestone Girls...the Results!
Brenda, the chief Gravestone Girl, was able to draw a full house to the Chicopee Public Library! Well, there may have been one or two chairs left open, but a great turnout nonetheless. I've seen this presentation before as I had engaged her services for the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society a few months ago, with one significant difference. This time, I had a part!
A couple of blogs ago, I talked about my "Big Tour" of Chicopee cemeteries with Brenda. She came armed with a book that also sits on my reference shelf, "A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries - Second Edition" by David Allen Lambert. Mr. Lambert has been working for the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston since 1993. In January of 2013, his 20th anniversary with NEHGS, he was named "Primary Genealogical Resource". He has authored a number of books and articles over the years and truly deserves the position. My copy of the book is pristine....Brenda's copy is torn and taped, contains copious notes and marginations, and is stuffed with note cards and book marks.
My contribution to the program was providing the background on some of the historic residents whose grave stones were photographed and used in the presentation. But in addition to the Chicopee names, Brenda provided the "history" of graves dating back to what early humans did and how they did it. From a humble, stone lined hole in the ground to the Pyramids at Giza, humans have paid a lot of attention to their dead.
[caption id="attachment_3503" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Here Lies ???[/caption]
Next was a lesson in geology. It's important to know what you're looking at and why certain materials were used. For example, Western Massachusetts graves of the period are largely sandstone or brownstone. No mystery there as this area has large and once very productive brownstone quarries. The problem with brownstone, according to Brenda, is that the porous nature of the stone leads to the wicking of moisture from ground, moisture which freezes in the winter. Since frozen water expands, it has a tendency to literally tear apart the tombstones and cause them to be illegible. Even marble, believe it or not, does not make a good choice for an everlasting monument. It's soft and quickly (in geological terms) loses the detail and again, becomes illegible. I've seen thousands of grave stones in that condition and Brenda showed the group what they can expect with 17th century burials.
[caption id="attachment_3505" align="alignright" width="242"]
Maria Anne Williston[/caption]
The iconography was particularly interesting. Keep in mind that 17th century colonists were, as a group, very religious and carried there beliefs to the great beyond. Stones with angel's heads with wings, vases, skulls and other symbols can be found throughout New England. Into the 18th century, the carvings became much more detailed. A fallen tree with the hand of the Almighty coming out of a cloud holding the ax that did the deed; branches of oak trees with a few acorns attached; weeping willow trees; and the hugely symbolic hand with one finger pointing up. "In other words," Brenda said, "if you're looking for me after I die, look up, not down!"
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350"]
Bigelow Chapel, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
The 19th century brought what we know today as the cemetery. The first cemetery in the US is Mount Auburn, a few miles outside of Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Far more than just a clearing in a field or next to a church, Mount Auburn was (and is) an elaborately landscaped "park" where hard working citizens of the city could stroll through and spend a quiet Sunday afternoon. Seeing someone having a picnic in a cemetery was not an uncommon site.
Not so many families today pack up the kids and head off to the local cemetery but it's still, in some areas, a place to go on Memorial Day or the birthdays and anniversaries of loved ones, where the graves are decorated with flower arrangements or other ornamentation where allowed. Most cemeteries today have strict rules outlining what is tolerable and what is unacceptable. Not so much up here in the Northeast, but I can remember a Robison/Robinson family reunion in northern Alabama where it was a tradition in full bloom, if you'll pardon the expression. Every cemetery, no matter how well maintained, was an explosion of color. Very few stones went bare.
Now we're into the 21st century and technology has not abandoned the gravestones we see today. From a simple message such as "Here lies..." or "In Memory o...f" we can see color photographs of the dearly departed, laser etched portraits with some in color, solar powered videos and QR codes (Quick Response) that take you to a website where the family can upload, well, anything about the occupant of the grave!! You can download QR code readers to your smartphone or iPhone that are incredibly easy to use. Click here to download the one I use.
By the way, here's how you can get to the Old Bones Genealogy website with a QR code:
[caption id="attachment_3506" align="aligncenter" width="150"]
Old Bones Genealogy of New England[/caption]
A couple of blogs ago, I talked about my "Big Tour" of Chicopee cemeteries with Brenda. She came armed with a book that also sits on my reference shelf, "A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries - Second Edition" by David Allen Lambert. Mr. Lambert has been working for the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston since 1993. In January of 2013, his 20th anniversary with NEHGS, he was named "Primary Genealogical Resource". He has authored a number of books and articles over the years and truly deserves the position. My copy of the book is pristine....Brenda's copy is torn and taped, contains copious notes and marginations, and is stuffed with note cards and book marks.
My contribution to the program was providing the background on some of the historic residents whose grave stones were photographed and used in the presentation. But in addition to the Chicopee names, Brenda provided the "history" of graves dating back to what early humans did and how they did it. From a humble, stone lined hole in the ground to the Pyramids at Giza, humans have paid a lot of attention to their dead.
[caption id="attachment_3503" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Here Lies ???[/caption]Next was a lesson in geology. It's important to know what you're looking at and why certain materials were used. For example, Western Massachusetts graves of the period are largely sandstone or brownstone. No mystery there as this area has large and once very productive brownstone quarries. The problem with brownstone, according to Brenda, is that the porous nature of the stone leads to the wicking of moisture from ground, moisture which freezes in the winter. Since frozen water expands, it has a tendency to literally tear apart the tombstones and cause them to be illegible. Even marble, believe it or not, does not make a good choice for an everlasting monument. It's soft and quickly (in geological terms) loses the detail and again, becomes illegible. I've seen thousands of grave stones in that condition and Brenda showed the group what they can expect with 17th century burials.
[caption id="attachment_3505" align="alignright" width="242"]
Maria Anne Williston[/caption]The iconography was particularly interesting. Keep in mind that 17th century colonists were, as a group, very religious and carried there beliefs to the great beyond. Stones with angel's heads with wings, vases, skulls and other symbols can be found throughout New England. Into the 18th century, the carvings became much more detailed. A fallen tree with the hand of the Almighty coming out of a cloud holding the ax that did the deed; branches of oak trees with a few acorns attached; weeping willow trees; and the hugely symbolic hand with one finger pointing up. "In other words," Brenda said, "if you're looking for me after I die, look up, not down!"
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350"]
Bigelow Chapel, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]The 19th century brought what we know today as the cemetery. The first cemetery in the US is Mount Auburn, a few miles outside of Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Far more than just a clearing in a field or next to a church, Mount Auburn was (and is) an elaborately landscaped "park" where hard working citizens of the city could stroll through and spend a quiet Sunday afternoon. Seeing someone having a picnic in a cemetery was not an uncommon site.
Not so many families today pack up the kids and head off to the local cemetery but it's still, in some areas, a place to go on Memorial Day or the birthdays and anniversaries of loved ones, where the graves are decorated with flower arrangements or other ornamentation where allowed. Most cemeteries today have strict rules outlining what is tolerable and what is unacceptable. Not so much up here in the Northeast, but I can remember a Robison/Robinson family reunion in northern Alabama where it was a tradition in full bloom, if you'll pardon the expression. Every cemetery, no matter how well maintained, was an explosion of color. Very few stones went bare.
Now we're into the 21st century and technology has not abandoned the gravestones we see today. From a simple message such as "Here lies..." or "In Memory o...f" we can see color photographs of the dearly departed, laser etched portraits with some in color, solar powered videos and QR codes (Quick Response) that take you to a website where the family can upload, well, anything about the occupant of the grave!! You can download QR code readers to your smartphone or iPhone that are incredibly easy to use. Click here to download the one I use.
By the way, here's how you can get to the Old Bones Genealogy website with a QR code:
[caption id="attachment_3506" align="aligncenter" width="150"]
Old Bones Genealogy of New England[/caption]Related articles
20 May 2014
Gravestone Girls Tonight!
As a last minute reminder to anyone who lives anywhere near Chicopee, Massachusetts, if you're a family researcher amateur or professional and your interests lie in the burial of our ancestors, this might be for you!
The Gravestone Girls are presenting a virtual tour of the cemeteries in Chicopee which will include some surprisingly
[caption id="attachment_3493" align="alignleft" width="86"]
John Chapin, a descendant of the prominent Chapin family of Springfield, Mass, died in Pennsylvania as indicated on the stone.[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="75"]
English: MacArthur's Ball, Monument to Lt Gen Arthur MacArthur in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
interesting famous personalities who were born here or lived here and certainly who died here. Well, mostly who died here. For example, John Chapin was 44 years old when he died in 1749. His grave stone indicates that he died in Pennsylvania. So the question may be whether he was buried in Chicopee or was this simply a "cenotaph" honoring his memory as he was buried in Pennsylvania. A cenotaph is exactly that; a memorial marker with names, dates and often other information of an individual who died and was buried far from their home.
All in all feel a little bit a part of this one. I toured all the Chicopee cemeteries with one of the Gravestone Girls, Brenda a/k/a Sophronia while giving her a thumbnail sketch of the history of Chicopee including some of the "rich and famous" from Chicopee's past.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350"]
English: Image of Chicopee Public Library (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
The event, which is supported by a grant from the Chicopee Cultural Club, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, takes place at the Chicopee Public Library, 459 Front Street, Chicopee, Massachusetts from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
See you there!
The Gravestone Girls are presenting a virtual tour of the cemeteries in Chicopee which will include some surprisingly
[caption id="attachment_3493" align="alignleft" width="86"]
John Chapin, a descendant of the prominent Chapin family of Springfield, Mass, died in Pennsylvania as indicated on the stone.[/caption][caption id="" align="alignright" width="75"]
English: MacArthur's Ball, Monument to Lt Gen Arthur MacArthur in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]interesting famous personalities who were born here or lived here and certainly who died here. Well, mostly who died here. For example, John Chapin was 44 years old when he died in 1749. His grave stone indicates that he died in Pennsylvania. So the question may be whether he was buried in Chicopee or was this simply a "cenotaph" honoring his memory as he was buried in Pennsylvania. A cenotaph is exactly that; a memorial marker with names, dates and often other information of an individual who died and was buried far from their home.
All in all feel a little bit a part of this one. I toured all the Chicopee cemeteries with one of the Gravestone Girls, Brenda a/k/a Sophronia while giving her a thumbnail sketch of the history of Chicopee including some of the "rich and famous" from Chicopee's past.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350"]
English: Image of Chicopee Public Library (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]The event, which is supported by a grant from the Chicopee Cultural Club, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, takes place at the Chicopee Public Library, 459 Front Street, Chicopee, Massachusetts from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
See you there!
Related articles
19 May 2014
11 Ways That Historical Photos Provide Clues About Our Ancestors Lives - The Ancestor Hunt
Here's a great blog with quite a bit of useful information in general and for family researchers specifically. Take a look!
11 Ways That Historical Photos Provide Clues About Our Ancestors Lives - The Ancestor Hunt
11 Ways That Historical Photos Provide Clues About Our Ancestors Lives - The Ancestor Hunt
Related articles
The Man Who Died Twice
Very interesting! Try to figure out how this happened BEFORE you read the story....
13 May 2014
The Gravestone Girls
Today I was further educated in the arts and processes of gravestones, iconography, materials, deterioration, preservation, rehabilitation and other subjects relating to gravestones! I first met Brenda a/k/a "Sophronia" (her Gravestone Girls personna) when I booked her group, the Gravestone Girls, to speak to the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society earlier this year. We received a great presentation about colonial gravestones, the iconography of gravestones in general and the evolution of the customs of burying our dead.
It's a subject closely related to genealogy. Cemeteries and cemetery records are an important part of any genealogist's research strategies. Having knowledge of the customs and practices throughout the years can certainly be helpful. The importance of the gathering of cemetery data is obvious. The web site Find-A-Grave has been around for 15 years or more and now has nearly 15,000,000 entries. Billion Graves's goal is to log a billion graves! There are a myriad of other lesser known websites featuring cemetery and burial information. They're popular for a reason.
