I haven't abandoned my blog, I've just had some health issues that have made it a bit difficult to be motivated to write anything. However, I'm writing this because I'm still getting trolled by The Nameless One and his silly friends. So I'm writing this to make one thing clear: you can try to hide all you like, but you will never succeed. I know who visits my site, okay? That's right, I know who you are. Haven't I proven that time and again? Proxy servers, VPN's, cached pages, different devices, different locations, even changing your browser language! Nice try, but stop trolling. If and when I choose to post that letter, that's my decision and you will have brought the consequences of it upon yourself. You have been given ample opportunity to work this out. If you have something to say, you know where to find me...you just need the guts to say it.

 

Oh, btw, thanks for the heads up on the webcaching. Should have that angle covered now.

I don't remember where I'm supposed to be, as far as things I've said I'd post about, but a recent spate of FAG/genealogy has prompted me to write this post. So, I'll figure out where I'm supposed to be when someone reminds me. In other words, if you've been waiting for me to post about something then you better tell me what it is or it prolly ain't never gonna happen.

 

Anyway.

 

When I make memorials on Find A Grave I try not to make memorials for people whose location I don't know. Doing so can create a whole host of problems, not least of which being someone duplicating because they are merely cataloging a cemetery. So I try to only do it when there's a better than good chance that I'll find them...at some point. Obviously, some take longer than others simply because not every cemetery has their records available online.

 

And that's the point here, what do you do when you can't find the records online? As stated, not all cemeteries have their records available online. This is annoying and results in extra time consuming work. Yes, I know it takes time to put all those records online...blah, blah, blah...hire me; I'll do the work for you.

 

The next issue is with cemeteries that don't give out information to people who are not directly related. I get it, it's a privacy thing. Blah, blah, blah...*freedom of information diatribe*

 

The question: how to handle this situation. The answer, also fairly simple. The results...variable.

 

Obviously, the best option is to travel to the location of the records (or the cemetery, if that's what you're after), but if they're not in your general geographical location this can be a serious inconvenience. So the next best option is to contact the organization that has the records.

 

As I said, this can have variable results. Interestingly enough, the least helpful people I've come across are in Sweden...imagine that. For example, I've added a few "famous" people (again, if I had to add them, then they're not that famous) that I didn't know the locations of. I asked a guy if he had any pictures of his (self-professed) good friend Mieszko Talarczyk, and he said no. I asked the same guy if he knew where David Parland is buried and he told me he had no idea. Maybe that's all true, but I would have thought he could have asked someone. I asked another guy if he knew where Jon Nödtveidt is buried and was told he had been cremated so no burial. *sigh* Luckily, I'm resourceful. Suspecting that both men had to have been buried somewhere in the Stockholm area I checked the Stockholm grave search, and there they were. If you're looking for people in major metropolitan areas of Sweden you can try the various "hittagraven" searches. If you're looking in other areas of Sweden then try this one.

 

Also in unhelpful Sweden, I have been trying to locate Wilhelm Jonsson, who I am convinced is buried in his home town of Häggum, but when I contacted the Häggum Församling (parish), I was directed to check the Landsarkivet in Göteborg...I tried to explain to them that I can't go there (they don't actually have the records online, they only have an index of the records online - to look at the information in the records you have to physically go there), so they just gave me the phone number instead. *sigh*

 

Norway is better; at least they have a lot of records online now. I've used two different ones with quite good success, band have, thus far, had no reason to contact the locals. The first resource is the Norwegian state church. Their searches are parceled out to the parishes associated with the cemetery (in other words, if you're looking for Ski cemetery then you'll need to go to the Ski website). You can locate the parish you need through the Norwegian Church website. The second resource is called DIS-Norge, Slekt og Data, and the grave search is found here. This search is nice because it lets you search by a number of different parameters including first name only (most searches insist you have the last name, or some portion thereof, that's a problem when you don't know how the cemetery spelled their last name or you're looking for someone who may have had a different last name than what's in the record).

 

What if you're looking in Australia? Most regions or metro areas manage the cemeteries in their areas. Find out which region your cemetery is in and then check the website for that regional council. Many councils have an online search, and those that don't can be contacted. For example, I've been trying to find the location of Marc Hunter, former vocalist of the Aus/NZ band Dragon, but the cemetery search I was using didn't have him listed. I knew he had to be somewhere in the vicinity of his home (Kiama), but there are multiple cemeteries in that area. I also couldn't be sure he had even been buried (this is an issue I have with cremation - if the family/friends keep the "body" then nobody else can visit them). I finally had confirmation that he'd been buried when pictures of his stone showed up just a few days ago. I found the Kiama Council website and sent them an email asking if he's in Kiama Cemetery. Thankfully, the folks in Kiama are a far sight more helpful than the folks in Sweden, and I was told that he's not in Kiama, but Gerringong.

 

New Zealand is much the same as Australia. I found a great list of all the district council sites that offer cemetery searches with links to those searches.

