Updates about Olive Tree Genealogy website and other FREE genealogy records. Bringing you tutorials, genealogy book and app reviews, genealogy news, genealogy specials and more. Helping you find your family tree and ancestors.
New Jersey State Archives announced yesterday on Twitter:Archives staff are indexing New Jersey's early tax lists (over 1,800 in all). The resultant database and digital files will eventually be posted for free use on the Archives' website. As most date from 1772-1820, they are vitally important given the loss of New Jersey's first 4 federal censuses.This is great news for those of us who have New Jersey ancestors pre 1800! I'll be anxiously watching their website for further updates
Buried in the basement of of police headquarters, where the New York Police Department photo unit has rooms of boxes and
file cabinets. The boxes and cabinets are filled with departmental photos from the 1800s to
today.
Researchers working in the Russian High Arctic in Siberia excavated the naturally
mummified remains of a woman who lived approximately 800 years ago.
The Vatican Apostolic Library, known as "VAT," contains around 75,000 codices and 85,000 incunabula (which Esparza defines as "editions made between the invention of the printing press and the 16th century") amid a total of over one million volumes.
Since that exciting discovery of his family tree, Easter Bunny has found more
genealogy goodies! In 2010 Easter found a family tree chart!
Easter Bunny's Family Tree Found!
Dearest Easter,
I'm glad you asked about your family. Time is getting short for me and I think I'm the only one left who knows the stories of our family.
Your great-grandfather, Bugs, was one of three brothers (Bugs, Peter and Brer). The brothers left their home and sailed for America in the late 1800s. The ship they were on was caught up in a terrible storm and the brothers had to tie themselves to the mast. The ship sank but Bugs, Peter and Brer were lucky enough to find a plank and they climbed up on it and drifted for several days until they were rescued by the SS Lollipop.
When they got to Ellis Island, the customs officials changed the brothers' last names before allowing them to leave the ship, and so the three branches of our family began.
Bugs, Your great-grandpa, kept his Bunny name. Peter's was changed to Cottontail and all his descendants have kept that name. Brer's name was changed to Rabbit and it is from his line that our famous cousins White and Velveteen descend.
Great grandpa Bugs later met and married your great-grandmother Bunny Fufu. I don't know anything about her parents. My cousin Willy Bunny has photos and her family bible but he is stingy with the family information and refuses to share. Apparently Bunny Fufu's family bible was tossed into a fire by Indians when they attacked the settlement where she and her parents lived, but Bunny's father leapt into the flames and saved the bible. I wish Willy would not be so secretive with the information!
It gets a bit confusing, but Velveteen Rabbit, your mother, was your father Energizer's second wife and his third cousin once removed. It wasn't unusual for cousins to marry each other, but it does get confusing as we all seem to have large families.
Velveteen's father (your maternal grandfather) was Peter but I don't know too much about your mom's side of the family. I did hear there was an Angora in there somewhere way back. Some say she was a Princess and Peter rescued her from pirates!
Of course you know your grandparents - Buster and Trix. One day you should ask your grandma Trix why she calls your grandpa Buster by his nickname "Hassenfeffer" whenever she is mad at him, it's a cute story.I've done some research on our family but am stuck on your great-great-grandmother. That would be your Great-Grandpa Bugs' mother. Great-Grandpa Bugs' father (your great-great-grandpa) was named Cadbury but I think your great-great-grandma was left by aliens. She is my brick wall. I know Cadbury called her Flopsy and they had 54 children but even though I've searched everywhere, I can't find what her SIRname was.
I guess I should tell you about the family scandal involving your Great great grandpa Cadbury Bunny. My Aunt Babbity told me she heard the grownups whispering about this when she was little. It seems that Cadbury's father fell in love with a chicken and Cadbury was the result of that love match! This might explain Cadbury's strange behaviour....
Well Easter, I think I've given you enough details to confuse you, but I hope I've gotten you interested in learning more! I know where some of the graves are of your ancestors and will take you there one day if you want to go. It's just a hop, skip and jump away.
Give my best to all the little children when you make your rounds this year,
As ever,
Uncle Wiggily
From University of Toronto History Society:The Hall of Remembrance has been created to memorialize and remember those U of T student-soldiers who fought and died in the World Wars.If you have an ancestor or relative who attended U of T during either WW1 or WW2 you might want to check this out. It is complete with photos of the soldiers
Thanks to Dear Myrtle for the following item:Randy Majors announces that he just launched this free Google Chrome extension for Ancestry. Hope it helps find some "hidden" records!
Let this FREE tool do the work for you as you search on Ancestry.
Install here:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/historical-us-counties-au/phafnnacanbkdnkemiomjpaamomdgjhm
U.S. county boundaries have changed over 17,600 times since America was settled in colonial times. Don’t sabotage your search for ancestors by not knowing the correct county for the historical years you are researching.
While searching on Ancestry, the free Historical U.S. Counties Auto-Checker extension for Google Chrome automatically checks that the county existed in the year you are searching, warns of boundary changes, and links to historical county lines on Google Maps for the place and years you are searching!
Install for free today and never let an ancestor fall off the map again
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/historical-us-counties-au/phafnnacanbkdnkemiomjpaamomdgjhm
Detailed walkthrough with screenshots: https://www.randymajors.com/2020/03/ancestor-fall-off-map-use-this-free.html
Lambert Van Valkenburg married Annetje Jacobs on April 4, 1642 in Amsterdam.
