Saturday, October 5, 2013

Surname Saturday - ARNOLD (England > colonial New England)

It's Surname Saturday, and I'm "counting down" my Ancestral Name List each week.  


I am in the 7th great-grandmothers and I'm up to Ancestor  #723, who is Elizabeth ARNOLD (1684-about 1758) 
[Note: the earlier great-grandmothers and 7th great-grandfathers have been covered in earlier posts].

My ancestral line back through three generations in this ARNOLD family line is:

1.  Randall J. Seaver (1943-living)

2. Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983)
3. Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002)

4. Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)
5. Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962)


10.  Thomas Richmond (1848-1917)
11.  Julia White (1848-1913)

22.  Henry Arnold White (1824-1885)
23.  Amy Frances Oatley (1826-1864)

44.  Jonathan White (1806-1850)
45.  Miranda Wade (1804-1850)

90.  Simon Wade (1767-1857)

91.  Phebe Horton (1772-????)

180.  Simon Wade (1731-1790)
181.  Deborah Tracy (1731-????)

360.  Nathaniel Wade (1709-1754)
361.  Ruth Hawkins (1711-1789)

722.  William Hawkins, born Abt. 1679 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; died 08 October 1712 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.  He was the son of 1444. William Hawkins and 1445. Lydia Ballou.  He married  14 December 1704 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
723.  Elizabeth Arnold, born about 1684 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; died 11 July 1758 in Glocester, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.  

Children of William Hawkins and Elizabeth Arnold are:
*  Elijah Hawkins (1705-1754), married (1) 1724 Abigail Vallet (1706-1735); (2) 1735 Jemima Salisbury (1700-1754)
*  Uriah Hawkins (1707-1708).
*  Joseph Hawkins (1709-1754), married Mary smith (1705-????).
*  Ruth Hawkins (1711-1789), married (1) 1731 Nathaniel Wade (1709-1754); (2) 1758 Zebedee Hopkins (1697-1789)
*  Deborah Hawkins (1713-1802), married 1731 Nathan Wade (1706-1778).

1446.  Eleazer Arnold, born 17 June 1651 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; died 29 August 1722 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.  He married about  1671 in probably Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
1447.  Eleanor Smith, born about 1652 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; died about 1722 in probably Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.  She was the daughter of 2894. John Smith and 2895. Elizabeth.

Children of Eleazer Arnold and Eleanor Smith are:
*  Phebe Arnold (1672-1741), married 1696 Thomas Smith (1671-1741).
*  Eleazer Arnold (1674-1712), married 1700 Sarah Hawkins (1680-1759).
*  Joseph Arnold (1678-1746), married 1716 Mary Stafford (1694-1779).
*  John Arnold (1682-1752), married 1733 Sarah --?-- (????-1751).
*  Elizabeth Arnold (1684-1758), married (1) 1704 William Hawkins (1679-1712); (2) 1718 Israel Smith (1690-1727).
*  Eleanor Arnold (1690-1722).
*  Mary Arnold (1697-1753), married 1717 George Thomas (1694-1756).
*  Jeremiah Arnold (1699-1775), married 1721 Freelove --?-- (1700-????).
*  Abigail Arnold (1700-1775), married 1720 John Mann (1694-1782).
*  Deborah Arnold (1702-????).

2992.  Thomas Arnold, born before 15 April 1599 in Hollesley, Suffolk, England; died September 1674 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.  He married about 1640 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.
2993.  Phoebe Parkhurst, born before 29 November 1612 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England; died 1688 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.  She was the daughter of 5986. George Parkhurst and 5987. Phebe Leete.

Children of Thomas Arnold and Phoebe Parkhurst are:
*  Ichabod Arnold (1641-????).
*  Richard Arnold (1643-1710), married (1) 1667 Mary Angell (1645-1687); (2) 1687 Sarah --?-- (????-1712).
*  Thomas Arnold (1644-1721).
*  Elizabeth Arnold (1645-1747), married 1678 Samuel Comstock (1654-1727)
*  John Arnold (1648-1723), married Hannah --?--.
*  Eleazer Arnold (1651-1722), married 1671 Eleanor Smith (1652-1722).

