Finding Olive's Maiden Name, and More!

I have many persons, mostly female, with only a given name and no last name.  Most of these are where I have a male relative whose surname I know has married a woman and the only information I have is from a census record.

An example is Albert Henry White (1827-1910), son of Jonathan White (1805-1850) and Miranda Wade (1804-1850).  He is the brother of my second great-grandfather, Henry Arnold White (1824-1885).  Did Albert Henry White marry?  Did he have children (who might be on my DNA match list)?  Here are my profiles for Albert Henry White and Olive A. from my Ancestry Member Tree:

I knew, from the 1900 U.S. census that Albert Henry White married Olive A. in about 1866, based on the 1900 United States Census.  I also found them in the 1870 and 1880 census records.  There were no children.  I also found them in Find A Grave, where their memorials (and gravestones) provided the birth and death dates for both Albert and Olive White in Grove Street Cemetery in Putnam, Connecticut.  I also found death records in Connecticut Death and Burials Index, 1650-1934 for both of them, but they did not list parents or birth dates.  However, I did not have source citations for any of their records.

Can I find Olive's maiden name?  Can I find a marriage record for Olive and Albert?  What about birth and death records other than the Find A Grave memorials?

I searched Ancestry.com for a marriage record of Albert Henry White, and did not find one.  So I searched FamilySearch.  Bingo!

There is a death record in the Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916 collection on FamilySearch (this is from the IGI, which was extracted from town records) which lists "Albert Harris White," son of Jonathan and Maranda, marrying "Olive Almira Northup," daughter of Sidney and Olive Griffiths, on 29 November 1866 in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island.

They have Albert's middle name wrong (Harris instead of Henry), and it is unclear if Olive's father's surname is Griffiths or something else.  But I'm very sure that this is the Albert and Olive I am seeking.

A search for Olive White's death in 1926 revealed a Rhode Island death record in the Rhode Island, Deaths and Burials, 1802-1950 collection:

This record indicates that Olive Almira White died in Pascoag, Rhode Island, and provides the same birth date and death date shown on the gravestone.  It also lists her parents as Sydney Griffith and Olive Owens.  I then searched the 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census records and did not find Olive residing with Sidney and Olive Griffith, but did find her in 1860 residing in Warwick, Rhode Island.

So it appears that Olive's maiden name was probably Griffith, born 14 July 1839, died 4 August 1926 in Pascoag, Rhode Island, the daughter of Sydney Griffith and Olive Owen, and she was married 29 November 1866 to Albert Henry White in Warwick, Rhode Island.   I'm done, right?  I fulfilled all of my goals.

But wait, the 1866 marriage record said her name was Olive Almira Northup?  Was she married before?  Was the marriage to Albert Henry White a second marriage?  There's still this nagging loose end.

A marriage search for Olive Griffith easily found another Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916 entry:

Olive Griffith married Sylvester A. Northup on 18 August 1860 in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island.

Now the question is - Did Sylvester Northup die before Olive married Albert Henry White in 1866?  A death record was found in the Rhode Island, Deaths and Burials, 1802-1950 collection:

Sylvester A. Northup was born in 1839 and died 12 March 1865 in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, the son of Thos S. and Mary [Northup].  I checked the 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census records for Sylvester and found him in the family of Thomas and Mary Northup in Rhode Island.

So I have filled out the vital information about Olive Almira (Griffith) (Northup) White in my RootsMagic database, along with source citations for all of the records found.  The one vital record I could not find was a birth record for Olive Griffith, perhaps in Connecticut or Rhode Island.  I need to update Olive's profile on the FamilySearch Family Tree also.

It appears that Albert Henry and Olive (Griffith) (Northup) White had no children, so I don't have to worry about DNA matches from this line at this time.

NOTE:  I know that almost source I found about Olive is an index, and therefore a derivative source.  However, the indexes are taken from town records which were original records.  I don't have an incentive to spend money for certificates that will tell me what I think I already know.  If I were writing this for a peer reviewed article, I would make the investment.  But since I'm not, I judge the index information to be "good enough" for my purpose, which  is to find information about collateral people in my family tree database.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/finding-olives-maiden-name.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Treasure Chest Thursday - Post 288: 1890 Death Memorial Card for Devier David Carringer (1889-1890)

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  1890 Death memorial card for my grandfather's brother, Devier David Carringer (1889-1890):

The transcription of this death memorial card is:

In Loving Remembrance

Devier Carringer

Died May 10, 1890

Age 9 Months

"One less at home

The charmed circle broken -- a dear face

Missed day by day from its usual place,

But cleansed, saved, perfected by grace,

One more in heaven!

"One less on earth!

Its pain, its sorrow, its toil to share,

One less the pilgrim's daily cross to bear,

One more the crown of the blessed to bear,

At home in heaven!

The source citation for this record is (using the "Artifact, Privately held" source template in RootsMagic 7):

Devier Carringer memorial card, in Carringer Family papers collection, May 1890, privately held by Randall J. Seaver, [address for private use], Chula Vista, Calif.. black card with gold printing, includes a poem. passed from Henry Austin Carringer to Lyle L. Carringer (1946) to Betty (Carringer) Seaver (1977) to Randall J. Seaver (2002).

Devier David Carringer was born on 19 August 1889 in National City, California, the first child of Henry Austin and Abbie Ardelle "Della" (Smith) Carringer.  He died at age 9 months and was buried at La Vista Memorial Park in National City.  His name was taken from the first names of his grandfathers, Devier Jame Smith and David Jackson Carringer.

Can you imagine losing a 9 month old child?  I cannot, and yet events like this happen that affect a person and a family for the rest of their lives.  Austin and Della had another son, Lyle Lawrence Carringer, my maternal grandfather,  on 2 November 1891, and by family accounts, over-protected him during his childhood.  Family accounts also said that Austin and Della renounced their Christian faith because of Devier's death.  

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/treasure-chest-thursday-post-288-1890.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Book Review: "In Search of Barnabas Horton," by Jacqueline Diman

Reader Linda Johnson reviewed this book and wanted to share it with my Genea-Musings readers:

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For descendants of Barnabas Horton of Southold, Long Island, 2015 is a banner year - in July  "In  Search of Barnabas Horton, from English Baker to Long Island Proprietor, 1600-1680" by  Jacqueline Dinan was published.

While there are books detailing early Southold;  books, of varying accuracy, detailing the  descendants of Barnabas Horton, there has not been detailed research and information on Barnabas himself - some history, a few stories and myths.

Dinan, whose husband is a direct descendant, asked herself one question: "Who was Barnabas Horton of Southold, Long Island?"

The result of her question - two years of intensive research and "nose to the grindstone" writing, is a masterful history of Barnabas Horton.

The author started briefly, in the 1300-1400's, detailing historical events in England and leading up to conditions in the late 1500's and early 1600's which affected the Leicestershire area; the  circumstances around Mowsley, and other towns influencing the Horton family and Barnabas  himself - and it was not just religion.

With meticulous research in England and the United States, Dinan paints a detailed and fascinating picture of the Horton family in England and America, Barnabas himself, his wives and his nine children, including their relationships - with each other, with neighbors and the civil authorities.

While history books, even of your ancestor, can be a fairly boring read - this book, even with its  exacting detail and history, is a very easy, interesting  even compelling reading experience.  But take note: "Traditional myths collapse under historical evidence........".  Barnabas becomes a different person with Dinan's research.  A hardworking and tolerant man of moderate means whose main goal was to provide for his children.

This book is a tour de force and the author's detailed notes, facsimiles, documentation and sourcing, even the typeface she chose, make this a unique history which every descendant of Barnabas Horton should have in their library.  I would even include anyone who is descended from the early settlers of Southold, Long Island as there is a lot of detail about the other early settlers of Southold, particularly the various political upheavals they lived through.

The only place to order the book (other than Southold Historical Society's gift shop) is the author's website:  barnabashorton.com

The book is not inexpensive and Dinan does not provide any detail, so I will: The price is $45.00 plus S&H. The book is 6 X 9 inches 

The first half of 421 pages, is the history portion (216 pages); the second half  contains extensive primary source citations, Facsimiles, Historical Documents, and index.  At this time the book is not on Amazon, and is not available as an ebook.

I also like the fact that this book, a classy paperback, was printed in the United States.  I would be interested in hearing other reader's impressions of this book.  You can contact me at wellston73@gmail.com.

Note: Dinan has just launched a blog, for "updates and tidbits", which you can find at:  http://www.barnabashorton.blogspot.com

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My thanks to Linda for the book review.  I do have two Horton lines in New England, but I don't claim Barnabas Horton of Southold as an ancestor.  

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/book-review-in-search-of-barnabas.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Judy Brooks is SDGS Program Speaker on Saturday, 14 November

The next San Diego Genealogical Society program is this Saturday, 14 November, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church (8350 Lake Murray Blvd. in San Diego, at the corner of Jackson Drive).

Judy Brooks is the speaker for both sessions.  Her two talks will be:

1)   Researching Scottish Ancestors: This presentation gives an introduction to numerous web sites for researching Scottish ancestors throughout the United Kingdom that include those with links to various sites, the most common paid and free sites, and some unusual sites encountered in my research.

2)  High Road or Low Road How and Why the Scots Migrated:  This presentation is primarily a history of Scottish Migratory Patterns as far back as the 14th century. Your Scottish ancestor may have entered the United States from a number of countries from Europe to Australia and the Caribbean.

Judy Brooks has been researching both her own and her husband's ancestry since 1995 when he began looking for his tartan and proof of his Scottish heritage. As both families were in the United States in Colonial times, she has done extensive research in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Nebraska which has led her to additional research in Ireland and Scotland. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, Southern California Genealogical Society, Nebraska Genealogical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society, Genealogical Speakers Guild, and an active member of the San Diego North County Genealogical Society.

The education class at 9 a.m. will be the Ancestry.com Special Interest Group hosted by Del Ritchhart.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/judy-brooks-is-sdgs-program-speaker-on.html

My U.S. Marine Grandfather, Lyle Carringer -- Post 386 for (Not So) Wordless Wednesday

I'm posting old (and sometimes new) family photographs from my collection on Wednesdays, but they won't be wordless posts like others do - I am incapable of having a wordless post.

Here is one of the most precious (to me) images from my Seaver/Carringer photograph collection:

This photograph is of my grandfather, Lyle Lawrence Carringer (1891-1976), taken in about 1918.  I don't know the setting of this photograph - it may be near the Carringer house on 30th Street in San Diego with a typical palm tree as a background.

Lyle enlisted in the United States Marine Reserves in 1917, and served in the P X at the Marine Encampment in Balboa Park through 1918.  He was all of 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 125 pounds, but he was a Marine!  Lyle married Emily Auble on 19 June 1918 in San Diego.  

A Wikipedia article for Balboa Park in San Diego says:

"During both the Great War and World War II, the park was handed over to the Department of the Navy to be used as a barracks and training ground and was an extension of Naval Medical Center San Diego.^[52][53] By 1917, after $30,000 in repairs and modifications were made to the original buildings, over 5,000 U.S. troops were using the park for training.^[53]

"Coinciding with the Panama–California Exposition, the Commandant of the Marine Corps instructed 2nd Battalion of the newly established 4th Marines to represent the Marine Corps at the event. On December 19, 1914, Marine Barracks, Balboa Park, was established as the second, and during its period, and only Marine base in San Diego. It remained in place until 1921, when a more permanent base was established in Dutch Flats, itself a predecessor of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego."

I never saw my grandfather wear his Marine uniform, and I don't know what happened to it.  I'm sure that he would have fit in it all of his life.  He was the most peaceful man that I've ever known. 

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/my-us-marine-grandfather-lyle-carringer.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Veterans' Day 2015 - My Heroes

On Veterans Day, we honor those who have served our country and have given their lives so that we can remain free. 

My ancestors who have served in the military since the Revolutionary War include:

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1. World War II 

* Frederick W. Seaver (1911-1983, my father) served in the United States Navy aboard the USS 

Halford. The picture is from 1944.

He and my mother are buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, on Point Loma overlooking the city and the Pacific Ocean

.--------------------------------

2. World War I 

* Lyle L. Carringer (1891-1976, my grandfather) served in the United States Marines in San Diego. The picture is from 1917. 

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3. Civil War 

*  Isaac Seaver (1823-1901, my great-great-grandfather) of Leominster MA, a blacksmith, served in the Union Army.  

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4. War of 1812 

* James Bell (1777-1836) of Albany NY and later Henderson NY, served in the NY Militia.
* Amos Underhill (1772-1865) of Aurora NY served in the NY Militia.
*  Benjamin Seaver (1791-1825) of Westminster MA served in the Massachusetts Militia.

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5. Revolutionary War

* Martin Carringer (1758-1835) of Mercer County PA (RevWar Pension file)
* Philip Row (1752-1817) of Hunterdon County NJ (RevWar Pension File)
* Peter Putman (1760-1835) of NJ and Yates County NY (RW Pension file)
* Stephen Feather (17??-1804) of NJ and Westmoreland County PA
* Rudolf Spengler (1738-1811) of York County PA
* Philip Jacob King (1738-1792) of York County PA
* Burgess Metcalf (1741-1816) of Grafton County, NH

* Isaac Buck (1757-1846) of Sterling MA (RevWar Pension File)
* Thomas Dill (1755-1830) of Eastham MA (RevWar Pension File)
* Joseph Champlin (1758-1850) of S. Kingston RI (RevWar Pension File)
* Norman Seaver (1734-1787) of Westminster MA
* Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816) of Westminster MA
* Zachariah Hildreth (1728-1784) of Westford MA
* Zachariah Hildreth (1754-1828) of Townsend MA
* Amos Plimpton (1735-1808) of Medfield MA
* David Kirby (1740-1832) of Westport MA
* Joseph Oatley (1756-1815) of S. Kingston RI.

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I thank God for these men, the families that nurtured them, the wives that supported them, and the children who learned from them about the importance of service to their country.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/veterans-day-2015-my-heroes.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Geni.com Tells Me i'm Related to Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan and Lady Godiva

I was working in Geni.com today and decided to check to see if I was related to some famous folks.  Bad folks...

1)  Attila the Hun...

Well, well, well Attila the Hun (406-453) is my 43rd great-grandfather.  Who knew?  I never imagined!  But..., someone born in 406 should be about 60 to 70 generations back in time, and this shows only 45 generations.

This is through my 9th great-grandfather, Edmund Hobart (1573-1646), an early settler of Hingham,  Massachusetts.  According to Geni.com, the Hobart line goes back to European royalty for many generations into the princes of Hungary.  Funny, I don't recall Edmund Hobart being on a list of "gateway ancestors" to European royalty, but perhaps it's true.

2)  Genghis Khan?  Who is supposedly the ancestor of a significant part of all of humankind?

Oh, good, Genghis Khan (1162-1227) is not my ancestor!  He is my 18th great uncle's great-aunt's husband great-grandfather.  That seems like a stretch.  It's only 29 generations (I think) back in time - I would expect someone born in 1162 to be 34 to 36 generations back.  Perhaps someone made a mistake.  Or I haven't extended my Geni.com lines far enough back to connect.

3)  How about Lady Godiva?  Oh, I wish...

It says that Lady Godiva (980-1067) is my 27th great-grandmother.  But, I would expect someone born in about 980 to be about 40 generations back, and this shows only 31 generations back.  Again, there seem to be missing generations.  

Oh well, that was fun, but I'm not holding my breath that any of these are correct.

I wish Geni.com and other sites with information like this looked critically at these lines.  

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/genicom-tells-me-im-related-to-attila.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Dear Randy: Why Buy Genealogy Software When Online Trees are Available?

New Genea-Musings reader Roger asked this in an email recently:

"Ancestry.com, by all reviews, seems a fine program with a large database.  One pays for a monthly subscription and, if one wants information from Canada or from Europe, one has to purchase an additional subscription.  That perhaps, is the downside to the consumer.

"Other software programs like Legacy and RootsMagic, also get good reviews and on the surface, have a one-time purchase cost.

"Assuming money were not the factor, why would someone go the software program route as opposed to a web-based cloud application like Ancestry.com? (or any of the other free web-based programs).  I really am challenged in comprehending why the need to purchase software when the same or similar is already available on the web?

"The only answer I seem to hear is 'because why pay a monthly fee.'  If that really is the only answer, then so be it.  But with all the product out there, I can't help but feel that I am missing something in this storyline."

My response was lengthy, but perhaps other readers have wondered the same thing:

A)  The important thing to realize is that there are three different kinds of family tree "programs":

1)  Online separate "my" tree - Ancestry ($$), MyHeritage ($$), Findmypast ($$), etc. These are yours (but you can invite others to see it), are in the cloud, and are usually free to create a tree but require a subscription to search and find records.  They can be public or private.  They permit a GEDCOM upload or download.

2)  Online universal "our" tree - FamilySearch Family Tree, Geni ($$), WikiTree, etc.  These are not yours, are in the cloud and are either free or subscription.  Any registered user can add, change or delete information.  They are public.  FSFT and Geni don't permit a GEDCOM upload.

3)  Offline separate genealogy software tree - RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker, Family Tree Builder, many more.  These are "buy it once per version" programs that reside on your computer,  Some are free to download and use, but some of those have crippled features that are in the paid program  You download the program, and add content to it.  It is yours. The programs are much more comprehensive than the online programs - especially with reports, charts, sources, etc.  It is much easier to add names, relationships, dates, places, sources, media etc. to the offline programs than to the online programs.  These trees are private unless you choose to share the information.  All offline programs can import or export information using GEDCOM.

There is a process to import or export a data file using a GEDCOM (GEnealogy Data COMmunication) text format to transfer all or part of a tree in one form (online or offline) to another online or offline form.  If I want to export my RootsMagic software program data file, I can create a GEDCOM file in RootsMagic (export), and then I can import that file into Family Tree Maker, Ancestry, MyHeritage, or any other genealogy software program or website that will import a GEDCOM file.  However, the data transfer is not always perfect because each program or website won't import customized features from the export program.  

B)  Some of the offline genealogy software programs interact with online family tree sites.  For instance:

!)  A specific Family Tree Maker (FTM) database synchronizes with a specific Ancestry Member Tree (AMT).  If you change data in one or the other, or both, you can click on "Synchronize" in FTM to change the information in both the FTM database and the AMT to get them in sync. An AMT can also synchronize with the Ancestry mobile app.

2)  A specific Family Tree Builder software database synchronizes with a specific MyHeritage family tree.  The MyHeritage tree can synchronize with the MyHeritage mobile app.

3)  RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree and Ancestral Quest can exchange information with the FamilySearch Family Tree (FSFT).  You can move information from one of those software programs to the FSFT, but not from any other software program.  The offline genealogy software programs usually have mobile apps that are static - the data can be changed out whenever desired, but they don't synchronize.

4)  Some of the offline software programs can access different online data providers.  FTM users can bring content directly into FTM from Ancestry.  RootsMagic users can see FamilySearch Record Hints and MyHeritage Record Matches but have to add the information by hand, not by direct import.

5)  There are mobile apps for Ancestry.com, MyHeritage and FamilySearch that are synchronized with a person's tree on the website.  Changes made on the mobile app are reflected in the online tree, and vice versa.  This is truly "my family tree in my pocket."

C)  With that as the background, "why pay a monthly fee" or a "one-time fee."  It's a user's choice.  Some reasons:

1)  Privacy.  "I don't want to share my information with anybody" or "I don't want anyone to steal it."  You choose to use an offline genealogy software program.

