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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

In November 2020, it will be 400 years since the landing of the Mayflower at Cape Cod. It is a special time for Plymouth, Massachusetts, where thousands of people plan to visit for the quatercentenary. One of the major tourist destinations is "Plimoth Plantation", the village established by the Pilgrims upon arrival in 1620. Unfortunately, the plantation is closed due to coronavirus as of April. Hopefully operations will resume in time for the town's scheduled events and celebrations. If we can't visit, at least we can tour the plantation and most of Plymouth on Google Maps. Use the interactive map below to take your own virtual tour. Tap or click on the arrows to navigate and have a look around. You may end up inside one of the homes, where you can get a peek into what life was like for our Pilgrim ancestors at Plymouth. See the entire Mayflower Passenger list with biographical data, illustrations, resources and more! Find Collectible 300th Anniversary Mayflower Pilgrim Stamps Get your Commemorative Mayflower Print, complete with your ancestor's name! #mayflower #pilgrims #plymouth #plimothplantation #massachusetts #tour #photos #virtualtour

At the southern end of "The Battery", better known as "Battery Park", is a monument worthy of mention. It is the East Coast Memorial, a tribute to the thousands of American servicemen who died in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. The memorial was commissioned by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The centerpiece, an 18.5-foot bronze eagle sculpted by the late Albino Manca (1898-1976), swooping down to place a laurel wreath on a wave, a traditional act of mourning those who died at sea. The pedestal of black granite is inscribed as follows: 1941 **** 1945 ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF HER SONS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN HER SERVICE AND WHO SLEEP IN THE AMERICAN COASTAL WATER OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN INTO THY HANDS, OH LORD An additional inscription on the opposite side reads: 1941 *** 1945 IN ADDITION TO THE 4,597 AMERICAN SERVICEMENT HONORED HERE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN HER SERVICE AND WHO SLEEP IN THE AMERICAN COASTAL WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HONORS THE 6,185 SEAMEN OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE AND THE 529 SEAMEN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY TRANSPORT SERVICE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING WORLD WAR II In front of this monument are eight massive pylons each standing 19-feet tall, inscribed with the names of 4,597 American servicemen whose final resting place was in the Atlantic, along with their rank and branch of service (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, or Marines). These were installed in February of 1963. The eagle and pylons all face the Statue of Liberty. "Every generation of Americans must be expected in their time to do their part to maintain freedom for their country." - John F. Kennedy, May 23, 1963. The memorial was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy on May 23, 1963. In his dedication speech, he so eloquently said, "It is appropriate for us to remember them and also remember those who in 1963 are doing the same thing not in the western Atlantic but much farther from our shores, who also on sea and land are bearing the burden of our defense." The same holds true today. Full speech: General Devers, Reverend ,Clergy, Senator Mansfield, Secretary Gilpatric, Mayor Wagner. Admiral Kinkaid, Sir John, Commodore, ladies and gentlemen: Admiral Rickover wrote me a few days ago describing the ceremony of the commissioning of a new Polaris submarine, the Andrew Jackson. He said to each captain of a new submarine he gives a plaque which contains an old Breton prayer which was said by fishermen from there for hundreds of years, and the prayer says: "O God, the sea is so great and my boat is so small." The sea has been a friend or an enemy of us all but it has never, since our earliest beginnings, carried special hazards for the people of this country. We started as a beachhead on this continent; our forebears came by that sea to this land. The sea has been our friend and on occasions our enemy, but to life in the sea with all of its changes and hazards was added the struggle with man, and it is that struggle of nature and man which cost us the lives of 4500 Americans whom we commemorate today. We commemorate them particularly appropriately here in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. I am sure that their families who will come here and read their names may wonder on occasion whether this rather extraordinary act on their behalf was worthwhile. It is, after all, against the law of nature for parents to bury their children. Children should bury their fathers, and when it is necessary for a father or a mother to bury a son who may range from 18 to 28 with all of his life before him, it represents a special wrench. And I am sure they wonder, with all of the bright promises particularly of World War I and then World War II, what it all meant that we should be in such hazard today. I suppose it means that every generation of Americans must be expected in their time to do their part to maintain freedom for their country and freedom for those associated with it; that there is no final victory but rather all Americans must be always prepared to play their proper part in a difficult and dangerous world. These 4500 Americans did--dying in the western Atlantic--and nearly 20 years later it is appropriate for us to remember them and also remember those who in 1963 are doing the same thing not in the western Atlantic but much farther from our shores, who also on sea and land are bearing the burden of our defense. Thank you. Click here to see more from my visit to Battery Park Subscribe to my blog for free updates! #batterypark #ancestortrails #newyorkcity #dykeman #tourneur #newyork #nyc #manhattan #monument #memorial #immigration #landmarks

I stumbled upon this handy article while searching for the obituary of Margaret (Dickinson) Reese, who died on the day this paper was printed. It was the September 11, 1954 edition of the Canandaigua Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, New York, featuring valuable tips for gardeners growing tomatoes, like me! #gardening #tomatoes #notablenews #howto

Most of the 1890 U.S. Federal Census was destroyed by fire, to the dismay of genealogists past, present and future. The only portion that remains is the Veterans Census, which counted only (you guessed it) veterans. For more information about Josiah's family, see the Reese page. View the full census record at FamilySearch.org for free. Click here. To search the veteran's census for another name, click here. Affiliate Publication Title: Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1890. , Affiliate Publication Number: M123 , Affiliate Film Number: 85 , GS Film number: 338244 , Digital Folder Number: 004679000 , Image Number: 01061 Click here for more REESE genealogy. Click here for more resources for finding military records. Click here for thousands more free genealogy resources. #reese #veteran #civilwar #military #josiahreese

The Pennsylvania-German Society is an organization founded in 1891 for the purpose of studying and preserving the history of the Pennsylvania German people. Their biannual journals and newsletters were published into annual volumes and contain illustrations, portraits, minutes of their meetings in which papers were read discussing the culture, history, dialect, and people. Volume 1 [Link] 1891- Pennsylvania Germans in Church and State, Old Days, General knowledge, Society Constitution, By-Laws, Officers, meetings, etc. Volume 2 [Link] 1892 - Early literature of the PA Germans, true heroes of Provincial Pennsylvania, The PA German's place in history, Obituary notices Volume 3 [Link] 1893 - Pennsylvania Germans at the Battle of Long Island and other history Volume 4 [Link] 1894 - German Moravian Settlements in PA 1735-1800, PA German Day at the Pennsylvania Chautauqua, Education positions of PA Germans, Ancestral virtues of the PA Germans, Biographical sketches, Births & Baptisms of Trinity Lutheran Church and First Reformed Church of Lancaster Volume 5 [Link] 1895 - Biographical Sketches, Births & Baptisms of Trinity Lutheran Church and First Reformed Church of Lancaster continued Volume 6 [Link] 1896 - Biographical Sketches, Births & Baptisms of Trinity Lutheran Church of Lancaster continued Volume 7 [Link] 1897 - Biographical Sketches, Records of St. Michaelis and Zion Congregation of Philadelphia Volume 8 [Link] 1898 - Church Register of the United Reformed and Lutheran Church, Called Bliymers, in Hopewell Township, York County, PA, including births and baptisms from 1766-1834, Communicants from 1813-1831, Records of St. Michaelis and Zion Congregation of Philadelphia, continued. Volume 9 [Link] 1899 - Obituary Sketches, The Settlement of Germantown, The German Emigration from New York into Pennsylvania, Records of St. Michaelis and Zion Congregation of Philadelphia, continued. Volume 10 Part 1 [Link] Obituaries, The first German newspaper, Pennsylvania-German Literature. Volume 10 Part 2 [Link] Redemption of Redemptioners or Indentured Servants, Humanity of Christopher Saur, Death rate among immigrants, William Penn's terms/conditions, Index, Genealogies. Volume 11 [Link] Sketch of the First Reformed Church of Easton, Memorium. Volume 12 [Link] Biographical sketches, Memorium. Volume 13 [Link] Memorium, The Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania, American History from German Archives with German Soldiers in the Revolution, the Picturesque Quality of the Pennsylvania German. Volume 14 [Link] Lebanon and its environs, Obituaries, Daniel Falckner's book that stimulated the great German Emigration to Pennsylvania, Records of marriages in St. Michaelis and Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Philadelphia. Volume 15 Part 1 [Link] Obituaries, The German Influence in its Settlement and Development, The Pennsylvania German in the French and Indian War, Frederick Great and the U.S., Old Historic Germantown. Volume 15 Part 2 [Link] Fort Henry, The Gap in the Blue Mountains, In Old Northampton, Franklin's account of the building of Fort Allen, Some Arndt (Orndt) Family Data, Fort