Information about these families was obtained from:

Richard H. Benson, The Arnold Family of Smithfield, Rhode Island (Boston, Mass., Newbury Street Press, 2009).

There are other books, and several periodical articles, that document more of these families also.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver.



Day 14 on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise - At Sea (no genealogy classes)

Legacy Family Tree has about 250 persons on this cruise (out of about 2,100 passengers) which will leave San Diego and head for Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and we'll end up in Fort Lauderdale on 7 October.  You can see more information about the cruise at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/CruiseInfo_2013.asp.

It's Saturday, 5 October, so we will be at sea all day today.



There are no Legacy Family Tree classes scheduled for today.  We can still talk genealogy at the pool, in the cafes and bars, the dining room, the easy chairs along the decks, etc.  Or we can do something more strenuous like play shuffleboard or lie by the pool.

We will arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Friday, October 4, 2013

Review - Genealogy at a Glance: Old Southwest Genealogy Research

The Genealogical Publishing Company in Baltimore has published another in its series of "Genealogy at a Glance" laminated research guides - this time for Old Southwest Genealogy Research by Dorothy Williams Potter. 


This "Genealogy at a Glance" booklet has four laminated pages on one 11" x 17" paper (folded). It is designed to give the user the basic elements of genealogy research in the allotted space. They provide an overview of the facts a researcher needs to know in order to begin and proceed successfully with research in the subject.

The description of the 
Old Southwest Genealogy Research booklet includes:

With records so sparse and far-flung, Old Southwest genealogy is the ideal subject for a research guide that can cover the basic elements of genealogical research in just four pages, giving you as much useful information in the space allotted as you’ll ever need. To begin with, the Old Southwest covered a vast territory, and genealogical research within its bounds requires knowledge of its history and geography.

Under territorial status, the Old Southwest consisted of territory east of the Mississippi, including Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and parts of Louisiana and Florida. Much of this area encompassed lands of the Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw Indians. Settlers arriving from the original Colonies were required to obtain passports for passage through Indian country, and after the Revolutionary War, settlers holding land were required to file proof of ownership.

Thus an entire body of records grew up in the pre-statehood period, and this guide starts at the very beginning with a look at the earliest migratory paths and main travel routes through the Old Southwest. In order to locate travelers or settlers on this fast-changing frontier prior to 1820, researchers are told about the major document collections containing public land records and passport and travel documents, compiled at a time when the usual county court records or census records did not exist. Typical records might include names of residents, taxpayers, express riders, petitioners, and Indian interpreters.

In keeping with the Genealogy at a Glance series, this research guide also contains a helpful list of books and articles for further reference, a list of major area libraries, and a list of online sources. In its entirety, it is a four-page distillation of the key ingredients of Old Southwest research, which can be read at a glance and used with total confidence.

The booklet has these subject areas:

*  Contents
*  Quick Facts 
*  Settlement Background
*  Major Genealogical Sources
*  Major Document Collections
*  For Further Reference
*  Major Area Libraries
*  Online Sources

This booklet is designed primarily for the person who is not an expert, or has little experience, on finding Old Southwest ancestors.  It provides guidance and excellent ideas to help researchers to find records for their Old Southwest ancestors. Reference books, records at the National Archives, State Archives, and other repositories, online databases and websites for some of the topics are cited in the text.

For someone like me that teaches and talks about genealogy a bit, it is invaluable because I can pull it out and provide some guidance to my student or colleague interested in the subject.

The beauty of these "Genealogy at a Glance" booklets is that they are very light and portable in a briefcase or laptop case. They are fixtures in my research case.

This four-page laminated booklet costs $8.95,  plus postage and handling (4th Class Mail $4.50; FedEx Ground Service in the USA, $6.00). You can order it through the Genealogical Store, or use the link for the 
Old Southwest Genealogy Research  booklet and click on the "Add to Cart" link.  I recommend buying these at seminars and conferences where they are offered in order to avoid the shipping costs.
*  Book Review:  Genealogy at a Glance - Family History Library Research

The URL for this post is:  
 

Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2013.

Disclosure: Genealogical.com contacted me recently and asked me to provide a review of this booklet. They mailed me a review copy for my personal use as remuneration for this review. 

Day 13 on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise - Cartagena, Colombia

Legacy Family Tree has about 250 persons on this cruise (out of about 2,100 passengers) which will leave San Diego and head for Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and we'll end up in Fort Lauderdale on 7 October.  You can see more information about the cruise at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/CruiseInfo_2013.asp.

It's Friday, 4 October, so we will dock in Cartagena, Colombia at 9 a.m.according to the cruise schedule.



The cruise ship offers a number of excursions on shore.  Since this is a new place for us, we'll probably have an excursion.  We have to keep it mild or moderate activity because Linda can't walk very far or fast these days.  The tours that we might take include:

*  Cartagena Panoramic Sightseeing - A panoramic tour of Cartagena (2.5 hours)

*  Medieval Cartagena by Horse Drawn Carriage - see the city and enjoy shopping at an artisan center (2.5 hours)

*  Cartagena City, La Popa Hill, Folkloric Show and Shopping - (4 hours)

*  Several others are up to 6 hours long and are more expensive.

We leave Cartagena at 4 p.m. on our way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1820 U.S. Census Record for Simon Wade in Glocester, R.I.

It's Treasure Chest Thursday - time to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history and genealogy musings.

The treasure today is the 1820 United States Census record for Simon Wade (one of my 4th great-grandfathers) in Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island.




The snippet for the Simon Wade household is:


The Simon Wade entry shows:

*  One male aged 0-10 years [probably son Lawton Wade born in 1814]
*  One male aged 10 to 16 years [probably son Fenner Wade born in 1807]
*  One male aged 16 to 26 years [probably son Arnold Wade, born in 1800]
*  One male over age 45 years [certainly Simon Wade born in 1767]
*  Two females aged 16 to 26 years [probably daughters Miranda Wade born in 1804 and either Olive Wade born in 1802 or Sarah Wade born in 1798]
*  Two females over age 45 years [probably his wife Phebe (Horton) Wade born in 1772 and one other person]
*  One person engaged in agriculture [probably Simon Wade]

The source citation for this entry is:

1820 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Providence County, Rhode Island, Glocester town: page 33, Simon Wade household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 September 2013), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M33, Roll 117.

While this census record doesn't provide exact ages for the household members, I think that I can estimate who might be in each age and gender group.

If Phebe Wade, the wife of Simon Wade, s one of the females in the over 45 age group, then I know that she was living at least until 1820.  The last known record for her is the birth of Lawton Wade in 1814.

There are several other Wade families on this page in the 1820 U.S. Census.  I don't think any of them are siblings or children of this Simon Wade.  They are probably first or second cousins of this Simon Wade.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver


Day 12 on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise - Colon, Panama

Legacy Family Tree has about 250 persons on this cruise (out of about 2,100 passengers) which will leave San Diego and head for Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and we'll end up in Fort Lauderdale on 7 October.  You can see more information about the cruise at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/CruiseInfo_2013.asp.

It's Thursday, 3 October, so we will dock in Colon, Panama at 6 a.m.according to the cruise schedule.



The cruise ship offers a number of excursions on shore.  Since this is a new place for us, we'll probably have an excursion.  We have to keep it mild or moderate activity because Linda can't walk very far or fast these days.  The tours that we might take include:

*  Eco Cruise on Gatun Lake and Locks - Cruise the channels, rivers and bays that make up this unique ecosystem. (4 hours)

*  Gamboa Rain Forest Aerial Tram - an aerial excursion through the rain forest canopy to discover plants, birds and animals whichl ive in the tree tops. (5 hours)

*  Grand Tour of Panama - Watch the Panama canal in action, see flora and fauna and visit the Embera Indian village.  (5 hours)

*  Monkey Watch - bus ride, boat ride on the Canal, wildlife habitat, and bus ride back. (5 hours)

*  Several others are 8 to 9 hours long and are more expensive.

We leave Colon at 4 p.m. on our way to Cartagena, Colombia on Friday.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Review - Genealogy at a Glance: Cherokee Genealogy Research

The Genealogical Publishing Company in Baltimore has published another in its series of "Genealogy at a Glance" laminated research guides - this time for Cherokee Genealogy Research by Myra Vanderpool Gormley, CG. 


This "Genealogy at a Glance" booklet has four laminated pages on one 11" x 17" paper (folded). It is designed to give the user the basic elements of genealogy research in the allotted space. They provide an overview of the facts a researcher needs to know in order to begin and proceed successfully with research in the subject.

The description of the 
Cherokee Genealogy Research booklet includes:

Designed to cover the basic elements of research in just four pages, Myra Gormley’s Cherokee Genealogy Research attempts to give you as much useful information in the space allotted as you’ll ever need. In less than a handful of pages, it provides an overview of the facts you need to know in order to begin and proceed successfully with your research: it covers Cherokee history, surnames, migrations, and basic genealogical resources, describing original documents as well as the latest online resources.

The largest Native-American tribe, the Cherokees are associated primarily with the state of Oklahoma, which was formed in 1907 by a merger of Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory, though smaller groups of Cherokees are found in North Carolina and elsewhere. Not all groups are federally recognized, and while a great many Americans claim some degree of Cherokee blood, there are only three Cherokee groups that have official status: The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (North Carolina).

The most useful records in Cherokee research are membership rolls, which were designed to allocate reservation lands, provide annuities, and pay compensation. Not all Cherokees are named in these rolls, because certain individuals did not meet the specific requirements for enrollment, but starting with the 1817 Reservation Roll, membership rolls are the best documentary sources available, and this handy research guide identifies the twenty most important rolls, including the 1835 Henderson Roll (called the Trail of Tears Roll), the 1848 Mullay Roll, which was the first census of the Eastern Band of Cherokees, the 1852 Drennen Roll, which was the first census of Cherokees living in northeastern Oklahoma, and the 1898-1906 Dawes Roll, which established official tribal enrollment of the Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles.

Like all publications in the Genealogy at a Glance series, Cherokee Genealogy Research provides all the instruction you need to get you started in your research, including research tips, references to key publications, and an indispensable list of online resources.

The booklet has these subject areas:

*  Contents
*  Quick Facts 
*  Cherokee History and Migrations
*  Unlocking Cherokee Family History
*  Basic Genealogical Sources
*  Cherokee Freedmen and Black Indians
*  Rolls Pertaining to Cherokees
*  Other Online Resources
*  Further Reading

This booklet is designed primarily for the person who is not an expert, or has little experience, on finding Cherokee ancestors.  It provides guidance and excellent ideas to help researchers to find records for their Cherokee ancestors. Reference books, records at the National Archives, State Archives, Library of Congress and other repositories, online databases and websites for some of the topics are cited in the text.

For someone like me that teaches and talks about genealogy a bit, it is invaluable because I can pull it out and provide some guidance to my student or colleague interested in the subject.

The beauty of these "Genealogy at a Glance" booklets is that they are very light and portable in a briefcase or laptop case. They are fixtures in my research case.

