RootsWeb Review: RootsWeb's Weekly E-zine 22 August 2007, Vol. 10, No. 34 (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/2007/0822.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. WebBiographies.Com 1b. Book Notice (1) 2. Using RootsWeb: Mailing List Archive Searches--A Follow Up 3. Connecting Through RootsWeb: Hunting Trainors 4. Bottomless Mailbag: A Strange Experience with NARA Reading Headstones New Records at the Pennsylvania Archives 5. New at RootsWeb 5a. New User-contributed Databases 5b. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Individuals 5c. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and Genealogical/Historical Societies 5d. New Mailing Lists 6. Humor/Humour 7. Subscriptions, Submissions, Advertising, Reprints ============================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Editor's Desk: News and Notes 1a. WebBiographies.com Do you keep a journal? Have you wanted to write your life story? T check out WebBiographies.com, a site where you can store your story online. You get 10MB of space for free and your own URL at http://bio.webbiographies.com/yourname. 100MB costs $24.99 a year; 2 gigabytes costs $84.99 a year. Your journal or autobiography can be shared with family and friends; or, you can password protect all or some sections of it. You can upload video and audio, create scrapbooks, upload family trees, store your relatives' biographies, have electronic copies of the journal e-mailed to you, get professional help from writers and editors, and more. Learn more here: http://www.webbiographies.com/Faqs.do#q5 1b. Book Notice (1) African-Americans of Omaha, Nebraska, Death Register, 1873-1940 Compiled by Jackie Whitaker whitjbar@cox.net This book is a reference book created to aid African-Americans in researching their ancestors. It lists the decedents' state of birth and next of kin, marital status, cause of death, and occupation. The cost is $15.00 plus $2.20 postage. 2. Using RootsWeb: Mailing List Archive Searches--A Follow Up By Joan Young joan@volunteer.rootsweb.com A few months ago I wrote about the new archive search engine for mailing lists: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/2007/0425.txt Since that article was published, I've received many questions. The questions indicate that I need to define exactly what "archives" are, how to update your old posts in the archive, how to contact people when you locate their old posts, and what to do if you find an outdated website in the archive. WHAT ARE "ARCHIVES?" Webster's dictionary defines an archive as "a place in which public records or historical documents are preserved; also: the material preserved." All of the messages sent by mailing lists over the years have been preserved in the archive for that list. Think of the mailing list archive as a virtual library where all of your messages or posts are organized and stored. It's important to note that the mailing list archive and message board threads differ. A message board is more dynamic than a mailing list. You can update e-mail addresses on message boards and post a reply to a message alongside an old one-weeks, months, or even years after the original post. However, archived mailing list messages are static. They cannot be added to or altered. The mailing list archive records events from the past as they existed at the time, somewhat akin to the minutes of a meeting. The purpose is to preserve what transpired on a given date in history and to make that data accessible in the future. You cannot update your e-mail address or contact information on a message in a mailing list archive and you cannot respond and have the new message appear alongside the old one. It will be archived by the day it was sent to the list. UPDATING YOUR OLD POSTS By searching the mailing list archive for old posts you have made, you may find outdated information, information you now know to be inaccurate, or posts you made using a defunct e-mail address. Make a note of such messages and send new posts to the relevant lists using your current e-mail address. Note any corrections to previously posted data from your old archived messages. Also include any new information you have learned since your earlier posts. By posting new information, current list members who may not have seen your earlier posts will be able to reply to you on the list, and future archive searchers will be able to find you and contact you at your current e-mail address. CONTACTING PEOPLE ON OLD POSTS When you search the archive and come across messages that interest you, the proper means of contacting the person who posted the message depends on several factors. If the post was made to a message board and posted to the list via the message board "gateway," you are in luck. You can reply as long as the post is still on the board, no matter how long ago the message was posted there, by clicking on the link included in the gatewayed message and replying on the board. The original person that posted is usually notified that a new reply has been made to his or her query no matter how long ago the message was posted. If the message to which you wish to reply was sent directly to the list, you can attempt to reach the person that posted the message via direct e-mail contact. The more recent the post, the more likely the e-mail address is still valid. If the e-mail address is not valid, try posting a new query on the list where you found the archived post. Include information about the family discussed in the original post that caught your eye. Hopefully, it will draw the attention of the person whose message you found in the archives. He or she may still be subscribed to the list under a new e- mail address. Additionally, try a new search of both the list archives and other Internet resources to see if you can locate an updated e-mail address for the person you wish to contact. He or she may still be out there posting new messages even if not still subscribed to the list. Search the vast WorldConnect database to see if he or she has submitted a family tree: http://wc.rootsweb.com/ FINDING OUTDATED WEBSITES IN THE LISTS You may find a link to a website that is no longer valid in an archived message. While it is quite possible that an old website has moved or no longer exists, it is also possible that the website is still there, but the specific page link has changed. Try "backing up" or removing the ending of the URL and leaving only the domain. For example, if the broken link is http://www.rootsweb.com/~palackaw/marriages/marriage44.html, try going to http://www.rootsweb.com/~palackaw/marriages/ or http://www.rootsweb.com/~palackaw/. You could find a new link to the data you are seeking from this page of the website. CONCLUSION The new mailing list archive search engine has opened up a new world of list posts that were always there but were previously buried and hard to find. The searches offer us new leads in researching our family history as long as we become adept at making the most of our search results. * * * * * * * * * * 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 30 SEPTEMBER-5 OCTOBER for our NINTH SALT LAKE CITY RESEARCH TRIP--the dream genealogy vacation! * * * * * * * * * * End of Advertisements * * * * * * * 3. Connecting Through RootsWeb: Hunting Trainors By C. Trainor My grandfather Orville Trainor was always our family historian. If anyone had a question about our family, he was the one to ask. As he started to age, researching family lines became more and more difficult. I offered to help. One day he sent me a package with a lot of documents and other papers. He asked me if I could locate information on one Nicholas Trainor. Nicholas was the son of Peter Trainor and Catherine (McGinnis) Trainor, who came from County West Meath, Ireland, in the early 1800s and settled in Ontario, Canada. Nicholas had two other brothers, James and John, and a sister, Bridget. Our line came through James, the oldest son. One day I posted a message on the Ancestry.com message boards for anyone who knew of Nicholas Trainor and might have some information. Due to a busy schedule at work and home, I soon forgot about my task. However, about one year later, I received an e-mail from someone who lived in Ontario, Canada, stating that they thought we had the same original parents. I contacted them and they sent over a GEDCOM file for me to take a look at. Sure enough, they were from the lineage of Bridget Trainor, the only daughter of the original family. I was very excited because they happened to be avid genealogists, and I was able to present their work to my grandfather Orville. Bridget's was a line of which we had no prior information. In addition, the people that contacted me had no information about our line (James Trainor), so we were able to share some information with them as well. To have two major lines finally make a connection was pretty incredible. About three years later, we had a family reunion with our long-lost cousins from Canada in Ordway, Colorado. Ordway is where the James Trainor line emigrated from Canada and started a large cattle ranch. We still keep in touch via e-mail, and we have a family site on MyFamily.com. Through the site we were able to exchange photos of our ancestors and the old buildings where the first Trainors got established in the New World. Nicholas has yet to be found, but hopefully, through the message boards or some other means, a relative will read a note written nearly nine years ago inquiring about his line. And hopefully he or she will respond. 4. 