Norris, Journal kept by John Van Etten 1757, Dupui's Fort, Colonel Bouquet and the Royal Americans, General Forbes Expedition against Fort Duquesne, Peace conferences with the Indians, The Paxtang Boys, Frederick the Great in the United States, Old Historic Germantown, Colonial mansions and houses, The first mills, Old time inns and taverns, Schools and educational institutes, Early churches, Early transportation. Volume 16 [Link] Obituaries, The Wreck of the Ship New Era on the New Jersey coast, Governor Joseph Heister and his genealogies, Record of indentures and servants. Volume 17 [Link] Obituaries, The PA German in the Revolutionary War, Gun makers of Old Northampton, Illustration including Battle of Monmouth, Gen. Daniel Morgan, Memorium. Volume 18 [Link] Historical papers, Obituaries, Diary of a voyage from Rotterdam to Philadelphia in 1728, Church Records of the Williams Township Congregation. Volume 19 [Link] Pennsylvania - The German Influence in its settlement and development, An account of the manners of the German inhabitants of Pennsylvania, Early German American Newspapers. Volume 20 [Link] Biographical sketches of deceased members, The Lutheran Church in New Hanover (Montgomery County), Volume 21 [Link] Obituaries, The German influence in Pennsylvania's settlement, A Unique Manuscript by Rev. Peter Miller, The Wayside Inns on the Lancaster Roadside between Philadelphia and Lancaster, Guide to the Old Moravian Cemetery in Bethlehem, Pa. including names by section and row, complete with age, dates, parents, family, and other biographical information. Volume 22 [Link] Volume 23 [Link] Volume 24-25 [Link] Volume 26 [Link] Volume 27 [Link] Volume 28-29 [Link] Volume 30 [Link] Volume 31 [Link] Volume 32 [Link] Volume 33-34 [Link] Volume 35 [Link] Volume 36 [Link] Volume 37 [Link] Volume 38 [Link] Volume 39 [Link] Volume 40 [Link] Volume 41 [Link] Volume 45 [Link] Volume 47 [Link] Volume 48 [Link] Volume 49 [Link] Volume 50-51 [Link] Volume 52-53 [Link] See also: Visit the Pennsylvania German Society's website at pgs.org for more information about their current publications and news. See also "German American Annals" Click here to see more Pennsylvania history and genealogy resources and more. Share this find with friends and family! #pennsylvania #resources #genealogy #magazine #german #history

Did you know you can access thousands of New York Naturalization Records online for free? I was thrilled to find a handwritten copy of one of my immigrant ancestor's handwritten declaration of intention of citizenship, filed soon after he settled in Central New York, in the early 1850s. You can browse or search the collection on FamilySearch using this link. Tip: Be sure to try various spellings and variations if you have a hard time finding a match. If you find a match, let us know! Share this find with friends and family! Click here for my Genealogy Dashboard containing thousands of free genealogy resources to help with your research. Subscribe for updates - it's free! #immigration #naturalization #naturalizationrecords #resources #newyork #citizenship

Introducing The Time Deductor! Sorry, it's not a time machine and can't take years of your age, but it can help with some tricky math, which is why I created it! How many times have you come across a record that gives a persons age on a given date, but doesn't give their birth date? This is the case with census records, some tombstones, cemetery indexes, and other records I've come across. Usually it's easy enough to calculate the birth date but I took on the challenge of creating a form to do the math anyway! It's a great way to double check for errors, especially when dealing with complicated dates, leap years, etc. First, enter the "end" date and year. Then enter the number of years, months, and days to deduct and click Calculate. The Time Deductor will then calculate the original date for you. You can access the Time Deductor from the Tools menu at the top of the page or click here to give it a try! Note: The information you enter is not saved or recorded. It is brought to you compliments of MyGenealogyAddiction simply for your convenience and entertainment. Enjoy! TIME DEDUCTOR TRY THE NEW TIME CALCULATOR TOO! Click here for more genealogy resources and tools! Subscribe to my blog for updates! It's free! #timedeductor #time #calculator #tools #genealogy

