Genealogy Know Your Records, Military 02 Army and Navy

Maria (Pick) Bruck

My 2nd Great Grandmother's papers from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services came in today. There is a picture of her!!!!!! Maria immigrated to the United States from Romania in 1927. Now I just have to translate the paper work, most of it is in German.

The Ancestry Insider: Copyrights, Contracts, and Trademarks; Oh My!

The Ancestry Insider: Copyrights, Contracts, and Trademarks; Oh My!: If you smelled a setup yesterday, you were right. “What are they up to now?” “They,” the Computer Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illi...

Home Movie Day!

Saturday 15 October 2011 is Home Movie Day! For more information visit their web site at:
homemovieday.com

Family History Month

Old Photograph

I found this picture among my grandmother’s photographs that I inherited. There is no information on the back of the picture. No one in my family knows who this person is and I have never seen this picture before.
Does anybody know what kind of uniform this is? I have searched the internet and found nothing.  My family was from Indiana and Kansas, if this is any help.

Almost Done!

Almost done the American Genealogy home study course! I'd be done sooner if I can just get pass this one assignment. I have to do a narrative report on an ancestors "compiled service record". I received a copy of my ancestors civil war records from the National Archives, there are quite a few papers but they mostly have the same information. My report "should be complete enough that it could serve as a substitute for the photocopied document" it sounds easy enough.......

Emotions running high in cemetery land dispute

The Shuler family is one of the founding families of the cemetery, and they are upset that a neighbor bought the land from the church that oversaw it.
Read the story: Emotions run high

McRae/Anderson Genealogy: Tombstone Tuesday - There's More Than Meets The Ey...

New Genealogy Blog:
McRae/Anderson Genealogy: Tombstone Tuesday - There's More Than Meets The Ey...: "The city of Brockton, Massachusetts has many cemeteries and if I look around hard enough, I can probably find someone of relation in each on..."

National Digital Newspaper Program

The Library of Congress has announced that it recently added 230,000 pages to its digital newspaper archives. The project includes some newspapers from 1860-1922, 22 states plus the District of Columbia. These newspaper pages can be searched, clipped, or downloaded to your computer.
http://www.loc.gov/ndnp/

The Journey Takers

I really enjoyed reading this book and thought I would pass it on.

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Leslie Albrecht Huber's ancestors were journey takers, leaving their homes in Germany, Sweden, and England behind to sail to the US and start new lives here. Huber sets out to trace these journeys and to understand her family - who they were and what mattered to them. As she follows in their footsteps, walking the paths they walked and looking over the land they farmed, she finds herself on a journey she hadn't expected. Based on thousands of hours of research, Huber recreates the immigration experience in a way that captures both its sweeping historical breadth and its intimately personal consequences.

Tombstone Tuesday: Alfred & Katherine VanNess:

My sister Michele and her friend went to Cedar Grove cemetery to photograph The VanNess’s tombstones. There was only one headstone the rest were flat monuments with nothing on them. There were two other monuments; one stated Wife the other Husband. We know from Cedar Grove Cemetery tombstones inscriptions and interment that Alfred A VanNess is buried in section CAT-844-2A, his wife Katherine (Jones) is buried in section CAT-844-2C. Arthur VanNess (I believe to be their son) is buried in section CAT-844-3B, Harold VanNess (relationship not established) is buried in section CAT 844-2B and Lillian(VanNess) Quillian, Alfred and Katherine's daughter is buried in section CAT-844-3C.

The headstone looks like it was knocked out of place or maybe the ground in uneven it looks like someone tried to fix it?

The symbol on the headstone is hard to read. I looked up the VanNess family crest and this symbol does not look like it.

Does anyone have any idea what it might represent?

Wordless Wenesday: Alfred Abram and Katherine (Jones) VanNess: My 2nd Great grandparents

I finally found information on my brick wall! Researching my 2 great grand parents I could not find any information on them, I had names, place of birth and approximate birthdates but nothing showed up on Ancestry.com or Familysearch.org. I gave up after a while then one day last week I decided to start reaching them again.

I knew they lived and died in New York so I googled  New York Deaths,  I found a site called http://www.italiangen.org, they have a online search index for New York  deaths, marriages and  naturalizations. I found this site before but I thought this site just catered to Italian genealogy so I did not even bother to look at their indexes, this time I gave it a shot and typed in their names. Bingo! They showed up on their death index along with a death certificate number. I could have had this brick wall solved months ago!

I sent for their death records and Katherine’s came in the other day. This is her! Her place of birth, birthdate and parent’s names match what I have. Her death certificate stated the cemetery where she was buried. I googled the cemetery http://thecedargrovecemetery.com and to my surprise they had an online interment search. I typed in her name and there she was! The site gave me her lot and plot number. Along with Katherine, Alfred and several family members are buried by her. They even had a map of the cemetery sections, how convenient.

My sister lives in Brooklyn, I live in Florida, so I called her and she told me she is only 15 miles from the cemetery. Guess what she is doing this weekend? Yep, she is going to the cemetery for me to take tombstone pictures.  The whole time family members were buried 15 miles from my sister and we did not know it!

Immigrant Ancestors Project

The Immigrant Ancestors Project, uses emigration registers to locate information about the birthplaces of immigrants in their native countries, which is not found in the port registers and naturalization documents in the destination countries. Check out their web site at Immigrant Ancestors Project

Sentimental Sunday: Family Traditions: Easter

My Genealogy Blog: Family Traditions: Easter: "When my children’s father and I divorced, one year I would have the kid’s for Easter then the next year he would have them. Fair enough but ..."

Family Traditions: Easter

When my children’s father and I divorced, one year I would have the kid’s for Easter then the next year he would have them. Fair enough but when it was his turn I was sad.

When I met my second husband eight years ago he had the same arrangement with his ex-wife. One year we would have all of the kids then the next year when we had no kids we did not know what to do with ourselves!

Well about five years ago my husband and I decided we would have our Easter on Saturday, this way every year we would have all the kids and then on Sunday they could visit with their other side of their family.

As the years gone by and the children got older Easter has become a main event! Family, friends and friends of the kids have joined our Easter!

From hunting for Easter eggs, volleyball, basket ball, ping pong, slip and slides, pony rides and the best…..the annual Rooster run! Who ever catches the Rooster gets a prize…usually money….not only do the children run, put up $50.00 and watch the adults run! It is so funny. I promise the Rooster’s do not get hurt, they can outrun everyone.

Somehow the tradition of a fish fry was incorporated into our Easter along with “wild game”. My husband is an avid fisherman and hunter. This year besides fish we are having wild turkey and boar.

I posted the event on face book and the response is overwhelming, I have family coming that I haven’t see for a while. Everyone is posting what they are going to bring.

My daughter posted that she could not wait that it is her favorite family event.  Her friend posted that her five year old daughter is so excited she is counting down the days!

That is a good feeling.

So what do my husband and I do on Sunday……clean up!

Newly Found Family Member

Thanks to this blog I have found another family member….or I should say he found me. He filled in the blanks to one of my brick walls. I have been trying to establish  two family connections to the Henry’s and Halley’s. Come to find out that Israel Halley married Sarah Henry on 12 Mar 1835 and Elisha Henry married Judah Halley on 25 Aug 1831. Israel and Judah are brother and sister and the same for Elisha and Sarah. I kinda knew it but could not prove it! My newly found family member gave me the information I needed!
Israel and Sarah are my 3rd great grandparents and Elisha and Judah are his 3rd great grandparents!

Now for my other brick wall……..

Genealogy Facebook Apps

Reading the new issue of Family Tree magazine there was an article on Genealogy Facebook Apps. Yep, Facebook has come out with a family history game!

 In Family Village, you'll build out your actual family tree, and then immigrate those family members into a village you design. In your village, you assign your ancestors jobs to earn money for your town to grow. You can buy homes, cars, pets, and decorations from the time in which your ancestors lived. You can even buy monuments that show off your unique ancestral heritage.

Looks like fun…..

Here is the link apps.facebook.com/myfamilyvillage

Coroners welcome help from a genealogist

I came across this video on Roots Television, it was very interesting. 
Coroners welcome help from genealogist Megan Smolenyak to solve their Unclaimed Persons case. Watch the video here at Roots Television.

150th Anniversary Of The Civil War; Honoring My Ancestors Who Served Their Country

    Men in Blue

   My 2^nd Great Grand Uncle’s

My third great grandparents, Israel and Sarah Halley had eight children; two girls and six boys. Five of their boys fought in the Civil War, all but one came home.

John C. Halley

Born 10 Jan 1837 in Jefferson, Tipton, Indiana.

Enlisted as Corporal on 15 Aug 1862, Company C, 101st Infantry - Regiment of Indiana Volunteers.

Mustered out on, 02 Feb 1863.[i] [ii]

Enlisted as 1^st Sergeant on 10 Oct 1864, Company G, 140th Infantry - Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. [iii]

Mustered Out - Company G, 140th Infantry - Regiment of Indiana Volunteers on 11 Jul 1865 at Greensboro, NC.
Died 19 Feb 1877 in Tipton County, Indiana at the age of 40.

Henry H Halley  

Born 07 Aug 1837 in Switzerland County, Indiana.

The National Archives have no Civil War records on Henry.

According to his obituary, Henry was a veteran of the Civil War, serving Company C, 147^th Indiana Volunteers. He enlisted late in the war and participated in but one battle in Tennessee.[iv]

Died 03 Feb 1929 in Tipton County, Indiana, at the age of 91.

Elisha Halley

Born abt 1841 in Indiana

Enlisted 15 Aug 1862, Company C, 101st Infantry - Regiment of Indiana Volunteers

Died 18 June 1863 in Nashville, Tennessee, age 22-burial unknown.

The record from the War Department from the Adjutant General’s Office states:
“Elisha Halley was enrolled on the 15th day of Aug 1862, at Tipton, in Company C 101st Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, to serve three years. He mustered into service as a Private on the 6th day of September, 1862.”

“On the Muster Roll of Co. “C” of that Regiment, for the months of from muster in to April 30, 1863, he is reported present May and June 63 died June 18/63 at Nashville Tenn. Record of Death Interment reports him -died in Hospital No. 7 Nashville Tenn. June 19th 1863, which date is accepted as correct, of complications of pneumonia and diarrhea.”[v]

James H. Halley, my 2^nd great grandfather

Born 24 Mar 1844 in Switzerland County, Indiana.

Enlisted as a private on 15 Aug 1862, Company C, Indiana 101st  Infantry - Regiment of Indiana Volunteers[vi]
Mustered out on 27 Oct 1862 In Louisville, Kentucky.[vii]

Died 31 Jan 1921 in Girard, Crawford, Kansas, at the age of 76 

Noah W. Halley

Born 24 May 1846 in Switzerland County, Indiana.
Enlisted as Private, Company G, 140th Infantry Regiment Indiana Volunteers on 10 Oct 1864.

Promoted to Corporal 30 Jan 1865.
Mustered Out - Company G, 140th Infantry Regiment Indiana Volunteers on 11 Jul 1865 at Greensboro, NC [viii]

Death 26 Apr 1914 in Washington, DC, at the age of 67.

                

   Noah “Node” W. Halley

  Unknown date

  

---

[i] Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles [database on-line] Ancestry.com

[ii] Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, Volume VIII - 1861-1865.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Obituary of Henry Halley, Tipton Tribune, 04 Feb 1929, Tipton, Indiana.

[v] War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, The Commissions of Pensions, Washington, DC. Sarah Halley’s, mother of Elisha, claim for petition for pension. National Archives and Records Administration.

[vi] Historical Data Systems, U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com.

[vii] Army Of The United States, Certificate of Disability for Discharge, 27 Oct 1862, disease of his lungs. Halley’s lungs have been weak from childhood. Most of his kindred have died from Phthisis (aka Pulmonary Tuberculosis). 

[viii] Co. G, 140^th Indiana Infantry, muster and Descriptive Rolls. Copy of records from the National Archives and Records Administration.

I am bound to them

Though I cannot

Look into their eyes

Or hear their voices

I honor their history

I cherish their lives

I will tell their story

Author unknown

Who Do You Think You Are

Who Do You Think You Are....Season Finale. Tonight Ashley Judd.

Virginia Tech Launches First of Civil War Newspapers Online - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Virginia Tech Launches First of Civil War Newspapers Online - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Ancestry.com; Family History Wiki

Ancestry.com; Family History Wiki is a great starting point for researching:

Census records

Immigration records

Military records

Vital records

African American research

Jewish American research

Record types

State research

County research

Town research

Societies

Ancestry.com Wiki is free to read, edit, add to, and discuss.