This four-page laminated booklet costs $8.95,  plus postage and handling (4th Class Mail $4.50; FedEx Ground Service in the USA, $6.00). You can order it through the Genealogical Store, or use the link for the 
Cherokee Genealogy Research booklet and click on the "Add to Cart" link.  I recommend buying these at seminars and conferences where they are offered in order to avoid the shipping costs.
*  Book Review:  Genealogy at a Glance - Family History Library Research

The URL for this post is:  
 

Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2013.

Disclosure: Genealogical.com contacted me recently and asked me to provide a review of this booklet. They mailed me a review copy for my personal use as remuneration for this review. 

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 276: Finding the Garter

I'm posting family photographs from my collection on Wednesdays, but they aren't Wordless Wednesday posts like others do - I am incapable of having a wordless post.

Here is a photograph from our wedding albums:



This is another one of the traditional wedding photographs insisted upon by the hired photographer and egged on by all in attendance.  After the bride tosses her bouquet and all of the single females leap to catch it (I don't have a picture of that for some reason), the groom has to get down on his knees, lift the bridal dress and find the white garter on the bride's leg.  We didn't practice this ... and I didn't ask which leg it was on.  Fortunately, it wasn't too hard to find, and she giggled the whole time because her 4th grade class was in attendance (as shown on the left of the picture).  

The tradition is that the groom tosses the garter to all of the single males in attendance (yes, the 4th graders too!), and they all try to avoid catching it.  I don't remember who caught it - maybe Linda's brother did, since he was the tallest (I aimed for him).

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Day 11 on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise - Panama Canal

Legacy Family Tree has about 250 persons on this cruise (out of about 2,100 passengers) which will leave San Diego and head for Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and we'll end up in Fort Lauderdale on 7 October.  You can see more information about the cruise at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/CruiseInfo_2013.asp.

It's Wednesday, 2 October, so we will start into the Panama Canal at 6 a.m.according to the cruise schedule.




The ship will pass through the Canal but not stop anywhere.  This will probably be the highlight of the cruise for this retired engineer.

We leave the Canal at 6 p.m. on our way to Colon, Panama on Thursday.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Review - Genealogy at a Glance: Civil War Genealogy Research

The Genealogical Publishing Company in Baltimore has published another in its series of "Genealogy at a Glance" laminated research guides - this time for Civil War Genealogy Research by Nancy Hendrickson. 


This "Genealogy at a Glance" booklet has four laminated pages on one 11" x 17" paper (folded). It is designed to give the user the basic elements of genealogy research in the allotted space. They provide an overview of the facts a researcher needs to know in order to begin and proceed successfully with research in the subject.

The description of the 
Civil War Genealogy Research booklet includes:

Over 3 million men took part in the Civil War. In addition to combat and personnel records, they left behind a vast body of records that can be mined for such information as dates and places of birth, names of family members, and places of interment. The key to these records is knowing what they are and where they can be found. The best thing you can do is to consult this Genealogy at a Glance research guide, which promises easy access to an enormous trove of data.

First we are shown how to determine if an ancestor participated in the war. From there we are introduced to the vast possibilities of such records as Compiled Military Service Records (enlistment papers, muster rolls, etc.), pension records, regimental rosters, and veterans' census schedules, with dates of enlistment and discharge, rank, and names of survivors. As the major record groups are described, one after the other, so too are the most helpful websites and associated archives.

The focus then shifts to complementary resources, which include archival collections, books for further research, and a comprehensive list of online Civil War resources. In line with the now familiar Genealogy at a Glance format, the four specially laminated pages of this work are designed to give you as much useful information in the space allotted as you'll ever need. Focusing on key record sources and materials for further reference, Civil War Genealogy Research allows you to grasp the fundamentals of research at a glance, placing you in control of this vast subject in just a few moments of your time.

The booklet has these subjects:

*  Contents
*  Quick Facts 
*  Where to Start
*  Types of Civil War Records
*  Census Records
*  Other Resources
*  Collections
*  Further Reading
*  Online Resources

This booklet is designed primarily for the person who is not an expert, or has little experience, on finding Civil War ancestors.  It provides guidance and excellent ideas to help researchers to find records for their Civil War ancestors. Reference books, records at the National Archives, State Archives, Library of Congress and other repositories, online databases and websites for some of the topics are cited in the text.

For someone like me that teaches and talks about genealogy a bit, it is invaluable because I can pull it out and provide some guidance to my student or colleague interested in the subject.

The beauty of these "Genealogy at a Glance" booklets is that they are very light and portable in a briefcase or laptop case. They are fixtures in my research case.

This four-page laminated booklet costs $8.95,  plus postage and handling (4th Class Mail $4.50; FedEx Ground Service in the USA, $6.00). You can order it through the Genealogical Store, or use the link for the 
Civil War Genealogy Research booklet and click on the "Add to Cart" link.  I recommend buying these at seminars and conferences where they are offered in order to avoid the shipping costs.
*  Book Review:  Genealogy at a Glance - Family History Library Research
The URL for this post is:  
 

Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2013.

Disclosure: Genealogical.com contacted me recently and asked me to provide a review of this booklet. They mailed me a review copy for my personal use as remuneration for this review. 

Tuesday's Tip - California Historical Record Collections on FamilySearch .org

This week's Tuesday's Tip is to:  Find California Birth, Marriage and Voter Registration Records in the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections.

FamilySearch.org has these historical record collections for California:



They include:


* California, Birth Index, 1905-1995 (24,596,224 indexed records, no images)
* California, Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 (34,399 records, no images)
* California, Cemetery Transcriptions, 1850-1960 (no index, browse images)
* California, Collections of the California Genealogical Society, 1700-1942 (no index, browse images)
* California, County Birth and Death Records, 1849-1994 (no index, browse images)

* California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 (1,911,081 indexed records, images available)
* California, Death Index, 1905-1939 (no index, browse images)
* California, Death Index, 1940-1997 (9,366,543 indexed records, no images)
* California, Divorce Index, 1966-1984 (3,518,816 indexed records, no images) 
* California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 (3,310,884 indexed records, no images)

* California, Los Angeles Passenger Lists, 1907-1948 (439,368 indexed records, images available)
* California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985 (4,879,251 indexed records, no images)
* California, Marriages, 1850-1945  (43,491 indexed records, no images)
* California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index, 1852-1989 (544,192 indexed records, images available) 
* California, Probate Estate Files,1833-1991 (no index, browse images)

* California, San Diego Naturalization Index, 1868-1958 (22,506 indexed records, images available)
* California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1835-1931 (93,871 indexed records, images available)
* California, San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997 (no index, browse images)
* California, San Francisco Passenger Lists, 1893-1953 (931,929 indexed records, images available)
* California, San Francisco, World War I Enemy Alien Registration Affidavits, 1918 (6,545 indexed records, images available)

* California, San Joaquin, County Public Library Obituary Index, 1850-1991 (98,787 indexed records, images available)
* California, San Mateo County Records, 1851-1991 (no index, browse images)
* California, San Mateo County, Colma, Italian Cemetery Records, 1899-2011 (no index, browse images)
* California, Southern District Court (Central) Naturalization Index, 1915-1976 (562,928 indexed records, images available)
* California, State Census, 1852 (188,578 indexed records, no images)

Some of these database are incomplete.  For instance, the California, Probate Estate Files collection (with over 2 million images) covers only Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, and Solano counties.  Hopefully, the incomplete record collections will add more content over time.

 There are many other databases on FamilySearch.org for all states and many countries.  Go to https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list and put your state or country of interest into the "Collection name" search field.

The URL for this post is:  

Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2013

Day 10 on the Celebrity Millennium - At Sea (Legacy Classes!)

Legacy Family Tree has about 250 persons on this cruise (out of about 2,100 passengers) which will leave San Diego and head for Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and we'll end up in Fort Lauderdale on 7 October.  You can see more information about the cruise at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/CruiseInfo_2013.asp.

