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German immigration to Wisconsin began in 1839, when land was sold at $1.25 per acre for those willing to suffer the three month journey. After a 4,000-mile journey, these hearty souls had to journey another 900 miles inland to their destination near Lake Michigan. But why? In the 1830s, Germany was divided into multiple states such as Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria and Austria. Pomerania, which is now part of Poland was under German control which became a problem when they attempted to force all the churches to unite. Rathe than compromise their beliefs, a group of devoted Lutherans in Pomerania opted to head for the land of the free - America. In 1839, forty families from Pomerania, Northern Germany, arrived in Freistadt, now located in Mequon, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They suffered the journey specifically for religious freedom. The first building they constructed was a church, where sermons were preached in their native language until the mid-1900s. These images are from a 1976 documentary called Destination America, telling the story of these German (and some Irish) immigrants to Wisconsin. If you're interested in German immigrants to Wisconsin, watch the short film from Archive.org free: [Alternate Link] Click here for some Wisconsin genealogy resources. If you have any to share, please comment below! Click here for thousands of free genealogy resources.

I don't know when I became such a nerd, but instead of watching the latest popular series on cable television, in my free time I like to watch documentaries, mostly on the internet. One of my favorite channels on YouTube is Timeline - World History Documentaries, where I am always learning interesting facts about ancient civilizations and cultures. Watching them investigate ancient myths and legends is fascinating! In an episode I was watching recently, called "Is there a sunken civilisation in the black sea?", a comment the narrator made caught my attention. The clip starts at 42 minutes 35 seconds, transcribed here: Phoenicians were presumed to have come from the sons of Sidon who was the namesake for the ancient, now-submerged port city off the coast of Lebanon. In addition, the Thracians were also presumed to have come from Tyrus, a son of Japheth. Ancient historians even linked the Ashkenaya region of the Ukraine with Ashkenaz who was also a son of Japheth. The Cimmerians are linked with Gomer, another son of Japheth, known to the ancient Persians as Gomera this seems to represent further evidence that the roots of the ancient people around the old black sea are corroborated by the Biblical counts in Genesis. Japheth was one of Noah's three sons, who was spared during the Great Flood. You can read about it in Genesis 7. This is interesting to me is because my DNA shows I am 4.56% Ashkenazi and, until now, I wasn't sure exactly what that meant. My father's results show 4.3% Ashkenazi and my maternal grandfather's results show 4.63%, proving it is from both sides of my family. It doesn't show up on my Ancestry DNA test but after downloading my raw DNA from Ancestry and uploading it to Gedmatch, I was able to view much more detail about my ethnicity. According to Wikipedia: "Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or, by using the Hebrew plural suffix -im, Ashkenazim are a Jewish diaspora population who coalesced in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium. The traditional diaspora language of Ashkenazi Jews is Yiddish, developed after they had moved into northern Europe: beginning with Germany and France in the Middle Ages." Tip: You can view your admixture after uploading your raw DNA results to GedMatch. Click "Admixture (heritage)" and then select the "Eurogenes" project and click Continue. Enter your kit number and for Calculator Model, select "J Test" and click Continue again for your results. Noah's Ark Find thousands of free genealogy resources on my Genealogy Dashboard!

Draft registrations for World War I and World War II can be found online, providing personal details about the lives of our male ancestors and relatives. I have found several of my forefathers' draft registration forms for both World War I & II. One of my four great-grandfathers, John Reese, didn't fight in World War II, but he did register for the draft in 1940, as required by law. I was fortunate enough to know my great-grandfather, but for those who never knew him, this provides a small glimpse into his personal life. He was 29 years old in 1940 and although there is no indication of it on the form, he had a wife and two young sons at the time. The family was counted on the 1940 census in Groton, Tompkins County, New York. According to the information provided on his draft registration, he was 5' 2" and weighed 138 pounds. He had a light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was employed by Rowland Davis of Cortland, New York, who was also his "Friend". See more photos and memorabilia about John Reese and his family here. To find World War II draft registration cards, try a search on Ancestry. (Paid subscription required to view results). #johnreese #reese #wwii #draft

An old legend tells of a Saxon lord called Dud, who built a wooden castle in the 8th century, in the region now known as Dudley, West Midlands, England. Historians, however, date the castle to the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The general belief among historians is that a follower of William the Conqueror built the castle in 1070. His name was Ansculf de Picquigny, and his son, William Fitz-Ansculf is recorded as the owner of the estate in the Domesday Book of 1086. The castle was first made of wood until it came into the possession of the Paganel family, who replaced the wood structure with one of stone. It was strong enough to defend an attempted siege by King Stephen's forces in 1153, but in 1173, when Gervase Paganel was involved with a failed rebellion against King Henry II, the King ordered the castle to be demolished. The Somery family owned the property in the 13th and 14th centuries and built a new stone castle there. John Somery died in 1321 and the estate was passed to his sister Margaret, Mrs. John de Sutton. Members of this family often used Dudley as a surname and in 1532, John Sutton inherited the castle but lost it to his cousin, John Dudley, who became the 1st Duke of Northumberland in 1537. Dudley lived from 1504 to 1553 and was said to be the most powerful man in the country. He was an English General and Admiral who was Chief Minister to King Edward VI, the only son of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. Queen Jane, Edward's mother, died from complications during his birth, less than two weeks after he was born. Edward was crowned King at the age of nine years old, upon the death of his father, King Henry VIII, and because he was still a child, the realm was governed by a "Regency Council", consisting of his uncle, Edward Seymour, at first, and then by John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick, from 1551. When John Dudley took over, the administration was almost bankrupt. He ended the wars with France and Scotland, and made other changes which helped the country's economy begin to recover. He introduced countrywide policing to maintain order and prevent uprisings, assigning Lord Lieutenants for each region. Dudley was Protestant and enforced the English Reformation and placed like-minded Protestant reformers in high Church positions. England had formerly been under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, however when Pope Clement VII refused to accept Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, a devout Catholic, Henry declared the Church of England officially separated from the Roman Catholic Church, though the Church of England continued to follow teachings of the Catholic faith. Catherine and Henry's only child was Mary and she, therefore, was heir presumptive. Henry "oversaw the legal union of England Wales with the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542", himself descending from the Welsh Tudor Dynasty. Note: Catherine of Aragon was a daughter of the Catholic monarchs of Spain. She had been betrothed to Prince Arthur, Prince of Wales, from the time she was three years old, a plan intended to forge an alliance between the Spanish and English. They married when she was about 16, but tragically, Arthur died of a mysterious illness six months later. Her marriage to his younger brother, Henry, Duke of York, was arranged in order to renew the alliance. King Henry VIII was crowned in June of 1509. Their union produced only one child, a daughter, Mary, which displeased Henry. He lost interest in his wife and started a relationship with Anne Boleyn about 1526, and petitioned the Pope to annul his marriage with Queen Catherine. When the Pope refused, he declared the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. He married Anne Boleyn in 1533, and the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth, soon followed. Henry anxiously awaited the birth of a son to inherit the throne of the Tudor Dynasty, but after three miscarriages, Henry soon moved onto greener pastures with his third wife, Jane Seymour, with whom he finally produced a son, Edward. The year 1553 proved to be a history changing one for the Dudley's and all of England. John Dudley's son, Lord Guildford Dudley, was married to Lady Jane Grey, first cousin 1x removed from the King, Edward VI, son of King Henry VIII. She was also known as Lady Jane Dudley, or the Nine Days' Queen after she was nominated as successor to the crown in King Edward's will in June of 1553. John Dudley was beheaded that same year, after the Privy Council changed sides and decided Mary, daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, should be queen. Mary was devoted to the Roman Catholic Church and had over 280 religious dissenters burned at the stake, giving her the name "Bloody Mary". This, among other things, prompted the exodus of many English and Welsh to the New World. Here's a great video you might enjoy! (Not mine) Click here for information on my branch of the Dudley family. Click here for 20,000+ free genealogy resources. #harvey #dudley #francisdudley #legends #royalty #aristocrats

To live in the hearts we leave behind, is not to die. - Unknown #quotes #memories #memorials #death #grieving

A valuable resource for researching genealogy is "Your ancestors, a national magazine of genealogy and family history". This publication was put out between 1947 and 1960 and can be accessed freely using any of these links: Volume 1 - Volume 2 - Volume 3 Nov. 1947 - Dec. 1949 Volume 4 - Volume 5 - Volume 6 Jan. 1950 - Oct. 1952 Volume 7-10 - Jan. 1953 - Dec. 1956 Volumes 11-14 Spring 1957 - Sept. 1960 Search inside each volume for your family names. You might be surprised with some found missing pieces! Among the pages you'll find extensive genealogies of Roger Williams of Rhode Island, John Wilcox of Rhode Island, John Huntley of Lyme, Connecticut, the Finley family of Pennsylvania, the Thomas Sherwood of Fairfield, Connecticut, Ralph Farnham of Andover, Mass., the Philip Hatch family of Maine, and many others such as Alexander, Dibble, Beardsley, Johnston, Maxson, Hatch, Spoor, and more. #NewYork #American #ancestry #genealogy #genealogies #familyhistory #resources #searchonline

In the year 1086, King William I (William the Conqueror) ordered an inventory of England's lands to be taken. The purpose was to determine the amount of taxes owed from the reign of King Edward the Conqueror, the last of the Anglo-Saxon kings, conquered by William. The book was written in Medieval Latin and is difficult to read but has been translated for easier reading. You can now search the Domesday book online, free of charge at opendomesday.org. I would also suggest checking the name index in case there are spelling variations. You can also choose a place from the map, to see all the entries for the place. Click here for more free genealogy resources! Sources: Domesday Book images kindly made available by Professor J.J.N. Palmer. Images may be reused under a Creative Commons BY-SA license - please credit Professor J.J.N. Palmer and George Slater. The Domesday Book from Andrews, William: “Historic Byways and Highways of Old England” (1900) ISBN 9781406797541[1] #England #Domesday #WilliamtheConqueror #resources

The Pennsylvania State Archives has made thousands of family history records available online at Ancestry.com. Residents of Pennsylvania will be glad to know they have been granted free access to these files: Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012 Pennsylvania, Births, 1852-1854 Pennsylvania, Land Warrants and Applications, 1733-1952 Pennsylvania, Oyer and Terminer Court Papers, 1757-1787 Pennsylvania, Spanish War Compensation, 1898-1934 Pennsylvania, Naturalization Records from Supreme and District Courts, 1794-1908 Pennsylvania, War of 1812 Pensions, 1866-1879 Pennsylvania, Land Warrants, 1733-1987 Pennsylvania, Civil War Border Claims, 1868-1879 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1852-1854 Pennsylvania, Deaths, 1852-1854 Pennsylvania, Records of Marriages, 1885-1889 Pennsylvania, Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801 Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863 Pennsylvania, WPA Church Archives, 1937-1940 Pennsylvania, Veteran Compensation Application Files, WWII, 1950-1966 Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1964 Pennsylvania, Civil War Muster Rolls, 1860-1869 Pennsylvania, Birth Records, 1906-1910 Pennsylvania, WWI Veterans Service and Compensation Files, 1917-1919, 1934-1948 Pennsylvania, Prison, Reformatory, and Workhouse Records, 1829-1971 Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1845-1963 Here's how to access the collection free of charge: First, if you have an account with Ancestry.com, log in to your account. A paid subscription to Ancestry is not required but logging in first will make the next step easier. In another tab or window, click this link to enter Ancestry's site through the State Archives: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission In the page that opens, scroll to the bottom and enter your Pennsylvania zip code. After typing in the zip code, Do NOT press Enter on your keyboard. Simply click the link: "Go to Pennsylvania State Archives records at Ancestry.com". You will arrive at a search form, where you can enter the criteria of your search. If you aren't already logged into Ancestry.com, you will be prompted to create an account when you try to access a document. Once your logged in, you may browse or search the collection. Click here for more genealogy tips and resources! #Pennsylvania #vitalrecords #marriagerecords #landrecords #militaryrecords #pennsylvania #pennsylvaniaarchives

Mary "Polly" Brown was born November 12, 1838, reportedly in Genoa, Cayuga County, New York. Her name varied on records, sometimes being written Polly and at least once it was written Sarah, but she usually went by Mary. You can see the variations in my previous posts, where I shared the census records she was found on from 1855 to 1892, and from 1900 to 1915. Here in this embroidered "Family Record", hand made by Mary Polly Brown herself, she stitched her own name as "M . LEONARD . BORN . NOV. 12, 1838". (From Dryer Family Photos). Mary Polly Brown's father was said to have been Eugene Edwin Brown and her mother, Lydia King. (Documentation containing her parents' names was shared in my previous post). In this post I'll lay out the only clues I've found which may reveal Mary Polly Brown's whereabouts in 1850, when she was a young girl. If she was born Nov. 12, 1838, as recorded in the Family Record, she would have been 11 years old and would have turned 12 in November of 1850. Since she was reportedly born in Genoa and she also lived there at the age of 17 as a newlywed with Charles and a newborn baby, Joseph, she may have been in the same small town of 2,500 people when the census was taken in 1850. Sure enough, a search of the 1850 census does reveal a girl named Polly Brown living in Genoa, but her age was given as 12 and she was the only Brown in the home belonging to Peter and Lydia Shaver. The census in Genoa was taken on October 1st, a month before Mary Polly Brown's birthday, so if this was her, whoever gave the information to the census taker may have estimated her age, or perhaps she was really born in 1839, which is a possibility. It is interesting to note that on the 1900 census, "Nov 1839" was given as her birth month and year. Alternatively, this may not have been our Mary Polly Brown at all. Peter and Lydia Shaver (Shaffer/Shafer) report being born in Pennsylvania. They appear to have had two children in the home in 1850, Philip and Sally A. Shafer. By 1855, Sally was married to George Bower. Philip also married and had at least three children: William Shaffer, Edgar Shaffer, and Emma (Shaffer) Newman, all named in Phillip's will dated 1899. No will has been found for Peter or Lydia. Mary was not found in the Shaffer household in 1855, which supports the idea that this Polly Brown was our Mary Polly Brown because we know ours married Charles Russell Leonard about 1854 and when the census was taken in 1855, they had their own home in Genoa, as mentioned previously. Lydia Shaffer died on January 19, 1888 and is buried in Genoa Rural Cemetery (Findagrave). Whereas I had hoped this Lydia was Polly's mother, Lydia King, others claim this was Lydia Fetterman and so, for now, we'll have to assume the Shafers were not family and simply took Polly in, perhaps as a foster child, or perhaps as a servant, which wasn't uncommon for young people in those times. A copy of Lydia's death certificate should confirm her identity more definitively, however. (Certificate #2229 "Lydia Shaffer"). If you have a copy, please share! In my next post, I'll share what I've found in trying to locate Mary and her parents on the 1840 census. Stay tuned! Click here to learn more about Mary Polly Brown. Click here to learn more about the Leonard family. #marypollybrown #brown #leonard

Mary "Polly" Brown was my 3rd great-grandmother. She was born November 12, 1838, in Genoa, Cayuga County, New York. She married Charles Russell Leonard before 1854. Following are the census records Mary is found on between 1855 and 1900, during her marriage to Charles Russell Leonard. Despite combing many pages of census records, I have yet to find the couple on the 1850 or 1860 census. Stay tuned for more! Subscribe for updates! Click here to learn more about Mary "Polly" Brown. Click here to learn more about this branch of my family. #marypollybrown #brown #leonard #charlesrussellleonard

Mary Polly Brown married Charles Russell Leonard before 1854 and together they had at least 11 children. They were counted on the census together until 1880, which you can see in my previous blog. There you'll also find Mary's entry on the 1892 New York State census when she was living in Locke with two of her sons, Arthur and Irving Leonard. She and Charles had split up around 1888. Meanwhile, in February of 1892, Mariette Wilson, wife of Joseph Wilson, died at the age of 68. Eight years later, when the 1900 census was taken, Mary was still living in Locke, but she was reported as the wife of Joseph Wilson. We know this is our Mary for a few reasons. First, our family genealogies report she married Joseph Wilson, second, because she is buried in the same plot with Joseph Wilson, and finally, the most obvious reason - because her son, Irving Leonard was living in the home and his relationship to Joseph Wilson was "step-son". Joseph died on January 10, 1905 and later that year Mary was counted on the census, still in Locke, with only one other person in the home. It was her grandson, Victor Raymond, a son of Frank and Lydia (Leonard) Raymond. (Census shown above). Mary would go on to marry Peter Welch (or Walsh) on March 17, 1906, but the marriage would later be annulled when Mr. Welch discovered that Charles Leonard and Mary (or "Polly") had never been legally divorced. Click here for that story. Nevertheless, Mary kept Walsh's name until death. Her name was written "Polly Walsh" on the 1915 census, when she was still living in Locke, with a granddaughter, Bertha Leonard, in the home. She died two years later in 1917. Her name is written "Mary Walsh" on her death certificate, and "Mary Welch" in Bird Cemetery's burial records, although she is buried in the same section with Joseph Wilson. Read about the settling of her estate here. Click here to learn more about Mary Polly Brown. Click here to learn more about the Leonard family. #marypollybrown #leonard #brown

Finishing up my review of what we know about Mary "Polly" Brown, wife of Charles Russell Leonard, Joseph Wilson, and Peter Walsh, the following are the known facts about her death and burial. (The surrogate records for the distribution of her estate can be found here.) Mary's death certificate, shown here, indicates her father's name was "Eugene Brown". (My apologies for not recalling who to credit for this great find). The certificate also indicates she was born in Genoa, New York, on November 12, 1838, and she died on May 14, 1917, from "Paralysis Right Hemiplegia" or "Right Sided Hemiplegia", meaning she had paralysis on the right side of her body, with Chronic Nephritis as a contributing factor. Chronic Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys, a type of kidney disease. For information on repairing your DNA to help prevent disease, click here! A typed genealogy report found at Dryer Family Photos elaborates, stating that her father's name was Eugene Edwin Brown and her mother's name was Lydia King. Mary is buried in Bird Cemetery with her second husband, Joseph Wilson. Hopefully a photo of her grave will follow soon! Next, I'll try to find more on Eugene Edwin Brown and Lydia King. Stay tuned and subscribe for updates if you haven't already! If you have information about this family to share, please share in the comments below or contact me! Click here to learn more about Mary Polly Brown. Click here to learn more about the Leonard family. #marypollybrown #birdcemetery #leonard #brown

This week, it was snowing here in Pennsylvania - a great time to do some digging but not the cold, backbreaking kind - the genealogy kind! I decided to revisit a question that pops into my mind every now and then: Who was Mary Jane Gorton? The question led me to finding the will and surrogate records of my 3rd great-grandmother, Mary Polly (Brown) Leonard. If you follow my blog, you know that recently I found a wealth of clues about my McGinnis and Smith connections from surrogate records and reunion announcements published in the local newspapers. In the same way, the mystery of Mary Jane Gorton came about. While searching for clues on one of my favorite sites, FultonHistory.com, I found two notices which seem to provide a glimpse into the extended family of Charles & Mary Leonard. From the Geneva Daily Times, June 10, 1918: "Mrs. Lydia Raymond was called to Moravia and Auburn last week in the matter of a will of her aunt for which she is named executor". From the Moravia Republican Register, Feb. 1919: "The people of the State of New York, to Arthur Leonard, Joseph Leonard, Irving E. Leonard, Susan Canavan, Charles Leonard, Flora Sherman, Bert Pease, Helen Hamlin, Luella Townsend, James Leonard, Albert Leonard, Elma Wilkins, Ethel Bross, Cyrus Gorton: Upon the petition of Lydia J. Raymond of the town of Lodi, N.Y., you are hereby cited to show cause before the Surrogate's Court of Cayuga County at the Courthouse in the City of Auburn on the 15th day of April, 1919, at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon, why a decree should not be granted judicially settling her accounts as Executrix of etc. of Mary Jane Gorton, late of the town of Venice, N.Y., deceased..." Lydia J. Raymond was a daughter of Charles Russell Leonard and Mary "Polly" Brown, my 3rd great-grandparents. Lydia was born in 1874 and married in 1888 to Frank Raymond, born abt. 1865, a son of Fitch Hopkins Raymond. Because Mary Jane Gorton was called Lydia's "aunt", we can assume she was a sister of one of Lydia's parents - Charles Leonard or Mary "Polly" Brown, but it is also possible she was Lydia's husband's aunt - a sister of one of Frank Raymond's parents. As for Charles Leonard, we only know of him having one sister, Jenette (Leonard) Reynolds, although he could have had more. He did have several half-siblings from his mother's marriage to Thomas Knapp. I was able to locate Mary Jane's will and surrogate records on FamilySearch. In the papers, it clarifies that she was aunt to all of Charles Russell Leonard's children, eliminating my initial thought that Mary Jane could have been an aunt of Lydia's husband and not a sister of Charles or Mary. You can read, download, or print the pages from the surrogate records, shown here: Mary Jane Gorton died May 7, 1918 in Venice, New York. Cert #31644. News of her death was reported in the local paper as follows: "Mrs. Cyrus Gorton died suddenly Tuesday at her home in East Venice. Funeral services were held yesterday." (Moravia Republican Register, May 1918). This valuable clue from the New York Marriage Index indicates Mary Jane Gorton's maiden name was either Brown or Johnson and since she was Lydia Raymond's aunt, we know it could only have been Brown! It seems likely that she married a man named Johnson before marrying Cyrus Gorton at the age of about 53 in 1900. So Mary Polly Brown had a sister named Mary Jane Brown? Strange, but not impossible! It appears she was Mary Johnson at the time of her marriage, so I checked the 1892 census to see if I could find her. The following potential matches were found. I still haven't found the details of this Johnson marriage. If anyone has any information, please comment below or contact me. Cyrus and Mary were counted on the census of 1900 in Sullivan, Madison County, New York. In 1905, they lived in Locke, Cayuga County. In 1910, they lived in Venice and in 1915 they lived in Throop. Cyrus was a blacksmith, apparently moving frequently for work. Mary Jane Gorton is buried in Bird Cemetery in Locke, in the same section as Mary "Polly" Brown Leonard Wilson Walsh and her second husband, Joseph Wilson - Section PF-1. (These links to their corresponding Findagrave memorials). Her obituary and entry in Bird Cemetery's index are shown here: Six months after Mary Jane died, Cyrus married on November 16, 1918, to May E. Willson, also known as Marjorie Raymond, daughter of Ebenezer Raymond and Harriett Hartigan. Cyrus died on July 20, 1929, in Romulus, and is buried in Ovid Union Cemetery with Marjorie, who died on March 8, 1939. Cyrus Gorton was a descendant of Samuel Gorton, the subject of "Life and Times of Samuel Gorton", written by Adelos Gorton in 1907. His family is found on page 474 as follows: In May of 1892, Mrs. Wealthy Gorton died. According to her obituary, which corresponds with the Gorton book, she was born in Brookfield and married Daniel P. Gorton. They lived in Brookfield and in New York Mills. They had seven sons, including C. H. Gorton of Syracuse at the time of her death. She also had two brothers, Reuben Nash of Skaneateles Falls and Isaac Nash of Brookfield. (Utica Weekly Herald, May 31, 1892). Subscribe to my blog to follow my research! Stay tuned for updates coming soon! Click here to learn more about the Leonard branch of my family. #maryjanegorton #brown #leonard

