Some Leehive Progress Thanks to MyHeritage

I'm excited about progress with my Leehive line thanks to the Record Matches resource at MyHeritage. As many readers know, the Leehives are not an easy research area for me which is odd since the surname is so unusual.

Well I've been meaning to set aside time to do some personal research and yesterday I decided to "take a break" and just poke around.  I love how the matches are displayed at MyHeritage and I can review the record and decide whether or not to add it to my tree.  As you can see above, I've been able to confirm the maiden name for Michael Leehive's wife via NewspaperArchive.  So is this worthy of a shout out?  Well, for me it is since collateral research has been important to overcoming research obstacles in the Leehive line - every little bit helps!

Now I have lots of matches to get back to . . . If you have time this weekend, check out the Record Matches and other tools at MyHeritage here.

© 2013, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Olde Ulster History

I love these kind of finds! This evening I was doing some research on my SLATTERY and LEEHIVE lines and reviewing my research log. Many of these ancestors including my great-grandfather John Vincent SLATTERY lived in Kingston, New York and worked for the local railroad.

I knew there was more than one railroad line and I wanted to find out more in general about the railroads so into The Google I entered "kingston new york history railroads" and behold, what do I find?

Someone has uploaded a complete year of Olde Ulster Magazine from 1910 on Scribd!  According to Hope Farm Press, the magazine was published from 1905 to 1914 by Benjamin Meyer Brink and had a limited run of 400 copies printed.

There are some digital copies on Google Books but below are the links to the complete year of 1910 on Scribd. If you have any Hudson Valley ancestors, please make sure you check this resource!

• Olde Ulster History - January 1910
• Olde Ulster History - February 1910
• Olde Ulster History - March 1910
• Olde Ulster History - April 1910
• Olde Ulster History - May 1910
• Olde Ulster History - June 1910
• Olde Ulster History - July 1910
• Olde Ulster History - August 1910
• Olde Ulster History - September 1910
• Olde Ulster History - October 1910
• Olde Ulster History - November 1910
• Olde Ulster History - December 1910

© 2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

SUCCESS! Slattery - Leehive Hypotheses Proved

I am on my way out the door to the Utah Genealogical Association's membership banquet with Mark Lowe as guest speaker, but I had to share a success this afternoon at the Family History Library here in Salt Lake City.

For several years now I suspected that both of my 2nd great-grandparents on my father's side - Martin Slattery and Margaret Leehive - died prior to 1900. The evidence which I had gathered as part of my proof:

• The Slattery family is seen in the 1880 US Federal Census in Rosendale, Ulster County, New York although most of the children were not yet born.

• Martin and Margaret could not be located in the 1900 US Federal Census; however, their children with the surname Slattery were living with a Dennis Leehive, assumed to be Margaret's brother.

• A 1903 newspaper account from Kingston, New York mentions Dennis Leehive as guardian of the Slattery children but no real details.

So one of my first projects at FHL was to find either Probate or Guardian records for the Slattery Children.  The Guardian Records 1823-1920 for Ulster County have an index on one of the microfilm reels. In Section 4, I found the following information:

Margaret Slattery appointed guardian 8 April 1895 for:
James Slattery - 3 yrs
John Slattery - 6 yrs
Julia Slattery - 8 mos
Martin Slattery - 4 yrs
Mary Slattery - 10 yrs
Thomas Slattery - 7 yrs

And then Margaret died and Dennis Leehive appointed guardian in her place 17 October 1898.

Not only does the index show where all the decrees, letters and bonds are filed, but it also shows that Dennis Leehive filed Guardian Reports on the following dates: 29 May 1899, 23 January 1900, 2 January 1901, 17 January 1902, 12 January 1903, 8 January 1904, 20 January 1905, 9 January 1906, 4 January 1907, and 6 January 1909. A release of guardianship was filed 21 Feb 1916.

So guess what records I'll be after tomorrow morning over at FHL?

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

My Sweet Sixteen - My 16 Great-Grandparents

It is time again for Saturday Night Fun - and thanks to Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings we have a nice challenge tonite:

1) List your 16 great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places.

2) Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them.

3) Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each (obviously, this is approximate).

4) If you don't know all 16 of your great-grandparents, then do it for the last full generation you have.

5) Write your own blog post, or make a comment on Facebook or in this post.

Thanks to a recent brick wall coming down, I can now complete these tasks!

