Happy Hallowe'en!

Hallowe'en through the years... I always made my sons' costumes out of whatever I could find in the house. Here's a few of their growing up years and a few of my grandchildren's.

Happy Hallowe'en everyone! Remember to drive carefully and watch for children

New Blog Post on Legacy Family Tree

I have a new article published on the blog “Legacy News”.  I think my readers might enjoy it! 

 It's called “What Kind of Genealogist Are You?” 

Take a peek and weigh in with an answer! Where do you fit in the categories I came up with?

 Writing this article (which is based on a similar article I wrote several years ago) made me stop and think about what I'm lacking in my genealogy methodology. 

It's time for me to try to incorporate one or two into my research methods. 

1909 Birthday Postcard Adams, North Dakota

Recently I rescued 28 vintage orphaned postcards from antique shops. They range in date from 1900 to 1918. 27 are from United States and 1 is from Ontario Canada. 

I have scanned and added more of these postcards to Lost Faces and will be adding the rest of these wonderful cards over the next month. I hope descendants will see these postcards and recognize an ancestor.  

Perhaps you will find an ancestor or two!

Mrs. Earl/CarlBergsland, Adams, North Dakota. to "Dear Minnie" From Alma. 1909

1908 Postcard Snyder County, Pennsylvania

Recently I rescued 28 vintage orphaned postcards from antique shops. They range in date from 1900 to 1918. 27 are from United States and 1 is from Ontario Canada. 

I have scanned and added 6 of these postcards to Lost Faces and will be adding the rest of these wonderful cards over the next month. I hope descendants will see these postcards and recognize an ancestor.  

Perhaps you will find an ancestor or two!

 Mr. Lyman Baker, McClure, Snyder Co. Pennsylvania. From D. A. Baker 1908

Join the Baby Boomers Who Want to Share Their Stories and Memories

Yesterday I spotted an article online called Writing down family histories as Baby Boomers look back

I love anything that inspires us to write our own memoirs! As a baby boomer myself I began jotting down my memories of childhood several years ago. So many of my readers seemed interested but didn't know how to start! So I set up a monthly Sharing Memories blog post - where I provided a prompt such as "Grandma's Cooking", shared my own memories of the topic, and encouraged my readers to join in. 

This was intended to help genealogists overcome writer's block and get their own stories down permanently. You can see a few of the prompts on my Sharing Memories page

Now you can use my e-book Writing Your Memoirs For Descendants: Prompts for Recording & Preserving Your Family Stories and Memories  (with over 100 prompts) to guide you on your journey. You do not need a Kindle to read this book.
You can read it on the Amazon Kindle Cloud reader (free) or the Kindle App (also free)

Don't wait. By setting aside a few minutes each week you can preserve your childhood and family memories to pass on to your children and grand-children. 

Can you imagine how excited one of your descendants would be 100 years from now to read what you experienced, to learn about family members and events such as births, weddings and funerals? I know how thrilled I would be to find my great-grandmother's journal (or any ancestor's stories) 


 

New United Kingdom 1939 Survey Records Coming Online!

The following news is pretty exciting for me personally.  In September 1939 a survey was held in the United Kingdom.

The details of the survey requested were:

• Name

• Sex

• Age

• Occupation

• Address

• Marital status

• Membership of naval, military or air force reserves, auxiliary forces or civil defence services or reserves

This is a very important survey because the 1931 census for England and Wales was completely destroyed by fire (nothing remains) and there was no census taken in 1941. This 1939 survey fills that huge gap in records. But the best news? 

The survey returns from England and Wales are being digitized and are expected to be available online in November 2015! This is great news for me personally as both sets of my great-grandparents should be found in it plus numerous grand aunts and uncles as well as cousins. 

But my "if only" wish? If only the 1940 National Registration taken in Canada could be digitized and brought online! Right now it is accessible through a search service and a rather hefty fee.

