April 2018 Class

April 2018 Class Notes

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Class 4

Case studies

Finish Zarilda

Harold Cannady -- can we do this without Ancestry.com?

John Simpson -- what happened between 1880-1900? And the value of county histories.

William Wilcox Family Bible -- starting from scratch.

From Family Farm to Smoky Mountain National Park -- writing up the story

Subscription database Fold3 is available to the public at the Gerald Ford Presidential Library on North Campus.
Ancestry.com too. (probably library edition)

Fold3 Basics
Introduction to Fold3 (video by Christa Cowan of Ancedtry)

Finding Information on the Interent

Linkpendium -- especially good for states; quick and easy way to find things
Cyndi's List -- much more comprehensive

Continued Learning

FamilyTreeWebinars live presentation is always free (register) and free on site for one week; other free webinars also.
These are a few free ones I recommend (with no time limit)
- Google for Genealogy: Some Tricks to Tease Out Information -- the sound quality is not good on this, but it's got good information.
- How to Use FamilySearch.org for Beginners. -- he covers some areas I've ignored.
- The War of 1812 Pensions -- just because the War of 1812 pensions. Also Fold3.
- Find more free webinars.

Michigan Research

Class no. 3

Case studies

Links to

GSWC/FHC Library Catalog
FamilySearch.org Wiki or... FamilySearch.org > Search > Wiki
Joe Beine's lists

Class no. 2

Research Questions (PowerPoint
Family Trees on Ancestry.com (PowerPoint--part1 Finding and Using Trees)
Case Studies
- Cornelia Crump Carey: Up from Slavery
- Finding Michael & Elizabeth (Lewis) Henn 1860, 1850: Life in the Big City
Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County
- Website -- April 22d speaker and class will be on court records.
- Library Catalog -- Library is open when FHC is open (11-1 Tues, Fri, Sat). Books must be used there.
Two upcoming conferences within driving distance:
- May 2-5: Grand Rapids, Michigan: NGS Conference
  - Program of 203 presentations to choose from
- August22-25: Fort Wayne, Indiana: FGS Conference
  - Program (note: Wed is Society Day; you are more likely to be interested in Thursday, Friday and Saturday programs)
Here is an online copy of BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY 4th ED. --4th edition is the one we want. Later editions left out words not currently used.
Links to Legal Genealogist Blog on Genealogy, the law... and Louisiana
http://www.legalgenealogist.com/2016/07/25/the-lingo-of-louisiana-law/
http://www.legalgenealogist.com/2016/07/26/noting-the-notary/
http://www.legalgenealogist.com/2016/07/27/notarial-records-online/
http://www.legalgenealogist.com/2016/04/22/the-gated-succession
Power Points from Class #1 :
John Harris Holt Co. Missouri
U.S. County boundaries change over time. 2 map resources are very helpful for working with this:
1. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Census 1790-1920
  1. by 1920 all counties were formed
  2. this only looks at the counties as they were when the census was taken once a decade.
  3. based on a book that was put out pre-internet: Map Guide of the U.S. Federal Census 1790-1920
    1. no difference between the online version and book
  4. available on Heritage Quest at Mel.org.-- click the box (mid page) "Census Map Guide"
2. Atlas of Historical County Boundaries is available online at the Newberry Library website
  1. It is an interactive map; read the instructions
  2. It shows the boundary changes in chronological order, year by year --not limited to census years

Class no. 1

Ancestry Redbook: American State, County & Town Sources, rev. ed. (1992) or Red Book: 3rd ed (2004)
- No longer available for free online (Ancestry used to offer it)

Copy owned by: Ann Arbor District Library, Ypsilanti District Library, U Mich Library, EMU Library, WCC Library, and the GSWC Library --and probably Chelsea, Saline, Manchester... I just got tired of checking catalogs. But often not available in branches.
WorldCat record
- 3rd ed. (2004) Red Book
- Rev. Ed. 1992 (Ancestry's Red Book)
To purchase a copy (about $40 new)
- Amazon.com
- Barnes & Noble-their new ed is $45, but check the box for Marketplace from $19.99 and you might find a cheaper copy.
- Used copy of 2nd edition may be found for much less (example)

Answers hiding in plain sight: using what you know to find out what you don't know
- Keep what you in front of you
  - Timeline Grid (a table)--helps you follow events, esp. census
  - Single family -- I suggest you also use a Family Group Sheet to keep the people straight
    - This one can be filled in online
    - This one can be printed out and filled in by hand
    - I don't use a form, but just create a FGS in MS Word using the basic format in these forms
    - Genealogy software will print out Family Group sheets from information you have entered
      - Legacy (Windows only) can download a free version which is perfectly adequate for long term data entry.
      - Roots Magic (Windows & Mac versions) can download a free version (not sure about for Mac)
      - Family Tree Maker (Windows& Mac versions)
      - Reunion (Mac only)
- Case study 1: The missing census -- creative searching
- Case study 2: The mystery daughter (Gertrude) -- what she calls" the prompting of the Holy Ghost" I call forming a hypothesis!
- Case study 3: The mystery of Sarah's identify -- notice how what you know includes information about places and the times. (People did not move around)
  - Also, that as you learn new information you keep adding to what you know and adjust your search accordingly.
  - Sometimes what you "know" turns out to be something that is not the case (Jonathan Denton not her biological father). You need all the facts to be sure that everything fits nicely.
U.S. Census records are free and can be searched from home at Heritage Quest.
- mel.org
  - databases (H)
    - Heritage Quest
      - Search U.S. Census
Case Study: John Harris of Holt Co., Missouri: Are we having fun yet?
Case Study: