Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN!
Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
I received this information from Findmypast today:
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This Findmypast Friday, discover three centuries of global history.
We've updated our South African record collection this week, adding over 1.6 million baptism, marriage and burial records from across the country to three of our existing record sets.
These new additions cover the years 1660 to 1996, so there are over 300 years of global history to delve into. We've also added pages to ten newspaper titles, spanning from 1910 right up to 2003.
We updated our South African baptisms this week - there are around 1.2 million new and improved records for you to discover, with both images and transcriptions available.
There are also new images and transcriptions to explore within our South Africa marriage set. These additions are from Cape, Free State, Kwazulu-Natal and Transvaal. In addition to both spouse's names and ages, you may be able to glean an address, a marriage place and additional notes from within these records. Be sure to check the original image to ensure that no key information is missed.
There are 153,774 new pages to discover this week. We've updated ten regional titles including the West Lancashire Evening Gazette and the Sussex Express. Here's a full rundown of what we've added to our newspaper archive this Findmypast Friday.
For the third weekend of our family history challenge, it's time to jump forward to the eve of the Second World War. Using the 1939 Register, see how the family's life looked on the brink of yet another global conflict. What can you discover with this detail-rich resource?
Disclosure: I have a complimentary subscription to Findmypast, and have accepted meals and services from Findmypast, as a Findmypast Ambassador. This has not affected my objectivity relative to Findmypast and its products.
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When Vincent Leonard Price Jr. was born on 27 May 1911, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, his father, Vincent Leonard Price Sr., was 39 and his mother, Marguerite Cobb Wilcox, was 36. He married Edith Barrett Williams on 4 December 1935, in Los Angeles, California, United States. He immigrated to New York City, New York, United States in 1950 and lived in Clayton, St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1930 and Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States in 1935. In 1935, his occupation is listed as actor, voice actor, art historian, art collector, gourmet cook. He died on 25 October 1993, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 82, and was buried in California, United States.
The Wikipedia profile for Vincent Leonard Price includes this information:
Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying villains. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures and one for television.[1]
Price's first film role was as a leading man in the 1938 comedy Service de Luxe. He became a character actor, appearing in The Song of Bernadette (1943), Laura (1944), The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), Leave Her to Heaven (1945), Dragonwyck (1946), and The Ten Commandments (1956). He established himself in the horror genre with roles in House of Wax (1953), The Fly (1958), House on Haunted Hill (1959), Return of the Fly (1959), The Tingler (1959), The Last Man on Earth (1964), Witchfinder General (1968), The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), and Theatre of Blood (1973). He collaborated with Roger Corman on a series of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, including House of Usher (1960), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961), The Haunted Palace (1963), and The Masque of the Red Death (1964). Price appeared in the television series Batman as Egghead.
Here is the Relative Finder chart showing my relationship to Vincent Leonard Price:
My most recent common ancestor with 7th cousin 1x removed Vincent Leonard Price are my 7th great-grandparents Samuel Smith (1641-1691) and Sarah Clark (1651-1704).
Are you related to Vincent Leonard Price? Check out his profile on the FamilySearch Family Tree and click the "View Relationship" link at the top of the page. Note that you have to have your profile connected to the FamilySearch Family Tree in order for this to work.
Copyright (c) 2024, 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, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.
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It's Treasure Chest Thursday - an opportunity to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history research and genealogy musings.
The treasure today is the 1769 burial record of Grace Noad in the Trowbridge, Wiltshire parish register:
The burial entry for Grace Noad is the 5th entry at the top of the page of "1769" on the image:
The transcription of the information on this record is:
"[1769] [January] 22. Grace wife of Will'm Noad"
The source citation for this census record is:
Wiltshire England Baptisms, Trowbridge, Grace Noad burial entry, 22 January 1769; imaged, "Wiltshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812," Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61187/records/2748975 : accessed 23 October 2024), Trowbridge, St. James with St. Stephen > Parish Registers > 1761-1812 > image 154 of 318; Original data in Wiltshire Church of England Parish Registers, Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England.
This is an Original Source record (because it is a church parish record book with information recorded as it occurred) with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the name, spouse and burial date and place of Grace Noad.
Grace Crabb was born before 15 September 1728 in Trowbridsge, Wiltshire, the daughter of Joseph Crabb and Grace Cox. Grace married William Noad (1722-????) on 27 September 1750 in Staverton, Wiltshire. She was buried, as Grace Noad, on 22 January 1769 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
William and Grace (Crabb) Noad are my 5th great-grandparents. They had at least 7 children, including my 4th great-grandmother Elizabeth "Betty" Noad (1767-1814) who married William Rich (1766-1835) in 1788 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
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Disclosure: I have a paid All-Access subscription to Ancestry.com now. Ancestry.com has provided a complimentary subscription and material considerations for travel expenses to meetings, and has hosted events and meals that I have attended in Salt Lake City, in past years.
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. All comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately after posting.
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The freely available Artificial Intelligence tools didn't fail me today. I used a prompt for Hallowe'en words and some genealogy-related words:
Please create a realistic image of Halloween including family tree, ancestors, descendants, gravestones, ghost stories, haunted houses, monster mash, witches, carved pumpkins with candles, trick-or-treat and any other cool Halloween words.