My 16 great-great grandparents

1. John W. McEntee is the son of Edward McEntee and Ann E. Freer. He was born on Jan 21, 1840 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA. He died on Jan 21, 1918 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA.

2. Elmira Wood is the daughter of William Wood and Elizabeth C. Unknown. She was born on Dec 10, 1851 in New York, New York, New York, USA. She died on Dec 10, 1882 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA.

3. Jacob L. DeGroodt is the son of Charles C. DeGroodt and Elisabeth Mariah Finehout. He was born on Sep 22, 1860 in New York, New York, New York, USA. He died on Jan 09, 1933.

4. Georgiana Simpson is the daughter of Elijah Simpson and Rachel Unknown. She was born Feb 1862 in New York, New York, New York, USA. She died on Nov 10, 1938 in Walkill, Ulster, New York, USA.

5. Martin Slattery. He was born in Ireland.

6. Margaret Leehive is the daughter of John Leehive and Unknown. She was born Abt. 1867 in Greenwich, London, England. She died Bef. 1900.

7. William R. Krom is the son of Jacob Markle Krom and Jane F. Roosa. He was born on Jun 25, 1847 in Marbletown, Ulster, New York, USA. He died on Nov 19, 1891 in Olive, Ulster, New York, USA.

8. Sarah Ann Christiana is the daughter of Jacob L. Christiana and Mary M. Smith. She was born Abt. 1851 in Olive, Ulster, New York, USA. She died on Feb 26, 1926 in Gardiner, Ulster, New York, USA.

9. William Dence Austin is the son of Ira H. Austin and Hannah Dence. His birth on May 24, 1863 (Boonville, Oneida, New York). He died on Mar 26, 1932 in Bronx, Bronx, New York, USA.

10. Catherine M. O'Keefe is the daughter of David O'Keefe and Catherine Sullivan. She was born on Sep 30, 1862 in Lowville, Lewis, New York, USA. She died on Nov 08, 1946 in Bronx, Bronx, New York, USA.

11. Matthew McGinnis. He was born Abt. 1851 in Ireland. He died on Feb 15, 1899 in New York, New York, New York, USA.

12. Bridget Farren is the daughter of John Farren and Ellen Doherty. She was born Oct 1861 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland. She died Aft. 1930 in New York, New York, New York, USA.

13. Gustavus Henneberg is the son of Gustave Henneberg and Magdalena Schmidt. He was born on Jul 06, 1864 in Germany. His death on Aug 15, 1942 in Queens, Queens, New York, USA.

14. Magdalena Zwicker. She was born on Jun 12, 1864 in Germany. Her death on Feb 10, 1937 in Queens, Queens, New York, USA.

15. Robert F. Pressner is the son of Johann Pressner and Franziska Unknown. He was born on Jun 11, 1858 in Pogwitz, Austria. His death on Feb 07, 1897 in Manhattan, New York, New York, USA.

16. Anna Herring is the daughter of Franz Xaver Herring and Anna Manch. She was born on Nov 13, 1860 in Aixheim, Tuttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Ethnicity

The dominant ethnicity is European - Y-DNA haplogroup is R.

Nationalities

5 Irish (31%), 4 English (25%), 4 German (25%), 3 Dutch (19%).

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

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 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.

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.

Madness Monday: Martin Slattery

(Thanks to footnoteMaven for this great poster!)

This is my first Madness Monday post - and I think it is a great idea dreamed up by Amy Crooks of Untangled Family Roots.

I spent much of yesterday working on my Slattery line and am pulling what little hair I have left out trying to locate Martin Slattery, my 2nd great-grandfather.

Here is the problem: I have an obituary for my great-grandfather, John Vincent Slattery, from the Kingston Daily Freeman published on July 11, 1939. The obituary lists his parents as Martin Slattery and Margaret Leehive. However it is the unavailable 1890 US Federal Census and the fact that Martin Slattery and Margaret Leehive most likely died prior to the 1900 census which cause my madness.

In the 1900 US Federal Census, the children of Martin Slattery are living with their uncle - Margaret's brother - Michael Leehive. This continues over the next few census reports (1910 and 1920) with no trace of either Martin Slattery or Margaret Leehive.

Given the fact that Slattery is a rather common surname among the Irish, I will work on Leehive information. What I know so far is that Leehive (and its variants Lehive and Leahive) is an English surname which I hope will give me more information on my Slattery line.

A Game of 21

As part of Randy Seaver's ongoing Saturday Night Fun series, tonight we seem to be playing a game of 21: run an Ahnentafel report from your genealogy database and select #21.  The person should be one of the eight 2nd great grandmothers you have in your family tree.

Well hit me, here's my #21:

Margaret Leehive, daughter of John Leehive and Unknown.  Born about 1867 in England and died before 1900.  She married Martin Slattery around 1884 in Ulster County, New York.

What I also know about Margaret Leehive based on family accounts and backed up by the 1910 Census is that after she died her children were taken care of by her brother Michael Leehive.

Tombstone Tuesday

Headstone of John W. McEntee. Digital photograph taken by Thomas MacEntee on July 14, 2008 at New Paltz, New York. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

John W. McEntee, my 2nd great-grandfather, was born on January 21, 1840 at Gardiner, Ulster County, New York, the son of Edward McEntee and Ann Freer.

On March 11, 1874 at Guilford, New York, he married Elmira Wood, daughter of William and Elizabeth Wood.

John enlisted as a Private in the Union Army on April 20, 1861 at the age of 22. He fought with the 11th Infantry Regiment New York, Company C and was mustered out June 2, 1862 at New York, New York.

John W. McEntee died on January 21, 1918 at Gardiner, New York, at the age of 78 and is buried in the New Paltz Rural Cemetery.

Tombstone Tuesday

Headstone of Edward McEntee and Ann (Antje) Freer. Digital photograph taken by Thomas MacEntee on July 14, 2008 at New Paltz, New York. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

Edward McEntee, my 3rd great-grandfather, was born on January 14, 1795 in County Monaghan, Ireland, the son of Charles and Mary McEntee. He arrived in the United States as a young child and eventually settled in the Ulster County, New York region.

On June 29, 1833 at New Paltz, New York, he married Annetje (Ann) Freer, a descendant of one of the original Huguenot families who settled New Paltz in 1675.

In the 1850, 1860 and 1870 Federal Census his occupation is listed as farmer or farmer/weaver.

Edward McEntee died on February 11, 1875 at Gardiner, New York, at the age of 80 and is buried in the New Paltz Rural Cemetery.

Brick Wall Update

I was thinking last night about some of my "brick walls" or "road blocks" in my genealogy research. Some I've had for years and others just cropped up. While I am hitting my head against these barriers to expanding my tree back a few generations, I thought that I just need to put them in writing - get them into a blog post every few weeks and perhaps another researcher will come across them. So here goes:

DENCE

William Dence was my 5th great-grandfather. I descend along the Dence line as follows:

William Dence (1778 - 1862)
David Dence (1802 - 1841)
Hannah or Huldah Dence (1834 - 1907)
William Dence Austin (1863 - 1932)
John Ralph Austin (1896 - 1976)
Alfred Austin (1916 - 1984)
Jacqueline Austin (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

The Dence name may be Welsh in origin and may have variations such as Dens, Denys, Dance or even Dennis. The first five generations of this line were all born and/or died in Lowville, Lewis, New York.

PRESSNER



Richard Henneberg and Frances Pressner. Photograph. Abt 1910. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008

Frances Pressner was my great-grandmother and was married to Richard Henneberg (1888 - ?). The Hennebergs lived in The Bronx, Bronx, New York and continue to do so today.

I descend along the Pressner line as follows:

Frances Pressner (abt 1889 - 1960)
Anna Henneberg (1912 - 1965)
Jacqueline Austin (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

HENNEBERG

Gustave Hennberg was my great-great grandfather. He married Lena (Magdalena) _________ about 1885 and immigrated to the United States from Germany landing in New York around 1891. Three of his sons (Walter, Richard and Gustave) were all born in Liepsig, Germany. The remaining children (John, Lena, William and Frederic) were all born in New York City.

I descend along the Henneberg line as follows:

Gustave Henneberg (1864 - 1942)
Richard Henneberg (1888 - ?)
Anna Henneberg (1912 - 1965)
Jacqueline Austin (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

LEEHIVE

John Leehive was my great-great grandfather. Born in Ireland, it is not clear when he arrived in the United States. He lived in Ulster County, New York.

I descend along the Leehive line as follows:

John Leehive (1883 - ?)
Margaret Leehive (1867 - bef. 1900)
John Vincent Slattery (1888 - 1939)
Loretta Margaret Slattery (1920 - 1986)
Richard MacEntee (private)
Thomas MacEntee (private)

More brick walls will be posted later and I'll will try to do this about four times a year with updates.