52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Post #2–My 5th great grandparents, Obadiah Cooper (about 1750-?) & Lena Albrecht (about 1761-?)

I have next to nothing on this set of paternal 5th great grandparents.
  

Here’s how their family view looks in my Legacy database.  Pretty sparse, right?

They are mentioned in the book Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630-1800 by Prof. Jonathan Pearson, copyright 1872, page 34.

(Please click on any image to enlarge it)

Although I have placed a red heart next to the Cooper’s I have attached to my tree, I strongly suspect most or all of the Cooper’s living in the area at this time, are somehow connected.

What more can I learn about my 5th great grandparents, Obadiah and Lena, by spending time researching them today?

I’ve found this, from the American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Although, I’ve always placed little relevance to this source because I’ve never looked directly at the actual item reference, this can give us clues as we look further.

Name: Obadiah Cooper
Birth Date: 1752
Birthplace: New York
Volume: 34
Page Number: 195
Reference: Gen. Column of the " Boston Transcript". 1906-1941.( The greatest single source of material for gen. Data for the N.E. area and for the period 1600-1800. Completely indexed in the Index.): 19 Aug 1931, 820

One of the hints on Ancestry is the U.S., Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1801-1815, 1818-1872

Obadiah certainly would have been about the right age to have served during the Revolutionary War.  But, with so many Obadiah Coopers in the New York area, I cannot determine if this is actually him.
 
Another record is also a possible match, but I can’t confirm this one either. U.K. and U.S. Directories, 1680-1830, which is indexed as follows:

Name: Obadiah Cooper
Dates: 1801-1825
Location: Albany New York
Gender: Male
Address(es): 150, s. Pearl, Albany, New York
Source Date: 1814
Source Info: Listed in The Albany Directory ... June 1, 1814, 1814, FRY, Joseph. Albany; Printed by H.C. Southwick, and Packard & Van Benthuysen

Further research shows a reference to an Alphabetical Roster of the State Troops for New York in the Revolution.  You can see that there were 9 Obadiah Coopers listed.
 

I have been able to locate the marriage record for Obadiah & Lena in the U.S. Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989.  I’ve found this record set contains many of my family members and has given me great clues to go forward with.

After a couple of hours of poking around on Ancestry, I’m really no further ahead with this ancestor.  Let me go take a look on MyHeritage and Family Search.  As we know, FindAGrave records are included on the Ancestry website.  However, I will still do my own search on FindAGrave.

The searches on My Heritage, Family Search and FindAGrave did not turn up any further information for me.

What’s next?  I am going to add my Cooper family to my To Do list for my visit to the Family History Library in late February.  I will be attending the Rootstech conference.  But, my friend, Pam, and I will be staying extra days in order to spend time at the FHL.  This will be my 4th visit there and I always find new information.

I’ll update you as to what, if anything, I turn up for this family.

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO MY OTHER 52 ANCESTORS POSTS

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS- Week 13 ~ A fire at the Witchell shoe factory 16 Oct 1900 in Detroit–Horace Thorp, my 2nd great grandfather mentioned in an article

Honoring those who were killed and injured in this fire

Alonzo D. Ireson, age 63 – died

Ernest Lizzote, age 28 – died

Charles O’Connor, age 63 – injured

Joseph Pullare, age 21 – injured

Jennie McTaggart, age 16 – injured

Augustino Sufurto, age 28 – injured

Charles H. Dessottell, age 55 – injured

Daniel Cardinal, age 45 – injured

Mabel Straight, age 14 – injured

Minnie Corbett, age 22 – injured

Sometimes when we run our ancestor’s names on the newspaper websites we find surprises.  Whether it’s general articles about visiting family, a car being stolen or a court case, I’m always intrigued.

In this case I was trying to find out more about my 2nd great grandfather, Horace Henry Thorp (1836 in New York to 1907 in Washington), married to Catherine C. DORSEY and together they had 10 children.

I found this article mentioning him.  It said he worked next door to the Witchell shoe factory which caught on fire and injured several people and killed two.  I know from Detroit City Directory listings that Horace, indeed, did work at the laundry next door to the shoe factory.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

Detroit Free Press, 19 Oct 1900, pg 2

I went on to find a couple of more articles referring to the fire.  It’s very sad to think of those who lost their lives and those who were injured.
 

