TBT Research Trip Place To Research

History of Texas County MO

Texas County MO Courthouse

We are planning another research trip so I thought I would repost this for TBT. I have to add that in addition to the courthouse searches make sure you look for a library to search at, a genealogy or historical society, and the cemeteries. Make sure you turn over every rock you can while in the county of your ancestors. Go and see if you can still find the house or site where your ancestor lived. It would be great to be in contact with the historical society for the county you are going to ahead of time and see what they have to offer and the hours they are open. Just go and learn everything you can while on the trip. We are planning on going to Iowa and research this fall and I can not wait.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Place to research

There are so many places to do research on the internet but there is nothing like going to a courthouse in the county of your ancestors. While you are there try just looking around a little this paid of for us when we went to the the courthouse in Washita County OK. They had pictures up on the wall of migrant workers in the cotton fields in the 1930's and they had one that said do you know these people and there in the front was a picture of a woman that looked just like my Grandmother. She had always told me they picked cotton and she did even when she was 9 months pregnant with my mother. These pictures were proof that they really did pick cotton in this county in the time frame she had said and though I can't prove it I am sure that was my Grandmother in that picture.

Things you want to remember to check while at the courthouse are marriage records, deeds, and any court records you can look at. Make sure you look for the ancestor you are there looking for, but also be sure to take note of records of the same surname, like in the marriage records copy in a notebook all the ones you find for the surnames you are looking for whether you think they are in your tree or not. The reason is that you might find later that they fit into your tree and if they do you already have the dates copied down to go back to. I did this when researching my Capp line in Monroe County MO and was glad about a year later that I had because I found that one I didn't think fit in did from one of the brothers to my ancestor. I also have not done this and wished I had later when I found that the person in question was in my line. It just saves time to do it while you are there. Also make sure you check deeds closely. Probate records and wills are also necessary to look at while there. Again check for all you can at the time you are there.

Be sure when going into the courthouses to be courteous and not demanding. I went into one and they said they had bad experiences with people coming in doing genealogy because they were rude and demanding. This makes it bad on the ones coming in after and will limit how willing they are to help you or let you look at records. Most importantly just go and learn about the county and what it was like when your ancestors lived there.

TILL NEXT TIME KEEP DIGGING AND SLEUTHING!

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TBT Memorial Weekend and Military Records

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

Memorial Weekend and Military Records

 Memorial Day is this weekend and so it is a great time to check military records for our ancestors. I come from a long line of military people. This is a good weekend to search them out. At
ancestry.com from May 23- May 27, 2013 they are giving free access to their military records. This would be an excellent time to look your ancestors records up. Below are some examples of what I found for mine at ancestry.com
I looked some of my family in the military records and here are some examples of what you can find there.


Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 Joseph Skidmore

U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865 for Jesse Jester

U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 forWilliam Thomas Capp

U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 for Raymond Leroy Wilder

For a complete list of what military records ancestry has go check out ancestry.com

TBT Genealogy Vacation

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011

Genealogy Vacation

We just returned from a fall vacation in which we went to several cemeteries, a couple of courthouses, and a library. We planned our trip around places we wanted to go for genealogy and then saw the sights around those places. We went to 6 different cemeteries and only in one did we not find who we were looking for, so I would say we were pretty successful. I have started a cemetery book and so while we were there we took pictures of the headstones and then took pictures that gave us reference points to find the headstones again. We also took pictures of the name of the cemetery so we would have that also. We are hoping by doing this that anyone who would look at the pictures would be able to find the headstones themselves if they go to the cemetery or we could find them again if we want. The one cemetery we could not find the headstones for we did find WPA records for that cemetery and got info for it from the Library we went to in Washington, Washington County, IA. They had a very nice genealogy department and very helpful volunteers. We also went to the Washington County, IA courthouse and they turned us loose to look at the books for deeds and marriages. We then visited the Keokuk County IA courthouse and though they weren't as friendly we still were able to look at the records. They had a index card file cabinet  with index of records and then copies in the books that you could look at. We were able to piece together some lose ends and all and all was a fun successful trip. Here are pictures of how I am starting a cemetery book for Ash Grove Cemetery in Ash Grove MO.

First picture is of the name of the Cemetery.

Second is a picture looking back to where the headstone we are wanting is in reference to the ones around it

Third is a picture from the front to the back in the section our headstone we want is in.

Last here is the picture of the headstone we were wanting to get.  You can see where it is in regards to others in the second picture. and the third too. In second is to the back of the picture in middle and third it is on the right of the picture in front.

Hope these pictures help you see what I mean about making a cemetery book. I will get mine together and do another post showing it too you later.

When planning a genealogy trip make sure you have all the known info on the family in the area you are going to do research with you. If you can find out where the cemetery is see if they have a map to help you find it. If you can find where the records are kept that is helpful also or you can do like we did and go row by row looking in the smaller ones. Make sure when in the court house to take note of any names with the surname you are researching because you don't want to find out later that even though at the time that name didn't fit anywhere that you knew of, that they do belong in your tree. Make a list of all the marriages, deeds, land records, vitals and any record they have by surname and figure out later if they are related or not.

One highlight of the trip was going to Springfield National Cemetery in Springfield, Greene County, MO to find my husbands gggrandfather who was buried there. He was a CW vet and where he was buried were many unknown soldiers buried from the CW also. It is a nice cemetery. Here is a picture of his headstone we took while on the trip.

Springfield National Cemetery, Springfield, Greene County MO

Our ancestor Arthur Davis headstone at the Springfield National Cemetery

We are already making plans for our next genealogy trip and can't wait till we can go again. The best part of genealogy is going to the places your ancestors are from and getting a feel of how the place is and was in their time.

Throwback Thursday Repost of Cemetery Sleuthing

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Cemetary Sleuthing

One of the best things to do when looking for ancestors is to do what our family does and go cemetery sleuthing. What is cemetery sleuthing you ask? It is going to a cemetery your ancestors are suppose to be buried at and start walking, looking at the headstones, and noting all the names of people buried near your ancestors. If the cemetery is small then you can make note of all the headstones and take pictures of them also, so that you can make sure you don't miss any related families.
This is a lesson I learned the hard way. When I first started doing genealogy we would go to the cemetery and look for that ancestor that we knew was there. We never looked at the other headstones just for the one we were after, we went through the cemetery with blinders on bent on finding that ancestor. We would get home and I would do more research and then find out that other related families were there in that cemetery also, so back to my to do list on places to go. Luckily two of the cemeteries I did this at were with in 100 miles of my home so I could go back to them easily, so off we went again. This time I noted all the names and low and behold most of the people were related in one way or the other in these cemeteries. Look at all I could of gotten done on that first visit if I had done some sleuthing the first time around. Lesson learned, never go through a cemetery with blinders on but instead with your Sherlock Holmes hat and magnifying glass ready to sleuth out all the clues and ancestors you can.

A good place to start to find a cemetery if you aren't sure where it is located is at the websites
findagrave.com and billiongraves.com
These  places are great for finding cemeteries and for getting pictures of headstones that are too far away for you to travel to and get yourself.
Check out these sites!

Old Newspaper Clippings

I love to look at the old newspapers and to glean what I can about the history of a place as well as the lives of the people that lived there. In looking for information on my family I always check newspapers in the area they lived for obituaries and any mention of them that might be in the paper. I know they use to always put in social news like Mrs Wilder and son to visit her parents in South Dakota and so on. I look first for obituaries in the paper of the area they lived in but also I skim through to see if there name is mentioned otherwise.  I have found interesting facts about what my ancestors lives were like by reading the old papers.

I recently was given clippings out of the old Chicago Times that had announcements and pictures from when Pres. Roosevelt died but on the back of some of those clippings I have found mention of others in the military and deaths. I decided that I would transcribed the ones that I could in hopes that it would help someone looking for their ancestors. There is not many but hopefully it will help someone. The only problem is I know the name of the paper but actual dates of the clippings are not there. All are about the funeral and death of Pres. Roosevelt so that gives us a time frame. If anyone reads this post and finds that it mentions a ancestor I would be glad to copy the page that I have transcribed and send to them.

Here are the names out of the Chicago Times:no date but some time around Apr 1945

Noble J Puffer Cook County superintendent of schools picture is included
Eugene L. Wyman college division winner oratory champion  picture is included
William G Ehler high school champion oratory contest  picture is included

John B Herboth son of Mr. and Mrs J B Herboth promoted to Colonel with picture
John Tuzinski talking about war experience
S/Sgt Le Roy E Laffey reported as missing in action
Pfc Joseph E Czuban wounded in action
Pfc Melvin Daskal son of Rabbi and Mrs B A Daskal home on furlough recovering from wounds
S/Sgt Harry S Poturalski talking about war
Lt William Brady Liberator bomber returns to unit in Italy
Sgt Ed Nelson artilleryman gives his address
William Fortier allegedly slugged by John Comise

Chicago Times April 13, 1945
Lt William C Lewis death notice

Chicago Times in Apr 1945
M/Sgt Lester M Kuehl so of Mr and Mrs George Kuehl awarded medal of heroism
S/ Sgt James Coleman, and S/Sgt John W Kurtz receive battlefield commissions as 2nd Lieutenants


Next week I will list the names that were in the Chicago Times Apr 13, 1945 of the wounded, prisoner of war and killed in the war. It is a long list

Genealogy Vacation

We just returned from a fall vacation in which we went to several cemeteries, a couple of courthouses, and a library. We planned our trip around places we wanted to go for genealogy and then saw the sights around those places. We went to 6 different cemeteries and only in one did we not find who we were looking for, so I would say we were pretty successful. I have started a cemetery book and so while we were there we took pictures of the headstones and then took pictures that gave us reference points to find the headstones again. We also took pictures of the name of the cemetery so we would have that also. We are hoping by doing this that anyone who would look at the pictures would be able to find the headstones themselves if they go to the cemetery or we could find them again if we want. The one cemetery we could not find the headstones for we did find WPA records for that cemetery and got info for it from the Library we went to in Washington, Washington County, IA. They had a very nice genealogy department and very helpful volunteers. We also went to the Washington County, IA courthouse and they turned us loose to look at the books for deeds and marriages. We then visited the Keokuk County IA courthouse and though they weren't as friendly we still were able to look at the records. They had a index card file cabinet  with index of records and then copies in the books that you could look at. We were able to piece together some lose ends and all and all was a fun successful trip.

When planning a genealogy trip make sure you have all the known info on the family in the area you are going to do research with you. If you can find out where the cemetery is and have a map to help you find it. If you can find where the records are kept that is helpful also or you can do like we did and go row by row looking in the smaller ones. Make sure when in the court house to take note of any names with the surname you are researching because you don't want to find out later that even though at the time that name didn't fit anywhere that you knew of, that they do belong in your tree. Make a list of all the marriages, deeds, land records, vitals and any record they have by surname and figure out later if they are related or not.

One highlight of the trip was going to Springfield National Cemetery in Springfield, Greene County, MO to find my husbands gggrandfather who was buried there. He was a CW vet and where he was buried were many unknown soldiers buried from the CW also. It is a nice cemetery.

We are already making plans for our next genealogy trip and can't wait till we can go again. The best part of genealogy is going to the places your ancestors are from and getting a feel of how the place is and was in their time.

Research Trip

We are getting ready to go to a couple of counties to do research on the Jester, Forbes, and Fullerton lines and so the work begins here at home first. To have a successful trip I first need to get together notes and a copy of those lines trees so that I have with me what I already know, as well as areas and family names to look for. I next research addresses and times of local libraries, historical societies and court houses that I will need to visit. If I know where someone is buried I also get an idea of where the cemetery is so I can go cemetery sleuthing. Always go prepared with paper and pens and pencils so that you can take notes. Also it is important to take change and money to get copies of things you find. Always make time to check the court houses to look for wills, deeds, marriages, divorces and birth records. Make a note of everyone that has that same surname so that if you find later they are in your line that you have the info. When you go to libraries and historical societies make sure you check the history books and their card catalogues to find your ancestors. Usually they are very helpful at these places. Most important go with an open mind and your sleuthing hat on and make it a well thought out profitable trip.

Cemetary Sleuthing

One of the best things to do when looking for ancestors is to do what our family does and go cemetery sleuthing. What is cemetery sleuthing you ask? It is going to a cemetery your ancestors are suppose to be buried at and start walking, looking at the headstones, and noting all the names of people buried near your ancestors. If the cemetery is small then you can make note of all the headstones and take pictures of them also, so that you can make sure you don't miss any related families.
This is a lesson I learned the hard way. When I first started doing genealogy we would go to the cemetery and look for that ancestor that we knew was there. We never looked at the other headstones just for the one we were after, we went through the cemetery with blinders on bent on finding that ancestor. We would get home and I would do more research and then find out that other related families were there in that cemetery also, so back to my to do list on places to go. Luckily two of the cemeteries I did this at were with in 100 miles of my home so I could go back to them easily, so off we went again. This time I noted all the names and low and behold most of the people were related in one way or the other in these cemeteries. Look at all I could of gotten done on that first visit if I had done some sleuthing the first time around. Lesson learned, never go through a cemetery with blinders on but instead with your Sherlock Holmes hat and magnifying glass ready to sleuth out all the clues and ancestors you can.

A good place to start to find a cemetery if you aren't sure where it is located is at the websites
findagrave.com and billiongraves.com
These  places are great for finding cemeteries and for getting pictures of headstones that are too far away for you to travel to and get yourself.
Check out these sites!

Update on Missouri Death Certificates

I haven't been blogging for some time now, but that is changing starting with this post I will try to post at least once a week. That being said I thought it was a good time to remind you that you can see and print copies of Missouri death certificates at the Mo. State Archives website at sos.mo.gov They now have the death records to look at and print from 1910-1960. You just have to remember that to check more than one spelling of your name in the index. I know that some of mine have been really mispelled in the index but then when you look at the certificate it is spelled right so whomever indexed it just read it wrong. Going all the way to 1960 has helped in my research of parents and spouses names for some that I didn't have before. Some of the other records online there that you should check are:

Civil War Provost Marshal Index Database
Coroner's Inquest Database( just a few counties)
Land Patents Database
Naturalization Records Database ( only for a few counties)
Soldiers' Records: War of 1812 - World War I

If your ancestors are from Missouri this is a great place to start, at the archives, but don't forget that you can find marriage records at ancestry.com

More about each county in Missouri later.
Good Hunting! I will be hunting my Capp, Bilyeu, Anderson, Vincent, Hyatt, Jones, and Slawson families from Missouri today.

Finding the hard to find

When we start searching our family trees we sometimes have trouble finding people. When I started searching my Snodgrass family all I knew is what my Grandmother had told me which didn't amount to much since her and my Grandfather separated when my Mother was very little. I searched with what I knew and soon found my Mom's half sisters names by way of an obituary but it took a few years to actually find the half sisters themselves. Sometimes its just a matter of timing. I had gone through all the phone books for the area and had done people searches on the net and I did not have any luck but I just kept trying and every so often I would check them again. One day my daughter and I were talking and I gave her all the information I had and she did exactly what I had done but then she found one of the sisters. We got in contact and them and 2 years ago my Mom and the rest of us got to meet her half sisters face to face. It is great to get to know them and the moral to the story is never quit looking. Even if you have looked in that same place before revisit it and see if you might have missed something or someone that can help. It is a matter of never saying I can't find them and forgetting about them it's a matter of I will keep looking. Sometimes if we get away from a line in our family tree and then go back to it later you will find something that you missed before and that line will open up just a little more. Always keep going and never stop looking when you are searching for the next clue in your family tree. We added two more people to our family just by following these rules.