 

I've also contacted parishes or dioceses in England and Canada. When looking to contact a Catholic parish or diocese you'll typically find a contact form on the website of the parish or diocese. Fill it out by saying you're trying to confirm whether "so-and-so" is buried in their cemetery (don't be scared, they have no idea who you are) and it will be forwarded to the person in charge of the cemetery. Be sure to give birth and death information so if there are multiple people with that name they can find the one you're actually looking for. This saves them time and makes it more likely they'll answer. Anglican and/or Church of England parishes/dioceses are the same way. I've had 33% success rate with this (the "failure" was a CofE parish in England that directed me to a CDRom - purchasable from the local historical society), and even the "failure" was met with at least some idea of what I could do to find the information (I just hate the fact that records have to be bought...).

 

So, if you need to find cemetery records (and remember, cemetery records are great, as long as they are accurate) and you can't find an online search, don't fret, just contact the applicable organization and hope they're more helpful than the Swedes.

Sorry I have been lax with this blog lately, I kind of ran out of steam, but my Swedish stalker has been keeping me in business, so I'll see if I can't post something suitable to maintain interest. And thanks for all the visits buddy! Or should I say, merci?

 

Anyway, I came across this BBC documentary a couple days ago and I wanted to post it here because I think it really needs to be viewed by as many people as possible in order to address an alarming situation: the arrogance of humans. I'll let the documentary say the rest.

 

D&C 71:7

 

 

Who can forget Elder Holland's awesome Conference talk? Well, in it he said, "Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we."

 

What this breaks down to is that some people are easier to help than others. We're all imperfect, but sometimes we think we're not...maybe we think we're better than someone else because of (insert illogical, selfish reason here). We would all prefer to help those who are easier because, well, it's easier! The problem is, the easy ones don't challenge us, and it's only through challenges that we learn.

 

Maybe you think that it's only the other person who is learning when you are teaching, but this is incorrect; in any teaching situation it is both parties who are learning. The teacher learns from the student just as the student learns from the teacher. So if we're only learning from the easy students, then in actuality, we're not learning at all. Don't avoid the difficult people because they're frustrating, accept the challenge that they represent because both of you will learn something from the encounter.

Every now and then, while I'm entering names on Find A Grave, I will come across someone whose name interests me so much that I feel compelled to find out more about them (like Roy Edgar Abbott...I'll tell you about him sometime). At other times, I am drawn to the name by someone else (this should really scare those nasty Canadians!). A few days ago, I received a message from FAG. It was a correction suggestion for one of my memorials. The memorial is for a little girl named Ivy Alexandra Mitchell. The suggestion was that I'd gotten everything but her name wrong.

 

Y'know I love being told I'm wrong without any proof being offered. I wrote back to the suggester and told her that I'd gotten my information directly from the Moreton Bay Regional Council, and unless she can prove this is the same girl, then I'm not changing anything.

 

Well, of course this sparked off a wave of research...Normally I will just change the data, but since the rude-Canadians incident I've been a little less willing to be cooperative (y'all can blame the Canadians...and, of course, Morgan Håkansson since everything is his fault anyway...in fact, it's most likely his fault the Canadians are rude - but I digress).

 

The suggester had informed me that "Ivy Alexandra Mitchell was born circa 1902 (not 1898) and died at the age of 11 years old on June 8, 1913 (not 1909) in Samford, Queensland, Australia. She was raped and then murdered by Ernest Austin by having her throat cut." I'll tell you this, if this woman hadn't added her little parenthetical remarks, I probably wouldn't have taken exception, but it just seemed kind of snotty. Anyway, I did a search to see how many Ivy Mitchell's were born and died in Queensland during the time period of 1898 and 1913. I came up with enough to tell me that I wanted better "proof" that this was the same girl before altering the memorial (for the record, it probably is the same girl, but I hate humans right now so I'm going to make people work for what they want - yes, it is juvenile and spiteful, but frankly, I just don't care at the moment - and yes, you can blame that on Morgan Håkansson, too, since, according to certain people, my whole life revolves around him).

 

The story supplied by the suggester was pretty sketchy, so I set about finding whatever I could: which isn't much. But it goes something like this:

 

On June 8, 1913, Ivy Mitchell was visiting some friends about two miles from her home. She left their house at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but when she didn't arrive home before dark, her father and brother went out looking for her. They found her body in thick brush near Cedar Creek Road in Samford. Her throat had been cut and, according to Murderpedia (I have yet to find another source for this detail), she had been raped (interesting side note: in the late 19th Century they didn't use the word rape, they called it being "outraged." Remember that, as it will come back into play later).

 

Ernest Austin was subsequently arrested and charged with the crime (the evidence given was essentially blood on his clothes). He was found guilty and hanged. He did actually confess to the crime, stating that he was very angry and didn't know what he was doing, but he was also described as being mentally slow (so interpret that however you will).