Voila, ChatGPT4 created:
(created by AI ChatGPT4)
And a ChatGPT4 poem for the day:
A Halloween Family Tree
Under the full moon’s ghostly light, The family tree takes shape tonight. With roots that twist through shadowed ground, Ancestors’ whispers circle ‘round.
From gravestones cold and marble white, Descendants gather for the sight. Echoes of lives from long ago In haunted houses stir below.
Ghost stories rise, on winds they ride, Of those who walked here, side by side. A witch’s cackle fills the air, Her potions bubble with a glare.
Pumpkins grin with candle glow, Faces carved from long ago. Children dance in costumes bright, Trick-or-treating through the night.
A monster mash, a ghoulish cheer, As kin of past and present near. Each spirit, ghost, and spectral scene, Alive within this Halloween.
With the same prompt on Meta AI:
(created by Meta AI)
Here's the Meta AI created poem:
A Halloween Legacy
In twilight's hush, where shadows play, Our family tree, a haunted sway, Ancestors whisper, their stories told, Descendants gather, young and old.
Gravestones creak, with eerie sighs, Ghost stories shared, beneath the skies, Haunted houses loom, with witches' might, As monsters mash, through the endless night.
Carved pumpkins grin, with candlelight, As trick-or-treaters take flight, Through streets alive, with spooky delight, In search of treats, on this haunted night.
Witches weave, their spells of old, As bats and goblins, tales unfold, Our family legacy, a Halloween dream, Where ancestors dance, and spirits gleam.
So let us celebrate, this spooky night, With monsters, ghosts, and witches' light, For in our roots, a haunted past, Lies a Halloween, that will forever last.
I couldn't resist a Hallowe'en song. Here it is, from Meta AI song lyrics, on Suno.com - "A Family Hallowe'en." Are you a poet (with AI or on your own)? Show me yours. I'm an uncreative aerospace engineer - I showed you mine!!
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. I moderate all comments and they may not appear immediately - please write only one comment.
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I received this information from FamilySearch today:
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Don’t miss RootsTech 2025—save $30 with early registration
RootsTech by FamilySearch, the world’s largest family history event, is happening March 6–8, 2025. Explore the latest technology, discover innovative tools for preserving your family story, and catch up on the latest trends in family history research.
Register for the in-person experience in Salt Lake City by October 31, and you’ll save $30.
Disclosure: I am a RootsTech 2025 "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.
Copyright (c) 2024, 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, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.
Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.
Welcome to Genealogy Education Bytes, posted on Wednesday afternoon for the past week, where we try to highlight the most important genealogy and family history education items that came across our desktop since the last issue.
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 comment on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.
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The three days of classes feature many genealogy and family history topics. The red arrows on the website schedule (shown below) are links to each YouTube class video. Here is the current list of the presentations (the times are given in EDT And UTC):
Face it: most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on their genealogy research. How about a different approach: producing short 3-5 page “sketches” about an ancestor? You’ll learn how to include a cover, photos, facts, family stories, source citations and more! And guess what, once you get a few of these ancestor sketches done, you can compile them together for one big book!
African American genealogy research presents unique challenges due to historical complexities and record limitations. This presentation will explore these obstacles and provide practical methods and strategies to navigate them effectively. Topics will include leveraging oral histories, understanding historical contexts, utilizing specialized databases, etc. Attendees will learn tips on locating records, connecting with communities, and preserving family stories. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with some tools and insights to help uncover their search for African Americans.
We will discuss how to Research Your Ancestors Overseas in European Archives and Libraries: types of sources preserved, repositories, how to start working with archives and libraries online and on site.
The Irish have long held a reputation as fighters and revolutionaries. This was especially through in the years 1916 – 1922 when Irish separatists engaged in a bitter struggle for Irish independence against the forces of the British Crown. But this revolutionary past stretches back further to the closing years of the 1700’s and throughout the 1800s. This talk will discuss the history of Irish revolutionary movements and provide an examination of what sources survive and where to find information on ancestors who may have been involved.
Our ancestor's did divorce their spouses in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, this is not a new phenomenon. The court records generated contain details about the current and previous marriages, children, residences, and maiden names, plus affidavits from friends, associates and neighbors. The records can answer questions about a missing spouse, a sudden move to a new state and a mysterious widowhood. These records are often hidden in court houses, archives, historical societies and maybe online? Let's find them!Handout
Not all genealogy is equal. In this presentation, Linda breaks down the components of what makes a genealogy "impossible," the tools for overcoming the brick walls, and how even what was once considered "impossible" is achievable to the Genealogical Proof Standard. This is for you if you are embarking on genealogy for underrepresented groups with Canadian and US examples.
The records our ancestors left behind often lead us to other records, and sometimes take us down a rabbit hole. Learn how to scour those records for the next clue, and how to prioritize those clues so that you stay on track.
Have you wondered how Artificial Intelligence might be able to help your family history research? In this presentation, Senior Genealogist Melanie McComb will discuss exciting possibilities for using AI to support your research—including assistance with report writing, digitally restoring family photos, and more.Handout
What does cooking have to do with genealogy? Maybe a little, maybe a lot! We will explore the process of genealogy (and cooking) to understand how the Genealogical Proof Standard can help all of us produce a better product, be it a meal or our efforts on WikiTree.Handout
2024 has seen lots of new initiatives and resources at the New Zealand Society of Genealogists. Come along and see what's new and how it can help you with your New Zealand research!
Learn about the important primary and secondary resources to discover your ancestors who was accused of witchcraft in Salem in 1692. This lecture will cover resources to uncover not just those accused, but the accusers, judges, and others involved in the Salem Witchcraft Trials.Handout
There is no such thing as a boring ancestor! Many genealogists will say they have boring ancestors because they can't find records or information for them. Learn from a seasoned genealogist and archivist how to locate records and information to bring those boring ancestors back to life!
In our desire to find family and build our tree, we may be guilty of name collection instead of name confirmation. Learn steps to help slow down, take a good look, and verify in order to add leaves to the right branch.Handout
Uncover your family's history through the flavors of Appalachia. Combining centuries of Appalachian cuisine with the compelling stories of the people who created it. Discover the stories behind mountain-grown ingredients to cherished family recipes, that showcase their ancestry and culture, passed down through generations. From the mountains to the kitchen table, discover the profound connection between food, family, and the culture of Appalachians.Handout
Researching a collateral line of the Simons family of Norfolk County, Ontario, unearthed a shocking discovery about the death of John F. Simons. Through the examination of various records, the character of Mr. Simons is learned and how his behaviour greatly affected those who knew him.
For many people researching their family history, the biggest clue to their Irish connections comes from a surname in their family tree. But how can we tell if a surname is Irish and where do Irish surnames come from? This talk will examine some of the most common Irish surnames and their surprising origins, including those brought to Ireland from elsewhere. It will also go into detail on some of the best sources for researching your Irish surname history.
We will discuss the many ways to reach out to distant living cousins to help you expand your pedigree chart forward in time. You may find family treasures, photos, DNA test takers and information that will break down a brick wall. We will explore online trees, lineage societies, cemetery indexes, obituaries in newspapers, living people finder websites and social media.Handout
After you have gathered what you know, it is time to begin the researching process. Deciding an online or desktop tree, which will be discussed. Following the Genealogical Proof Standard, begin entering in each ancestor along with their information. Upload all documentation and enter the citations for that ancestor before going on to the next. Use extensive and planned research for unknown information.
Do you have ancestors from Puerto Rico? This presentation will highlight the basic resources you will want to use for researching your ancestors from the Isle of Enchantment. This includes census, civil registration and Catholic Church records.
Do you have family treasures that have been handed down through the generations and you have them now? Do you like them? Do your children like them? Do you have room for them? Do you want them out of the house as soon as possible but you can't just throw them away because there are too many memories. Do you have family history stories that you want to share visually? Do you want to record history of houses or areas the family have lived? Have you written a family history and realized that no one wants to read it? (no matter how well it is written). This session will discuss ways to record, in short videos, these items and history so that future generations will know their family history in a way the next generation will enjoy.
Tap into your worldwide friend network to help you research and collaborate on genealogy resources that you are unfamiliar with. Break brick walls, get insight about histories and cultures, and share the passion and knowledge for genealogy and research..
With the holidays coming up, it is the perfect time to present and share your family history with family members! How do we share the information with others? How do we preserve what we have found for future researchers? In this lecture, Eleanor Brinsko will lay out some important questions, such as have you found all the information that will be found, who is the intended audience, and what is the best format to present and preserve this information that should not be lost again?
AI is constantly in the news. It's a tool that can have you working smarter, not harder when it comes to your family history. Summarizing documents, analyzing photographs, writing biographies from your research, helping you find new research avenues and double-checking your work are all ways that AI can help. Both ChatGPT and Perplexity will be featured through 5 examples.Handout
Concerned about the legal and ethical issues surrounding genealogical materials? This presentation explains what copyright is, what is and isn’t protected by law, how to legally use others’ copyrighted work, and how to avoid committing plagiarism.Handout
We will review the many awesome resources such as deceased online, FindAGrave and BillionGraves and others to advance your research. They have US and International information. I’ll also detail how you can help fellow genealogists by volunteering to take photos of gravestones, transcribe headstones or create memorials for posting online and connecting with cousins.Handout
You've discovered a Canadian ancestor in your family tree. Now what? In this presentation, you’ll learn where to find the best records and resources, including censuses, provincial archives, historical newspapers, and more, to help you learn about your Canadian ancestry.Handout
To launch a 30-day BootCamp that guides participants through the process of sharing their family history on social media, with daily prompts and activities designed to build storytelling skills, foster community engagement, and enhance research collaboration. They will come away from this presentation with a digital workbook to help them create 30-days of content to share on social media.
Note that there are Handouts for some of the presentations. On the WikiTree page, click the Handout link to download the handout.
These presentations should be available on the WikiTree YouTube channel after the presentations during WikiTree week.
I hope you enjoy a weekend of free genealogy presentations!
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 comment on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.
Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.
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