After 21 years of doing genealogy, today I stumbled upon the will of my 3rd great grandmother, Mary Polly Brown! It is ironic that it is in her death records that we learn the most about her life. Receipts to her creditors tell us what she was buying from the local businesses, one of which was "Hewitt Brothers", a business still standing today, shown here on Google Maps. This was a view from 2009. Much of the building, including the silos and towers, have since been removed, but this is one of the places Mary shopped regularly. Receipts show her purchasing coal and potatoes from Hewitt Bros. in 1916 and 1917. Her bills at the local general store included lists of items she purchased on a regular basis: flour, sugar, oil, coffee, lard, beans, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, butter, soup, tea, milk, margarine, pork, cod fish, rice, vinegar, canned tomatoes and crackers. On page 20, we learn interesting details about Charles and Mary's son, Charles L. Leonard. Previously, I shared some clippings about his disappearance in 1888. He returned to his family before 1891, but from Mary's estate papers we learn that he left again afterwards. Because he was an heir named in Mary's will, attempts were made to locate him, without success. His son, Floyd, stated that the last he had heard of him, he was in Rochester and was going further west. The story sounds remarkably similar to that of Charles Russell Leonard's father, Russell Leonard, who left to buy land out west and never returned. You can read through all the pages of Mary's will here and download or print it, if you'd like. Stay tuned for more! Click here to learn more about this branch of my family. #marypollybrown #leonard #albertjayleonard

Mary Polly Brown married Charles Russell Leonard. They lived together over 30 years and had nine known children and eventually separated. She married 2nd to Peter Welch in March of 1906 when she was about 68 years old. According to the media, however, she was never divorced from Charles and in 1908, just a few weeks before Charles died, Peter Welch filed for an annulment, which required the testimony of Charles, in addition to that of John Sherman, a witness who claims to have attended the wedding of Charles and Mary, to validate the marriage of Charles and Mary. Peter was finally granted a divorce in November of 1910. A few questions remain: 1) Why in the marriage announcement is her name given as Mrs. Mary Wilson? 2) Why in her 1917 death announcement is her name given as Mary Walsh even though she and Walsh had been legally divorced since 1910? The burial register at Bird Cemetery also gives her name as Mary Walsh. 3) Why is it that in the 1906 marriage announcement claim Peter Walsh and Mary were married by Dr. Taft, but in the 1908 article it states they were married by Rev. Clapp and in the 1910 article it names Rev. Campbell? (See all three articles below). 4) Was John Sherman related to Cora Sherman (daughter-in-law of Charles & Mary by their son Lewis Leonard)? Any clues or information would be appreciated. Comment below! Click here to learn more about Mary Polly Brown. #brown #leonard #marypollybrown

I knew it wouldn't be easy tracing the ancestry of my 3rd great-grandmother, Catherine (Smith) McGinnis but I finally made some progress! After finding mention of Nicholas Smith attending the Smith-McGinnis family reunion in 1911, I went down a rabbit hole tracing what I thought was his family. So, starting back at square one: Who was Nicholas Smith? With little to go in, Instead of trying Findagrave, this time I tried the census. The 1911 news clipping stated that Nicholas Smith of Newark Valley attended. With that information, I headed to FamilySearch to see what I could find. Sure enough, I found him and right away, I'm more confident with the match because this Nicholas Smith was born in New York abt. 1856 but his parents were born in Ireland. Notice, also, the "Delany" family in the entry proceeding Nicholas' family on the census. There were Delaney's who attended the reunion, too. This looks like a match! Going back a decade, to the 1900 census, we find Nicholas and Margaret in Newark Valley. He reports having been married for 18 years (est. 1882). A daughter named Mary M. Smith, age 17, was living in the home along with a laborer, Michael Ahern, age 21. Nicholas' birth date is given as Dec. 1855. Looking back to the 1892 census (New York State Census), the only Smith living in Newark Valley who was born in Ireland was John Smith. He was born about 1823 and was 69 years old. Trying to locate him on the 1875 census in the same town found only one John E. Smith, born in Connecticut. A dead end. Next, I decided to see if I could find Mary Delaney of Binghamton, who also attended a Smith-McGinnis reunion. I was surprised to find her easily on Findagrave and was even more surprised that she is buried at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Whitney Point, New York - the burial place of William & Catherine (Smith) McGinnis, where I visited this past summer and made a pretty thorough video tour of the entire cemetery. Findagrave offers a useful feature, allowing you to "See more Smith memorials in: Saint Patrick's Cemetery". Clicking on that gave me an even bigger surprise. Scrolling through the results I saw Nicholas Smith among the names. He was born in 1855 in Glen Aubrey, Broome County, New York. On the 1870 Census for Broome County, New York, I found what appears to be Nicholas' home in Nanticoke. We can see where Thomas Smith's property was in 1876 on this map from Historic Map Works. You can view or buy a copy of the full map from them through their site. Another look at St. Patrick's Cemetery shows that Thomas and his wife, Bridget were also buried there! The stone is somewhat confusing, but it contains two couples names on it. Thomas Smith (1827-1915) and his wife, Bridget Heffernon (1833-1915). William James Ryan (1858-1926) and his wife, Ann Smith (1861-1935). This appears to be the daughter of Thomas and Bridget. This Thomas is too young to be Catherine's father, however, since she was born in 1840. I looked to the census to see what I could learn about the family. In 1865, Thomas Joseph Smith's entry on the New York State Census was as follows. The family was living in Nanticoke, Broome County, New York. Thomas's wife, Bridget, reported having six children and they are all named on the census: Nickolas, John, Mary, Ann, Willie and Charles. Beneath Thomas' entry, however, we see an older couple - Nicholas and Bridget Smith. Who were they?? Read on and find out! In 1865, "Nickolas Smith" was age 60. He was born in Ireland, and his wife who was reportedly the same age was also born in Ireland. They report having six children, but only three were still living at home: Charles Smith, age 36 (born abt. 1829 in Ireland) Hellen Smith, age 34 (born abt. 1831 in Ireland) John Smith, age 30 (born abt. 1835 in Ireland) (Not in the home) (Not in the home) (Not in the home) Could these be the siblings of Catherine (Smith) McGinnis? They most certainly could! Catherine was born abt. 1840 in Ireland and was married around 1858. She was living with her husband, William McGinnis, on Fox Road in Freetown in 1865 and they already had two children, Mary Ellen McGinnis and Rosanna McGinnis: In 1880, Thomas and Nicholas were counted on the census in Nanticoke again, but Nicholas was widowed and living in Thomas' household, confirming his relationship with Thomas in the 1865 census above. Thomas was the head of the household in 1880, and Nicholas was his "Father". Thomas' mother, Bridget* had died on April 1, 1873. (*Thomas' wife was also named Bridget (Heffernan), potentially causing confusion). Continuing my search for records pertaining to Nicholas Smith in Broome County, I finally found what I believe provides substantial evidence that this was Catherine's family! On the 1855 New York State census of Nanticoke, Broome County, New York, we find in Nicholas' home - Catherine Smith, age 15 - born about 1840! The family reports having been in Nanticoke for four (4) years. Both Nicholas and his son, Thomas, were naturalized citizens and landowners. They arrived in Nanticoke in or before 1851. Where they came from before then is unknown. We know they came to America sometime after Catherine was born in 1840. Nicholas Smith's 1853 intention for naturalization is shown here. Stay tuned as I share a few more clues and connections in my upcoming blogs! See more: Learn more about this branch of my family Nicholas Smith Catherine Smith Wiliam McGinnis #smith #mcginnis #hollenbeck #broomecounty #newyork #irish #irishimmigrants

When searching for an obituary and search results fail to produce the results I'm looking for, I usually resort to browsing through newspapers the "old-fashioned" way - page by page. Manually searching for newspapers seems tedious, but it's not so bad when I think back twenty short years ago, when the only way to find old copies of newspapers was to take a special trip to the local library in whatever town the news may have been printed. Flipping through newspaper stacks or loading reel after reel of microfilm into the machine, scrolling and zooming with various knobs, and paying up to 25-cents a page to have copies of clippings printed. This would take hours and I always wished I had more time. How fortunate are we today, that we can sit in the comfort of our own homes, browsing thousands of newspapers online as often as we like? Many are available free of charge. (Click here for places to find some!) The best part is that many online newspapers are searchable, another major convenience and time-saver, but the search functions don't always find what I'm looking for and while browsing pages one by one, I get sidetracked and off on detours - like this one! While browsing through an 1895 edition of the Cortland Standard, I stumbled upon a lengthy article about Cortland's 100th anniversary. Several of my ancestors were early settlers of Cortland County and because this article is so old and sheds light on life in Cortland's early days, I felt it was worthy of being brought to the surface again. Read the article below! [Cortland Standard, February 22, 1895, p. 13] ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD. CORTLAND JUST PASSED IT'S CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY. Founding-Growth-Social Life-The Old Eagle-Interesting Incidents of Early Cortland. Cortland has just passed its one hundredth birthday. It was in 1794 that the pioneers Jonathan Hubbard and Col. Moses Hopkins climbed a tall tree on Court House hill and first looked out upon these regions. Noticing the number of valleys, seven in all, which centered about the hill or within a few miles of it, they predicted the site of future Cortland, of which they became the first settlers. The town was a part of Homer, but the village took its name from the county and the county from Gen. Peter Van Courtlandt, who had large land interests in the central part of the state. Of the primeval forest covering the land a few traces may still be seen on the farm of Mr. W. Randall and on distant hills. But long ago disappeared the bears, wolves, and deer which inhabited them. Early Cortland was an Arcadia, so one of our honored citizens says whose memory goes back to those days of beginnings when its best riches were brotherly sympathy and social unity. Certain it is that this village was fortunate in its founders. They were men of mark in their day and their influence is still felt in all that appertains to our present material, intellectual and moral development. In 1813 Cortland became the seat of the county court much to the chagrin of its rival sisters, Homer and Port Watson. Scarcely a brick remains to show the site of the first courthouse and jail on Court House hill. Once a day the four-horse mail coach from Syracuse announced its arrival by tooting its horn through the length of Main-st.,—the Main-st which the present day has almost shorn of its fine old homes and New England characteristics—for Cortland started as a New England village. On June 30, 1815, the Portland Republican, the first paper issued in Cortland, appeared. Its early numbers chronicled Napoleon's escape from Elba, the battle of Waterloo, and preparations for building the Erie canal. During the thirties, a daily paper found its way to Cortland, the Albany Evening Journal, with Hamilton White as its sole subscriber. He became the oracle of political news with a rapt audience always about him at mail time. What would that worthy generation have thought could they have foreseen the advent of a paper edited wholly by women, before their century closed. Port Watson was a settlement by itself, indulging in the vain anticipation of becoming the site of a populous village. It was the head of navigation on the Tioughnioga river. In the times of freshets arks of forty tons' burden, loaded with gypsum, salt, oats, potatoes and pork were floated down the river to Chesapeake bay where the cargo was sold and the rafts split up for lumber. Crowds of spectators were accustomed to assemble on the banks of the Tioughnioga just above the bridge at Port Watson-st. to witness the start of a fleet of arks and boats. The arks were dexterously steered by paddles front and back, and no small skill was needed to pilot them over the sluiceways, required by law to be built in every dam, for their passage. One of our older citizens tells the story of a Fourth of July celebration of ye olden times. Gen. Roswell Randall, proprietor of the Eagle store and Eagle tavern of former fame, also owned a fine specimen of the bird itself. It was kept in a cage upon Gen. Randall's lawn which once graced the corner now occupied by the Standard building. On one Fourth of July Gen. Randall donated the eagle to the cause of liberty and a grand celebration. A silver ferrule was made, engraved with the date and the name of the owner and was fastened upon the ankle of the bird. With appropriate ceremony the eagle was set free. Circling high up above the heads of the watching crowds, it turned toward the northwest and was soon lost to sight. A number of years had elapsed when an Indian, hunting in the forests of northern Wisconsin, shot and killed an eagle which seemed strangely undisturbed by the near approach of man. Finding the ferrule on the leg, the Indian traveled many miles to a white settlement where the inscription was deciphered and the ferrule eventually sent to Gen. Randall. Few people now remember a unique feature of the Presbyterian church of Cortland as it was first built. At the rear of the church was a big box pew, occupying the space of four common pews. It was furnished with a seat on three sides, a table in the center and a rocking chair and footstove as added luxuries. The pew was the property of Gen. Roswell Randall who certainly must have been a conspicuous personage as he appeared at church arrayed in his fresh ruffled shirt and carrying his goldheaded cane. With the advent of electric cars, come recollections of the opening of the first railroad through Cortland. On the 18th of October, 1854, the first train, consisting of twenty-seven cars, made a triumphal journey from Binghamton to Syracuse. A free ride was given to the immense crowd aboard. On the foremost flat car, as the train drew up to the Cortland station, stood the Hon. Henry Stephens, president of the road and a marked figure of old Cortland. The town was given up to a grand ovation. From every church, bells were rung, cannons were fired and bonfires and illuminations signalized the event. To Cortland fell the honor of dining the great body of excursionists. Tables were spread in and about the station ladened with the bounty which the entire town had turned out to provide, and be it said to the credit of Cortland women that in less than fifteen minutes after the arrival of the train, not a morsel of food remained to attest to the excellent quality of the cooking. With the presence of the many busy factories, with the introduction of electric cars, electric lights, waterworks, sewers and the thousand and one factors which go to make up the busy city of to-day, the youth of the rising generation can hardly imagine the Cortland of the early years of the century. There are many incidents that could be related that would throw a flood of light upon those good old days of our grandfathers, but time and space forbid. A few facts have been gathered from early records and from conversations with some of the older citizens whose memory goes far back and who have known of young Cortland from their fathers, and these facts are here presented. Click here to see more Cortland County history and resources. #cortlandcounty #cortland #history Check out this great book!

To me, learning about my family's history is more than just knowing who they were or where they came from or what genes or traits I inherited from them. There are so many other reasons I spend most of my spare time researching my ancestry. For me, it's about demonstrating to my children and family that we are part of a family much larger than we know. It's about how we are all interconnected and should respect and care for all people at all times. It's about realizing that our decisions often affect others, perhaps our own descendants down the line. It's about learning from the struggles and achievements of those who came before us. It's about avoiding repetition of the mistakes they made and continuing the practices that led them to prosper. It's about knowing that the past cannot be changed and someday people will look back at what we have done. It's about looking outside of ourselves at the bigger picture and realizing we each have the potential to make our world a better place. And it's about so much more. Family history is priceless! What does family history mean to you? Tell us in the comments below! Quote by Daniel Webster: There is a moral and philosophical respect for our ancestors which elevates the character and improves the heart. #famousquotes #quotes #wisdom #inspirational #motivation #genealogy

