Online New Netherland New York Church Records

Do you have ancestors who settled in New Netherland (New York) in the 17th Century? If yes, you won't want to miss these free online church records

  Records of Baptisms of the Reformed Church at Machackemeck (Deerpark), Orange County New York 1716-1827 [New May 2008]
  Reformed Dutch Church of New Amsterdam/New York -- Baptisms 1639 to 1801
  Reformed Dutch Church of New Amsterdam/New York -- Marriages 1639 to 1801
 Membership Lists of the Reformed Dutch Church of New Amsterdam/New York 1649-1701
  Records of the Reformed Church at Conewago - Marriages 1789 to 1793
  Flatbush RDC Consistory Books, Kings Co. Long Island NY - Coordinated Records of Marriages and Baptisms from the Flatbush RDC Consistory Books And the Registers of its Daughter Church at New Lots Kings County, Long Island, New York, Baptisms 1792-1872 and Marriages 1787-1872
  Reformed Dutch Church of Flatlands, Long Island Baptisms 1747-1802
  Reformed Dutch Church of Gravesend Baptisms 1715-1805
  Reformed Dutch Church of Gravesend List of Members 1763-1805
  First Reformed Dutch Church of Newtown, Long Island Communicants 1741, Baptisms 1736-1845, Marriages 1835-1846
  Baptisms for St. George's Church Hempstead, Long Island, New York 1760- 1763
  Reformed Dutch Church of Woodstock, Ulster Co. -- Baptisms 1805 to 1889
  Grace Church, Jamaica (Queens) Baptisms 1710-1731
 Grace Church, Jamaica New York Baptisms 1780-1810
  Grace Church, Jamaica (Queens) Burials 1710-1731
  Grace Church, Jamaica New York Tombstone Recordings
  Grace Church, Jamaica (Queens) Marriages 1710-1731
 Grace Church, Jamaica New York Marriage Records 1769 to 1810
  Miscellaneous Church Records from Jamaica, Flushing and Newtown New York. Communicants 1791-1794 | Baptisms 1790-1802 | Marriages 1790-1810 | Deaths 1790-1795

Church Records of New Netherland/New York on the Olive Tree Genealogy

Let's Talk About Our Own Obituaries and Tombstones!

Have you thought about your own demise? Yes, as genealogists we know that it happens to all of us. And as genealogists we're usually fairly comfortable talking about it. When my brother and sister-in-law visited us a few days ago, we got talking about our own deaths, our funerals, did we want to be cremated or not, and where we might want to be interred. When I told the story of my husband and I wanting to buy our burial plots now, my sister-in-law shuddered. She was visibly upset by the conversation.

So let's talk about it here!  While I haven't gone so far as to plan my funeral or write my own obit (although the thought of doing so is tempting!), last year I have put together a copy of what I want done after my demise. Yes, really. I jotted notes on items such as burial versus cremation, what cemetery I wish to be buried in - and what inscription I want on a headstone.

I've been married three times (divorce then death brought me to my third husband) - should I put all three of my husbands' names on my stone? Do I want to have number one's name immortalized for eternity on MY stone??

My thoughts began to stray to having inscriptions like the following: "beloved wife of husbands two and three" and "long-suffering and not-so-beloved wife of husband number one aka he-who-shall-not-be-named"

 

What about my parents' names and places of birth? As a genealogist I want it all! I found myself fantasizing about having a 4-generation pedigree chart engraved on a huge headstone. Has it been done before? Is there room on a headstone?

As a genealogist, I'm also concerned about my own obituary! After reading through hundreds of my ancestors' obits, I know exactly what I wish had been in each. Why oh why were women's maiden names so infrequently mentioned? Why does my great grandmother's obit simply say "she came with her parents from Ireland when she was a young girl"

Acck! Could they not have written something a bit more detailed, such as "she came with her parents John Smith and Lucy McGillicuddy from Ballyhoogan Co. Down Ireland in 1843 on the ship Rosemary which sailed from Belfast Ireland to Quebec on 23 May..."

My children never seem to remember that I was born in Oshawa, not Ajax (which is where I grew up). Neither my kids nor my husband seem to remember how my maiden name McGinnis is spelled!

So I've written down all the facts that I want included in my obit. My maiden name McGinnis (spelled correctly of course). My parents' names and where they were from. Where and when I was born. My husbands' names (yes, even he-who-shall-not-be-named). Where I lived until the age of 17. Where I went to University. A little bit about my interests and hobbies. My children's names. I've even included my 11 grandchildren's names although I doubt anyone will want to pay enough to have them all mentioned.

By the way, I will NOT have hubby number one's name on my tombstone and prefer it not to be in my obituary ... I managed to get him out of my life, why on earth would I want him around in my death? I won't even be bothered to come back and haunt him. It's not that I wish any harm to befall him - he simply doesn't exist for me. Gone. Done.

I'm doing this for future generations who will (hopefully) be looking for me 200 years from now. It was a bit disconcerting when I first began, but as I went along I really became quite interested in the task! After writing down all my notes for my tombstone inscription and obituary, I placed them in a large manilla envelope labelled "For my executor" and put it in an antique blanket box. Family members know where to find these papers.

I didn't make copies and send them to my children because I may want to add or remove items. When you come right down to it, I'm planning on sticking around a very long time! Who knows how many things I might want to change in the future.

What are your plans?

A New Cemetery Walk Uploaded

St. Columbkill Roman Catholic Cemetery, Uptergrove, Simcoe County Ontario is now online on Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube channel. 

Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel has many online Cemetery Walk videos for all to view freely.

What are Cemetery Walks? They are photographs of gravestones in cemeteries, converted to a video.

My husband and I stop at cemeteries whenever we can. We then photograph as many tombstones as possible. Sometimes we can photograph an entire cemetery. Sometimes we can only take pictures of part of the cemetery. We always try to return to finish a cemetery if we can.

Tombstones Uncovered in Back Yard for 3 Children and a Man

A woman in Government Hill, a suburb in San Antonio Texas, was working on landscaping in her yard this week when she found a tombstone for a 65-year-old man about four inches into the dirt. The stone read 

John Evans 

born January 12, 1828

died  July 27, 1893

Aged 65 years

A few years later she dug up another stone with the names of three children, Annie, Philip and Katie, who had died back in 1880s

Continue reading the story at  Government Hill resident finds tombstone buried in yard, and it's not the first

Mystery: War Of 1812 Veteran’s Gravestone Found In Bridgewater Basement

This is a fascinating story of a War Of 1812 Veteran’s Gravestone Found In Bridgewater Basement

The gravestone belonged to Jabez Harden, born 1796, died 1879, veteran of the War of 1812, but he is not buried there. His original grave is in Pratt Town Cemetery in Bridgewater. 

The mystery is how did Jabez's tombstone end up in a basement? 

Above you can view Jabez's widow's Pension application dated 1879.

Find A Grave Community Day - Mark Your Calendars!

The following announcement was sent to Olive Tree Genealogy:

Find A Grave is an incredible resource offered for free. All of the information on the site is pulled together by an extraordinary group of volunteers around the world. With Find A Grave recently surpassing 100,000,000 photos on the site we are reminded of the dedication of the volunteers. But even with their strong determination, they can’t do it alone.

 

100 million photos is amazing, but it also reminds us that we have some work left to do. On October 18^th we are organizing a Community Day. A day to pull together people from all walks of life to a common purpose of helping the gravesites of our fellow brethren be remembered. We all have gravesite stories that touch us deeply. The internet has allowed us all to have those moments without having to leaves our homes.

For more information on how to participate in the Find A Grave Community Day, visit http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2014/09/22/find-a-grave-community-day-october-18th/

 

Texas Tombstone Found During Construction Returned to Descendants

A tombstone that was discovered beneath an East Texas construction site has been given to a relative.

