Genealogy OnLine : How to Get Started

Getting Started in Genealogy ONLINE, W. Dollarhide, 2007 reprint, www.genealogical.com

So you want to do some family research?  Where do you start?  Right here, is a good beginning place.

William Dollarhide has been writing some of the best books on research.  This is one of our favorites.
If you are looking for a how-to book that is easy to read, right to the point and not too cumbersome, then this is the book for you.

At just about 64 pages (including master forms for family data, pedigree and family group sheets), this publication has all that you need to start your journey. Just be careful.  This journey will never end.  You have been warned.  Once you get bitten by the genealogy bug, you are hooked for quite a while.

Mr. Dollarhide starts from the beginning...with yourself, your immediate family and extended family.  Conducting interviews is the first step to get the oral history started.  Then there is the task of getting first hand documents (or secondary copies of first hand documents) to back up all the stories that you have been told.  Death records and death certificates can certainly start the collection of information that you will need.  And, using the Federal and State Census records to track the locations and persons in your family is an essential step.

The Family History Library Catalog has a nice, and easy, search engine to see what has been copied, and or documented.  Don't forget,,,,it's FREE.

The author goes on to announce how nice it is to be able to search for book titles on the Internet.  We think so, too, since AncestorStuff.com is a place that we like to start (we own the company)!  Lots to choose from, and we offer help in finding just the right publications for you, whether we carry it in our catalog, or not. Books are great!

Further into this book, the search for those special websites that seem to offer the pot-o-gold is discussed.  Every little bit of information helps, so don't turn you nose up at any site.  Bookmark those that seem promising.  Some websites are  lineage-linked, and others are sponsored by software companies, archives, libraries, cemeteries, societies and organizations.

There are several resource centers located across the United States.  Search those out, and plan field trips or family vacations and make a visit...even though the kids will roll their eyes.  Get them involved in the search, and add an award to the kid who finds the best bit of information.

When all else fails, you get too tired, or just don't have the time to do the search and legwork, contact a professional researcher.  Or, subscribe to the many genealogy magazines, newsletters and blogs. Many are listed in this book.

Finally, browse the top twenty Reference Books for Genealogists, of which AncestorStuff.com  has many listed in our catalog.

Document...Document...Document every piece of information you collect.  The Master Forms sheets at the end of this book, kindly provided by William Dollarhide, are just what you need.  Make copies, keeping data and images stored online, in a cloud, and yes, paper is good, too.

You can get a copy of Getting Started in Genealogy ONLINE, at http://www.ancestorstuff.com/computer-getting-started-in-genealogy-online-dollarhide.html
and purchase at a 15% discounted price.  Looking for a nice gift for someone who wants to dabble in the hobby of genealogy and family history?  This is a very good, and affordable, idea.

Thanks for reading, and HAPPY HUNTING

Fannie, Black Lab Mix and History Buff Mutt

A New Blog By Me : Friday's Fallen Acorns and Other Nuts

FRIDAY'S FALLEN ACORNS AND OTHER NUTS

I am so sorry to those who anxiously await my new posts.  You see, I have not posted here since August of 2014.  Terrible, just terrible.  I am so embarrassed.

But, since the new year has arrived, it's time to make those resolutions.  Yes, I do plan to lose weight, just like 50 percent of the American population.  I might join Weight Watchers....Oprah says its OK.  I also want to continue writing on this blog, and not skip a month ever again.  We will see if I hold up to that commitment.  News flash : I decided to start a totally new blog entitled Friday's Fallen Acorns and Other Nuts.

In this new blog, I will share stories and research that I find regarding persons from my family, my collateral relatives  connected to me through marriages and friendships, and any other persons that I come into contact with this year.  I chose this subject because I happen to have an overabundance of persons in my research that have made news in the past, but not very pretty stories.

Murder, kidnapping, extortion, firebombing, assault, etc.....it's all there.  Some persons are the instigators, and some are victims, and then there are those guilty of associations with these activities.  Sound interesting?  I think so.

Stay tuned for my first blog....new posts will be written every Friday....Friday"s Fallen Acorns and Other Nuts will be entertaining, if not just plain useful to others who are afraid to publish their own stories of unsavory and unfortunate characters.

See you on Fridays

Research Using the U. S. Federal Government Agencies

Last year, an article was written by Diana Crisman Smith for the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly.  She warned of the possible shutdown of the U. S. Government, and how it would impact persons using Federal records for their historical research.

Luckily, we  don't seem to have a shutdown looming at the moment.  But the article was a good review of exactly what resources are available to the community of researchers in our nation.  Here's a few of the repositories mentioned by Diana, what they can provide in the way of documents and records:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)


census records, immigration records, military records, homestead records.  see www.archives.gov 

Library of Congress (LOC)

books, microfilm, newspapers, periodicals, directories, manuscripts and maps. see www.loc.gov 

Department of the Interior

park services, civil war soldiers database, civil war battles and battlefields and all military units involved.  see www.doi.gov 

The Bureau of Land Management  holds records of land owned by the federal government, excluding the thirteen original colonies, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.  The records of the first sale of public land to individuals.  see www.blm.gov

The U.S. Geological Survey holds a collection of maps from the 1850s to the present.  It also has a gazetteer of place name with locations.  see www.usgs.gov

The Copyright Office

registration and verification for copyrights for works of art or literature.  see www.copyright.gov
Diana Crisman Smith has some suggestions to those researchers using these and other government resources.  She highly suggests to transcribe all the information that you need the first time that you find it, including full citation.  Take a screen shot of a web page that has helpful information on it.  Things change quickly on the web, and that web page may not be available again.  She adds that assuming resources will always be available is a mistake, so use these resources as soon as you need them.

In the event of another government shutdown, various genealogy websites may have information from the U.S. Federal Government websites mentioned here.  But, let's hope we don't have to worry about that.

Thomas Young : Finding His History Among Land Warrants

I have found, with much success on  Internet sources, the histories of most of my husband's ancestry.  However, my research came to a halt when it came to focusing on Thomas Young.  Most of the census information that I had collected showed that he was born in Tennessee about the year 1797, plus or minus 5 years.  However, I have not been able to find the confirmation of his wife's maiden name, place of marriage, or his whereabouts prior to 1830, when he was listed as a resident of Illinois.

Noting that he may have been in the age brackets of those who served in the War of 1812, I decided to browse the roles of records on the www.Fold3.com website. As you can imagine, the name of Thomas Young was quite common.  How was I to find the correct Thomas, if indeed he served in the  War of 1812?

Shifting my thought process a bit, I decided to look into the Federal Land Warrants that were issued to veterans as payment for their service during the conflict.  Once again, I found the name Thomas Young to be very common.  But, I knew that he lived in Illinois in the late 1820s, as his oldest son was mentioned as having been born in the state.  So, let's check the land warrants that were issued to Thomas Young in Illinois. The Bureau of Land Management websites have this information.  There is a link to this information from  the Secretary of State of Illinois website, www.cyberdriveillinois.com

Bingo!  I found Thomas Young as having land warrant papers in Adams County, Illinois.  On the warrants, it lists what type of service he had completed, including the company that he served.

www.cyberdriveillinois,com,  Land Patents, Vol 150 page 213

This land warrant tells that Thomas Young served as a private in Reed's Company in the Corp of Artillery.  It is dated at the bottom of the page as October 1817.

There was yet another land warrant patent under his name, also in Adams County, Illinois, dated 1819.  So, now we know where he was hanging out at that time.  

Later on, I found several land patents that told Thomas Young had land from the Federal Government in  Schuyler County, during the 1840s.  This is the location where the bulk of information has centered on Thomas Young and his family.  

The National Archives has a few search features which allow you to search for the various units in the Tennessee Volunteer Militia for the War of 1812.  Finding Capt. James Reed, 2nd Regiment, West Tennessee Volunteers, Artillery Unit......Now I know even more.

