RootsWeb Review: RootsWeb's Weekly E-zine Vol. 7, No. 20, 19 May 2004, Circulation: 841,215+ (c) 1998-2004 RootsWeb.com, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/ * * * Editor: Myra Vanderpool Gormley, Certified Genealogist Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com Certification: http://www.bcgcertification.org/certification/ * * * Search and share family trees: WorldConnect: http://wc.rootsweb.com/ Learn how to find your ancestors: http://rwguide.rootsweb.com/ Post and read messages on all relevant surname, locality, and topic Message Boards and Mailing Lists: Message Boards: http://boards.rootsweb.com/ Mailing Lists: http://lists.rootsweb.com/ =============================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. NEWS AND NOTES. 1a. "Finding Connections via Message Boards" 1b. Editor's Desk: "Names, Gold! and Victorian Britain" 1c. Tips from Readers: "Making Most of Your Queries" 2. Connecting Through RootsWeb: "Family Picture Finds New Home" 3. New RootsWeb Mailing Lists 4. New Webpages at RootsWeb 5. New/Updated FreePages and HomePages 6. New User-contributed Databases 7. RootsWeb Review's Bottomless Mailbag: "Whose Mother?" "Naming Children" "Hearing Voices" "Famous Names Hanging Upon Family Trees" "Names of Heroes Found Frequently" "Kindness of Strangers" "Locating Old Cemetery Stones 8. Humor/Humour: "Cock-and-bull Story" 9. Submission Guidelines, Subscriptions, Advertising, Reprint Policy ======================================================================== 1. NEWS AND NOTES. 1a. Finding Connections via Message Boards Messages posted on the RootsWeb/Ancestry Surname message boards http://boards.rootsweb.com/ should include the surname (or a variant thereof) in the message and it also should be put in the Surname Box. For International (locality) and Topic message boards be sure to mention the appropriate connection in your message, and if it is a USA-County board, list the county. Use the State (Unknown County) message boards only if you do not know which county or if there is more than one county involved. Resist impulse posting. Take a few moments to think about your query before you post--or create a draft first. Planning ahead helps avoid the embarrassment that a hastily prepared, poorly thought-out, query can sometimes cause (like mixing up your family names and generations, giving the wrong dates, and misspelling words). While writing your query keep in mind what you already know and what it is you wish to learn. Don't assume that anyone else knows what you seek. Include the full name and identifying information for the individual or family about whom you are writing, the dates and/or at least some sort of a timeframe, the location where the individual(s) resided, died, were born, or were married. Be concise, but include all pertinent information that will help others ascertain whether or not they might have a connection or information to help you. Remember our message boards are read and used by researchers around the world, so identify your ancestors and data clearly -- watch those abbreviations, and don't assume everyone knows where or what SF, CA or NSW is. Let there be no doubt, spell it out. You may use many international characters in your posts on message boards. For a list of those that can be created on numeric keyboards, see: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/codes/ Make it easy for your cousins to find you. No results? Try again by updating your old messages with new ones and instead of asking for information -- offer to share what you have. * * * 1b. EDITOR'S DESK. Names, Gold, and Victorian Britain What's in a Name? They called her "Tribby," but she was baptized Through-Much-Tribulation- We-Enter-into-the-Kingdom-of-Heaven CRABB. Don't laugh. She may be your ancestress. Or one of your pious great-great-great-grandfathers may be named Freelove. You could discover on a 1658 jury panel list the names of some of your Puritan ancestors: Stand-Fast-on-High STRINGER, Be-of- Good-Comfort SMALL, Search-the-Scriptures MORETON or Preserved UTTLEY. Have you uncovered some ancestors with funny or outrageous names? Send your names (and site your sources) to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com * * * Gold! So who were Captains Moonlight, Thunderbolt, and Midnight or Mad Dog Morgan? Characters on your family tree or from America's Wild West? Not so, mates, they are some of Australia's most