Santa in the News -- The 1957 Obituary of Santa Claus in Missouri

It's time for another edition of "Seavers in the News" - a weekly feature from the historical newspapers about persons with the surname Seaver that are interesting, useful, mysterious, fun, macabre, or add information to my family tree database.

But this week, the article is about Santa Claus - the real person - and his obituary, with a photograph!

This week's entry is from the Kansas City [Mo.] Times newspaper dated 2 April 1957:

The transcription of the article is:

"REAL SANTA CLAUS DIES

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MINISTER AT MARSHALL WIDELY KNOWN

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His Name Caused "Trouble" at Times and Brought Thousands of Letters

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Marshall, Mo. April 1. (AP) -- Santa Claus is dead.

"The retired Church of God minister who went through 63 years of life bearing the name of the Christmas saint died at his home here today of a kidney ailment.

"Claus never did know why his parents gave him the name of Santa, unless it was his father's sense of humor.

"A Source of 'Trouble' 

"'But it's a good name, even if it is a lot of trouble,' he said.

"By 'trouble' Claus mentioned such things as getting checks cashed.  Once an expressman refused to deliver a basket of fruit from California because 'there ain't no Santa Claus.'

"But through the years, many of them lean ones, too, he tried to live up to the  name. He received thousands of letters every year from all parts of the world.  Claus took great pains in answering all of them.  Sometimes, when the load became too great, he received help in providing postage.

"Sometimes he still had a large stack of letters to answer many months after Christmas.

"6,000 Christmas Letters

Sometimes his mail volume would reach 6,000 at Christmas time.  He was proud of his scrapbooks full of such letters.

"In addition to serving as a minister, Claus was a plumber.  Once he worked on WPA.  He and his first wife had seven children.

"Claus was smooth shaven, but once he did grow a beard so as to make his appearance more in character.

"He had spent most of his life around Marshall, except for two years when he lived in Ottumwa, Ia."

The photograph caption is:

"His Mail Always Heavy -- The Rev. Santa Claus, 63, who died yesterday at Marshall, Mo., for years received letters from all over the world and tried to answer each one. "

The source citation for the article is:

"Real Santa Claus Dies" obituary, Kansas City [Mo.] Times, 2 April 1957, page 36, column 3, Santa Claus obituary; Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 20 December 2018).

Can you imagine how hard he must have worked to answer the letters?  6,000 in a year comes out to be over 16 per day on average.  Heck, I don't write that many blog posts in a day.  

He sounds like a wonderful man.  

I wonder if the date of his death (April first) caused readers to wonder if this was an actual obituary or an April Fool's prank.

I recently had an email from his grandson who saw my 2017 posting of Historical Records of an American Santa Claus.  The grandson was 8 years old and lived next door when his Santa died.  He says he has a scrapbook with many articles from the 1930s to 1950s about his grandfather.  

Unfortunately, I don't think I'm related to this real Santa Claus, but I wish I was!

We'll be back to "Seavers in the News" next week.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/santa-in-news-1957-obituary-of-santa.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Blog Caroling - "Angels We Have Heard On High"

Our dear footnoteMaven is warming up the Choir of Genea-Angels again this year for a sing-along of Christmas Carols. We are supposed to claim our favorite Christmas Carol. The collection of songs from genea-bloggers should lift all of our spirits as we shop until we drop.  

My favorite is still "Angels we Have Heard On High" - maybe because of the Latin in it? Or because I can sing it in J-sharp and no one notices because of the joy it brings everyone else? Most likely because Linda collects angels and is referred to as Angel Linda by friends. The rumor that the first angel she collected was me is untrue.

Enjoy:

 

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high,

Singing sweetly through the night,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their brave delight.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why these songs of happy cheer?

What great brightness did you see?

What glad tiding did you hear?

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem and see Him

whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee

Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

See him in a manger laid

Whom the angels praise above;

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,

While we raise our hearts in love.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Amen!

Musicologists have decided that this anonymous French tune was probably created around the eighteenth century. Some legends place its origin as as early as the second century.

Traditional French Carol (from Wikipedia):

Words: Tra­di­tion­al French car­ol (Les Anges dans nos Cam­pagnes).Trans­lat­ed from French to Eng­lish by James Chad­wick (1813-1882); ap­peared in Crown of Jesus, 1862.

Music: “Gloria (Barnes),” French carol melody; ar­ranged by Ed­ward S. Barnes.

Recorded/Performed: Andy Williams - 1970

Also recorded by: Tennessee Ernie Ford; Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Tommy Greer; Clancey Brothers; Scarlet Rivera; Eric Rigler; Madeline McNeil; Sandi Patty; Nat King Cole; Lorie Line; Connie Brown; Scott Miller; Vienna Boys Choir; Percy Faith; Collin Raye; Frankie Gavin; Texas Boys Choir; Mel Weston; Donny Osmond.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/blog-caroling-angels-we-have-heard-on.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1660 Marriage Record of Joseph Church and Mary Tucker in Hingham, Massachusetts

It's Treasure Chest Thursday - a chance 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 1660 marriage record of Joseph Church and Mary Tucker in the Hingham, Massachusetts town records:

The Church-Tucker marriage record is on the left-hand page in the second column of the records:

The transcription of this record is:

"[1660] [Dec] 3  Joseph Church married Mary Tucker"

The source citation for this record is:

"Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," indexed database and digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), Hingham > Hubbard´s Journal, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths, image 14 of 133, Joseph Church and Mary Tucker marriage record.

Joseph Church (1638-1711) was the son of Richard Church and Elizabeth Warren of Hingham, and Mary Tucker was the daughter of John and Ann (--?--) Tucker of Hingham.  

They are my 8th great-grandparents, through their daughter Deborah Church (1677-1772), who married Samuel Gray (1681-1712) in 1699 in Little Compton, Rhode Island..

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/treasure-chest-thursday-1660-marriage.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Historical Records of an American Santa Claus

There was at least one man who used the name Santa Claus in U.S. history, and there are quite a few records for him:

*  In the 1900 U.S. Census, a person named "Santa Clause" (born April 1887 in MO) was the son of William Clause (born Feb 1857 in MO) and Henrietta Clause (born May 1861 in MO), with siblings Emma B. Clause (born Jan 1881 in MO), William E. Clause (born Nov 1882 in MO), Earler (?) Clause (born Dec 1885 in MO), Nellie Claus (born Nov 1889) and Earl Clause (born Dec 1894 in MO). The family resided in Liberty township, Saline County, MO (NARA T623, Roll 902, ED 129, Page 3A).

*  In the 1910 census, "Sante Claus" was age 23, single, a farm laborer, living as a hired man in the household of David Fleshman in Liberty township, Saline County, MO (NARA T624, Roll 823, ED 172, Page 4A).

*  In the 1920 census, "Santy Clause" (age 31, single, a boarder) resided with his brother Earl Clause in Blackwater township, Pettis County, MO (NARA T625, Roll 939, ED 125, Page 4B).

*  In the 1930 census, "Santa Claus" (age 42, married, first at age 24, born in MO, a laborer, works in river construction) resided in Marshall township, Saline County, MO with his wife Mabel Claus (age 36, married, first at age 18 in MO), son William Claus (age 15, born MO), son Raymond Claus (age 12, born CO), son Fred Claus (age 9, born MO), son Joseph Claus (age 6, born MO), son James Claus (age 3, born MO) and daughter Dorthy Claus (age 0, born MO) (NARA T626, Roll 1246, ED 20, Page 12A).

Notice that son Raymond Claus was born in Colorado, not Missouri. And also note that Santa was in Missouri in the 1920 census listed as single, but he obviously had a wife and children in 1920 if the 1930 census records are correct.

I was unable to find Mabel Claus or the two children, William and Raymond, in the 1920 census - perhaps someone else would like to try! My best guess is that they may be in Colorado then, or back in Saline County MO.

*  In the 1940 U.S. census, "Santa Claus" (age 52, married, born in Missouri, completed 4th grade, a sewer man) resided in Marshall, Saline county, Missouri with his wife Minnie Mabel Claus (age 46, married, born Missouri, completed 6th grade); son William Owen Claus (age 24, single, born Missouri, completed 7th grade); son Raymond Elbert Claus (age 22, single, born Colorado, completed 8th grade, a yard man); Fred Claus (age 19, single, born Missouri, completed 7th grade);  son Joseph Claus (age 16, single, born Missouri, completed 1st year of high school, a new worker); son James Claus (age 13, single, born Missouri, completed 6th grade); daughter Amy Ruth Claus (age 9, single, born Missouri, completed 3rd grade); daughter Edna May Claus (age 3, single, born Missouri).

There is more:

*  Santy Clause married Minnie Mabel Hill on 9 June 1912 in Marshall, Saline County, Missouri. Their marriage record is in the Missouri Marriage License database on Ancestry.com, but it only says that he was from Marshall and over age 21, and she was from Marshall and over age 18.

*  "Santy Clause" registered for the World War I draft on 5 June 1917 in Prowers County, Colorado. He was age 29, born 4 April 1888 in Marshall MO, a natural born US citizen, Caucasian, married with two children. He was a farmer, and resided in Lamar, Route A, Prowers County, Colorado. He was medium height, medium build, blue eyes, light brown hair, and no disabilities, and had no previous military service.

*  Santa Clause has a Missouri death certificate - he died 1 April 1957 in Marshall, Saline County, Missouri (see it at  http://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1957/1957_00011723.PDF) [My thanks to reader Kathy L who sent the link to me in 2013.]

*  Members of the Clause family are buried in Blue Lick Union Church Cemetery in Saline County, Missouri. The list includes:

Donna Clause (died 3 Oct 1942, age 0-4-24)
Earl Clause (1894-1940)
Helen F. Clause (1919-1955)
Henrietta S. Clause (18__-1915)
Minnie Mabel Clause ("Mother," 1894-1944)
Raymond E. Clause (1917-1971)
Santa Clause ("Father," 1888-1957) - see his Find A Grave memorial here.
Silvina Clause (1877-1964)
William Clause (1856-1917)

So, to summarize:

"Santa Claus" was born 4 April 1887 or 1888 in Marshall, Saline County, MO, the son of William and Henrietta (--?--) Claus. He married Minnie Mabel Hill in 1912 and they had at least 6 children.  He was a farmer in 1920, laborer in river construction in 1930, and a sewer man in 1940. He died on 1 April 1957, a retired minister,  in Marshall, Missouri and is buried in Saline County, Missouri.

This Santa Claus is, unfortunately, not coming to town soon - he's dead and buried in Missouri. It doesn't appear that he could possibly be the jolly purveyor of toys and good cheer with a big belly and long white beard who lives with his unnamed wife and elves and 9 reindeer at the North Pole, does it? 

Don't tell the kids.

Isn't it amazing what you can find on the Internet with lots of spare time on your hands?

I posted this originally on 27 November 2006 and had two comments from granddaughters of Santa Claus, one from a cousin several times removed, and one from a lady whose parents were married by Santa Claus.  I had another comment from a probable relative in 2011 - see post here.  In 2013, a neighbor commented - see that post here.]

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Note:  I have posted this every year since 2006 at Christmas time.  

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/historical-records-of-american-santa.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Family History Fanatics Presents a 2019 Winter DNA eConference (26 January 2019)

I received this information from Family History Fanatics today:

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SAVE THE DATE AND KICK OFF THE YEAR RIGHT 

Don’t let genetic genealogy continue to confuse you in 2019. 

The Winter DNA eConference takes place live on 26 January 2019 beginning at 9 AM Eastern. 

● eConference is open to anyone with an internet connection who is ready to have fun while learning!

● If you can't attend the event live, you’ll have access to the eConference replay for 30 days. 

TOPICS & PRESENTERS 

● Maximizing Your Use of GEDmatch - Tim Janzen 

● Finding Family with DNA Testing: A Genetic Detective Story - Richard Hill 

● DNA Tree Building: What to Do When GEDmatch Matches Don't Respond - Andy Lee 

● Using Y-DNA in Your Family Tree Research - Dr. Maurice Gleeson 

 AFTER THE SESSIONS 

The four panelists will return for a "test your knowledge' competition and then more of your unscripted rapid-fire questions. 

 Early bird pricing is $19.99 until January 18th. After that, pricing will increase to $24.99. 

When you register, you'll be entered to win genetic genealogy-related door prizes. 

To learn more and register visit www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/winterdna. 

Family History Fanatics is a genealogy education company that is focused on putting the fun in online learning. See the difference the FHF Group puts together for you.

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Disclosure:  FamilyHistoryFanatics asked me to publicize this eConference.  I have not been remunerated for this post or any other post for FHF.  I have made one presentation, and was compensated for that presentation, for Family History Fanatics in the past year.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/family-history-fanatics-presents-2019.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Randy Riding his Horse Trike in About 1945 -- Post 545 of (Not So) Wordless Wednesday

Recently, I discovered an envelope of small photographs saved when my mother died in 2002 - it was hiding in plain sight in the Genea-Cave! 

Included in the photo cache was this oldie-but-goodie - Randy and his horse-trike in about 1945:

I had a small tricycle when I was young (I have several photos of it) and loved riding it all over the block.  I was probably age 2 or 3 in this photo.  I think I'm wearing the same outfit as the photo I showed last week.

This was probably taken in the summer or fall of 1945 or 1946 on the Carringer property on 30th Street in San Diego.  I recognize the upstanding brick on the left edge of the photo as typical of signifying the end of a line of bricks serving as a property line - there were several on 30th, Hawthorn and Fern Streets just like that.  

Two houses are shown in the background and i'm pretty sure they were on the west side of 30th Street.  My grandparents knew the people over there, but I never knew who they were.  

My mother or my grandfather probably took this photograph.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/randy-riding-his-horse-trike-in-about.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Genealogy News Bytes - 18 December 2018

Some of the genealogy news items across my desktop the last four days include:

1)  News Articles:

*  Regina King and Matthew Morrison Episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? on TLC

*  Down Under edition of Webinar Wednesday announced

2)  New or Updated Record Collections:

*  Added or Updated Record Collections at FamilySearch.org - Week of 9 to 15 December 2018

*  Added and Updated Ancestry.com Record Collections - Week of 9 to 15 December 2018

*  Latest update from Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives

3)  Genealogy Education Opportunities:

*  GeneaWebinars Calendar

*  Upcoming Family Tree Webinar - Wednesday, 19 October 2018, 11 a.m. PST:  That Splendid Little War: Researching Your Spanish American War Ancestors, by Michael L. Strauss
 
*  Upcoming SCGS Webinar - Wednesday, 19 December, 6 p.m. PST:   Dr. Jan Joyce: Solving One Name & Many Locations with a Location & Timeline Tool

*  Archived Family Tree Webinar:  Proving Identity and Kinship Using the GPS: Finding a Freedman's Family, by Nancy A. Peters

*  Research Like a Pro Podcast:  RLP 23: United States Probate Records Part 1

*  Fisher’s Top Tips Podcast:  #28… End Of The Line? Try This Trick And See If It Doesn’t Shine A Light On The Problem

*  Fisher’s Top Tips Podcast: #27… Fumbling To Find Your Females? Have You Considered This?

*  Extreme Genes Podcast/Radio Show:  Episode 264 – Determined Researcher Changes 300-Year-Old Family History / Dealing With Aliases And Name Changes

*  Ancestry YouTube:  Ancestry Helps Jonty Find His "Dead" Great-Grandfather | My Family Secrets Revealed | Ancestry

*  Ancestry YouTube:  Edward VII's Coronation Robes Are Made by Dawn's Ancestors? | My Family Secrets Revealed | Ancestry

*  Family History Fanatics YouTube:  Understanding Half Relationships = Genetic Genealogy Explained

*  FamilySearch YouTube:  Road to RootsTech, Episode 6: Keynote Speakers and Entertainment 2019

4)  Bargains:

*  Genealogy Bargains for Friday, December 18,  2018

*  RootsTech 2019 Holiday Special – Save $100!

5)  DNA Success Stories

*  Suddenly siblings: Ancestry.com search reveals family ties

*  'Miracle' is 33 years in making

Did you miss the last Genealogy News Bytes - 14 December 2018?

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/genealogy-news-bytes-18-december-2018.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Twelve Days of a Genealogy Christmas - Randy's Version

A genealogy oriented version of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" was available on the Internet on  Kimberly Powell's site for many years, but it is, apparently, no longer available.

Several years ago, I decided I would do my own based on genealogy, my own needs and my own research:

On the 12th day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me --

*  Twelve Revolutionary War pension files with the Family Bible pages included (12)

*  Eleven autosomal DNA matches with common ancestors (22)

*  Ten Social Security Application and Claims records (30)

*  Nine Facebook postings from distant cousins (36)

*  Eight probate files (40)

*  Seven census pages (42)

*  Six land deeds (42)

*  Five newspaper obituaries (40)

*  Four marriage records (36)

*  Three family Bibles (30)

*  Two draft registration images (22)

*  A new name in my family tree. (12)

I've put the total number in parenthesis of each item - if you sing the song all the way through, going one number at a time.

My true love is a busy girl, isn't she?

But, but, but ... that would take all the fun out of the ancestor search, wouldn't it?


Note:  Lorine McGinnis Schulze has posted her Twelve Days in   http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/12/12-days-of-christmas-genealogy-version.html.

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NOTE:  This is a yearly repost.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/twelve-days-of-genealogy-christmas.html

Copyright (c) 2018, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Treasure Chest Tuesday -- 1880 Declaration of Intention for Elling Erikson Natvik in Dane County, Wisconsin

This week's Tuesday Treasure is the 1880 Declaration of Intention for the naturalization of Elling Erikson Natvik in Dane County, Wisconsin:

The transcription of this record is (handwritten entries in italics):

"STATE OF WISCONSIN    }  
Circuit Court, Dane County  }S.C.T.

"                                        I, Elling Erikson Natvik
an alien, being a free white person, do hereby declare on oath, that it is, bona fide, my intention to become a
citizen of the United States of America, and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign
Prince, Potentate, State or sovereignty whatever, and particularly to King Ocar II King 
of Norway and Sweden.
whereof I am now a subject.                                            his
                                                                    Elling Erikson X Natvik
                                                                                           mark

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, at the Clerk's office, in the City
of Madison, this 30th day of September
A.D. 1880.  
                                                           U.Z. Mul???en, Clerk

The source citation for this Declaration of Intention is:

"Wisconsin, County Naturalization Records, 1807-1992," digital image, FamilySearch (https://FamilySearch.org), Dane County > Declarations of Intention, 1880, image 144 of 226, Elling Erikson Natvik entry.

Elling Erikson Natvig is my wife's 2nd great-grandfather who was born on 12 October 1820 in Eskestrand, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway, married Anna Ellingsdtr on 19 November 1845 in Sogndal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway, and died 15 March 1896 in Cottage Grove, Dane county, Wisconsin.  He and his family (four children) immigrated in 1862 to Dane County, and settled in Cottage Grove.  Their youngest child, Anna Ellingsdtr Natvig (1852-1911) married Torger Sjursen Leland (1850-1933) in 1876, who were my wife's great-grandparents.

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/12/treasure-chest-tuesday-1880-declaration.html

Copyright (c) 2017, 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.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Monday Genea-Pourri - 17 December 2018

Here is a summary of my family history and genealogy related activities over the past week:

1)  Attended the Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) Annual Holiday Luncheon with potluck food, installation of the new Board of Directors, a gift exchange (we got two candles...yecch, we will re-gift them next year if we can find them!), and a forgettable slide show that went on too long.  

2)  The old and trusty HP 6350 printer failed (stopped printing black ink), and after trying to clean the printhead numerous times, I finally bought a new HP 6958 printer for my Christmas present.  I installed it on Thursday and finished up the Christmas letter project quickly.  It does two-sided so that's a benefit.  Ink is even more expensive.

3)  Transcribed another deed for Amanuensis Monday - 1828 Bond of Stow and Levi Hildreth with Zachariah Hildreth in Townsend, Mass. I need to download more of these deeds from the 1835 to 1859 time frame.

4)  Watched That's New to Me: Unfamiliar Websites for Your Genealogy by Gena Philibert-Ortega, Citations for Beginners by Shellee Morehead, and  101 Ways to Design a Genealogy Chart by Janet Hovorka, all on FamilyTreeWebinars, plus several YouTube videos.  

5)  Participated in today's Mondays with Myrt webinar.  The panel discussed Genea-Santa's navigation system, Myrt's new cat (Bella), the RootsMagic problem with Ancestry signin, MyHeritage DNA features, Old New York and Old Providence maps and postcards, Findmypast Christmas photos, WikiTree, the We're Related mobile app, and Family History Ron's recent video.

6) There were several sessions working in RootsMagic to update FamilySearch Family Tree profiles for Seaver families and other database families, with occasional additions to the RootsMagic profiles. I have matched 28,142 of my persons with FSFT.  I continue to use Web Hints from Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast and FamilySearch to add content and sources to my RootsMagic profiles.  I now have 51,712 persons in my RootsMagic file, and 98,996 source citations.   I TreeShared two times during the last week (about 200 profiles), and resolved about 640 Ancestry Hints.  I've fallen behind on the Ancestry Record Hints with 87,423 waiting to be resolved, but I work on them weekly.

7)  Have 313 Shared Ancestors on my AncestryDNA list (I had 312 last week), 1050 4th cousins or closer (I had 1050 last week), and 940 pages (over 47,000 matches with at least 6 cM) (was 935 pages last week) of  matches.  I have 23 DNA Circles (was 23 last week).  I have 17 matches that are third cousins or closer (was 17 last week), and 105 matches with 34 cM (0.5%) or more (was 105 last week).  My highest match has 779 cM (11.5%), and is one of my known first cousins.

8)  Have 5,261 DNA Matches on MyHeritage (up from 5,190 last week) with at least 8 cM (0.12%), with 38 matches with more than 34 cM (0.5%) or more (was 36 last week).  I have three close relatives, including a first cousin once removed, and two first cousins twice removed.  The highest DNA match is 512 cM (7.1%).

9)  Have 1,016 DNA Relatives on 23andMe (I had 1016 last week) who share at least 0.10% (7 cM) with me.  The two closest relatives are third cousins.  Of these, only 4 share 1.0% or more (was 3 last week), and 54 share 0.50% or more (was 53 last week), with the highest match being 1.54%. My highest match is an adoptee.  I struggle to find out anything about most of these testers.

10)  Have 2,879 autosomal DNA Matches on FamilyTreeDNA (up from 2,875 last week) who share 0.25% (18 cM) or more, with the highest match being 96 cM (1.42%).  I have 12 who share at least 1.0% (68 cM) with me, and 1,548 who share at least 0.50% (34 cM) or more (was 1,547 last  week) with me.

11) Wrote 19 Genea-Musings blog posts last week, of which two were press releases.  The most popular post last week was Dear Randy - Why Do You Write the 52 Ancestors Friday Posts? with over 235 views.  

12)  Finished work on the Christmas letter, Christmas cards, Christmas tree setup, and online Christmas shopping.  We still need to wrap presents and decorate the tree.  Lori and the boys come on Thursday, and Tami and her crew will come on Saturday for the day.

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Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver

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