Details on how, when and where to access the 1939 UK records are found at Plugging genealogy's 30-year gap

UPDATE: Nov. 2nd is the release date! Guess what I'll be busy doing that day....

More information on the Registration is available on The National Archives Blog.

Good Deal on NYGBS Book on New York Research

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society is offering free U.S. shipping (a $10 savings) on its monumental book, the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer.

Since its highly anticipated publication in January 2015, the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer has garnered widespread praise and quickly sold out its first print run.  The comprehensive, 856-page book has become the de facto textbook for New York genealogical research.

Diane Rapaport in the September issue of the NGS Q calls the book “. . . the biggest and best ever guide to New York research. Everything a researcher would want to know about researching New York’s sixty-two counties, and the boroughs of New York City, is now in one comprehensive, encyclopedic, easy-to-use manual.”

Henry Hoff, editor of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, declared "This is a volume that every library and New York researcher should have, and indeed must have."

And the New York Times described the book as "an overdue handbook for serious researchers," "an enlightening and eclectic chronological tour of four centuries of New York benchmarks and record-keeping," and "an authoritative, fact-filled beginner's resource."

The Federation of Genealogical Societies recently presented the NYG&B with an Award of Merit in recognition of distinguished work in family history for this publication.

From now until November 30, U.S. shipping and handling (regularly $10) is free for all in the NYG&B online store, phone, and mail orders when you use the discount Code "BOOKSHIP." The same code will give a $10 discount on shipping for international orders.

Full details about the book—including an Annotated Table of Contents—are on the website at www.NewYorkFamilyHistory.org.

Nursing Sister WW1 Photo Album 36V Canadian Ambulance

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

WW1  36V Canadian Ambulance

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

1918 Postcard North East, Pennsylvania

Recently I rescued 28 vintage orphaned postcards from antique shops. They range in date from 1900 to 1918. 27 are from United States and 1 is from Ontario Canada. 

I have scanned and added 6 of these postcards to Lost Faces and will be adding the rest of these wonderful cards over the next month. I hope descendants will see these postcards and recognize an ancestor.  

Perhaps you will find an ancestor or two!

Mrs. Jacob Roth, North East, Pennsylvania.To "my dear Audie, with love to all and a kiss to you, Jake July 8, 1918

TLC Wants to Hear from Individuals Separated at Birth

Yesterday I was contacted by TLC International via CTVC Productions to assist with finding individuals for their new TV series "Separated at Birth". I've spoken with the Producer via Skype and this sounds like a wonderful project. I hope my readers will share this blog post to help get the word out!

Were you separated at birth?

Are you searching for your birth family?

Or have you already found them?

CTVC Productions are making a brand new television series for TLC. We are looking for family members who have been separated at birth to be involved.

CTVC is a multi award-winning company producing television, radio and new media content on social issues, current affairs, religion, ethics, history and education. You can see examples of our work at: http://www.ctvc.co.uk/tv/

The series comprises seven episodes, which will be filmed between August to December this year and broadcast in Spring 2016. Each episode will follow three to four different stories of separation and reunion. Some will be retrospective, whilst others will be reunions happening for the first time. 

The tone of the series is uplifting and sympathetic to the experiences of those whose stories we follow; we realize that we are addressing sensitive and extremely personal issues and as such we are committed to telling peoples' stories in the most respectful manner. The observational format allows participants to author their own story, as opposed to being presenter-led or a chat show format. We don't take on the search ourselves, but we can assist with expenses, such as travel costs as an example. 

If you would like to find out more, please do get in touch. You are not obliged to get involved by contacting us, it’s just an opportunity for us to give you some more information about the documentary.

Feel free to contact Georgia Smith, Assistant Producer, either by email or phone: georgia.smith@ctvc.co.uk / (0044) 207 940 8494.

More Cemetery Walks Online

Videos 5 and 6 of the Vasey United Cemetery Walk are now online on Olive Tree Genealogy Youtube Channel.