notorious bushrangers. Discover the stories, explore rich visual database, and interact with the Flash features as you learn more about the Australian gold rushes: http://www.sbs.com.au/gold/ * * * Victorian Britain. What was life for our ancestors really like during this period? See the "Learning Curve: Victorian Britain," an exhibition created and made available by its National Archives at: http://learningcurve.pro.gov.uk/victorianbritain/default.htm * * * 1c. TIPS FROM READERS. Making Most of Your Queries By Ted Pack I love genealogy query boards. I work as a computer programmer. In my work I give advice about things that probably will sound like geek to most of you -- intentional denormalization, common record definitions and license-plate primary keys. Getting my clients to take my advice is like pushing a 600-pound bag of Jell-O uphill. So, late at night, I sometimes try to answer genealogy query board posts. I can sometimes help beginners who aren't related to me. I find it refreshing to give advice that people will take. Three times out of 20 they even thank me. I read dozens of queries a week. Some posts are better than others are. Just for fun, how many flaws can you find in the following query? Assume it is posted on the SMITH surname message board. Subject line: Smith family -- please help My grandfather John Smith married Malinda McCorkle. They had six children; Frankie, Johnny, Mutt, Jeff, Bubba, and Bobby. Bobby married DeeDee and worked for the railroad. Jeff lived in Springfield. Please e-mail me at Clueless@MyISP.com with any information. Ready? 1) Poor heading. 2) Grandfather has no date. 3) Grandfather has no place. 4) Nicknames. 5) No maiden name. 6) No state. The post doesn't mention a county, country or continent, either. 7) No request. What are you looking for, ancestors, descendants or a biography? 8) E-mail me. There is a paragraph about each point, and some other tips for beginners, at http://www.tedpack.org/goodpost.html 2. Connecting Through RootsWeb. Thanks for sharing your stories. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Family Picture Finds New Home By D. Lou Ritter in Michigan I live in Michigan and my paternal Scottish MUNRO ancestors came from Scotland to Ontario, Canada in about 1827. Last fall I received an e- mail from a woman in Missouri who had purchased a composite family picture at an antique store, not because she had a family connection, but just because she liked it. However, she was curious about the picture and went online to learn about the names mentioned. She found all of the names in a family tree that I had posted. I had no known connection in Missouri, but said I would be interested in seeing the pictures if she could e-mail them to me. Several months passed and I forgot about the contact. Then, one day this spring, an e-mail arrived with digital images attached. It turned out that this composite family picture was my 2-great- grandfather, his seven siblings, and all of their spouses. I had seen three of the images before, so I was sure about the connection. We negotiated my purchase of the picture from her and I have since had the images all professionally scanned into a .pdf file and onto a CD-ROM, which will protect them and makes it possible to share the picture with cousins far and wide. I am overwhelmed that I was so fortunate to be able to possess these images of 16 people who lived in the mid-19th century. I am now having the picture re-framed and will hang it over my computer for daily inspiration. 3. New Mailing Lists at RootsWeb Request a New Mailing List: http://resources.rootsweb.com/adopt/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Brand-new mailing lists can be found under OTHER/MISCELLANEOUS until moved to their proper categories. For information and an index to the more than 28,100 RootsWeb-hosted genealogy Mailing Lists and for easy subscribing (joining) options go to: http://lists.rootsweb.com/ NEW SURNAME MAILING LISTS BLUMEL, BULONE, BUNDRIDGE CLARIDAY CHAPMAN-DNA -- Discussing the CHAPMAN DNA project HALCOM JUHNKE KIFER LOHNE PUDDER RASDON NEW ETHNIC AND SPECIAL INTEREST MAILING LISTS CA-AVGS -- The Antelope Valley (California) Genealogical Society IRISH-IN-UK -- The history, genealogy and culture of those Irish who immigrated to and settled in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and Channel Islands) NC-LOSTCOLONY -- Genealogical discussions of the first English settlement in America (1587, Roanoke Island) NEW REGIONAL MAILING LISTS ENG-KEN-WOODCHURCH -- Woodchurch, Kent, England 4. New Webpages at RootsWeb To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- Some of these webpages might not yet be accessible. They are created by volunteers, so if one that interests you isn't up yet, please check again in a few days or next week. http://www.rootsweb.com/~[accountname] Note that the ~[tilde] before the Web account name is required. For example, the Harrison County, Indiana website is at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~inharris/ U.S.A. algreene -- Greene County (Alabama) flbreva2 -- Brevard County (Florida) inharris -- Harrison County (Indiana) kshaskel -- Haskell County (Kansas) kychrist -- Christian County (Kentucky) kymerce2 -- Mercer County (Kentucky) kytrigg -- Trigg County (Kentucky) mirahs -- Ravenna Area (Michigan) Historical Society moomahs -- Old Mines Area (Missouri) Historical Society nycperry -- Perry (city), New York scchero2 -- Cherokee County (South Carolina) txamhec -- African American History in Ellis County (Texas): A special interest group of the Ellis County Genealogical Society txlamar2 -- Lamar County (Texas) 5. New/Updated Freepages, Homepages, and WorldConnect Uploads ------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Comments and questions about any of these independently authored webpages should be directed to their respective compilers/webmasters. When your new, updated, or substantially revised personal pages located at RootsWeb (they will have "freepages" or "homepages" in the URL) are up and ready for visitors, please send the URL (Web address), along with a brief description, including the major pertinent surnames and what is available on your site, to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com CANADA. New Brunswick, Kent County. Genealogy and related historical records for this locality. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kcgs/ OHIO. Fulton County. Lyons. History, photos, and obituaries. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~keller/lyons/work/ ROTHGEB, TATE. Homepage for Timothy and Tannie (Rothgeb) Tate. Recently updated with new information, sources, and photos, plus some ship lists, family stories, a search box, and a veterans' page. Pertinent surnames include: CALHOUN, CLAFLIN, GEARHART, GROVES, HEARD, LEATHERMAN, MAJOR, MILLER, MORRIS, PHILLIPS, RIEMENSCHNEIDER, RIDENOUR, ROTHGEB (ROADCAP, etc), SCHAEFER, SIGLER, STAUFFER, TATE, THOMPSON, and WILSON. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~timtannietate/ SNYDER. Photos, obituaries, and genealogy of a SNYDER family of Fulton County, Ohio. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~keller/snyder/work/ SPOOR. Descendants and ancestry of Thomas D. SPOOR of Starke County, Indiana. Related names include WAIT, GERMAN, LORING, WILEY, and COLDREN. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~dkstaub/spoor/ VERMONT. Northeast Kingdom Genealogy. Orleans County. 1916 Town Directory from West Derby. Includes address, occupation, wife and children's names. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nekg3/files/dir_west_derby_1916.htm 6. New User-Contributed Databases at RootsWeb http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit/ ---------------------------------------------- The following databases have come online recently. They are searchable, but not browseable. U.S.A. POW/MIA Records: Korean War Data File of American Prisoners of War, AA-K; 49 records; Janette Pannell http://userdb.rootsweb.com/pow_mia/ DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Washington. District Bar Association; new lawyers, 1916; 189 records; Paula Lucy Delosh http://userdb.rootsweb.com/groups/ MONTANA. Silver Bow County. Butte. Basin Creek Cemetery; 15 records; Linda Albright http://userdb.rootsweb.com/cemeteries/ NEW YORK. Genesee County. Batavia. "Batavia Daily News" index (1921-1924); 13,037 records; Leilani Spring for Genesee County History Department http://userdb.rootsweb.com/news/ VERMONT. Caledonia County. Danville. Vermont burials; 5,290 records; Louise Lessard for the Town of Danville http://userdb.rootsweb.com/cemeteries/ 7. FROM ROOTSWEB REVIEW'S BOTTOMLESS MAILBAG [Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the editor or of RootsWeb.com]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Whose Mother? By Jean Ffrench in Australia Louise Nelson's