Here's another tool I created to help make some of the tedious sometimes complicated tasks easier while researching family history. Introducing "The Time Calculator". What's it for? Well, it's for calculating the difference in time, between two dates. For example, if you want to know exactly how old you are today or on any given day, this will quickly tell you. Just enter the birthdate and year and then enter the second date and year. Then click "Calculate" and see exactly how many years, months and days elapsed between the two dates. CLICK HERE TO GIVE IT A TRY Other ideas for this tool's use: Use it to determine the exact difference between two people's ages. Use it to determine how old a person was when they were married, died, etc. Use it to determine how much time has passed since any event such as a new job. Use it to determine how long has passed since you've seen a loved one. I found this tool useful recently when I heard that on the day President Trump was sworn in as President of the United States, he was 70 years, 7 months and 7 days old. I used the Time Calculator to fact check this interesting observation. President Trump was born on June 14, 1946. He was sworn in on January 20, 2017, so I entered these dates and found it to be a day short. On the day he was sworn in, President Trump was 70 years, 7 months and 6 days old but on the following day, his first full day in office, January 21, 2017, he WAS exactly 70 years, 7 months and 7 days old. Fascinating! You can find the Time Calculator from the Tools menu at the top of the page. Share it with your friends and family! Note: The information you enter is not saved or recorded. It is brought to you compliments of MyGenealogyAddiction simply for your convenience and entertainment. Enjoy! Subscribe to my blog for updates on new resources, tools and finds! It's free! #timecalculator #tips #tools #genealogy #dates

Roger Chandler was an early settler of the Plymouth Colony, arriving between 1629 and 1632. He was born in England, abt. 1590, and moved to Leiden, Holland, where he was a say weaver by trade. A say weaver made "say", which was used to make table cloths, bedding, etc. (Source). As a point of interest, the famous artist, Rembrandt, was born in Leiden in 1606. Roger was married in Leiden on July 15, 1615, to Isabella Chilton, daughter of James and Susanna Chilton. Isabella was born in Canterbury and was baptized there on January 15, 1587. Her father was a tailor in Canterbury. Dutch Mill by Rembrandt The Chiltons were Separatist pilgrims who had fled from Canterbury to Leiden, Holland, to escape the religious edicts of the Church of England and persecution by its subjects. Isabella's parents and teen-aged sister, Mary Chilton, left Leiden in 1620, sailing on the famous Mayflower to the new world. James was the oldest passenger on the ship. Sadly, Isabella's parents both died while the ship was anchored for five weeks off Cape Cod, prior to their landing at Plymouth. Isabella's sister, Mary, survived and is said to have been the first of the passengers to step foot onto Plymouth Rock. Mary married John Winslow between 1623 and 1627, a union that produced ten Winslow children. John and Mary Winslow both died in Boston in the 1670s and rest in King's Chapel Burying Ground in Boston. In 1622, Roger and Isabella were said to have been living in the Sevenhuysen part of Leiden. In trying to locate this place, I found only Zevenhuizen, a hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland, within the municipalities of Kaag en Brassem and Teylingen. (Source) Zevenhuizen is about 3-4 miles northeast of Leiden. Translated it means "seven houses". Roger and Isabella's daughter, Sarah Chandler, was born in Leiden in 1616 (baptized Oct. 15, 1622). Other children were: Mary, who was born in 1618, Samuel, who was born in 1622 and appears to have died young, and Lydia and Martha, who were born in 1625. The family left Leiden between 1629 and 1630 with a number of members of the Leiden Congregation. In 1633, Roger was taxed and listed among the freemen of Plymouth (Massachusetts). His son, who bore his namesake, Roger Chandler, was born in 1637. Roger died between 1646 and 1665. In October of 1665, the Plymouth Court granted 150 acres of land to the three daughters of the deceased Roger Chandler. No mention of Isabella was made, indicating she probably died before him. No mention of their son, Samuel, was made either, indicating he probably died young. There was a Samuel Chandler taxed in Dorchester in 1633, but Roger's son would have only been 11 years old at the time - too young to be on the tax rolls. Another Samuel Chandler of Duxbury was the son of Edmund Chandler - not Roger. There were no other men named Samuel Chandler found. Subscribe to follow my research on the Chilton, Chandler, and Leonard families and much more! Click here to learn more about the Great Migration. Click here for the Mayflower Interactive Database. Click here for more free genealogy resources. Sources: Roger Chandler Familypedia [Link] The Descendants of Roger Chandler of Concord, Mass., 1658, by Charles H. Chandler [Read Online] [Buy a Copy] Mayflower Families through Five Generations, Vol. 15, by Robert M. Sherman et al., 1997 [Read Online] [Buy a copy] The Great Migration Begins, by Robert C. Anderson, NEHGS, 1995. [Buy a copy] The Pilgrim Migration, by Robert C. Anderson, NEHGS, 2004 [Buy a copy] The Probable Identity of the Daughters of Roger Chandler of Duxbury, Massachusetts, by Frederick C. Warner, The American Genealogist, 1951, 1-6.

Often when researching our family history, we come across defunct terms and titles. Sometimes the meaning of terms change, too. For example, a "Hooker" in olden times was a textile mill worker. Sometimes it pays to do a little background research about the language of the period to properly determine what these terms mean. Here are some places you can find information about old occupations: 1) Genuki United Kingdom and Ireland Occupations [Link] 2) Victorian Occupations [Link] 3) Dictionary of Occupational Titles [Link] 4) Unusual Trades of the Past (French) [Link] 5) Old Occupation Names [Link] 6) Dictionary of Occupational Terms [Link] 7) Descriptions of Occupations [Link] These documentaries demonstrate various jobs of old times. In the first, see what it took to do the job of a shepherd, a redder, a steeplechaser, and a feathery (golf ball maker). In this one you can see what was involved with gold mining, Anglo-Saxon building, peasantry, farming, charcoal making, flour making, bog iron hunting, coin making, Viking life, monk life and guillemot egg collecting. Click here for more free genealogy tips and resources! #occupations #jobs #reference #resources

Did you know people can die from jealousy, a broken heart, grief, guilt or excitement? Duluth Evening Herald, Duluth, Minnesota 3-28-1889 #notablenews #deaths #bazaar

Here's an interesting clipping I found in an old newspaper somewhere answering the question, how long do certain animals live? This 1889 newspaper clipping tells the average life span of animals such as the cat, ox, dog, bear, lion, horse, camel, sheep, whale, squirrel, elephant, tortoise, and guinea pig. Source Unknown c. 1889 #animals #notablenews #lifespan #longevity

El Mahdi writes a 2nd letter advising Queen Victoria to "embrace the true faith" and also to withdraw her forces from Egypt, "lest they be destroyed by us, with all unbelievers and infidels who remain disobedient to our mandate". This letter was far less insulting than Mahdi's letter to the Khedive, in which he was given his "last chance". Both letters were returned to Mahdi. Pittsburgh Gazette 5-25-1889 #QueenofEngland #london #QueenVictoria #islam #muslim #threat #notablenews #foreign

In his historic Inaugural Address of January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy made the famous and wise quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." Scroll down to read the entire speech or watch the video here: Norman Rockwell, captured the scene in his painting "A Time for Greatness". You can find a copy on Amazon. The following is a transcript of President Kennedy's speech: We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago. The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe — the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans — born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage — and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge — and more. To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do — for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder. To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom — and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside. To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required — not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge — to convert our good words into good deeds — in a new alliance for progress — to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house. To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run. Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction. We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed. But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course — both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war. So let us begin anew — remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us. Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms — and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations. Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce. Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah — to "undo the heavy burdens -. and to let the oppressed go free." And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavour, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved. All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin. In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe. Now the trumpet summons us again — not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are — but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" — a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own. Click here to view my Gallery of Presidents. Click here for more nostalgic and commemorative history in art. #kennedy #president #patriotic #historicspeech #gallery #America #American #citizenship #civicduty #communityservice #meme