| <NAHostMichelle> |
Okay, I'm going to try and
make this a bit more interactive than our past chats with guest speakers.
I'll post questions in RED and invite you to post answers. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
How many of us can say that
our ancestor's stayed put? |
| <Jilly> |
no |
| <Guest67> |
the information highway with
a stoplight |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
How long does it have to be
to qualify? |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Ahh, no time limit on staying
put... 50, 100, 200 years |
| <Jilly> |
yes no |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
I probably can successfully
bet that everyone one of us has ancestor's who moved at least once! And by
"move," I mean New Jersey to Virginia, Georgia to Texas, etc. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Whether you have ancestor's
who moved in the 20th Century or earlier, American migration has been
prompted by many different socio-economic factors: war, land openings,
religion, etc. And, within the last 150 years Americans have been able to
gain real mobility with the advent of expanded railroads and the invention
of automobiles. |
| <swannurse> |
One ggggrandfather stayed in
Ontario, Canada his whole life. |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
I've got a few in eastern NC
that stayed in the same general area for over 250 years, but most weren't so
kind |
| <Jilly> |
lol |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Here's my example: My one
family line was in Maryland from the 1680s-1800, or almost 125 years before
moving to southwest Virginia, and then, it took them another 90 years before
the family moved "west" to Texas and Oklahoma by 1907. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
So, Kim, I agree... my family
wasn't "kind" to me! :-) |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
My family's typical migration
presents me with research in three different states and over 200 years of
evolving legal systems or laws that affected them, five military
conflicts/wars, multiple epidemics, and the most active
industrial/technological time period in our history. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Anytime your ancestors move,
you must think of yourself as a beginner. If you don't put yourself into
this "beginner mode" you may make incorrect assumptions about the types of
records available for your family. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
How many of us do that? |
| <Jilly> |
true |
| <Jilly> |
me |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
I've done it plenty |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
I find that it's easier for
us to think of ourselves as beginners when dealing with non-US research, but
somehow we fail to take this step when dealing with our research in this
country. It is important for us not to overlook this approach in our
research. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
One only has to belong to a
few Rootsweb mailing lists for this to hit home. How many queries do you see
that ask about records that simply don't exist? Birth certificate for 1820s?
Death certificate for 1790s? You get the picture. |
| <swannurse> |
should you go "beginner" for
each move or each state they moved to? |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Swannurse... absolutely! Each
state has their own laws and history that would affect your family's lives. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
An essential step in the
pursuit of successful genealogical research is knowing one's locale. By
this, I mean understanding the geography & history of the area, knowing the
records available for research and what repositories to utilize. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
BUT, before you start, make
sure you are gathering info on right people, in right place and time.
Evaluate what you have found. Don't begin a fruitless journey chasing leads
down paths that take your ancestor far beyond the known context of their
lives and "neighborhood". |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Swannurse - you don't
necessarily have to go "beginner" if they moved to the next county, but you
still need to reassess the available records for even such small moves. For
example, many county courthouses in the U.S. have burned or had other
catastrophes which resulted in lost records |
| <Jilly> |
time lines? |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
If they moved between
counties... just remember to check/know one date! The date that county was
formed!! :-) |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
A very important date too! |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
*Check the dates to make sure
they match up. Has someone else matched up people from the same generation
(the father or mother is too young to have children); they have missed a
generation (the father or mother is too old to have children). If you see a
problem with dates, check the source to see if it was just a typo, or if the
underlying research was bad. |
| <swannurse> |
I found for research in New
York you almost go "beginner" for each town as records are in "village of"
or "town of" not all located central as here in Ohio |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
*Look at the names. It is
quite common for sons to be named for fathers, and for daughters to be named
for mothers. But, if you see a father and mother with the same names as son
and daughter-in-law, take a closer look. |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Welcome Guest 1702 :) |
| <Jilly> |
had that happen in ireland
michelle till we found a few more james and got the dates |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
:-) |
| <Jilly> |
very mind boggling |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
And most importantly... Check
out the localities involved by getting a map of the area for the time frame
you're researching. Also, note the distances between towns or from your
ancestor's residence to the county seat. And familiarize yourself with the
surrounding areas ^`2013 buy a Rand-McNally Atlas! |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Or use MapQuest.com, etc. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
"Getting your bearings!"...
Why is it important to know the history and geography of the area? |
| <Jilly> |
i copy maps on mapquest for
every town if find...very helpful |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
www.topozone.com is a good
source for maps as well |
| <Jilly> |
work |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Or, if you're really serious,
you can order maps from the USGS |
| <Jilly> |
thanks kim |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Anyone? :-) |
| <swannurse> |
Are these map site for recent
maps or for OLD maps. I need for 1800's |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
I was waiting to see if
anyone else has an answer <grin> |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Swannurse, I'll have map
sources later in the talk. Promise!! |
| <swannurse> |
thanks |
| <Jilly> |
i said work...i needed to
know if the town had "iron works" in the area...as family was employed to
them most likely |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Here are some others... |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
~County border changes |
| <Jilly> |
ahh of course!!! |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
~General history impact to
the area [Civil War displaced many Union sympathizers in the South; check
surrounding areas; many Union families from Northern GA went to Southeast
TN] |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
epidemics |
| <Jilly> |
have that in the tri states
(NY/MA/CT) |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
~Migration routes [how and
why did your family come to this area? What were the major routes nearby?
Study the neighborhood!!] |
| <Jilly> |
borders |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Welcome Kate :) |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
~Industry [what were major
industries in the area? Did they draw similar ethnic groups for work?] |
| <Kate> |
Hi, all |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
~Farming [Did your family own
the land? How did they obtain the land? (Federal Land grants) What type of
farming?] |
| <Jilly> |
why would knowing a fed. land
grant be important |
| <Patrice> |
night folks, my apologies,
but it has been a long day. |
| <Jilly> |
ngt patrice |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Good night, Patrice |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Obtaining a US Federal Land
Grant is a five-year process. :-) |
| <Jilly> |
and |
| <Jilly> |
is there info on the grants
in order to obtain them |
| <Jilly> |
personal info? |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
If you find that your
ancestor is found in BLM records out West, you have to keep in mind that
**residency** was a requirement to obtain that parcel of land. |
| <Jilly> |
and is that researchable |
| <Jilly> |
how about CT or MA farms |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
And yes, you can find very
interesting/valuable data on your ancestor/family in the records. |
| <Jilly> |
so the original grants lets
say in the early 1900's is obtainable |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
CT and MA are State Land
States. Meaning that the Proprietors of the Colony granted land to an owner
and subsequent sales were done through deeds (private sales). |
| <Guest67> |
post revolution the
continental congress paid many patriots for service with land, they had no
money |
| <Jilly> |
ok...u threw me for a
second....thought i was missing something....lol |
| <swannurse> |
Is NY a State Land State? |
| <Kate> |
CT actually had the Western
Reserve..weren't some grants given there in the Rev War? |
| <Guest1702> |
How can I find out about
migration routes? |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
The 13 original colonies,
plus Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and W.Virginia are
all state land states |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
I would like to suggest the
following 13 basic topics to build the framework for your ancestor's
locality. 1. History & Geography (State and Local) 2. Vital Records 3.
Census Records (Federal, State and local) 4. Land Records 5. Tax Records 6.
Map, Atlases & Gazetteers 7. Probate Records 8. Court Records 9. Church
Records 10. Cemetery Records 11. Periodicals, Newspapers and Manuscript
Collections 12. Archives, Libraries and
Societies 13. Special Focus or Topical categories
(Immigration/Naturalization, African-American, Native American, etc) |
| <Guest67> |
many large tracts in NY were
given for svc by the congress in the period1785-1795 |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Kate, the Western Reserve was
located in today's Ohio. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
And yes, land grants were
issued for those lands for military service. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
History & Geography (State
and Local): Consulting the area's written histories often provides us with
details of how early settlers arrived and where they came from. For most
counties, one or more county histories were published between about 1870 and
1900. These often contain lists of the troops formed within the county,
short regimental histories, and biographies of soldiers. |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Here are links to a lot of
Web sites on migration
routes, Guest1702 |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Thanks Kim!! |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
~Utilize "Ancestry's Red
Book: American State, County, and Town Sources" ~Everton's "The Handybook
for Genealogists" ~FHL "Family Search Guide" for historical
background/timeline of historical events ~Also, you can utilize Internet
sites such as the USGenWeb Project and Cyndi's List to locate links to
online locality information. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Here are some resources that
your local library might have... |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Dollarhide, William. Map
Guide to American Migration Routes, 1735-1815. Bountiful, Utah: Heritage
Quest, 1997. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Filby, P. William.