Declaration as to the estate left by Pieter Lievesen, deceasedSeries:A0270
Scanned Document:NYSA_A0270-78_V2_095a
[ At the request ] of the honorable Fiscal Vander Hoykens the undersigned persons attest and declare that on the 25th of January 1644 the fiscal was at the house of Lambert van Valckenborch, where Pieter Livesen lodged in his lifetime, and inquired for the goods of said Pieter Livesen, whereupon Lambert van Valckenborch answered that there was nothing left of the goods of the above mentioned Pieter Lievesen, as he had long before also declared to the fiscal and the witnesses. Done the 25th of January 1644, in New Netherland.
Oloff Stevensen
Gysbert op Dyck
References
Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 2, Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1642-1647 (A. Van Laer, Trans.).
The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick recently published 4,922 digitized images of death registrations for 1969.| Index | Description | Years | Records | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 141A1b | Index to Late Registration of Births | 1810-1924 | 112,418 | 2020-03-13 |
| 141A1c | Index to Late Registration of Births: County Series | 1869-1901 | 2,294 | 2019-09-10 |
| 141A2/2 | Index to County Birth Registers | 1800-1919 | 87,968 | 2020-03-09 |
| 141A5 | Index to Provincial Registrations of Births | 1870-1924 | 169,725 | 2020-02-25 |
| Index | Description | Years | Records | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 141B7 | Index to New Brunswick Marriages | 1847-1969 | 286,109 | 2020-03-20 |
Have you ever wondered what our ancestors really sounded like? This 500 year old poem being read aloud is very cool
TRADED
OFF HIS WIFE: PECULIAR BIGAMY CASE TRIED AT COBOURG George Albert
Reynolds Disposed of His Wife to His Brother Walter For a $15 Watch--
All Three Sentenced and the Deal is Off Source: The Globe (1844-1936); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]09 Jan 1903: 1. 
Coronavirus causing shortages? No toilet paper where you live? No Sears catalogue or phone book? No fresh leaves? 
Over 440,000 Cemetery Records Added in February 2020
Coronavirus is here. And it's going to get worse. We need to respond sensibly and calmly but people are like sheep. Not all, but many. They react with panic when
they see pictures of stores with empty shelves. That starts panic buying -
"OMG I have to get toilet paper, sanitizer, food before it all runs out"  |
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| Sarah Churchill in 1966 |
I just finished sorting & labelling hundreds of my family pics back to 1867 because I'm preparing for a huge scanning project. 
These are some of the early WW1 to 1960s era family photos I sorted and labelled yesterday. |
| Sample Page Nebraska Death Index |
Did you know that Pre-Adoption Birth Certificates can be ordered online?
The Photo Alchemist has given genealogists a wonderful gift! Vintage & Antique blank family records for you to download and print
for FREE!
Lisa asked:I have my Grandfather’s birth certificate which was issued in 1965 (he was born in 1917), his name on the certificate is Leo John Roy. All his Military ID is listed as Leo Napoleon Roy. His Father’s name was Pierre and his Mother, Cecile. I found them on the 1921 census, however, the names are listed as Pete and Elvina. Childrens names (Leo, Bertha and Albert) are correct. I cannot find any info apart from that census on anyone in the Roy family. My Great Grandmother, Cecile is listed on a tomb in Manitoba as she later married a William McNabb. I believe her maiden name was also McNabb but am unsure. Her death date is not listed on the tomb. I believe she was born on June 26, 1893. Pierre, I believe was 1 year older. My Grandparents (Leo and Minnie May) lived in Thunder Bay, ON but came from Manitoba. I believe Cecile came from Manitoba also, not too sure on Pierre (Pete). Cecile also looks native in the few pictures I have. Leo was born in Stonewall, Manitoba and later lived in The Pas, Manitoba. He joined the military in the early 1940’s and was based out of Winnipeg. He was born on June 20, 1917 and died on January 12, 1967. He was a hoisting engineer after his Military time.
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| 1921 Census Manitoba |
Norma asked Olive Tree Genealogy about her 2nd great-grandfather who died in Ontario Canada in 1855.Olive Tree Genealogy answer:I have not been able to find death record and/or obituaries for my 2nd great-grandfather and his eldest son, John Bergey.
Henry S Bergey, wife Elizabeth Clemmer, and their first three children moved to Waterloo County around 1848. Three daughters were born between 1849 and 1854 in Waterloo.
My curiosity is about cause of death of both father, Henry S. Bergey, d. 17 Feb. 1855 and eldest son, John Bergey, d. 21 February 1855.
Here is an example of a death notice published Feb 7, 1855 Globe & Mail 
I know very little about my 7th great-grandfather Edward Meeks. I have been sent some information (unsourced) from others but have not done in-depth research for myself. 
Over 176,000 Cemetery Records Added in January 2020 |
| 1842 Census Headings Columns 1-51 |
A new website launched January 29th. It is GreekAncestry.net and is for anyone searching their Greek ancestors. As the site says, it is "Your gateway to searchable databases of Greek records"
Human skeletal remains possibly belonging to Revolutionary War soldiers
have been discovered under an 18th-century house being renovated in
Danbury Connecticut.