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.] ------------------------------------------------------------- A Strange Experience with NARA By Lila Niemann Garner LNiemannG@navix.net The mistake was mine. I lost the last six sheets of 149 pages of a Civil War Pension File that I was abstracting. As soon as the papers arrived, I had numbered them with a black pencil in the order in which they were stacked. One hundred and forty-nine sheets. After a comprehensive search-legal-size papers just don't get hidden among other papers in my office-I had to conclude that the missing six accidentally went into the shredder. Nothing remained to do but reorder the file, which I did, and eventually it arrived. Both batches contained the same disclaimer: "Dear Patron: "We regret that the enclosed photocopies are the best we were able to obtain using our normal reproduction process. This is caused primarily by the age and faded conditions of some of the documents from which these copies were made. "Complete file enclosed. Best available copy." As I matched the new receipts with the first batch, I numbered them with matching numbers, this time with a green pencil. I was surprised to discover that twenty-six fewer documents arrived with the second batch. Some of the new ones copied very light; two copied so light as to be illegible. Five pages were unmatched--presumably five of the six that I had lost or shredded. I will grant that most of the missing twenty-six pages were either backs of other pages, or cover sheets, but there were some that contained signatures of those who testified to the former Union soldier's condition. The soldier's application for a pension was denied repeatedly and finally granted by an Act of Congress-an interesting situation, documented by pages copied from the congressional record. A couple of the congressional records sheets-not the most important ones-were missing from the second batch. Two sheets of the first batch that contained an illegible line appearing to be lost in a fold were legible in the second batch, having been unfolded more carefully. Each time I received the "complete record," and each time it was the "best available copy." Where is that sixth piece of paper? And how many sheets are really in the record that were never copied? I can suggest no remedy for the above situation, only that this is a heads up: You may not have been supplied everything found in NARA records. * * * Reading Headstones By Mary Harrell-Sesniak, RootsWeb Review columnist Ah, the old shaving cream technique. A recent article of mine suggested applying wetted, non-toxic, colored sand to illegible headstones. Many readers reacted strongly and responded with their own ideas, so I wasn't a bit surprised to read that shaving cream was among the suggestions. Transcribers use it to read those elusive weathered epitaphs, and it works. They slather it on, and use either their hand or squeegee to remove the excess. The crevices then transform into readable text. I thank them for their input, but personally I don't support the shaving cream technique. It does wonders for tombstones; that is, if you don't mind leaving a sticky, gooey substance that sometimes causes permanent damage. Better to use a natural method. But don't take my word for it. The Association for Gravestone Studies says this about it: "Our professional conservators tell us it is definitely not a good idea to use shaving cream on porous gravestones because there are chemicals, greasy emollients, in shaving cream that are sticky and very difficult to remove from the stone with a simple washing. Indeed, even with vigorous scrubbing and lots of rinsing, the cream fills in the pores of a porous stone and cannot all be removed. The result of leaving it there is that in time it may discolor or damage the stone." www.gravestonestudies.org/preservation.htm So do your part in saving cemetery stones. Try the Association's idea of shining light on the text with a mirror. This is a non-invasive way of getting otherwise illegible lettering to appear. Here is a sight I came across that shows some pictures of how well a mirror can work to bring out the lettering on a headstone: http://www.warehamhistory.com/AgawamCemetery/Mirrors.htm Obviously, there are varying opinions, and even the experts haven't arrived at a consensus. So start with non-invasive techniques, including using digital software to enhance images. After that, consult the cemetery staff and local boards, as local laws and rules determine which techniques are allowed. Ask them to put on workshops and organize groups to transcribe and photograph as many cemeteries as possible. But since some stones will still be illegible, get involved in making a local policy. I believe that a gravestone is a historical artifact first, and a piece of art second. It needs to be cleaned, conserved, and preserved for future generations, and that is the responsibility of the cemeteries and families. So if an epitaph has arrived at the point where it is illegible, take efforts to document the text before it is too late. But if you aren't a lineal descendant, a member of a cemetery staff, or a conservator, find someone who is to help you. When I find a family grave, I like to think my ancestor is grateful that someone came to pay respects and even happier if an effort was made to tend to the plot. My cousin is careful when she uses the sand technique, and pun intended, I do consider her to be an expert in the field. Not only has she uncovered long-ago forgotten and submerged stones, she has trimmed the weeds, cleaned the stones, and re-erected them amongst the ancestors. And I do the same whenever I can. We're off again soon on another ancestral hunt, and I imagine we'll visit a cemetery or two. So let your conscience rule. If someone stumbled upon your time- weathered stone and couldn't decipher it, what would you want them to do? Personally, I give my lineal descendants permission to take further measures if they think it needs to be done. Better to have visitors know who's who than to be lost to the elements. * * * New Records at the Pennsylvania Archives By Marie Robinson Minnesota In the last few weeks, the Pennsylvania Archives has added some remarkable and free scanned land records to their already-available Warrant Registers at: http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/landrec.htm These pages include instructions on how to search the records and an abbreviated history behind the early process of recording the land transactions. I've been ordering these survey maps from the archives for seven years for mapping purposes, and it is truly a wonderful addition to online research to be able to avoid the cost and time of waiting for search results and photocopies of survey maps, warrants, and patents to arrive by snail mail. In addition, the archives may, in the near future, accept volunteer help in transcribing the already easy-to-read records so in the future you can search a database rather than having to review hundreds (likely thousands) of pages. Specifically, the resources are: Warrant Registers Patent Indexes Copied Survey Books Patent Tract Name Indexes East Side Applications (Register) West Side Applications (Register) New Purchase Registers 5. New at RootsWeb 5a. 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. No New User-Contributed Databases at RootsWeb 5b. 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 genealogy- or history-related site is located somewhere other than at RootsWeb.com, you can add the link here: http://resources.rootsweb.com/~rootslink/addlink.html * * * DUNHAM, WILCOX, TROTT, KIRK. By Jane Devlin. This site has recently been updated with the following files: -Guilford, Chenango County, New York, Guilford Church Records -Barrington, Bristol County, Rhode Island, Vital Records to 1850, Marriages [courtesy of Coralynn Brown] -Chappaqua Quaker Records, [courtesy of Dave Swerdfeger] -North Salem, Westchester County, New York, Cat Ridge Cemetery [courtesy of Jeanne Kornhaas] -Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Ancient and Woodside Cemeteries, [courtesy of Coralynn Brown] -Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut, 1st Congregational Church Records [courtesy of Coralynn Brown] -Bridgewater, Litchfield County, Connecticut, Genealogies, ACLY to CANFIELD [courtesy of Sandra Boudrou] -Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Vital Records [courtesy of Coralynn Brown] -Pottersville, Warren County, New York, Old Cemetery; Pottersville, Warren County, New York, New Cemetery [courtesy of Coralynn Brown] -Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Town Records--Land and Meetings [courtesy of Dave Swerdfeger] -Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, New York, Town Officers, 1806 to 1902; Civil War Soldiers; Early Settlers, Part I; and Early Settlers, Part II [courtesy of Dave Swerdfeger] -Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, New York, Genealogical Records of Pioneers; Hopkinton, 1850 Town Assessment [courtesy of Dave Swerdfeger] http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/ 5c. New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and Genealogical/Historical Societies To Request a Free Web Account: http://accounts.rootsweb.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- No New/Updated Freepages and Homepages by Counties, States, and Genealogical/Historical Societies 5d. 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/ No New Mailing Lists 6. Humor/Humour Same song--one more verse. In my west Kentucky hometown we not only had a Dr. Payne, but he was in offices with a Dr. Cost and at the same time there was another practicing physician in town named Dr. Cotoff. Needless to say, they were often reminded of the fact. --Thanks to Bob Boyd * * * In the Staffordshire, Penkridge parish registers for 1575-1735, I found this marriage listed: 23 Aug 1701--Abraham Broom and Jane Pitchfork. --Thanks to Anne C. * * * Found a funny or "proper name for the job" in old records, or an amusing entry in census, parish, church, or other records? Send them to: Editor-RWR@rootsweb.com. We also welcome other humorous genealogy-related submissions. 7. 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: 22 August 2007, Vol. 10, No. 34. * * * *