Taking the information from the land warrant, and the unit information from the National Archives, and knowing that Thomas Young served in the artillery, Reed's Company, we go back to www.Fold3.com.  We have more information about him so that we can narrow which Thomas Young he was.

Fold3.com  image from the War of 1812 Record Index

We know a little more about Thomas Young with this research of his service during the War of 1812 and his land ownership in Illinois.  This give us many more clues to follow to find out more about him.  His pension files are at the National Archives.  Since his surname begins with Y, it may be a while before they digitize his paperwork and post it online.  Meanwhile, I know that he was around western Illinois during his young adult life after his military service.  I can go back to the census of Illinois and the Federal Government to find him as a land owner before 1830.

And that's a lot more than I knew before today.  Progress!

The Civil War Pension Papers of Owen Young of Schuyler County

Several months ago, I wrote about Gilmer Young, who died in the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri during the Civil War.  Recently, I stumbled upon the pension papers of his brother, Owen Young, who also served his country during the Civil War.  Unfortunately, Owen, like his brother Gilmer, did not return home alive.  He passed away in a military hospital camp in Brownsville, Texas.

Owen's  pension packet consists of about 34 pages. There are some very good pieces of information about Owen and his family in this packet.  www.Fold3.com has many pension packets digitized on their website.

What can you find in a pension packet?  Well, for one thing, if a soldier was married, there would be some proof of that marriage in the packet contents.  Here's the certificate of marriage for Owen and his wife, Mandana Blodget, along with a certification from the Clerk of the County, which was officiated by Peter Vance, J.P. of Schuyler County :

certification of  marriage for Owen Young WC122477 Page 11 Civil War Widows Pensions at Fold3.com

State of Illinois Marriage Certificate included in the pension packet for Owen Young, Fold3.com

There is a statement from the commanding officer of Owen Young's unit, Company K, 28th Illinois Volunteers.  It was written at the Army offices in St. Louis, Missouri, stating the circumstances of Private Young's illness and death.  Apparently he suffered from Flux and Typhoid, which was hindered by his home sickness.....being hospitalized in the military hospital in Texas where he eventually passed away....

Page 21 Owen Young, Civil War Widows Pension File, Fold3.com

There is also a short note from the Surgeon General that testifies that Owen Young, of the Illinois Volunteers,  passed away on the 29th of August, 1865 in Brownsville, Texas, of Flux and Typhoid.

War Department, Surgeon General, Owen Young Civil War Pension File, page 8, Fold3.com

additional note from the Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D.C., 1866, states that Owen died on Sept. 1.

Paging further into the packet contents, I find notes about the only surviving heirs to Owen Young...two children.  What happened to his wife, Mandana?  She passed away in1866, less than a year after her husband, Owen, left this earth.  So sad.  So, what happens to the children?  Well, apparently their grandfather, Harvey Blodget (father of Mandana) assumed responsibility for the tots.  He was appointed the guardian for the children.  Read on to see what papers had to be filed for these children to receive some monetary assistance from their father's military pension....

Declaration of Minor Children for Pension, filed by Harvey Blodget, Owen Young Civil War Pension file, page 5

Now this is even more interesting....note that Harvey states that Owen died in August of 1865, which has already been established, and further states that his wife is no longer living....but added in the lines "again married George Whitehead in March 1866" and she died on the 17th of June, 1866.  She probably never received a widow's pension....maybe she applied, but instead was remarried.  How sad that she died only months after being married to Mr. Whitehead.  

A statement from Dr. Benjamin Walton accounts  for his assistance with the birth of her children, Lovina and Thomas B. Young, and that he is aware of the death of Owen, and the appointment of Harvey Blodget as the guardian of the children.

The children are identified as being the only legitimate offspring of Owen, and their vital information is stated as follows : Lovina Young,  born on the 13th day of March 1858, and Thomas B. Young, born on the 24th day of October 1860, Harvey also concurs that the parents of these children were married on the 3rd of April 1857 in Schuyler County, by Peter Vance, JP.  He also replied that he did not aid or abet the rebellion of the United States.  Two witnesses, John Phelps and Hiram Geer, signed off on the document as being "intimate acquaintances for the last ten years"  of Owen Young, the deceased soldier, and know of no other children belonging to him.

Claim for Minor Pension, Owen Young Civil War Pension File, page 3, Fold3.com

I am not sure why Quincy is hand written at the top of the page, but perhaps that was the closest Army Pension office at the time.  Nevertheless, the children were approved for support from their father's pension.  Lovina Young and Thomas B. Young were to receive Two Dollars per month, until they each reach the age of 16 years.  Lovina's benefit will last her until March 12 of 1874.  Thomas B. will collect his benefit until October 23 of 1876.  The above document restates all of the evidence previously submitted to support the claim for pension assistance.  Harvey Blodget will be issued the usual Eight Dollars per month, covering Sept. 2, 1865 until October 23, 1876, as was the common widow's claim amount, and the children's pension would also be paid out to Harvey, commencing July 23, 1866,  so that he may look after his grandchildren until their 16th birthdays.  

Well, there you  have it.  Quite a story, sad as it is.  A father goes to war, gets ill while in  the service of his country, and dies.  His widow, left with two children ages 7 years and 5 years, remarries just 6 months later, and then she dies three months after that.  Her two school-aged children are taken in by their grandfather.  He applies for the pension benefits of his son-in-law to support the children.  Pension benefits only last until the 16th birthday of each child.  Hopefully they lived happily with their grandfather.  And, hopefully, they heard of their father's bravery and sacrifice during the Civil War, which took the lives of so many husbands and fathers.  

I think I will do a bit more research, and find out what Lovina and Thomas did with their lives.  

Meanwhile, if you have any family members that were participants in the Civil War, I hope that I have inspired you to look into their service and pension files.  Discover the family stories that aren't told in vital records alone. 

Using Naturalization Records For Your Family Research

Naturalization is the process by which an alien becomes an American Citizen, as stated by the National Archives www.archives.gov/research/naturalization

The Naturalization Papers are just one of the many resources anyone can use to find out more about their ancestors.  The first Naturalization Act was passed on 26 March 1790.  "Free White" persons over 21 years of age could be granted citizenship if they lived in this country  for at least 2 years, and had to be a residing in the state of which they are applying from for 1 year.  Of course, they had to be of good moral character and take the Oath of Allegiance.  Just about any court could enact an application of citizenship.  Wives and children, under the age of 21, would be granted citizenship if the Husband/Father were to become a citizen of the U.S.A.

Stricter requirements were enacted in the revision of the Naturalization Act in 1795.  Residency in this nation was required for a minimum of 5 years, with one of those years being in the state of which the application took place.  The first papers for application, known as the Declaration of Intent, were to be filed at least 3 years before the final papers, known as the Petition for Citizenship, was filed.  "Free White Males" over 21 years of age could apply.  Besides the Oath of Allegiance, the petitioner had to renounce allegiance to any foreign government.

In 1922, women  who were over 21 were able to become citizens on their own, without the need for a husband or father.

In the Fourteenth Amendment of 1868, all African Americans were granted citizenship.  American Indians, in 1924, were considered citizens, without the need to serve in the ranks of the military or marriage to white citizens.  Territories were granted citizenship through laws and/or treaties, which include Texas, Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana, Florida and Alaska.

Census records after 1870, asked each person whether they were an alien, a naturalized citizen, or if they had filed their Declaration of Intent, if they were born in a foreign country.  The year of immigration is listed on the census of 1900 and 1910.  The 1920 census lists the year of naturalization.  Also, the census of 1940 mentions the year of naturalization, if the person were foreign born.

1910 St. Louis City, Missouri, Federal Census
Note that several persons, including Tony Busalacchi,  are listed in column 17 as Alien (AL), and one Bernard Freidman was listed as Papers Applied (PA), meaning that he had filed his first  papers, the Declaration of Intent

Follow your ancestors through the census years to get a clue as to when they may have applied for U.S. Citizenship.  The persons in the census above had not applied their papers, except for Mr. Friedman, by 1910.

1920 St. Louis City, Missouri, Federal Census
Note that Tony Busalacchi is now listed in column 13 as Papers Applied (PA), meaning that he had filed his Declaration of Intent sometime between 1910 and 1920.

Any U.S. Naturalization records created after September of 1906 were copied and sent to the INS, and one copy was kept in the court where the person had applied.  Federal court applications are kept in the National Archive Regional offices. Check www.archives.gov/locations/ to find the office location that your ancestors papers may have been kept. You can order these record copies online.

Declaration of Intent for Tony Busalaki,of St. Louis, Missouri
date October 1912

This Declaration of Intent, "First Papers", belongs to Tony Busalaki, a first cousin of the Tony Busalacchi mentioned in the census sheets mentioned previously. Notice the change in the spelling of the surname.   Note the wealth of information about this man.  His age, occupation, description of his color, complexion, height and weight, town of origin, date of birth, address, name of ship and port from which it left, note of renounce of allegiance to the King of Italy, place and date of arrival, and his signature and date.  NOTE:  not all of the information on the Declaration of Intent is true.  Take the information as clues.  The name of the ship, date of arrival, date of birth, etc. may not be true, but it is as true as he may have believed at that time.  Immigrants did not have to supply a certified birth certificate, nor did they have to show proof of the date of arrival or name of the ship.  Persons from the INS did check ship manifests to see if they could find persons applying for citizenship.  

Prior to 1906, the search for the Naturalization papers may be more difficult.  Many people may have applied their Declarations of Intent soon after arriving in America, so it would not be uncommon to see those papers filed near their port of entry.  New York, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, or other port of entry would be a likely place to look for those first papers.  Not everyone filed their papers in a federal court.  They could have filed in a county or a large city civil courthouse.  Hopefully, the indexes for your ancestors papers were filmed, and you will be able to at least find them on an index card that will guide you to when and where the papers were filed.  

The older records of Naturalization may not hold much information regarding your ancestor.

1867 U. S. Naturalization Index Card  for George Adam Reif of Stephenson County, Illinois

Above, the Naturalization Card for George Reif , shows that he applied for his citizenship in April of 1867 in the Circuit Court of Stephenson County, Illinois.  This card does not have all of his information, but note that it does give the location of the certificate record : Vol. B. Pg. 62.  A trip to the courthouse in Stephenson County, with a copy of this card, should get me to the right location to view the copy of the certificate for George Reif....my husbands great great grandfather.  This card was listed in the :

U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project)

found on Ancestry www.ancestry.com

Index for the Naturalization in St. Louis, Missouri; 1821-1906, St. Louis Genealogical Society
for Antonio Pitti, of Italy, in the Circuit Court of St. Louis

The St. Louis Genealogical Society, www.stlgs.org  has an online index for the Naturalizations that occurred in St. Louis, Missouri.  Above, the indexed information for Antonio Pitti, of Italy, in the Circuit Court of St. Louis, is found under the ID and Volume location.  A contact at the Circuit Court would be able to assist in getting a copy of this person's documentation.  As stated on the website :

  The original naturalization records are available on film at the Missouri State Archives, St. Louis County Library, State Archives, the Family History Library, St. Louis Public Library, and the Office of the Circuit Clerk, City of St. Louis, Missouri.

In searching for your ancestors' Naturalization and Citizenship papers, be sure to search

Familysearch.org - all free records, all the time.  Many documents have been digitized, and can be found online, or you can view the images on microfilm at your local LDS library or local library.  Don't forget to contact county courts, circuit courts and even criminal courts.

Many  WWI draftees and enlisted men were encouraged to become citizens.  Even later, 

when WWII involved the United States, residents were encouraged to become citizens and/or register as aliens.  These registrations can be found in the regional National Archives.