 

The interesting thing about this case is how much emphasis was placed on Austin in the media, and how little was actually said about the girl. But what I could find is, Ivy Alexandra Mitchell was born 10 January 1902 in Grafton, New South Wales, to James Alexander and Jensene Mary (Widerup) Mitchell. She was their fifth child. Her mother had died about 7 months earlier and her father remarried later that year (1913). Her father was born in New South Wales, but found his way to New Zealand where he met her mother, who had emigrated from Denmark. There are pictures of her as a baby on Ancestry.com.

 

One day, while trying to find out more information on her (as opposed to her family or murderer), I came across a record of her having gone to the Bunya State School in 1909...and that's what lead me to Bridget Baker.

 

The headline was, "The Bunya Murder." I wasn't looking for a murder that had taken place in Bunya, but the school that had been there from 1875-1965. But of course I was intrigued. Could it be more information on Ivy? No, it was too early: 1888. It turned out to be another child, Bridget Baker. Little Bridget was born in 1878 to Peter and Mary (McGowan/McKeon/McKerin/McKuin - take your pick) Baker. She was murdered 14 May 1888, on the Bunya Reserve, on South Pine Road. Her story is surprisingly similar in certain details to Ivy's, namely: she was very young (9 years old), she was returning home in the early afternoon (3pm), and she was found in thick brush. And if Ivy really had been raped, then that detail is also the same, as Bridget was "outraged in a most brutal fashion" near where she was killed.

 

In poor Bridget's case, though, it seems that this wasn't the first time that she had been assaulted; apparently she had been "horribly outraged some twelve months [before,] near the same spot" as she was killed. Bridget's parents were, of course, the first suspects, but only her mother was arrested; it seems she was only charged because she had, "either intentionally or through the heedlessness of passion," thrown the case into confusion by accusing at least two separate men. She was eventually acquitted because of a complete lack of evidence against her.

 

I have looked for Bridget's burial site, for buried she was, but I can't find her. I did find a cemetery in Bunya and I suspect she's buried there (because that makes sense), but the cemetery is abandoned and has been for some time. There are, at this time, only three markers, although estimates put the number buried there at something over 100.

 

And that, folks, is how these things happen. I am lead from one to another, and back again, until I completely exhaust all of the available resources. And then I contact some third party in the hope that they have further information. Which is what I've done with Bridget and Bunya Cemetery (and what I need to do about Ivy, because this other woman doesn't look like she's going to help out).

 

And after all that, here's my point: when you have "exhausted all available resources," sometimes you have to contact a church or government agency, or a cemetery. I've done all three, with varying degrees of success. Don't suspect that all available data can be found online, because it can't. Sometimes you get lucky, but usually, it comes down to doing some footwork yourself.

A series of incidents occurred yesterday in the Family History Center that go along with my recent genealogy-based posts, so I thought I'd address this while I'm waiting to hear back about whether my last post was helpful.

 

The series of events began when the fellow teaching a class came and asked me if I'd help him with some of the slower patrons. I confess, I was not thrilled when I saw whom I was to help. I've worked with this lady before and she can be kind of stubborn...

 

Anyway, the class was about how to attach sources to FamilySearch Family Tree, and, as it turned out, she was very cooperative. So, I helped her and then wound up one row back helping a gentleman clean up some of his family records on Family Tree, and finally, I found myself on the back row, helping a lady find one of her ancestors.

 

Four things became readily apparent during that time:

1. It's important to have all the information you need either right in front of you, or one mouse click away.
2. Know who you're looking for!
3. More emphasis needs to be placed on methods of finding people.
4. Sourcing needs to become second nature!

I received a couple of genealogy requests yesterday (thank you, finally some feedback!) and I've agreed to address both concerns. I'm going to start with the question about the proper way to search a census.

 

Every week, before our shift at the family history center, we have a training meeting where we learn new and wonderful things about how to use the FamilySearch database. A couple weeks ago, our trainer made the comment that when looking for someone you need to "start with what you know." Although I had never put it in those terms, I realized that I've been doing that for years. Although he was talking specifically about birth and christening records, when dealing with a census record the concept is no different.

 

So, what does it mean to "start with what you know?" Well, the comment that spawned this answer was this: "The idea of looking through a huge database of names looking for a name I don't know, in hopes I might be able to attach birthdays or some such to narrow it down...." If you are overwhelmed by the prospect of scouring countless censuses in this fashion, I don't blame you! That would take an inordinate amount of work, and probably result in you giving up long before you found what you're looking for!

 

To narrow down your search just remember to "start with what you know."

 

Let's say you are looking for your 3rd great grandfather, John Doe, born 1845 in Tennessee. The only other things you know about him are that he married Jane Friday (born 1847) in 1865, also in Tennessee, and his son, John, is your 2nd great grandfather.