It's Tuesday, 1 October, so we will be at sea all day today.


Since this is an "at sea" day, Legacy Family Tree has a full day planned for us with excellent speakers in the Conference Center on deck 3, including:

9 a.m.  Small group and 1-on-1 sessions with Legacy team

10 a.m.  Steve Salisbury:  "Using Legacy's Potential"

11 a.m.  Karen Clifford:  "Slow Down and Pick Up Speed"

2 p.m.  Barbara Renick:  "Think You Know How to Search Library Catalogs - Think Again!"

3 p.m.  Megan Smolenyak:  "Giving Back: A Look at 13 Years of Genealogy Grants"

We will arrive at the Panama Canal on Wednesday.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Monday, September 30, 2013

Amanuensis Monday - 1861 Deed in Westminster, Mass. from Isaac Seaver 3rd to James r. Bruce

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is a deed for three parcels of land in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, dated 6 February 1861, conveyed from Isaac Seaver 3rd (my great-great-grandfather) to James R. Bruce:


Know all men by these presents, that I, Isaac Seaver 3d, of Westminster, in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts and I Lucretia T. Seaver wife of said Grantor who joins in this deed in order to comply with the requisition of the Chapter 238 of the Statutes of this Commonwealth passed in the year 1855 entitled "An Act to exempt from Levy on Execution the homestead of a Householder" in consideration of one thousand dollars paid by James R. Bruce of said Westminster the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey, unto the said James R. Bruce his heirs and assigns the following described parcel of land, situated in said Westminster on the westerly side of the road leading from Main street to the house of Cyrus Winship and bounded and described as follows to wit.  Commencing at the Northerly corner thereof and running North 75 West 8 rods and 16 links, thence South 50 West 4 rods and 11 links thence South 90 East 16 rods, thence South 86 East 12 rods and 4 links, thence North 9-1/2 West 19 rods to the first mentioned bound.  Also one other parcel of real estate lying on the Easterly side said road and bounded and described as follows to wit: Commencing at a stake and stones at said road and running thence North 8 West 29 rods and 5 links to a stake and stones, thence North 21 East 11 rods and 6 links to a stake and stones, thence South 40-1/2 East 21 rods and 12 links to a stake and stones, thence North 52 East 57 rods and 8 links to a stake and stones, thence 53-1/4 East 24 rods and 10 links to a stake and stones on land of Abraham Mosemans estate, thence North 81 West 21 rods and 5 links to a stake and stones, thence South 33 West 20 rods and 6 links to a stake and stones, thence North 37-1/2 West 1 rod to a stake and stones in a straight line to the first mentioned bound, containing 17 acres more or less. Being the homestead of the late Frederick Winship with all the privileges thereunto belonging.  Also one other parcel of real estate situated in said Westminster on the road leading from Westminster to Ashburnham and adjoining the first described parcel and bounded and described as follows to wit:  Commencing at the Northeast corner thereof on the line of said road and running thence South by said road 6 rods, thence West by land of Charles Upton 5 rods, thence North by said Upton's land 6 rods to the parcel first described, thence East by the parcel first described 5 rods to the first mentioned corner and is the same real estate conveyed to me by Luke Bigelow by his deed dated June 16th A.D. 1858, and recorded in the Worcester Registry of Deeds Book 596 Page 381 with all the conditions mentioned on said deed.

To have and to hold the above-granted premises with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging to the said James R. Bruce and his heirs and assigns, to his & their use and behoof forever.  And I the said Grantor for myself and my heirs, executors and administrators do covenant with the said Grantee and his heirs and assigns that I am lawfully seized in fee simple of the aforegranted premises, that they are free of all incumbrances; that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Grantee and his heirs and assigns forever as aforesaid and that I will and my heirs executors and administrators shall warrant and defend the same to the said Grantee and his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims and demands of all persons. 

