Cousins united!

Every Thursday, you can find me at the Chicopee Library's Reference Department.  The Library has set aside their computer lab for genealogy research.  Myself and a few others "staff" the lab to help patrons with their research.  Also, I get to conduct classes and workshops 4 or 5 times a year there.

Perhaps the most interesting thing that I've seen happen there, other than some amazing discoveries, was what happened this afternoon.

A woman walked in slowly, looking around the room.  There were only about 5 or 6 people in there at the time.  Since I'm the volunteer of the moment, I asked if I could help.  "Yes," she said.  "I'm supposed to be meeting my cousin here between 12 and 12:30."  Her name is Ellen and she went on to say that she had engaged a professional genealogist in Poland.  He informed her that she had some relatives right here in the area, a woman she had never met this woman!  While we were talking about that, I had to pitch our "Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society" since she told me that where she lived and it's very close to out meeting location.  Turns out, she's a former member and was interested in getting involved again.  Needless to say, I handed her an application!  I just happened to have about 50 or so apps in my bag...

Back to the story:  As we spoke, another woman walked through the door and I immediately thought that although she looked familiar to me although I had never seen her at the Chicopee lab. It was Ellen's mystery cousin, Cathy!   Ironically, they were both wearing a pink top!  Small detail, but I found it interesting.  Somewhat like long lost cousins who both like Caesar Salad!  Cathy attended one of my classes a couple of years ago....another coincidence!

Here they are at their first meeting!  On the left is Cathy with Ellen on the right....

Related articles

• Grandma's stories - turning gossip into genealogical fact (bangordailynews.com)
• Book Review: Where's Merrill? A genealogical thriller by Geroid O'Neary (ajoobacatsblog.com)
• NERGC Conference, 15-19 April 2015, Providence, RI (oldbonessearch.com)
• Genealogy Buffs unite! (sjfpl.wordpress.com)
• Tombstone project pays off for genealogists (journalstar.com)
• Genealogists discover Massachusetts strangers are rightful heirs to $1.5 million estate in Ireland (irishcentral.com)

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!

 

 

 

 

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• What's Set in Stone


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• Gravestones smashed at Auckland cemetery


• Decades Later, Baby's 19th Century Gravestone Returned To Mass. Cemetery


• Men work to right Mt. Pleasant girl's gravestone

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.

Agawam and Chicopee Classes

Thursday was the first day for the Agawam Library Adult Program in Genealogy and, I forgot, this was also the first day in Chicopee for another genealogy class. Agawam is my own program but the Chicopee class is one where I assist another genealogist named Alan Horbal from North Adams, Mass. His class is about the basics but he ties in extensive training in using web sites.

Here's the room before everyone showed up

[caption id="attachment_980" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Agawam Public Library Community Room[/caption]

There were about 25 people in the Agawam class which started out with some technical meltdowns. Usually, I 'd just connect a cable to a projector mounted in the ceiling. But this morning, their cable caused the power point to display in pink.... Pink! Since I usually have my own projector, I brought that in and plugged it in with the same cable. Still pink... When I switched to my own cable, everything worked out fine. Small panic but we worked it out.

As usual in a group this large, there's a good mix of people with some experience and people who are just getting stated. It seemed that everyone stayed pretty interested right up to the end. The usual 30 minute Q&A lasted about 45 minutes, so that was a good sign that things were working out pretty well.

Next week we get into census records, vital records, soundex, a short lesson in using www.familysearch.org and a brief Pedigree Chart workshop.

Just 5 more weeks in Agawam and then I'll bring a somewhat shortened version of the same program to Palmer, Brimfield, Wilbraham and again in Chicopee.

Busy Day for Genealogy!

Busy day for genealogy. The latest class began today in Brimfield, MA. This si the second series I've conducted at the Hitchcock Free Academy. Small group but we will still cover all of the material. As a matter of fact, we might even be able to get a little farther as there are fewer lines to research for the participants.

Next...and I should have been aware of this one... I had offered to make a presentation to the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society "this spring". I should have realized that February was the month that we discussed but I hadn't put it in my calendar. So, as I was getting ready for Hitchcock on Wednesday (and Yellow House on Thursday AND all the classwork for Boston U) I received an e-mail from WMGS containing their newsletter. The newsletter announced that I would be making a presentation! So, I raced from the class in Brimfield around 5:00 to get to Agawam for a 6:00 meeting. Made it!

Take a look at Old Bones Genealogy and Family Research for what's going on....but I suppose it would be a good thing for me to make sure it's up to date!

Ready....Set...Study!

Tomorrow is January 16, 2013. Not a particularly auspicious day, but it will be the first time I've been back in school in over 40 years! Well, saying that I’ll be “in school” is a stretch because in the 21st century you can be “in school” and in the living room at home at the same time. So, we’ve broken at least one of the basic tenets of physics: an object can now be in 2 places at the same time! And I’m here to say it works.

I’m not intimidated about taking a class even if it is Boston University, but I’m a little intimidated about the fact that it wasn’t cheap and I feel highly motivated to be successful…no pressure!!! Making a time commitment; doing the reading; writing the assignments; passing…and all in a mere 16 weeks. Wish me luck!

The class will be a very intensive course in genealogical research. In it, I hope to expand my knowledge of where to go to get the data I need and what to do with it once I’ve found it! It’s not good enough to just find something at somebody’s web site and transcribe the information. It’s all about documentation, sources and proof. There are certainly many challenges, many of which I’m likely not even aware of.

I’m always aware that I don’t know what I don’t know, and that’s what makes this new adventure so interesting. Since I obviously don’t know what I haven’t learned yet, the prospect of improving my skills in multiple areas is a pretty exciting prospect. Although I’m arguably a bit of an expert in my “other career”, genealogy can be a daunting field to undertake. Just reading blogs from other expert researchers over the past year or so shows that just having a subscription to a couple of genealogy web sites barely scratches the surface.

I’ll continue to post about the course….if I have the time!

Please visit Old Bones Genealogy and Family Research

Introduction to Genealogy---Becoming a Genealogy Detective!

Anyone near Wilbraham, MA tonight is welcome to stop at the Wilbraham Public Library tonight.  It's the 3rd in a 4 part series "Introduction to Genealogy".  Each week there have been more and more participants so feel free to call the library at 413-596-6141 to make sure there'll be room!  Based on the popularity, I can see that there just might be some future programs.  The last in this series will be held February 11th where we'll work on individual pedigree charts and whatever other subjects may come up.

This series is "sponsored" by the Western Massachusetts Genealogy Society (WMGS) in an effort to help people who are interested in family research and encourage them to take part in courses such as these and introduce them to WMGS.  Annual membership is only $20 and includes 10 monthly meetings held locally.

Over the full 4 sessions, we cover the basics of research, web sites (free and low-cost), definitions (soundex, vital records, etc), specific resources, naturalization, immigration, Ellis Island, name changes, spelling variations and "myth busting"!

Hopefully, some of you can make it tonight!  See you there.