article about census anomalies in RootsWeb Review last week, and its concluding moral: "If the information fits, but it doesn't fit, go back for another look," reminded me of one of my experiences. In 1974, I obtained an English birth certificate for Henry PETERS. I knew from his marriage and death certificates issued in Queensland, Australia that his parents were Thomas PETERS and Mary Ann DENBOLE and that he was born at St. Germans in Cornwall circa 1846. Therefore, when I found a Henry PETERS whose 17 December 1846 birth was registered at St. Germans, I was sure I had the right person. However, this Henry's mother was named Mary HARRIS. The person who registered the birth was "Grace DENVILLE, occupier, Linkinhorne." Who was Grace, and my Henry's mother was not Mary HARRIS, so I put the certificate aside and continued with my research. After all, I knew the names of his parents from his marriage and death certificates, so it was not essential to have a birth certificate. I also discovered that Henry was baptised on 9 May 1847 at the Wesleyan Association Chapel, Darley, Linkinhorne. Henry's mother was difficult to track down. In addition to the variations in the spelling of her surname (including DENBOLL, DENBOLT, DENBOW, DEMBALE, DINBALL, etc), she had claimed to be 102 years old when she died in 1909, which pointed to a birthdate in 1807. However, ship- ping records showed that she was aged 31 when she arrived in Queensland in 1848 on board the "Artemisia," so she was obviously more likely to have been born in 1817. Eventually, during a visit to England in 1986 I was able to ascertain that Mary Ann was baptised Marianne DENBOW in 1817 at Northill, Cornwall. Her parents were named John DENBOW and Grace HARRIS. It was not until a cousin advised that Henry PETERS's birthdate was 17 December 1846 according to a family Bible that I decided to take another look at the "wrong" certificate that I had obtained 15 years earlier. Finally, I realised what had happened. Henry's birth was registered by his maternal grandmother, Grace DENVILLE (another variant of DENBOLE), one month later after his birth. When the registrar asked the question, "What is the mother's maiden name," Grace gave her own mother's name -- Mary HARRIS! Therefore, Henry has his great-grandmother recorded as his mother. * * * Naming Children By Robin Smith in Missouri I had no idea why my ancestors would name a g-g-g-uncle Peregrine Pickle PALMER until I did a search on just the name Peregrine Pickle. I assumed that they had named him after someone famous, but I found out that it was the name of a character from a novel of the day. I have also heard of ladies named Little Dorritt. So this is something else to consider in why people were named what they were named. * * * Hearing Voices By Verna Gail Johnson in Missouri One more comment about the tombstone inscription about hearing voices. That particular verse or a slight variation of it was a popular tombstone inscription at one time and can be found in many books of cemetery readings. Perhaps it was even a favorite poem or hymn verse of the deceased woman or of her husband. I had a similar situation in my family, and a second meaning of a verse would never have occurred to me, if it were a favorite or frequently used inscription. Of course, the author of the article may be correct that the tombstone maker was simply asked to put something "pretty" on the stone. I personally think it is very comforting. * * * Famous Names Hanging Upon Family Trees By J. Hansen Regarding "Hunting Down the Swamp Fox" by Cathy Berger, offhand I can think of two possible reasons why the name was used in her family. One, I have an example from my own family -- my 3-great-grandmother's sister married a man named Francis Marion WHITE. His father served under the Swamp Fox, Francis MARION, and he was named in honor of his father's commanding officer. The second possibility is that the name was used originally in her family because of Francis MARION'S fame and thereafter became a "family" name, just as names such as George W[ashington] and Benjamin F[ranklin] were so popular in the 1800s. * * * Names of Heroes Found Frequently By Shirley Shiver Back in the time when America still had heroes, children were proudly named after them. George WASHINGTON, Benjamin FRANKLIN, Francis MARION, Pierre Gustave Toutant BEAUREGARD, Andrew JACKSON, Thomas JEFFERSON, and so forth. I, and I suspect many other