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My Ensign family was of Saxon origin and first appeared in England in Chilham, near the cathedral town of Canterbury, England, where there was an Ensign manor. The family arms were formerly placed in the church of Chilham. The name appears as far back as 1563 in the counties of Essex, Norfolk and Kent, says Stiles' 'History of Ancient Windsor'." [*A] Chilham is described as a typical little English village, perched on a hill about six miles from Canterbury. It featured a fine old castle, a Gothic style church, and a cluster of cottages. The castle gates open directly on the square and at left is the church yard. [*B] Today we can view this scene on Google Maps, one of my favorite genealogy tools. Here you are at the castle gate. Drag around the scene to look at the village square. (Alternate link) Virtual castle tours are presently not available, however, this aerial view shows the magnificence of the grand structure. (Alternate link). The castle is presently occupied as the home of the Wheeler family. Tours are available. Visit chilham-castle.co.uk for more information. Sources: [*A] Commemorative biographical record of Hartford County, Connecticut:containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 2 - (Read) [*B] Record of the descendants of James Ensign and his wife Sarah Elson, 1634-1939, by Nelson, Martha Eunice Ensign, 1888- (Read) CLICK HERE FOR MORE CASTLE TOURS CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENEALOGY RESOURCES #ensign #castle

We've all heard about the American Civil War and, in fact, many of us have great-grandfathers who fought and/or died fighting it - whether we know it or not. I had no knowledge of any war veterans in my family, but have found many in my genealogy quest! If you haven't found any of your own patriotic patriarchs, I encourage you to keep digging. (See my list of free places to find military records here). The Civil War was a battle for freedom on both sides. The Northern States were populated primarily with descendants of Puritans who came during the Great Migration - devoted Christians and followers of the Bible, which taught righteousness and commanded love, mercy, and compassion. It also proclaimed with authority, that all men are equal and therefore, true Christians were staunchly opposed to slavery. The powers that lead the Confederate (Southern) States also believed in freedom - the freedom to own slaves. They justified enslavement saying it was by divine providence - that they were favored over the slaves. According to them, it was God's will that slaves submit themselves and obey their masters. According to the 1860 census, there were over 3.9 million slaves in the country, up 35% in just ten years, since the 1850 census [Source]. I assume this increase was partly due to slave masters taking ownership of any children of slaves born during the ten year period. Finally, good people stood up and decided it was an evil that had to end in America. The brave men of the Union laid down their lives to defend and free the slaves and end the inhumane practice in America. It was not an easy fight, by any means. America suffered more casualties during the Civil War than we did in the Second World War, in fact. [Source] The Union lost 364,511 soldiers (plus 281,881 wounded) while the Confederates lost 260,000 (plus 194,000 wounded). In all, 624,511 lives were lost on the battlefields but in the end, true and righteous freedom reigned. I believe if more Americans understood the cost of the freedom Americans enjoy today and how difficult it was to achieve and maintain, we would be far more careful who we elect into power. Today there are still those who prey on the weak and oppressed. We must continue to fight that evil and be that shining city upon a hill, with brotherly love and good will toward all people, fair, honest, industrious, courageous, charitable, loyal, and always keeping the faith. Seeing these illustrations depicting the scenes they faced during just a few of the major battles of the Civil War really brings to life just how terrible the Civil War really was and why we should hope to never have to repeat it. In the early days while photography was still being developed, people relied on artists and printmakers such as Currier & Ives to illustrate news stories of the day. Looking back at their works, we can see a chronicle of major events like the Civil War hand drawn in art. Many of the major battles were depicted in prints shown here. If your ancestors fought in any of these battles, you can find copies in various sizes, by clicking the item in the links below. (As an Amazon affiliate, I will receive a small portion of sale. Thank you in advance!) April 13, 1861 - BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER, CHARLESTON HARBOR April 19, 1861 - THE LEXINGTON OF 1861 July 21, 1861 - BATTLE OF BULL RUN 1861 February 15, 1862 - THE STORMING OF FORT DONELSON March 9, 1862 - TERRIFIC COMBAT BETWEEN THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC April 7, 1862 - BOMBARDMENT AND CAPTURE OF ISLAND NUMBER TEN April 24, 1862 - THE SPLENDID NAVAL TRIUMPH ON THE MISSISSIPPI May 5, 1862 - BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA May 31, 1862 - BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, VIRGINIA July 1, 1862 - BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL August 4, 1862 - BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE September 17, 1862 - BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, MARYLAND October 4, 1862 - BATTLE OF CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI December 13, 1862 - BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG February 27, 1863 - IRON CLAD MONITOR MONTAUK March 14, 1863 - FARRAGUT ENGAGING REBELS April 7, 1863 - GREAT FIGHT AT CHARLESTON May 3, 1863 - BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE, VIRGINIA July 3, 1863 - BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG July 4, 1863 - CAPTURE OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI July 18, 1863 - THE GALLANT CHARGE OF THE FIFTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS (COLORED) REGIMENT September 20, 1863 - BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA, GEORGIA November 25, 1863 - BATTLE OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE May 6, 1864 - BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS, VIRGINIA May 12, 1864 - BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA June 1, 1864 - BATTLE OF COAL HARBOR June 19, 1864 - U.S. SLOOP OF WAR KEARSARGE September 1, 1864 - BATTLE OF JONESBORO, GEORGIA September 2, 1864 - CAPTURE OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA September 19, 1864 - GREAT VICTORY IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY April 2, 1865 - THE FALL OF RICHMOND VA. ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 2ND 1865 April 2, 1865 - BATTLE OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA April 9, 1865 - SURRENDER GENERAL LEE APPOMATTOX VIRGINIA Click here to see more Civil War art prints Click here to see scenes of the American Revolution, Mexican War, War of 1812 and more Click here for resources for learning more about your military ancestors Click here for thousands of free genealogy resources #civilwar #historyinart #images #illustrations

Knowing when your ancestors arrived in America could shine some light on the reasons why they left their home country to come to America. If you don't know where they came from, immigration data may offer some clues. What was happening around the time they arrived? Which groups were arriving and why? My year-checker tool was created to help with this but this summary of American immigration periods contains details that are good to know when you're researching your family's history: 1600s - The Dutch arrived in New York, the Swedes arrived in Delaware, the Spanish arrived in Florida, the British arrived in New England and in Virginia. Immigration during this period has been detailed in my previous blog, The Great Migration - Colonial America. 1790s - Following the American Revolution and our independence from Britain, The Naturalization Act of 1790 was passed by Congress, allowing free persons of good character and who have been in the country for at least two years to apply for citizenship. Citizenship gave citizens the right to vote, own property, and to testify in court. Later that year, the first U.S. census was taken. 1810s - Immigration from western Europe increased greatly after peace was made with Britain, following the War of 1812. Port cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Charleston were overwhelmed with arriving passengers, many of them sick from the long journey. The Steerage Act of 1819 was passed, calling for safer conditions on ships and more detailed passenger lists including ethnic composition. 1820s - Five million German immigrants arrived between 1820 and 1860 as well as thousands of Irish immigrants. It is said that one out of every three immigrants were from Ireland during this period, mostly in the 1840s. Some people began opposing immigration, due to the large number of German and Irish immigrants. 1840s - The Great Irish Famine, which began in 1845 and ended in 1852, led to the immigration of over a million Irish immigrants. Also, it was during this period that the Gold Rush began. It started in 1848, when gold was discovered in the Sacramento Valley of California. Immigrants from China begin to arrive seeking new opportunities after the Opium Wars between China and Great Britain left China struggling. In 1851, it is recorded that 2,716 Chinese immigrants arrived in San Francisco. 1850s - Beginning in the 1850s, thousands more Chinese immigrants flocked to America. Periods of drought and flooding led to a crop failure in China in 1852. That year alone, over 20,000 Chinese immigrants arrived in San Francisco. They came to work in gold mines, on farms, in factories, and building the railroads. This went on until The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882, the first policy to place restrictions on immigration in America. Castle Garden immigration depot opened at The Battery in Lower Manhattan in 1855. See the video of my visit to Battery Park here. 1860s - The Homestead Act of 1862 attracted many Europeans to America. Political and economic unrest in Germany made the offer irresistible and large numbers of Germans sailed to America. 1875 - The Federal Government was given the responsibility of enforcing immigration laws, by the Supreme Court. People who had criminal records or were considered "lunatics" or "idiots" were banned from entering the country. 1880s - The second immigration boom, during which over 20 million immigrants arrived in America, occurred in the 1880s. Over 4 million Italians and 2 million Jews arrived, with the remainder being primarily from Southern, Eastern and Central Europe. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 put a ten year ban on Chinese immigration and declared them ineligible for naturalization. This ban was not lifted until 1943, with the passage of the Magnuson Act. 1890s - The Immigration Act of 1891 placed further restrictions on immigration. People with criminal records, sickness, or disease, were banned from entry. Inspection stations were placed at the principle ports of entry to enforce the new rules. Ellis Island opened in the New York Harbor in January of 1892. The day it opened, 700 immigrants were processed, and in the first year, almost 450,000 more immigrants were received there. In its 62 years of operation, over 12 million immigrants would enter the United States through Ellis Island. In the 1890s, the larger portion of immigrants were arriving from southern and eastern Europe - the Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Serbs, Slovaks and Greeks. Non-Europeans from Syria, Turkey and Armenia also began to arrive. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR RESEARCHERS: Records from Castle Garden were transferred to Ellis Island, where they were destroyed by fire on June 15, 1897. Therefore, the records of all arrivals at the Port of New York from about 1840 to 1897 were lost. 1900s - During Ellis Island's peak years of 1900 to 1914, an average of 1,900 people were being processed each day. From there, they could reach their destinations by train or boat. The record number of arrivals was made in 1907, when just over a million arrivals were processed. As of 1903, anarchists were denied admittance. 1910s - In 1915 there were 178,416 immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island. In 1918, after the U.S. entered World War I, only 28,867 arrived. German citizens attempting to land on American soil were deported. Ellis Island was used as a detention center for enemy aliens and a makeshift hospital for injured or ill servicemen during this time. A literacy test was also put in place. Immigrants over the age of 16 who could not read 30-40 words in their native language were refused entry. 1920s - The Immigrant Quota Act of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924, put additional restrictions on immigration, bringing the eras of mass immigration to an end. With this policy, annual immigration from any country could not exceed 3% of the total number of immigrants from that country. Between 1925 and 1954, more than half the immigrants arriving in the U.S. arrived through the port at New York. During that period, 2.3 million immigrants were processed at Ellis Island. 1930s - The Great Depression brought extreme hardship to many in America. For the first time ever, more people were leaving America than were arriving. 1950s - The Internal Security Act of 1950 screened arrivals to ensure they had no previous links to communist and fascist organizations. Detainees were held at Ellis Island. The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952, however, greatly reduced the number of detainees, leaving the island of little use. Immigration processing at Ellis Island completely ended in 1954. It became a tourist attraction in 1976. It is said that 40% of the people in America today can trace at least one of their ancestor's arrival to Ellis Island. 1965 - President Johnson abolished the original quota system and transformed U.S. immigration law when he signed the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, laying the foundations of our current immigration policy. It allowed a separate quota for refugees and allowed more immigrants from third world countries to enter the United States. Explore immigration data using this useful resource found at Scholastic's website. Sources: Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts [Link] Ellis Island [Link] Immigration Timeline [Link] Click here for my list of free resources, where you may be able to find your family's immigration records. #immigration #america #american #immigrants #genealogy #history

