Using MyHeritage Record Matches for 1900 U.S. Census Records

I promised in MyHeritage Adds 1790 to 1930 United States Census Records today that I would show how to get to the U.S. Census images on MyHeritage.  

I want to do this first using the Record Matches feature, because it is the easiest method - while I slept last night, MyHeritage performed the search for me for persons in my 40,000 person family tree on MyHeritage.  I didn't have to search for them.

There were 588 Record Matches in the 1900 U.S. Census for persons in my MyHeritage Family Tree. 

1)  Here is the Record Match (Family Tree > Record Match) screen:

2)  I clicked on the 1900 United States Federal Census collection, and the first set of 20 Record Matches appeared:

To go to the record summary and the record image, the user needs to click on the blue "Review match" button.

3)  I clicked on the first match, for Julia A. Carringer.  The record summary appeared.  Note that the "Match confidence" is 5 gold stars - it matched first name, last name, birth year, birth place, and spouse's first name.  There are three screens below for this record summary:

The indexed information on the record summary above includes:

*  Name
*  Gender
*  Birth date (month-year in 1900)
*  Residence
*  Age
*  Marital status
*  Marriage year
*  Race
*  Ethnicity
*  Number of children
*  Number of living children
*  Spouse's name
*  Children's names

Below the indexed person information is a summary of the census information - for the 1900 census, this information includes Township, County, State, Date, Ward, Enumeration District, Roll, Sheet, Family, Line, Image No.

It appears that the "Roll" number is the FHL Microfilm number, not the NARA Microfilm Publication Series (T623 for 1900) number and the NARA Roll Number.  In order to use the Roll Number in source citation, the user will have to consult the FHL Catalog and search the FHL film number.  This is a drawback for me, since I cite the NARA Publication and Roll Number in my source citations.

Below the census information summary, there is a window with the census image.

Below the census image window, there is a summary of the persons in the household, including Relation to Head, Name, and Age.  The names are links so a user can navigate to their person summary if required.

Below the household summary are buttons to "Confirm" or "Reject" the specific Record Match.  If this record applies to the named person in my MyHeritage Family Tree, I would "Confirm" the match.  If it did not apply to the named person, then I would "Reject" the match.  In this way, I can keep track of which matches I have already worked with.

At this point, clicking on the "Confirm" button does NOT attach the record to the person in my MyHeritage Family Tree.  Hopefully, this will be an improvement in future releases on MyHeritage website.


4)  In order to see more of the record image, a user can click on the orange "Full screen" button in the image window above, and the record image appears in a large screen:

At the top of this record image, the census year information, the named person's name, the State, County, Township, Sheet, Family, Line, and Image number are listed.  This summary really needs the Enumeration District and the NARA Film and Roll number.

The user can download the image using the "Download" button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.  clicking on the "Download" button opens the image in a separate browser Tab, and the user can save the image to their computer system by right-clicking (in Windows).  

5)  Once the user has finished with the specific record summary and record image, s/he can move to the next Record Match by scrolling to the top of the web page and click on the "Next Match" link.  

6)  I really like the ease of using the Record Matches in order to "mine" a specific database for records pertaining to persons in my MyHeritage Family Tree.  I can find, access, and obtain information in an organized manner, complete my task (usually adding content, and adding a source citation for the named person and other persons in the record), and then clicking "Confirm" so that I don't have to deal with the record again.  

Unfortunately, clicking on the link for the other persons in the record summary (the husband, the children, etc.) does not allow me to either "Confirm" or "Reject" the match for some reason.  I wish it would - now I will have to go to each person when they come up in a search or Record Match list to do it.  It would have been very easy to confirm them one at a time using the links for the names.

7)  The good news is that another complete U.S. census record collection is available (note that Ancestry.com and FindMyPast.com also have full coverage with search, summary and images available, but FamilySearch, Archives, HeritageQuestOnline and Fold3 have incomplete coverage or require access to another site).

The bad news is that the indexed information provided by MyHeritage is incomplete - there is no NARA Roll number provided, and for a specific person the household dwelling number, father's birthplace, mother's birthplace, occupation, immigration information, etc.are provided.  All of those items are very useful for searching and source citations.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/05/using-myheritage-record-matches-for.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

MyHeritage Adds 1790 to 1930 United States Census Records

MyHeritage announced today, in MyHeritage: All U.S. Census Records Now Available on the MyHeritage blog, that they have added the 1790 to 1930 United States census records to their collection.  In 2012, MyHeritage added the 1940 U.S. Census.

So now MyHeritage has a complete U.S. federal census collection, with searches, record summaries, and record images.  This is a really major step in making MyHeritage a viable record collection company for United States customers.

It also makes MyHeritage a real competitor with Ancestry.com (which also has a complete collection of  records and images, with a sophisticated search capability).  I love competition, and I know that it makes all of the companies better - and their customers also.  That's you and me, folks.

When I heard this today, I said to myself "self, I wonder if Record Matches on MyHeritage provide these results?"

The answer is yes - the Record Match feature, which takes the persons in my MyHeritage Family Tree and looks in the MyHeritage record collections for matches - I found Record Matches for the 1850 to 1940 U.S. census records.  Here is a screen shot from my Record Matches list:

Other census collections are listed on this page below this part of the screen.  The Record Match feature found:

*  1850 U.S. Census - 4 matches
*  1860 U.S. Census - 7 matches
*  1870 U.S. Census - 5 matches
*  1880 U.S. Census - 95 matches
*  1900 U.S. Census - 588 matches
*  1910 U.S. Census - 97 matches
*  1920 U.S. Census - 78 matches
*  1930 U.S. Census - 142 matches
*  1940 U.S. Census - 64 matches.

I know that I have more people (40,000 persons) in my MyHeritage database for the earlier census years (before 1900), and I'm guessing that the Record Match feature is still working.

I went to the Research tab on the MyHeritage page, selected the 1850 U.s. Census, and entered Last name = "seaver" in the field, and chose exact matches.  I received 855 matches.

The searches for the 1790 to 1840 U.S. Census records also worked.

I will have more about the search capability, the source information, and getting to the record images in future posts.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/05/myheritage-adds-1790-to-1930-united.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 254: Devier J. Smith in Concordia, Kansas, 1885

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

Here is a photograph from the Seaver/Carringer family photograph collection passed to me by my mother in the 1988 to 2002 time period:

The back of the photograph:

This is a photograph of my second great-grandfather, Devier James Lamphier Smith (1839-1894) in  his finest double-breasted suit, complete with watch chain, top hat and riding crop (?).  This may be what he wore to sell his bottles of hair tonic for $2.00 each (see My favorite snake oil salesman).

The information on the back of the photograph defines the place where the photo was taken as Concordia, Kansas.  The Smith family moved from Concordia to McCook, Nebraska in May 1885 to start a new business (a livery stable) and perhaps a new life (his in-laws, Samuel and Mary Ann Vaux died in the five years previous).  It seemed like they moved somewhere else after a family member died.  

When I made my note on the back of the photograph (I know, I should not have used a ball point pen - I was uneducated in the 1990 time frame!), I thought it was Devier, but I wasn't sure.  I am convinced that this is a photograph of Devier now based on all of the collected evidence, but this is the only picture I have of him after 1870, and fortunately it is time dated and place certain.

One reason I really like this photograph is that it is one of the few I have of a bearded ancestor.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/05/not-so-wordless-wednesday-post-254.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver
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Family Tree Builder 7.0 Software Synchronization with MyHeritage Family Tree - Post 3

 MyHeritage released the FREE Family Tree Builder Version 7.0 genealogy software last week (see my post MyHeritage Releases Family Tree Builder 7.0 - New Features are Sync System and Record Matches).  

One of the NEW features in the Family Tree Builder 7.0 software was the ability to synchronize ("sync") with a user's MyHeritage Family Tree - meaning a user can change something online in their MyHeritage Family Tree, or change something in the FTB software, and click on the "Sync" button in FTB 7.0 to make the MyHeritage Family tree data match the Family Tree Builder software data. Heritage described the sync feature this way:

"All family tree information is synchronized, including photos, videos, audio files, notes, sources, citations and other information, except private information such as DNA markers which never leaves the user’s computer. The family history data can now be privately and securely viewed, edited and expanded from any device - the user’s computer, the user’s online family site on MyHeritage – or via the free MyHeritagemobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android. Users have full control of who can be granted permission to view or add information. The new sync system also provides a backup of the users’ precious data." 

Earlier posts in this series are:

*  In Family Tree Builder 7.0 Software Synchronization with MyHeritage Family Tree - Post 1.  In the post I edited some data and added several photos for two of my ancestors from the Events page.  

*  In Family Tree Builder 7.0 Software Synchronization with MyHeritage Family Tree - Post 2, I synchronized the Family Tree Builder 7.0 software with my MyHeritage Family Tree.  However, I found that the Photos did not upload to MyHeritage and did not show up in Family Tree Builder for some reason.  I was puzzled by that, but now I think that I have figured it out.  

After the second post, I went into Family Tree Builder 7.0 and tried uploading Photos from the Person profile rather than the Event page.  I received a message that:

Your files are being uploaded

MyHeritage.com will now detect faces in your photos, automatically. This may take a little while. We will email you at rjseaver@cox.net as soon as this is complete." I received the email overnight...so today I checked on the MyHeritage site, and all of the Photos uploaded yesterday were there - including several duplicates (because I attached them one at a time to Birth, Death and Burial Events for two different people). 1)  When I opened MyHeritage today, I saw on my "Photos" tab:

From what I can tell, all of the Photos go FIRST to my MyHeritage website without being linked to an Event.  I then have to TAG the image to one or more persons.

I have two trees on MyHeritage, but only one in Family Tree Builder 7.0 at this time.  One is my big database from 2011, and the other is my ancestral families from 2013 (which has updated information).  So I need to make sure to get the Photo images into the right tree on MyHeritage - the one that I'm syncing with FTB 7.0.

2)  I tagged each image by clicking on each one, then on the screen below I clicked on the blue "Add a person" in the "In the photo" area on the right.  That opened the popup box headed "Set the position and enter the name of the person in this photo".  I typed in the name "samuel vaux" and a list of about 10 persons with that name on my MyHeritage website (in BOTH databases) appeared.:

On the image above, you can see that Samuel Vaux (1816-1880) appears twice.  If I select the highlighted one (at the bottom), that is the one in my FTB 7.0 database.  If I select that, it should sync back to Family Tree Builder 7.0.

I did the same process for the other images I have for Samuel Vaux, adding a total of seven images.  Then I checked the Profile page for Samuel Vaux in my "Seaver-Leland Family Tree" database:

As you can see, the seven images are attached to the Person Profile.  However, they are not attached to Events.

3)  I wanted to see if the Photos would be synchronized to my Family Tree Builder 7.0 database.  Here is the Family Tree view in FTB 7.0:

The "Project is out of sync" informs me that I should sync before I do anything else.  So I did.  It didn't take long.

4)  Here is the Profile page for Samuel Vaux (1816-1880) when I click on his "Profile" link:

All of the Photo images are there, and in the same order.  That was no surprise to me - the above image connects directly to the MyHeritage Person Profile page on the website. 5)  All of those Photos should appear in the "Photos" menu button: I have no clue why the Photos didn't show up - I picked "All People."  I went to the Search field and typed in Samuel Vaux and there were no Photos for him.  I looked at the Family Tree Builder 7.0 manual (from the "Help" link) and it didn't help me much - it says I should be able to see the Photos. 6)  So my Lessons Learned here are: *  There is a Family Tree Builder 7.0 Help manual - you have to download it (only 482 pages) and then try to find what you want to do. *  It takes quite awhile (at least 10 hours yesterday) for Photos attached in FTB 7.0, then synced to MyHeritage, to be reviewed and approved by the website. *  Tagging the Photos can be done in MyHeritage to specific persons.  More than one person can be tagged in an image. *  If you have more than one family tree database on the MyHeritage website, you need to make sure that you Tag the Photo to the right person in the right database. *  It's a good idea to do testing, RTFM, and consult with experts before you write and complain about it online. My thanks to MyHeritage personnel for contacting me yesterday about my problems.  They have been very responsive to me, and I appreciate it. The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/family-tree-builder-70-software_30.html Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

NGS 2013 Conference News - Syllabus is Available to Download

I received this email this morning from the National Genealogical Society about the 2013 Conference in Las Vegas NEXT WEEK:

===========================

WiFi Hotspot

NGS wants you to stay connected! In order to offset the expense of in-room Internet fees, the NGS has partnered with Platinum Sponsors Findmypast.com and FamilySearch to provide conference attendees with free WiFi Internet access. A password-protected Internet café (WiFi Hotspot) just for NGS attendees will accommodate up to 300 users at a time, 20 minutes per session, 24 hours per day, Monday through Saturday the week of the conference.

The free WiFi Hotspot will be located in Pavilion 5 and in the Pavilion Foyer between the Pavilion and the Paradise Event Center Foyer. The network name is NGS2013 and the password is LasVegas. (The password is case sensitive.)

Please remember to thank our generous sponsors, FamilySearch, Findmypast.com, and the National Genealogical Society, for making possible the 24-hour WiFi Hotspot and your free Internet connectivity.

Conference App

Our conference app this year includes a daily schedule, personal schedule, speaker and exhibitor information, floor plans, and more. To identify sessions that will not be recorded, the app includes a separate line below the lecture description that states, “No recording available. Take notes.” You can select the sessions you plan to attend, create your own conference schedule, and add personal appointments and meetings. For more information and to download the conference app, please visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/maximize_your_experience.

Syllabus

The conference syllabus is now available online for registered attendees. The syllabus highlights the major points of each lecture as submitted by the speaker, and is often referenced during the sessions.

You will receive a digital copy of the syllabus at conference check in. If you purchased a print syllabus prior to the early bird registration deadline, you will also receive the print syllabus at conference check in. You can prepare for the conference before you leave home by viewing and printing syllabi for the sessions you would like to attend. NGS will not provide printing stations at the conference.

To view and download the syllabus, log in to the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/2013syllabus. Please allow up to 10 minutes for the download to complete as the file is very large.

Plan Ahead and Conference Program

Before you leave home, decide which lectures you would like to attend.  Download a PDF of the Conference Program to your app! On the Dashboard click Conference Docs and click 2013 Program. The download is the PDF version of the Conference Program you will receive at Registration or Attendee Check In. It contains a daily schedule and notes room assignments and which sessions are taped. Alternatively, download the daily schedule at http://members.ngsgenealogy.org/Conferences/Program2013.cfm.

NGS will not have syllabus printing stations at the conference. Please print syllabus materials you wish to have with you before you leave home. Alternatively, you can print from your flash drive syllabus at the LVH business center for 30 cents per page to print in black and white, $1.75 per page to print in color, and an additional $1 to open a file and print from a CD or flash drive.

Clothing

Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes and clothing. You will do a lot of walking and sitting, and despite weather conditions outside, some areas of the event center will be cold

Registration and Attendee Check-In 

Attendees must register or check in at the registration desk in person to retrieve conference materials (bag, program, name tag, and syllabus on flash drive). Materials will be released only to the person named on the registration and upon presentation of a valid ID that is consistent with that name. No exceptions.

If you have purchased a print syllabus along with your registration, you will receive it with the rest of your registration materials.

Tuesday, 7 May 2013
12:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, 8 May 2013
7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Thursday, 9 May 2013
7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Friday, 10 May 2013
7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Saturday, 11 May 2013
7:00 a.m.–12 noon

Exhibit Hall Hours

The Exhibit Hall is free and open to the public. See the interactive map online at http://shows.marketart.com/show318/. To see exhibiting company details, select a booth number, and then click to expand profile. Find a listing of all exhibitors by selecting “companies” at the bottom left corner of the page. Exhibitor information and the Exhibit Hall map are also on the conference app.

Wednesday, 8 May 2013
9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Thursday, 9 May 2013

9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Friday, 10 May 2013
9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Saturday, 11 May 2013
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

=========================

I downloaded the syllabus (it is 594 pages, 69 mb and took a l---o---n---g time to load) and have started looking through it so I can pick my sessions in each time period.

I also received an email from the hotel saying that their in-room wi-fi is not free, which is why NGS has set up the free wi-fi area in Pavilion 5 and the Pavilion Foyer.  This may be how many geneabloggers do their work in the evening!  Can we write a blog post in 20 minutes?  I can see a "Geneabloggers Paradise" meetup there throughout the conference.

Disclosure:  I am an Official Blogger for the NGS 2013 Conference, but will not receive any remuneration for the honor.  I paid a full registration fee.  

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/ngs-2013-conference-news-syllabus-is.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Tombstone Tuesday - Stephen and Tabitha (Randolph) Cutter in Woodbridge, New Jersey

My 4th great-grandparents, Stephen Cutter (1745-1823) and his wife, Tabitha (Randolph) Cutter (1752-1841) are buried in the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

They are listed on the Inscriptions, Cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge [Middlesex County], New Jersey page on the Dunham-Wilcox-Trott-Kirk website created by Jane Devlin (http://dunhamwilcox.net/nj/woodbridge_nj_cem1.htm).

Many years ago, another researcher (whose name and contact information I have since lost) sent me photographs of their gravestones.  I scanned and digitally saved them several years ago:

1)  Stephen CUTTER, d. 20 Jun 1823, in 76th yr

2)  Tabitha CUTTER, wid. of Stephen CUTTER, d. 26 Nov 1841, in 89th yr

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/tombstone-tuesday-stephen-and-tabitha.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Working With My Research Logs in RootsMagic 6

I was recently asked in an email about how I was doing with my Research Logs in RootsMagic, so I thought that I would describe my process and some of my results.

This is very much an occasional task, and I really should make it a daily task after I've completed a significant task.  I have gone through several of my surname notebooks and added earlier research items to the Research Log for that surname, but I have many more notebooks, and Research Logs, to go.  In the past few months, I've concentrated on my active research tasks, especially the Family History Library research and results from my one-day March visit.

In RootsMagic 6, the Research Logs can be found on the Lists > Research Manager menu:

I had created Surname Research Logs for my 32 3rd Great-grandparent surnames, plus a few logs for my One-Name Studies.   The list of different "Research Logs" appeared.

I highlighted the "Richman Family Research (Wiltshire)" log on the screen above, and it showed the current Research Log I have created over the past few months.  

If I want to add a new research log, I can click on the "Add research log" button in the area above the list.  If I want to add an entry to a current Research Log, I can click on the "Edit research log" button in the area above the list.  I did that for the "Richman Family Research (Wiltshire)" log, and saw:

On the "Research Log" screen above, I can edit the log name, the objective of the log, select "Edit research item" or "Add research item" or "delete research item."

If I want to "Edit research item," I just click on the specific item and can edit or add to the "Research Log Entry" fields:

The fields are:

*  Date of your search
*  Reference number
*  What were you trying to find?
*  What source did you check?
*  Where did you check (repository and call#)?
*  What were the results of your search.

I'm trying to be as specific as possible in these entries without being really longwinded.

One problem I've found is that if I put a long URL in the Goal or Source/Repository columns, that the entire URL is put in that column, and the Results column gets real narrow.

RootsMagic 6 does provide a way for To-Do list entries to be added to the Research Log.  On the "Edit Person" screen, I clicked on the "To-Do" button and the list of To-Do items opened:

The list shows that I have four closed items, and one open item on the list for James Richman above.

I highlighted the first one, and clicked on the "Edit task" button above the list of items, and saw:

The "Edit To-Do" screen opened, and I edited the content to reflect the results, and also filled in the "Status," "Last worked," and "End date" fields.  In the lower right-hand corner there is a "Transfer to a research log" button.  I used that, chose the Richman Family Research log, and edited the Research Log item to reflect the results.

This process is fairly easy to perform.  The problem I have is consistency in my To-Do items and in my Research Log entries.

I have chosen to do Research Logs on a surname basis rather than on a family basis.  That way all of the information for a set of ancestral families, plus any others of the Surname, are available in one Research Log.  It keeps the list of Research Logs shorter, also.  This seems to work pretty well for me - now I need to "fill in the blanks" from the surname notebooks moldering in my bookcase against the window wall.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/working-with-my-research-logs-in.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Family Tree Builder 7.0 Software Synchronization with MyHeritage Family Tree - Post 2

MyHeritage released the FREE Family Tree Builder Version 7.0 genealogy software last week (see my post MyHeritage Releases Family Tree Builder 7.0 - New Features are Sync System and Record Matches).  

One of the NEW features in the Family Tree Builder 7.0 software was the ability to synchronize ("sync") with a user's MyHeritage Family Tree - meaning a user can change something online in their MyHeritage Family Tree, or change something in the FTB software, and click on the "Sync" button in FTB 7.0 to make the MyHeritage Family tree data match the Family Tree Builder software data. Heritage described the sync feature this way:

"All family tree information is synchronized, including photos, videos, audio files, notes, sources, citations and other information, except private information such as DNA markers which never leaves the user’s computer. The family history data can now be privately and securely viewed, edited and expanded from any device - the user’s computer, the user’s online family site on MyHeritage – or via the free MyHeritage mobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android. Users have full control of who can be granted permission to view or add information. The new sync system also provides a backup of the users’ precious data."

I was one of the Beta testers for this feature, and determined that it worked, but did not write about it at the time.  Now I can write about it, and I believe that no other genealogy blogger (other than the MyHeritage folks) have written about it in much detail.  

I want to cover the Sync feature in two posts - the first is in Family Tree Builder 7.0 Software Synchronization with MyHeritage Family Tree - Post 1.  In the post I edited some data and added several photos for two of my ancestors.

This post covers the actual Synchronization (Sync) process.

1)  At the end of the first post, I had added the information and photos, but it was added to the MyHeritage website.  Here is the screen in Family Tree Builder 7.0 before I did a sync:

As you can see, the screen above does not show the added and edited information for Samuel Vaux and Mary Ann (Underhill) Vaux.  At this point I had not "Synced" the two files - the changes were on my MyHeritage website but not in Family Tree Builder 7.0.

2)  To Sync the two databases, in Family Tree Builder 7.0 I clicked on the "Sync" button in the second menu bar (it's between "Maps" and "Family site").  That started the Sync process, which has four steps:

Step 1 is "Retrieving and applying updates from your Family Site."

I don't know what Step 2 is - the screen flashed by too fast!
Step 2 is "Preparing to Sync to your Family Site."

Step 3 is "Updating changes to the Family Site:"

You can see on the screen above that the changes to my Family Tree Builder database were made after Step 2.

Step 4 is "Processing changes uploaded to the Family Site:"

3)  After the Sync was completed, the added and edited data are in my Family Tree Builder 7.0 database:

I clicked on the "Profile" link for Samuel Vaux, and saw:

The added and edited data are there.  Hmmm, there are no Photos there.  I uploaded three photos.

4)  What about on the MyHeritage Profile for Samuel Vaux?  Here it is:

The added and edited data is there.  But there are no Photos shown, even though I added them to three Events in the first post of this series.  The seventh screen (second to last) shows the three photos on MyHeritage.  What happened to them?

5) I have no idea why the Photos didn't appear on either the FTB Profile or on the MyHeritage profile.  It may have been "user error" (but I know they uploaded somewhere because I saw thumbnail images of them in the first post).

I need to work more on this, I'll try it again.

UPDATED 12 noon:  I added one photo to the Burial Event, and it uploaded to both my MyHeritage site and my Family Tree Builder database.  I'll do more testing.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/family-tree-builder-70-software_29.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Joseph Ladd (ca 1613-1683) of Portsmouth, Rhode Island

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

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

The subject today is the probate file of Joseph Ladd (ca 1613-1683) of Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island.  Joseph Ladd married Joanna ???? (ca 1630-????) before 1654.  They had five children:

*  Mary Ladd (1654-1728), married Robert Brownell
*  Sara Ladd (1657-????)
*  Joseph Ladd (1660-????), married Rachel ?????
*  William Ladd (1665-1729), married Elizabeth Tompkins
*  Daniel Ladd (1668-????)


Joseph Ladd of Portsmouth died testate, having written a will dated 12 April 1669, which was proved 24 July 1683.  The will reads (from the Town Records of Portsmouth, RI, transcribed in the Ladd Family book by Warren Ladd (1890)):

"April the 12th, 1669.  The last Will and Testament of Joseph Ladd, of Portsmouth on Rhode Island, in the Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantation, in New England, in America, being in perfect memory; do substitute, ordain and appoint Joanna, my wife, my full and sole executrix to see my will performed; which is as follows: -- That all my visible estate shall remain in the hands of my wife for the bringing up of my children, so long as she, the said executrix, shall remain a widow; but in case she shall marry another man, then what my estate shall be shall remain no longer in the hands of my said wife, but in the hands of the Overseers, to be equally disposed of to my children, as followeth, namely:  That my son Joseph, at his mother's death or marriage, again, shall have my house and land, he paying, or causing to be paid, five pounds sterling apiece to his two brothers, if these surviving. viz.: my son William and Daniel, and what good or chattels shall remain of my estate, at the time aforesaid, to be equally divided betwixt my two youngest sons, and my two daughters, viz.: Mary and Sara; and in case either of my youngest sons decease before the time prefixed, then the five pounds above said to be paid betwixt his two sisters, to each an equal share, also in case my eldest son shall depart this life without issue, then the said house and land to fall necessarily to the next son as above said.  Lastly, I do desire and appoint my well beloved Friends, William Wodel and William Hall as Overseers, to see my estate be not imbeseld, and that it be disposed of according to my will above said, and that my children be not wronged by a father-in-law.

"That this is my will and Testament, which I desire may be performed. Witness my hand and seal, this day and year first above written.
...................................................................  his
......................................................... Joseph  }  Ladd    [seal]
.................................................................. mark

"Tests.  John Strange
William Lanny."

"John Strange, of the town of Portsmouth, aged seventy years or thereabouts, being deposed, testifieth that the above written was signed and sealed by the above named Joseph Lad, as his Last Will and Testament, and that in the presence of this deponent and the above named William Lany.  Taken upon oath before us,
John Albro, Assistant
George Lawton, Assistant"

The will of Joseph Ladd is fairly simple - it names all five of his children, living as of April 1669, and all are minors at that time.  I don't have any information about the death of the wife, Joanna, or if she married again (and possible submitted her children to "be not wronged by a father-in-law" - a step-father).

My ancestry is through the son, William Ladd, who married Elizabeth Tompkins, and their son, Joseph Ladd (1701-1749), who married Lydia Gray.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/amanuensis-monday-probate-records-of_29.html

copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Best of the Genea-Blogs - 21 to 27 April 2013

Hundreds of genealogy and family history bloggers write thousands 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 the genealogy carnivals, or other 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:

*  Follow-up to NERGC 2013: Fun, Connections, Success by Barbara Mathews on the MGC Sentinel blog.  Barbara highlights the behind-the-scenes activities at NERGC.

*  Thoughts on Blogging by Midge Frazel on the Granite in My Blood blog.  Midge offers counsel for bloggers about some mistakes and decisions she made on her blog.

*  The Why by Jen Baldwin on The In-Depth Genealogist blog.  Jen explains why the IDG team decided to be Official Bloggers at NGS, and more.

*  The Posts I Most Wish Official Bloggers Would Write by Nancy on the My Ancestors and Me blog.  Nancy offers her thoughts on the subject in a positive way.

*  CALL FOR PANELISTS: Mastering Genealogical Proof (MGP) Study Group by Pat Richley-Erickson on the DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog.  Pat has organized a Google+ Hangout On Air schedule for this study group, which anybody can watch on YouTube during or after for free.

*  My Grandma was a Cherokee Princess and Einstein Hated Cell Phones by Gena Philibert-Ortega on Gena's Genealogy blog.  This makes the list just on the title alone...Gena's right about evaluating family stories.

*  My Genealogy Workflow by Elyse Doerflinger on Elyse's Genealogy Blog.  Elyse describes her workflow process from finding a record to WikiTree.

*  Genealogy is Anthropology by Emily Garber on the (Going) The Extra Yad blog.  Emily has an interesting view about "what is genealogy?"

*  Sorting Saturday ~ How I Organize My Digital Files by Kim Mills on the Footsteps Of The Past blog.  Kim organizes her digital files to my own system.  It works!

*  Drop the Mic! by Heather Doyle on the Of Trees and Ink blog.  Heather had a great idea - make a "Dead End List" and then decide what to do next for each one.  It worked for her Doyle line!

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

*  Monday Recap for April 22, 2013 by Amanda on the Geni Blog.

*  Follow Friday - This Week's Favorite Finds by Jenn on the Climbing My Family Tree blog.

*  Follow Friday ~ Favorites for April 26, 2013 by Heather Kuhn Roelker on the Leaves For Trees blog.

*  Follow Friday - Fab Finds for April 26, 2013 by Jana Last on Jana's Genealogy and Family History Blog.

*  Follow Friday - Favourite Blog Posts from 23 March to 26 April 2013 by Aillin O'Brien on the Australian Genealogy Journeys blog.

*  UpFront Mini-Bytes by Diane Richard on the Upfront With NGS blog.

*  Friday Finds - 04-26-13 by Julie Cahill Tarr on the GenBlog blog.

*  Saturday Serendipity (April 27, 2013) by John D. Tew on the Filiopietism Prism blog.

*  A Sunday Walk Around the Blogs by Dawn Watson on the Digging in the Roots blog.

Readers are encouraged to go to the blogs listed above and read their articles, and add their blogs to your Favorites, Google Reader, 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 am currently reading posts from over 1350 genealogy bloggers using Google Reader, but I still miss quite a few it seems.

Read past Best of the Genea-Blogs posts here.

The URL for this post is:   http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/04/best-of-genea-blogs-21-to-27-april-2013.html

Copyright(c) 2012, Randall J. Seaver