That Explains Everything!

I've spent the last couple of days combing through
lines of HTML on all of my past blog posts.
Hating Blogger at the moment but glad I had the
opportunity to view my blog on a different browser
(IE9, I'm on Firefox)
and find out it did not look the way I wanted.
So that's my excuse for not having a crazy tree today.
Instead enjoy a few funnies!
This one explains every crazy tree we've ever seen: 

I didn't create the graphic but it's too funny to ignore because of poor spelling.
UPDATE: The spelling is correct except in the US.
Why do we have to complicate things? :-P

ⓑⓐⓡⓚⓘⓝⓖ  ⓤⓟ  ⓣⓗⓔ  ⓦⓡⓞⓝⓖ  ⓣⓡⓔⓔ

The images after the jump are from the

Twisted Twigs on Gnarled Branches page

on Facebook. If you're on Facebook check it out.


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Apologies and Bigamy

This week I found out that all the work I do to format the green boxes is for naught. Anyone not viewing the blog in Firefox is probably seeing a mess. Sorry! I'll try to keep the attempts to create columns to a minimum from now on. Now back to our regularly scheduled post.
Comments after the jump.

 JAMES MADISON ROBERTS
 (1834-1915)

 MARRIAGES and Children

 1852  MARRIAGE to Mary E ???? (1836-1852)
 1859  MARRIAGE in Texas to Mary Frances Baker (1836-1914)
 1861  Josiah Roberts born in Alabama to Mary A (B: 1848)
 1861  William Hays Roberts in Texas to Mary Frances Baker
 1861  Evan Roberts in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1866  MARRIAGE to Nancy Roberts (1847-1912)
 1868  Ada Roberts in Mississippi to Nancy Roberts
 1869  MARRIAGE in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally (1849-1929)
 1870  Eugenia Roberts in ???? to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1870  Eugene Roberts in Texas to unknown mother
 1872  Walter Prewitt Roberts in Texas to Nancy Roberts
 1872  Walton Roberts in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1873  Albert Talley Roberts in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1874  Willie Roberts in ???? to Nancy Roberts
 1874  Albert Roberts in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1876  Edna Roberts in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1877  D. W. Robert in Texas to Sarah Elizabeth Tally
 1879  Allie Roberts in ???? to Nancy Roberts
 1887  MARRIAGE to Levonia (B: 1848)

My DNA Results II

You can read about my initial results here. Since that post I've had time to look through all the matches and new ones have been added almost daily.
Here are the stats so far:

1144   total matches
    18   are in the 4th to 6th cousin range with 95% confidence or higher
    67   of the public trees have fewer than 30 people on them
  157   do not have a tree on Ancestry.com
  184   have private trees

Because of the large number of results I'm setting aside the matches that have no tree and those that have private trees. My tree is public so they are free to look and if they find a match I hope they will contact me. One person already has because she read my previous blog post! She invited me to view her private tree. No luck finding our connection (4th - 6th cousin with 95% confidence) but we'll continue to search.

After the jump: Surnames and DNA matches

I Can't Stop Myself!

You may recognize the name below from last week's post. 

There was just too much disastrous clicking 

going on in this tree to just walk away. 

Comments after the jump.

 WILLIAM BRIDELL
 B: 1843, Indiana
 D: 1893, France

 Spouses and children

 Elizabeth Bridwell, B: 1829
 8 children born between 1859 and 1873 in LA                              

 Elizabeth J Bridwell, B: 1829
 7 children born between 1864 and 1894 in LA

 Marie Elenore Barthelemy, B: 1852
 11 children born between 1870 and 1909 in LA

 Sarah Sally C Clarissa Reppy, B: 1850
 4 children born between 1872 and 1879 in MO

 Delphin Barthelemy, B: 1870
 13 children born between 1885 and 1899, 11 in LA, 2 in England

 Mary Olivia Barthelemy, B: 1863
 15 children born between 1889 and 1906 in LA

 Mollie Bridwell, B: 1862 
 1 child born in 1904 in LA

 Sarah J Bridwel'L, B: ????
 no children

 ATTACHED RECORDS

 BMDs

 NOLA = New Orleans, Louisiana
 P&V = Paris & Vicinity

 1777 Apr 21  Oise, France Marriages, Jean Pierre Barthelemy to Anne Marie Sipriot
 1845 Aug 14 Marseilles, France Marriages, Honoré Jean Barthelemy to Elizabeth Marie Amiel
 1858 Dec 18 P&V Marriages, Jean Pierre Barthélemy to Louise Charlotte Dieudonnée Titre
 1868 Dec 2   NOLA Birth Index, Louis Xavier Barthelemy to Henrietti Hortense & Alexandre Louis
 1869 Jul 18   NOLA Birth Index, Alfred Barthelemy to Suzanne & Felix
 1874 Sep 27  P&V Marriage Banns, Jean Pierre Barthelemy with Eugenie Sylvie Dubois
 1886 Feb 2    NOLA Marriage Index, Catherine Rebecca Cousley to Louis J Barthelemy
 1893 Sep 24  P&V Death Notices, Emile Barthelemy, age 32
 1935 Dec 16  NOLA Death Index, Louis X Barthelemy, B: abt 1869

 CENSUS & IMMIGRATION

 1850 US Census, William Bridell, age 2, B: 1848, LA
 1870 US Census, William W Bridell, White, age 9, B: 1861, LA
 1870 US Census, Jean Paul Barthelemy, Black, age 2, B: 1868, LA
 1870 US Census, Jean Barthelemy, Black, age 2, B: 1868, LA
 1870 US Census, Julian Barthelemy, Black, age 1, B: 1869, LA
 1870 US Census, Louis Barthelemy, White, age 1, B: 1869, LA
 1870 US Census, Louis J Barthelemy, White, age 10, B: 1860, LA
 1880 US Census, William Bridell, White, age 37, B: 1843, IN
 1880 US Census, William Bridwell, White, age 21, B: 1859, LA
 1880 US Census, Wesley Bridwell, White, age 60, B: 1820, SC
 1880 US Census, Albert Barthelemy, Mulatto, age 5, B: 1875, LA
 1880 US Census, Alex Barthelemy, Mulatto, age 11, B: 1869, LA
 1880 US Census, Alfred Barthelemy, Mulatto, age 10, B: 1870, LA
 1880 US Census, Jean Barthelemy, Mulatto, age 11, B: 1869, LA
 1880 US Census, Louis Barthelemy, White, age 11, B: 1869 LA
 1880 US Census, M. D. Bertele, White, age 32, B: 1848, LA
 1881 England Census, William Bradwell, age 23, B: 1858, England
 1891 England Census, William Bradwell, age 32, B: 1859, England
 New South Wales, Australia Passenger Lists, Emile Barthelemy, B: 1859, arrival 3 Apr 1897 from France
 1900 US Census, [illegible] Bridwell, White, age 42, B: 1858, LA
 1900 US Census, Alfred Barthelemy, Black, age 30, B: 1869, LA
 1900 US Census, Louis Barthelemy, White, age 31, B: 1868, LA
 1901 US City Directories, Wm M Bridwel'L with wife Sarah J, living in Indianapolis
 1901 England Census, William Bradwell, age 43, B: 1858, England
 1910 US Census, William Bridwell, White, age 52, B: 1858, LA
 1910 US Census, Gustave Barthel, White, age 35, B: 1875, LA
 1910 US Census, John Barthelemy, Black, age 42, B: 1868, LA
 1910 US Census, Paul Barthelemy, Mulatto, age 35, B: 1875, LA
 1910 US Census, Alfred Bartholemon, Black, age 57, B: 1858, LA
 1920 US Census, Alfred Barthelemy, Black, age 47, B: 1873, LA
 1920 US Census, William W Bridwell, White, age 61, B: 1859, LA
 1920 US Census, Gustave Barthel, White, age 45, B: 1875, LA
 1920 US Census, Louis J Barthelemy, White, age 60, B: 1860, LA
 1920 US Census, Louis X Barthelemy, White, age 50, B: 1870, LA
 1930 US Census, William W Bridwell, White, age 71, B: 1859, LA
 1930 US Census, L J Barthelemy, White, age 70, B: 1860, LA
 1930 US Census, Louis X Barthelemy, White, age 60, B: 1870, LA
 1930 US Census, Alfred Bartholomy, Black, age 60, B: 1870, LA

Do You See What I See? Part 2

Continued from Friday's post.

ALL of the records after the jump are attached to ONE profile for Marie Eleonore Barthelemy.

For the census records I've listed the following information:

Census year
Family surname
County & state of residence
Head of household & spouse (assumed for 1850 & 1870 censuses)
Children
Name in bold is the name on the record attached to Marie's profile.

Just a reminder, here's the basic info for Marie as shown on her profile.

 MARIE ELEONORE BARTHELEMY
 B: 8 Jun 1852, New Orleans, LA
 D: 4 Jan 1932, Fulton, GA
 PARENTS
 Barthelemy Ragas (1840-1909) and Eleanor Barthelemy (no info)

Do You See What I See?

Saving the crazy for after the jump today.
This time I'm going to ask you...
What's the first thing you notice?
Which error makes your jaw drop?
Which error or errors defy all logic and common sense?
So much nonsense on this profile that there will be two parts to cover it all.
Monday's post will cover the numerous records attached.

Cradle Robber

Comments after the jump.

 THOMAS KITSON     Married to     ELIZABETH CAWTHORN
 B: 1780, England                             B: 1834, Epworth, Lincolnshire, England
 D: 1850                                          D: 4 1913, Scarborough, Yorkshire, England
                      
  Their Daughter
  MARTHA KITSON
  B: 28 Apr 1822, Yorkshire County, England
  D: 1905, Campbellstown, Preble, Ohio

Immortal Saint

Comments after the jump.
Spouses are in bold with children listed below each.

 SIGRADE DE ALSACE
 Born: Moselle, Lorraine, France
 Death: Metz, Moselle, Lorraine, France

 Bodilon De Bourgogne
 Adele deTreves
 Count Warinus
 Gunza Treves
 Gunza Kunza Metz
 Kunza Metz
 Warinus Guerin Bourgogne
 WARINUS, W G DE BOURGOGNE, DE POITIERS, B: 638
 Guerin Warin Warinus Poitiers, B: 1853

 Bodilon DeTreves
 Adele DePoitiers
 Guerin DePoitiers
 Kunza DeTreves
 Warinus Franks Burgundy
 Guerin Warin, B: 1150
 Guerin Warin Warinus Poitiers, B: 1853

 Bodilon de Pointers, D: 2000
 Guerin de Autun
 Warinus de Autun Poitiers
 Guerin Warin Warinus Poitiers, B: 1853

 Chlodulf StCloud Bishop Metz
 Alberic d Aquitaine
 Guerin de Autun
 GUNZA DeTREVES
 Kunza DeTreves DeMetz Countess Paris
 Kunza Gunza de Metz
 Kunza Gunza deTreves
 Guerin Warin Warinus Poitiers, B: 1853

 Bodilon Boditon Franks Burgundy
 Adele deTreves
 Immachilde Hymnegilde
 Imnichilde DeSwabia
 Leger Bishop
 Guerin Warin Warinus Poitiers, B: 1853

Downward Spiral

Even the so-called professionals have jumped on the royalty bandwagon. To hell with records and verification, let's take money from those who don't know any better and annoy those who do, all in one fell swoop!
Recently The Daily Mail (for those in the US think 'supermarket tabloid') published My Ancestor - The Queen. The article claims to be "the final part of [their] genealogy series" but I could only find one other genealogy related article, How to Trace Your Family Tree. Two articles is a series? Comments are still open on the tracing your tree article but are closed on "My Ancestor - The Queen" which is more recent. Odd. Could it be because people found flaws in the article's premise? Read the comments, check out Diane Gow's research, and judge for yourself. My guess is that these articles clothed as human interest pieces are actually adverts for Find My Past. This is a social network promotion that came out at about the same time:

Earlier this year Ancestry.com posted a link to this story (link goes to YouTube) on their Facebook page. It's about a man, Mr. Tucker, who "traces" his tree back to Charlemagne. Ancestry.com also added it to their YouTube channel. Mr. Tucker trusted Ancestry.com to be a "reliable source" and then the video shows him connecting to other trees. This could have been a great opportunity for Ancestry to discuss the reliability of other trees or to talk about the chances you have of actually connecting to Charlemagne. Instead they look like the huckster selling a cure-all tonic. "Come one, come all! Trace your family to Charlemagne!"
These companies seem to be going for the short term sell rather than cultivating long term customers. Maybe they know that the long term customers are dedicated researchers, see the value of their product, and aren't going anywhere. We aren't going anywhere until they drive us off which they seem to be attempting. They are actively luring people who will click away during the 14 day free trial in an attempt to get back to royalty or Biblical figures as quickly as possible. Those same people will then abandon their tree, which is just another copy of other polluted trees, all of which should be thrown onto the trash heap.
I am curious to know what percentage of these quick to click newbies stay on to become serious hobbyists and/or researchers. It must be a significant percentage if these companies continue to encourage this behavior.
What do you think? Is this what these companies need to do to survive? Are there options for preventing these trees from becoming a dense forest? Right now it seems like they're bamboo - fast growth spurt early on and impossible to get rid of - and they're taking over our forest.


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