Detroit Free Press, 17 Oct 1900, pg 1 and 24 Oct 1900, pg 4

From the article published 24 Oct 1900, page 4, in the Detroit Free Press, we can read that there was an “open verdict” as to the cause of the fire.  What they had at that time was a probability and some evidence on how it may have begun. 
Was there further investigation?  If so, what was the conclusion or verdict? 
I located this article about one of the fire victims, Jennie McTaggert, who died of shock from another incident just 2 years after the fire.  Here is the article about her death.

Death of Jennie McTaggert - Detroit Free Press 2 Dec 1901, pg 5

It seems to me the families would have wanted to know more about how the fire started which injured and killed family members.  I have not located any other articles.  

If you know anything more about this incident, I’d love to hear from you.  If you are connected with anyone mentioned in this article, please contact me.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #11–This week’s theme is the number 12

The theme this week is the number 12.  This could be used many different ways.  The 12th person in your Ahnentafel list, number 12 in your RIN (Record Identification Number) in your genealogy program, the 12th month or 12th day. By the way, Ahnentafel is a German word for “ancestor table.”

At first I thought I would write about the ancestor who has number 12 in my Legacy program.  These numbers are randomly assigned.  But, that number belongs to my sister-in-law, Melinda.  While I’d love to write a story about her, because she is one of my favorite people, I won’t because of all the people associated with her, who are, thankfully, still living.  Here is a post I wrote last year, about Melinda's 2nd great grandfather William Davies. SUNDAY’S OBITUARY ~ William Davies, born in Scotland in 1825–died in Washington, D.C. in 1904
 
I’ll refocus and use my Legacy program to tell me which ancestors have a birthdates, marriage dates or death dates in December.  To do this use Search>Detailed search and enter your criteria as shown below, then click on “create list.”

My results were:
228 people born in December
216 people married in December
210 people died in December

Exercises like these can be a fun way to take a break from your research.  Most genealogy programs will allow you to do searches like this one and so many more things.  We are all lucky to be doing our research at a time when we have such robust software to assist us.

To read my other tips on using Legacy click on this link Legacy Tips

HERE ARE OTHER BLOG POSTS I’VE WRITTEN ABOUT SEARCHES

How to Conduct a Location Specific Search on Family Search

Michigan Death Records Online - Where Can You Find Them?

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #10–This week’s theme is Large Family–Let’s look back at John & Mary Lunsford’s 16 children

I thought I would update one of my blogs from 2014, about my Lunsford family.  I enjoy researching this particular line for the very reason, that they had so many children.  Here’s a link to the original post, if you’d like to take a look Sibling Saturday – 16 Lunsford siblings

“These are the children of my 4th Great Grandparents John Lunsford and Mary “Polly” Hudson.  I descend from their daughter, Nancy.


I still don’t know everything about all the children.  Other than my 3rd great grandmother, Nancy, I probably know the most about her brother, Richard.  He was an interesting character and he also had 16 children.  I also have quite a bit of information about Elijah and Andrew."

What have I learned about this family in the ensuing almost 5 years since the original post?

1. Andrew Lunsford born about 1815 who, in 1835,  married Jane Gillilan – they had 8 known children.

2. William Lunsford (1816-1887) who married Nancy Massie in 1836 – they had 12 known children.  He is buried at Dayton National Cemetery and you can see his memorial here #67338739

3. Melvina Lunsford (about 1817-after 1850) who married Adam Christian in 1837 – I’ve actually learned nothing more about her.  This is due to not having done any more research on her.

4. Margaret Lunsford who married Henry Sowards – I have 6 children born to them. DNA has connected me with MANY Sowards cousins.  I have much more research to do on this line.

5. Nancy Delilah Lunsford – my 3rd great grandmother who married William Allen Boggs in 1939.  Together they had 5 known children.  Their daughter Susan Caroline Boggs is my direct line and I know a lot about her.  As to her 4 siblings, they have been very difficult to research.   I won’t give up though.

6. Richard Lunsford who married twice and fathered at least 16 children.  Kind of following in his father’s footsteps.  First he married Nancy Peyton (they had 9 children together). Then he married Martha Ann Morrison with whom he fathered another 7 children.  This is an interesting family and I need to spend more time with them.

7.  Susannah “Susan” Lunsford who married Dr. Benjamin F. Cory.  They had 2 children.  I still haven’t located Dr. Cory’s burial place.  I know that Susan is buried at Banana Lake Cemetery in Florida.  You can visit her memorial here #129782350.  But where was Dr. Cory layed to rest?  There are several Benjamin Cory’s and even another one who was a doctor.

8. Reuben Lunsford born about 1825 and married a woman named Betsy – that’s all I have on this couple.

9. Levine Lunsford born about 1827.  He may have been a twin to his sister Elizabeth, but more work needs to be done on this couple.

10. Elizabeth Lunsford who married James Goff in about 1848-1849.  They had 7 children and Elizabeth died in 1875 at age 47, leaving behind at least 4 underage children.  James remarried within 7 months.

11. Martha Lunsford born 24 Jul 1829 in Mason Township, Warren, Ohio.  Martha may have married a cousin or distant relative named Silas Lunsford.  I know she had a son named Reuben (a recurring name in the Lunsford family).  On Reuben’s death certificate his father is named as Silas Lunsford.  However, I cannot locate any record of a marriage (did they perhaps not marry?) nor can I locate Martha living with Silas in any census records.
 
12. Amanda “Mandy” Lunsford who married Jacob Pinkerman 8 Nov 1855 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  I have 5 children born to this couple.  I also have them in several census records and have located her death certificate and their burial location.  You may visit their memorials here Jacob #78396285 and Amanda #92404372.

13. Andrew Jackson Lunsford who married Martha E. Vermillion 24 Jan 1856 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  This couple had 9 children and I’ve been able to locate quite a bit of information about them.  Andrew outlived Martha by 32 years, but I don’t find any record of him remarrying.  They are both buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Pike Co., Ohio.

14. Sally Sarah Lunsford who married Logan Vermillion 13 Mar 1856 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  She and her brother Andrew married the Vermillion siblings.  In looking at my research notes, I have not done any further research on this couple since 2009.  Ten years!

15. Elijah Lunsford who married Marguerite Morris on 14 Mar 1861 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  I have 10 children born to this couple.  Elijah died of consumption in 1886 at age 48 and Marguerite lived 41years without him.  She was 84 when she passed away in 1927.  They are buried together at Perkins Ridge Cemetery, Scottown, Lawrence, Ohio.  To visit their memorials click here Elijah #84248074 and Marguerite #84248174.

16. Private Thomas J. Lunsford, the youngest of this large family.  I have no record of Thomas ever marrying. He is enumerated with his mother and a couple of siblings in the 1860 census.  There are 2 Thomas Lunsford’s both died in 1865 and are listed in the database Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1861-1904, located on Ancestry.  In reading through the soldier records on Fold3, I believe my Thomas Lunsford died in 1865 from wounds received in a battle at Harper’s Ferry.  The records even list the name of the man who fatally wounded Thomas.  Since Thomas left no known heirs and his mother lived until 1871, I looked for a Civil War Pension Index card, indicating she had filed for a pension in Thomas’ name.  I have not found one.

That’s the end of the list of children born to my 4th great grandparents.  Whew!  Quite a brood.  There was consistently 2 years or less between each of these births.  Were there any other children born who didn’t live?  I don’t know.  But, I’d say, if you have 16 children and most or all of them lived into adulthood back in the early 1800’s, you were very blessed.  They must have been a hardy bunch.

Obviously I have more research to do on this family.  If I can ever get myself to focus on one family for a few days at a time, I might actually find out the rest of the story on these children.
 
If you are related to anyone mentioned here or the children of those mentioned here, let’s talk.  We must be cousins and maybe we can work together and solve some of the remaining mysteries.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #9–Bachelor Uncle, Ford V. Gould (1884-1947) Detroit, Michigan

This week’s subject for 52 Ancestors is “Bachelor Uncle.”  Since my only Uncle, Robert Milne married twice, I couldn’t write about him.  However, my Dad had 2 uncles, Roy and Ford Gould.  So I’ll write about my bachelor great-uncle, Ford V. Gould.

My Dad was an only child.  He was also the only grandchild of his paternal grandparents, William Val Gould and Mae Thorp Gould.
While I was growing up my Dad loved to talk about his uncles & aunts.  I knew all their names; Ford, Roy, Harry (my Dad’s father), Gladys, May “Adele” and Helen.  Wishing to this day I’d written down every word or recorded the stories.  Happily I do have family photos.

