Obituary Emma Keeper 1911

 

Emma Keeper wife of R B Keeper,daughter of Walter House, died in Buffalo New York 1911. Age 52. Interment Riverside Cemetery

Search for more information in genealogy records on Ancestry.com,  Ancestry.ca or FamilySearch.   

Obituary Dr Alfred E Meyer 1906

 

Dr Alfred E Meyer died in New York City, age 38. 1906

Search for more information in genealogy records on Ancestry.com,  Ancestry.ca or FamilySearch.  

Find Ancestors in the Missing Friends Project

The Missing Friends Project on OliveTreeGenealogy.com is extracting the names of those who immigrated from UK to America or Canada and who were inquired about by family in various 19th Century newspapers.

Missing Friends Project starts with Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, published in London England and their weekly column (1886-1900) called "Long Lost Relatives". We also have begun extracting names of those in the Boston Pilot, published in Boston Massachusetts (1831-1921).

Our Boston Pilot project is only extracting the names of missing Irish individuals who sailed to Canada. It is important to note that many who sailed first to Canada went on to USA and are so noted in the extracts. Many of the relatives and friends seeking them were based in USA and their location is also given.

We also plan to publish extracts of weekly columns of Missing Friends from The Irish World (1892-1899), published in New York and The Manchester Weekly Times (1891-1893) published in England. We will add other newspapers as we find them and can access them.

The fields being extracted are name of person in America or Canada who is missing, where they lived in the UK, when they left, where they intended going, ship name if known, when they were last heard from, where they were living when last heard from, who is seeking them and any miscellaneous comments.  

There are  links and databases at Missing Friends

A Murdering Rogue in My Family Tree

August 5, 1895 in Buffalo, New York was a typically hot summer day. George Greenless, my 1st cousin 3 times removed, was estranged at this time from his wife, Ella 'Nellie' Misener. Hoping to find her at home with her parents, he entered their home and a shouting match ensued.

George then pulled a pistol and shot and killed his mother-in-law. Next he shot and wounded his sister-in-law's fiance Walter Flewell. Flewell later died of his injuries.

George's story is a convoluted one. He was sentenced to life in prison for second degree murder in 1898 and sent to Auburn Prison in New York.

During his trial he became friendly with the warden of the jail where he was held. Later George's Canadian relatives came to New York to testify, and more lurid stories of George's erratic behaviour and mistreatment of his wife came out. A family witness stated that there was a great deal of insanity in the Greenlees family.

In 1909 he was sent to Sing-Sing Prison but was released on parole and married Rachel Roach in 1918 in Buffalo. In 1924 the courts granted George a pardon. He and Rachel had six children before his death in 1928.

His widow Rachel married another Sing-Sing inmate in 1932. William Leonard, her new husband, was sent to prison in 1903, served a short term before release but was back in Sing-Sing in 1904. Another short term resulted but once again he returned to Sing-Sing in 1908 sentenced to 2 to 4 years. I cannot read his crime in the records as the writing is challenging.

Newspapers are amazing, full of genealogy gold! You can try a 14 day free trial at Ancestry to search newspaper records.

Calling all Van Alstyne descendants! Check Out the New Book on the Family

 

 Announcing my latest book in my New Netherland Settlers series:

New Netherland Settlers: The Van Alstyne Family: Ancestors and Descendants of Jan Martense & Dirckien Harmense Boertgens

 Available at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

Jan Martense de Wever (the weaver) was the immigrant ancestor of the Van Alstyne family in America. He and his wife, Derckien Hermanse (also recorded as Harmanse) and at least two children came to New York area from Drenthe Province, Netherlands prior to 1655. 

The Dutch Reformed Church in Meppel, Drenthe where Jan and Dirkje were married, has church records for baptisms and marriages dating back to 1626. 

My search of the unindexed Meppel church records revealed the marriage of Jan and Dirckien. Baptisms for three of their children were also found. 

A 1658 Notarial document in Amsterdam revealed the full name of Dirckien, providing the opportunity to find more records for her ancestry. This book provides details of their ancestors and descendants to 3 generations and includes documents and footnotes with sources.

Calling all DAMEN Descendants!

Are you a DAMEN descendant? I have good news if you have Jan Cornelise Damen and his wife Sophia (Fytie) Martens in your family tree.

My latest book in my New Netherland Settlers Series is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

New Netherland Settlers: The Damen Family: Ancestors and Descendants of Jan Cornelise Damen & Sophia Martens 

Jan Cornelise Damen was born circa 1636 in Bunnik, Utrecht Netherland. He emigrated from Bunnik, Netherlands circa 1650 and later married Sophia (aka Fytie) Martense. To date no record of him as a passenger on a ship has been found. However an Amsterdam Netherlands notarial document in 1651 has been found where a Jan Cornelisz. van Vechten signed on to come to the New World in the employ of Jacob Stoffels. My research takes the Damen ancestry back four more generations in Holland. This book provides all ancestral details, and follows Jan and Sophia's family down two more generations.

Available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

Find Your New Netherland (New York) Settlers

If you have ancestors who settled in New Netherland (current day New York) in the 17th Century (1600s) you won't want to miss my New Netherland section of Olive Tree Geneaogy. I have ships passenger lists, church records, an explanation of the patronymic naming system, and much much more. 

You should also check below to see if I've researched and published a book on one of your ancestors.

My published books on early settlers in New Netherland can be purchased by clicking on the links below.
From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: V.1 The Loyalist Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick and his Vollick & Follick Children by Lorine McGinnis Schulze 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 68 pages Available on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca or e-book version V. 1 From Van Valkenburg to Vollick	From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: V. 2 Cornelius Vollick and his Follick and Vollick Descendants to 3 Generations by Lorine McGinnis Schulze 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 110 pages Available on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca Also as E-book version Note for the book on his parents you also need to purchase V. 1 available on Amazon From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: The Loyalist Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick and his Vollick & Follick Children	From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: V. 3 Storm Follick and his Follick and Vollick Descendants to 3 Generations by Lorine McGinnis Schulze Available on Amazon.com or or Amazon.ca or E-book version Note for the book on his parents you also need to purchase V. 1 available on Amazon From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: The Loyalist Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick and his Vollick & Follick Children
30+ years of research pulled together. 3rd Edition of my Van Slyke book. "New Netherland Settlers Van Slyke Family: Cornelis Antonissen Van Slyke 1604-1676 & his French-Mohawk Wife Ots-Toch" 366 pages, over 1200 footnotes available on Amazon	New Netherland Settlers: Willem Pieterse Van Slyke aka Willem Neef: A genealogy to 5 generations of the descendants of Willem Pieterse Van Slyke (Volume 10) Available on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca 8.5 x11 180 pages	New Netherland Settlers: Albert Jansen & Elsjie Jans & Their Van Woggelum, Provoost & Van Loon Descendants by Lorine McGinnis Schulze Available on Amazon.com Amazon.ca, 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 54 pages
New Netherland Settlers: Stevensen & Jacobsen: A genealogy to three generations of the descendants of Maria Goosens and her husband Steven Janse and a man named Jacob (Jacobszen Family) (Volume 5) 118 pages   Available on Amazon.com , Amazon.ca	New Netherland Settlers: The Boelen Family: Ancestry of the Boelen Family & their Connection to the Ten Eyck, Clock, Coert, Roos, and Hellaken Families Available on Amazon	New Netherland Settlers: A Walloon in New Amsterdam:: Adriaen Vincent and his Wife Magdaleen Eloy - 2nd edition! available on Amazon
New Netherland Settlers: The Barheit Family Revealed: A Genealogy of Hans Coenradt and Barenjte Jans Straetsman, the Immigrant Ancestors of the Barheit Family of Albany New York Available on Amazon.com , Amazon.ca 60 pages 8.5" x 11"	New Netherland Settlers: The Straetsman Sisters Barentje & Teuntje and Their Six Husbands Authored by Lorine McGinnis Schulze Available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 92 pages	New Netherland Settlers: Lodewyck Cornelis Post & His Wife Agnietje Bonen by Lorine McGinnis Schulze Available on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 84 pages
New Netherland Settlers: The Vrooman Family: Ancestors & Descendants of the Brothers Hendrick Meesen Vrooman, Pieter Meesen Vrooman and Jacob Meesen Vrooman of New Netherland (New York) (Volume 8) 8.5x11" 56 pages Available on Amazon.com	New Netherland Settlers: Captain Adriaen Crijnen Post & Claartje Moockers (Volume 9) 8.5x11" 66 pages Available on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca	New Netherland Settlers:: Jan Sipken, W.I.C. Soldier, and His Sipken and Sippe Ancestors & Descendants 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 50 pages. Available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
New Netherland Settlers: The Goeway Family: Ancestors & Descendants of Salomon Abbelse & Barber Philippse (Volume 7) 72 pages. Available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca	New Netherland Settlers: The Taelman Family available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca The Taelman family in America descends from two sons of Douwe Harmanse and his wife Dirkje Teunise. Douwe was born in Friesland, married in Amsterdam, and emigrated to New Netherland in June 1658. Eventually the family settled in New Jersey. This book follows the first two generations of Douwe and Dirckje in the New World.	The Crum family of Gelderland Netherlands, New York & Canada Gysbert Willemse Crum arrived in New Netherland (New York) with his mother, step-father and several siblings in 1662 on the ship De Vos. The Crum family of Gelderland Netherlands, New York & Canada follows Gysbert's descendants to the 11th generation. New documents for the family in Gelderland are included. Available as on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

Find Ancestors in New York Declarations of Intent 1827-1897

 

Example Declaration of Intent

If you are looking for ancestors in New York, you won't want to miss New York Declarations of Intent 1827-1897 on NaturalizationRecords.com

There are 7 reels of microfilm containing the Declarations of Intent. My team of volunteers and me spent many hours indexing these records for you. 

We created an index to those Declarations, with page numbers to help you find the original on microfilm. The microfilm with full details is available at a Family History center or Family Search Affiliate Library 

 

Adriaen Vincent, a Walloon from Belgium

 

Adriaen Vincent, a Walloon from Belgium, made the perilous journey to New Netherland with his wife Magdaleen and their young family in the early 1640s. A former West Indies Company soldier, Adriaen was embarking on a new life.

The family settled in the village of New Amsterdam, which would one day become the city of New York. Life could not have been easy for the couple, faced with a different culture and language.

Read more at Adriaen Vincent the Walloon

The Van Alstyne Family of New York

 My 8th great-grandfather, Jan MARTENSE (Jan s/o Marten) was also known as Jan DE WEVER (the weaver) in Colonial New York. He is the immigrant ancestor of the VAN ALSTYNE family. 

His wife was identified as Dirkje (sometimes written as Dirckien) Harmensdr. (or Harmense, meaning daughter of Harmen) BOERTGENS, in a notorial paper dated 24 May 1658 at Amsterdam.

I have found baptism and marriage records as well as notarial records for the family in the Netherlands.Continue reading at The Van Alstyne Family of New York

New Netherland Settlers: The Straetsman Sisters & Their Six Husbands

 The  Straetsman sisters Barentje and Teuntje were from Culemborg  Netherlands. In 1630 the West India Company conquered part of Brazil and  the colony of New Holland (now present-day Recife) was founded. 

Dutch  troops were sent to Recife and Olinda in Pernambuco Brazil and no doubt  Barentje and Teuntjes first husbands were among those sent to maintain  order. 

They settled first in Brazil before 1637 and then New Netherland  circa 1657.

More at The Straetsman Sisters Barentje & Teuntje and Their Six Husbands

New Netherland Settlers: The Stevensen and Jacobsen Families

 

A brief excerpt from my book New Netherland Settlers: The Stevensen and Jacobsen Familes was previously published as The European Origins of Steven Janse Coning in the December 2001, Vol. 6 No. 4 issue of New Netherland Connections. 

My book completes several years of research into the origins and descendants of Steven Janse Coning who was baptized in 1617 in Nijkerk and settled in New Netherland with his wife Maria Goosens circa 1649. By 1663 Steven and Maria had at least 7, possibly 8 children. 

After their divorce in 1663 Steven and Maria married other spouses, and Maria had one more known child born to a man named Jacob whose surname is unknown. This book follows Steven, Maria and their descendants to three generations.

Continue reading at New Netherland Settlers: The Stevensen and Jacobsen Families 

New Netherland Settler Harmen Janie Ryckman

1644 Marriage of Harman Janss Ryckman

 Harmen Janse Ryckman (my 9th great grandfather) came to the New World with at least one child - his daughter Margarita (Grietje) Harmense Ryckman. By 1662 Grietje had married Jacques Cornelise Van Slyke the son of Cornelis Antonissen Van Slyke and his Mohawk wife, Ots-Toch. Jacques and Grietje settled in the new village of Schenectady. Grietje's father lived in Albany as early as 1666 and there he died circa 1677

Read more at Harmen Janse Ryckman in New Netherland

New Netherland Settler Lodewyck Post

Sometime between October 1647 and July 1652, Lodewyck Cornelils Post, his wife Agnietje Bonen, and their children left Amsterdam Holland to settle in New Netherland (New York). Research into Naarden Holland church records has revealed the birth of Lodewyck, and the marriage of his parents in that city.

 Read more at Lodewyck Post, New Netherland Settler

New Netherland Settler: Pier Family

 

It has always been known that THEUNIS JANSZ. PIER, an early settler in New Netherland (New York) was born circa 1600 in Holland. 

Chris Brooks and I researched and found Theunis' baptism. His parents' names are now known! We found a great deal on the family -- and our jointly authored article Origins of the Pier Family in the Netherlands and an Update of Their Connection to the Ostrander Family by Lorine McGinnis Schulze and Chris Brooks, was published in the July 2000 issue of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record. in Deventer, Overijsel, Netherlands. 

He married Jannettie Arentsdr. on September 14, 1624 in Amsterdam Netherlands. Theunis Jansz's sons Jan and Arent, were the immigrant ancestors of the PIER family in America.

Read more at Pier/Peer Family