Bibliography of American County Histories. Baltimore: Genealogical
Publishing Co., 1985. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Kaminkow, Marion J., ed.
United States Local Histories in the Library of Congress: A Bibliography. 5
volumes. Baltimore: Magna Carta Book Co., 1975-1976. [Supplement 1982.] |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
These resources are guides to
locating what may be available for your ancestor's locality. Remember to
check with the Reference Librarian for assistance with "Special Collections
on Local History". |
| <Guest1702> |
Thanks, Kim. I've got to
leave now. I'll read the transcript later. I already got some good ideas in
the few minutes I've been here. Bye, y'all. |
| <swannurse> |
I've learned a lot this being
my first time here and I've been researching my past for 10+ yrs. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Here are some highlights on
Vital Records... Vital registration or civil records or vital statistics are
birth, marriage, death records. Understand that vital records laws have
their roots in English Law; modern recording came into practice in
Massachusetts in 1841. By 1919, almost any birth, marriage or death in the
United States should have a corresponding vital record filed. |
| <Jilly> |
me too.........darn i have to
start all over...she's giving me a pile of homework..lol |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
That's great to hear :) |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Genealogists love homework! |
| <Jilly> |
yea..now i just have to find
the time |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Here are some states that
enacted Vital Registration Laws prior to 1860: Massachusetts, 1841; New
Jersey, 1848; Rhode Island, 1853; Vermont, 1857; and Virginia, 1853. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
And of course, the late
starters... Georgia, 1919; Illinois 1916; New Mexico, 1919; and South
Carolina, 1915. |
| <Jilly> |
registration laws? |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Yeah, and almost all of my US
ancestors lived in S.C. (1915) and N.C. (1913) - pout |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Vital Records in the legal
sense are Vital Registration records. |
| <Jilly> |
oh...ok..different language |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Jilly - it just means they
were required to register births, marriages, and deaths by law |
| <swannurse> |
What about registration
before 1800. That's where I'm at. |
| <Jilly> |
ok |
| <Jilly> |
me too |
| <Jilly> |
on some |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Prior to Vital Registration
laws, citizens/residents of a particular state were not required to file the
record for births and deaths. For those, you would need to check church
records for baptismal and burial records. |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
No state required
registration prior to 1800, but some localities did record vital records at
the town or county level |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
For the most part, a birth
and death certificate is a 20th Century record. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Yes, particularly those in
New England. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
oops... Yes, particularly
those in New England where Town Clerks were responsible for recording those
records. |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Okay, is everyone ready for
the next mystery question??? :-) |
| <Jilly> |
go for it |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Can anyone tell me when the
earliest recorded census in the Colonies was taken? |
| <Jilly> |
darn |
| <swannurse> |
shoot!!!! |
| <Jilly> |
lol |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Guess!! |
| <swannurse> |
1650 |
| <Jilly> |
1750 |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
The Answer is... |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
1624, Colony of Virginia
[statistical data only!!] |
| <Jilly> |
blow us away......lol |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
LOL |
| <Jilly> |
too bad me family didnt
settle in Virgina |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
The main reason for early
censuses - taxation and military!! |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Mine did - I just haven't
connected them yet |
| <Jilly> |
and there still doing
that!!!! |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
LOL! |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
US Federal censuses taken
from 1790-present day. Early censuses were for statistical purposes only.
Very little change until 1850 when an every person enumeration was
completed. |
| <swannurse> |
so what other states had
early records, before 1790 |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
The originals of that VA 1624
census are actually held in England |
| <Jilly> |
have u seen them kim |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
Also use additional schedules
(agriculture [acreage, value, live stock, produce, etc.] and manufacturing)
to flesh out the neighborhood and the mortality schedule as a supplement to
death records. |
| <Jilly> |
when |
| <Jilly> |
how early |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
The additional schedules are
mostly for 1850-1880 |
| <Jilly> |
k |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Not the originals |
| <Sagehost> |
Hello everyone |
| <Jilly> |
hi sage |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
But you can search the
1624 Virginia census/muster online |
| <KimberlyHOST> |
Hi Sage :) |
| <swannurse> |
Hello |
| <NAHostMichelle> |
And don't forget to determine
if the state had a State Census. State censuses can be additional resources
for off-census years; some even mimic the Federal census formats, providing
immigration information; or in the case of the loss of the 1890 Federal
Census, supplemental info for years in between 1880-1900 [example: New
Jersey 1885 & 1895]. |