From the overlook at Whitney Point, New York, a magnificent view is beheld. Apart from the beauty of the surrounding land and Whitney Point Lake, this particular place is dear to my heart. As a child, my mother always stopped at this exact spot to take a family picture. She may have understood that her ancestors lived in the hills and valleys laid out before us, but I hadn't given it a thought. To me, it was just a spectacular view and ideal place for a photo opportunity, but as I grew older and developed an increasing interest in family history, I was amazed to learn that many of my ancestors lived in these towns over the past couple hundred years. Here in these rugged lands, they cleared the forests, built roads, bridges, farms, homes, and businesses. They got married, raised families, died, and are buried in the cemeteries I've driven past numerous times without a clue. Their records testify in the town archives and many of their descendants remain in the surrounding counties of Cortland, Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Tompkins, and Cayuga, to this day. From the overlook at Whitney Point, we stand at an elevation of 1,106 feet. To our left (southwest) we see Tioga County. There, in Newark Valley, my maternal great-grandmother, Mary (Harvey) Reese-Gaul was born in 1910. Looking straight across, we face Richford, where Mary's grandfather, Royal J. Shirley was born in 1851. Royal's father, John Shirley was born in 1822 on the opposite side of this lake, in the town of Lisle. John's father had come from Massachusetts before 1810 with his father, Job Shirley, who was a soldier of the American Revolution. Beyond Newark Valley is Candor, where my paternal great-grandmother, Vena (Dykeman) Daniels-Slate was born in 1898. Her father, Arthur Dykeman, was born in Candor about 1872 and married there in 1897. Arthur's wife's father, John W. Jacobs, was also married there in 1819 and John's parents, Elizabeth (Jenks) and Thomas Jacobs, died and was buried there in 1884 at the age of 95. Thomas' father, Uriah Jacobs, was buried in nearby Spencer in 1841. He, too, was a soldier of the American Revolution. He was born in 1754 in Westchester County, New York. Harford, Dryden and Virgil, the towns my maternal great-grandmother's family settled and lived in. They were the Harvey, Shirley, Stowell, Ensign, and other families. who came from Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Looking to the right (northwest), we are looking toward Marathon, Lapeer, Virgil, and Cortland, where both my parents' families lived for the past 200 years. My ancestor, William McGinnis, came to this area from Ireland around 1850, during the Great Irish Famine, settling in Marathon. He is buried on the other side of this dam in Whitney Point. His daughter, a school teacher, married Jasper Hollenbeck of Willet. Jasper was the son of Nicholas Hollenbeck, whose wife (Lucy Ann Shevalier), was the granddaughter of Williams Huntley, Soldier of the American Revolution, who came to Marathon from Connecticut between 1800 and 1805 with his parents, John and Hannah Hollenbeck. Looking northward, we see the forests of Upper Lisle, Willet and Cincinnatus, where my ancestors lived and died. The more I learn about my family's history, the more I cherish and value this land - the beautiful land of my ancestors for the past 220 years. Enjoy the view! Click here to learn more about my family. Click here for thousands of free genealogy resources to research your family's history. #genealogy #newyork #cny #whitneypoint #broomecounty #cortlandcounty #tiogacounty #chenangocounty #tompkinscounty #cayugacounty

Imagine digging through a dusty old trunk in the attic of your grandparents' home and finding a file marked "Grandpa in the Revolution". You open the file to find it full of brittle old papers with names you never heard of. You might assume they were left from former occupants and toss them in the garbage, not knowing the significance or value of them. If I found these papers, I would think my mother picked them up at a yard sale somewhere along her travels - but I would be wrong. These old papers happen to be a record of my 6th great-grandfather's service in the American Revolution. We didn't find an old trunk but thanks to the government's careful preservation of these documents and HeritageQuest, the site where I found the files, we now have a copy of 51 pages of Ezra Rood's pension file, which contain a great deal of information about his life, his family, and his service. I put the images together into a PDF document you can view, download, save, or print to have your own copy, below. Ezra Rood was born in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, on Nov. 18, 1760. He enlisted as a Private in the Continental Army at the age of 17 in 1777. According to his descendant, Eliza Rood (on findagrave), a letter Ezra sent to Parthena Barton, was preserved and in it he describes his experience in the war as extremely difficult with pain, sickness, hardships and suffering, primarily because of cold and hunger. Nevertheless, he survived and no doubt celebrated America's independence from Great Britain at the end of the war. He died in 1729, at the age of 68. In the affidavits submitted to the pension bureau, we gain some interesting personal knowledge we probably couldn't find anywhere else. We learn that Ezra enlisted in 1777 in Captain Colburn's Company and Col. Alden's Reg't, serving for three years. He was with General Sullivan part of the time and was at Cherry Valley "at the time it was burnt", known as the Cherry Valley Massacre. This was the dreadful day of November 11, 1778, when a large force of British soldiers, Loyalists, Seneca and Mohawks, led by Walter Butler, invaded Cherry Valley and slaughtered about 30 unarmed defenders as well as some armed defenders. This was in retaliation for the Continental Army's raid of the previous month, against the Iroquois towns of Unadilla and Onaquaga (now Windsor, Broome, County). The towns had been abandoned prior to the attack after the Iroquois were forewarned, but the towns were completely burned and destroyed. The Unadilla and Onaquaga raid was in retaliation for raids led by Mohawk Chief, Joseph Brant, and other British Loyalists against frontier communities in the summer of 1778. The Cherry Valley Massacre led to the Sullivan Expedition, ordered and organized by George Washington. On page 13, Parthena testifies that Ezra lived in Monson, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, at the time of his enlistment. I checked my index of Massachusetts towns and found that Monson is in Hampden County, which was formed from part of Hampshire County in 1812. Parthena's testimony goes on to say they were married February 11, 1788, by Rev. Doct. Parsons. She was 70 years old at the time of this letter, dated February 6, 1839. Her signature is shown here: On page 14, the 1839 testimony of Edward Wilcox of Plainfield, New York, is given. Then, on page 16, the testimony of Thirza Stetson of Amhurst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, is prseented, saying she was the sister of Parthena Rood and that her maiden name was Parthena Warner. She also says she herself was well acquainted with Ezra prior to the marriage, which took place at her father's house in Amhurst by Rev. Parson, the "minister of the town". She recalls that soon after they were married, they moved to New Dunham, New York, and after a few years moved to Bristol and from there to Plainfield, where they lived until Ezra died in 1829. The testimony of Esther Ingram of Amherst follows on page 17. She states the following: "I was well acquainted with Ezra Rood, late of Plainfield in the State of New York, deceased, he resided in my father's family two or three years after he came out of the service in the Revolutionary War and was a member of our family at the time he was married, which took place in the winter of 1788 as near as I can recollect. He married Parthena Warner, a person with whom I was well acquainted, and whose father then lived in our neighborhood." She goes on to say that after he moved out of her father's house, she found his pension papers and sent them to him. On page 35, records regarding Parthena's application for bounty land begin. By then she had two deceased husbands who fought in the Revolution. On page 37, the testimony of her son, Levi Rood of Hartford, Cortland County, New York, is given. He states that he was present at his mother's marriage to Nathan Brown in 1839. Benjamin Carver gives the same testimony on page 38 and on page 39 the testimony of Minister Parsons S. Pratt of Winfield, New York, follows. He states that he knew Nathan Brown and preached the funeral sermon when he died in 1849. He confirmed that Parthena was his widow and that she had been the widow of Mr. Rood formerly. Samuel McKee's testimony is on page 40, stating that he was present at Nathan Brown's funeral. A letter on page 43, written by Benjamin Carver states that Parthena was granted the pension in 1838 and payments were to continue for five years ($80 per year), but that she "was married to Nathan Brown on the 17th day of June 1839 and according to said act of 1838, her pension stopped and she surrendered her certificate. The question is, was there a law passed in 1842 that would entitle her to the residue of his pension, if so will you inform me how to proceed to obtain it." In 1849, Samuel McKee wrote to the pension bureau submitting his belief that she was entitled to a pension, for the service of her second husband, Nathan Brown, under the Pension Act of Feb 1848. His opinion was that if she had not married Brown, she would still be drawing from Ezra's pension. On September 25, 1849, at the age of 80, Parthena went to the Herkimer County Surrogate's Office. In that affidavit (page 48), we learn more of Ezra's service - "was in the service three years, amongst other services was at Saratoga in the different engagements and at Burgoyne's Surrender." Her signature on that document is shown here: The full pension file (51 pages): Notice, on page 1 of Ezra's pension file, the note regarding Parthena Brown: "This woman's other husband also served in the Revolutionary War. See case of Nathan Brown, Mass.". I went back to HeritageQuest's site to find Nathan's file and found this mention but the file contains only documents from Nathan's original claim in 1832: Whether or not she received any bounty land from her claim is unknown, but we learned a lot from the pension file! Ezra Rood is also included in "Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the revolutionary war", on pages 541-542 as follows: (Click here to read this book for free on Archive.org.) How are we related? If you follow the Harvey branch you'll find Ezra Rood. He was the 4th great-grandfather of Mary (Harvey) Reese Gaul, my great-grandmother. Her descent is shown here, by generation. Ezra is the first generation and she is in the 7th generation. Click any ancestor's name to learn more about them and see other memorabilia pertaining to their lives: Ezra Rood married Parthena Warner in Amherst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, on February 11, 1788. Ezra and Parthena had a daughter named Sally Rood, who married Royal Ensign in Winfield, Herkimer County, New York, on September 27, 1822. Royal and Sally had a daughter named Esther Ensign who married John Shirley in Lisle, Broome County, New York, on December 31, 1844. (In one of my recent blogs, I shared a video of my visit to Hunts Corners Cemetery in Lapeer, where Esther and her parents are buried). Esther and John had a son named Royal John "R. J." Shirley who married Mary J. Brooks around 1875 or 1876 in Richford, Tioga, New York. R.J. and Mary had a daughter named Gertrude Esther Shirley who married Newman A. Harvey in Dryden, Tompkins County, New York, on January 9, 1904. Gertrude and Newman had a daughter named Mary Esther Harvey who married John Reese in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, on April 18, 1930. Mary and John were my grandfather's parents. Finally, an interesting side note for the family. Ezra Rood was at the surrender of Burgoyne, as were Benjamin Stanton and Nathan Wood, all in the Harvey branch of my family tree. Job Shirley of the Harvey branch also participated in Sullivan's Expedition, like Ezra Rood. On the Dickinson branch of my family, my 6th great-grandfather, John Strong, Jr. was also in Sullivan's Expedition. These are all on my mothers side. For those on my father's side, Williams Huntley, was at Burgoyne's surrender with Ezra. Imagine, at least six of your forefather's facing thousands of British troops coming down from Canada, British Loyalists, and their Native American allies in mortal combat in a fight for America's independence from Great Britain. These and about thousands of other brave patriots and soldiers were on the winning side after the battle that is said to have been the turning point of the American Revolution, leading to our "Brexit". If you're interested in learning more about the Battle of Saratoga and the Surrender of General Burgoyne, I recommend these two short videos on YouTube: History Brief: The Battle of Saratoga (3:52) How was American Revolutionary War won: The Battles of Saratoga (11:54) Subscribe to my free blog for updates or check the "Updates" page frequently! See more: Ezra Rood and his family Cherry Valley Massacre article with sources on Wikipedia Sullivan Expedition article with sources on Wikipedia Learn more about Ezra Rood See more of my military ancestors Find thousands of free genealogy resources #harvey #ensign #rood #ezrarood #americanrevolution #veterans #military #revolutionarywar #patriots