In witness whereof, we the said Isaac Seaver 3d and Lucretia T. Seaver wife of said Grantor who for the consideration aforesaid and one dollar to me paid by said Grantee the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged do hereby release to said Grantee & his heirs and assigns forever all right or or to a homestead in or out of said real estate and also in token of my release of all right and title of or to dower in the granted premises have hereunto set our hands and seals this sixth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.

Signed, sealed and delivered    }                              Isaac Seaver 3d      {seal}
in presence of                         }                             Lucretia T. Seaver   {seal}
C.W. Carter                            }                              Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Isaac Seaver                           }                              Worcester ss. Feb 6th 1861. Then
Elis. H. Smith                         }                               personally appeared the within
named Isaac Seaver 3d and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed.

Before me                         C.W. Carter                       Justice of the Peace
Rec^d March 5th 1861 at 2:20 P.M. Ent^d & Ex^d By. Alex. H. Wilder, Reg^r.


The source citation for this deed is:

"Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 28 May 2013) , Worcester County, "Deeds 1861, Vol. 636-637," image 229-230 of 679, in Volume 637, Pages 439-440,  Isaac Seaver 3d to James R. Bruce deed, land in Westminster, Mass., dated 6 February 1961, recorded 5 March 1861.

 This deed conveys three parcels of land in Westminster owned by Isaac and Lucretia T. Seaver to James R. Bruce.  James R. Bruce was Isaac Seaver 3rd's uncle, married to his aunt, Lucinda (Seaver) Bruce.  Lucinda was the sister of Isaac's father, Benjamin Seaver (1791-1825).

I think that the witness Isaac Seaver to the deed above is the step-father of Isaac Seaver 3rd, who was married to Abigial (Gates) (Seaver) Seaver, Isaac the 3rd's mother.  I think that the witness Elis. H. Smith is Lucretia T. (Smith) Seaver's mother, Elizabeth Horton (Dill) Smith (1791-1869), widow of Alpheus B. Smith.

Astute readers will recall that Isaac Seaver 3rd bought land from James R. Bruce in 1847, but I don't think that land is included in this transaction.  The land that Isaac Seaver 3rd bought from Luke Bigelow in 1858 was included in this transaction.  I have not yet found the deeds conveying the other two parcels in this transaction to Isaac Seaver 3rd.

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Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Day 9 on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise - Costa Rica!

Legacy Family Tree has about 250 persons on this cruise (out of about 2,100 passengers) which will leave San Diego and head for Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and we'll end up in Fort Lauderdale on 7 October.  You can see more information about the cruise at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/CruiseInfo_2013.asp.

It's Monday, 30 September, so we will dock in Puntarenas, Costa Rica 7 a.m.according to the cruise schedule.




The cruise ship offers a number of excursions on shore.  Since this is a new place for us, we'll probably have an excursion.  We have to keep it mild or moderate activity because Linda can't walk very far or fast these days.  The tours that we might take include:

*  Costa Rica's Favorites - bus to the Pacific Rain Forest Aerial Tram to fly through the rainforest canopy, have lunch, take a guided hike through the forest, and take a covered open boast on the Tarcoles River (with crocodiles).  That's 9 hours.

*  Pacific Boat, Boat and Bus Adventure - ride an ancient train in a one-hour scenic tour, then take a bus to the Tarcoles river for a 45 minute boat ride (crocodiles!), and a buffet lunch.  This is less than 5 hours.

*  Puntarenas Coastal Ortientation (Panoramic Scenic Drive) - Tour hills, mountains, plains, valleys, riverbeds, and towns, including a farmer's market. Only 3.25 hours.

*  Scarlet Macaw Sanctuary, Boat Tour and country Drive - A guided boat tour and the Macaw Sanctuary (only 4.5 hours).

*  Several others are 8 to 9 hours long and are more expensive.

We leave Puntarenas at 6 p.m. on our way to the Panama Canal on Wednesday.

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Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver