FAMILY RECIPE FRIDAY–Eggs baked in gravy

My grandmother, Florence Bowden Milne left us a spiral bound notebook, written entirely by hand.  The notebook was begun about the time of her marriage to my grandfather, Joseph A. Milne in 1906.  In it she left a treasure chest of family information and wonderful clues to life back in the early 1900's.

TODAY'S FEATURED RECIPE

EGGS BAKED IN GRAVY

The excerpt from my grandmother's journal - in her handwriting

Here is a transcription of the recipe.

Take chicken gravy, making it thin and season well.  Put it into a baking dish and drop into it as many eggs as will cover the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and bake in a hot oven.  Serve on sliced toast.

I’ve personally never heard of this dish, nor have I tried this recipe.  However, it does sound interesting.  Maybe I’ll give this recipe a try.  Wonder if my husband will like it?  What do you think?  Would you try it?

So many of the things written by my grandmother, in this notebook, are interesting and unusual.  I’m sure glad I have this memory from her.

OTHER POSTS THAT MY BE OF INTEREST

Family Recipe Friday - How to Make Baked Chicken Fricassee

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

WEDDING WEDNESDAY–Ortell & Warchol - 1908

LADISLAUS “WALTER” ORTELL & SOPHIE WARCHOL

Walter and Sophie Ortell are the grandparents to my 2nd cousins on the Lindsay side of our family.  Walter & Sophie had 11 children: John, Chester, Helen, Mary, Adolph, Ladislaus, Alois, Henry, Bernice, Anthonia and Eleanore.

Here is a family view from my Legacy database. Please click on image to enlarge it.

My cousins are doing the research on this part of the family.
 
However, if you think you might be related to anyone mentioned here, please contact me and I will get in touch with them.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

ARE YOU GETTING OFF TRACK? Losing your focus?

Do you feel like you go around in circles sometimes?  Are you just playing at staying on track and organized, or are you serious?  I had to ask myself these questions today and here's what got me started.


I was sorting things on my desk and saw the list of 33 Michigan Death Certificates I was able to locate when Seeking Michigan released new records in March of this year.  I even wrote two blog posts about how I made a list from my Legacy database before proceeding to the site to locate records.
 
Michigan Death Certificate Images Released - 1921-1939

And, then I wrote a second post about my procedure once I’ve located the death certificates.

Day Two of the Michigan Death Certificates Journey - Now What?

So, it’s not like I don’t know what to do. Right?  I added & cited a few of them.  But, then I stopped.  When I say few, I’m talking about 4 out of 33!

Why waste time locating records online, at libraries, at courthouses, from family members etc., if we don’t then record those records to our database?

Darn good question, I think.
 
Here are my examples of unfinished “business.”

• Multiple trips to Michigan for research and to visit family and bringing home all sorts of photos and documents, many of which still sit in folders.
• A trip to the Family History Library where myself and a friend spent 5 glorious days and I took hundreds of photographs of books & microfilm - still not all processed.
• A trip to the local Carlsbad Library where they have wonderful genealogy resources and I found many and photographed them - most are not processed.
• A trip to Ohio & West Virginia for one thing – genealogy research - still need to process some items.
• And, of course, downloading the much awaited death certificates, saving them in proper file format on my computer and then DOING NOTHING with them.

I’m sure I could go on.  Am I the only one?  Do you also have this “problem?”

Maybe we are in too big a hurry to “find absolutely everything.”  It’s sure fun to find things.  All that finding does us absolutely NO GOOD if we don’t process what we locate.

There is currently a project begun by Thomas MacEntee called the “Genealogy Do Over.  Many people are participating and finding it very useful. 

I think what I’m going to do, right here and now, is to begin a type of “Do Over.”

HERE IS MY PLAN:

1.  If I get an email or other contact from a cousin, new or otherwise, I will respond to them, but tell them I will get back to them.  Then make a reminder in Evernote to do so.

2.  I’m going to finish adding & sourcing the rest of those 33 death certificates I found.  In doing so I will stay focused and make notes (in Evernote) of items I want to go back & find out more about.  The goal is to enter and source the death certificates, first & foremost.

3.  I will go through the plastic tub I have that has neatly organized surname folders where I have filed miscellaneous papers I’ve intended to go back to.  I no longer file in paper files, but these are from several years ago.

4.  I will go through every digital file I have from all the library research I have done and process that information.  When I was at the FHL I took over 500 digital photos from books and microfilm.  They are organized by state & county, but I’ve never gone through all of them.

5.  Only conduct research that is directly from these items.    
I think that this process will not only make me feel more organized and productive, but I suspect it will lead to many finds.
 

CAN THIS PROCESS CAUSE ME TO GET HORRIBLY SIDETRACKED…OH MY YES!
BUT, I'M HOPING IT WON'T
  

How many of you have done something similar to this?
How many of you are participating in the Genealogy Do Over?  If so, has it helped?
Do you have other suggestions that we, as genealogists, can follow in order to avoid this sort of situation?

There is a wonderful group on Facebook called The Organized Genealogist.  With over 20,000 members there are lots of ideas presented about how to get and stay organized.

Wish me luck.  I sure hope that I’m successful and can get a lot of this work done.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST
DIGITAL FOLDER ORGANIZING & NAMING MADE EASY
EVERNOTE - A VERY USEFUL AND FREE TOOL TO HELP YOU ORGANIZE GENEALOGY AND EVERYTHING ELSE

Happy hunting & organizing,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

CIVIL WAR DEAD - ON THIS, THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR–I honor those in our family who died during this conflict

There is so much being written right now about the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.  I'd like to honor those in our family who paid the ultimate sacrifice during this war.  I’m sure there are others in our family who also died during the conflict whom I just haven’t located or documented.

Here is our list:
FRAMPTON, Hiram – age 30 - died Jul 1864  - Prisoner of War
GILLEN, John – age 21 - died 31 Dec 1862  - Killed in action at Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
HUMPHRIES, Richard F. – age 20 - Killed in action, probably in Spotsylvania, Virginia 1864
LUNSFORD, Pleasant –  age 22 - Killed in action at the Battle of Guyandotte 10 Nov 1861
McKNIGHT, Anthony – age 26 - Died of Typhoid Fever during his service on 2 Jul 1862

HEADSTONES

HIRAM FRAMPTON

JOHN GILLEN

RICHARD HUMPHREYS

There were many of our family members who served during the Civil War and survived.  Some became sick during their service and died of their illnesses sometime after the war.

This was a terrible conflict that took 620,000 lives.  I know that most, if not all, of us have family who were affected by this war.
 
Please share your stories with me either on your own blog or a comment on this post.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

Widow's Pension Files - Civil War Service
CIVIL WAR - How our country dealt with the aftermath
MYSTERY MONDAY - Where is the wreck of this Civil War era paddle steamer?

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

MYSTERY MONDAY - Who's Your Daddy? Brick Walls Post #3–Rev. Isaac C. Hunter 1798-1842

This is the third post in my series about brick walls in our family. You can find the other posts here:

Mystery Monday-Who's Your Daddy-Post #1 - John C. Gould
Mystery Monday-Who's Your Daddy-Post #2-Robert Lee Bowden

Bio for Isaac C. Hunter
Rev. Isaac C. Hunter is my 3rd great grandfather on my mother’s side.  From all accounts he was born 30 Aug 1798 in Bellefonte, Mifflin, Pennsylvania.  By 1828 he had moved to Lawrence County, Ohio where he married Emily GILLEN on 11 Sept 1828.  They had 5 children: Susan, James, Martha, Isaac C. Jr. and John E.  Isaac was an itinerant preacher in the Ohio and Michigan territories.  He died 27 Jun 1842 in Gallipolis, Gallia, Ohio at age 43.

Finding any records in Pennsylvania in those early years is not easy.  I’ve not yet made a trip to Mifflin County.  However, I have been in contact with their historical society volunteers and they were not able to find anything about Isaac C. Hunter’s birth.
 
By the 1830 census we find Isaac C. Hunter living in Burlington, Lawrence, Ohio with his family.  In the 1840 census he and his family are in Perry, Pickaway, Ohio.
Here are those census records:
(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

Rev. Isaac C. Hunter was a Methodist Episcopal Preacher.
Quite a lot has been written about the Rev. Isaac C. Hunter and his ministry.  He seems to have been quite well respected.

A history of his ministry:

·        Age 20 -  7 Aug 1819 – Admitted to trial to Methodist Episcopal ministry at the annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Appointed to the Beaver circuit.

·        Age 22-23 – about 1921 – Became a Deacon in the church

·        Age 23-24 – about 1823 – Became an Elder in the church

·        Age 24-43 – Was an itinerant preacher throughout the Ohio & Michigan territory

Here are some of the many documents I have regarding Rev. Isaac C. Hunter and his ministry. 

THESE FOUR PAGES ARE ARTICLES FROM THE IRONTON REGISTER IN OHIO

Methodism in Gallipolis

Obituary from Methodist Episcopal Conference 1843

THESE NEXT FIVE PAGES ARE THE OBITUARY WRITTEN BY A FELLOW PREACHER

ARTICLE ABOUT REV. ISAAC C. HUNTER IN THE WESTERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE - 1843

As you can see, I have quite a few publications and articles about my 3^rd great grandfather, his ministry and his death.

Sadly, none of them mention his parents.