 

Okay, now what? Censuses in the US are taken every 10 years (although, for some reason, they seem to have skipped 1890), on the zero year of the decade (i.e. 1830, 1840, 1850, etc). Censuses in England were taken every 10 years on the one year of the decade (i.e. 1881, 1891, 1901, etc). This is important to know because if the person you're looking for was born and died between census years, say, 1882-1889, then they will never be on any census.

 

So, let's get back to our John Doe. We want to find all of the censuses that John was in to better narrow down our search for his parents, but because we don't have his death date we need to start at the beginning, so we're going to start with the very first census he should be found in, the 1850. Now, bear in mind the relatively narrow scope of a census record (and again, the older the record, the less information it will contain). Censuses may show the age of the individual at the time the census was taken, but they don't necessarily give the year. The birth year you will likely find associated with a census record is the estimated birth year based on the age at the time of the census! So if the census was taken before the birthday that year, then the estimated date will be one year off. So what we know is that John was born in 1845, so in 1850 he should be around 5 years old. What you need to look for then, is all the census records for John Doe born 1844-1846, in Tennessee.

 

A word of caution about locations. Ignore the Establishment's obsessive belief that people never moved around, because it's patently false. People moved around! In fact, there are certain times in history when great numbers of people moved around a great deal! Like during the Great Depression, or the Westward Expansion. So don't get bogged down by the determination that if you can't find a John Doe born 1845 in Tennessee, then none of these John Doe's are yours.

 

How do you combat this problem? By working from what you know. If your 2nd great grandfather (John Doe's son) was also born in Tennessee then it's likely the family didn't move around that much. But if John Doe Jr was born in Georgia, then take the Georgia records into consideration, too.

 

Okay, so we've found all the John Doe, 1844-1846 in Tennessee records, now we look for other tell-tale signs that this may be your John Doe.

 

Within about the last 100 years, naming conventions have changed quite perceptibly. Way back when, it was extremely common for families to name their children after family members, so it was of a decent facility to link families up. So, one of the best ways to determine if this is your John Doe is to compare the names in the census record to names of his children. It is quite likely that he's named at least one of his children after his father, grandfather, or an uncle. So look for those signs. Let's say you find a record that seems to fit the bill, okay, hold onto that one.

 

Now, let's look for John in the 1860 Census. By 1860 he should be about 15 years old. Again, looking for any John Doe's, born 1844-1846 in Tennessee, try to find a record that seems to match the one we found for 1850.

 

Another point here: it was quite common for parents to wind up living with their children at some point during their declining years. Remember that as you're looking through the list of people living at that address because, in this way, it's possible to find the parents of your ancestors wife, too.

 

In all of this, you're looking for sameness, for familiarity. And yes, I say that right after saying that people moved around a lot. But the thing is, humans are predictable and they work in predictable ways. Until it became unpopular to give your children conventional names, it was fairly easy to identify which child belonged to which family because the names were all "family names." These days it's a good deal more difficult because of the unfathomable popularity of naming children after furniture or internet slang. But it's okay, because we're looking for normal people.

 

So, now we've found an 1860 record that matches our 1850 record, and we're ready to tackle the 1870 record. By now, you'll remember, our John Doe was married to Jane Friday. So what we're looking for is a little different. Now we're looking for a record that, most likely, shows John as the head of house, and a wife named Jane. but wait, there's more! Your 2nd great grandfather, John Jr was born two years after their marriage, in 1867, also in Tennessee, so now you can add him to your search! Yeehaw! So, we're looking for John Doe, born 1844-1846 in Tennessee, with wife Jane, born 1846-1848, and a son John, born 1866-1868.

 

This is how to do a proper census search. Start with what you know, and work toward what you don't. It's also possible to conduct this "backwards," or starting from his death date, assuming we know it. Again, start with what you know. If you don't have death information then you don't know that and it's pointless to start from that end (maybe he died young and is only in a few records). Always start with what you know and work back to what you don't.

 

Revelation 20:12-13

...you probably think this blog is about you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pride. Pretty much all evil can be traced back to pride. The thing is, pride can also create the most annoyingly unnecessary situations when peoples pride causes them to be embarrassed...

 

Remember how I said that I have an ancestor who maybe doesn't have the best reputation? Well, I had cause to look her up today because my sister was asking for family stories I may have. Well, I must say, I was fairly blown away by the complete mess she's in because some of her descendants seem to be embarrassed by her.

 

Her name was Elizabeth. She was born in a little village called Weston Beggard, just outside of Hereford, in Herefordshire, England. She was born to Benjamin and Hester. In 1807 she gave birth to my 3rd great grandfather, also called Benjamin. Six years later, she gave birth to another son, whom she named Richard. All evidence shows that both boys were "base born," but apparently this offends some people because, if you look her up on FamilySearch Family Tree, you'll discover that she was "married" to at least 6 different men...and there is absolutely ZERO proof of any of this.

 

There are two reasons why this mess could have happened, and both of them chap my hide: 1) people aren't actually doing any verifying; and 2) people are so desperate to weed out even the mere scent of impropriety that they have opted, instead, to try and hide it.