This is a photo of my great grandparents, William & Mae Gould & all 6 of their children along with my grandmother, Marie Lindsay Gould and my Dad, Harry Norman Gould

Of those 6 children, 2 never married (Ford & Helen).  Let’s talk about bachelor Ford.

Ford was the oldest of the six children.  He was born 31 Aug 1884 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan¹.  That birth date is listed on his birth record and his death certificate.  However, his WWI and WWII draft registrations give a birth date of 30 Aug 1883.  From all records I have located for him, Ford always lived in Detroit and it seems, he stayed in the same home as his parents until his death at age 62. 

Let’s look at a timeline for granduncle Ford:

1900 - The first census I find Ford enumerated in, is the 1900 (still wishing we had that 1890 lost census).  He was living with his parents and siblings and going to school.  The family was living at 1034 13th St. in Detroit.  The census tells us that Ford’s father, William owned this home.
1901 – Detroit City Directory² – Helper – living at 899 16th St.
1903- 1907  – Detroit City Directory – Machinist – living at 905 16th St. 
1910 - By the time of the 1910 census, Ford was 26 years old, single and working as a Teamster for a steel construction company.  He was still living in the same home as his parents and four siblings.  They were living at 828 14th Ave. in Detroit. 
1911-1919 – Shown in the Detroit city directory as boarding at 125 Linwood.  This directory gives his occupation as a Machinist.  Living at this same address are his father, William. Off and on at the same address you find Ford’s brother, Harry and his sisters Gladys & Adele.
1918 – Ford registers for the draft for World War I – he lists his address as 125 Linwood, his occupation as a Machinist and his next of kin as his father, William.
1920 – Enumerated as a Machinist at an adding machine factory, living at 818 Hudson Ave., along with his father and mother.
In 1924 Ford’s father, William dies at age 64 of peritonitis due to a ruptured bladder.  This left his mother, Mae a widow and Ford continued to live with her until her death in Nov 1946.  Ford died 7 months later, 17 Jun 1947 of hypertensive heart disease.
1942 – Ford registers for the draft for World War II – he is living at 5639 Linwood and his mother, Mrs. Mary Gould, is listed as his contact info.  He is working at Cyclops Steel Co in Detroit.  His physical characteristics are given as 5’1”, blue eyes, gray/bald hair, ruddy complexion and 148 pounds.  This coincides with the less descriptive physical characteristics from the WW I draft.

Ford spent his life working mostly as a Machinist and at one time a Teamster.  Here are the definitions I've located online for those two professions.

A machinist is a person who machines using hand tools and machine tools to create or modify a part that is made of metal, plastics, or wood.  Courtesy of wikipedia

A teamster, in modern American English, is a truck driver, or a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a labor union in the United States and Canada. ... Originally, the term "teamster" referred to a person who drove a team of draft animals, usually a wagon drawn by oxen, horses, or mules. Courtesy of wikipedia

I cannot speculate as to why my granduncle Ford never married. I don’t have any details of his personal life.  Wouldn’t we love to go back & ask our ancestors what their interests were, did they have any hobbies, did they travel and if so, where to and so many other questions? I hope granduncle Ford lived a happy life.

The following cut out of a picture of Ford was located among the family photos left to me by my father.  The back of the picture says “Mr. Ford Gould year of 1915 December 25th.”  I do not recognize the writing as that of either my Dad or my grandmother. 

Ford’s obituary was published in the Detroit Free Press³ on 19 Jun 1947, page 24 and reads as follows:

GOULD-June 17, Fred [Ford] Val, beloved son of the late William Val and Mary Eve; brother of Harry, Roy, Mrs. Gladys Smith, Mrs. Adele Sine and the late Helen.  Funeral from Harvey A. Neely Funeral Home, 5683 Maybury Grand, Friday at 10 a.m.
[His first name is mispelled in this obituary and should be Ford]

Ford is buried at Grand Lawn Cemetery in Detroit.  I have been there several times.  His memorial can be found here #61960668.

Sources: 1. Michigan, Births and Christenings Index, 1867-1911(Ancestry.com) 2. U.S. City Directories 3. Detroit Free Press on newspapers.com

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

FAMILY SEARCH - Going Back & Getting Those Other Pages - this involved Ford's birth record & others



ANCESTORS IN THE NEWS - Ford Gould car was stolen

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #8–Family Photo - What can those photos tell you?

It’s difficult to find anything I like more than family photos.  They are a source of joy and reflection for me.

• What was going on when the photo was taken?
• Is everyone in the photo identified?
• Where was the photo taken?
• What year was the photo taken?
• Do others in the family have similar photos from the same event?

1. What do you like about family photos? 
2. Do you have a lot of them or just a few? 
3. Have you connected with cousins who have shared family pictures with you?
4. Who are the ancestors you’d like to have a picture of, but don’t?

Since I’m asking questions, here are my own answers:

1.  Most of all I like being able to look at the faces of my ancestors.  I like being able to see my ancestors at different stages of their life.  I like being able to see them interact with others, whether family or friends.  I enjoy looking at the place where the photo was taken – do I recognize anything in the photo?
2.  I would say that I have a quite a few family photos.  I was pretty curious when I was in my teens and twenties (a long time ago), and I asked to see family photos.  I also asked my Mom and Dad to write on the back of the photos to identify the people. They did do that for a few of them.

Here are screenshots from the "pictures" folder for some of my ancestors. Click on the screenshots to enlarge them.

My husband's Fink line

My maternal Milne line

 

 

 

My paternal Gould line

3.  I have absolutely been able to connect with cousins who have family photos, and it’s been wonderful.  One cousin even had a portrait photo of the same sitting for my great grandmother and her 5 sisters, only in a different seating order than the one I have. Florence Hunter is my great grandmother.

4.  Who would I like to have a picture of?  I suppose our list is endless, but my top choices would be:  John C. Gould, my 2nd great grandfather (1833-1919?); Sarah M. Hart, my 2nd great grandmother (1835-1911); Robert L. Bowden, my great grandfather (1863-1906); Edna Mabel Bowden, my grandaunt (1890-1932).

Where are good places to find photos of your ancestors?

• From family members or even family friends
• Online on other people’s trees (keep copyright in mind if you plan to use them)
• On FindAGrave attached to a memorial (ditto on the copyright issues)
• In books or written histories about your family or the place they lived
• In newspapers

Can you think of other good places to find family photos?

I would love to read your blog about family photos or have you share your thoughts in a comment on this post.
 
OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

ANCESTOR WALL OF PHOTOS - It's finished, here's how I did it

SEPIA SATURDAY - Great grandparents pictures - How many do you have?


Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2019 Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks ~ Week #7–The theme is Love–How many wedding pictures do I have from immediate family?

Love is in the air this week, as Valentine’s Day approaches.  This got me wondering how many wedding pictures I have from immediate family?

I know I have many wedding records, but very few photos.  What did I find?

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE ♥

Ronald Gordon Hall & Diane Patricia Gould – 12 May 1990

My brother H. Norman Gould & Melinda Frances Davies – 20 Jun 1987

My brother John Whitney Zimmerman & Judith Ann Meyers – 26 Jun 1965

My paternal grandparents – Harry Whipple Gould & Marie Wallace Lindsay – 6 Jun 1912

My maternal Aunt – Joan Esther Milne who married Raymond Gleason Morrison – 10 Dec 1938

My 1st cousin – Richard Milne Morrison & wife Mary Ellen Lamoureux – 1979

My husband’s maternal Aunt – Delphine “Honey” Irene Fink & Marion Nelson Long – 11 Jun 1944

My husband’s 1st cousin – Tamara Gail Long & Daniel P. Cocco – 11 Jul 1970

My husband’s 1st cousin – Robert Dale Long & Susan Kathryn Becker – 23 Feb 1978

My niece – Sondra Ann Zimmerman & Kevin Wayne Schmidt – 14 Nov 1987

My nephew Shaun Whitney Zimmerman & Kerianne Thompson – 11 Apr 1995

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

WEDDING WEDNESDAY - Marriages in Scotland - How many have I located and where did I find them?

WEDDING WEDNESDAY & VALENTINE'S DAY - How many of my ancestors or family members where married on Feb. 14th?

Happy hunting
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS–WEEK #6–Am I related to Ida Elvira Smith Rattray? (1865-1942)

Ida Elvira Smith was born on 16 May 1865 in Almont, Lapeer, Michigan to parents Herkimer SMITH and Mary A. GOULD.  She had one known sibling, an older sister named Eva Smith (1860-1928) who married George B. BERK.