You can also view transcription for a group of tombstone photos taken in Vasey United Cemetery on April 2nd 2005 on AncestorsAtRest

The video of a Cemetery Walk through Wyebridge Presbyterian is now online on Olive Tree Genealogy Youtube Channel

Tombstone of William A. Hounsome in Wyebridge Presbyterian Cemetery

You can also view some still photos and a partial transcript of Wyebridge Presbyterian Cemetery on AncestorsAtRest 

Do Humans Have Genetic Memories?

Does this explain Deja Vu? Does it support those who believe in, and swear they have experienced, Reincarnation? 

Scientists have found that memories may actually be passed down through generations in our DNA. That sounds so futuristic doesn't it. SS News explains:

"New research from Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta, has shown that it is possible for some information to be inherited biologically through chemical changes that occur in DNA. During the tests they learned that that mice can pass on learned information about traumatic or stressful experiences – in this case a fear of the smell of cherry blossom – to subsequent generations."

For an interesting read, see the story at SS News

Good News! Finding Your Roots Returns Jan 5/16!

PBS will show the delayed third season of Finding Your Roots on Jan. 5, marking the return of the show since host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was gave in to Ben Affleck’s request to not mention a slave-owning ancestor from the actor’s episode of the genealogy series. See PBS Suspends Finding Your Roots Over Affleck's Improper Influence

An internal review found that Gates “violated PBS standards” by, among other things, not informing executives at PBS or producing station WNET about Affleck’s request to censor the show’s genealogical research into his ancestors.

After an internal review, an additional researcher/fact-checker, another genealogist and an expert in DNA-based genealogical research have been added.

In the new season of Finding Your Roots Gates traces the ancestral trails of 28 new guests including Maya Rudolph, Richard Branson, Soledad O’Brien, Bill Hader, Julianne Moore, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Senator John McCain, Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes, and more.

Major corporate support for the third season of Finding Your Roots is provided by Ancestry.com , Johnson & Johnson, POM and the Ford Motor Company. 

Nursing Sister WW1 Photo Album 37V Imperial and Canadian Sisters

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

WW1 37V Imperial and Canadian Sisters

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

Palaeography: reading old handwriting 1500 - 1800 A practical online tutorial

Thanks to Twitter follower @FPLDGenealogy for passing this link on to me!

"UkNatArchives has an amazing paleography exercise area you need to see!"

Palaeography: reading old handwriting 1500 - 1800 

It is indeed wonderful! There are lessons in reading 15th, 16th and 17th century handwriting as well as 10 interactive lessons. I'm still on Lesson One and enjoying the challenge.

If you have early English documents you will want to give this a try.

Join the Find A Grave Community Day

On Saturday 17^th October, Ancestry.com is hosting their global ‘Find A Grave Community Day’.

"Essentially, this is an annual day taking place across the world whereby we encourage people to visit their local cemeteries to take photos and videos of headstones, explore the grounds and share stories – to preserve the history of all our ancestors buried in cemeteries across the world."

Crowdsourcing - Can Anyone Read this 1645 Will?

Olive Tree Genealogy needs help. Recently I obtained a will written in Staffordshire England in 1645. It is the will of Margery [sic] Wood from Uttoxeter. I can read some but not all of it! If any of my wonderful readers feel like helping me with the interpretation of this 17th Century handwriting I would be grateful.

This is the first page of the will. There are several pages in all but my main interest is in the first two pages which are the actual will with bequests to such people as her children (I can see Thomas Wood, John Wood, Elizabeth Wood, Marian or Mary Wood but there may be others named), her brother Will (William) Heaton and others.

The last half-dozen pages are an inventory which would be fascinating if I could read them in full! Please do contact me at olivetreegenealogyATgmailDOTcom if you are willing to attempt page 2 or if you want a larger copy of page 1

Fingers crossed that I can crowdsource the reading of this document!

1913 Postcard to Buffalo New York

Recently I rescued 28 vintage orphaned postcards from antique shops. They range in date from 1900 to 1918. 27 are from United States and 1 is from Ontario Canada. 

I have scanned and added 6 of these postcards to Lost Faces and will be adding the rest of these wonderful cards over the next month. I hope descendants will see these postcards and recognize an ancestor.  

Perhaps you will find an ancestor or two!

Miss Leila Austin, 68 Chester St. Buffalo New York. from Anita Coombs. Aug. 10, 1913

More Cemetery Walk Videos Online on Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel

Olive Tree Genealogy has put more Cemetery Walk Videos online over the past few days. You can view these Cemetery Walks on my Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel

* Alpine City Cemetery, Utah Video 3 of 5 * Union Cemetery, Victoria Harbour, Ontario Canada - Video 1 of several planned videos * Alpine City Cemetery, Utah Video 1 of 5 * Alpine City Cemetery, Utah Video 2 of 5

See the complete list of over 60 Cemetery Walk Videos online at http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/p/cemetery-walks_15.html

Mark Your Calendars for the 2015 Virtual Genealogy Fair

Join the National Archives for the 2015 Virtual Genealogy Fair on October 21 & 22. This will be a live broadcast via YouTube so you can ask their genealogy experts questions at the end of their talks. Live captioning will be available.

LIST OF GENEALOGY TALKS

Day 1: Wednesday, October 21 (Eastern Time)

Watch live video stream on  US National Archives YouTube Channel

Session 1 at 10 a.m. ET
Introduction to Genealogy at the National Archives by Claire Kluskens.

Session 2 at 11 a.m. ET
Preserving Your Family Records:  Conversation and Questions by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler.

Session 3 at 12 p.m. ET
Personnel Records of the National Archives– St. Louis. By Bryan K. McGraw.

Session 4 at 1 p.m. ET
It’s in the Cards: Finding Family Members in National Archives–St. Louis’ Card Series by Daria Labinsky & David Hardin.

Session 5 at 2 p.m. ET
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Personnel Records by Ashley Mattingly.

Day 2: Thursday, October 22 (Eastern Time)

Watch live video stream on YouTube US National Archives YouTube Channel

Session 6 at 10 a.m. ET
Where’d They Go?  Finding Ancestral Migration Routes by Jean Nudd.

Session 7 at 11 a.m. ET
Access to Archival Databases (AAD): Looking Down, From Above, to Look it Up!  by John LeGloahec.

Session 8 at 12 p.m. ET
Finding Your World War I Veteran at the National Archives at St. Louis by Theresa Fitzgerald.

Session 9 at 1 p.m. ET
Women in War Time Civilian Government Employment by Cara Moore.

Session 10 at 2 p.m. ET
Broke, But Not Out of Luck: Exploring Bankruptcy Records for Genealogy Research by Jessica Hopkins.

 

Your Chance to Star in an Ancestry TV Commercial!

Have you ever wanted to be on TV? Now's your chance! Submit a video sharing how you started using Ancestry.com, and you might be the one chosen to star in their next commercial.

Here's how to do it:

Answer the following questions about your experience. Just three minutes or less on a smartphone to share your story.

• How did you get started and what steps led to your first discovery?
• Was it easier or faster than you thought it would be? Why?
• What did you learn? Did it make you feel differently about yourself or your family?

Submit your video file  by October 13, 2015, along with a few more details about yourself. To be eligible, you’ll need to be available for a day of filming sometime between October 26th and 28th.

Nursing Sister WW1 Photo Album 34R Surgical Wing

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

Ada Harland's Diary: Death of Ada and husband Bert Ashby

In 2011 Olive Tree Genealogy began transcribing a diary kept  in 1914 by English woman Ada Harland. It is a small diary with a photo of Ada that I purchased years ago. The first post was called Ada Harland's Diary 1914 England 

Recently Ada's death certificate, and the death certificate of her husband Herbert (Bert) Ashby (who she talks about in the diary) became available online. I have added them here to complete the story of Ada and Bert.

Bertie was with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI)and during WW1 was stationed in England.

Bertie and Ada were married in Yorkshire England in the first quarter of 1919 and in the fall of that same year Ada sailed to Canada on the ship Scandanavian to join her husband in Vancouver B.C.

Bertie died in Vancouver in November 1960 and his widow Ada died in Vancouver March 1977.

1914 Birthday Postcard St. Agatha Ontario

Recently I rescued 28 vintage orphaned postcards from antique shops. They range in date from 1900 to 1918. 27 are from United States and 1 is from Ontario Canada. 

I have scanned and added 6 of these postcards to Lost Faces and will be adding the rest of these wonderful cards over the next month. I hope descendants will see these postcards and recognize an ancestor.  

Perhaps you will find an ancestor or two!

Miss Barb Solzanam, St. Agatha, Ontario, RR No. 1, from Mary 1914?

An Interesting Find on Ontario, Roman Catholic Church Records, 1760-1923 online

Ontario, Roman Catholic Church Records, 1760-1923  are online at FamilySearch which is wonderful.

The caveat is that they are not indexed. Researchers can find it quite a task to go through image after image looking for your ancestor.

I was searching in Lennox and Addington, Centreville, St Anthony of Padua and discovered that the Priests actually kept an index to the baptisms. The image on the left shows the start of the indexes. There are 230 images and image 3 is the start of the index.

To use the image you find the name of the individual you are seeking. on the left of the name is a number which is the number of the baptism in the register. To the right of the name is another number which is the page number. 

The register is described on FamilySearch as Baptisms 1844-1889 but the first  baptisms begin 24 February 1856.

The first baptism is found on Image 32 and is dated February 24, 1856 for little Jeremiah Gaffney who was born June 25, 1855 in Hungerford.

However if you go to the back of the register book there are earlier baptisms. Image 186 starts baptisms in 1844. The heading on the page states "The following copied from the Parish of Railton Records"

The detail in this church register is amazing. For example for little Jerermiah his date of marriage, place of marriage and the name of his bride as well as her parents are noted in the Remarks column. His date of death are also noted.

Cemetery Walk Alpine City Cemetery Video 2 of 5

Join me on a Cemetery Walk through Alpine City Cemetery Video 2 of 5 This is the second of five videos walking through this cemetery.

With thanks to Sonja Nishimoto for sending these wonderful photos to OliveT ree Genealogy for publication. I am creating the videos and uploading them to Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel.
 

New FamilySearch Collections Update: October 5, 2015

Major additions this week to the United States World War II Draft Registration Cards 1942, Brazil Sao Paulo Immigration Cards 1902-1980, Colombia Catholic Church Records 1576-2014, Italy Asti Civil Registration (State Archive) 1803-1814 1911-1935, Maryland Baltimore Passenger Lists 1820-1948, Massachusetts Boston Crew Lists 1811-1921, and New Zealand Archives New Zealand Probate Records 1843-1997 collections. 

Twelve additional collections were also updated this week. See the lists on the left for more details.

Hundreds of Irish Famine Graves Discovered in Massachusetts

"In an apparently empty field, covered by grass and just a few inches of soil that had accumulated over the years, lie approximately 600-900 gravestones marking the second resting place of bodies previously disinterred from the Irish Catholic Cemetery in Waltham, Massachusetts."

This is a very inspiring story from Irish Central: Rhode Island woman's quest uncovers hundreds of Irish Famine graves

I won't spoil the story by telling you what happened and how Annie McMullen made this amazing discovery. Please take a few minutes of your day to read what can be accomplished with dedication and perseverance. 

Nursing Sister WW1 Photo Album 40R Nurse

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"