 

By making this mess of her life, people aren't honoring her memory, they are making her out to be something she wasn't. In the record of Richards baptism Elizabeth is listed as a pauper. In the record of her father's death, he is listed as a pauper. These are the facts. They can't, and shouldn't, be glossed over. Remember what I said in my last post? We're all human and humans are imperfect! It's true, people were people long before we, who are living now, were people! People make mistakes, they do stupid things! But trying to hide or obliterate the portions of their lives that we don't like serves no good purpose.

 

So what's the answer here? Two answers: 1) deal with the past because it's in the past and there's nothing you can do to change it, but don't compound past mistakes by trying to hide or obliterate them; 2) verify, verify, verify. If you're going to tell a lie, at least be smart enough to tell one that can't be verified.

 

Proverbs 16:18-19

So, today marked the last home game for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. I admit, I got emotional when he gave his parting speech, and while the whole speech was worth repeating, one thing really stood out. He told everyone that, when he started, there were some hiccups, but the team, the coaches, and the owners stood by him. He asked everyone to give the new manager the same courtesy.

 

 

Considering the managerial fiascoes that have plagued several other English clubs, his words really bear repeating; over and over. The point is, nobody can do this life alone, and when we expect miracles from mere mortals then those mortals are bound to fail.

 

A recent incident regarding the vocalist for the metalcore band As I Lay Dying comes to mind. He has been charged in a murder-for-hire plot. In this country, by default, all people are (supposed to be) considered innocent until proven guilty. In this guy's case, the people in the metal community have already convicted him and they're basically doing so because he is a professed Christian. That's right, because he's a self-proclaimed Christian, he is not given the benefit of the doubt, and even if he were, the anti-Christian element immediately latches onto the the fact that he's Christian. Apparently, because he's a Christian, he must be perfect, and if he is somehow not perfect then it's the fault of Christianity.

 

For some reason, we're convinced that others should be more perfect than we are, we forget that NOBODY is perfect and we can't base our beliefs and understanding on the failure of human nature. All humans are imperfect, regardless of their religious or political affiliation!

 

As Medwyn said, in The Book of Three, "Neither refuse to give help when it is needed...nor refuse to accept it when it is offered." He then went on to say, "I have studied the race of men...I have seen that alone you stand as weak reeds by a lake. You must learn to help yourselves, that is true; but you must also learn to help one another." It can be hard to accept help; even harder to ask for it. Too often we get caught up in the idea that asking for or accepting help is a sign of weakness, not understanding that the real weakness is believing we can do it all by ourselves.

 

Trying to go it alone out of either fear or narcissism is sure to result in unnecessary pain; and not just for you, but also for those around you. A true plea for help should never go unheeded, but beware the temptation to use and/or abuse people! Sooner or later everyone pays the Piper and those who go through life thinking they can use and abuse people will have a rude awakening when their sins come home to roost.

 

But running away from, or ignoring a problem isn't going to solve the problem. It's like having cancer; you can pretend you don't have cancer, but that doesn't mean you don't have it, and pretending you don't have it doesn't make it go away. In fact, it does quite the opposite! It gives Joe Cancer an opportunity to contact all his little cancer buddies and set up a massive party. Running from your problems doesn't make you look cool, it makes you look like a foolish coward.

 

When you need help, ask for it. Those who truly care for you will come to your aid. But if you are tempted to ignore a plea for help, then don't expect others to come rushing to your aid when it's you who is asking. What comes around goes around and you will receive that which you send out.

 

Matthew 5:44

 

I indicated, some time ago, that I was going to give some advice on how to find people - genealogically speaking. I haven't yet, but some things that have been happening recently have given me the examples I need to do so now.

 

As some of you know, I'm currently volunteering at the local genealogy center. Having been involved in genealogy for the better part of 12 years, this is kind of a big deal for me. I love doing genealogy, and I love helping others do genealogy. But why do genealogy at all? Depending on who you are, there may be several reasons for doing it, but one of the most important, from a global perspective, is it's ability to show you two things; namely, where you came from, and that we're all related (the link may be decades, centuries, or even millennia back, but it is there).

 

So how do you get started? Where do you find information? Where can you go for help?

 

Getting started is actually easier than you think. There are a plethora of sites on the internet that can provide sources and there are historical societies, genealogical centers, and private individuals who can all help when you get stuck. Currently, the two most used sites available online are FamilySearch and Ancestry.

 

FamilySearch, a site owned and run by the LDS Church (the Mormons), is free to use and now completely open to the non-Mormon public. This site is great for two main reasons: 1) they have a vast store of digitized sources; and 2) Family Tree.

 

Because of the LDS Church's focus on genealogy, they have a mammoth store of records that they make freely available to the public, either through the website or through their family history centers. Need to find a family history center near you? You can locate them through the LDS.org website. Each center is equipped with computers, and volunteers who can help you find your family.

 

FamilySearch is constantly being updated and as recently as mid-April, they have completely revamped their website. Although Family Tree has been available for a while now, not many people really know what it is. Family Tree is a real time updateable pedigree chart that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, at any time. This means that, instead of duplicating material, everyone has ready access to what has already been done so duplication is (theoretically) held to a minimum.

 

Now, there are some drawbacks to this system, for example, when people have a nasty case of My-Tree-Itis and they change things they shouldn't. But that's why there is now an easy-to-use source feature that allows you to add source materials to each person's information.

 

Ancestry is a paid site that, like FamilySearch, has many sources for information. It is true that Ancestry has sources that FamilySearch does not, but the reverse is also true (and did I mention that FamilySearch is FREE?!). The fees for Ancestry aren't cheap, but the website if freely accessed from any LDS family history center.

 

And these aren't the only helpful sites! There are numerous already, and more cropping up all the time. Two others to check out are MyHeritage and FindMyPast.

 

Okay, that's great and all, but what do you do when you get to these websites?

 

 

There are a number of sources for information; some countries have more, some have less. The most obvious are of course birth and death records. But those aren't, by any means, the only ones. Other sources include censuses, draft cards, passenger lists, church records, cemetery records, even city directories and newspapers.

 

While most of these records can be found somewhere on the internet, not all of them can, and not all from one or even two sources (FamilySearch and Ancestry are great, but they don't have everything). So where do you look when it's not in either of those two places? Try the other two I've already mentioned, but also try the government of the location you're looking for. It can take a fair bit of work, and not all governments are helpful enough to have free access to records, but you won't know if you don't try. As a last resort, you can visit the location and go through their records by hand (records are kept in different places depending on the type of record).

 

(I have a fairly extensive list of sources for free records. If you are looking for something specific let me know and I'll see if I have a source for that. If not, I can probably find you one)

 

 

Okay, now that you've found the source, what do you do with it?

 

That depends heavily on the source. The most common sources of information are not always the most accurate. Let me repeat that: the most common sources of information are not always the most accurate. What sources are the most common? Birth, death, and census.

 

It might come as a shock to some people that these records aren't necessarily accurate, but any time humans are involved then errors are going to occur, and they can occur at any point in the process. But that doesn't mean these records aren't a valuable source of information.

 

 

What information is contained in each type of record? And how accurate is the information?

 

Birth records can include the names of both parents (including mother's maiden name), the date and place of birth, and the place of birth of the parents. Note I said can. Not all records will contain the names of both parents, and some won't even have location of the child's birth. Depending on where the record is from and how old it is, it may only contain the name of the mother, or the name of the father (but not both), or it may not show the mother's maiden name or the father's first name.

 

Death records can include the names of both parents (including mother's maiden name), the dates and places of both birth and death, whether the individual was married and their spouses name, the cause of death, and the date and location of burial. Some records, especially for those of immigrants, may not contain parent information, and not all records will give the name of the spouse.

 

Census records are a little more tricky. Depending on the year and country, a census record may show any or all of the following: all members of a household by name, age at time of census, year (and sometimes month) of birth, birthplace of individual and their parents, relationship to respondent, education levels, immigration year, occupation, value of home (and whether they own or rent), and physical street address. Very old census records may only show the head of the household by name, and only indicate that others live there.

 

Census records are great, but they're also notoriously inaccurate. "Back in the day," censuses weren't sent through the mail; someone had to physically go to the residence and compile the information. Back in a time when literacy was hit and miss, census takers may not have had much more education than the people they were surveying, and immigrants with accents may have made their task even harder.

 

Standardized spelling (something most of us probably take for granted) didn't typically exist much before 1900 - anywhere - so many respondents and census takers may have resorted to phonetics. Handwriting may also present issues; when the records were extracted/indexed, the person reading the record may not have been able to decipher the handwriting, and while a letter changed or missed here and there may not seem like a big deal, when you're looking through digitized records, it can make all the difference in the world.

 

Some recent research provides perfect examples of the problems with census records. A couple years ago when I was in New Orleans, I took a number of cemetery photos that, for one reason or another, I haven't done anything with until recently. One of the families I photographed started off a marathon of hunting. Typically what happens to me is I find some family that sparks an interest and then I run myself ragged researching them...(have I mentioned that I'm crazy?) It was no different with this family (we will call them Family A).

 

Three of the family are buried in a family vault in the Saint Vincent de Paul Cemetery No 1 on Louisa Street. They are a father and two of his three children (both children having died very young). Researching them lead me to another family (we will call Family B). It's this second family that illustrates one of the many problems with census records.

 

I found Family B in the 1900 US Census, where Family B Wife is shown as having been born in, and emigrated from France in 1875. I then found her, with her husband, in the 1880 Census shown as being born in Louisiana, and, with her parents, in both the 1870 and 1860 US Censuses...the 1900 Census also shows Family B Husband as having been born in, and emigrated from France in 1875, while the 1880 Census shows him as born in Louisiana. What difference does this make? Well, if genealogy is old hat to you then you'll do as I did and check earlier censuses. If you're a newb, however, you could waste precious times (and become incredibly frustrated) looking for immigration records that don't exist - because they never did.

 

A second example is illustrated by a direct line ancestor of mine. Colonel Augustus Lyman Sisson was the son of Augustus Sisson...(no, of course that hasn't caused a whole host of problems all on it's own)...and records show he died 11 June 1850 In Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio. The problem is, he's listed on the 1850 Census which was recorded 5 August 1850...Oops! right? Wrong. Careful reading of the wording on the census shows that there was no mistake made, because the census clearly says, "The Name of every Person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1850, was in this family." As Augustus was alive on 1 June 1850, he was, quite rightly, listed in this census.

 

So, while censuses are fabulous for the wealth of knowledge they can provide, use them with discretion! Don't take them as gospel because they very often aren't! A good rule of thumb is the law of averages. If you have five sources and all five agree, then you can probably take the information as correct. If you have five sources and three agree, depending on how the information is shown in the other two, your three may be correct. If you have five and they're all different, but one has exact information, the one with exact information is probably the most correct. In all this, listen to your gut. If something doesn't ring true, then keep looking.

 

Next time: More sources!

According to Sun Tzu, the ultimate objective of any conflict is to win without fighting. To do that you must know not only yourself, but also your enemy.

 

I was pleased to see that at least one of the deliberately created duplicate memorials has been merged (I haven't checked the rest, but I know, for sure, there is one that isn't). I sincerely hope that this family stops being so antagonistic toward other members of Find A Grave as we're all there to help people find their family (okay, most of us are there for service - I've already made it clear what I think of those people who are simply there to make some sort of name for themselves).

 

If you reread My-Tree-Itis you'll also see that I've removed the links to their pages. I actually did that the day after I posted them because I had made my point. It's sad that I had to post them at all, but if something good comes of it then so be it.

 

As I've stated, I'm not an unreasonable person. I firmly believe that you win more friends with honey than with vinegar. But I'm also not a rug and I won't be walked on. If you have a problem with me then talk to me about it. I try to communicate before getting nasty, but when my attempts go ignored then I will make my point in whatever way I can.

 

Luke 11:5-10

Here's the scenario: a couple, who have been members of Find A Grave two years longer than me, have deliberately created multiple duplicate memorials because they didn't add their extended family before I did. I have had issues with this couple and their family member (who has only been a member for a quarter as long as me) ever since this other family member joined. These people are the reason I have stopped generously transferring memorials and have resorted to the FAG transfer guidelines.

 

Why does this situation bother me so much? Why do I now just stick to transfer policy? Because I don't like their attitude. As I stated, the couple have been members for twice as long as me, at this point. That gave them two full years to have created those memorials, and they state that they live in the area of the cemetery, and yet, it took me entering those names for them to apparently become interested.

 

I used to be very nice about transferring memorials; I didn't care whether you were family or not, as long as they weren't my family as well. But the aggressive attitude of the family member has caused me to become annoyed to the point of denying others (who have been a good deal less offensive).

 

It's not just their attitude, though. I've come across others who are just as aggressive, and frankly, I don't get it. These people either don't understand the concept behind Find A Grave, or they have something to hide. They act like their privacy has been violated, while apparently forgetting that anyone can walk through almost any cemetery, see the headstone and do their own research if they so choose! (I say "almost any" because I do know of at least one cemetery that is "closed.") The paranoia these people exhibit is bizarre, especially considering the deceased we're talking about died, in some cases, close to 100 years ago!

 

Maybe it's concern over their family name? Well, do I care about the reputation of my ancestors? For the most part, no. People are human and those who went before are no less prone to common human failings than anyone alive today. Would I be offended if I found out one of my ancestors had a bad reputation? Well, let's see, I know of at least one who did, and I don't think any less of her. In fact, it's somewhat comforting to know that, just as I have failings, so too did my ancestors.

 

I believe that everyone, regardless of who they are or what they did, deserves to be remembered, and I am no respecter of persons when it comes to creating memorials. I have added memorials for murderers, and where possible, I've  added memorials for their victims.

 

And it's for all of these reasons that I find this family to be so colossally offensive in their attitude. The only reason I can even think of to explain it is a disease that a presenter at this years RootsTech convention identified; My-Tree-Itis. My-Tree-Itis is the irrational obsessive hording of genealogy, and it manifests in the refusal of sufferers to share the information they have with anyone else. We are all related, and we should all be helping each other. But people like these...they will expect others to help them, but will be stingy with the aid they give.

 

 

Some guy named Jeff Hanneman died yesterday. Facebook is "blowing up" about it. I even got into a bit of an argument over it. Some people would like you to believe it's big news because, apparently, he did something major for music...or something. So why don't I think this is "big news?" Because people die every day. Yes, even "important" people. The thing is, your level of notoriety doesn't make your death any more important than that of anyone else; the importance is not who died, but why they died.

 

But that's not the only reason I'm annoyed by all the hype surrounding Jeff's death. Jeff was one of the guitarists, and a founding member, of the metal band Slayer. Yeah that Jeff Hanneman. In the metal world he's what you'd call "a big deal." If you don't know anything about Slayer then nothing I say about his perceived influence is really going to make one jot of difference to you, so I won't bother. But the important point here is that he was actively against all things Christian.

 

Why is that important? Because of the plethora of RIP's I've seen over the last 24 hours, with regard to him. If it weren't so pathetic, the irony would be comical; for two primary reasons:

1. If you don't live in peace, then you can't rightly expect to rest in it.
2. Rest in Peace is a Christian phrase from a Catholic prayer.

Yesterday I ranted about people who fail to check the rules and regulations when doing something on their own property (out of a mistaken belief that, because it's their property, they can do whatever they want). Today, I want to give you some help with this.

 

As I mentioned, before doing anything major (and sometimes even minor) on your property, you should check local, state, and federal laws to be sure you can even do what you're thinking about doing. Some things will only require city permission, others will require state, still others will need federal, and some things will need multiple permits. So do your homework!

 

I will give you examples of each permit level using Utah as my source (since I'm familiar with the state).

 

What does "local level" mean? Well, that depends on where you live. If you live in an incorporated city then that city is your most local level. If you live in an unincorporated town then the county is your most local level. In some cases, even if you live in an incorporated city permits may be required by the county, but not specifically by the city. So check with both!

 

Local Level Permits
An example of a local level permit is a building permit. Yes, that's right, even if it's your property you don't have the authority to build without a permit. According to City Applications, you will normally need a permit for any type of construction, be that new construction, structurally altering or demolishing existing building. You can view a list of project examples on their website.

 

Bear in mind that since cities are responsible for building permits, not all cities will have the same requirement. That's why it's so important to check with your local authority before beginning a project! And if you move, don't assume the laws are the same in your new area.

 

Other examples of local level permits are:

 

Obviously, the state level is the state level. Some permits are required by the state, but not by a specific county or city. And it should be pointed out that some things require multiple permits, and what the state allows your city may not. Again, check first!

 

Permits on the state level include things like exotic animal ownership, professional licensing, and concealed firearm carry permit.

 

Owning exotic animals is heavily regulated, not just on the state level, but also on the federal. In most cases, however, a state permit should cover things, but you may need a federal permit if you are transporting the animal across state or international lines. If you are interested in owning exotic animals (and that includes a lot of species you might not consider "exotic" - which is why you should CHECK!) in the state of Utah, you will need to check their status in the Utah Administrative Code.

 

If you want to obtain certain professional licenses in the state of Utah you will need to visit the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Professional licenses through the DOPL include all medical, construction related, and even hunting guide careers. But be aware, the DOPL doesn't cover all professional licensure! If you're looking for, say, a realtor license, you'll need to visit the Utah Department of Commerce: Division of Real Estate. If you're looking for an attorney license you'll need to visit the Utah State Bar.

 

Let's say you want a concealed carry permit. You'll need to visit the Utah Department of Public Safety: Bureau of Criminal Identification. These are also the folks you'll need to visit should you wish to get a Private Investigator license. (Or, if you're on the other end of the law, they're the people to contact if you want your record expunged)

 

The feds are in charge of a few things. Federal level permits typically cover all interstate and international resources and businesses.

 

For example, the US Fish & Wildlife Service is in charge of all animal and animal habitat conservation. They issue permits for such things as endangered species and CITES import and export, and falconry. They also issue the migratory bird hunting permit, or Duck Stamp, as well as the Harvest Information Program (HIP) number that all migratory waterfowl hunters must have, in addition to, the state issued hunting permit. If you're looking for hunting and fishing licenses, you'll need to get those on the state level (fishing licenses can usually be bought in local stores, but for hunting you'll need to visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources).

 

The National Park Service issues archeological permits in accordance with the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) and the Antiquities Act. These permits are required by any qualified individual or group that wishes to do archeological research on federal lands. You will need to contact the Bureau of Land Management in your state if you wish to use state lands.

 

Other examples can be found via the Small Business Administration.

 

If your business deals with aviation you'll need various licenses and certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

Alcohol is another example with multiple permit requirements. If your business deals, in any way, with alcohol, you'll need to acquire a permit via the US Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau; however, you'll also need to contact the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

 

So, what have we learned today? That the US has a crap load of bureaucratic red tape. We've learned that there is a rule or regulation of nearly everything, so check everything. Although I've used Utah as an example, every other state in the nation will have similar regs and similar governmental departments overseeing them. Some of the federal links I've given have links to state offices that handle the state-level permits and licenses, and all of the federal links I've given will serve you on the federal level regardless of what state you live in.