Posts
[This post is part of the Bound for Mom mini-blog carnival hosted by Geneabloggers]
Mom loved to travel and mostly by car. She seemed obsessed with road trips whether they were spontaneous or planned. Averaging 30,000 miles a year on her car, she would think nothing of driving two hours just to go see a concert or attend an event. While these distances and times may seem excessive, realize that I grew up in a very rural part of upstate New York where it was typical to drive 40 miles just to go shopping.
I think that I can attribute my love of history, especially New York State history, to the many trips my family would make all over the state. Fort Ticonderoga, Lake George, Albany, the Erie Canal, Cooperstown, Niagara Falls – all places that interested me as a child and in later years I would discover ancestors who had lived in those same places.
When I think back about memorable trips, here are the ones that come to mind:
Niagara Falls: this was the first time that any of us had left the United States when we decided to spend time – and stay overnight – on the Canadian side. We learned quite a bit about the geological formation called “The Falls” as well as the history of the area. This was also my first exposure to Loyalist history and interested me since I have Loyalist ancestors in my family tree.
Cooperstown: still one of my favorite areas, we made several trips when I as a child. Unfortunately, most of the trips were to visit my great-grandfather, John Ralph Austin, as he battled cancer at The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital. But Mom and my great-grandmother, Therese McGinnes Austin, would always make time for a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Rhode Island: in 1997, Mom and I took an extended genealogy field trip which began in North Kingstown, Rhode Island where my 9th great-grandfather Robert Austin was born about 1638. We located an old Austin cemetery behind a lumber yard and also took time to visit the mansions of Newport.
Lowville: this small town in Lewis County, at the base of the western Adirondack mountains, was the home of my Austin ancestors after they left Rhode Island during The Great Migration. During the same 1997 genealogy trip, we cut across central New York state (parallel to the Erie Canal) and then shot up north to Lowville. So in essence we may have followed a similar route that my ancestors used. Lowville was – and still is – a quaint village that caters to snowmobiling fans during the winter months.
Mom’s one wish in terms of travel, which she was never able to fulfill, was a trip to Ireland where my 2nd great-grandmother Bridget Farren was born. I’ve committed myself to making such a trip in the near future so that I can not only research my Farren and McGinnes lines, but my McEntee lines as well.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Driven
[This post is part of the Bound for Mom mini-blog carnival hosted by Geneabloggers]
To me, mothers took every opportunity to teach and could do so without their children know they were being taught. There was always the concept of “home schooling” it just was in addition to formal public/private schooling. Too many times today I will be out in public and hear a Mom say, “OK kids – this is a learning moment!” Every moment should be a learning moment and shouldn’t have to be pointed out.
My mother seemed to have much more to teach than most other mothers – perhaps because she was raising my brother and I by herself. And since she worked full time, she counted on her boys to perform chores around the house including cooking and cleaning which were not your typical skills learned by males in the household.
As many readers know – mostly through my blog And I Helped which is a tribute to my Mom and her recipes – I began cooking around age nine. I could have dinner on the table when Mom walked through the door at 5:30 pm. It wasn’t fancy – I specialized in Hamburger Helper, Mrs. Paul’s fish sticks and Shake ‘n Bake but it was hot, it was filling and it was food.
And while my colleagues all floundered after college by trying to cook for themselves (or find someone willing to cook for them), I felt like I had an advantage with my new found skills. Other things Mom taught me: how to clean a house, how to sew a button and a hem, how to do basic yard work, how to make basic repairs, how to spend and save money, and when to ask vs. when to demand.
Besides teaching me skills, I also picked up some of my mother’s sayings. Mom was a “people watcher” which seemed to be a popular as well as no-cost pastime especially in New York. Looking back while it may now seem a bit judgmental, the comments made about passersby were usually only when someone looked or did something outlandish or shameful.
In my mother’s era women just didn’t leave the house unless they were “put together.” Mom always complained that she had to hurry and “put my face on” which, of course, meant make up. Looking “put together’ meant you took a moment, looked in a mirror and cared about your appearance before you left the house. Mom was not of the “mop the floor wearing high heels” or “gloves, hat and purse that match” set – that was a bit before her time. However, the big no-nos to her were not brushing your hair and not wearing a bra.
Growing up, if I was at the mall and I heard a lady say “Would it kill her to run a brush through her hair?” or “She spent all her money on clothes and nothing on a mirror?” or “You think she’d die if she wore a bra?” I knew it was my mother. And at that very moment I would be busy trying to figure out: a) if the subject in question heard it, b) if anyone else heard it and c) where I could possibly hide and die a quick death due to embarrassment.
In later years we always had a good laugh with Mom over her sayings but she had no regrets. And that is the most important thing Mom taught me: live a life of no regrets.
Thanks Mom.
To me, mothers took every opportunity to teach and could do so without their children know they were being taught. There was always the concept of “home schooling” it just was in addition to formal public/private schooling. Too many times today I will be out in public and hear a Mom say, “OK kids – this is a learning moment!” Every moment should be a learning moment and shouldn’t have to be pointed out.
My mother seemed to have much more to teach than most other mothers – perhaps because she was raising my brother and I by herself. And since she worked full time, she counted on her boys to perform chores around the house including cooking and cleaning which were not your typical skills learned by males in the household.
As many readers know – mostly through my blog And I Helped which is a tribute to my Mom and her recipes – I began cooking around age nine. I could have dinner on the table when Mom walked through the door at 5:30 pm. It wasn’t fancy – I specialized in Hamburger Helper, Mrs. Paul’s fish sticks and Shake ‘n Bake but it was hot, it was filling and it was food.
And while my colleagues all floundered after college by trying to cook for themselves (or find someone willing to cook for them), I felt like I had an advantage with my new found skills. Other things Mom taught me: how to clean a house, how to sew a button and a hem, how to do basic yard work, how to make basic repairs, how to spend and save money, and when to ask vs. when to demand.
Besides teaching me skills, I also picked up some of my mother’s sayings. Mom was a “people watcher” which seemed to be a popular as well as no-cost pastime especially in New York. Looking back while it may now seem a bit judgmental, the comments made about passersby were usually only when someone looked or did something outlandish or shameful.
In my mother’s era women just didn’t leave the house unless they were “put together.” Mom always complained that she had to hurry and “put my face on” which, of course, meant make up. Looking “put together’ meant you took a moment, looked in a mirror and cared about your appearance before you left the house. Mom was not of the “mop the floor wearing high heels” or “gloves, hat and purse that match” set – that was a bit before her time. However, the big no-nos to her were not brushing your hair and not wearing a bra.
Growing up, if I was at the mall and I heard a lady say “Would it kill her to run a brush through her hair?” or “She spent all her money on clothes and nothing on a mirror?” or “You think she’d die if she wore a bra?” I knew it was my mother. And at that very moment I would be busy trying to figure out: a) if the subject in question heard it, b) if anyone else heard it and c) where I could possibly hide and die a quick death due to embarrassment.
In later years we always had a good laugh with Mom over her sayings but she had no regrets. And that is the most important thing Mom taught me: live a life of no regrets.
Thanks Mom.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
How I Use Technology With My Genealogy
[This post was written as part of the series of Weekly Genealogy Prompts proposed by Amy Coffin of We Tree. This week's prompt: Talk about the different types of technology you use in your genealogy research. Whether it’s a new search engine, a special application, or anything else “2.0,” let readers know what you’re working with, and how it’s working for you.]
About the time I picked up the genealogy bug, I was already firmly established professionally in the information technology field. So for me, there is no real time when I didn't pursue my technology using some gadget such as a computer or Internet application.
This doesn't mean the way in which I trace my roots is better than any other method. And it doesn't mean - as one might think - that my way is easier. Simply put, it is just my way.
I think over the past two years of blogging about genealogy, writing articles about the use of technology and genealogy, and promoting the use of blogs in the genealogy field have brought me to this conclusion: the field of genealogy is at a cross-roads with two distinct "camps" or "schools of thought."
One group's experience with genealogy is that of attending genealogical society meetings, attending conferences and workshops, visiting local Family History Centers, using the resources at libraries and archives, and documenting much of their findings through photocopies, hand written notes and copies of documents requested from government agencies. This group tends to be very well versed in the importance of source citations, they know how to interact socially with other genealogists, and while technology may be involved in their genealogical pursuits, it isn't the main focus of their work.
Before I get to the next group I want to pause and urge readers to avoid labels such as "old timers" or "old fashioned" or "luddites" when mentioning this group or their methodology. Besides being ageist it really is untrue since I know several people "young of age" who prefer to work with forms and charts more than computers and applications.
The other group's experience with genealogy is almost solely based in the world of technology and many members may only have decided to pursue the search for their family history after already having a strong foundation with gadgets and computers. Members of this group tend to embrace and even seek out new forms of technology, are often called "early adapters" who test out new appliances and programs and then spread the word to others in the genealogy community. They are a social group but socialize at their convenience using various forms of social media such as Facebook and Twitter and they are all over blogs and websites - many with more than one of each to their name! Some members will attend local society meetings, travel to genealogy conferences or perform research in libraries or archives but most often will try to do so on the Internet first.
Again, try to avoid labeling this group with terms such as "pajama genealogists" or "young folk" or "genea geeks." As I've stated in Facebook Is NOT The Domain Of The Young, technology does not favor the young - but we all should be open to learning new things and not let others discourage us. Technology does not necessarily make your research easier - in fact it allows you to access much more information which you then need to read, understand and filter through in order to determine what is or is not useful.
At times I experience great frustration with the fact that there even has to be a division between the two groups. In my mind, I have much to learn from those who continue to pursue genealogy with less of an emphasis on technology. They've taught me the importance of process and discipline, the importance of sources and citing sources, as well as the importance of getting off my duff and meeting other genealogists in person.
And since I tend to affiliate more with the group that pursues genealogy with an emphasis on technology, I know we have much to offer and to teach others who may not feel as comfortable with technology as we do. We need to take time and explain new applications and features. Many of us take a mentoring role with not only those new to genealogy but those new to certain aspects of technology. I take no greater pride in hearing about a recent retiree who can amaze and stupify her "know it all grandchildren" (as one person recently told me) with her use of Twitter. And when someone e-mails me and says "my children are embarassed that I'm on Facebook," I know I've done some good work.
Let's try to get away from an us vs. them mentality which really doesn't serve the genealogy community at all and detracts from our mission to help others trace their own roots. Remember that technology itself is innocent and impartial. It is how we choose to use it - or not use it - that determines how we pursue our research and how we relate to our fellow genealogist.
copyright 2009 Thomas MacEntee
About the time I picked up the genealogy bug, I was already firmly established professionally in the information technology field. So for me, there is no real time when I didn't pursue my technology using some gadget such as a computer or Internet application.
This doesn't mean the way in which I trace my roots is better than any other method. And it doesn't mean - as one might think - that my way is easier. Simply put, it is just my way.
I think over the past two years of blogging about genealogy, writing articles about the use of technology and genealogy, and promoting the use of blogs in the genealogy field have brought me to this conclusion: the field of genealogy is at a cross-roads with two distinct "camps" or "schools of thought."
One group's experience with genealogy is that of attending genealogical society meetings, attending conferences and workshops, visiting local Family History Centers, using the resources at libraries and archives, and documenting much of their findings through photocopies, hand written notes and copies of documents requested from government agencies. This group tends to be very well versed in the importance of source citations, they know how to interact socially with other genealogists, and while technology may be involved in their genealogical pursuits, it isn't the main focus of their work.
Before I get to the next group I want to pause and urge readers to avoid labels such as "old timers" or "old fashioned" or "luddites" when mentioning this group or their methodology. Besides being ageist it really is untrue since I know several people "young of age" who prefer to work with forms and charts more than computers and applications.
The other group's experience with genealogy is almost solely based in the world of technology and many members may only have decided to pursue the search for their family history after already having a strong foundation with gadgets and computers. Members of this group tend to embrace and even seek out new forms of technology, are often called "early adapters" who test out new appliances and programs and then spread the word to others in the genealogy community. They are a social group but socialize at their convenience using various forms of social media such as Facebook and Twitter and they are all over blogs and websites - many with more than one of each to their name! Some members will attend local society meetings, travel to genealogy conferences or perform research in libraries or archives but most often will try to do so on the Internet first.
Again, try to avoid labeling this group with terms such as "pajama genealogists" or "young folk" or "genea geeks." As I've stated in Facebook Is NOT The Domain Of The Young, technology does not favor the young - but we all should be open to learning new things and not let others discourage us. Technology does not necessarily make your research easier - in fact it allows you to access much more information which you then need to read, understand and filter through in order to determine what is or is not useful.
At times I experience great frustration with the fact that there even has to be a division between the two groups. In my mind, I have much to learn from those who continue to pursue genealogy with less of an emphasis on technology. They've taught me the importance of process and discipline, the importance of sources and citing sources, as well as the importance of getting off my duff and meeting other genealogists in person.
And since I tend to affiliate more with the group that pursues genealogy with an emphasis on technology, I know we have much to offer and to teach others who may not feel as comfortable with technology as we do. We need to take time and explain new applications and features. Many of us take a mentoring role with not only those new to genealogy but those new to certain aspects of technology. I take no greater pride in hearing about a recent retiree who can amaze and stupify her "know it all grandchildren" (as one person recently told me) with her use of Twitter. And when someone e-mails me and says "my children are embarassed that I'm on Facebook," I know I've done some good work.
Let's try to get away from an us vs. them mentality which really doesn't serve the genealogy community at all and detracts from our mission to help others trace their own roots. Remember that technology itself is innocent and impartial. It is how we choose to use it - or not use it - that determines how we pursue our research and how we relate to our fellow genealogist.
copyright 2009 Thomas MacEntee
My Geneaspace
This week's as part of Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun over at Genea-musings, he asks the following:
1) Take a digital picture of your Genealogy Space - whether it is a table, desk, bookcase, whatever. Take more than one if you want.
2) Show off your Genealogy Space to all of us in a blog post showing your digital pictures. If you aren't blogging or don't want to show us your pictures, go to 3) below without passing Go or collecting another ancestor.
3) Tell us something about your Genealogy Space. How long does it take you to find something? Are you thinking of reorganizing your space?
Now I don't want people to think I didn't take these photos last night because my office wasn't clean. I think it is easier and looks better to take photos with a bit of daylight. Besides if you look real close you can see some dirt on the floor!
So above is my office which is at the rear of the condo and has a patio door which goes out to the deck. (You can read more about the 1905 3-flat building I live in here.) This part of the building was "added on" to the original and in each unit it contains the furnace, the stackable washer/dryer and space to use as an office or a dining area.
The walls are a jade green, the desk and chair are espresso brown, and there are gold drapes in front of the sliding glass door. There is my microwaveable heating pad on the desk chair (for my osteo-arthritis), and the basket under the desk houses all the drooping cordage from the equipment. I do this so I don't need to see it all dusty and lurking like an octopus under my feet.
The view behind the desk shows my folding bookcases filled with office supplies as well as a painting by my friend Lisa Hartmann. Notice the large wicker basket - it is the only truly "disorganized" area - it is where all bills and genealogy papers go. They are later scanned and/or filed.
The red cardboard box contains items to be scanned including diaries, photos etc. I need to get another plastic sealable storage bin in order to keep out water, dust and critters. Below the box are two wooden filing boxes since I don't care for metallic filing cabinets. This contains all my papers filed away after they are scanned.
Up close, I have a very neat elevated monitor stand from Kennsington. It allows me more places to store items to be scanned (like the stack of old photos) and also makes it easier to dust. The big benefit is having the monitor at a better eye height to reduce eye strain.
I also have my DSL mode, the 250GB external hard drive and my cordless phone system for the house.
Finally, I have my CPU sitting on the side - I don't like it on the floor where it can get dusty. On top of that is my scanner/printer/copier. And my ever-present copy of Evidence Explained along with a copy of The Family History Research Toolkit by Michael Hait which I will review in a post over at Geneabloggers. There is usually an iPod nano charging, my headset so I can listen to music or speak on Skype and a coaster (where is my coffee?).
In terms of operability and function, I like the fact that I can sit in the desk chair and look out the deck and have sunlight streaming in. As you can see I also am big on organization and scanning papers is a big part of that. If I really need a hard copy of an item, it is in file boxes behind me but they are heavy and most be moved around for access.
What I don't like about my office space is that proximity of the furnace amd washer/dryer (every time the buzzer goes off and someone on the phone asks, "What was that?" I usually say "Oh, fries are up."). There is too much noise for me to be able to do a series of podcasts or webcasts with my webcam.
1) Take a digital picture of your Genealogy Space - whether it is a table, desk, bookcase, whatever. Take more than one if you want.
2) Show off your Genealogy Space to all of us in a blog post showing your digital pictures. If you aren't blogging or don't want to show us your pictures, go to 3) below without passing Go or collecting another ancestor.
3) Tell us something about your Genealogy Space. How long does it take you to find something? Are you thinking of reorganizing your space?
Now I don't want people to think I didn't take these photos last night because my office wasn't clean. I think it is easier and looks better to take photos with a bit of daylight. Besides if you look real close you can see some dirt on the floor!
So above is my office which is at the rear of the condo and has a patio door which goes out to the deck. (You can read more about the 1905 3-flat building I live in here.) This part of the building was "added on" to the original and in each unit it contains the furnace, the stackable washer/dryer and space to use as an office or a dining area.
The walls are a jade green, the desk and chair are espresso brown, and there are gold drapes in front of the sliding glass door. There is my microwaveable heating pad on the desk chair (for my osteo-arthritis), and the basket under the desk houses all the drooping cordage from the equipment. I do this so I don't need to see it all dusty and lurking like an octopus under my feet.
The view behind the desk shows my folding bookcases filled with office supplies as well as a painting by my friend Lisa Hartmann. Notice the large wicker basket - it is the only truly "disorganized" area - it is where all bills and genealogy papers go. They are later scanned and/or filed.
The red cardboard box contains items to be scanned including diaries, photos etc. I need to get another plastic sealable storage bin in order to keep out water, dust and critters. Below the box are two wooden filing boxes since I don't care for metallic filing cabinets. This contains all my papers filed away after they are scanned.
Up close, I have a very neat elevated monitor stand from Kennsington. It allows me more places to store items to be scanned (like the stack of old photos) and also makes it easier to dust. The big benefit is having the monitor at a better eye height to reduce eye strain.
I also have my DSL mode, the 250GB external hard drive and my cordless phone system for the house.
Finally, I have my CPU sitting on the side - I don't like it on the floor where it can get dusty. On top of that is my scanner/printer/copier. And my ever-present copy of Evidence Explained along with a copy of The Family History Research Toolkit by Michael Hait which I will review in a post over at Geneabloggers. There is usually an iPod nano charging, my headset so I can listen to music or speak on Skype and a coaster (where is my coffee?).
In terms of operability and function, I like the fact that I can sit in the desk chair and look out the deck and have sunlight streaming in. As you can see I also am big on organization and scanning papers is a big part of that. If I really need a hard copy of an item, it is in file boxes behind me but they are heavy and most be moved around for access.
What I don't like about my office space is that proximity of the furnace amd washer/dryer (every time the buzzer goes off and someone on the phone asks, "What was that?" I usually say "Oh, fries are up."). There is too much noise for me to be able to do a series of podcasts or webcasts with my webcam.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
My Genealogy Journey
There's an interesting discussion post over at the Genea-Blogger's Group on Facebook by a member wondering what her next steps should be in the field of genealogy. She wonders if she should become certified, take courses, etc.
Knowing that a description of my own genealogy journey might be too large for a discussion post, I thought I'd share where I've been and the direction in which I am headed in terms of my genealogy.
My journey began around 1995 when my mother handed me a copy of a printed genealogy for my Putman line. Entitled Genealogy of David Putman and His Ancestors, only 100 copies were printed and I had my hands on one! The book was a real eye-opener then as to who my ancestors were. And it intrigues me even now since my cousin did all the research by mailing letters to the postmasters of small New York towns and asking for a list of Putman names to correspond with.
Soon thereafter I took Mom on many genealogy trips. One was to Lowville, New York where my Austin, Dence and Putman ancestors had lived. Another was to North Kingstown, Rhode Island to visit Austin graveyards since I descend from Robert Austin (b. 1638 in Kingstown, Rhode Island).
In 2006 I started this blog, Destionation: Austin Family as a means of documenting my family history and sharing it with my family and others. Creating this blog (and the ten others since then) has been very therapeutic as I deal with my mother's early onset Alzheimer's and her care. I don't know what I would have done without the encouragement and support of many of my geneablogger friends. They were unafraid to speak about issues besides genealogy and make me realize that we have more in common than that which separates us.
In 2008 I was suddenly terminated - along with 1200 co-workers - from a global law firm as it decided to dissolve. How did I deal with the fact that I was not paid back wages? Create a blog about it - of course! But how was I going to deal with the lack of desire to work in the legal technology field after 20+ years? And how was I going to deal with the strong desire to share my talents and expertise with the genealogy community?
In early 2009 I polled - via email - some of my closest geneablogger friends and asked them for recommendations on certification in the field of genealogy. In a post this week I will reveal the information I gathered and my choice as to certification.
What I can say is this: each day as I interact more and more with the genealogy community, I feel this "pull" towards making it my calling, my profession. So I have a 5-year plan in place which will allow me to transition from my current field to that of genealogy. More on that in a bit.
copyright 2009 Thomas MacEntee
Knowing that a description of my own genealogy journey might be too large for a discussion post, I thought I'd share where I've been and the direction in which I am headed in terms of my genealogy.
My journey began around 1995 when my mother handed me a copy of a printed genealogy for my Putman line. Entitled Genealogy of David Putman and His Ancestors, only 100 copies were printed and I had my hands on one! The book was a real eye-opener then as to who my ancestors were. And it intrigues me even now since my cousin did all the research by mailing letters to the postmasters of small New York towns and asking for a list of Putman names to correspond with.
Soon thereafter I took Mom on many genealogy trips. One was to Lowville, New York where my Austin, Dence and Putman ancestors had lived. Another was to North Kingstown, Rhode Island to visit Austin graveyards since I descend from Robert Austin (b. 1638 in Kingstown, Rhode Island).
In 2006 I started this blog, Destionation: Austin Family as a means of documenting my family history and sharing it with my family and others. Creating this blog (and the ten others since then) has been very therapeutic as I deal with my mother's early onset Alzheimer's and her care. I don't know what I would have done without the encouragement and support of many of my geneablogger friends. They were unafraid to speak about issues besides genealogy and make me realize that we have more in common than that which separates us.
In 2008 I was suddenly terminated - along with 1200 co-workers - from a global law firm as it decided to dissolve. How did I deal with the fact that I was not paid back wages? Create a blog about it - of course! But how was I going to deal with the lack of desire to work in the legal technology field after 20+ years? And how was I going to deal with the strong desire to share my talents and expertise with the genealogy community?
In early 2009 I polled - via email - some of my closest geneablogger friends and asked them for recommendations on certification in the field of genealogy. In a post this week I will reveal the information I gathered and my choice as to certification.
What I can say is this: each day as I interact more and more with the genealogy community, I feel this "pull" towards making it my calling, my profession. So I have a 5-year plan in place which will allow me to transition from my current field to that of genealogy. More on that in a bit.
copyright 2009 Thomas MacEntee
69th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy Posted
Over at West in New England, the 69th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy has been posted. Sit down with a good cup of coffee this morning and read through the entries all with the common theme of "What If?"
The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: Uncle, Uncle! This edition is all about our uncles. Have you got a favorite or interesting uncle? Tell us about him! Maybe you had a older cousin, neighbor, or friend you called "uncle"... that works too! No uncles in your life? No problem. Write about any gentleman on your family tree who was an uncle to somebody :-) The deadline for submissions is April 15th (get your tax return done early so you don't miss out!).
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any articles you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blog carnival submission form. This will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link.
The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: Uncle, Uncle! This edition is all about our uncles. Have you got a favorite or interesting uncle? Tell us about him! Maybe you had a older cousin, neighbor, or friend you called "uncle"... that works too! No uncles in your life? No problem. Write about any gentleman on your family tree who was an uncle to somebody :-) The deadline for submissions is April 15th (get your tax return done early so you don't miss out!).
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any articles you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blog carnival submission form. This will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Mom Taught Me More Than How To Cook
[This post is part of the Bound for Mom mini-blog carnival hosted by Geneabloggers]
Mom taught me life skills and the ability to cook is one which has served me well. If it weren't for my flat feet and inability to stand for long stretches of time, I'm certain I would have gone into the culinary or catering field - that's how much I've come to enjoy being in the kitchen.
For Mom, teaching her oldest son how to cook was a necessity: Mom went to work around the time I turned 7. With two small boys to support she knew it would be easier to at least have dinner started or prepped when she walked in the door each night at 5:30pm. And so Mom taught me the basics.
We are not talking fancy gourmet cooking although that was something I would try my hand at later on to the delight of my family. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s basics mean stuff like Hamburger Helper and Shake 'N Bake. In fact, the phrase "and I helped" used in the Shake 'N Bake commercials is what I decided to call my food blog. It is a tribute to all the recipes I learned from Mom and since then. I highly recommend setting up a family recipe blog if food, cooking and recipes are a large part of your genealogy research.
Mom taught be food safety (proper temperatures, food handling,etc.) as well as how to operate equipment such as a stove, microwave, etc. I learned how to measure, how to defrost, how to mix and most importantly how to develop a cook's "sixth sense" when something wasn't right or was just right.
As the years went by I would be making dishes such as clams casino and paella for a very appreciative extended family. I can thank Mom for teaching me these basic skills and that food and the gift of food could help open doors and break down barriers.
Mom taught me life skills and the ability to cook is one which has served me well. If it weren't for my flat feet and inability to stand for long stretches of time, I'm certain I would have gone into the culinary or catering field - that's how much I've come to enjoy being in the kitchen.
For Mom, teaching her oldest son how to cook was a necessity: Mom went to work around the time I turned 7. With two small boys to support she knew it would be easier to at least have dinner started or prepped when she walked in the door each night at 5:30pm. And so Mom taught me the basics.
We are not talking fancy gourmet cooking although that was something I would try my hand at later on to the delight of my family. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s basics mean stuff like Hamburger Helper and Shake 'N Bake. In fact, the phrase "and I helped" used in the Shake 'N Bake commercials is what I decided to call my food blog. It is a tribute to all the recipes I learned from Mom and since then. I highly recommend setting up a family recipe blog if food, cooking and recipes are a large part of your genealogy research.
Mom taught be food safety (proper temperatures, food handling,etc.) as well as how to operate equipment such as a stove, microwave, etc. I learned how to measure, how to defrost, how to mix and most importantly how to develop a cook's "sixth sense" when something wasn't right or was just right.
As the years went by I would be making dishes such as clams casino and paella for a very appreciative extended family. I can thank Mom for teaching me these basic skills and that food and the gift of food could help open doors and break down barriers.
Census Search Trick - Finding Non-Indexed Entries
Well, my Leehive saga continues. I spent much of yesterday looking for the 1930 Federal Census record for Michael Leehive, son of John Leehive, born 1870 in Greenwich, London, England. Being an Ancestry subscriber, I was using their search form and even utilizing my "no surname trick," I could not locate the information.
Thinking Michael had passed, I even tried his wife Catherine and his two children Julia and Michael, Jr. with no luck.
So, I thought: go with what you know. I knew that Michael Leehive and his family had appeared in the Kingston, New York census for 1900, 1910 and 1920. Since many of the other Leehive children had moved to Bayonne, New Jersey to work in the oil refinery business, I made searches there as well. No dice.
Thinking that Michael, at age 60 probably remained in Kingston, I looked closely at the 1920 Federal Census and found that Michael Leehive and family lived in the 5th Ward of Kingston, Board of Election District No. 1, and specifically at 222 East Union Street. Since they had lived at the same address since the 1910 Federal Census, there was a good chance I could find their 1930 Federal Census record by reviewing all the pages for the same enumeration district.
Upper left corner of census sheet showing state, county and division
Upper right corner of census sheet showing ward and enumeration district
Ancestry "old search" form
I pulled up the first result which was not a Leehive record but that didn't matter. I just wanted access to the "breadcrumb" links above the record which read "New York, Ulster, Kingston."
I clicked the link for District 19 and was presented with Page 1 of 37 pages for the district. I would need to scan each sheet and then click "Next" to proceed to the next sheet.
1930 Federal Census, Enumeration Distict 19, Kingston, New York, page 1
When I arrived at Page 7, my Michael Leehive was there waiting for me - at the same 222 East Union Street address as the 1920 Federal Census.
Thinking Michael had passed, I even tried his wife Catherine and his two children Julia and Michael, Jr. with no luck.
So, I thought: go with what you know. I knew that Michael Leehive and his family had appeared in the Kingston, New York census for 1900, 1910 and 1920. Since many of the other Leehive children had moved to Bayonne, New Jersey to work in the oil refinery business, I made searches there as well. No dice.
Thinking that Michael, at age 60 probably remained in Kingston, I looked closely at the 1920 Federal Census and found that Michael Leehive and family lived in the 5th Ward of Kingston, Board of Election District No. 1, and specifically at 222 East Union Street. Since they had lived at the same address since the 1910 Federal Census, there was a good chance I could find their 1930 Federal Census record by reviewing all the pages for the same enumeration district.
Upper left corner of census sheet showing state, county and division
Upper right corner of census sheet showing ward and enumeration district
So I performed a basic Leehive search in the 1930 Federal Census using Ancestry's search form:
Ancestry "old search" form
I pulled up the first result which was not a Leehive record but that didn't matter. I just wanted access to the "breadcrumb" links above the record which read "New York, Ulster, Kingston."
Ancestry's 1930 Federal Census record for New York, Ulster, Kingston, District 14
I clicked on "Kingston and a list of enumeration districts displayed. I scanned the list looking for Ward 5 - usually enumeration districts change from census to census and I could not be certain the 1930 Federal Census district was the same as the 1920 Federal Census district.
Enumeration district listing for 1930 Federal Census, Kingston, New York
I clicked on "Kingston and a list of enumeration districts displayed. I scanned the list looking for Ward 5 - usually enumeration districts change from census to census and I could not be certain the 1930 Federal Census district was the same as the 1920 Federal Census district.
Enumeration district listing for 1930 Federal Census, Kingston, New York
I clicked the link for District 19 and was presented with Page 1 of 37 pages for the district. I would need to scan each sheet and then click "Next" to proceed to the next sheet.
1930 Federal Census, Enumeration Distict 19, Kingston, New York, page 1
When I arrived at Page 7, my Michael Leehive was there waiting for me - at the same 222 East Union Street address as the 1920 Federal Census.
(http://www.ancestry.com), accessed April 2, 2009, citing Census Place: Kingston, Ulster, New York; Roll: 1655; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 19; Image: 251.0
It is important to remember that when using online databases such as Ancestry, not all pages or entries may have been properly indexed or indexed at all. After exhausting every other possible search method, the only method left was to do a visual review page by page. I was lucky in that my Leehive family did not move since the 1920 Federal Census otherwise I'm not sure how I would have found them.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
To Cite Or Not To Cite . . .
. . . that is the current burning question among genealogy blog authors this week. In case you've missed out, a discussion has cropped up as to the very legitimacy of genealogy blogs and their role in helping people search for their roots. While I won't delve into the details of such a discussion, I do want to dicuss how I handle source citations here at Destination: Austin Family and my opinions on how using endnotes can affect the readibility of blog posts.
The idea of including footnotes/endnotes in genealogy blog posts is not new, nor is the discussion among geneabloggers as to whether or not to include such source information. Many of us opt not to cite our sources in the blog post and this is not because we are "intellectually lazy" and just don't want to do the work. The fact is that many of our posts are created based on our research.
In my series Two Roads: Do McEntee and MacEntee Converge or Fork?, many of my posts had up to 52 endnotes all citing sources used in my research. Most of my posts, even those for Tombstone Tuesday, have research to back them up. During last summer's Geneablogger Games, one of the events was Go Back And Cite Your Sources which awarded various medals based on the number of source citations created in one's genealogy database.
I admit I am not consistent when including source citations in my blog posts. Mostly I worry that it will affect the readibility of my posts. This has been discussed at length among geneabloggers in the past including some great comments on a post by Sheri Fenley of The Educated Genealogist.
Here is my current take on the source citation situation: my blog posts are not the same as articles submitted to a genealogical society for publication. What I write on my genealogy blog is intended to "bring to life" the stories of my family and my ancestors and to make the field of genealogy attractive to my readers. This doesn't mean I have a "low brow" readership that can't handle endnotes and source citations. It doesn't mean that I don't have said citations to back up what I say or write here. It doesn't mean that my genealogy blog - or any genealogy blog for that matter - is not a legitimate source of information about a particular topic or family line.
What it does mean is this: just like any source of information you encounter in your daily routine - be it television, The Internets, newspapers, etc. - you are expected to exercise your own judgment and critical thinking as to whether the information merits your attention and possible use as a source for whatever you do including genealogy research. Anyone who does not go through life this way probably believes everything they read in the paper, is certain that they have $33 million waiting for them in an overseas bank account because some Nigerian man said so, and has it on good authority that they are the 5th cousin 10 times removed to Queen Victoria all because some man named Gustave Anjou did the research and charged them for it.
The idea of including footnotes/endnotes in genealogy blog posts is not new, nor is the discussion among geneabloggers as to whether or not to include such source information. Many of us opt not to cite our sources in the blog post and this is not because we are "intellectually lazy" and just don't want to do the work. The fact is that many of our posts are created based on our research.
In my series Two Roads: Do McEntee and MacEntee Converge or Fork?, many of my posts had up to 52 endnotes all citing sources used in my research. Most of my posts, even those for Tombstone Tuesday, have research to back them up. During last summer's Geneablogger Games, one of the events was Go Back And Cite Your Sources which awarded various medals based on the number of source citations created in one's genealogy database.
I admit I am not consistent when including source citations in my blog posts. Mostly I worry that it will affect the readibility of my posts. This has been discussed at length among geneabloggers in the past including some great comments on a post by Sheri Fenley of The Educated Genealogist.
Here is my current take on the source citation situation: my blog posts are not the same as articles submitted to a genealogical society for publication. What I write on my genealogy blog is intended to "bring to life" the stories of my family and my ancestors and to make the field of genealogy attractive to my readers. This doesn't mean I have a "low brow" readership that can't handle endnotes and source citations. It doesn't mean that I don't have said citations to back up what I say or write here. It doesn't mean that my genealogy blog - or any genealogy blog for that matter - is not a legitimate source of information about a particular topic or family line.
What it does mean is this: just like any source of information you encounter in your daily routine - be it television, The Internets, newspapers, etc. - you are expected to exercise your own judgment and critical thinking as to whether the information merits your attention and possible use as a source for whatever you do including genealogy research. Anyone who does not go through life this way probably believes everything they read in the paper, is certain that they have $33 million waiting for them in an overseas bank account because some Nigerian man said so, and has it on good authority that they are the 5th cousin 10 times removed to Queen Victoria all because some man named Gustave Anjou did the research and charged them for it.
Census Search Trick - Drop The Last Name
As I described in yesterday's Madness Monday post, I've been focusing my efforts on my Lehive line, namely John Lehive b. 1833 in Ireland who was my 3rd great-grandfather.
While I had searched about all I could for John and his son John Jr., I decided to start looking to the other children of John Lehive for clues. Although some may think this is a waste of time, very often an elderly parent can be found living with one of the children or there may be other valuable clues in reading census records for those who were your great aunts and uncles.
While looking for Dennis Lehive who was last noted in the 1900 census living in Rosendale, Ulster County, New York, I seemed to hit a wall. There were no records past 1900 - or so Ancestry's census database would lead me to believe.
So I tried using surname variations as well as wildcard searches (with Lee* and Leh* for the surname) but to no avail. So, I tried dropping the last name - and it worked!
I need to qualify that further. I felt I had enough information (first name, residence state and county, birthplace and year of birth) that I could find my Denis without the last name. So using the criteria below:
I was able to find my Dennis list in the 1930 census as Dennis Lechrie:
Using my wildcard search of Leh* and Lee* would not have found this record while my "no surname" search did. Of course, the culprit here is the person who indexed the record. Perhaps it is just me - and because I've been so immersed in the research of the Lehive/Leehive surname - but it doesn't look like Lechrie on the original:
[1]
For the 1920 census, the record appeared as Lehigh which is a common error with the Lehive surname:
And sure enough, in checking the original, the offender this time is the census enumerator who perhaps "heard" Lehigh:
[2]
And finally, for the 1910 census, the record appears indexed as Shive:
And in looking at the original, since it is blurry and the handwriting is obscured, I can't blame the indexer for reading it as Shive and not Lehive:
[3]
For each of the above records I did submit additional/corrective information. I do this not so much to improve Ancestry's product but more as a RAOGK so that others researching the Lehive line won't have to struggle the way I did.
So try this search trick out the next time you are stuck and feel one of your ancestors is hiding in the census forest. Of course, this trick won't work every time. I was lucky in my assumption that Dennis Lehive stayed in Ulster County, New York and did not move down to New Jersey like his father, his siblings and even his oldest son. I had enough information for me to find these records rather quickly by disregarding the surname and using what I already knew about Dennis Lehive.
Notes:
[1] 1930 US Census, NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed March 30, 2009, citing Census Place: Kingston, Ulster, New York; Roll: 1655; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 26; Image: 432.0.
[2] 1920 US Census, NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed March 30, 2009, citing Census Place: Kingston, Ulster, New York; Roll: T625_1271; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 156; Image: 57.
[3] 1910 US Census, NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed March 30, 2009, citing Census Place: Rosendale, Ulster, New York; Roll: T624_1085; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 160; Image: 931.
(Note: source citations have been withheld for purposes of readability. They are available upon request.) I am including endnotes for this post - please see To Cite or Not To Cite for a discussion on source citation and blog post readability.
While I had searched about all I could for John and his son John Jr., I decided to start looking to the other children of John Lehive for clues. Although some may think this is a waste of time, very often an elderly parent can be found living with one of the children or there may be other valuable clues in reading census records for those who were your great aunts and uncles.
While looking for Dennis Lehive who was last noted in the 1900 census living in Rosendale, Ulster County, New York, I seemed to hit a wall. There were no records past 1900 - or so Ancestry's census database would lead me to believe.
So I tried using surname variations as well as wildcard searches (with Lee* and Leh* for the surname) but to no avail. So, I tried dropping the last name - and it worked!
I need to qualify that further. I felt I had enough information (first name, residence state and county, birthplace and year of birth) that I could find my Denis without the last name. So using the criteria below:
I was able to find my Dennis list in the 1930 census as Dennis Lechrie:
Using my wildcard search of Leh* and Lee* would not have found this record while my "no surname" search did. Of course, the culprit here is the person who indexed the record. Perhaps it is just me - and because I've been so immersed in the research of the Lehive/Leehive surname - but it doesn't look like Lechrie on the original:
[1]For the 1920 census, the record appeared as Lehigh which is a common error with the Lehive surname:
And sure enough, in checking the original, the offender this time is the census enumerator who perhaps "heard" Lehigh:
[2]And finally, for the 1910 census, the record appears indexed as Shive:
And in looking at the original, since it is blurry and the handwriting is obscured, I can't blame the indexer for reading it as Shive and not Lehive:
[3]For each of the above records I did submit additional/corrective information. I do this not so much to improve Ancestry's product but more as a RAOGK so that others researching the Lehive line won't have to struggle the way I did.
So try this search trick out the next time you are stuck and feel one of your ancestors is hiding in the census forest. Of course, this trick won't work every time. I was lucky in my assumption that Dennis Lehive stayed in Ulster County, New York and did not move down to New Jersey like his father, his siblings and even his oldest son. I had enough information for me to find these records rather quickly by disregarding the surname and using what I already knew about Dennis Lehive.
Notes:
[1] 1930 US Census, NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed March 30, 2009, citing Census Place: Kingston, Ulster, New York; Roll: 1655; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 26; Image: 432.0.
[2] 1920 US Census, NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed March 30, 2009, citing Census Place: Kingston, Ulster, New York; Roll: T625_1271; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 156; Image: 57.
[3] 1910 US Census, NARA, (http://www.ancestry.com), accessed March 30, 2009, citing Census Place: Rosendale, Ulster, New York; Roll: T624_1085; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 160; Image: 931.
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Great Find - German Genealogy Group
Two weeks ago when I was working on my Henneberg line, I stumbled upon the German Genealogy Group's website and I can't tell you how helpful I've found it. So much so that I sent off my $15 check for membership even though the group is based in the Long Island area of New York and I doubt I'll ever attend a meeting.
But this is why you might consider bookmarking the GGG or even joining:
When I couldn't access some of the New York City Bride and Groom Indexes via Steve Morse's One Step site (using connection from Italian Genealogical Group), I was able to access these same indexes through GGG's Naturalization/Vital Records Databases. I have found it to be a valuable backup when I can't get access through Steve's site.
In addition to the New York City database access, they offer a bulletin board with postings on German surnames; they offer a translation service and help on writing to government offices and churches in Germany to request records; and the newsletters are chock full of interesting data on German provinces and cities.
Make a visit to the German Genealogy Group today. And consider joining - many genealogy societies need our support and GGG is proof that genealogy societies can be based locally but still have a web presence and an impact on the advancement of genealogy research.
More Madness - My Lehive Line
It's another Monday and I'm still mad. Not mad as in "this makes me so angry" but mad as in "this is driving me crazy!"
Last Monday I posted about my 2nd great grandfather Martin Slattery as part of Madness Monday and now I get to post about his wife Margaret Lehive.
As I said last week, since Slattery is a fairly common name in Ireland, I opted to work on Martin's wife whose last name Lehive is fairly uncommon. What I did not anticipate were all the variations of the surname as well as the multitude of errors made by census takers in entering information and in sites like Ancestry transcribing the name.
I spent the entire week tracking down the children of John Lehive (b. abt 1833 in Ireland) here in the United States. I was able to find the name listed as Lehive, Leehive, Lehine, Lehite, Lehigh, Lechive, Sehive, and even Lihiue. As best as I can piece together from various census and military data:
John Leehive married his wife (name unknown) prior to 1861 in England. The Leehive children - John J., Dennis, Margaret and Michael - were all born in Kent or Greenwich, England between 1861 and 1870. It was shortly there after that the family arrived in the United States since John Sr. first appears in the 1880 census living in Rosendale, Ulster County, New York.
What happened between the 1880 and 1900 census is not clear - it appears as if John Sr. may have passed away. In addition, Margaret Leehive and Martin Slattery were married, had six children (Mary Slattery, Thomas Slattery, John Vincent Slattery, Martin Slattery, James Slattery and Julia Slattery) and Margaret died prior to the 1900 census.
During the early 20th century, some of the Lehive children remained in Ulster County settling in Kingston, New York while others went to work in the oil refining business in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey.
So my next steps to alleviating this madness? I need to work with some UK sources to find out more about the Lehive family in England and I would love to find information on exactly when they arrived in the United States.