Luella Schriver (or Scriber) was a daughter of Betsy Austin and Benjamin Schriver. She was born around April or May of 1850 according to the 1850 census of Springport, Cayuga, New York. At the time she was listed as four months old, living in the household of Mortimer AUSTIN (22) and Ann AUSTIN (19, female). Also living there was Betsey SCHRIVER (19), Luella's mother. She was Betsy AUSTIN. Also living with them was Roxan AUSTIN, age 39, possibly the mother of Mortimer and Betsey. Also, Sophia AUSTIN who was 14 and Maria AUSTIN who was 8. On the next census page, this family's record continues with one last person, Luella SCHRIVER, age 4 months. The census was taken on September 3, 1850, which would mean Luella was born about April or May of 1850, conflicting with other dates reported on other records. In 1855 William and Betsey Lumbert lived in Springport. Following is their New York State 1855 Census entry: In 1860, the family was living in Savannah. Children in the home were: Ella LUMBERT (age 10, a.k.a. Luella SCHRIVER), Benjamin LUMBERT (age 7), William LUMBERT (age 6), Mary LUMBERT (age 3), and Charles LUMBERT (age 9 months). In 1865, Luella "Ella" was 15 years old and was living in the home of Sophronia (Burrill) Leonard Knapp, my 4th great-grandmother, with her 16-year old husband, William Knapp. By the time the 1870 census was taken, William and Luella had their own home in Groton, and three children. William's half-brother, Charles Russell Leonard, first son of Sophronia (Burrill), was also living in Groton with his wife and first four children at the time. Both census records are shown here: In 1880, William & Luella Knapp still lived in Groton and Charles and his family lived within 6 miles of them, in Locke (Cayuga County). Notice, William named one of his daughters Sophronia, after his mother. She was four years old when the 1880 census was taken, making her born abt. 1876. William's age was reported as 30 or 32 and Luella was 30. Sophronia KNAPP (b. 1876), later married Betsy & William LUMBERT’s son, Charles LUMBERT (b. 1868). In 1880, Ella's (Luella's) mother, Betsey, was still living in Rose (Wayne County) with her husband, James LUMBERT (age 60). Betsey was 50. Only one child remained in the home, Charles LUMBERT (age 13). James was a Day Laborer and was reportedly born in Illinois while his parents were born in New York. With the 1890 census destroyed by fire, we can only rely on the 1892 New York State Census for their next chapter. What we find is that sometime between 1880 and 1885, Charles and Mary’s family was broken up. As an important side note to prevent confusion in the future, there are some newspaper clippings regarding Charles Leonard who abandoned his wife in 1888, running off with a married woman who lived in the same house, according to the story. The time period, location, names and circumstances seem to line up perfectly, however, there are reasons to believe this was actually not Charles Russell Leonard. For one, the newspapers report that his "wife and child" were left destitute. We know that Charles Russell Leonard had nine or more children, however. Also, Luella and Charles report having been "married" 7 years when the 1892 census was taken. This would place their departure around 1885, three years before the news story. This Charles was, however, the son of Charles Russell Leonard. Adding to the confusion, this younger Charles was also married to a woman by the name of Luella. (Like father like son?) See my previous blog "Charles & Luella (Robinson) Leonard of Cortland" for more details and documentation. In February of 1892, Charles LEONARD (age 55) was counted on the New York State Census in Rose, Wayne County, New York, 52 miles from his former home in Groton. He was living with Luella LEONARD (age 42) and three of her children from her previous marriage to William KNAPP. They were: Sophronia KNAPP (16), Murray KNAPP (12), and Malvina KNAPP (9). It appears that Charles and Luella moved to Rose soon after the murder, probably to be closer to her aged, newly widowed mother. The census page is is poor condition but it appears that they didn't live together as they are found on separate pages. At first glance, one would eliminate this Charles as a match for Charles Russell Leonard, mainly because the age is off by 7 years. In fact, if the search on Ancestry's site wasn't performed loosely, it wouldn't even include him in the search results. Another reason to doubt it was him was because Luella was Charles' (half) sister-in-law. Still, if you read on and you will see why this must be our Charles Russell Leonard. Local newspapers tell a gruesome story about Luella's family - a horrific event that occurred in February of 1891. Luella's stepfather, James William Lumbert, was brutally murdered by her half-brother, George Lumbert. Several newspaper stories pertaining to the tragic event were published and shared in my previous blog but be warned - the details are quite graphic. When the 1900 census was taken, Charles and Luella were living in Lyons. They report being married 15 years, abt. 1885, although no legitimate wedding could have taken place, since Charles and his first wife, Mary, were never officially divorced. Luella's mother, Betsy Lambert, and daughter, Malvina (Knapp), Luella & William Knapp's daughter, were living with them. In 1905, Charles and Luella were back in Groton, living alone. Charles died three years later, on November 23, 1908, and was buried in Groton Rural Cemetery. Luella married Benjamin Wilson eighteen months after Charles died. The marriage was announced in the Auburn Democrat Argus, Tuesday, April 26, 1910: Moravia. Benjamin Wilson of this village and Miss Luella Leonard of Groton were united in marriage at the Baptist parsonage in Groton April 12. The marriage license confirms this is the same Luella, daughter of Betsey (Austin) and Benjamin Scriver. The Auburn Democrat-Argus, Tues., Feb. 6, 1912 reports: Moravia, Feb. 5 - Ella Leonard, wife of Benjamin Wilson, died at her home in North Main street about 2 o'clock yesterday morning. Mrs. Wilson was 62 years of age and death was caused by cerebral hemorrhage. Besides her husband, she is survived by seven children. Funeral services will be held at the Baptist church in Groton tomorrow at 2 o'clock, with burial at Groton. Luella's name on her death certificate is Luella Wilson but she is buried beside Charles Russell Leonard with the name Luella Leonard on her tombstone. Her tombstone reads only "1851-1912". Her mother, Betsey, died the following month and is buried in Groton Rural Cemetery in the same section where Charles Leonard and Luella are also buried (Section N Lot 62). Sources: Melvina Knapp's marriage license filed in Syracuse, Onondaga, New York, Feb. 10, 1910 gives her parents names as William Knapp & Luella Austin. She married Carl C. Webber. Sophronia Knapp married first to a Lambert because the license for her second marriage to John Goblney, which took place in Richford, Tioga, New York, April 11, 1925, gives her parents names as William Knapp and Luella Scriver. Her previous husband was living in Cortland. #leonard #charlesleonard #charlesrussellleonard #luellaschriver

For my fellow descendants of James Chilton, I am sharing these clippings from the Boston Transcript's Genealogical Column, pertaining to James Chilton. There are more, which I have yet to find, but perhaps these, published through 1915, may contain valuable clues about his descendants: Alternatively, you can download the PDF to your computer or device to zoom in or print the pages here: I also highly recommend this book for your family history library! More Resources: The Boston Transcript Mayflower Passenger List Free Genealogy Resources #genealogy #bostontranscript #jameschilton #mayflower #agbi

While researching my ancestor James Sherman, the father of 2nd great-grandmother, Cora (Sherman) Leonard, I came across this record. It shows James M. Sherman, born May 20, 1842, in Butler, Wayne County, New York. He was a son of Levi Sherman & Ann Palmer. He had a brother named William who fought in the same regiment during the Civil War, but died in service. On the opposite page, each of these entries continues, first 4 lines for William, Lines 5-8 for James: From the records, we learn that both William and James were sons of Levi Sherman and Ann Palmer. William P. Sherman, born Sept. 1840, in Butler, Wayne, New York, was a Private in NY 9th Artillery Co. G. He enlisted in August of 1862, at Red Creek, New York, and served in the defense of Washington nearly two years. He died on November 27, 1863. "Remains sent home." James M. Sherman, born May 20, 1842, was a Sergeant in the same regiment. He was born in South Butler, Wayne County, New York. He was in battles of Cold Harbor, Cedar Creek, 2nd Petersburg, Sailors Creek, and was at the surrender of General Lee. Mustered out July 6, 1865, present address, Westbury (?), New York. At first glance, this appears to be my ancestor, James Sherman. Here's why: Butler is only about 21 miles from Sennett, where my Sherman family lived. My ancestors in this branch of my tree lived in both Wayne and Cayuga Counties. My ancestor James Sherman was born about 1842. This one was born May 20, 1842. My ancestor's father's name was Levi Sherman, the same as this one. My ancestor, Levi Sherman, was born abt. 1815. A look at the 1850 census of Butler shows Levi Sherman, age 35 - another match. To be sure this was the same family, though, I searched the 1850 Census on FamilySearch to see if there were other men named Levi Sherman in New York. The results were surprising, yet conclusive: There were actually several men named Levi Sherman living in New York in 1850. The two shown here are the only two born between 1815 and 1816. Notice the similarities highlighted in the image above? Normally I would scrap the day's work and move on, but I'm sharing my findings here to avert future time wasted on this confusing coincidence. I'm sure the similarities have caused much confusion when searching local records, newspaper clippings, etc. It's definitely important for anyone researching the family to be aware of. The two families may be related somehow, but they are definitely two distinct men named James Sherman. I believe my ancestor did join in the Civil War, perhaps not with the high honor of these Shermans of Butler, but a debt of gratitude we owe them all. Stay tuned as I continue my research on the Sherman family and more! Subscribe for updates! #jamessherman #sherman #leonard #civilwar #mixup

