RootsWeb Review: RootsWeb's Weekly E-zine 16 May 2007, Vol. 10, No. 20 (c) 1998-2007 RootsWeb.com, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/ * * * Having trouble reading this newsletter? The online version is available at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/2007/0516.txt * * * ROOTSWEB HELPDESK: Check here for site maintenance announcements: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ * * * ROOTSWEB NEWSROOM: Check here for the latest RootsWeb news: http://blogs.rootsweb.com/newsroom/ * * * ROOTSWEB STORE: Check here for the latest in genealogy books, software, photos, and more: http://www.therootswebstore.com/ * * * ROOTSWEB REVIEW ARCHIVES: Check here for previous editions: http://e-zine.rootsweb.com/ ============================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Editor's Desk: News and Notes 1a. Updated Tree Administration Tools on WorldConnect 1b. FamilySearch Unveils Program to Increase Access to World's Genealogical Records 1c. Add Your Name to the Virtual Surname Wall 1d. Book Notices (2) 1e. Using RootsWeb: The RootsWeb Surname List: Just the Facts 2. Connecting Through RootsWeb: Finding Levitia's Headstone 3. Bottomless Mailbag: Cornwall County, England, Gaol [Jail] Records, 1821-51 Not a Scam After All Not All Solicitations Are Scams A Mother's Day Poem More on Archival CDs 4. New at RootsWeb 4a. New User-contributed Databases 4b. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Individuals 4c. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and Genealogical/Historical Societies 4d. New Mailing Lists 5. Humor/Humour 6. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints ============================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Editor's Desk: News and Notes 1a. Updated Tree Administration Tools on WorldConnect The RootsWeb developers recently launched some new tools to help you manage your trees on WorldConnect. These tools can be accessed by going to My Account or going to the main WorldConnect page and clicking the link that reads, "Also, go here to update or correct your existing Family Tree." The new tools let you administer all of your trees from a single login (rather than entering separate user codes), manage all the post-ems added to your trees from one place, and more. To read about and comment on the new tools, visit the WorldConnect Tree Administration announcement on the RootsWeb newsroom: http://bigfile.rootsweb.com/newsroom/?p=82 Also, if you are one of those users that upload a new tree every time you make an update, this is a great chance to go in and delete or clean up old, outdated trees that are floating around. 1b. FamilySearch Unveils Program to Increase Access to World's Genealogical Records If you're a member of a historical society or other record repository, you'll want to read this. FamilySearch has just announced a program--called Records Access--to help archives and record repositories around the world digitize, transcribe, index, and make their unique genealogical collections available online for free. Heritage societies can work with FamilySearch to make their collections available and FamilySearch is offering to provide access to their state- of-the-art digital cameras, software, and more. The information will then become available on FamilySearch.org and/or the affiliate institution's website. At least an index to the collection will be made available on FamilySearch. Noted genealogist Dick Eastman is calling this "perhaps the most important genealogy announcement of the past few years." To read a press release for the announcement and Dick Eastman's comments, please visit: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/05/familysearch_to.html http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/05/comment_familys.html 1c. Add Your Name to the Virtual Surname Wall The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) is creating a Virtual Surname Wall, to be unveiled at their annual Genealogy Jamboree on 8-10 June. Individuals from any geographical location are invited to submit up to ten family surnames, along with the geographic area (or migration pattern) and dates associated with the names. Names will be included in a free, searchable, online database. Submissions must be received before 22 May. The SCGS has had a "Surname Wall" project for many, many years. It has taken several forms, including sticky notes posted on a real wall at Jamborees years ago. The new Virtual Surname Wall will take the concept into the digital world and allow the society to contact many more people. The SCGS president, Paula Hinkel, says, "We all have so many 'brick walls' that block our success. We hope that this wall will be one that will help!" For more information visit: http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/BreakingNews.htm#surname 1d. Book Notices (2) The Descendants of Martha-Jefferson BELL and Samuel WALKER, Edgefield, South Carolina By Judith F. Russell Martha-Jefferson BELL was the second cousin, once-removed, of President Thomas JEFFERSON. The book traces the Revolutionary and colonial ancestry of Martha, with details of the Revolutionary War service of eighteen family ancestors, and then follows the descendants of the family for three generations. The goal was to provide a documentary citation as evidence for every birth, marriage, and death. Surnames related and discussed are