Here is the family group record in my Legacy database.

 Some SURNAMES ASSOCIATED WITH Rev. Isaac C. Hunter

Boggs, Bridwell, Frampton, Gillen, Lunsford, Pope, Stover, Trail

 

It is difficult to locate records from the late 1700’s and early 1800’s in Pennsylvania.  Actually, it’s difficult in most states during that time period.  Church records can be a great help.  In this case, you'd think there would be a church record.  I have not exhausted all sources at this time and hope to continue this search at the FHL in June.

I have tried the following research methods to locate any possible records:

• Searched land records and located one at the BLM land site for Isaac Connely Hunter in Ohio.  Certainly could be our Isaac C. Hunter, but I cannot prove it.
• Searched the 1790 & 1800 census records for any Hunters in Mifflin or surrounding counties.  Located a couple of “possibles” but, again, have yet to find proof.
• Googled “Isaac C. Hunter” and found several book references, but none mention his parents.
• Posted message to online forums in Pennsylvania and Ohio on Genealogy.com
• Searched the Mifflin County Historical Society webpage and located a few Hunter men, but have not connected them.
• Looked through images of Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 for Gallia, Journals & Wills 1831-1844 and 1841-1849 and found no Hunters.

What would you do next?
What have I missed, short of traveling to Mifflin County?

I welcome any and all suggestions from my very knowledgeable readers.

If you think you might be related, even remotely, to anyone mentioned in this blog, please contact me!

OTHER POSTS THAT YOU MAY FIND INTERESTING
SIBLING SATURDAY - The Hunter Sisters
DEATH CERTIFICATE OF Joseph Jackson Hunter - age 25

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

HIDDEN GEMS IN NEWSPAPERS - I HIT THE JACKPOT ON THIS WEBSITE

 

 OLD FULTON NY POSTCARDS  This is a website I heard about via a Facebook group I belong to called New York Genealogy.  The first thing I thought was “well, I don’t have any ancestors from Fulton County, so why would this site be helpful to me?”  But…I kept reading about people finding all sorts of records from other counties in New York.  This website contains thousands of newspapers from New York and other areas and many other records.

 

As most of us are well aware, New York is one of the black holes for genealogy.  At least in some counties.  We will take all the help we can get in finding records.

I’ve tried using this site on a couple of occasions, but had no luck in finding any records.  Today I decided to give it another try.  I can usually figure things out when it comes to websites and this one should be no different.  However frustrating my previous attempts may have been.

Here is what the home page looks like.

Over on the left hand side you see the search screen.  It doesn’t seem complicated, so why didn’t I have any luck on my previous tries?

 

NOTE:  I think there are times when we are researching that we don’t necessarily have the time or patience to learn something new.  At least I have found this to be true with me.  Then I go back another time and everything works just fine.

So what is the secret to getting results here?  There are several option in the drop down menu below the search box.  They are: boolean, all of the words, any of the words and exact phrase.

Then there are the other choices: Fuzzy searching, Phonic searching etc.  You can see them in the screenshot above.

I decided to use “boolean” and “fuzzy.”

I entered my 3rd great grandfather’s name, Monson Thorp and was rewarded with 13 documents to look at.  WOW!  Monson lived in Skaneateles, New York.  (remember this site is called Old Fulton NY Post Cards)

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

My hopes were high since I see Skaneateles mentioned in the first 3 hits.  And,  it’s not like Monson is a common name. The dates mentioned in most of the 13 hits was also within the correct time to be my Monson.

I was rewarded in spades.  Eleven of the thirteen articles were about my Monson.  Everything from him being listed as to an Overseer of Highways in 1841 to being a member of the Horse Thief Society in 1854 to the settlement of his accounts after his death.

1841 - MONSON THORP - OVERSEER OF HIGHWAYS

1854 - MONSON THORP NAMED TO HORSE THIEF SOCIETY

I saved every article in PDF format and then converted them to JPG as that’s my preferred method for adding them to my Legacy database.  I made sure I labeled them all with my standard labeling practices so I could easily find each separate article.

I went on to search other members of my THORP family and was handsomely rewarded with marriage dates and death and burial dates in various articles.

IS THERE ANYTHING MORE THAT WE CAN ASK AS GENEALOGISTS?

The TWO BIGGEST FINDS in this group were ……

A small little piece in the paper about Monson Thorp visiting his son Stephen Thorp who was wounded at Gettysberg.  I previously knew that Stephen had served in the Civil War, but I did not know he was at Gettysberg. 

How many more records about Stephen will I be able to locate based on this tiny article?

SKANEATELES NY DEMOCRAT, 13 AUG 1863

An article about the Golden Wedding Anniversary of Monson & Lany Thorp.  This article contained exact places & dates that I did not previously have and mentioned Lany’s maiden name.   I believed her maiden name was Cooper, based on other documents, but it was sure nice to see it in this article.

 

MR. & MRS. MONSON THORP CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE - SKANEATELES FREE PRESS, 4 APR 1885

WHAT GENEALOGIST WOULDN’T BE DOING THE “HAPPY DANCE” AFTER FINDING ALL THESE GEMS?

I encourage you to keep exploring new sites as they become available AND, go back to the sites in which you previously had little or no luck.  You never know what you will find.

If you think you might be related, even remotely, to anyone mentioned in this blog, please contact me!

ANOTHER POST THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

A STATE CENSUS RECORD THAT LEADS TO A LOT MORE QUESTIONS - The Monson Thorp Family

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

THE CIVIL WAR–HOW OUR COUNTRY DEALT WITH THE AFTERMATH

This year on April 9th we will remember the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War.  The surrender took place at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

Last year I wrote a post about the Civil War Dead and how we got our national cemeteries.  If you’ve never thought about how our country took care of 620,000 dead soldiers, then this will help explain it.  Think of it.  All those fathers, sons, brothers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins and friends.
 

HOW DID OUR NATION COPE WITH ALL THE CARNAGE LEFT BY THIS WAR?

 

May is a month where we honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our rights and freedom.

I wanted to share the information about this documentary with you.  I just watched it this morning, as I had recorded it several days ago.  Here is a link to the site:
The American Experience - Death and the Civil War

This was such an interesting study of how we came to have National Cemeteries in America.  So many of our citizens died on our own soil during this epic struggle that there was chaos over what to do with all the bodies. 

• How do you identify the dead?  There were no dog tags on soldiers back then.
• Do you return them home?
• How do you notify the loved ones?
• What about all those men who cannot be identified?  Where do you bury them?
• Do you just have bodies buried where they lie with no identifier?
• If so, then you have bodies in fields, backyards, alongside roads etc.

These were just some of the questions raised during this long and bloody battle.

How many soldiers did we lose in the Civil War?

Here is a comparison chart I found online with numbers from all the wars since our country began.  None of these numbers are 100% exact as new casualties are always being discovered.  However, you’ll notice that there were approximately 620,000 deaths during the Civil War.  And, all the other wars combined total approximately 644,000.  So, almost as many during the one conflict as all the others combined.

(Click on any image to enlarge it)


Our first National cemeteries were established in 1862, as a direct result of the deaths during the Civil War.  Here is a link to a site that gives the dates of the establishment & first burial of all our National cemeteries.
Dept. of Veterans Affairs - National Cemetery Administration

Here is the first page from that website.


My husband has many family members who are buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery here in San Diego, California.  Among them are his Mom, Dad, Uncles, Aunt and Cousin.

Here are some photos, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

WE’VE GONE FROM THIS:
TO THIS:
AND FINALLY TO THIS:




Do you have family members buried in our National cemeteries?  I can’t imagine that there is anyone reading this who doesn’t.
 
Watching this documentary was very educational for me.  Thanks again to PBS for their wonderful programming.

And, no words can thank any of our military men and women and their families enough for their service and sacrifices.

OTHER POSTS THAT YOU MAY BE OF INTEREST 
Cemetery Records - What can they tell you?  How do you use them?

God Bless All Who Have Served and Sacrificed.

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TUESDAY’S TIP–The “Other” message box in Facebook

Had I not checked my “Other” message box in Facebook yesterday, I would have missed out on an INCREDIBLE cousin connection.  In fact, the message had been posted on March 29th and I didn’t find it until April 5th.
  
I have been guilty of not checking the “other” message box for as long as a year or two.  Why?  Because I simply forgot about it.  A reminder in one of the groups I belong to has had me checking it more often. 

This latest message was from a cousin on my Dad’s side of the family and in two days I have chatted with him and exchanged phone numbers and emails.  He has shared photos and newspaper articles with me, along with dates and a letter from another cousin dating back to 1938. 

I’ll tell you right here and now.  I will NEVER forget that “other” box again. 
 
You can find the “Other” messages by clicking on “Messages” in the left hand column of your home page.  Yours may be in a different location on your list.  I have moved my messages so they are right under News Feed. 

Click on the word “Messages” and that will bring up all your messages.  Up near the top, click on “Other.”  This is where messages go if you are not currently friends with someone. 

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

That’s it.  That’s all there is to it.  Maybe there won’t be any messages there for a day, a week, a month or longer.  But, you can bet I will be checking on a regular basis.

I wish you lots of cousin connections.

Here is another post I wrote about Facebook that may be of interest.
FACEBOOK - HOW IT CAN BE VERY USEFUL IN YOUR RESEARCH
HAPPY HUNTING,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION