Genea-Musings

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

"First Ancestor" Chart in FamilySearch Family Tree

I was curious what the "First Ancestor" in the FamilySearch Family Tree was. You can find it in the "View" dropdown menu:

It's at the bottom of the list (shown above) of tree Views.

When you click that item, you can identify a "First Ancestor." The directions to do it are in https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-add-a-first-ancestor-in-family-tree. That page notes that:

"The First Ancestor is the first or founding member of a Chinese clan. If you use the First Ancestor view, we recommend that you add your first ancestor as one of the first things you do. If you have more than first ancestor, you can enter them all and switch between them as needed."

I decided to do this for my Seaver line, so I chose Robert Seaver (1608-1683) LZVZ-VBH for my First Ancestor. The system then showed the descent from my 9th great-grandfather Robert Seaver (1608-1683) - I'm one of the 12th generation persons in the Seaver line. Here is a graphic showing the descent:

Pretty small. It shows all of the children (and first spouses) of the persons in my line of descent.

Here are the first five generations:

Still pretty small, mainly because several generations had large families. Notice that my Seaver ancestors all line up.

One of the quirks in my family tree is that all of my Seaver ancestors, including me, are first males who had children - an agnate line! Several first males died before they married. So if Robert Seaver had been King, I would be a King too (if none of my forbears had not been overthrown).

Have you looked at your descent from your "First Ancestors?"

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/first-ancestor-chart-in-familysearch.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. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Genealogy News Bytes - Week of 24 to 30 January 2024

Welcome to Genealogy News Bytes, posted on Tuesday afternoon for the past week, where we try to highlight the most important genealogy and family history news items that came across our desktop since the last issue.

1) News Articles:

* Plan Your RootsTech 2024 Schedule

* Nancy Borowick, World-Renowned Photographer, Is Coming to RootsTech 2024

* Your DNA Guide, The Novel Guys, Diahan Southard, and Nathan Dylan Goodwin Present GSI: Superstition Mountains

* BCG Announces New Executive Director

* Advancement of Forensic Genealogy One Day Seminar

* NARA has caught up on Veteran Record Requests

* Internet Archive Wants to Store Everything, Including Books

* A Brief History of the United States’ Accents and Dialects

* What Was Life Like in the 1800s and What Can You Learn From It?

2) DNA Research Stories

* Holocaust Survivor Orphaned as a Toddler Finds His Family Thanks to a MyHeritage DNA Match

* Forced to give up her son for adoption, she spent her whole life thinking about him. Then a DNA test reunited them.

3) Book Notices and Reviews:

4) New or Updated Record Collections:

* Added and Updated Ancestry.com Record Collections - Week of 20 to 26 January 2024.

* Added and Updated FamilySearch Record Collections - Week of 20 to 26 January 2024.

* Findmypast Friday: From Galway to Glasgow, there Is So Much to Explore

* Scottish and Irish directories included in new TheGenealogist release

* 1,490 Free Online Divorce Record Collections for the United States

* New Civil War Records: National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers

5) Did you miss the last post in this series? See Genealogy News Bytes - Week of 17 to 23 January 2024.

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/genealogy-news-bytes-week-of-24-to-30.html

Seavers in the News -- Obituary of Mrs. Charles J. Seaver (1876-1960) of Springfield, Massachusetts

Here is this week's 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.

This week's entry is from the Springfield [Mass.] Republican newspaper dated 12 June 1960, pages 2A and 12A:

The transcription of the article is:

"Mrs. Charles J. Seaver

"Mrs. Georgiana (Ayers) Seaver, 83, of 302 Grove St., Chicopee Falls, died Saturday in Wesson Memorial Hospital. She was born in Hebron, N.Y., Dec. 10, 1876, the daughter of George L. and Susanna (Laing) Ayers and had been a resident of Chicopee Falls for the past 60 years. She was a member of Chicopee Falls Methodist Church; a past president of the Chicopee Falls Womens Club and a member of the Chicopee Travelers Club. She was a graduate of Wheelock College and a member of Springfield Chapter of the Wheelock Alumni Association. Besides her husband, Charles J. Seaver, she leaves a son, Charles W. Seaver of Needham; two daughters, Mrs. Azuba Ruth Ward of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and Mrs. Paul S. Gage of Waltham; a brother, Uzziel S. Ayers of this city; a sister, Mrs. Neal D. Hulett of Granville, N.Y.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held at the Dickinson-Streeter funeral home, Monday at 2 p.m. Rev. Charles E. Pedersen, pastor of the Methodist Church in Arlington will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Chicopee. Please omit flowers. Visiting hours at the funeral home will be today from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m."

