Great blog from a fellow blogger... Wanted to share!
A little humor always helps!.
Showing posts with label American History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American History. Show all posts
17 June 2014
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
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.
[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...)
Related articles
23 February 2014
DNA: bringing them home | The Legal Genealogist
What good is genealogy? What good is DNA testing? Judy G. Russell has some VERY solid answers! Please click the link "DNA: bringing them home" (you may have to click "Continue reading" for the live link):
DNA: bringing them home | The Legal Genealogist.
You may also want to subscribe to Judy Russell's blogs by RSS feed or by e-mail. She's worth the minute or so a day to read.
DNA: bringing them home | The Legal Genealogist.
You may also want to subscribe to Judy Russell's blogs by RSS feed or by e-mail. She's worth the minute or so a day to read.
- A section of DNA; the sequence of the plate-like units (nucleotides) in the center carries information. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
17 February 2014
Indexing: How it works
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="320"]
Adriana Hernandez baptized 1925 (Photo credit: GoCal83)[/caption]
I've done some indexing over the past few years but lately, I haven't had the time. So, the best I can do is get the message out and perhaps someone reading this blog will take a look at the process and volunteer. There are a number of indexing projects out there, but it's Family Search that may have the largest collection of un-indexed documents. If you go to www.familysearch.org, there's a link right below the large image in the center of the page called "Indexing". Click the link, download a very small software program and you're in business!
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="320"]
Maria Hernandez baptized 1920 (Photo credit: GoCal83)[/caption]
There are a few rules to go by, but essentially, it's pretty easy. You'll have to have or get a user name and password. But please don't worry that someone from the Latter Day Saints will haunt you! That's just not their style or their motivation.
Adriana Hernandez baptized 1925 (Photo credit: GoCal83)[/caption]I've done some indexing over the past few years but lately, I haven't had the time. So, the best I can do is get the message out and perhaps someone reading this blog will take a look at the process and volunteer. There are a number of indexing projects out there, but it's Family Search that may have the largest collection of un-indexed documents. If you go to www.familysearch.org, there's a link right below the large image in the center of the page called "Indexing". Click the link, download a very small software program and you're in business!
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="320"]
Maria Hernandez baptized 1920 (Photo credit: GoCal83)[/caption]There are a few rules to go by, but essentially, it's pretty easy. You'll have to have or get a user name and password. But please don't worry that someone from the Latter Day Saints will haunt you! That's just not their style or their motivation.
Related articles
28 January 2014
Why Your Family Name Was Not Changed at Ellis Island (and One That Was)
Why Your Family Name Was Not Changed at Ellis Island (and One That Was).
Here's a question I ask in EVERY class I conduct: How many people here had their family's name changed at Ellis Island. Without exaggeration, nearly 75% of the hands go up in the air!
I do my best to describe pretty much exactly what you'll find in the article, but there's always at least one person who insists otherwise!
Well, at least I tried.
The real lesson they need to learn is SPELLING DOESN'T COUNT!!
Was your family's name changed at Ellis Island???
Thanks to Judy G. Russell, "The Legal Genealogist," for posting this on Facebook and giving me yet another subject to post!!
English: Immigrants entering the United States through Ellis Island, the main immigrant entry facility of the United States from 1892 to 1954. Español: Inmigrantes entran a los Estados Unidos a traves de la Isla Ellis, el mayor lugar de entrada a los Estados Unidos entre 1892 y 1954. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ellis Island as seen from the Circle Line Ferry from Battery Park to Liberty Island. Photo taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20 in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, NY, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Here's a question I ask in EVERY class I conduct: How many people here had their family's name changed at Ellis Island. Without exaggeration, nearly 75% of the hands go up in the air!
I do my best to describe pretty much exactly what you'll find in the article, but there's always at least one person who insists otherwise!
Well, at least I tried.
The real lesson they need to learn is SPELLING DOESN'T COUNT!!
Was your family's name changed at Ellis Island???
Thanks to Judy G. Russell, "The Legal Genealogist," for posting this on Facebook and giving me yet another subject to post!!
English: Immigrants entering the United States through Ellis Island, the main immigrant entry facility of the United States from 1892 to 1954. Español: Inmigrantes entran a los Estados Unidos a traves de la Isla Ellis, el mayor lugar de entrada a los Estados Unidos entre 1892 y 1954. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ellis Island as seen from the Circle Line Ferry from Battery Park to Liberty Island. Photo taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20 in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, NY, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Related articles
Sanborn Maps
How many of you have used Sanborn Fire Maps in your research? They can come in very handy when you have a cluster of folks you're researching that live in one particular area. It's a little like finding a family on a census record and then paging backward and forward looking for other relatives who might be neighbors.
There's a very good description of the Sanborn maps at Wikipedia, so I won't have to go into very much detail, but it's definitely worth a look and you'll see the value.
I spend quite a bit of time at the Lyman and Merry Wood Museum of Springfield History in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's one of the best kept secrets on all of Western Massachusetts! Among the millions (Yes, MILLIONS) of documents and records archived there are a set of Sanborn Fire Maps of the area. And they are a boon to anyone doing research in the area.
The idea of blogging about Sanborn to provide everyone with a pretty good research tip came from a member of a Facebook group I moderate. You can find that group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/findagravediscussion/. Feel free to request an add! Anna Rees, a member of the group, is the person who made the recommendation. Thanks, Anna! See that? I promised to give you full credit for the idea!
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There's a very good description of the Sanborn maps at Wikipedia, so I won't have to go into very much detail, but it's definitely worth a look and you'll see the value.
I spend quite a bit of time at the Lyman and Merry Wood Museum of Springfield History in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's one of the best kept secrets on all of Western Massachusetts! Among the millions (Yes, MILLIONS) of documents and records archived there are a set of Sanborn Fire Maps of the area. And they are a boon to anyone doing research in the area.
The idea of blogging about Sanborn to provide everyone with a pretty good research tip came from a member of a Facebook group I moderate. You can find that group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/findagravediscussion/. Feel free to request an add! Anna Rees, a member of the group, is the person who made the recommendation. Thanks, Anna! See that? I promised to give you full credit for the idea!
]
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, District of Columbia 1888 (excerpts): Center Market (Photo credit: lacafferata)
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, District of Columbia 1888 (excerpts): Center Market (Photo credit: lacafferata)
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Related articles
07 January 2014
Wednesday Night at the Springfield Archives
It's unlikely that many of you live in or near Springfield, Massachusetts. But I want to let everyone know that the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society will be holding our January meeting Wednesday the 6th at 6:00 pm at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. It's a hidden treasure of the history of Springfield and surrounding areas from it's founding in 1636 to today. The groundfloor and second level displays are impressive enough: an original Duyrea is on display (the first motorized automobile to ride the
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"]
Daguerreotype of John Brown (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
streets of any city - built in Springfield), John Brown's work desk (Yes, the "John Brown's body is a'moulderin' in his grave" fame), Indian Motocycles (built in Springfield) all over the place, the famed GB racing planes (replicas hang from the ceilings - built in Springfield), a one owner 1928 Rolls Royce that was donated to the museum by the man who drove it for nearly 75 years.
But the real treasures, in my opinion, are downstairs in the archives. There, you can find a collection of an estimated 2.5 million historical manuscripts, the Loiselle Index (French-Canadian marriages), 6,000 microfilm/fiche, 25,000 historic photos, diaries, deeds, account books, land transfers, hundreds of historical maps including the Sanborn Fire Insurance collection, yearbooks and selected school records from the Springfield Schools, annual voter lists by ward and precinct.... and the list goes on and on!
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="75"]
English: First Church of Christ, Springfield Massachusetts, September 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
The archives are a part of the Springfield museum complex in downtown Springfield. Springfield residents and members of the Museum's Association have free access otherwise there is a $9 admission fee for visits during their regular hours. There is no charge to attend the meeting.
So maybe some of you can make it!
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"]
English: James MacNeil Whistler, a famous painter, grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He was, however, born during his family's brief tenure in Lowell, Massachusetts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"]
Daguerreotype of John Brown (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]streets of any city - built in Springfield), John Brown's work desk (Yes, the "John Brown's body is a'moulderin' in his grave" fame), Indian Motocycles (built in Springfield) all over the place, the famed GB racing planes (replicas hang from the ceilings - built in Springfield), a one owner 1928 Rolls Royce that was donated to the museum by the man who drove it for nearly 75 years.
But the real treasures, in my opinion, are downstairs in the archives. There, you can find a collection of an estimated 2.5 million historical manuscripts, the Loiselle Index (French-Canadian marriages), 6,000 microfilm/fiche, 25,000 historic photos, diaries, deeds, account books, land transfers, hundreds of historical maps including the Sanborn Fire Insurance collection, yearbooks and selected school records from the Springfield Schools, annual voter lists by ward and precinct.... and the list goes on and on!
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="75"]
English: First Church of Christ, Springfield Massachusetts, September 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]The archives are a part of the Springfield museum complex in downtown Springfield. Springfield residents and members of the Museum's Association have free access otherwise there is a $9 admission fee for visits during their regular hours. There is no charge to attend the meeting.
So maybe some of you can make it!
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"]
English: James MacNeil Whistler, a famous painter, grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He was, however, born during his family's brief tenure in Lowell, Massachusetts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]Related articles
16 November 2013
Kicking Up the Past - Giving Voice to the Untold Histories of American Families
Here's a program that has caught my interest. Ken J. Marks was kind enough to provide what follows as a description of his project. Please take a moment to read and please consider participating!
Giving a voice to the untold histories of American families.
An elementary school teacher / genealogist launches ambitious Kickstarter.com project to "crowd-source & crowd-fund" production of quality television.
Chicago-area teacher & genealogist, Madonna Davis, announced her launch of a television documentary project called Kicking Up the Past. A novel effort that relies strictly on the strength of the public to both crowd-source the stories and crowd-fund the expense of producing a made-for-television documentary featuring true family histories.
“It’s going to be an interesting experiment”, she said in an interview this morning. “Genealogy is reportedly the most popular hobby in the world… so we're going to test this idea by doing something that has not been attempted before to my knowledge – using crowd-funding to kick start production of a quality genealogy series for television”. She added, “This is an opportunity for people to stop complaining about the reality-type shows that pass for history and contribute in a small way toward making a positive change. We hope everyone will join us on this exciting American genealogy adventure. “ The project may be view at http://goo.gl/n8f2f5
In 2009, Madonna and partners, Ken J. Marks & Frank Haney first brought a grassroots family history to television with their production of the Emmy-nominated documentary, Legend Seekers: The Lively Family Massacre, which aired on PBS stations across the country.
The strong positive response to that film made them certain that there was an audience eager to see their real family stories retold in a high quality TV series. (See Dick Eastman’s Blog from Feb 2009 for more background detail >>> http://goo.gl/Cuk8YB. You may also visit http://goo.gl/r3JcT8 to view the full length feature of that production on YouTube.)
Co-producer, Ken J. Marks reflects, “That desire to bring something truly great and lasting to television has never left us, and we are attempting once more to bring a television series to the public that they would otherwise never, ever, get to see, except through the pioneering, internet-based, creative funding tool that KICKSTARTER.COM is.”
For those who do pledge to the project, there is a unique variety of rewards that may be earned including the opportunity to perform on-camera & in-costume as an extra in one of the historical reenactment scenes. Another reward made available in a limited quantity to early project backers is the opportunity to submit their own personal family story to be read by the producers for this documentary project. Producer, Ken Marks said, “We would like to give the Hollywood treatment to one very lucky family”.
The producers appear to have put everything on the line and truly can’t do it alone – Kickstarter funding is an “all or nothing” proposition. If project creators fail to receive enough pledges to reach their goal by the deadline, the project fails and all project pledges are returned. So they encourage you to go directly to www.kickstarter.com and search for the Kicking Up the Past documentary project for more information and to make a pledge. And, Madonna Davis adds, “… the (project) success or failure really rides on the strong connections within the community and the speed with which passionate individuals can mobilize for a cause.” Predicting the outcome Madonna says, “I have great optimism.”
Kickstarter
Kickstarter first appeared a year or two ago and quickly has become a method for funding many new projects. It is described as a "crowd funding process." In the past, most newly-invented products, new films, new television programs, books, and much more were typically funded by obtaining a loan from a financial institution or by loans or grants from corporations or non-profit organizations. In many cases, certain "strings" were attached. For instance, if a television program is funded by a corporation, that company usually expects to receive advertising or other forms of publicity in return, and typically exerts strong control over the creative content.
Kickstarter is a funding home for everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through the direct support of the public. Since its launch in 2009, 5 million people have pledged $822 million, funding 49,000 creative projects.
For additional information contact: Ken J. Marks 312 505-6193 EM: marks.kj@gmail.com
Giving a voice to the untold histories of American families.
An elementary school teacher / genealogist launches ambitious Kickstarter.com project to "crowd-source & crowd-fund" production of quality television.
Chicago-area teacher & genealogist, Madonna Davis, announced her launch of a television documentary project called Kicking Up the Past. A novel effort that relies strictly on the strength of the public to both crowd-source the stories and crowd-fund the expense of producing a made-for-television documentary featuring true family histories.
“It’s going to be an interesting experiment”, she said in an interview this morning. “Genealogy is reportedly the most popular hobby in the world… so we're going to test this idea by doing something that has not been attempted before to my knowledge – using crowd-funding to kick start production of a quality genealogy series for television”. She added, “This is an opportunity for people to stop complaining about the reality-type shows that pass for history and contribute in a small way toward making a positive change. We hope everyone will join us on this exciting American genealogy adventure. “ The project may be view at http://goo.gl/n8f2f5
In 2009, Madonna and partners, Ken J. Marks & Frank Haney first brought a grassroots family history to television with their production of the Emmy-nominated documentary, Legend Seekers: The Lively Family Massacre, which aired on PBS stations across the country.
The strong positive response to that film made them certain that there was an audience eager to see their real family stories retold in a high quality TV series. (See Dick Eastman’s Blog from Feb 2009 for more background detail >>> http://goo.gl/Cuk8YB. You may also visit http://goo.gl/r3JcT8 to view the full length feature of that production on YouTube.)
Co-producer, Ken J. Marks reflects, “That desire to bring something truly great and lasting to television has never left us, and we are attempting once more to bring a television series to the public that they would otherwise never, ever, get to see, except through the pioneering, internet-based, creative funding tool that KICKSTARTER.COM is.”
For those who do pledge to the project, there is a unique variety of rewards that may be earned including the opportunity to perform on-camera & in-costume as an extra in one of the historical reenactment scenes. Another reward made available in a limited quantity to early project backers is the opportunity to submit their own personal family story to be read by the producers for this documentary project. Producer, Ken Marks said, “We would like to give the Hollywood treatment to one very lucky family”.
The producers appear to have put everything on the line and truly can’t do it alone – Kickstarter funding is an “all or nothing” proposition. If project creators fail to receive enough pledges to reach their goal by the deadline, the project fails and all project pledges are returned. So they encourage you to go directly to www.kickstarter.com and search for the Kicking Up the Past documentary project for more information and to make a pledge. And, Madonna Davis adds, “… the (project) success or failure really rides on the strong connections within the community and the speed with which passionate individuals can mobilize for a cause.” Predicting the outcome Madonna says, “I have great optimism.”
Kickstarter
Kickstarter first appeared a year or two ago and quickly has become a method for funding many new projects. It is described as a "crowd funding process." In the past, most newly-invented products, new films, new television programs, books, and much more were typically funded by obtaining a loan from a financial institution or by loans or grants from corporations or non-profit organizations. In many cases, certain "strings" were attached. For instance, if a television program is funded by a corporation, that company usually expects to receive advertising or other forms of publicity in return, and typically exerts strong control over the creative content.
Kickstarter is a funding home for everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through the direct support of the public. Since its launch in 2009, 5 million people have pledged $822 million, funding 49,000 creative projects.
For additional information contact: Ken J. Marks 312 505-6193 EM: marks.kj@gmail.com
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Madonna Davis, Chicago-area teacher & genealogist
Related articles
- Newly Proposed Genealogy Television Documentary with a Unique Funding Arrangement (eogn.com)
- Need a Kickstart? (forefrontfocus.com)
- KickStarter Successful (clockworklime.com)
- Crowdfunding: Kickstarter (cocakroda.wordpress.com)
12 November 2013
The 11 Nations of the United "States"
Posted at Facebook by a fellow genealogist, Deborah Lee Stewart, I found this article intriguing to say the least. Click "Continue reading" to activate the links to this article and others.
See, my paternal ancestors were Scotch-Irish and settled in "Greater Appalachia" and many of those descendants still live there! My English maternal lines have, in large part, been in the "colonies" from Mayflower days (John Howland...he's the one that fell overboard and had to be rescued) and my most direct ancestor William Bassett who arrived in the Fortune in 1621. And there are many others, legions of others, all of whom occupied "Yankeedom" at some point in the history of the US.
Here's the link to the NPR article.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300"]
English: Mayflower_1920_Issue-1c.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
See, my paternal ancestors were Scotch-Irish and settled in "Greater Appalachia" and many of those descendants still live there! My English maternal lines have, in large part, been in the "colonies" from Mayflower days (John Howland...he's the one that fell overboard and had to be rescued) and my most direct ancestor William Bassett who arrived in the Fortune in 1621. And there are many others, legions of others, all of whom occupied "Yankeedom" at some point in the history of the US.
Here's the link to the NPR article.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300"]
English: Mayflower_1920_Issue-1c.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]Related articles
- If America is made up of 11 'nations,' where does Wisconsin fit in? (host.madison.com)
- Forget The 50 States, U.S. Is Really 11 Nations, Says Author (wnyc.org)
- Which of the 11 American nations do you live in? (washingtonpost.com)
- Scots-Irish? Irish? Scotch? (jillallyson.wordpress.com)
- Local history: Scotch-Irish heritage significant (timesreporter.com)
10 November 2013
Russell, Massachusetts - Establishment of a New England Town
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"]
Almandine :: Locality: Russell Garnet mine, Russell, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA (Locality at mindat.org) :: Size: 4.4 x 4.0 x 4.0 cm. :: A very sharp, well-developed crystal of classic Russell garnet. It displays very nicely, and is complete all around except the bottom. Ex. Russell Jones collection. In the late 1800s, Daniel Clark and F.S. Johnson collected these from a local pegmatite. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]The following is a post from a friend and fellow member of the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society:
New Book on Early History of Russell, Massachusetts
Russell, Massachusetts – Establishment of a New England town and early historical notes. By Ralph E. Cortis and Bruce W. Cortis
The book is now available to those local to Westfield/Russell directly from the authors at "Living Our Past", or via ‘Off the Common’ books, Amherst, Ma.
Also, two Book Signings and Presentations as noted below:
This new title is a compilation of research which Ralph E. Cortis has been doing over the last 25+ years on the town of Russell, Massachusetts. This book focuses on the information he has researched and gathered from a wide variety of local and regional resources over that time.
The book begins with the establishment of Russell in 1792, continuing to the early 1900’s. Areas of focus include how the town was established from a section of land originally granted to Westfield in 1737, town boundaries and topology, early roads and turnpikes, early industry and later the paper mills which were so important to Russell’s growth.
The text also has sections on town history relating to early schools, churches, railroads, bridges, cemeteries and early military service.
This is the first known publication to draw together this information in a single document.
Ralph E. Cortis was born in 1928 on Route 23 in the Woronoco part of Russell. He is a descendant of Isaac Palmer, one of the original settlers of Woronoco. In addition to the many generations of the Palmer and Cortis families, he has multiple other branches who resided in Russell over the last 200+ years. In conjunction with his research on Russell families and early town history, he previously completed a compilation of Russell’s Civil War veterans in 2007 (included in this book).
Bruce W. Cortis joined his father in 2008 with researching Russell’s history and supplemented his father’s efforts with additional on-line research, compilation of the information and composition of this book.
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Town Offices, Russell Massachusetts, September 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
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