Ida married James Ferguson RATTRAY on 30 Sep 1886 in Almont, Lapeer, Michigan.  According to the 1900 census, Ida was the mother of 2 children, one of whom was still living.  I know the son who lived was named James Harvey Rattray.  I have not located a marriage record for James.  At the time of Ida’s death 31 Jul 1942, according to her obituary, she was widowed and living with her son.

Ida, her husband and their son are all buried in West Berlin Cemetery, Allenton, St. Clair, Michigan.  Their memorials can be found here, James #36750937 and Ida #36750936, son James #36750938.

Ida’s husband, James worked as a Farmer and they lived in Michigan their entire lives, according to the research I've conducted.

RATTRAY is not a common surname.  Certainly not like a Smith or Williams or many others.  I have had a couple of DNA matches that have the surname Rattray in their trees.  I’m still trying to figure out our most recent common ancestor and how we are related.
 
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING OUT?

Because Ida Elvira Smith who married James Ferguson descends from one of the GOULD lines I’ve had on my radar for about 15 years.  Unfortunately, with Ida & James having only one son, and there being no known descendants of that son, I am going to turn my attention to Ida’s sister Eva Smith.  She and her husband George R. Berk had 8 children, six of them sons.
 
I’m hoping to either confirm or disprove any connection with this GOULD line by researching this family.

In the meantime, if any of you reading this, are connected to this line of Smith or Rattray’s or Gould’s, you know I’d love to hear from you.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS–Week #5–In the Library - Some tips from my own trips

An isle of books at the Family History Library - like a genealogy gold mine

When I think of libraries, I think of books.  And when I think of books, I smile.  I have always loved reading, studying & learning.  Much of that is done with the aid of books.  Especially back when I was young and growing up.
 
But, libraries these days are hubs of activities and technology, as well as books.

Let’s talk about the two BIG libraries in the world of genealogy.  The Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City and the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  I’ve been to the FHL three times and each trip was wonderful.  I learned a lot and spent most of my days there on the third floor where it’s wall to wall books.  I have never had the pleasure of going to the Allen County library, but it’s on my list.

How important are libraries to our genealogical research?  VERY IMPORTANT!

Not all, or even close to all of our research can be done online.  WHAT?  Yes, it’s true.  Many millions of records and the information we seek about our ancestors is still only available with boots on the ground research.

I’ve taken several genealogy road trips.  What could be more fun?  Each time I go I visit a library or two.  I also go to historical societies, but that’s for another blog post.

Let’s review where I’ve gone and what libraries I’ve visited:

• Beginning here at home I often visit the Carlsbad Library or the
• San Diego Public Library downtown, which holds all the genealogical books and materials from the San Diego Genealogical Society
• Macomb County, Michigan – Mt. Clemens Library
• Richmond, Virginia – The Richmond Public Library
• Cabell County, West Virginia – the Marshall Library
• Lawrence County, Ohio – The Briggs Library
• Los Angeles – The Los Angeles Public Library

When you visit a library, always try to have a plan. 

• What are you looking for?
• Who do you need information on?
• What does this library offer?  Search their card catalog before you go
• Take your laptop, tablet, smart phone and camera
• Clothes pins to hold books open

I prefer to take photos of books with my camera. It’s actually quicker for me and more reliable, less chances of blurring than with my iPad or iPhone.  I have a Canon Sure Shot and it has served me well.

Here’s a screen shot of some of the items from a trip to the FHL in June 2015. Remember to always FIRST photograph the title page and/or the copyright page if they are on two different pages. Then you will know exactly which book your images came from.

This is what your images will look like.  I transfer them to my computer from my camera card, each day.  After they are transferred I crop and straighten or enhance them as needed.

Take advantage of the local histories that may be on file at the libraries. Also check for city directories for that location.  Use the microfilm readers to view items that may not be available online.  Especially local newspapers.
 
Ask questions of staff, as they can be a wealth of information.
Have fun and enjoy.  I can literally get lost in libraries for hours on end.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

BOOKS - Why We Still Need Them - Which Ones Are in Your Library?

MY BIGGEST LIBRARY FIND EVER - The real name of my husband's great grandfather!

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #4–Who Would I Like to Talk to?

