Have you ever wondered how to organize nearly 2,000 archival images from a genealogy research trip? That’s exactly what I’ve been up to this week as I’ve started to process the images from my trip to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). I want to share my journey and some lessons learned that might help you in your future archival adventures. Learning on the Go My NARA trip was a valuable learning experience, and here are a couple of key takeaways: Scanning Pull Slips: My research consultant, Sandy Rumble of Rumble Soft, shared a fantastic tip that transformed my...
After my last post about my research trip to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington D.C., I’ve received several inquiries. Some of you are curious about the specific records I accessed there, which weren’t available on the BLM GLO (Bureau of Land Management General Land Office) site or HistoryGeo. I’m eager to share some details with you! At NARA, my focus was on three key types of land records: Cash Sales, Bounty Land (Military Warrants), and Homestead Entries. Each category offers different types of documents that can potentially help you with your family research. In this post,...
The Long-Awaited Trip to NARA For years, I’ve dreamed of researching at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C. It just hadn’t worked out until about two weeks before the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference (ECGGC). Realizing I’d be close to D.C., I seized the opportunity. My preparations for this first NARA research trip were thorough, and they paid off! I returned home with almost 2,000 images of land and military records for my family studies. A Rocky Start at NARA Although I felt quite prepared, my first day at NARA wasn’t problem-free. I had planned to...
How many of your ancestors have you identified? Blaine Bettinger shared a spreadsheet on the Facebook group, “Genetic Genealogy Tips & Techniques” (GGT&T), where you can enter your data to get the percentage of known ancestors. (NOTE: For future comparison, I did not include women whom I had identified only by their first name.) At 7 generations, or back to my 5th great grandparents, I have identified 57% of my direct ancestors. At 6 generations, or back to my 6th great grandparents, I have identified 83% of my direct ancestors. What percentage have you identified? You can create your own...
Four years ago, I met Lisa Louise Cooke when she presented at Houston Genealogical Forum (HGF). At the time, I was a little awe struck; I’d been listening to Lisa’s podcasts and she was a genealogy “superstar” to me. Since then, I’ve continued to listen to her podcasts, watch her videos, read her books, and implement the techniques she’s taught me. Lisa Louise Cooke and Me, April 2018, Houston Genealogical Forum Last weekend she presented another all day seminar at HGF. This time, I felt like I was meeting a friend, though it seemed a little strange that the hours...
As I mentioned in my last post, I recently found an article about one of my relatives from a 1916 German newspaper. I found the article on Chronicling America by searching for the surname “Kaechle.” But, since I don’t read German, I struggled with both transcribing and translating this article. In the process, I came across some tips I’d love to share: Tip #1: Determine the Font The initial “P” and “kk” in this word are difficult to read. While many of the letters in this German newspaper article were easy to recognize, some were more challenging. For example, the...
While doing some research today, I came across an intriguing name in a 1940 census: Lawless Mary. She was an 82-year-old widow living in Texas, and I had to learn more about her. What fascinating life did she live to earn her nickname? After finding her in a 1900 census, it turns out “Lawless Mary” was not a nickname; her name was Mary Lawless. 1940 U.S. Census, Falls County, Texas, Lott Ward, population schedule, page 7B [written], household #165, North 6 St, John Priest Household, image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2016), citing National Archives microfilm T627, roll 4030....
As the publicity chairman for Houston Genealogical Forum (HGF) I get the privilege of interviewing our speakers. In about two weeks, Pamela Boyer Sayre and Rick Sayre are giving an “all day” presentation in Houston. Their two topics are “Capital Treasure” and “Ohio and Pennsylvania Research.” If you are in the Houston area, we invite you to come and join us! More information can be found on our website. THE INTERVIEW What got you interested in genealogy? Pam: Mrs. Kirkpatrick, my eighth-grade language arts teacher, gave us an assignment to research where our surname came from. I learned that Boyer was...
In the 1781 indenture of “Dorothea Kline & Al to Nicholas Kline,” Nicholas Kline, a son of Michael Kline (my 6th great grandfather), bought land from the other heirs of his father for 400 pounds. This document was typed into a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania deed book. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book X, page 414 (close up), “Dorothea Kline & Al to Nicholas Kline. [Note the underlined word “perches” on the 4th line.] In this typed version, there are two words which are underlined: “perches” on page 414 (see image above) and “share” on page 415. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book...
Since Pennsylvania is a state land state, the land was surveyed using metes and bounds rather than townships and ranges. This type of survey starts at a starting point which is a “bound” or some type of physical feature. Then, the survey gives a direction (such as north, south, east, or west) and the number of degrees (between 0 and 90) and then a distance. This is the “metes” part of the survey which includes a direction and a distance. At the end of that direction and distance, another “bound” is given. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book X, page 414 (close up), “Dorothea...