Nicholas Hollenbeck built this impressive Carpenter Gothic Style home in Willet, New York, in 1885. Featuring first floor porches on either side of a central gable with a bow window. This treasured photograph was shared by Nancy Hollenbeck. Whether or not the house still stands, is unknown. This home may have been on Johnson Road, or perhaps off of Bloody Pond Road. See the map below, which shows the locations of properties owned by Nicholas Hollenbeck in Lots 67 and 76. The following are some land transactions involving Nicholas Hollenbeck: In 1854, Nicholas purchased land from Christian SHEVALIER for $500, a tract about two miles west of Willet. (Bk 23,446). In 1858, he purchased one acre, a portion of Military Lot 67 in Willet for $30. (Bk 30,188). In 1859, he purchased 50 acres of Military Lot 77 in Willet for $800. (Bk 30,598) and also 100 acres of the same lot for $1,200. (Bk 30,599). In 1866, he purchased 50 more acres of Military Lot 77 in Willet for $1,500 (Bk 42,317). In 1867, he purchased more of Military Lot 77 from someone living in Syracuse for $1,000. (Bk 47,55). In 1870, he purchased a portion of Military Lot 68 from WILSON of Waterbury, Connecticut. (Bk 51,220) and also a portion of Military Lot 66 from Manly CAMPBELL of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. In 1875, he bought more land from Manly CAMPBELL in Marathon and Willet, (Bk 58,303). UPDATE: Check out my video of Nicholas' property in Lot 76! Click here for more on the Hollenbeck family! #NicholasHollenbeck #Willet #Marathon #CortlandCounty #NewYork #Hollenbeck

Hunts Corners Cemetery is located in the town of Lapeer, (or Marathon according to Google Maps), on Route 221. It is located near the Hunts Corners Baptist Church. Little can be found about the church and its communicants or whether or not the tiny cemetery was owned by the church. The church is located on the main road, Route 221, and the cemetery is located adjacent to the church, on Hunts Corners Road. It is a small cemetery semi-sheltered by trees, with about 90 very old graves scattered about. The oldest grave listed on Findagrave is that of John L. Johnson, who died on Oct. 9, 1813, although there are several stones that are weathered to the point they are illegible. There are also some without dates and others with broken or pieces missing. Family names include Atwood, Baker, Barrows, Beagle, Bliss*, Brown, Bucklen, Butterfield, Clay, Clute, Day, Douset, Ensign, Fitzpatrick, Forshee, Frank, Gates, Griswell, Hammon, Hart, Hartson, Hotaling, Hudson, Johnson, Joyner, Mather, Meffet, Moffatt, Neff, Pollard, Royce, Shirley, Smith, Steele, Talbut, Tracy, and Tryon. Click here to view this cemetery's burials on Findagrave. Old books are the best place to find information about historic places so I tried a search on Archive.org, for books containing the phrase "Hunts Corners". One book I found explained why the growth of so many American towns was stunted, information I found worthy of sharing in my previously post blog. Hunts Corners is listed among the examples. This video was recorded a couple weeks ago, when my sister and I visited the cemetery and a couple other nearby places our relatives lived. For those in our family who descend from Mary (Harvey) Reese Gaul, three of our ancestors are buried here: Royal & Sally Ensign and their daughter, Esther A. Shirley. Esther had a son named Royal J. Shirley who was the father of Gertrude Shirley. Gertrude married Newman Harvey and Mary Harvey was one of their daughters. See more: Royal Ensign Sally Rood Esther A. (Ensign) Shirley Cortland County genealogy resources New York genealogy resources Thousands of other free genealogy resources #ensign #cemetery #huntscorners #lapeer #newyork #royalensign #sallyrood #esterensign

In central New York there are many small towns that aren't officially towns. The old-timers and locals call these neighborhoods (or hamlets) by there original names, but the post office doesn't use the names. Hunts Corners, for example, is a part of Cortland County. On Google Maps, the intersection at Hunts Corners Road and Route 221 is said to be in Marathon, but on Findagrave, it is said to be in Lapeer. Wikipedia also lists Hunts Corners as a hamlet in Lapeer. It's all very confusing! Why isn't it just "Hunts Corners"? How did this small community that appears to have a fine foundation stop growing? I stumbled upon the answer to this question in a book that explains that it was when "Rural Free Delivery" began, around 1900, that the town lost it's official identity. This I learned from a book titled "RFD, the changing face of rural America", by Wayne Edison Fuller, 1964. Fuller explains how changes in the postal system stunted the growth of so many once-thriving rural towns as follows: Before the R F D was established, there were hundreds of little communities in rural America, most of them identifiable by their local post offices, and people who lived within their boundaries had a sense of belonging and a community spirit which showed itself in their occasional social meetings. "Formerly," wrote one observer of the old community life, "frequent social gatherings were held, when the whole neighborhood would 'turn out,' - the women and children gathering in the afternoon, and the men both old and young, joining them in the evenings. The sons of farmers married daughters of farmers, and the new farm homes were established, thus perpetuating the community." (Fuller 283) Fuller goes on to mention Cortland County specifically by name - albeit misspelled "Courtland". He explains that soon after 1900, "Rural Free Delivery" began and the post offices at Freetown, Texas Valley, Hunts Corners, and Messengerville were closed and consolidated, with mail being received at the post office in Marathon and delivered by mail carrier from there to rural homes. This had a number of impacts on the local people. First, people had the newfound ability to mail letters easily, without leaving home. It was much easier to send a letter, than it was to travel the muddy and bumpy roads, often under harsh weather conditions, to deliver a message to a correspondent. It was the social media of the day, and like social media of today, it caused a decrease in social gatherings and visits. In a sense, it was the beginning of social distancing. It also reshaped local business in a major way. When the people needed to go to the post office, it was their "trip to town". While they were in town, they shopped in the stores, purchasing supplies or services, and gathered with friends. The traffic coming and going from the post office made it attractive for businesses to build nearby, thereby promoting urban growth, to the dismay of rural business owners. If they were to compete, they too needed to be where the people were, and for this reason many left their quiet country life for city streets and sidewalks. For the younger generations, the cities were glamorous and sophisticated and offered a lifestyle far more exciting than their sleepy country towns could provide. Slowly these rural towns stopped growing and many of them have smaller populations today than they did 100 years ago. The closing of their local post offices essentially took away the identity of these small towns. Would building them again bring these towns back to life? Perhaps, but I believe it's quite possible the people of these sleepy, forgotten country towns aren't interested in becoming the next city on the map and are content just the way things are. The map provided here is extremely helpful in identifying these parts of southern Cortland County. (Save this page to your favorites to return to it later for reference while researching your Cortland County ancestors!) See more: Cortland County genealogy resources New York genealogy resources Thousands of free genealogy resources "RFD, the changing face of Rural America", by W. E. Fuller, 1964, on Archive.org. #genealogy #cortland #cortlandcounty #marathon #resources #map

One of the items on my genealogy to-do list was to visit the home of my ancestor, Nicholas Hollenbeck. Little did I know, I had been there before! Reviewing this map of Cortland County in 1876, I realized that I had already been there many years ago. My great-grandmother's land had originally been his. At the time this map was drawn, Route 221 had not been completed, making it hard for me to recognize where Nicholas' land was located. After visiting Willet recently, however, I realized the land belonging to Nicholas in 1876, situated on the border of Lot 76 and Lot 77, was where Leonard Road is today. It was where my Grandpa Leonard grew up, and may even have been where he was born. I had walked the property with my father years ago and driven past the "Leonard Rd" sign many times since then. Last time I was there, the house was still standing. It was a small one-story home that had replaced the one that burned down in 1949. The house has since been demolished and two new homes and a business have been built on Leonard Road. Leonard Road was actually the driveway leading up to Great-Grandma's house, so when the property was occupied by new owners, I never drove down the road because I felt like it would be trespassing - until recently. My sister and I finally took a trip down Leonard Road! It the perfect time of year, late September, when the leaves had turned from green to every shade of red, orange and yellow you can imagine. Aside from the new residents and their homes, the setting has changed very little. This video was made in memory of our Hollenbeck and Leonard ancestors who bought the land, cleared the trees and planted our roots on Leonard Road. See more: My Hollenbeck Family My Leonard Family My Willet, New York blogs and resources My Cortland County, New York blogs and resources My New York blogs and resources #roseellenhollenbeck #nicholashollenbeck #jasperhollenbeck #robertjleonard #robertleonard #willet #leonardroad #hollenbeck #leonard #cortlandcounty

During my research of my Hollenbeck ancestors, I came across an interesting book published in 1823, which provides much valuable insight into the arrival of the Germans in Schoharie County, New York. The book, titled "A brief sketch of the first settlement of the county of Schoharie, by the Germans : being an answer to a circular letter addressed to the author by The historical and philosophical society of the state of New York", by John Mathias Brown (1745-1838), can be found on Archive.org here. In these two excerpts, the author explains how the Germans came to be in Schoharie County, New York: "Queen Anne having intended to settle America, sent her agent to purchase land from the natives; for which purpose she sent messengers to Germany to invite people to come over and settle, and promised that they should have the land they possessed free. In consequence thereof, many came over, and a purchase was made, beginning near little Schoharie creek, at high water mark of the big Schoharie river, and at an oak stump, burned out hollow by the Indians to serve for stamping their corn; where a stone heap was erected, which stands to this day". (Click here to continue reading on page 13). "Queen Anne had caused her proclamation to be carried through all Germany, inviting people to come over to settle the New World, promising there to given them lands gratis, and that they should all be free, or have and enjoy freedom. O! Liberty was sweet - that they like Abraham of old, left their fathers, friends and nations. And in the year 1710, on New Year's day, started for the unknown land; went down the river Rhine, where they were provided with shipping to Holland, from thence to England, and there provided, so went on to America. They had a very tedious voyage; a great many died, and the remainder landed at New York in the year 1712, on the 14th day of June, after having been one year, five months and several days on their journey." (Click here to continue reading on page 20). Queen Anne died at Kensington Palace at the age of 49 on August 1, 1714. The portrait of her and her husband, Prince George of Denmark, was made by Charles Boit in 1706. See More: The Hollenbeck Family New York Genealogy Resources Schoharie County Genealogy Resources More resources by type or location #schohariecounty #newyork #resources #genealogy #hollenbeck #johnhollenbeck #german #immigration

From 1790-1840, when the U.S. Federal Census was taken, only the name of the Head of Household was recorded. The number of other people living in the home was also recorded, and the only possible identifying factor is their age at the time of the census, which gives us a range of years between which any given person could have been born. This chart I made is a useful tool for calculating the range of years the household members were born in. You can also find a handy form to automatically summarize the ages of the household members here. New!! Quick Links to Census Helpers/Age Calculators: 1790 | 1800 | 1810 | 1820 | 1830 | 1840 To find and view free census records online, check my Genealogy Links page. Tip: If the person was listed under the column for ages 0-9 in 1800, they were born between 1791 and 1800. If on the next census (1810) they were counted under the column for ages 16-26, then they were born between 1785-1794. Since we already know, from the 1800 census, that they were born after 1791, we can estimate the person's birth year was sometime between 1791 and 1794. Other census records may help reduce the range even further, helping you pinpoint the exact year of birth, keeping in mind that some people were mathematically challenged. UPDATE: TRY TWO OF MY NEW FREE TOOLS! THE YEAR CHECKER AND THE CENSUS FINDER!! #census #calculator

In a recent blog, I shared a video and photos of my visit to Willet Cemetery. It was the burial place of my 3rd great-grandparents, Nicholas and Lucy (Shevalier) Hollenbeck as well as Lucy's mother, Joanne (Huntley) Shevalier Campbell. Click here to see the blog. What I was forgetting during that visit, or the connection I failed to recognize, is that Nicholas' parents are also buried there - my 4th great-grandparents, John Hollenbeck and his wife, Hannah (Conrad) Hollenbeck. Of course I had to take another trip to find their graves! I got my sister to go with me this time. We knew it must be in the older section of the cemetery, closest to the church, and sure enough, she found them! John and Nancy are buried beside their daughter, Nancy Hollenbeck, who predeceased both of them. Notice, Nancy died in 1852 and on her grave the name is spelled "HALENBECK". Hannah died four years later, in 1856, and on her stone, the name was spelled "HOLLENBECK". John died in 1864 and his name is also spelled "HOLLENBECK". Their son (my 3rd great-grandfather) Nicholas Hollenbeck's grave is decorated with a G.A.R. emblem, indicating he was a soldier of the Civil War (1861-1865). If John Hollenbeck died in 1864, he probably died while his son Nicholas was off fighting the war. He was 87 years old. Click here to learn more about this branch of my family. Click here for thousands of free genealogy resources. #johnhollenbeck #hollenbeck #hannahconrad #cemetery #grave #burials #willet #cortlandcounty #newyork

Italian State archives are online! Files from their State Archives include records dating back to the early 1800s and also include military documents. Take a look and see what you can find! http://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/?q=gallery (The page is in Italian. Click here to use Google Translate to translate). Digital pictures of civil status acts List of institutes and archives reproduced, sorted by location. Each image is accompanied by the archive data that indicates the name of the background / archive (SCN = Napoleonic Civil Status; SCR = Civil Status of the Restoration; SCI = Italian Civil Status); Types of Act (Born, Weddings, Deaths, Indexes, Attachments , etc.), date, eventual reference number of the archive unit (envelope, log, file, etc.). To browse through the archives and browse the document images, visit their "Sfoglia I Registri" (Browse Registers) page here: 1) Istituto di Conservazione (Institute of Interest) 2) Fondo (Municipality / Location) 3) Istituto di Conservazione (Civil status fund of interest) 4) Tipologia di Atto (Type of file) 5) Anno Inizio (Interest Period - Anno Inizio (start) and Anno Fine (end) 6) Then press the "Serca" button, to Search. The images are presented in the sequence of the original source. To search for a name in the archives and browse the document images, visit their "Trova I Nomi" (Find the Names) page here: 1) Nome (Enter the first name of the person you are looking for) and/or Cognome (Last name) 2) Tipologia di Atto (Type of Act: Nascite (Births), Matrimoni (Marriages) or Morti (Deaths)) 3) Comune/Località (select the municipality / location (optional)) 4) Anno Inizio (Year start) and Anno Fine (Year end) It is possible to search by name in the documentation of the following State Archives: Asti, Bari, Bergamo, Brescia, Caltanissetta, Campobasso, Cremona, Enna, Forlì-Cesena, Genoa, Grosseto, Imperia, L'Aquila, Mantua, Modena, Mondovì (Cuneo), Naples, Padua, Pescara, Prato, Ragusa, Reggio Calabria, Rieti, Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trapani, Udine, Urbino and Viterbo. More information about the Project: Translated from their page "Come fare ricerche anagrafiche e genealogiche" - (How To Do Family Genealogies) Where to start? Searching for a person's personal data must start from geographic, time, and parental relationship (parent, spouse, child) by going backward. Initial data constitutes the access key to search information in the complexity of the documentary sources useful to delineate the master profiles. When doing research then we need to distinguish between Marital Status and Registry. The Civil Status covers birth, death and marriage registrations, while the Registry (from the Greek verb enroll, record) covers population movements, residences and their changes, censuses, immigration and emigration. The following is translated from their page "La pagina Le fonti documentarie degli Archivi di Stato per le ricerche anagrafiche e genealogiche". (The State History Archive and Family History Documentary Resources page) Where are the sources? Civil status and registry Italian civil status has a short but significant precedent in the French one, also known as Napoleonic because it was introduced to Napoleon in Italy from 1806 and survived in some regions even after the French defeat of 1815. Immediately after the Unity of Italy , with the first national census (1861), the status of civil status becomes a necessity: it is necessary to know the sex, social condition and level of education of Italians to form electoral lists, municipal councils, to fulfill the obligation of military leverage, to demand taxes; so a decree of 1864 attributes to the Communes the task of recording demographic movements, without however compelling a mandatory character, so not all municipalities comply with them. A second law of 1871 makes the compulsory registry for all municipalities that from this date forward are responsible for keeping the registers of birth, marriage and death of the resident population. Martial status registers include records of births, marriage, marriage, death and sometimes citizenship records; they are therefore the primary and primary source for genealogical and genealogical research and can also contain significant data from a social point of view, such as the profession of parents or the degree of literacy possessed (by signing). Therefore it is always advisable to start searching from the archive of the Municipality of origin; For the purposes of submitting requests for certification to the Italian Municipalities, the site http://www.comuni-italiani.it is useful, which contains telephone and fax numbers, mail contacts and websites. For the period before September 1, 1871, the functions of the Civil Registrar were carried out by the parish priests, who are in charge of writing and keeping the records of the baptized, weddings, deaths and states of the souls systematically and uninterrupted by the second half of the sixteenth century (as a result of the provisions of the Council of Trent), but earlier some parishes cured the compilation of these registers. Therefore, for the period prior to 1871, it is necessary to apply to the parish of birth and residence - if different from the first - to obtain the certificate of the master (a useful search engine for the parishes of Italy is the site: www.parrocchie.it) ; among the projects for the protection and enhancement of Italian historical-historical sacramental registrations (parish records of baptisms, marriages, burials and the state of the souls before 1901), the database of The Memory of the Sacraments (http: /registriparrocchiali.weebly.com), to which many parishes have joined. For descendants of Italian emigrants From the last decades of the twentieth century the desire to rediscover their origins is felt as a strong demand especially by the descendants of Italian emigrants resident abroad, along with the increasingly pressing need to obtain the necessary documents in the administrative authority to obtain Italian citizenship "iure sanguinis", such as the extract of the birth or marriage act of their ancestors. The State Archives have no jurisdiction over the registry but retain serial sources to locate the Ascension Birth Communities, to which they are required to obtain the necessary certifications, while for the period prior to 1871, parishes must be contacted. In the archives produced by Prefectures, Police Headquarters and Courts, which are transferred to the relevant State Archives after 40 years of exhaustion, it is also possible to find sporadic documentation regarding passports or expatriation permits. Translated from their page "Le fonti degli Archivi di Stato" (The sources of the State Archives): The serial sources stored in the State Archives for genealogical and genealogical research are mainly identifiable in two types: 1. Civilian States, which date back to the beginning of the nineteenth century; 2. Military Documents (Leverage and Role-List Roles) maintained from the first half of the nineteenth century onwards. Napoleonic, Restoration, Italian Civil Status Napoleonic Civil Status (SCN) was introduced in Italy since 1806, following the annexation of many regions to the French Empire, and remained in force until 1815; the keeping of civil status by the Communes of the time produced a series of records of birth, marriage and death records, whose original double, after various events, according to places and times, came to the State archives of the respective provinces. Along with the registers, there are numerous attachments to acts that bring interesting information and can not be found elsewhere, such as paternity and maternity, or consent to the marriage of the contractors, allowing them to go back to previous generations lived in the second half or late eighteenth century. During the Restoration, the registration of demographic movements - as it continues to be exercised by the parishes - remains in the competence of civil authorities in some regions. The marital status of the Restoration (SCR), about the period 1815 - 1865, is mainly present in Southern Italy (civil status of Bourbonity in the Kingdom of Naples), but also in some northern areas (estense civil status in Modenese) ; In other cases there is a mixed system: part of the competence remains to ecclesiastical authority, but under the strict control of the civil authority (Tuscany). The product registers, similar to type and structure to those of the French period, are also accompanied by attachments, together with which they are included in the State Archives. With the Italian Civil Status (SCI), established with R.D. November 15, 1865, no. 2602, effective from January 1, 1866, the production of birth registers, citizenship documents, marriage, marriage and death publications, which are always in original originals, one of which remains while the second is sent to the Tribunal in charge of territory and subsequently to the State Archives for permanent retention. The registers are accompanied by annual and / or ten-year alphabetical indexes that allow a quicker search for individual acts; they also report civil status records registered with other municipalities or other authorities, including abroad, concerning Italian citizens resident in the municipality itself. In this case next, there are the Attachments, which contain first-hand data such as medical certificates relating to birth or death, as well as a variety of transcripts and annotations relating to records, marriage publications, marriages, to citizenship. These Annexes are in original only kept only at the Tribunals and are subsequently transferred to the State Archives. Compared to records compiled for military purposes, or religious communities, civil registers concern citizens of both sexes and of any religious confession, as well as atheists and non-baptized people. Military Leverage Lists Almost all of the State Archives retain, albeit to varying degrees, the Leverage Lists, drawn up annually on a daily basis, by the duplicate Municipalities containing the alphabetical list of all the male population resident in the age of military visit ( between the seventeenth and the twentieth year of age, in the manner prescribed by law). A copy was left to the Municipality and one was sent to the existing Liaison Office in the provincial or district capital for further selection and recruiting. During these operations, the Extracting Lists (random order lists of the same, but on a mandatory basis) were produced and the summary records of the decisions of the Liaison Council concerning the fate of each individual conscript. Alongside the data already indicated by the Municipality for each name, the Leverage and Extraction Lists contain the data recorded during the visit: literacy, profession, somatic and anthropometric characters (color of the eyes and hair, shape of the nose, measurements of the stature and the chest circumference), as well as the outcome of the visit itself: "skilled enrolled" in one of the three categories envisaged, "revisable" to the leverage, "reformed", "renitant". The leverage of the Kingdom of Italy was governed by the Piedmontese law of 1676, 1854, extended to the rest of Italy from the years 1860-1862; the concerned birth classes are therefore initiated, depending on the places, from 1840 to 1842 or later following the process of territorial unification. This does not exclude the fact that even older classes can be traced in many areas (beyond the Sardinian Kingdom), where the State Archives also retain the acts of leverage of the last preunitary period. After the 1911 reform (last class 1891), the Extraction Lists or the Summaries Registers were no longer produced. Leverages and Extraction Lists are handed over to the State Archives for a territory that has passed 70 years since the year of the lever. The military matrix roles Often alongside the leverage records, the State Archives keep the Matricular Roles compiled by the Military District Military Service, which is responsible for keeping the official documentation of all services rendered to the state by the military and of all the facts that change them they change the position during the time it stays in the roles. Every soldier is uniquely identified by a progressive number, the "novelty", which is related to the enrollment class (which may be different from the birth date), the military recruiting district and the category of membership (as long as it has existed) . For each soldier the role includes: serial number, body, date of enrollment, degrees, any honors, or sanctions imposed, or deserts. Matricular sheets, which summarize all this information in an extremely synthetic way, are bound by a serial order in records relating to the various classes. In these annual registers, only the enrolled, ie those who have actually provided military service, are included; therefore there are no reformers (judged unfit for service for health reasons), exempted persons (usually for family reasons), renitants (those who did not attend the escort call or call for recruitment). The military roles of the Military Districts, accompanied by alphabetical lists, which constitute the fundamental instrument for conducting the research, are paid to the State Archives of the province pertaining to the end of the seventeenth year of the enrollment; here they can be consulted in compliance with the rules for the protection of the confidentiality of personal data. More complete information on matricular roles, which is the synthesis of them, can be found in the Military Records, equally produced by Military Districts and occasionally paid to the State Archives. They are divided into two sections: troops and non-commissioned officers, and contain official documentation concerning the single military. Click here for more Italian genealogy resources! Click here for 20,000+ more genealogy tips and resources! #Italian #Italy #vitalrecords #links #resources #foreign #genealogy

William and Catharine (Smith) McGinnis were Irish immigrants who emigrated to central New York in the mid-1850's. In my previous blog, I shared a video of the road and property they lived on from 1860 until the time of their death. Catharine a.k.a. "Kate" died on February 9, 1895, in Cincinnatus and William died four years later, on February 1, 1899. Before visiting their former home on Fox Road, I took a trip to their grave site in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Whitney Point, New York. I was disappointed to see that the McGinnis name is barely legible and had it not been for a photo of it shared on Findagrave when it was in better condition, we may have never found it. Walk through with me to see this cemetery in it's entirety! See more: Catharine (Smith) McGinnis William McGinnis Learn more about this branch of my family See thousands of my favorite free genealogy resources #williammcginnis #mcginnis #hollenbeck #cincinnatus #whitneypoint #cemetery #grave #video

William McGinnis was my 3rd great-grandfather. He was born about 1827 in Ireland and came to America when he was about 22 years old, in 1849. It was during the "Great Irish Famine", a dreadful time when several years of failed crop harvests led to the starvation of over one million people. You can learn more about it in my previous blog (click here). On the 1876 map of Cincinnatus, William McGinnis owned 93 acres of land on Fox Road. Fox Road is 1.3 miles from end to end, between Maricle Road (in Freetown) and Route 41 (in Cincinnatus). William appears to have lived on or near the border between the two, which may indicate this was where he lived in 1860 when he was counted on the census in Freetown. On every census after 1860, he was counted in Cincinnatus. Land records would have to be obtained to confirm exactly when he purchased the land on Fox Road. I like to view my ancestor's homes on Google Maps in "Street View", but many rural country roads are not yet available in Street View, and such is the case with Fox Road. I finally had the opportunity to visit Fox Road over the weekend and created a video to document the place for McGinnis' posterity. It is probably very similar to when the McGinnis family lived there. Surely the road wasn't paved, there was no electricity, and there were fewer houses, but otherwise, it seems to have changed very little. It is a scenic country road with farms, pastures, and woodlands. Fox Road intersects Gee Brook and a small stream that runs off Gee Brook then runs parallel with the road across from the McGinnis property, certainly a valuable amenity for the McGinnis family. See the video here! Enjoy! (Alternate link) Click here to learn more about William McGinnis. Click here to learn more about this branch of my family. Click here for thousands of free genealogy resources to help find your family's history! #williammcginnis #mcginnis #irish #ireland #newyork #cortlandcounty #cincinnatus #video

Newman Harvey was my maternal 4th great-grandfather. He was born abt. 1777 in Rhode Island and came to New York between 1821 and 1824. His family lived in Virgil, part of the Central New York Military Tract, possibly because his father was a soldier of the American Revolution. More details on that later! Newman was counted on the census in Lapeer, Cortland County, New York, in 1855 and 1860. Prior to that, in 1825, 1830, 1835, and 1840, he was counted on the census in Virgil because Lapeer was formed from part of Virgil in 1845. The population in Lapeer in 2010 was 767 and prohibition is still in effect there. Consuming or possessing alcohol within the boundaries of this old town is prohibited even today. Newman lived on Harvey Hill, specifically on Harvey Hill Road. You can find it on this historic map just above the "LA" in the name "LAPEER". Another map, showing exactly where Newman and Dennis both lived on Harvey Hill Road in 1855 was posted in my previous blog, found here. My husband and I recently took a road trip to see Harvey Hill Road. A large section of the hill is covered in solar panels as the State pushes to meet Governor Cuomo's goal of New York producing 70% of it's own energy by 2030. (Source: Cortland Standard, Nov. 30, 2019). Newman's property, on the corner of Harvey Hill Road and Quail Hill Road contains a modern home, barn and stable. Ride along with us and enjoy the view! On our way to Harvey Hill Road, we passed Quail Hill Cemetery, where at least two of Newman Harvey's children are buried. It may be the place where Newman himself was buried, however no burial record for him has been found. See my previous blog for the video tour of that tiny cemetery. Click here to learn more about Newman Harvey. Click here to learn more about the Harvey Family. Click here to learn about other people in my family. #newmanharvey #harvey #lapeer #virgil #cortlandcounty

Recently, I visited Lapeer to see the homes of some of my ancestors who lived in the area in the 1800s. One such ancestor was Newman Harvey, my 4th great-grandfather. He arrived in Lapeer, Cortland County, New York, in the early 1820's and lived there at least 40 years. He lived on Harvey Hill Road. On my way to Harvey Hill, I passed a small, very old cemetery on Quail Hill Road, less than a mile from Harvey Hill Road. Since I have yet to discover when or where Newman Harvey and his wife died or where they were buried, it didn't take me long to decide to pull over and investigate! Unfortunately, I found no grave for Newman Harvey. I did, however, find mention of him! On his daughter's headstone, which is in remarkably good condition, especially considering she predeceased him by at least twenty years, the following is written: "Julia Ann, daughter of Newman & Lucy Harvy died Sep. 12, 1840 in her 21st Year". Next to Julia's is the ornate gravestone of Dennis Harvey, her brother, and his wife, Mariah. There may have been inscriptions on the sides of the stone, but it is very hard to tell. Behind Julia's stone is a small stone which cannot be read at all. Perhaps this was the burial place of her mother and/or father? Anyone with information or access to early Virgil and Lapeer records, please share any information you may have on the Harveys! Click here to learn more about the Harvey family! #newmanharvey #harvey #lapeer #cortlandcounty #newyork #cemetery

The trip to the center of the great State of New York is about four to five hours away from central New Jersey by car and about three hours from eastern Pennsylvania. Many hours of my life have been spent on these highways traveling between the three states to visit family and friends. Back in June, when my husband and I took a road trip to central New York we recorded the trip. We started recording near Lehighton and drove through Wind Gap, Saylorsburg, Stroudsburg, Tannersville, Mt. Pocono, Tobyhanna, Scranton, Scott, Lenox, New Milford, and Great Bend. We made a quick stop in Susquehanna before crossing the Pennsylvania-New York border. Ten miles from the State line, we passed through the northeast corner of Binghamton and on to Port Dickinson, Glen Castle, and Castle Creek, before reaching Whitney Point. Ever since I was a little girl, my mother would stop there to take our pictures at the scenic overlook featured at the end of the video. Later, my research would reveal that my ancestors were among the first to establish and settle this vast area nearly two centuries ago. Now when I stand at this overlook, I reflect on my ancestors who settled this land and it gives me a new passion for it. This has been the land of my ancestors for the past three centuries and beyond, with two Native American connections. How did my ancestors end up here? For the answer, see my previous blog "The Central New York Military Tract". Now sit back and enjoy the ride and be sure to subscribe for updates! Click here to learn more about my family! Subscribe to my blog for updates! #places #newyork #pennsylvania #timelapse #roadtrip #ancestortrails #video

Newman Harvey was my 4th great-grandfather. He was born about 1777 in Rhode Island and arrived in Virgil, New York, between 1820 and 1821. He was counted on the census there in 1825. When Virgil was divided in 1845, his land fell in the newly formed town of Lapeer. (See map). Following are some notes I've gathered about the other Harvey's who lived in the region: In 1825, Newman Harvey lived in Virgil. A man named Elias Harvey lived nearby. In January of 1830, Newman Harvey received land from Joel and Polly Harvey. It was Lot 67 in Virgil (now Lapeer). (Deed #Q-221). Listed among the early settlers of Cortland are several Harvey’s including Benjamin, Bethuel, Elder, Isaac, John, and a “Mr. Harvey”. According to the 1820 Census of Cortland, New York, Allen Harvey lived in Truxton and Amasa, Bethuel, and Walter lived in Solon. A man by the name of Thomas Harvey lived near Freetown as early as 1832. He married Sarah (Cameron) Livingston in 1875. His parents were William Harvey and Sarah Starkey, natives of England who arrived in Freetown about 1832 with their six children. William died in 1862, age 72, and Sarah died in 1852. The following is his obituary found on page 8 of the Cortland Standard, Wednesday, 7 May 1902: “Cincinnatus, May 5 - Mr. Thomas Harvey passed away Sunday morning at about 7 o'clock. Some years ago he was thrown from a load of grain and about a year later he was thrown from a reaper and since that time he has been in poor health and for the past five months he has been in bed most of the time and his faithful wife was his steady attendant caring for him night and day. Mr. Harvey was born in Bedworth, Norwichshire, England. He came to America seventy years ago when but 8 years old with his mother, three brothers and two sisters, his father having come to America the year before to prepare for his family, taking up their residence on the farm which is now owned by Ira Wavle in this place. In England his father's occupation was that of a cooper and his mother was a ribbon weaver. Mr. Thomas Harvey was a carpenter by trade besides being a thrifty farmer. He learned the carpenter's trade when quite young, it then took seven years to accomplish the trade which he has followed more or less all his life. He owns a beautiful farm of 244 acres with good buildings, stock, etc., all fruit of his own hands. He was married to Sarah Jane Cameron of Newark Valley on the 15th day of December 1872, by Rev. Thomas Angell. Mr. Thomas Harvey is the last one of the Wm. Harvey family that came from England.” (See also Smith's 1885 "History of Cortland County", p. 507). There is also a William L. Harvey (1823-1901) and his wife, Amy A. Moon (1829-1903), buried at Lower Cincinnatus Cemetery in Cincinnatus. In Festal gathering of the early settlers and present inhabitants of the town of Virgil, Cortland County, N.Y., by Nathan Bouton, 1878, on page 25, Uriah Harvey is listed among the men who enlisted in the War of 1812. In Ancestors of Florence Julia Brown, and some of their descendants, by Walter LeRoy Brown and M. Theta Hakes Brown, 1940, on page 17, the author reports that Vinna Brown, daughter of Daniel Brown who was born in 1844, married Newman Harvey. Was he our Newman Harvey? Check back for updates! If you can add to this information, please comment below! Click here to learn more about my branch of the Harvey family. Click here for free genealogy tips and resources to help with your family history search! #newmanharvey #harvey #harveyfamily #brickwall #research #notes

Birth, marriage and death records are important for genealogy, but it's those little black and white newspaper clippings that add life to your family history. (Click here for my go-to places for free historical newspapers). This find, shown below, pertains to my 3rd great-grandfather, John "Clark" Harvey, who was apparently involved in a dispute with his neighbors, the Tryons, in Harford, Cortland County, New York, in 1877. Disputes between neighbors are common even to this day. Today people fight over things like curb appeal, parking spots and loud music or noise, but conflicts of the past were caused by other circumstances. In the old days people relied on their own farms and animals for food and income. Chickens, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, etc. were raised and butchered to feed the family throughout the year. Gardens and crops were planted and harvested. People also relied on horses for travel, instead of cars so almost every home had animals of some sort. Until people were able to properly fence off their properties, animals with free range would graze on neighbors lands, sometimes resulting in conflict - like it did for Clark Harvey. This story was published in the Cortland Standard on June 21, 1877, when Clark was 53 years old and his wife, Betsy (Stowell) was about 45. They lived in Harford with four children who were under the age of 11. Newman Harvey, their youngest, was just a baby of ten months old. "On Saturday last, Mr. Clark Harvey, of the south-east corner of the town, was arrested at the instigation of Enoch Tryon for assault and battery. The cause of the difficulty was a horse that belonged to Harvey which was feeding on the premises of Tryon. Tryon and his two sons attempted to drive the horse away, and Harvey interfered, and during the affray that followed Orin Tryon was knocked senseless by a piece of board in the hands of Harvey, and his father, Enoch Tryon, was somewhat bruised. The prisoner was tried before Justice Leonard, the jury found him guilty and he was fined $15. On discovering that the poor man could raise but $7, that amount was accepted and the prisoner discharged. his wife, it is stated, on learning that he was fined $15 or commitment to 30 days in jail, as he could not expect to earn 50 cents per day at home, but she was unfortunately too late." - Cortland Standard, June 21, 1877. Note: With inflation, $15 in 1877 was the equivalent of $360 in today's money (2018) and $7 in 1877 was about $168 in today's money. A search for Tryons on the census in Harford paints a little more detail. Orin, who was knocked unconscious by Clark, was about 35 years old at the time of the fight. His brothers, Omar and Enoch Jr, one of whom was present, would have been 32 and 24 years old, respectively. Their father, Enoch Tryon Sr, who was bruised in the scuffle, was 70 at the time. Clark had moved to Harford no earlier than 1875. (He was counted on the census in Richford in June of 1875). We can see on the 1880 census of Harford that they were definitely neighbors. The younger son, Enoch, was listed with his mother directly above Clark Harvey's household on the census. Hopefully the matter was resolved and no further incidents resulting in loss of consciousness or cash occurred. Other articles from the period show the Harveys were friends with other members of the Tryon family of Cortland County. To the Tryons, I apologize on behalf of my 3rd great-grandfather and his horse. Click here to learn more about John "Clark" Harvey. Click here for more Harvey family memorabilia. Click her for my free genealogy resources. #JohnClarkHarvey #BetsyStowell #Harford #CortlandCounty #NewYork #notablenews