Ron and Nelda Swinney claimed the stone Monday from the City of Tyler's Engineering Department. The Swinneys live in an area of Smith County along Highway 64, once known as Swinneytown. The Swinneys said they saw the stone on the news and researched to find that the baby's father was Ron Swinney's great-great-uncle.

"We just started having conversations how does this tombstone tie in to your family and they provided a family tree," said Tyler City Engineer Carter Delleney. 

The Swinney stone is now back in the family's hands and will eventually find its way to the Bascom Cemetery to be placed next to the baby's grandfather. Source: KLTV

The child was not quite 3 months old when he died in October 1883.

Read the rest of this story on KLTV at Tombstone discovered at Tyler construction site given to descendants

Credit: image is a cropped screen dump from the online video on KLTV

Help Send Frank Crummy's Tombstone Home!

Mounties are trying to find the proper resting place of a wayward headstone. A woman who owns property near Gleichen, about 100 km east of Calgary, found a granite gravestone marker in her field.

The  tombstone was etched with

Father 

Frank Crummy 

1869 – 1952 

No one knows how the tombstone got to Gleichen or who Frank Crummy is. Mounties are asking for help. 

This lost tombstone intrigued me so I spent a bit of time yesterday on a hunt. I'm hoping my readers will put on their sleuthing hats and join me!

Grande Prairie Alberta Crummy Family

I found quite a few newspaper articles and references to a Frank Crummy living in Grande Prairie Alberta in the 1930s and 1940s but nothing substantial that might lead to family members. He was a Mason and was the District Deputy Grand Master for Spirit River Lodge in 1942.  It is very possible this is Frank of the wayward tombstone.

I also found reference to "the Crummy brothers" settling in Grande Prairie before 1916. The index to "Pioneers of the Peace", a local history book which I don't have access to, lists Frank, George and Joe Crummy. If anyone can access this book we might find out more about Frank. 

Minnesota Connection

Minnesota seems to come into play and the 1880 census for Minnetonka Minnesota finds the family of John Crummy, wife Jane with several children including Frank age 9 years old born Pennsylvania. Frank had brothers John, George and Joseph. 

Joseph had a son John aka Jack born ca 1906 in Minnesota. This son John married Mavis Paul and settled in Grande Prairie, dying there in 1987. So I am fairly certain that the Minnesota family is the Crummy family that settled in Grande Prairie Alberta.

Marriage in Edmonton Alberta

One tidbit I found on Peel's Prairie Provinces was in a publication called "The Trail". It listed a marriage in Edmonton Alberta in November 1939 for Frank Grey Crummy son of Mr. & Mrs. F. Crummy of Grande Prairie Alberta. It is possible that Frank Grey Crummy is the son of Frank. 

I've done no further research so please jump in and help the Mounties find where Frank Crummy's tombstone belongs. You may use the comment section of this blog post to post information you find. If it involves living people, please send it privately to olivetreegenealogy @ gmail . com (no spaces in the email address)

Interview With Hudson Gunn of Legacy Markers

Recently I spoke with Hudson Gunn, creator of Legacy Markers. I published a Press Release about this product a few days ago on my Olive Tree Genealogy blog called "Legacy Markers: Barcoding Your Ancestors?"

I'm very intrigued by the concept and can see ways we genealogists could utilize Legacy Markers in our genealogy pursuit. Basically a Legacy Marker is a barcode plaque which you place on a tombstone. When the barcode is scanned with a smartphone, the viewer is directed to a website with information (a memorial) of that deceased person.

I love this idea. Since Legacy Markers can be linked together online, we genealogists could create family trees simply by creating memorial pages for each ancestor tombstone we can physically visit, then linking them together as one family unit.

Imagine finding your great grandfather's resting place and noticing a barcode plaque affixed to his tombstone. You scan it with your smartphone and bingo, you are taken to a page on the internet which has information and documents you have never seen. Perhaps it has newspaper articles or personal stories. What a great way to share our research with other descendants!

I approached Hudson and asked him a few questions about this innovative product. He very kindly took the time to respond and I think you will find his answers below quite interesting.

1. Please tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea of Legacy Markers

The idea for Legacy came from the passing of my grandmother a month ago to complications from a stroke.  I was wandering the cemetery with my wife and brother before her interment looking at other relatives that were buried close by.  My wife was asking questions about who these people were and I found I was having a hard time remembering how each person was related to my grandmother. I could recall pieces of stories that I remembered from my childhood, but I couldn't remember the details.

My grandfather finally joined us and was able to tell us stories about each relative and how they were related. It bothered me that I couldn't remember those stories and even more knowing that most of those stories will be gone when my grandfather passes away. If I couldn't remember those stories now, how will I remember them 15 years from now as I'm trying to tell me kids about their grandparents?It got me thinking about how to preserve those memories so I could share them with my family.

My brother and I started thinking of ways to incorporate this idea with my other business that specializes in QR barcodes for businesses to use in advertisements.  This led to the idea of placing a plaque on the headstone with a QR barcode that links to a memorial of all of the stories, pictures, and videos we could find about my grandma.  After the incredible response from extended relatives and friends we decided it was something that others could benefit from.  So we put our heads together and created Code_IT Legacy.

2. Does the fee for the Marker include the website space for the memorial or is there an annual fee for archive space?

There is only a one-time fee for your Legacy Marker. It comes with a life-time subscription to the memorial service and unlimited amounts of space. Our biggest objective was to create a one-time cost instead of a monthly subscription. We didn't want to restrict people from viewing their family information just because someone didn't pay their bill.  Legacy is about preserving memories, not about collecting a monthly fee.

3. Can anyone other than the purchaser of the marker change the information in the archive?

When purchasing your Legacy Marker, you will create a password (Alpha or Numeric) that identifies the owner of each marker.  This password is required to add or make changes to the information on each memorial. This will protect the information from being changed by someone who does not have permission.  You may give that password to other family members so they may add their contributions to the memorial.

4. What happens to the uploaded information in each person's archived memorial if your website ever disappears?

Of course we do not foresee a reason to close our website, but if the event does occur we will provide an option for each user to download their memorial to preserve in their own database.

5. What is the estimated lifespan of the barcode marker?

Each marker has been hand crafted from a specially treated stainless steel and etched with a high intensity laser. These techniques were specifically chosen to resist corrosion and weather the elements. Even the programming of each barcode was taken into consideration to make sure that every mobile device could easily scan each code every time.

We are so confident that our markers will last that we guarantee every marker for life!

6. You mention on your website that special glue and cleaning solution come with the barcode marker. Is there any danger that these chemicals might damage tombstones, especially older ones?
 To preserve the integrity of each headstone we do not use a liquid based glue to adhere the marker. Each marker is affixed with a self-sealing adhesive tape from 3m. It is already applied to the marker, so all you have to do it peel the protective tape off the back and adhere it to the memorial.  We found that cleaning the surface with a simple alcohol prep pad (included with every marker) creates a clean surface to adhere to. These materials will not harm your headstone or memorial. Older headstones may be brittle, so caution should be used when placing your Legacy Marker on deteriorating headstones.

7. Is a smooth surface necessary to affix the barcode marker to a stone? I'm wondering about attaching one to a rough or crumbling older stone.

A smooth surface is definitely the best place for your marker. However, they will still affix to rough or deteriorating headstones. Regardless of the headstone, installation is easy enough for anyone to do in less than 2 minutes. Simple instructions are provided with each marker to help with the installation process. If you marker falls off or does not stick, we will provide replacement adhesive to make sure it adheres properly.

8. What happens if a marker is lost, damaged or stolen?

Hopefully this will never happen, but in the event that your Legacy Marker is damaged or stolen, contact us for replacement instructions so we can evaluate your individual needs!

9. I see that you can link Legacy Markers together to form a family chain. This could be very appealing to genealogists who might like to purchase several markers to create a memorial for various ancestors. Will you be offering a "Genealogy Special" or a discount for volume purchases?

Yes, we offer discounted rates for multiple purchases! Right now we have a special going on that gives new users a life-time subscription and one Legacy Marker for only $49. If you would purchase multiple markers they are $45 for 2 or $39 for 4. Contact us for multiple orders! If you have special needs or want higher quanties, contact us so we can meet any needs you may have!  legacy@codeitbarcodes.com

10. Is there anything else you wish to tell us about Legacy Markers?

Each Memorial can be accessed from any computer in the world.  We provide a Legacy Marker to affix to a headstone or memorial to allow visitors a direct link to this information with their mobile device.

We know that technology will change. As this technology changes, so will we. It's our highest priority to make sure your information is safe and easy to access no matter what technology is prevalent.

Legacy Marker - Barcoding Your Ancestors?

The following Press Release came out a few days ago. I had a look at the website (Code_IT Barcodes) and it looks like a very interesting concept. My one concern would be that the information is only available as long as the website where it is uploaded remains online. But I'm intrigued.....

Legacy Marker is a method of attaching a barcode to a gravestone. When scanned with a mobile phone, the barcode directs the user to a website with information, stories, photographs, videos, audio recordings and more, all of which tell the story of the deceased person.

OREM, UT, July 29, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Code_IT Barcodes, based in Orem, Utah takes an innovative approach to a long-held tradition. Its new branch, Code_IT Legacy, offers miniature QR barcode plaques that can be affixed to a gravestone, new or old, to tell the stories of the person buried there. When scanned with a smartphone, these barcodes connect the living with the dead in a way never before seen.

Family members choose favorite memories, pictures and videos of their loved ones who have died, and then they have Code_IT Legacy connect these memories with a completely unique barcode. The barcode can then be updated and changed by the family as often as desired.

Inspired by the recent passing of his own grandmother, Hudson Gunn, President and owner of Code_IT Barcodes, explains it in his own words. "I wanted people to know who my grandmother was and the great things she did and stood for. She isn't just another headstone in the cemetery. With the videos and pictures we uploaded, my kids can now see and hear her voice instead of just seeing a headstone. We are preserving her legacy."

These new Legacy Markers are being used to honor military heroes, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. Gone are the days when the dead no longer have a voice. Now mourning families have an outlet for their grief. They find a sense of closure in this new ability to make the lives of the dead known to the living.

Code_IT, Legacy is working with genealogy archives to provide important genealogy information on every marker, creating a chain of families for others to follow. "Adding this link to genealogy is very important to us at Code_IT, says Hudson. Knowing more about our past is the only way to sculpt a successful future."

Legacy Markers are also helping to facilitate much needed research to conquer many of the diseases that carved these names into granite. The markers are being used to link scanners with donation pages for organizations like the National Stroke Association as well as links to donation funds for families who are struggling financially with the loss of a loved one. It's a great way for people to perpetuate the cause and help local families.

Those who would like to honor family members who have passed away need only visit http://www.codeitbarcodes.com/legacy to order the distinctive and timeless Legacy Marker for their loved one.

Code_IT Barcodes is a growing company leading the industry in QR Barcodes. For more information, please contact us at info@codeitbarcodes.com or visit us at http://www.codeitbarcodes.com

Could This Be Marie Olsen?

A gravestone with the name Marie Olsen and dates of birth and death (1879-1932) was recently found in St. Paul Minnesota. I read this story on Geneanet and CBSMinnesota and decided to have a quick hunt for Marie.

I found a possible candidate in Ancestry.com Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002

Name:	Mrs. Marie Andrew Olsen
Death Date:	21 Nov 1932
Death County:	Ramsey

It's proving difficult to narrow down all the Marie Olsen results in Ancestry.com databases but I hope someone somewhere will know who Marie Olsen is and where her tombstone belongs.