The source citation is:

"Mrs. Charles J. Seaver," Springfield [Mass.] Republican newspaper, Sunday, 12 June 1960, pages 2A and 12A, column 6, Georgiana (Ayers) Seaver obituary, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 29 January 2024).

This obituary provides the name, age, birth date and place, parents names, husband's name, children names, sibling names, death day, death place, burial place, education, associations, and church services.

Georgiana Elmina Ayers (1876-1960) was born 10 December 1876 in Hebron, New York, the daughter of George Lewis and Susanna Eliza (Laing) Ayers. She died 11 June 1960 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Georgiana married Charles Joseph Seaver (1872-1964) on 1 September 1903 in Granville, New York. He was born 23 January 1872 in North Dana, Massachusetts, the son of Charles Edson and Emma (Clough) Seaver, and died 29 December 1964 in Needham, Massachusetts. They had three children:

* Azuba Ruth Seaver (1904-2001), married 1928 Frank Garrett Ward (1893-1973).

* Charles William Seaver (1908-1995), married 1935 Mildred Isabel Richmond (1913-2011).

* Beatrice Louise Seaver (1909-1986), married 1935 Paul Sumner Gage (1907-1985).

I am probably a cousin of Charles Joseph Seaver (1872-1964), but he is descended from John and Susanna (Trumbull) Seaver. I do not know the parents of John Seaver (1778-1841).

There are over 10,000 Seaver "stories" in my family tree - and this is one of them. Life happens, accidentally and intentionally, and sometimes a person has a very complete obituary. I am glad that I can honor Georgiana Elmina (Ayers) Seaver today.

You never know when a descendant or relative will find this blog post and learn something about their ancestors or relatives, or will provide more information about them to me.

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Disclosure: I have a paid subscription to GenealogyBank and have used it extensively to find articles about my ancestral and one-name families.

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/seavers-in-news-obituary-of-mrs-charles.html

Please note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Monday, January 29, 2024

Genealogy Pot-Pourri - Week Ending 28 January 2024

Here are the highlights of my family history and genealogy related activities over the past week.

1) Wrote a genealogical sketch for my maternal grandmother Emily Kemp (Auble) Carringer (1899-1977).

2) Transcribed the 1866 Will of William Seaver (1842-1866) of Walworth County, Wisconsin for the Amanuensis Monday theme.

3) Continued testing and wrote another blog post about the new EmulateMe AI avatar-based video, audio and conversation website - Second Look at EmulateMe: Creating My Father's Avatar and Audio/Video Chats.

4) Made a new GEDCOM file in RootsMagic and uploaded it to Legacy Family Tree and Family Tree Maker. Made 5-generation ancestor reports in all three programs for comparison purposes. None of them are perfect.

5) Made MyHeritage AI Biographies for about 50 ancestors of myself and Linda and saved them in a file. There are still more to do. I want to share them with our children and our brothers.

6) Created some genealogy-related AI images using Bing Image Creator - here's one of them ("genealogy and AI"):

7) This week's famous relative post was for Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), my 6th cousin 3x removed., according to Relative Finder.

8) AncestryDNA now has 44,982 DNA matches (up 116 from 21 January) for me today, with two new ThruLines (one right, one wrong). I added Notes to 2 new Matches. MyHeritageDNA now has 12,087 DNA matches (up 27 from 21 January) for me, with no new Theories. Reviewed the new DNA matches on AncestryDNA, MyHeritageDNA, FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe.

9) Occasionally matched RootsMagic 9 profiles to FamilySearch Family Tree. I have matched 50,355 of my RootsMagic persons with FamilySearch Family Tree profiles (up 20).

10) Used Web Hints and Record Matches from Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast and FamilySearch to add content and source citations to my RootsMagic profiles. I now have 71,943 persons in my RootsMagic family tree (up 8), and 146,489 source citations (up 20). Resolved 142 Ancestry Hints. TreeShared no new and updated profiles with my Ancestry tree. My Ancestry Member Tree has Ancestry Record Hints with 14,990 to be resolved, but I work on them several times a week.

11) Wrote 15 Genea-Musings blog posts last week (Sunday through Saturday), of which one was a press release. The most viewed post last week was Second Look at EmulateMe: Creating My Father's AI Avatar and Short Audios/Videos with over 208 views. Genea-Musings had about 13,800 page views last week.

12) Real life: This is week 203 since COVID restrictions started. I visited Linda every day at the skilled nursing/memory care facility. It rained a lot on Monday and was warm on Sunday. Went grocery shopping on Monday and Friday. Went to the cardio device doctor on Monday and got the pacemaker adjusted, and to my primary care physician on Friday who told me to walk more and eat less. Walked several days on the block and talked to several neighbors. Still reading Tess Gerritsen's The Surgeon. The SDSU Aztec basketball team won one game and they are 16-4 on the season. Watched NFL football on Sunday. It was a pretty quiet week!

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/genealogy-pot-pourri-week-ending-28.html

Start Creating Your RootsTech 2024 Experience Now - New Planning Tool Released

I received this information from FamilySearch and RootsTech 2024 today:

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Start Creating Your RootsTech 2024 Experience Now

New tool lets virtual and in-person attendees plan for their discoveries

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—RootsTech by FamilySearch, the premier family discovery event held online and in person in Salt Lake City, Utah, from February 29 to March 2, 2024, is generating excitement as it gears up to deliver its highly anticipated 2024 experiences. RootsTech 2024 promises unparalleled learning opportunities for attendees, blending tradition with innovation. Today RootsTech released its new session scheduler, offering in-person and online attendees a unique opportunity to personalize their RootsTech experience.

For the first time, RootsTech enthusiasts can now review—preconference—hundreds of class offerings through the session scheduler and meticulously create their in-person plans or online watch list for the event. Whether you are planning to attend in person or online, the revolutionary new tool will enhance your overall RootsTech experience, enabling you to tailor your schedule well in advance so you won’t miss out on must-see and must-do things.

One of the distinguishing features of RootsTech is its inclusivity, allowing individuals to choose between attending in person at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, or participating online from the comfort of their homes anywhere in the world.

Online Attendees: A World of RootsTech at Your Fingertips

For those opting for the free online experience, RootsTech 2024 offers hundreds of free, on-demand and live webinar sessions. You can craft your personalized viewing schedule or on-demand watch list by following a few simple steps on the RootsTech home page, providing a seamless and convenient way to engage with the event from virtually anywhere. Register for free now and begin creating your 2024 watchlist.

In-Person Attendees: Navigate RootsTech with the Mobile App

RootsTech 2024 brings an enhanced experience if you will be attending in person in Salt Lake City, Utah. The new RootsTech 2024 app takes you center stage as a versatile tool, offering features such as:

Current Session Schedules: Stay updated on the latest sessions, times, and locations.
Customizable Schedule: Tailor your experience to align with your interests, research goals, and availability. Make changes on-the-go.
Interactive Maps: Easily navigate the Salt Palace Convention Center with detailed maps.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow attendees, share experiences, and expand your network.
Real-Time Support: Communicate with RootsTech staff for instant assistance.
Local Exploration: Enrich your trip to Salt Lake City with useful information on recommended local eateries and accommodations within walking distance.

Starting on February 29, 2024, rootstech.org will launch a new live chat feature that will enable participants online and in person to watch classes and chat with other viewers in real time!

RootsTech 2024 invites you to embark on a journey of discovery, whether in person or online. By customizing your schedule, connecting with like-minded enthusiasts, and unlocking the stories of your family's past, you can expect a memorable adventure at RootsTech 2024.

Register or learn more at RootsTech.org.

What Is RootsTech?

RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, we have hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories to help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or plan to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.

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Disclosure: I am a RootsTech 2024 "Influencer" but will receive no remuneration for my support or posting of RootsTech information. I will be an online participant this year because of my health problems.

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/start-creating-your-rootstech-2024.html

Amanuensis Monday -- 1866 Will of William Seaver (1842-1866) of Walworth County, Wisconsin

This week's document for transcription is the 1866 will of William Seaver (1842-1866) in the Walworth County, Wisconsin probate case files.

* Walworth County, Wisconsin Probate Court Records, Probate Case Files, Case 1484, 1866, image 598 of 1513:

* Walworth County, Wisconsin Probate Court Records, Probate Case Files, Case 1484, 1866, image 599 of 1513:

The transcription of this document is:

I, William Seaver of Darien County

of Walworth and State of Wisconsin, being of

Sound mind and memory, and mindfull

of the uncertainties of human life do make

publish and declare this my last will and

testament in manner following.

First - I give, devise and bequeath to

my wife Alice J. Seaver three fourths of

all my estate, both rea and personal.

Second - After the payment of my just debts

and funeral expenses I give, devise and

bequeath all the rest, residue and remain-

der of all my Estates both real and personal

to my mother Sally Seaver and to my

Sister Mary A. Corning and to my

brother Julius H. Seaver to be equally

divided between them. Share and share

alike.

Third - Such articles of personal estate

as Books, clothing, and Watch I give

and bequeath to my mother, brother

and sister to be equally divided

between them or as near as can be

practically.

Fourth - I hereby nominate and

appoint my brother Julius H. Seaver

the executor of this my last will

and testament, and hereby authorize

and empower him, the said Julius

H. Seaver to compound, comprimise

and settle any claim or demand

which may be against or in favor

of my said estate.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto

set my hand and seal this 28th

day of Sep 1866.

William Seaver {seal}

The above instrument consisting of one (1)

Sheet was signed, published and

declared by the said testator to be his

last will and testament in the presence

of us who have signed our names

at his request as witnesses in his

presence and in presence of each other.

N.W. Hoag of the town of Darien

Charles Alden " "

J.L. Sutherland " "

The source citation for this will is:

Wisconsin, County Court (Walworth County), Probate Case Files No. 1440-1576, " Case 1484 images 596-5991 of 1513, William Seaver will, written 28 September 1866, proved 8 October 1866; "Wisconsin, U.S., Wills and Probates, 1800-1987," indexed records with digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 January 2024; Original data is from Wisconsin County, District and Probate Courts filmed by FamilySearch.

This will is a Derivative Source (because it is a court clerk's handwritten record), Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the last will and testament, wife's name, mother's name, and names of two siblings, of William Seaver.

William Seaver (1842-1866) was born 19 March 1842 in Darien, Walworth County, Wisconsin, the son of Lyman Hunt and Sarah (Woodward) Seaver. He died 30 September 1866. He married Alice Jennette Bentley (1843-1912) on 22 September 1866 in Walworth County, Wisconsin. They had no children.

Note that he married Alice 6 days before he signed his will and died two days after he signed his will. He was only 24 years old. He was a Civil War soldier, a Quartermaster Sergeant in Company K of the 2nd Regiment of the Wisconsin Cavalry. Perhaps he died of a war wound.

I am a 6th cousin 4 times removed to William Seaver (1842-1866), with the common Seaver ancestor being my 9th great-grandfather Robert Seaver (1608-1683).

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NOTE: Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday." John offers this definition for "amanuensis:"

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

Read other transcriptions of records of my ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/amanuensis-monday-1866-will-of-william.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. Share your comments on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Chula Vista Genealogical Society Meeting on Wednesday, 31 January Features Nancy Loe

Wednesday, 31 January 2024, 12 noon PST

CVGS General Meeting (in a Zoom Video Conference)

“Picture This: Cataloging Digital Family Photos”

by Nancy Loe

Family photographs may seem so complex that they defy organizing. Tame your digital family photographs adding names, dates, and other information to inside images. Scanning, tagging, organizing your family photos are covered step-by-step, so you can do it once and do it right.

Archivist, librarian, and genealogist Nancy Loe has been helping researchers with their family trees since 1977. She specializes in US and European family history research, helping researchers search smart and find more records. She has presented at genealogy gatherings in the US, Canada, and Australia, including NGS, RootsTech, and Legacy Family Tree. Nancy’s genealogy eBooks and free monthly newsletter are available at www.sassyjanegenealogy.com.

PLEASE REGISTER for this event through the event email that will be sent to all CVGS members or on the CVGS website (https://chulavistagenealogysociety.wildapricot.org/event-5511959).

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This program will be held online using the Zoom video conferencing platform for Meetings.

Please note that the meeting starts at 12 noon Pacific Time (3 p.m. Eastern time, 2 p.m. Central time, 1 p.m. Mountain time). The Zoom Meeting room will be open by 11:45 a.m. PDT for visiting and helping attendees connect.

Members and non-members can register on the CVGS website for this meeting at https://chulavistagenealogysociety.wildapricot.org/event-5511959). and look for the email with the Zoom meeting reminder after registration, or on Tuesday, 30 January, with the link to JOIN the Zoom meeting. Contact randy.seaver@gmail.com if you have problems or register too late for the email.

Attendance is free but only 100 Zoom seats are available, so please register soon.

NOTE: The Chula Vista Genealogical Society offers an annual membership of $30. Besides the monthly General Meeting with a program speaker on the last Wednesday of each month, there is a monthly Research Group meeting on second Wednesdays on Zoom, an in-person Education meeting on third Tuesdays, and a DNA Interest Group meeting on third Wednesdays on Zoom, all at 12 noon Pacific time. There is also a monthly 10 page email newsletter chock full of program announcements, research tips, research articles, and program reviews.

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/chula-vista-genealogical-society.html

Best of the Genea-Blogs - Week of 21 to 27 January 2024

Scores of genealogy and family history bloggers write hundreds of posts every week about their research, their families, and their interests. I appreciate each one of them and their efforts.

My criteria for "Best of ..." are pretty simple - I pick posts that advance knowledge about genealogy and family history, address current genealogy issues, provide personal family history, are funny or are poignant. I don't list posts destined for most daily blog prompts or meme submissions (but I do include summaries of them), or my own posts.

Here are my picks for great reads from the genealogy blogs for this past week:

* Bennett Greenspan: Meet My Extended Family & Discover Extraordinary Deep Heritage by Roberta Estes on DNAeXplained - Genetic Genealogy.

* 32 Ways to Find Ancestor Birth Information by Kenneth Marks on The Ancestor Hunt.

* How to Solve Your Genealogy Research Problems by Maddy on Family Wise.

* Open GeneaGPT (the community-built genealogy AI tool) has been updated by Steve Little on AI Genealogy Insights.

* Review: DNA Academy: Genetic Genealogy for Beginner's and Intermediate by Doris Kenney on A Tree With No Name.

* Genealogy Tips: Your Ancestor’s Local Funeral Home by Gena Philibert-Ortega on GenealogyBank Blog.

* Wife’s Will by Marcia C. Philbrick on Heartland Genealogy.

* Removing Staples, Paper Clips and Rubber Bands from Genealogy Records by Melissa Barker on A Genealogist In the Archives.

* Bringing Hidden Clues to Light Through Creating A Timeline by Diana Elder on Family Locket.

* What’s new at GEDmatch and i4GG by Kitty Cooper on Kitty Cooper's Blog.

* Rabbit Hole Genealogy by Michael John Neill on Rootdig.com.

* Tips for Locating Rare Books for Genealogy Research by Linda Stufflebean on Empty Branches on the Family Tree.

* Exploring the Future of Genealogy by CoachCarole on Essential Genealogist Blog.

Here are pick posts by other geneabloggers this week:

* Friday's Family History Finds by Linda Stufflebean on Empty Branches on the Family Tree.

* This Week's Creme de la Creme - January 27, 2024 by Gail Dever on Genealogy a la Carte.

Readers are encouraged to go to the blogs listed above and read their articles, and add the blogs to your Favorites, Feedly, another RSS feed, or email if you like what you read. Please make a comment to them also - all bloggers appreciate feedback on what they write.

Did I miss a great genealogy blog post? Tell me! I currently am reading posts from over 900 genealogy bloggers using Feedly, but I still miss quite a few it seems.

Read past Best of the Genea-Blogs posts here.

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/best-of-genea-blogs-week-of-21-to-27.html

Please note that all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.

Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County Program on 6 February 2024 Features Cathy Andrews

I received this information from my friend and society colleague Gail Burk:

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Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County Lecture Series

Cohosted online by GSSCC and the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL)

Online registration through the SCPL website is required for home viewing of this event. To register, please type in or click https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/11972678 or ATTEND LIVE IN PERSON (no registration required) in the upstairs meeting room of the downtown library

Tuesday, February 6, 2024 1:00 PM PDT

Guest Speaker: Cathy Andrews

Topic: Deciphering Old Handwriting

Many original sources we rely on in researching family history are handwritten. The older the handwriting, the more challenging it can be to understand. This presentation will provide practical tips about styles and materials used, as well as some historical context, clues which help genealogists to build strong deciphering skills. The program will focus on handwriting found in American documents from the 1700s to the mid-1900s.

Cathy Andrews is Senior Librarian for Adult Services with the Salinas Public Library, where she teaches the “Genealogy Basics” series and oversees genealogy resources, services, and programming. Growing up in a family where stories and details about ancestors were woven into every family gathering, she has a deep appreciation for genealogy’s challenges and rewards.

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/01/genealogical-society-of-santa-cruz.html

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Tuesday, January 30, 2024

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