Lewis Clark Harvey was a son of John Clark Harvey and Betsy. Because Lewis and his father, John, both went by their middle names "Clark", it can be difficult to differentiate between the two. There were also other men named Lewis Harvey in the area during the same period. Lewis was married to Alvina "Vina" Hollenbeck and had several children. He died on April 12, 1941 and is buried in Virgil Cemetery. Vina died in 1949. Following are some newspaper clippings regarding Lewis Clark Harvey. The editorial, "A Community Problem" was most likely not written by Lewis, but perhaps a relative. "Funeral services will be conducted for Lewis C. Harvey, 69, of Tunnell, town of Greene, tomorrow afternoon at 2 at the Rogers Funeral Home in Greene. Mr. Harvey, a former resident of Virgil, was found dead in his home on Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Carl Meacham, Chenango County coroner, and Trooper J. L. Heath of the State Police were summoned and found that Mr. Harvey had died from natural causes. He had lain down on a sofa in the Livingroom of his home, where the body was found. Mr. Harvey, who was born in Harford Mills on April 6, 1872, was the son of Clark and Bessie Harvey. He grew up in Cortland County and spent many years in the town of Virgil where he worked as a carpenter. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Vina Harvey of Cortland, R.D. 1, three daughters, Mrs. Agnes Wing and Mrs. Cora Chase of Cortland, R.D. 1, and Mrs. Grace Sager of East Homer; three sons, Jay Harvey of Cortland, R.D. 2, John Harvey of Endicott, and Osborne Harvey of Sempronius, and a brother, Newman Harvey of Groton. He also leaves 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Following the funeral service tomorrow, burial will take place in the Virgil Cemetery." (Cortland Standard, April 4, 1941) His wife, Vina Hollenbeck, died in 1949. Her obituary is as follows: Vina's obituary, printed in the Cortland Democrat (above), reads: "Mrs. Vina Harvey, 86, died Sunday in the Wylie Nursing Home in Cortland. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Hollenbeck, she was born December 16, 1862, in Virgil where she lived all her life except for six years spent in Cortland. She was the widow of Clark Harvey. Surviving her are two sons, Jay Harvey of Virgil, Osborne Harvey of Moravia; two daughters, Mrs. Claude Seager of Cortland, Mrs. Cora Chase of Fulton; 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Funeral services were held Tuesday at the Wright Funeral Home, Cortland. Interment in Virgil. (Cortland Democrat, Aug. 19, 1949) Notice, their daughter, Cora (Harvey) Chase is mentioned. See clippings pertaining to Cora here. In 1920, when the census was taken, Cora was 14 and was living in the home of her uncle and aunt, Newman & Gertrude Harvey and their children, (Cora's cousins), Bessie Mae Harvey, Mary Esther Harvey, and Ruth E. Harvey. That was the only census on which she was found in the home. She was listed as "daughter", but this was not the case according to Cora's 1923 marriage license on which her parents names are given as Lewis Harvey and Vinna Hollenbeck. A note to others researching this line, in the book, Ancestors of Florence Julia Brown, information on page 17, raises some questions, specifically under #4, claiming Daniel Brown (born 1844) had a daughter named Vinna Brown who married Newman Harvey. This may refer to Carrie V. Brown, who married Newman A. Harvey on Jan. 8, 1898, in Harford. Click here to learn more about the Harvey family. #johnclarkharvey #clarkharvey #lewisharvey #harvey #genealogy

Bessie Harvey was a daughter of Newman Harvey and Gertrude (Shirley) Harvey. She was born in 1908 and married Earl J. Conklin and had one son. Aunt Bessie was the older sister of my great-grandmother, Mary (Harvey) Reese Gaul. Others in the family describe her as being very strict, which I found surprising because I remember her being a sweet little old lady. I felt sorry for her because she suffered from arthritis in both of her hands. Bessie Conklin was an ordained minister (see news clippings below) and Pastor of Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church in Groton. She was also a Nurse at George Junior Republic in Freeville, New York, a campus for orphaned and/or troubled youth from the cities to learn life skills and trades. She died on July 7, 1986 in New York and rests in Willow Glen Cemetery in Dryden, Tompkins County, New York. (Lot 19, Section 39). Notice the error in The Independent Villager's version of her obituary. "Mrs. Mary Paul" should be Mary Gaul. Click here for more Harvey family memorabilia. #harvey #newmanharvey #bessieconklin #bessieharvey #auntbessie #todo

While no one likes an old run down, dilapidated town, it is sad to see America's oldest structures be given over to the elements and time without restoration. Such is the case with "The Leonard Block" in Taunton, Massachusetts. According to the Taunton Gazette, the site was once the home of the Taunton Leonard family. (It is located 2.5 miles from the James Leonard house located at 3 Warren Street in Taunton). James and Henry Leonard, brothers and iron masters, who were induced to build and operate a bloomery (ironworks) in Taunton in 1652. "It was at a town meeting conferred and agreed upon between the inhabitants of Taunton and Henry Leonard of Braintree: Imprimis It was agreed and granted by the town to Henry and James Leonard, his brother, and Ralph Russell, consent to come hither and join with certain of our inhabitants to set up a Bloomery Work on the Two Mile River. It was also agreed and granted by a free rote of the town, that such particular inhabitants as shall concur together with the said persons in this design, shall have free liberty from the town so to do, to build and set up this work, and that they shall have the woods on either side of the Two Mile River, wheresoever it is common on that side of the river, to cut for their cord wood to make coals, and also to dig and take moine or ore at Two Mile Meadow, or in any of the commons appertaining to the town, where it is not now in propriety.” Oct. 21, 1652 (From "Ancient Iron Works in Taunton", by J. W. D. Hall, of Taunton, Mass.) A large red brick Victorian building was built at 107-111 Main Street in 1870 for George J. Leonard, who ran a grocery store in the front while he and his family lived in back. If he was a descendant of James or Henry, this could imply that the property was in the Leonard family for over 218 years. The structure's facade was unique in the way it curved to conform with the street. It was built next to City Hall, which had been built in 1848, but was later rebuilt in 1896. An arsonist recently set fire to the attic of City Hall, prompting a complete restoration. Since the construction of the Leonard Block, after serving as the home of Leonard's grocery store, it was used for various commercial purposes including The Leonard's Gymnasium, J.M. Wells furniture distributor, The Taunton-Herald News, Goldstein & Antine's clothing store, B. E. Stanton's clothing store, and finally, the home of The Star Theater. In 2002, the building sold for $154,000 and fell into disrepair. Becoming a hazard, It was demolished in December of 2014. Fortunately, a street view image was taken for Google Maps in 2009, shown here. Use this interactive tool to have a look around! Sources: Star Theater demolition smoother than expected, (Taunton Gazette, Dec. 24, 2014) [Link] Past attempts to restore Taunton's Star Theater ended in 1990s, (Charles Winokoor, Taunton Gazette, Dec. 13, 2013 [Link] Old Colony History Museum Liberty & Walking Tour [Link] Halls of Bristol County [Link] Click here for more Leonard genealogy Click here for free genealogy resources for Taunton, Massachusetts Click here for free genealogy resources for Bristol County, Massachusetts Click here for free genealogy resources for Massachusetts #leonard #taunton #historic #massachusetts

While planning a quick visit to Newport, Rhode Island, I was browsing Google Maps in search of historical sites to see. The magnificent mansions that line the streets are surely a sight to see. The Vanderbilt Mansion, The Marble House, Rosecliff, Kingscote, The Elms, The Breakers, and last but not least, The Chateau-sur-Mer. The Chateau-sur-Mer was designed and built by Seth C. Bradford in 1852 for William Shepard Wetmore, a trade merchant. Wetmore enjoyed the palatial Italianate-style villa for ten years before his death, which occurred in 1862. The home was bequeathed to his son, George Peabody Wetmore, who was elected as the 37th Governor of Rhode Island from 1885 to 1887 and Senator from 1895 to 1907. He married Edith Keteltas and they had two sons and two daughters. Their sons died fairly young and their daughters never married. Eventually, the Preservation Society of Newport County bought the estate offering seasonal tours of one of the best examples of Victorian mansions surviving today. In 2006, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark. Chateau-sur-Mer is located at 474 Bellevue Avenue in Newport. On Google Maps, the house cannot be seen from the street, but from the sidestreet, this view of the exterior is available: I was thrilled to find that a virtual tour is available online. You can now explore and admire the architecture, wall-to-wall woodwork, rare art and statues, and exquisite furnishings from wherever you are. Just click the play button (arrow), below, and then navigate around by clicking and dragging. Tap the circles on the floor to move around the house. Notice, also, the options in the bottom left corner, which allow you to change perspective and view the floor plan for each level. Additional information is available about items marked with colored circles. Hover over one to read more. I searched for the kitchen but couldn't seem to find it, to my disappointment. If you find it, please comment below! [Alternate link] If you're ever in the area, a visit to the Chateau-sur-Mer would be a good way to experience a taste of Newport's Gilded Age first hand. Visit newportmansions.org for information. Click here for free genealogy resources for Rhode Island. Click here for free resources for Newport County. Sources: Chateau-sur-Mer article on Wikipedia [Link] The Preservation Society of Newport County [Link] Share this find! #places #rhodeisland #victorian #museum #mansion #historichomes #newport #gildedage

This valuable list of settlers who arrived at Hartford prior to February of 1640 was written by Miss Mary K. Talcott. Following is a list of the settlers, of whom much more information is available in the book, "The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884", by J. Hammond Trumbull, 1886. [Link] Note: Six of my known ancestors (on the Harvey branch) were original proprietors of Hartford. They are indicated in red. Click the name to learn more about them. Jeremy Adams Matthew Allyn Francis Andrews (Wm. Andrews) John Arnold Andrew Bacon John Barnard Thomas Barnes Robert Bartlett John Baysey (or Baisie) Thomas Beal Nathaniel Bearding (or Bardon) Mary Betts (widow) John Bidwell (or Biddle) Richard Billing Thomas Birchwood (or Birchard) Peter Blachford (or Blatchford/Blackfield) Thomas Blackley (or Blatchley/Blacksley) Thomas Bliss Sr & Jr William Blumfield James Bridgeman (not an original proprietor) John Bronson (or Brownson/Brunson) Richard Bronson (brother of John) Capt. Thomas Bull Thomas Bunce Benjamin Burr Dea. Richard Butler William Butler Clement Chaplin (or Chaplain, returned to England) Dorothy Chester (widow of John Chester, sister of Thomas Hooker) Richard Church (removed to Hadley in 1659) John Clarke Nicholas Clarke James Cole Sergeant William Cornwall John Crow Capt. John Cullick Philip Davis Fulke Davy Robert Day Nicholas Desborough Dea. Joseph Easton William Edwards Edward Elmer Nathaniel Ely James Ensign (also spelled Ensing) Zachary Field Thomas Fisher John Friend Samuel Gardiner (or Gardner) Daniel Garrett Samuel Garrett (or Garrard/Garwood) John Gennings William Gibbons Dea. Richard Goodman Elder William Goodwin Ozias Goodwin Seth Grant George Grave Bartholomew Green (died before arrival) Samuel Greenhill Thomas Gridley Samuel Hale (or Hales) Thomas Hale (John Hale) John Hall Stephen Hart William Hayden (Heaton) Hon. John Haynes Rev. John Higginson William Hills John Holloway William Holton (or Holten/Houghton) Rev. Thomas Hooker Gov. Edward Hopkins John Hopkins Thomas Hosmer George Hubbard Thomas Hungerford (or Hungerfoot) William Hyde (or Hide) Jonathan Ince (Jonas) Thomas Judd Ralph Keeler Nathaniel Kellogg William Kelsey Edward Lay (Leary) William Lewis Thomas Lord Thomas Lord Jr. Richard Lord Richard Lyman John Marsh Matthew Marvin Reinold Marvin (Mann) John Maynard John Moody John Morris (or Morrice) Benjamin Munn Thomas Munson Joseph Mygatt Thomas Olcott (or Alcott) Dr. John Olmstead (or Holmstead) Capt. Richard Olmstead (or Holmstead) William Pantry (or Peyntre) William Parker Dea. Paul Peck William Phillips Thomas Porter Stephen Post John Pratt William Pratt John Purchas (or Purkas) Nathaniel Richards Thomas Richards Richard Risley (or Wrisley) Thomas Root William Ruscoe (or Reskoe/Rescue - possibly related to Mercy Ruscoe?) John sable Thomas Scott Thomas Selden Richard Seymour John Skinner Arthur Smith (possibly related to Agnes Smith or Margaret Smyth?) Giles Smith Serg. Thomas Spencer William Spencer John Stanley Thomas Stanley Timothy Stanley Thomas Stanton (possibly related to Benjamin Stanton?) Dea. Edward Stebbins George Steele John Steele John Stone Rev. Samuel Stone John Talcott Nathaniel Wade (or Ward) William Wadsworth Henry Wakely (or Walkley) Andrew Warner John Warner Richard Watts (Wm Watts) Richard Webb Gov. John Webster William Westley William Westwood Elder John White Samuel Whitehead Maj. William Whiting John Wilcock (or Wilcox) Gregory Woltherton (or Wiltherton) Thomas Woodford Gov. George Wyllys (possibly related to Temperance Willis?) Click here for genealogy resources for Hartford, Connecticut! #hartford #settlers #connecticut #harvey #colonial #colonists

With most attractions closed for coronavirus, it's a good time to visit your local parks and gardens. Fresh air and sunlight are essential for good health! Recently, my husband and I visited the Allentown Rose Gardens, the place where we were married, to try out our new camera and see the beauty of the place in May. This public garden has been a treasure of the Lehigh Valley since 1931, giving visitors a beautiful atmosphere to stroll, paint, exercise, take pictures, have weddings, fish, or just relax on one of the park's many benches or in one of the gazebos. It is located off of Ott Street, between Hamilton Street and Linden Street, in historic Allentown, Pennsylvania. Enjoy this video I recorded during my visit! Find thousands of free genealogy resources on my Genealogy Dashboard! Researching ancestors from Pennsylvania? Try these resources! Subscribe for updates and follow me on Facebook and Parler! #places #pennsylvania #allentown #rosegarden #flowers #historic

Illustrated, biographical and historical of several New York towns. Take a look to see if the towns of your ancestors are listed: Series 6 - Groton, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 8 - DeRuyter, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 9 - Marathon, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 12 - Camden, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 13 - Pulaski, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 14 - Phoenix, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 15 - Mexico, Oswego Co., N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 16 - Waterloo, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 17 - Seneca Falls, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 18 - Lyon's N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 19 - Clyde, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series 20 - Wolcott, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Series ? - Cortland, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] 1899 Similar items: Annals of Castle Creek, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Richfield Springs, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Liberty, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] Scarsdale, N.Y. and Vicinity in Pictures [Read] Views of Watertown, N.Y. and Vicinity [Read] New Woodstock and Vicinity Past and Present [Read] Outline of Utica and Vicinity [Read] Picturesque views of Waverly and Vicinity [Read] The City of Troy and its Vicinity [Read] Notable Men of Rochester and Vicinity [Read] Notable Men of Central New York (Syracuse, Utica, Auburn, Oswego, Watertown, Fulton, Rome, Oneida, Little Falls and Vicinity [Read] Pioneer Days and Later Times in Corning and Vicinity [Read] Picture of New York in 1846 with a short account of places in its vicinity [Read] Binghamton, Its Settlement, Growth and Development 1800-1900 [Read] The Earliest Churches of New York and its Vicinity [Read] Click here for more New York genealogy resources. Click here for all genealogy resources. #NewYork #resources #townhistories

Here's a helpful resource for help with deciphering Colonial records, wills, and other documents. This article written by Charles Knowles Bolton was published in 1897 in "The Essex Antiquarian", Volume 1, and gives a thorough explanation of the styles used, along with examples. Use it next time you are having trouble reading an old record! Find more free genealogy resources, tools and tips here. #handwriting #colonial #genealogy #tips #resources

The first permanent settlement in New England was made in 1620, when the Mayflower landed in Plymouth. In the years following, thousands of freedom-seeking colonists arrived in America, a period called The Great Migration. It was a difficult time for new arrivals as they worked unceasingly to build their new homes and new lives in the new world. Eighteen years later, New England was shaken to its core. It was Friday, June 1, 1638 - a beautiful Spring day. The sky was clear and the sun was shining as the industrious settlers worked in the fields and in their homes, as usual. Just after lunch time, a strange and alarming sound was heard. It began as a distant rumble and grew progressively louder as the people scrambled to determine what was happening. Suddenly, the earth began to tremble violently. People huddled together, barely able to stand without being tossed to and fro. They sought stability by clinging to any secured item they could reach while the rudimentary chimneys attached to their homes toppled. Tidal waves rocked ships and tossed boats along the coast. Surely many of them were praying and calling out to God to stop the calamity. The people of Newbury, who had been assembled in a town meeting when the earthquake struck, felt compelled to record the incident, making the following proclamation: "Wherefore taking notice of so great and strange a hand of God's providence, we were desirous of leaving it on record to the view of after ages to the intent that all might take notice of Almighty God and fear his name". The earthquake lasted about four harrowing minutes. Afterwards, the startled settlers resumed their work but about half an hour later, the aftershocks began. Though the aftershocks were less violent, they certainly caused anxiety among the people and the torturous tremors continued for twenty days. Then on June 25, 1638, a full eclipse of the moon turned the moon blood red, an apocalyptic sign to many Christians. For several years after the earthquake, the summer temperatures were significantly cooler than they had been previously. Corn and other crops were subjected to unseasonable frost, hindering crop production and causing food shortages. The Great Earthquake of 1638 is estimated to have measured 6.5 to 7.0 on the Richter Scale. The epicenter was in New Hampshire and it was felt in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The event had such an impact on the people that they commonly used the date as a marker. For example, instead of saying "back in 1640", they would say, "two years after the earthquake". Although earthquakes in New England are not unheard of, few have the strength and magnitude of the Great Earthquake of 1638. There was one near Boston in 1727 and another off the coast of Cape Ann in 1755, which is estimated to have measured between 6.0 and 6.3 on the Richter Scale. Two rattled New Hampshire in 1940. For the past hundred years, Massachusetts has averaged one earthquake per year. The counties at highest risk of earthquakes are Essex County, Plymouth County, and Suffolk County. Sources: Kafka, A., 2014. Why Does The Earth Quake In New England?. [Link] Perley, Sidney. The Earthquake of 1638. From The Essex Antiquarian, Volume 1 #11 Nov. 1897 [Link] Love, William DeLoss, 1851-1918. The fast and thanksgiving days of New England. [Link] Aftermath of earthquake engraving from Universalis Cosmographia, by Sebastian Munster (1489-1552). 1755 Cape Ann Earthquake article on Wikipedia [Link]. Robinson, Christy K. The great New England Quake of 1638. [Link] #earthquake #massachusetts #colonial #newhampshire #newengland #history #catastrophe

Did you know that the suffix "Junior" is not the same as "II"? For example, the father of my ancestor "Charles Russell Leonard II", was presumed to be Charles Russell Leonard I, but this is not necessarily true. In fact, it is most likely untrue, according traditional naming patterns, but it can provide other clues about his family. The "Jr." suffix is assigned to a son given the same exact name as his father. The "II" suffix, however, was commonly used when a child was named after another family member such as his grandfather, uncle, or other close relative. The "II" indicates this was the second person in the family using this exact name - first, middle and last. For example, if a son was named after his grandfather, the "II" suffix was added to his name, to differentiate between the two. If another person in the family was later given the name, they would have added the "III" suffix. Eventually, as we can see, most people dropped this practice (to the genealogist's dismay), but the "Junior" tradition carries on. In my ancestor's case, it now makes sense that his father's name was given as "Russel Leonard" by his wife, Sophronia, in her missing persons ad placed in 1833. Perhaps Charles Russell Leonard II, was a NEPHEW or GRANDSON of a man named Charles Russell Leonard? #tips #genealogy #onomastics #namingpatterns #junior #charlesrussellleonard #leonard