29 April 2013

Sorry Kids But Mommy Hasn't Been Born Yet

Comments after the jump.

 Charlotte Farley
 B: 1833 in Ashcombe, Devon, England
 D: 1842 in Hinds, Mississippi, United States

 SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 William Brock (1775-1844)
 ✿ James Brock, B: 1802
 ✿ John Brock, B: 1804
 ✿ Valentine William Brock, B: 1806
 ✿ Emily Brock, B: 1810
 ✿ Nancy Brock, B: 1812
 ✿ William R Brock, B: 1817
 ✿ Sara Brock, B: 1818
 ✿ Francis Brock, B: 1824

26 April 2013

Photo Friday: Sitting Pretty

Until today Friday photos have been along the lines of,
"What was that tree owner thinking?"
Today's post is more of an envy inducing,
"Why can't I find family photos like this one?"
Some lucky Ancestry.com member will come along tomorrow,
or next year or in 10 years,
and find this amazing photo of their ancestor.
All because someone shared it on their public tree.

Mary Ahlert Taylor (B: 1843 in Germany) & William Breiner (B: 1839 in New Jersey)


Thanks to Janet for the link to this photo ;-)
If you have a photo to suggest please send a link to buwtree(at)gmail(dot)com.

24 April 2013

What's Happening?

Sorry that there is no crazy tree today. THIS is what I've been working on this week. Please bookmark and share! I love that there's such a wide variety of videos available online. If I haven't found your favorite genealogy video or YouTube channel yet let me know so I can add it to the bunch.

Here are some interesting links that have crossed my path this week...

Kerry over at Clue Wagon has made Family Tree Magazine's list of 40 Best Blogs! Check out the May/June issue for the list. Kerry's posts never fail to make me lau-SQUIRREL!

Get the handouts from this year's Who Do You Think You Are? Live.

WDYTYA? is coming back to American television! Between that and Family Tree, Christopher Guest's new show on HBO, I just might get cable.

The Ginger Jewish Genealogist has found the most depressing death certificate I've ever seen.

FamilySearch has revamped their website and it has some people concerned. (I haven't had a chance to explore the new site.)

Rootsonomy now has a researcher in Ireland! They haven't updated their web page yet but they made the announcement yesterday on their Facebook page. "Cost for Irish lookups is $20. Records will be emailed to you within a couple days. To submit your request, click the button "Request Research or a Lookup" on this Facebook page." Lookups are limited to these records:
• Births, marriages, deaths for 32 counties, Jan 1864 to Dec 1921
• Births, marriages, deaths for 26 counties, Jan 1922 to Mar 2013
• non-Catholic marriages, April 1845 to 2013
• Catholic marriages, April 1864 to 2013

I'll leave you with this great graphic from got genealogy?







PREVIOUS POST: eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
NEXT POST: Photo Friday: Sitting Pretty

22 April 2013

eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

Comments after the jump.

 Louisa Jane rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Seymour

 Father: Richard eeeeeeeee Seymour
 Mother: Alice eeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 Spouse & Children
 Samuel Clement Cropper
 ✿ Daphne S G L eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Cropper
 ✿ William S C W 31996/1897 Cropper
 ✿ Horace S C S 13371/1901 Cropper
 ✿ Samuel Maurice eeeeeeeeeeeeee Cropper
 ✿ Marie A Leonie Cropper

19 April 2013

Pretty, Pretty Princess

Some people will do anything to make a claim to royalty ;-)
These are all from the same tree as last week's post.

Title: A Princess
Uploaded to: A Massachusetts girl who died in 1649 at the age of 16.
A Connecticut girl who died in 1753 at the age of 18.
Attached to: 1 other tree

Disney's Cinderella

Title: Cinderella
Uploaded to: A Connecticut girl who died in 1716 at the age of 3.

Disney's Cinderella

Title: Bell
Uploaded to: A 10 year girl who died in Kansas in 1880.

 Belle from Disney's Beauty and The Beast

Title: Bell in Pink
Uploaded to: A Pennsylvania girl who died in 1762 at the age of 10.
Attached to: 1 other tree

 Belle from Disney's Beauty and The Beast

Title: Bell in Cold & Yellow Dress
Uploaded to: An English woman who died in 1397 at the age of 58.
Attached to: 2 more trees

 Belle from Disney's Beauty and The Beast


If you have a photo to suggest please send a link to buwtree(at)gmail(dot)com.