ALLEN, BEALLE, BEAMS, BELL, BRANCH, CALDWELL, COUCH, DRISKEL, EASTER, EDDINS, FARRELL, FARROW, GARRETT, HALLEY, HART, HICKS, HOLLOWAY, JEFFERSON, JOHNSON, JONES, MAYS, MAYSON, MCCRACKEN, MCGEE, MILLER, MITCHELL, NOBLES, PFIFER, SHIVERS, SIMMS, SMITH, STITH, TALBOT, TODD, TUCKER, TUNER, WALKER, WILLIAMSON, WISE, WRIGHT, and WYNNE. The book includes an annotated bibliography and a complete index. It is 200 pages, 8.5" x 11", softbound, with eighteen pages of family photos. The cost is $40, including shipping and handling. Send orders and a check, along with shipping address, to: Judith Russell 1051 Forrest Hills Drive Bogart GA 30622-2442 For more information e-mail jrussell2@charter.net * * * Pioneers, Preachers, and Frontiersmen: The Ancestors of Louis H. BOCK By J. Richard Bock This book is a history of all the ancestral lines of the author's father, dating back to colonial days in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and covering gradual migration to the Midwest. Also included is information on the German and Dutch origins of several of the families. Surnames include COLLINS, DOUGLASS, GOAD, HALLEY, HORNBECK, KESSLER, KING, KOOL, KUYKENDALL, MOORE, RENO, SWANK, WESTFALL, WILLIAMS, and YOCUM. The book is hardcover, 8.5" x 11", and has 164 pages, including an index. The cost is $25.40, plus $7.67 shipping. Order from: J. Richard Bock 3307 Brooklawn Terrace Chevy Chase MD 20815 or bockdip@yahoo.com 1e. Using RootsWeb: The RootsWeb Surname List: Just the Facts By Joan Young joan@volunteer.rootsweb.com The RootsWeb Surname List (RSL) always reminds me of the well-known television police show "Dragnet." The show featured Sergeant Joe Friday who often told the people he interviewed to give "just the facts, ma'am." Most often when you are researching your family history you enjoy fleshing out the facts with stories that bring your ancestors to life. On personal websites and in notes added to your family trees you love giving all the details about how your great-great-grandfather, Reuben KIGER, an Oregon Trail pioneer, was arrested in 1863 for riding his horse down Second Street in Corvallis, Oregon, faster than ten miles per hour. However, there are other times when you only need or want the basics-- just the facts. Knowing nothing more than the surname (last name) someone is researching, the time period in which they have found the surname, and the location where the family lived at the time, you know enough to determine whether you'd like to contact the person to discuss a possible connection with your own family. This is where the RootsWeb Surname List comes into play. The RSL is among the oldest resources at RootsWeb, and like everything else at RootsWeb, using the RSL is completely free. It is a very basic tool used to help you find others researching the same surnames in the same locations, and during the same time period. The RSL started as an offshoot of ROOTS-L, the original genealogy mailing list at RootsWeb: http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/ The beginning for what was later to become the RSL came way back in 1988 when it was called the Roots Index. The very first index contained all of forty-two surnames according to RootsWeb co-founder Karen Isaacson. In 1990, Karen adopted the index from the originator, John Wilson, who had announced its demise. Karen renamed it the Roots Surname List. Karen stressed the point that back then most people didn't have Web browsers and the new RSL entries were sent to her via e-mail to be manually added to the index. The name, Roots Surname List, later evolved into the RootsWeb Surname List after there was a RootsWeb. About 1996, when the RootsWeb domain came into being, the RSL index was moved to its present home on a RootsWeb server. More than a million surnames are currently included in the RSL and the database grows daily. To access the RSL, go to RootsWeb.com and click the "RootsWeb Surname List/RSL" link under the "Search Engines and Databases" heading; or, go here: http://rsl.rootsweb.com/ You will notice that the RSL has its own special set of shortcuts for indicating the time frame and migration of the families (surnames) listed in each entry. Entries in the RSL are formatted as follows: Surname: The surname being researched. Date #1: The earliest date for which the submitter has found this surname. Date #2: The most recent date for which the submitter has found this surname. Migration: The location where people of this surname (family) lived during the time period listed. Comments: Additional information (optional). Nametag: The username, which identifies the submitter and enables you to contact him or her. The character codes (abbreviations) used to list locations in the RSL can be found here: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/codes/ An overview about the RSL and explanation of the proper formatting of entries can be found here: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/help/rsl6.html Other useful instructions for searching and contributing to the RSL can be found at the following sites: Problem solving: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/help/solution.html Adding or editing surnames: http://rsl.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/rsledit.cgi You don't need to have completed a family tree, a pedigree form, or even a family group sheet to use the RootsWeb Surname List; you need only to know the last names of the ancestors you are researching, the time period when you have found them, and where they lived. The RootsWeb Surname List is the ideal place to search and add your surnames when you want "just the facts, ma'am." * * * * * * * * * * Advertisements * * * * * * * * * * GET HELP WITH YOUR BRITISH GENEALOGY BRITISH ANCESTORS will search the records of your English and Scottish ancestors stored in archives throughout England and Scotland, most of which are unavailable on the Internet. Friendly service, affordable prices. For a no-obligation research assessment visit http://www.britishancestors.com/ For help from professional genealogists in finding ancestors from the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, or Europe visit http://www.ancestorseekers.com/research/rwr/ Or join us June or October for our EIGHTH/NINTH SALT LAKE CITY RESEARCH TRIP--the ideal genealogy vacation! * * * * * * * * * * End of Advertisements * * * * * * * 2. Connecting Through RootsWeb: Finding Levitia's Headstone By George Windes Yorba Linda, California My family has always had an interest in our Native American heritage. Especially since we descend from William Weatherford (Red Eagle). He was a Muscogee (Creek) leader who led his warriors against the huge army of Andrew Jackson, trying to save his ancestral homelands. Red Eagle's victory at Fort Mims, Alabama, is rare in the annals of America. We knew his daughter, Mary Levitia Weatherford, married Dr. William Forbes Howell, in 1842. Eventually they left Alabama, migrating to DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, to establish a plantation. Sadly, the plagues and fevers of the region would decimate the family. Two children, Scott and Josephine, did eventually make their way to Indian Territory, however, where they rejoined the Creek Nation. Josephine was my great-grandmother. Several years ago, my brother and wife decided to learn more about the Louisiana sojourn of our family. They visited nearby courthouses. A cemetery book noted a M.L. Weatherford stone in the old Campground Cemetery near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. They traveled to the abandoned cemetery, but finding nothing, were leaving when my sister-in-law Mary saw something lying flat in a nearby forest. It was a toppled nine foot marble obelisk for the daughter of the famed chief, partially buried under forest debris. They used a camcorder to film the stone. The next morning, my brother John stated he would like to revisit the cemetery. They drove twenty-five miles back, with the idea of cleaning the area a little. As they left the car, Mary exclaimed, "John, the stone is standing!" In disbelief, they found it upright. Also swept clean were fallen stones for two of Levitia's lost children, Bonaparte and Natalia. Of course, the camcorder came out again and the audio begins, "The most amazing thing has happened. . . ." Later we learned that a Civil War reenactment was scheduled for the next week and the mayor of the town decided to send someone to clean the old cemetery, which was the resting place for many soldiers. The employee raised but one heavy stone and cleaned around it, an action coinciding with our family's first visit to a beloved ancestor in 100 years. 3. 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.] ------------------------------------------------------------- Cornwall County, England, Gaol [Jail] Records, 1821-51 By Sally Pocock Your readers may be interested in an ongoing project I am working on here in Truro, England. I am transcribing and indexing--with very full details--records on the inmates of our Cornwall County gaol [jail]. These gaol admission registers have only recently been discovered. I have already completed the transcription and indexing of the 7,500 inmates of the Bridewell, 1821-48; and the prisoners of the gaol proper from 1835-41 (Vol. II); and from 1846-51 (Vol. III). Each volume is being separately produced on CD and is available from me. There is worldwide interest in Cornish families, as so many Cornish miners went overseas for work. Many criminals, petty and otherwise, were transported, and these are all listed separately. There are wonderful personal descriptions and as the information completed so far is unique, and predates almost any useful census, it is essential to research about this time period. Many non-Cornish men and women were also imprisoned in this gaol. Anyone interested in full details about these CDs can contact me at: finferret@freenetname.co.uk * * * Not a Scam After All Anonymous I was recently e-mailed by a person related to my family by marriage. She, in turn, had been contacted--out-of-the-blue--by another person asking if she knew Roberta and gave a couple of names to try to identify Roberta. I wrote to the inquiring person myself. The thought did cross my mind that someone was trying a scam because of the last name given (not mine). Much e-mail was generated over this and it was determined that we all were talking about the same Roberta. Next thing to find out: what was this person's interest? The wonderful thing about this is that the gal inquiring was trying to find "family" for an apparently abandoned resident of a nursing home. Actually, it was the inquirer's mother, Sharon, who had befriended Roberta. Since I have been doing a lot of genealogy I had enough answers to help me put together that side of the family. I had names and data from my family and the few words Roberta (a stroke victim) could convey. Today she is being visited by her brother Hank and hopefully her ninety- four-year-old mother. She also receives a daily visit from Sharon, who called me this morning. I love happy endings! And there's a twist. The mother of the inquirer lives a mile from me, two streets over; and the nursing home is within three miles. The only person of this bunch whom I ever met in person was Hank. He and I were under one-year-old at the time. Our parents had been close when we were babies, and our fathers continued their friendship all the way to the end. Makes all the long hours scouring online info really worthwhile. * * * Not All Solicitations Are Scams By Ruth Burkholder In last week's Review you cautioned us against falling victim to scam artists claiming to be looking for distant relatives to give an unclaimed inheritance to. I was disturbed by the tone of this article. There are some of us who are legitimate searchers for family of persons who died without leaving their estates in order. This article made us all look like scammers, and will certainly make it more difficult for those deserving of something from their relatives to receive it. It also places us, who are doing a legitimate job, in a position of having to defend ourselves from the authorities over and over again. Yes, I do look through the mailing lists, and I may contact people off- list for further family information. However, I would never ask for banking information from anyone. I fully understand where you are coming from. There are scammers out there who do take advantage of people, and I do recommend that people be careful with whom they are dealing. However, it is not right to paint everyone with the same brush. * * * A Mother's Day Poem By Jean Lancashire, England After reading Mary Harrell-Sesniak's article on Mother's Day last week, I thought I would share this poem with you all and send good wishes to all the mums and the sons and daughters who cherish them. I wrote the poem for my mother's eightieth birthday--she is now 101 and keeps a copy of it on her wall. My mother, sit and tell me Why it took so long in life To appreciate your value As a mother and a wife. My mother, sit and tell me What allowed my youthful tongue To comment on the sense of things And be so awfully wrong. Then I'll sit and tell you Of the things I've come to treasure; The little things that caused my tears And then through life a pleasure. Then I'll sit and tell you That there's never been another Who did so much with what she had. I'm proud of you, my mother. * * * More on Archival CDs By Ron Mesnard Last edition's suggestion on buying archival quality CDs made of 24k gold (rather than with dyes) was both accurate and useful. Many persons believe once their valuable data is on a CD it will be good forever; however, it will not. Old-style CDs that burned pits on metal foil to record the data have the best life. I have gold foil CDs that are about ten years old that read fine the last time I accessed one. I also have eight- to nine-year-old new-style disks that read fine. The newer media burns much faster and is much cheaper. If you are using non-archival-quality CDs, remember that the dye used for normal CDs and DVDs is photo sensitive. Any light, but especially direct sunlight, can dramatically age the dye on a disk. Keep this in mind when you use and store your disks. One other advantage of the foil disks is that if they get too scratched or the plastic clouds with age making them unreadable, they can be resurfaced. I do not think this helps a normal CD-R. My experience with CDR-Ws suggests to me that they are a great idea that never worked out. Use memory sticks instead. They are as reliable as the CDR-Ws are not. 4. New at RootsWeb 4a. New User-contributed Databases at RootsWeb http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit/ ------------------------------------------------------------- The following databases have come online recently. They are searchable, but not browseable. Search: To look for specific data or occurrence of text in a file. Browse: To view the entire contents of a file or a group of files. CALIFORNIA. Los Angeles County. Pasadena. Flintridge Sacred Heart High School, 1933-1951; 433 records; Marilyn Feeney Smith http://userdb.rootsweb.com/alumni/ 4b. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Individuals To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- Can your cousins find your website at RootsWeb? Has it ever been mentioned here or do you have a new, updated, or substantially revised website at RootsWeb (it will have "freepages" or "homepages" in the URL)? Send the URL, the title of the website, the name of the author, and a BRIEF description of the site, including major surnames, to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com * * * If your genealogical or historical related site is located somewhere other than at RootsWeb.com, you can add the link here: http://resources.rootsweb.com/~rootslink/addlink.html * * * No new/updated freepages/homepages. 4c. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and Genealogical/Historical Societies To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- Some of these Web pages 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/~xxxxxx[accountname] * * * Note that the ~[tilde] before the Web account name is required. For example, the Pittsburg Historical Museum (California) website is at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~caphm2/ * * * DAR = Daughters of the American Revolution U.S.A. caphm2-- Pittsburg Historical Museum (California) iagsvg --Iowa Genealogical Society Veterans Group kymcceme--McCreary County (Kentucky) Cemeteries msarcdar--Amite River (Mississippi) Chapter DAR nyrpcdar--River Patriots (New York) Chapter DAR 4d. New Mailing Lists To Request a New Mailing List: http://resources.rootsweb.com/adopt/ ------------------------------------------------------------- For information and an index to the more than 30,000 RootsWeb-hosted genealogy Mailing Lists and for easy subscribing (joining) options go to: http://lists.rootsweb.com/ NEW SURNAME MAILING LISTS ALAMEDDINE BATLEY BENWITZ BIRKHEAD BITHELL BLADDICK BONACORSI BOOTHER BOULEY BREZNICKY BURKHEAD CANNONS CARNALLY CLAYSON CULHANE CUNARD DEMSHOCK DORFER DUNMORE EDELEN ELLIS-DNA GAHNSTROM GHIRINGHELLI GMELIN GROHOL HAMMAREN HERYFORD HOCHWALT HOLDICH KEE KRONEMEYER LEBOURVEAU LIBRESCU LOGANATHAN MACNICOL MCABEE MCCOIN MCCONACHIE MCKIMMY MISK NEILANDS OCKANDER PATRIA PENQUITE PULHAM RUSSETT SAMAHA WIGUTOW NEW REGIONAL MAILING LISTS ENG-NTH-PETERBOROUGH-AREA -- This list is for the discussion and sharing of information regarding Peterborough and the Stoke of Peterborough. IN-WEST-CENTRAL -- A list for people researching families in West Central Indiana, primarily Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Hamilton, Howard, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, and Tipton counties. WLS-MONMOUTHSHIRE-ARCHIVES -- This list is for the discussion and research of historical documents pertaining to the county of Monmouthshire, Wales. NEW ETHNIC OR SPECIAL INTEREST MAILING LISTS AUS-VIC-GDHA -- The Geelong and District Historical Association is an umbrella organisation whose members are representatives of historical societies, family history groups, museums, and other historical research groups in the region. BLANKENSHIP-DNA -- Discuss DNA research concerning the Blankenship surname. BOWKER-DNA -- Discuss DNA results for surname BOWKER and variants such as BUKER, BUCAR, BOUKER, etc. Participants may be worldwide. CHOCTAW-BURIALGROUNDS -- To locate Choctaw burial grounds and graves--those that are marked and inquiries for unmarked graves throughout the Choctaw Nation. COGENWEB-LASANIMAS -- This list is associated with the Colorado USGenWeb Project and will be used to communicate project information as well as to share genealogical information. COMPUTER-HELP -- The COMPUTER-HELP mailing list is a place where RootsWeb users can ask any question regarding computers (the use of, and problems with, computers in genealogy research, and in general). CRAIG-DNA -- A mailing list for CRAIG, CRAGG, CRAG, CRAGGE, CREGE, CREAGH, KRAGH, KRIEG, and any other reasonable spelling variations, to discuss DNA and exchange ideas. HMS-LAVATERA -- The HMS-LAVATERA mailing list is for the discussion of information regarding those who served on the H.M.S. "Lavatera," and their family history. IA-VETERANS -- The IA-VETERANS mailing list will be used to help those looking for information on Iowa Veterans. NC-CW -- The focus of the NC-CW mailing list will be for researchers to share and exchange information about North Carolina, its role in the Civil War, and Civil War veterans from North Carolina. RICHMOND-DNA -- The RICHMOND-DNA mailing list is for the discussion and sharing of information regarding DNA testing and the DNA project for the RICHMOND surname and variations. 5. Humor/Humour A friend told me that her mother knew a lady in England named Sheepshanks, who looked forward to getting married and acquiring a nicer last name. Miss Sheepshanks eventually did marry. Her husband's name? Mr. Ramsbottom. --Thanks to Nancy Protzman, Bronxville, New York * * * I found the quote below from the "Windsor and Eton Express," a local English newspaper, in the 11 December 1830 issue. "An ornithological match recently in a parish near Edinburgh, has set the whole neighbourhood in a flutter. Miss Henrietta Peacock espoused Mr. Robin Sparrow, the bridesman being Mr. Phillip Hawk, and bridesmaid Miss Larkins; the marriage line were extracted by J. Crow, the Session- clerk." --Thanks to Richard Heaton * * * Found a funny or "proper name for the job" in old records, or an amusing entry in census, parish, church, etc. records? Send them to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com. We also welcome other humorous genealogy- related submissions. 6. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints ------------------------------------------------------------- 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/ If you use a spam-filtering program, in order to receive the RootsWeb Review please make sure that you're allowing e-mail from: rootswebreview@email.rootsweb.com The RootsWeb Review is a free publication of The Generations Network, Inc., 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT, 84604 * * * 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. The announcement of books and products is provided as a community service and is not an endorsement in any way. 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 and please include your full name and e-mail address in the text. * * * ROOTSWEB REVIEW ADVERTISING CONTACTS. Ad Sales Worldwide: Tami Deleeuw, tdeleeuw@tgn.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: 16 May 2007, Vol. 10, No. 20. * * * *