Isn’t that a question we often ask ourselves?  If only we could talk to _______fill in the blank.  Maybe we could get answers to our family mysteries or just a better background on who, what, when and where.

Since the theme for this week doesn’t say we have to pick just one person, I am going to name a few of my beloved ancestors and why I’d like to (need to) speak to them.  If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you will recognize these names. I apologize for bringing them up again.  However, we all know that it only takes one person/reader to say “hey, I know the answer to that question!”  It’s what we all hope for.

William "Val" Gould - my great grandfather, son of John C. Gould

FIRST AND DEFINITELY AT THE TOP OF MY LIST – My paternal great grandfather, William V. Gould (born Vivaldo William Gould) (1859-1924).  I know, from many sources, who is father & mother were.  HOWEVER, I am completely stuck as to who his paternal grandparents were.  Who were the parents of John C. Gould?   What could William tell me about his own father?  Did he know who his paternal grandparents were?  Did he ever meet them?  What stories did his father tell about the family?  And lastly, why doesn’t there seem to be a single photo of his parents in family pictures?  They were alive until 1911 and probably 1919.  And, the next question would be – is the John Gould on the death certificate I’ve located, the correct person?  Is this William’s father?

I’ve written about this nearly two decade brick wall mystery and you can read it here MYSTERY MONDAY - WHO'S YOUR DADDY? John C. Gould 1833-1919?

THE NEXT ANCESTOR I NEED TO TALK TO – My maternal great grandfather, Robert Edward Lee Bowden, 1863-1906.  Who were his parents?  Did he have siblings?  I know absolutely nothing about his family.  

Interestingly, it was his daughter, Florence Bowden (my grandmother) who was the family historian/genealogist before me.  She kept meticulous records of family births, marriages and many deaths.  She drew a family tree by hand.  However, back in the 1970’s she wrote me a letter and in that letter is a response to a question I’d asked about her family.  Who were her father’s parents?  She could only say that she thought Robert Bowden’s mother was named Susan and that she died when my grandmother was 4 yrs. old, which would have been about 1892.  Since Robert and his wife divorced when my grandmother was about 11 yrs. old and he died when she was just 18 yrs. old, there may not have been a time when she could ask questions. Robert was a railroad brakeman and I expect he was often gone from the home.
  

 I’ve never found a picture of him and surely there must have been one taken at some point.

 
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but I’ve also written a blog post about this brick wall and you can read it here MYSTERY MONDAY - WHO'S YOUR DADDY? Robert L. Bowden 1863-1906

Catherine Dorsey - my 2nd great grandmother with her children Annie & Horace Jr.

NEXT ON MY LIST -  My paternal 2nd great grandmother, Catherine C. Dorsey about 1842 – 1898.  She, by all records I’ve obtained, was born in Dublin, Ireland about 1842.  Her death cert lists her parents as Jno and Mary.  She lies in an unmarked grave at Mt. Elliott Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.  

She was the wife of Horace Henry Thorp (1836-1907) and the mother of 10 children.  I have a picture of her.  I also have most of the information on 9 of her 10 children.  When did she arrive in the U.S.?  Was she really born in Dublin?  What were the full names of her parents and did she have any siblings?  How did she meet Horace?  
As you might guess, I’ve also written about her before and you can read it and see her picture here - MYSTERY MONDAY - WHO'S YOUR DADDY? Catherine Dorsey about 1842-1898

My Dad - Harry Norman Gould

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST – My own Dad, Harry Norman Gould 1912-1991.  He absolutely loved to tell family stories and talk about when he was growing up.  He was an only child, and the grandchild of William & Mae Gould (although they had 6 children, he was the only grandchild).  I did listen to his stories growing up and when I became an adult.  I did ask him questions and we sat down and I had him label family photos for me.  But, you know how it goes.  Until we begin doing actual family research we don’t know what questions we should have asked.  

I didn’t begin my genealogy journey until 12 years after he died.  Now I have a hundred questions that I would be willing to bet he could answer for me.  And, we would have such a good time, laughing and talking about his beloved Mema and Bepa (what he called William & Mae Gould), his grandparents.  If only…….if only. 

There are dozens more ancestors that I’d love to sit down with, but for now, I’d settle for all or one of the four I’ve mentioned here.

Who would you like to talk to?  And why?
  
If you find that you are related to anyone mentioned in this post or have information for me, please get in touch.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

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