PREVIOUS POST: Call of Duty
NEXT POST:
eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

17 April 2013

Call of Duty

A few comments along with list of spouses and children after the jump.

 John Parker


 Birth: 6 Sep 1758 in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
 Marriage: 1779 in Culpepper, Virginia to Sarah White
 Marriage: 1779 in Culpepper, Virginia to Sarah White
 Marriage: 1779 in Culpepper, Virginia to Sarah White
 Marriage: 1779 in Culpepper, Virginia to Sarah White
 Marriage: 1779 in Culpepper, Virginia to Sarah White
 Residence: 1801 in Franklin County, GA
 Residence: 1820 in Clark, Illinois
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Martha Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Sally Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Martha Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Sally Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Martha Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Sally Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Martha Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Sally Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Martha Duty
 Marriage: 21 Mar 1825 in Crawford, Illinois to Sally Duty
 Residence: 1830 in Clark, Illinois
 Death: 19 May 1836 in Fort Parker, Limestone, Texas

15 April 2013

The Price is Right

Since today is the day all of us procrastinators in the U.S. are frantically doing our taxes I thought a post about money would be appropriate. Like the "Fixing What's Not Broken" posts the comments below are taken from Ancestry.com's Facebook page. Some of the threads these were posted to asked, "Would you recommend Ancestry.com?" Other threads asked for an opinion of the site.
As always my (usually sarcastic) comments are in red.

✿ The research takes a very long time and more time is needed for the trial period...I keep telling myself, when I am able to focus on it for a daily two week period, I will join for the trial. I have about 30 leaves waiting to be explored. PLEASE MAKE THE TRIAL PERIOD LONGER AND GIVE US SOME FREE DAYS EACH YEAR.
✿ Translation: I can't be bothered to become a paying customer but you should cater to my needs anyway.

✿ I'd like to join but friends say it's too expensive
✿ I haven't joined because I've heard from too many people that it is way too expensive.
✿ Translation: I'd like to join but I can't think for myself so I just believe everything other people tell me.

✿ I would like to see the money that is spent on celebrities used to lower the subscriber price.
✿ It's called advertising and it brings in more subscribers. If they quit advertising prices will go up because they won't be getting as many new subscribers. Besides, Ancestry advertises with Who Do You Think You Are? it does not produce it. It would be great if people knew the difference.

✿ I remember when you could find things on there site for free but not any more.
✿ I know someone who remembers when Ancestry didn't have any of the U.S. federal censuses. The site has evolved. Parts of it are free. Currently there are over 800 free collections. To find out which ones go to the card catalog, type FREE into the keyword box and click search. 

✿ Make it possible to get world information for a month or 3 months so its not so expensive
✿ You can already subscribe a month at a time.

✿ It would be a much better value if the membership was for BOTH US AND International records. The price nearly doubles for the International Membership. $60 a MONTH may not be a lot of money to some .. but is much more difficult to budget than the $30 we sacrifice for only US Records.
If Ancestry took your advice (they won't) the Facebook page would be flooded with a different whining: "I only need US records. Why can't there be a less expensive subscription so I don't have to pay for world records that I don't need yet?" Besides, the most expensive World subscription in the U.S. is $35/month not $60. If you're paying that much you must be talking about another site.

✿ I am very disappointed with Ancestry.com your fees keep going up and now documents we used to get have to be paid for through another company, we used to get Kentucky death certificates now if we want them we have to fork out more money!!!!
✿ I don't know what this person is complaining about. Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1983 are still on Ancestry.com. Images are viewable if you have a subscription. I picked a record at random. The screen shot of the index is below. I was able to view it the new viewer (first arrow) and the old viewer (second arrow). The last link (third arrow) is to VitalChek. It's included on every vital (birth, marriage & death) record. The VitalChek link was in the top space for a while but apparently it caused blindness in some people. They couldn't see the "view image" link that was as clear as day below it. The VitalChek link does not mean you are required to order the record. It doesn't even mean that the record is available to order. It means that IF that record is available to order you can do so from the link for a fee. A fee that will most likely be more than you would pay if you went directly to the county or state source. 


✿ I don't like clicking on a hint and having to buy something to see it. I realize you need to make money, but if I am taking the time to put my family history in and being accurate as I can, its not fair I have to pay a significant amount of cash if I was a year or two in my tree.
✿ I'm going to ignore the last part since I have no earthly idea what they are trying to say. I think the first part is again referring to the VitalChek link. If you order a record the money will go to VitalChek, not Ancestry.com. 

✿ Lower your prices. I pay monthly & Some months I don't even use it. Thinking about canceling but don't really want to.
✿ You pay monthly, the most expensive payment option, and you're willing to pay even in months when you don't use it. They should lower their prices why?

✿ Would like a cheaper way to search international records since I have only limited need. Perhaps some form of per occasion fee. Presently not worth it to buy the whole package.
✿ So get a World subscription for a month or see if the records you want are available on ALE (Ancestry Library Edition). No one is forcing you to pay for an entire year.

✿ Reduce the cost of membership and you will make it up in the amount of new subscribers.
✿ Make it more affordable. Really, if you think about it, if you made it more affordable, more people would sign up! That could make more money and expand your database. The more connections that can be made, the happier people will be and therefore be more likely to continue and recommend it to their friends. There is a lot of information you can get out there from free sites, so you really have provide extra incentive for people to sign up.
✿ How wonderful that you two have this figured out. After all, a multimillion dollar company would never invest time and money into researching price points. They don't need to factor in the cost of server upkeep or new record acquisitions or the number of employees. I'm sure they just pulled a number out of thin air and went with it but thanks to your thorough analysis I'm sure they will lower their prices.

✿ Ya know ancestry was good til I couldn't see extra links or suggestions to family tree history the cost should be free and ancestry could still earn plenty of money by selling framed family tree information to its users. Posters of extensive trees etc could be great gifts. But I stopped researching and finding family when the free trial ran out and I could not see things that would have helped finish my tree. Hence no orders of framed trees for gifts to family members.
(same person a few minutes later)
✿ Ancestry could also earn money by charging for books of complete family history with records etc included even further items such as advertising and helping reunite lost family members. The membership fee is costing more loss of sales and users than anything since it is a very good program!
✿ Yet another solid business plan. Sigh.

✿ Give year subscription free when product is purchased ...can't afford membership fee so can't further my research
✿ TOO COSTLY!! Geneology shouldn't be just for the wealthy!
✿ And since Ancestry.com owns absolutely everything you couldn't possibly do "geneology" research without it. Ever.

After the jump: Freeloaders & Freebies

12 April 2013

Photo Friday: Lions and Tigers and Bears

These photos are all from the same tree and are just a sampling.
While I appreciate beautiful nature photos I will never understand the obsessive need to attach a photo to every single profile which is what this tree owner has done. I have not included profile information this time because, well, does it really matter?

 Title: II Kings 8 - 8

 Photo of an Indigo Bunting

✿✿✿

Title: Jeremiah 15 - 2

Photo of a lion

✿✿✿

Title: Acts 11 - 16

Photo of a White Tiger Cub

✿✿✿

Title: Matthew28 - 10

 Photo of a bear

✿✿✿

Title: Luke 7-10

 Photo of an elephant sculpture/fountain on Disney's jungle cruise.
 
Thanks to Kristin for finding this tree ;-)
If you have a photo to suggest please send a link to buwtree(at)gmail(dot)com.


PREVIOUS POST: Doctor? No.
NEXT POST: The Price is Right

10 April 2013

Doctor? No.

Comments after the jump.

 Dr Jacob Harrison Kern

  
 Birth: 12 December 1813 in Morgantown, Monongalia, Virginia
 Marriage #1: 1839 to Mary Margaret Troxell
 Marriage #2: 1 Dec 1842 to UNKNOWN in Morgantown, Monongahela, West Virginia
 Residence: 1850 in Harrison, Howard Co., Indiana
 Residence: 1860 in Marion, Virginia
 Residence: 1870 in Monroe, Delaware, Indiana
 Residence: 1880 in Pleasant Hill, Delaware, Indiana
 Marriage #3: 24 Nov 1881 to Mary Ann Dean in Delaware Co., Indiana
 Death: 6 March 1901 in Oakville, Delco, Indiana
 Burial: Mount Union, Botetourt Co., Virginia

 SPOUSE & CHILD
 Mary Margaret Troxell (1730-1880)
 ✿ Elizabeth Kern, B: 1840

 CHILD with UNKNOWN SPOUSE
 ✿ Isaac A. Kern, B: 1858

 SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 Mary Ann Dean (1819-1880)
 ✿ Elizabeth Kern, B: 1840
 ✿ Ann Eliza Kern, B: 1845
 ✿ Sophia Kern, B: 1846
 ✿ Sarah L Kern, B: 1849
 ✿ James W Kern, B: 1851
 ✿ Mary Adeline Kern, B: 1853
 ✿ Joseph Ellery Kern, B: 1855
 ✿ Isaac Kern, B: 1858
 ✿ Isaac Ashbrow Kern, B: 1858 (male)
 ✿ Isaac Ashbrow Kerns, B: 1858 (female)
 ✿ Emma Susan Kern, B: 1862

 ✿ 1850 U.S. Census in Harrison, Howard, Indiana
     Kern family: Jacob H 35 physician, Nancy 25, Sarah 5, John 6/12
 ✿ 1860 U.S. Census in Marion, Virginia
     Kern family: Jacob 40 carpenter, Mary Ann 41, Eliza A 17, Sophia H 14, Sarah L 12, James 9, Mary A 7, Joseph E 4, Isaac A 2
 ✿ 1870 U.S. Census in Monroe, Delaware, Indiana
     Kern family: Jacob 50 carpenter, Mary A 51, James 19, Adaline 16, Elry 14, Ashbrow 12, Emma 8
 ✿ 1880 U.S. Census in Monroe, Delaware, Indiana
     Kern family: Jacob H 60 farmer, Isaac A 22, Emma S 17
 ✿ Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941
     Jacob Kern & Mary E Dragoo, Nov 24 1881, Delaware County
 ✿ Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920
     Jacob Kern, 6 Mar 1901, Oakville, 80 years old
 ✿ Virginia Find A Grave Index
     Dr Jacob Harrison Kern, B: 12 Dec 1813 - D: 1901

08 April 2013

Bigamy in New London

Comments after the jump.

 Thomas Fitch

 Arrival: 1635 London to Boston, Mass
 Birth: 4 Feb 1760 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut
 Marriage: 10 Mar 1782 to Freelove Smith in Lyme, New London, Connecticut
 Marriage: 1784 to Elizabeth Ellis in New London, Connecticut
 Marriage: 1784 to Mary Fitch
 Marriage: 1826 to Hannah Newton
 Residence: 1850 (U.S. Census) in Montville, New London, Connecticut
 Death: 2 Sep 1855 in Chesterfield, New London, Connecticut

 All children born in New London, Connecticut except * which don't have a birth place listed.

 SPOUSE & CHILD
 Freelove Smith (1763-1783)
 ✿ William Fitch, B: 1783

 SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 Elizabeth Ellis (1763-1824)
 ✿ Clarissa Fitch, B: 1786
 ✿ Asa Fitch, B: 1790
 ✿ Margaret Fitch, B: 1793
 ✿ Margaret Fitch Harvey, B: 1793
 ✿ Russell Fitch, B: 1798
 ✿ Sophia Fitch, B: 1800
 ✿ George Fitch, B: 1805

 SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 Mary Fitch (1759-1851)
 ✿ Nancy Fitch, B: 1785
 ✿ Lizzie Loulval Fitch, B: 1786 (female)
 ✿ Loulval Fitch, B: 1786 (male)
 ✿ John Fitch, B: 1789
 ✿ Freelove Fitch, B: 1789
 ✿ James Fitch, B: 1790
 ✿ Mercy Fitch, B: 1795 (female)*
 ✿ Mercy Mary Fitch, B: 1795 (male)*
 ✿ Thomas Fitch, B: 1797
 ✿ Edwin Rufus Fitch, B: 1797

 SPOUSE
 Hannah Newton (1763-1850)

05 April 2013

Photo Friday: Fruit Salad

This has left me speechless so I'm posting without comment.
Many more photos after the jump.

Title of Photo: 1) McClain line 2) mango*
Photo Description: 1) none 2) McClain family designator*
Uploaded: 1159 times to 1159 different profiles
Attached to: Dozens of profiles in other trees

*Some photos have a different title/description. This applies to some photos after the jump as well.

03 April 2013

Where Do I Begin?

Comments after the jump.

 Johannes Westbrook
 B: October 9, 1665 in Albany, Albany, New York
 D: 25 Jan 1725 in Nytesfield, Warwarsing, New York

 All children have the Westbrook surname.

 SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 Magdalena Janse Decker (1666-1727) married 1681 and 1687
 ✿ Eva (1641- )
 ✿ Annetje (1656-1715)
 ✿ Dyrck (1660-1730)
 ✿ Derrick W (1671-1706)
 ✿ Heyltje (1690-1750)
 ✿ Anthony (1692-1769)
 ✿ Zara Sara (1694-1766)
 ✿ Johannes (1696-1769)
 ✿ Orsitjen Orseltj (1697-1766)
 ✿ Anetjen (1700-1779)
 ✿ Jannatje (1700-1779)
 ✿ Cornelius (1703-1758)
 ✿ Dyrk (1706-1757)

 SPOUSE
 Magdalena Janse Decker (1666-1756) married 1687

 CHILDREN with UNKNOWN SPOUSE
 ✿ Antjen (1700-1783)
 ✿ Ursula (1700-1725)
 ✿ Gen Frederick (1751-1827)

 RECORDS
 ✿ U.S. and International Marriage Records
 Johannes Westbrook b. 1665 NY, Magdalena Janz Dekker b. 1666 NY
 Married 1687 NY
 ✿ U.S. Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications
 Johannes Westbrook; Spouse Dalena Decker; Child Frederick Westbrook
 No dates or other details for Johannes and Dalena

01 April 2013

April Fools' Day 1965

The reporter or editor turned this into a fluff piece but this was actually an equal rights protest with a sense of humor. Prior to The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 a pregnant woman could, and usually would, be fired. If it didn't happen when the pregnancy was found out it would happen when it came time to give birth. Her sick leave would be denied and she would be fired for missing work. This was an April Fools' Day joke with a message.
From the Tri-City Herald (Washington), April 1, 1965 (transcription below):

Owen Hurd, Washington Public Power Supply System manager, had visions of the $122-million Hanford steam plant job being shut down today for lack of clerical help as his seven office secretaries appeared in maternity smocks, asking for "sick leave" in an April Fool gag. The non-pregnant, smock-clad women were, from left, Mrs. Carl Peterson, Mrs. Philip Seaman, Mrs. Gifford Eatmon, Mrs. Charles Ripplinger, Mrs. Norm Killman, Mrs. Montana Yates, and Mrs. Wanda Vaughn.

MASS 'RESIGNATIONS' HIT WPPSS AS SECRETARIES APRIL-FOOL HURD

"Motherhood is wonderful, but this is ridiculous," murmured Owen Hurd, executive director of Washington Public Power Supply System, this morning.
He had just been hit between the eyes with the biggest shock since the WPPSS began building its $122-million atomic steam plant at Hanford.
Hurd's shock-of-a-lifetime occurred shortly after his office opened. He looked up from his desk and there stood the entire staff of seven WPPSS secretaries, all in maternity smocks and holding out applications for "sick leave."
"We're all pregnant," announced Eleanor Seamon, Hurd's private secretary. Hurd grabbed his head in desperation, struggled for breath and shouted, "H-E-L-P."
Then, in unison, the seven smock-clad secretaries chorused, "APRIL FOOL!"
Hurd said the incident gave him the biggest scare, and the biggest laugh he's had in 38 years as a public-power executive. He said if the pregnancies had been "for real," it would have shut down the project. "It takes about a pound of typing paper for every pound of steel in a hydroelectric project," he explained.
Hurd said his office crew convinced him of one thing: "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."
Mrs. Montana Yates in the photo is my grandfather's sister. Here's a better photo of her at work:



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