Southern researchers, have several cousins named after presidents and/or famous generals. I have a grandfather named after Jackson and a great-grandfather named after Jefferson. Sometimes this habit of naming children after famous men can make a researcher's head hurt. For instance, I found five George Washingtons with the same surname, all born within four or five years of each other, and all born in the same general location. Imagine a beginning genealogist trying to sort that one out. As for Francis MARION -- well, he must have been greatly admired in the South, for a large majority of Southern families have at least one in their family tree. * * * Kindness of Strangers By Cathy Harmon Just wanted to tell you what one kind genealogist did for me. She found my 2-great-grandfather's Bible. (He is our brick wall). She contacted me and my father, then drove the book to his house (2 1/2 hours away) and gave it to him. She purchased the Bible in a bookstore and she wouldn't even let my father pay her for it. She wouldn't even take gas money for driving it up there. It is authentic and was published in 1849. In it my ancestor lists his and his wife's birth dates, marriage dates, and all birth dates and full names of the children in family pages of the Bible. There are some death dates, but the father died before most of his children. What a treasure. * * * Locating Old Cemetery Stones By Sallie Lou Morris Nelson I just read about "Leaving Tangible Evidence-Cemetery Stones," by Kitty McLaughlin. My uncle once was sexton at a big cemetery. I was looking for my 5- great-grandmother. In 1880 U.S. census she was living with her son and his wife in town and grandfather was already gone. We found his grave in a country cemetery with other family members. There is a stone for him but not for her. Since she was living in town with her son, I think she is buried in their big lot. I found their stones but no stone for her even though there was one plot left in the lot. My uncle told me that many of the old stones buried themselves -- or sunk down into the ground little by little until dirt and grass covered them. He had found many buried stones with his special auger. He didn't offer to use it or to loan it to me. I like to think that my ancestor is buried there, but I have no proof. 8. Humor/Humour: Cock-and-bull Story ------------------------------------ Thanks to: Anne Howard When I was fairly new in genealogy research I met for the first time a very helpful cousin who provided much bona fide data, copies of photographs of direct ancestors, and family lore. She insisted that we had a direct ancestor with the surname of BULL who was a general in the American Revolution. She had me convinced at the time, but later this was disproved. Apparently, she had our Private BULL confused with a real General BULL. This gave my husband and me a new category for all those unproven family legends -- "General Bull." 9. Submission Guidelines, Changes, Advertising Contacts, Reprint Policy ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The RootsWeb Review does not publish or answer genealogical queries, and the editor regrets that she is unable to provide any personal research assistance or advice. RootsWeb Review welcomes short (500 words or less) articles, humor, stories, or letters, and reserves the right to edit all submissions. All mail sent to the RootsWeb Review editor is considered to be for publication -- send in PLAIN TEXT (please, no attachments) to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com Search/download past issues of the RootsWeb Review: http://e-zine.rootsweb.com/ * * * SUBSCRIPTIONS. To manage your e-mail communications (i.e. to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, or to sign up for others), visit our newsletter management center any time at: http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ The RootsWeb Review is a free publication of MyFamily.com, Inc., 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT, 84604 * * * ROOTSWEB REVIEW ADVERTISING CONTACTS. Ad Sales Operations Mgr. Shana Davis sdavis@myfamilyinc.com U.S., WorldWide Sales: Sacha Yenkana syenkana@myfamilyinc.com * * * REPRINTS. Permission to reprint articles from RootsWeb Review is granted unless specifically stated otherwise, provided: (1) the reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the article: Previously published in RootsWeb Review: Vol. 7, No. 20, 19 May 2004. * * * *