The Pledge of Allegiance was formally adopted by Congress in 1942, and was officially named "The Pledge of Allegiance" in 1945. The original pledge was inspired by a pledge written in 1887 by Captain George Thatcher Balch, an Officer in the Union Army during the Civil War. His pledge read: "We give our heads and hearts to God and our country; one country, one language, one flag!" The version we are most familiar with and use today was written by Francis Bellamy in August of 1892, as follows: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Early on, a minor revision was made: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." In 1923, the following revisions were made: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." The following year, in 1924, it was changed again, as follows: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Finally, in 1954, per 4. U.S.C. §4, is exactly as follows: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Schools of the pledge in schools each morning, as I remember doing as a child. Congressional sessions and many government meetings also open with the recital, a beautiful American tradition heartfelt by patriots both past and present across the land. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance #patriotic #american #american #patriotism

On this day four-hundred years ago, December 12, 1620, our pilgrim ancestors were finally able to leave the Mayflower. After a voyage of 66 days and weeks docked in the harbor, the passengers finally came off the ship to pursue their new lives in America. They were mourning the losses they suffered along the way and were undoubtedly cold, hungry, and weary. Today when we take trips, we have accommodations awaiting us. Transportation and accommodations are made to ensure our comfort upon arrival. The pilgrims had no physical comforts but they had two greater comforts: their faith and their new found freedom. See more: Mayflower Database The Great Migration William Bradford's Journal Virtual Tour of Plimouth Plantation The Mayflower Compact Mayflower Resources Great Migration #mayflower #pilgrims

Being a genealogy addict, one of my favorite things to do is watch videos about the places and events of my ancestors' past. While watching an interesting series about the Irish immigrants to America, I heard an Irish-American folk song that peaked my interest when I heard my Irish ancestor's name - "McGinnis" among the lyrics. The song is called "Dear Old Donegal" written by Steve Graham. There are several variations of the song, but here you can listen to Bing Crosby singing a rendition of it in 1945, courtesy of Archive.org. Click the play button! Have a look around Donegal while you listen, courtesy of Google Maps. Click or tap on the image or the arrows to move or look around. Dear Old Donegal (Lyrics) Three years ago this very day I left the port of Cork And on a ship from Erin's isle I landed in New York Without a friend to meet me there The stranger on the shore But I wore an honest Irish heart And fortune came galore So here I am back again On dear old Erin's isle My friends say meet me on the quay And greet me with a smile For their faces there I've surely forgot For I was so long away But me mother she introduces all And this is what she say Shake hands with your uncle Mike, me boy Shake hands with your sister Kate And this is the girl you used to swing down on the garden gate Shake hands with all of the neighbors and kiss the Colleens all You're as welcome as the flowers in May to Dear Old Donegal Well they gave a party when I came back and they came from near and far And the road was lined for near a mile with Irish jaunting cars And the whiskey flowed like buttermilk to fill our hearts with joy And the piper played an Irish reel to greet the Yankee boy So tomorrow off to church I’ll go and wedded I will be To my pretty little Colleen sweet Bitty McGee, For Bitty was true and faithful to her Barney o'er the sea And we’ll join the harps and shamrocks for the stars of liberty There came Brannigan, Flannigan, Milligan, Gilligan, Duffy, McGuffy, Malackey, Mahone, Rafferty, Laugherty, Donnelly, Connelly, Dooley, O'Hooley, Muldowney, Malone, Colona, O'Honahar, Lanihan, Flannihan, Fagen, O'Hagen, O'Hoolihan, Flynn, Shannahan, Manahan, Fogerty, Hogerty, Kelly, O'Skelly, McGinnis, McGinn. Then shake the hand of your uncle Mike And the hand of your sister Kate And I’ll hug and I’ll squeeze as much as I please the girl in the Garden Gate Then invite all the neighbors to the wedding great and small And I’ll live content and pay no rent in Dear Old Donegal Click here for Irish genealogy resources. Click here to learn about my McGinnis ancestors. #irish #ireland #genealogy #music #song #irishamerican #folksong #mcginnis

This letter was written by my grandmother, Margaret (Dickinson) Reese, to her parents, William & Mary Dickinson, sometime in 1954. Margaret had only been married two years and had moved to Salamanca in western New York, where her husband became minister of the Assembly of God church. Their daughter, Cheryl, was born in November of 1953 and Margaret was soon after diagnosed with cancer. She had just undergone surgery to remove a tumor and was hopeful for recovery at the time of this letter. She died on September 11th of the same year. For more information, see Victory in death at the age of 24. See the Dickinson page and the Reese page for more on these families. #margaretdickinson #dickinson

Looking for information about he Pennsylvania Volunteers? Flip through the pages of this valuable collection of books now - no traveling, no dusty and brittle pages to handle, no cost! History of Pennsylvania Volunteers 1861-1865 (Civil War) - Select one: Volume 1 - (1st Five Companies and 1st Regiment thru 50th Regiment) Volume 2 - (51st thru 84th Regiment) Volume 3 - (85th Regiment thru 118th Regiment) Volume 4 - (119th Regiment thru 179th Regiment) Volume 5 - (180th Regiment thru 215th Regiment and others) Includes Batteries A thru I, Colored Regiments, Independent Companies, Burial Record, and more. You may also be able to find a book published for the specific regiment your ancestor was in. Here's how: First, go to Archive.org, a priceless, yet free resource which contains millions of books, photos, movies, and recordings, all ready to access free of charge. (Donations are welcome on their site!) Next, type a term in the search box and click "Go". In this example, I searched "Pennsylvania Volunteers": This search produced 610 results, as shown below. You can now see how the books are titled and add words to the search to narrow the results, if necessary. You can also narrow the results by selecting an option from the left column. For example, you may want to check off "texts" to search only for books containing the terms. Notice, in some book titles, the regiment numbers are spelled out, and in some the numerical form is given. Here you can see an example. One is titled "History of the 121st regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers" and one is titled "History of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Second Regiment". Try both! Archive.org is an excellent site, which has provided me with many valuable resources and information about the people and places of my roots. Do random searches, such as "Smith Family" or "Davis Genealogy" or "Davis history", and you may be surprised to find full volumes of your family's genealogy. Local histories may also contain biographies and histories about your ancestors. Try searching "Cumberland County history" or "Early Cumberland County" to find them. Book titles can vary, though, so if you have to, get creative using words like "settlement of Cumberland County" or "pioneers of Cumberland County". Do you have other ideas about how Archive.org can help trace family history? Share your tips and ideas below! Click here for more Genealogy Resources and Tips! #civilwar #Pennsylvania #pennsylvania #military

This book, published in 1895, was written by Charles E. Stickney. It gives an extensive history of Deckertown, now called "Sussex", in Sussex County, New Jersey. (See map, below). "History of Deckertown, N.J. Which includes a history of Crigar, Titsworth, and Decker families to some extent" can be read in full, below, courtesy of Archive.org: Note: Alternating blank pages are the back side of the page. If you had the book in front of you, text would only appear on one side of the page, as shown in the image at right. See the Decker page for more historical finds. #deckertown #NewJersey #Decker #decker #sussexcounty #newjersey #nj #historic

In this blog I'm going to rave about HeritageQuest Online, one of the best genealogy resources available, where you can find census records, directories, local and family history books, research aids, maps, mortality schedules, the 1890 veterans census, and my personal favorite - Revolutionary War pension files. Many indexes and lists can be found in a variety of places but these are scanned images of the actual letters and applications pensioners and their widows submitted to the government. I have found several of my forefather's pension files here and they are thrilling to read. It is an amazing tool and it is FREE but it is not like a typical website where you can just sign up and log in. "Heritage Quest Online is available to patrons of authorized institutions. Your institution will assign you a barcode or other membership ID to access online resources like HeritageQuest Online. If you don't know what your barcode or ID is, please consult your institution's Web site for help. Only your institution can provide this information." It would be to your advantage to get yourself a membership ID, if you're a genealogy addict, like me. If you have a library card, you may be able to access Heritage Quest online, as demonstrated in this old video I made a few years ago. My site looks different but accessing Heritage Quest is the same. In the video I show some of the great tools available. You can try entering your library card number at HeritageQuest Online here. If you're having trouble, call or visit your local library to request information! An Important Note about Census Records Even if you're already using another site to find census records (FamilySearch or Ancestry, for example), if you're having trouble finding a record, try Heritage Quest. Some of the handwritten census records are hard to read and when transcribed and indexed there can be many variations based on the transcriber's best interpretation of the image. In my own experience, I had one ancestor I couldn't find on the 1850 census when I searched other sites. Finally, I tried Heritage Quest, and was shocked when he came up in the results. It had been transcribed incorrectly on the other sites, to the extreme that it didn't even show up under 'close results'. It's always good to try searching all the available options if you can't find a census you're looking for. Click here to see my links to places to find census records for free online here. Where else can you find Military records? Finding military records can be frustrating and disappointing but after searching for over 20 years, so far I've discovered 40 of my forefathers who fought in the military. It is disappointing that there isn't a central database containing the names of ALL the soldiers of the American Revolution and ALL of the soldiers of the Civil War in today's age of technology. Instead, the details are scattered across hundreds of resources, hiding in dusty old books, journals, fragments of muster rolls, in pension files, census records. I suppose we genealogists and historians are all playing a part in digging these old records out and bringing them to light. See my full list of places to find military records online for free here. Believe it or not, some of your ancestors are named in old books There are a number of sites where you can find historical books containing information about your ancestors, that you never had a clue about. Although there are several places to find historical books online, no one site has ALL the books. That's why if you really want to dig deep and find great material to add to your family tree, you'll want to search as many sites as you can. Search old books for your ancestors names, trying different variations in spelling, if applicable. Some sites allow you to narrow results, enter the name in quotes. Also, search for historical books and journals about the places they lived. Click here for my list of places to find historical books online for free. I've also started a collection of books I've stumbled upon pertaining to specific surnames. Take a look and see if any of your family's surnames are found. You could find a connection! There are just a few of my favorite places to find old paper trails about my ancestors and their journey. Click here for more free genealogy resources available at your fingertips and don't forget to subscribe for updates! #americanrevolution #census #online #free #genealogy #military #militaryrecords #books

It may seem our ancestors made it difficult to track them by naming them after themselves and/or others in the family, however, knowing the traditional naming patterns in the family could reveal many clues and details about the rest of the family. For example, Margaret was a popular name given by supporters of Margaret, Queen of Scots. This is something to keep in mind when names that are not known to be in the family appear. Those who followed the rules left a trail of their ancestry via their children’s names. The names of many of the early settlers were English and followed traditional English rules for naming children. Though in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the popular practice was to give the first born son the father’s name and the first born daughter the mother’s name, which was the German tradition, not the English. At any rate, this practice resulted in more than half of the females in the colony having the name of Mary, Sarah, or Elizabeth. The second born son, (or in some cases the first born son) was given the paternal grandfather’s name. This causes a great deal of confusion. The English tradition in the 1700s and 1800s was to name the first born son after the child’s father’s father, the second born son after the child’s mother’s father, the third born son after the child’s father, the fourth born son after the child’s father’s eldest brother, the fifth born son after the child’s mother’s eldest brother or father’s second eldest brother. The first born daughter was named after the child’s mother’s mother, second born daughter after the child’s father’s mother, third born daughter after the child’s mother, fourth born daughter after the child’s mother’s eldest sister, fifth born daughter after the child’s mother’s second eldest sister or father’s eldest sister. If both the child’s father’s father and the mother’s father had the same name they would skip to the next naming rule, rather than naming two of their children by the same name, though it was very common to see the same name being used more than once within the same household if a child died young. For example, Alfred E. Leonard and his wife, Mary, named their first child Anna Rebecca Leonard. Sadly she died after living only four months in February 1837. Another daughter was born twelve months later, in February 1838, and she too was named Anna Rebecca Leonard. To their great disappointment, she also died early, living only to four years old. Their third daughter, who they named Mary, lived to adulthood and married. The Puritans in the New World are easily recognizable. When they left England, they left behind many of the English traditions. Though they did name their children after other family members, they often gave their children names of virtue such as Mercy, Thankful, Patience and Charity. About 90% of the Puritans had Biblical names such as John, Joseph and Samuel, Mary, Elizabeth and Sarah. Naming a child the Sacred Name of “Jesus” or the name of any angel was strictly forbidden, deemed too precious to be used by mankind. On that note, if a child is named Michael, Gabriel, Emmanuel, or even Christopher, you can bet the family was not Puritan. The German tradition was to name each daughter after the child’s mother, most commonly Anne, and each son after the child’s father, most commonly Johann (nickname Hans). Their middle name or “second name” would often be the name they went by. In some cases, the middle name was the name of their baptismal sponsor. In other cases, it was the name of another family member who had recently died. Other names used were the child’s mother’s maiden name, a saint’s name, or even a close friend’s name. The Pennsylvania-German, however, followed a different pattern. See this article. (Thanks to Robert F. for sharing this!) The Irish are easily recognizable with the name Patrick often given and with the last names preceded with “Mc” as in McDaniels. They tended to name the first born son after the child’s father’s father, the second born son after the child’s mother’s father, the third born son after the child’s father, the fourth born son after the child’s father’s eldest brother, and the fifth born son after the child’s mother’s eldest brother. The first born daughter was named after the child’s mother’s mother, the second born after the child’s father’s mother, the third born after the child’s mother, the fourth born after the child’s mother’s eldest sister, and the fifth born after the child’s father’s eldest sister. Many Irish names were changed when Penal Laws (c. 1607) outlawed the Irish language. For example, the Irish name “Sean” became “John”. The English version of the most common Irish names that were changed was Thomas, James, William, Patrick, Anne, Mary, Bridget, and Kathleen. Giving one or more children some part of the mother’s maiden name as a surname or middle name was another common tradition. The Dutch custom of naming children can be helpful to genealogists, but can also cause much confusion. The first son was commonly named after his paternal grandfather, and the second son was usually named after his own father. The first daughter was named after her maternal grandmother, and the second daughter was often named after her own mother. Click here to see Dutch baptismal names and their variations and translations. The Scottish naming patterns are quite informative. Traditionally, the first born son was named after his paternal grandfather and the second born was named after his maternal grandfather. The third son was named after his father and subsequent sons were named after their father's or mother's brothers. Similarly, the first born daughter was named after her maternal grandmother and the second daughter was named after her paternal grandmother. The third daughter was named after her mother and subsequent daughters were named after their father's and mother's sisters. If a child died, especially the first, second, or third born, the next child born would be given the same name, in order to preserve this tradition. See Genealogy Links for more great genealogy tips and tons of free resources to check out. Subscribe for updates at the bottom of any page! #namevariations #Christiannames #tips #meaningsofnames #namingpatterns #names

This historic map represents the United States as it was in 1800. The Spanish possessions in the Southwest, Texas, Louisiana, Indiana Territory, Northwest Territory, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia (disputed), Mississippi Territory, West Florida, New Orleans, East Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. This early map shows parts of Canada as well as Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D. C., Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Source: "New York's Part in History", by Sherman Williams, 1915. Click here for more maps. Click here for more New York genealogy resources. #maps #NewYork #historicmaps #America