Back to the Gravestone Girls. Next Tuesday, 20 May 2014, the Chicopee Public Library has invited them to bring their knowledge and expertise to our genealogy "department." For the past few years, myself and some fellow genealogists have been teaching classes, holding seminars and inviting guests to speak. Brenda and company should certainly prove to be a hit.
To assist in the preparation for the event in Chicopee, I offered to take Brenda to all of the local cemeteries. She wanted to
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"]
General Pershing (second from left) decorates Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur (third from left) with the Distinguished Service Cross. Major General Charles T. Menoher (left) reads out the citation. Colonel George E. Leach (fourth from left) and Colonel William Joseph Donovan await their decorations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
custom tailor this presentation to the local community, highlighting not only the families, but some of the more famous "Sons and Daughters" of Chicopee. For example, General Douglas MacArthur's father, "The Boy Colonel" of the Civil War, Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur. There are other members of the MacArthur family including their in-laws the Belcher family.
A lesser known personality from Chicopee was Edward Bellamy, the cousin of Francis Bellamy who authored the original Pledge of Allegiance. Edward authored many books including "Looking Backward", a fictional account of a utopian world as
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="75"]
Photographic portrait of Edward Bellamy, American author, c. 1889. This image is digitally edited from the Library of Congress online collection, as identified below. Copyright has expired on this image. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
described by the main character, Julian West, who fell into a deep hypnotic sleep in his home in Boston, Massachusetts in 1887. When he awoke 113 years later, the world had changed....dramatically. "Looking Backward" was the third largest selling book of the time behind "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ." It immediately spawned the movement called "Nationalism" advocating concepts such as the nationalization of private property. "Bellamy Clubs" sprung open from coast to coast.
Does anyone remember Lizzy Borden? No, she wasn't from Chicopee but her defense lawyer lived here. George Dexter Robinson, Harvard educated, who became the principal of Chicopee High School at the ripe young age of 22 in 1856; left to become a lawyer, ran for and won a number of state offices including Governor of Massachusetts. After fashioning himself as a "country lawyer," his brilliant defense of Miss Borden led to her acquittal based on the fact that the state had presented nothing but weak circumstantial evidence which was nowhere near sufficient to convict.
All in all, I'm anxiously awaiting Brenda's presentation for a number of reasons. I'm intrigued with the subject matter, I've done more than my share of cemetery research with a large number of entries at Find-A-Grave and now, I've been personally involved in the research side of a presentation by Brenda and her Gravestone Girls!
It's a subject closely related to genealogy. Cemeteries and cemetery records are an important part of any genealogist's research strategies. Having knowledge of the customs and practices throughout the years can certainly be helpful. The importance of the gathering of cemetery data is obvious. The web site Find-A-Grave has been around for 15 years or more and now has nearly 15,000,000 entries. Billion Graves's goal is to log a billion graves! There are a myriad of other lesser known websites featuring cemetery and burial information. They're popular for a reason.
Back to the Gravestone Girls. Next Tuesday, 20 May 2014, the Chicopee Public Library has invited them to bring their knowledge and expertise to our genealogy "department." For the past few years, myself and some fellow genealogists have been teaching classes, holding seminars and inviting guests to speak. Brenda and company should certainly prove to be a hit.
To assist in the preparation for the event in Chicopee, I offered to take Brenda to all of the local cemeteries. She wanted to
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"]
General Pershing (second from left) decorates Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur (third from left) with the Distinguished Service Cross. Major General Charles T. Menoher (left) reads out the citation. Colonel George E. Leach (fourth from left) and Colonel William Joseph Donovan await their decorations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]custom tailor this presentation to the local community, highlighting not only the families, but some of the more famous "Sons and Daughters" of Chicopee. For example, General Douglas MacArthur's father, "The Boy Colonel" of the Civil War, Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur. There are other members of the MacArthur family including their in-laws the Belcher family.
A lesser known personality from Chicopee was Edward Bellamy, the cousin of Francis Bellamy who authored the original Pledge of Allegiance. Edward authored many books including "Looking Backward", a fictional account of a utopian world as
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="75"]
Photographic portrait of Edward Bellamy, American author, c. 1889. This image is digitally edited from the Library of Congress online collection, as identified below. Copyright has expired on this image. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]described by the main character, Julian West, who fell into a deep hypnotic sleep in his home in Boston, Massachusetts in 1887. When he awoke 113 years later, the world had changed....dramatically. "Looking Backward" was the third largest selling book of the time behind "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ." It immediately spawned the movement called "Nationalism" advocating concepts such as the nationalization of private property. "Bellamy Clubs" sprung open from coast to coast.
Does anyone remember Lizzy Borden? No, she wasn't from Chicopee but her defense lawyer lived here. George Dexter Robinson, Harvard educated, who became the principal of Chicopee High School at the ripe young age of 22 in 1856; left to become a lawyer, ran for and won a number of state offices including Governor of Massachusetts. After fashioning himself as a "country lawyer," his brilliant defense of Miss Borden led to her acquittal based on the fact that the state had presented nothing but weak circumstantial evidence which was nowhere near sufficient to convict.
All in all, I'm anxiously awaiting Brenda's presentation for a number of reasons. I'm intrigued with the subject matter, I've done more than my share of cemetery research with a large number of entries at Find-A-Grave and now, I've been personally involved in the research side of a presentation by Brenda and her Gravestone Girls!
Related articles
07 May 2014
25th Anniversary Polish and Eastern European Genealogy Roadshow
June 21, 2014
25th Anniversary Polish and Eastern European Genealogy Roadshow
Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts
Polish Center of Discovery & Learning, 33 South St. . Chicopee, MA 01013
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Come help PGS-MA celebrate our 25th Anniversary with a genealogy roadshow! For both beginners and experienced researchers, this will be a day of fun and learning featuring four speakers, one-on-one consultations, and great displays and help stations. Cost is $15 members/$20 non-members if you register before May 21. ($5 additional if after this date or at the door)
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="350"]
English: City Hall, Chicopee, Massachusetts, September 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]Topics & Speakers
Uncover Your Roots in the Lemko Region of Southeast Poland - Mike Buryk
Beginning Your Genealogy - Alan Doyle Horbal
Naturalization & Related Records - Walter Hickey
Poland - What's That?? - Staś Radosz
Displays & Highlights
. Translation Stations (Polish, Russian, and more)
. Free Scanning Station (scan your family documents and photos to computer media)
. "Ask a Genealogist" One-on-One Session with Experts (first come/first served at mailed registration)
. On-line Search Guidance at LDS Family Search.Org Stations
. Find and Map Your Ancestral Village
. Polish Lunch by Bernat's
. Genealogy Raffle
. . Plenty of Chances to Meet & Mingle!
For more information and a registration form please visit <http://www.pgsma.org>
Or call Ed Dzielenski, Board Member, 413-567-3132.
Click here for a registration form: http://bit.ly/1s5iASz
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Chicopee Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
06 May 2014
OneGreatFamily.com
A few minutes ago, I got off the phone with a customer service agent at One Great Family. I've pretty much ignored that site for quite a long time. In the past several weeks, they've been advising me that my "...family tree is growing!" Well, aside from a new grandbaby born a week ago, I'm not too confident that there are many (or any) ancestors that I could be made aware of. Perhaps there are collateral relatives, but not anything that I'd get particularly excited about.
Today, I decided to take a new, fresh look at One Great Family. It took a while to figure out my username and password eventually figuring out the right combination. I originally signed on with them in 2002! There's no telling when I started to "ignore" them. Certainly it was quite a while ago!
So I had questions, and I hoped they had answers. I'm no big fan of FAQ's so I found a phone number and left a message. They got back to me within a few hours...not bad! So after a brief overview of my not so close relationship, I asked how much a membership would cost. Ready for this? Only $14.95 per month OR $79.95 per year. "Wait a minute," I asked, "$14.95 per month is $179.40 per year!" She assured me that the annual subscription represented a really great deal. I guess so! "Can you or someone else tell me why I would need a subscription?" She explained that users upload family data and One Great Family matches up your upload with what others have uploaded. It was clear to me that this is not the best way to gather genealogical information. To make sure i had that right, I asked if their site was full of user data, unsourced user data? That's correct, she advised.
Well, I told her that unsourced data would be useless to me and probably to any serious family researcher, professional or otherwise. I really believe that One Great Family is doing more to harm good, solid research than it's doing to promote it. so i simply thanked her for the information, removed myself from their mailing lists and removed the "Affiliate" link at my website www.oldbones.info.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"]
English: The Yuan Dynasty family tree. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
Today, I decided to take a new, fresh look at One Great Family. It took a while to figure out my username and password eventually figuring out the right combination. I originally signed on with them in 2002! There's no telling when I started to "ignore" them. Certainly it was quite a while ago!
So I had questions, and I hoped they had answers. I'm no big fan of FAQ's so I found a phone number and left a message. They got back to me within a few hours...not bad! So after a brief overview of my not so close relationship, I asked how much a membership would cost. Ready for this? Only $14.95 per month OR $79.95 per year. "Wait a minute," I asked, "$14.95 per month is $179.40 per year!" She assured me that the annual subscription represented a really great deal. I guess so! "Can you or someone else tell me why I would need a subscription?" She explained that users upload family data and One Great Family matches up your upload with what others have uploaded. It was clear to me that this is not the best way to gather genealogical information. To make sure i had that right, I asked if their site was full of user data, unsourced user data? That's correct, she advised.
Well, I told her that unsourced data would be useless to me and probably to any serious family researcher, professional or otherwise. I really believe that One Great Family is doing more to harm good, solid research than it's doing to promote it. so i simply thanked her for the information, removed myself from their mailing lists and removed the "Affiliate" link at my website www.oldbones.info.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"]
English: The Yuan Dynasty family tree. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]Related articles
05 May 2014
Series Revamped into a Workshop!
For the past 3 years or so, I've been offering classes in genealogy research in a variety of venues. Usually, I set up 4 or 5 one hour sessions spread out over 4 or 5 weeks. It works very well and I've been invited back to all who have had me.
I was thinking about this year's first fund raiser for out church. As a matter of fact, that's how I got into conducting these sessions. I was with my wife at a church meeting where the discussion centered around funding. Towards the end of the meeting I asked my wife if she thought that I could conduct some classes for a small fee, most of which we could contribute and turn it into a genealogical fund raiser. Although I'm not an official "member" of this congregation, I attend regularly with my wife and I'm no stranger in the relatively small church community there.
It sounded like a good idea to the committee so I began putting together a power point presentation that broke down the basics and advertised it for what it was, namely, a fund raiser. That first year, I held 3 separate events. Each time there were approximately 14 or so attendees. The program got better as time went on as I added certain elements and removed others.
So now, what can I come up with this year that could be unique? The answer came from Nancy, the office manager at the church. She happened to mention to my wife that she would love to take the class but she couldn't find the time to attend evenings when I had usually scheduled past events. She mentioned that there were probably lots of others with a similar problem. She said that she's like to see a one day, 4 or 5 hour, get-it-done-in-one-shot event. She said that she'd even provide lunch! Free lunch? I'm in!!!
Now I'm in the middle of consolidating about 150 slides in a variety of presentations to make this happen. In case you'd like
[caption id="attachment_3204" align="alignright" width="103"]
First Church in Ludlow, Ludlow, Mass. Est 1774[/caption]
to attend, we're going to be getting started at 10 AM on May 31, 2014 in the "Parlor" at First Church in Ludlow. Why is it called "First Church in Ludlow"? I was hoping you'd ask! It's because it was the first congregation established in the soon to be established Town of Ludlow, Massachusetts. They were both incorporated in 1774. On top of that, I discovered that my own 4th cousin 6 times removed was the first minister! Talk about coincidences. Pelatiah Chapin and I are common descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin, one of the original settlers of Springfield, Massachusetts in the early 1640's.
In the past several weeks, I've "met" many cousins who also descend from Samuel who live all over the country. The Deacon is the ancestor of many famous people including Harry Chapin, President Taft, Marion Mitchell Morrison and others. Oh, Marion changed his name as he was starting his career in Hollywood. He became John Wayne....Good thing he changed it! Anyway, here's the statue that another of Samuel's descendants, Chester Chapin, had erected in 1898.
[caption id="attachment_3206" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Deacon Samuel Chapin[/caption]
The full sized statue sits on a pedestal with his name and dates. Of course, it's a representation of what Deacon Chapin may have looked like. Many people believe the face was modeled after another infamous Springfield resident, John Brown. And yes, "THE" John Brown of radical abolitionist fame.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350"]
Daguerreotype of John Brown (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
OK....sorry for the diversion. I'm hoping that revamping 4 or 5 sessions into this new "workshop" is successful. It seems that more people may be willing to participate for a number of reasons: 1) All in one day, Saturday; 2) Workshop atmosphere; 3) The successes of previous classes; 4) It's happening before "vacation" season and, most importantly 5) Free lunch! (I hope she makes egg salad with chopped olive sandwiches...)
I was thinking about this year's first fund raiser for out church. As a matter of fact, that's how I got into conducting these sessions. I was with my wife at a church meeting where the discussion centered around funding. Towards the end of the meeting I asked my wife if she thought that I could conduct some classes for a small fee, most of which we could contribute and turn it into a genealogical fund raiser. Although I'm not an official "member" of this congregation, I attend regularly with my wife and I'm no stranger in the relatively small church community there.
It sounded like a good idea to the committee so I began putting together a power point presentation that broke down the basics and advertised it for what it was, namely, a fund raiser. That first year, I held 3 separate events. Each time there were approximately 14 or so attendees. The program got better as time went on as I added certain elements and removed others.
So now, what can I come up with this year that could be unique? The answer came from Nancy, the office manager at the church. She happened to mention to my wife that she would love to take the class but she couldn't find the time to attend evenings when I had usually scheduled past events. She mentioned that there were probably lots of others with a similar problem. She said that she's like to see a one day, 4 or 5 hour, get-it-done-in-one-shot event. She said that she'd even provide lunch! Free lunch? I'm in!!!
Now I'm in the middle of consolidating about 150 slides in a variety of presentations to make this happen. In case you'd like
[caption id="attachment_3204" align="alignright" width="103"]
First Church in Ludlow, Ludlow, Mass. Est 1774[/caption]to attend, we're going to be getting started at 10 AM on May 31, 2014 in the "Parlor" at First Church in Ludlow. Why is it called "First Church in Ludlow"? I was hoping you'd ask! It's because it was the first congregation established in the soon to be established Town of Ludlow, Massachusetts. They were both incorporated in 1774. On top of that, I discovered that my own 4th cousin 6 times removed was the first minister! Talk about coincidences. Pelatiah Chapin and I are common descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin, one of the original settlers of Springfield, Massachusetts in the early 1640's.
In the past several weeks, I've "met" many cousins who also descend from Samuel who live all over the country. The Deacon is the ancestor of many famous people including Harry Chapin, President Taft, Marion Mitchell Morrison and others. Oh, Marion changed his name as he was starting his career in Hollywood. He became John Wayne....Good thing he changed it! Anyway, here's the statue that another of Samuel's descendants, Chester Chapin, had erected in 1898.
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Deacon Samuel Chapin[/caption]The full sized statue sits on a pedestal with his name and dates. Of course, it's a representation of what Deacon Chapin may have looked like. Many people believe the face was modeled after another infamous Springfield resident, John Brown. And yes, "THE" John Brown of radical abolitionist fame.
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Daguerreotype of John Brown (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]OK....sorry for the diversion. I'm hoping that revamping 4 or 5 sessions into this new "workshop" is successful. It seems that more people may be willing to participate for a number of reasons: 1) All in one day, Saturday; 2) Workshop atmosphere; 3) The successes of previous classes; 4) It's happening before "vacation" season and, most importantly 5) Free lunch! (I hope she makes egg salad with chopped olive sandwiches...)
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