2)  Family only - "I want to share my tree only with my family."  You can do it by creating a GEDCOM file and share it with family via email, or in an online private family tree, and invite the family members to view it and add to it.

3)  "It's my tree and I want to find cousins online - I'm OK with sharing my information online, and I want to find others who are related to me."  So you put just what you want in a public online family tree,  You could use a bare-bones online tree, or a fully-leafed tree.  You could upload a GEDCOM file from an offline genealogy software program or create the tree within the online tree system, or build the online tree from scratch.

4)  "I want to share my information with everyone and be open to changes." You could add information to an online universal tree, and collaborate with others who share your ancestors and relatives.  

5)  Cost - some persons cannot afford to subscribe to a subscription data provider (e.g., Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast, etc.), or don't want to pay for a subscription.  They use a free or purchased offline genealogy software program and build their family tree from collected records.  There are some researchers still using software programs created in the 1980s and 1990s that they judge to be "good enough." 

6)  Ease of Use - some researchers find it is much easier to add content (names, relationships, dates, places, notes, sources, media) to an offline genealogy software program than into an online family tree.  

7)  Offline Genealogy Software Programs have more capabilities than online tree systems.  This is especially true for charts, reports, book creation, lists, research logs, to-do lists, etc.

D)  In my case, because I write about all of the online family tree sites and some of the programs, I have both online and offline trees, but use RootsMagic 7 as my "master software" and export a GEDCOM file occasionally to the online trees or into other software programs.  

For instance, to add a new Ancestry Member Tree, I create a GEDCOM in RootsMagic, import it into FTM, then sync the FTM file with a new Ancestry Member Tree.  That process adds my person profiles, notes, sources and media into the Ancestry Member Tree.  

I use RootsMagic 7 to interchange information with the FamilySearch Family Tree, often creating new person profiles, adding and standardizing vital and other record data.  Occasionally, the FSFT has more information about a person than I have, and I add that information if it is sourced.

In my preferred process, I use the Ancestry Hints, the MyHeritage Record Matches, the FamilySearch Record Hints, etc. to add information to my RootsMagic 7 software database.  

I regularly save my RootsMagic 7 database to Dropbox and Google Drive as a backup, and can import it into RootsMagic and other programs on my laptop computer.  

I find it much easier to add content (names, relationships, dates, etc.) to the offline genealogy software programs than to an online family tree.  I greatly appreciate the chart, report, list, and research log capabilities of the genealogy software programs.  

E)  In the end, you need to do what's best for you - it's OK to have only an online tree, or only a genealogy software tree.  Or trees on many online sites or in many software programs.  Or on paper.  It's your tree.  If you don't want to share, it's OK.  And vice versa.  The problem is keeping more than one tree up to date.

At some time you realize that you want your research efforts to be available for posterity, and you write "books" and/or a blog, or create your own family tree website, or create a large family tree chart.  The content for these are usually created with an offline genealogy software program..  

The URL for this post is:  

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Elizabeth Blanchard and Frederick Blanchard Death Notices on GenealogyBank - UPDATED

This morning's Mondays With Myrt Hangout on Air highlighted military veterans, especially those who were in our extended families.  I discussed my first cousin twice removed, Kenneth Blanchard (1891-1918), whom I never knew.  I highlighted two of my earlier posts which were found essentially by luck:

*  The "Forrest Gump Principle of Genealogy Research" strikes again (posted 18 December 2008).

*  Amanuensis Monday: "Tribute Paid to Hero's Worth" - Kenneth L. Blanchard (posted 30 May 2011)

I also posted Tombstone Tuesday - the Blanchards on 16 December 2008 having found the gravestones of Frederick and Elizabeth Blanchard.

I checked my database to see if I had a newspaper obituary or death notice for Frederick G. Blanchard (1847-1926) and Elizabeth L. (Seaver) Blanchard (1859-1914).  Elizabeth is my great-grandaunt, the sister of my great-grandfather, Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922).

I found a death notice for Elizabeth Blanchard in the 11 March 1914 issue of the San Diego Tribune newspaper on GenealogyBank:

I transcribed the death notice today:

Mrs. Elizabeth L. Blanchard, wife of F.G. Blanchard, died last evening at 8 o'clock at her home on Nineteenth street, near D avenue, after a serious illness of sixteen weeks.  She was the mother of Frederick T. Blanchard,, of Berkeley, Cal., and Laurence C. and Kenneth L. Blanchard of National City.  She was formerly of Massachusetts, coming to National City about 25 years ago.  She was 54 years of age.  The announcement of funeral services will be made later by Johnson, Connell and Saum.

This death notice gave me a death date, which I subsequently found in the California Death Index, 1905-1939 on Ancestry.com.

UPDATE:

I received an email from Peter who sent me an image for Frederick Blanchard's death notice in the San Diego Evening Tribune, dated 29 January 1926:

The death notice reads:

BLANCHARD, FREDERICK G. -- Jan. 28, 1926, aged 78 years.

Reader Kathy did a broader search than I did - she searched all of California with the names, year 1926, and no keywords.  I used a keyword entry of "national city" because I couldn't think of that being left out.  A dumb error.  Thanks, Kathy!

I searched for an obituary or death notice for her husband, Frederick G. Blanchard, who died 27 January 1926 in National City.  I did not find one, even though I tried some of Kenneth Marks' "tricks" like using only part of a name in case the name was hyphenated.  I also tried just a first name and the words "died" or "passed" as a keyword.

\Oh well - I am happy I found Elizabeth's notice, and perhaps I'll run across more information about Frederick at another time.  and disappointed that Frederick didn't have a real obituary to memorialize his life.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/elizabeth-blanchard-death-notice-on.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

New or Updated Record Collections at FamilySearch.org - November 1 to 7, 2015

I'm trying to keep up with the new and updated record collections at FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list).  

As of 8 November 2015, there were 2,047 record collections on FamilySearch (an increase of 4 from last week):

The new or updated collections are:


*  United Kingdom, World War I Women's Army Auxiliary Corps Records, 1917-1920; Browse Images only, no index, added or updated 06 Nov 2015

*  North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979; 207,964 indexed records with record images, added or updated 04 Nov 2015

*  New Zealand, Auckland, Port Albert, Membership Lists and Minutes from the Church of Christ, 1875-1926; Browse Images only, no index, added or updated 04 Nov 2015

*  Philippines Civil Registration (Archives Division), 1902-1945; Browse Images only, no index, added or updated 04 Nov 2015

*  Brazil, Santa Catarina, Catholic Church Records, 1714-1977; 171,274 indexed records with record images, added or updated 04 Nov 2015

*  Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974; 624,395 indexed records with record images, added or updated 04 Nov 2015

*  Spain, Province of Barcelona, Municipal Records, 1387-1986; 895,228 indexed records with record images, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

*  Italy, Imperia, Ventimiglia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1806-1913; Browse Images only, no index, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

*  Slovakia, Census, 1869; Browse Images only, no index, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

*  Italy, Forlì-Cesena, Forlì, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1800-1815, 1866-1930; Browse Images only, no index, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

*  Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992; 543,429 indexed records with no record images, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

*  Ecuador, Catholic Church Records, 1565-2011; 267,440 indexed records with record images, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

*  Peru, Puno, Civil Registration, 1890-2005; 722,263 indexed records with record images, added or updated 03 Nov 2015

Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell which collections are brand new and which ones are updated.  The asterisk they use is for "Recently added or updated."  I am particularly interested in new collections, for the obvious reasons.

In order to select a specific collection, go to https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list and use the "Filter by collection name" feature in the upper left-hand corner.

Each one of the collections listed above has a Research Wiki page (use the "Learn more" link).  It would be very useful if the Wiki page for each collection listed the dates for when the collection was added as a new collection and the dates for major updates also.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/new-or-updated-record-collections-at_9.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.