Seems I haven't written about my experience with the GTAGS/DAR event from last month, I thought I had better do so now.
It was a nice set up and there were lots of helpers present. Eric came along to help lift and carry and move tables, but by the time we got there it was all almost done. I chose a table and set up my station. The first lady I helped was looking for a woman who was identified as 'some relation' but wasn't really sure and wanted to know more information about her. She was very eagar to find information, but what she had was very vague. I search with her for about half an hour with no luck. She said I gave her some ideas and I tried to give her suggestions to follow up with.
The second lady I tried to help was trying to locate a marriage certificate for her DAR membership. I was honest that I knew nothing about DAR but I would help her as well. I spent about half and hour with her as well with no luck. I also gave her some suggestions to follow up on. I hope she finds her marriage certificate.
I met a few members from the local chapter of DAR and after reflecting on my own research, I don't think I can qualify as a DAR member seems none of my relatives were in the US at that time. Maybe in the Loomis line, but I'm not sure.
After my second person I wandered around the room for a while then fatigue got the best of me and I left about an hour early. I was told there wasn't the turn out like there was last year, but I wonder if it is because many people came last year and don't have the brickwalls they had last year, or who knows!
It was in interesting day. Off to the next.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Slow Going
Things have been kinda slow lately in the genealogy arena for me. I've been so overwhelmed with school and I just learned a couple weeks ago we're going to be adding to our own family tree. Anyway, I've done some work on findagrave.com adding memorials and photos that I have taken, fulfilled a couple of photo requests and had a couple of my own requests filled for Fitzgerald family members in the Cadillac Area.
We are continuing to plan our trip to Pennsylvania for our family research. I just bought one of those scanning pens that scans text from Woot.com. I'm hoping it will come in handy for my research trip.
I finished the last couple of photos in Monroe Center Cemetery. I drove down there on Thrusday after class and the snow is finally melted off all the headstones.
I have submitted my first (and second) round of press releases as the publicity chair for GTAGS. It came to my attention after I sent out the batch orginally, that I put the wrong date, so after several phone calls and emails and another mailed batch, I think I have the error undercontrol. Thanks Brenda, if you're reading this, for catching that for me. This is definately a lesson in checking your work before submitting and making sure to proofread!
Of course, all this is after having the speaker changed because the orginal speaker that was booked wouldn't confirmed and that left us scrambling for a speaker. To make matters worse the orginal speaker was one of my newspaper contacts. I can imagine he was rather suprised when he recieved the email. At least it was straightened out.
I am very excited that this month's speaker is Betty Driscoll from Oceana County and she is speaking on her reserach on the Traverse City State Hosptial! I get lots of research requests about the state hospital and I am interested in hearing what Betty has to say. She is currently working on a book about the State Hospital, which I am sure I will add to my library here at home.
We are continuing to plan our trip to Pennsylvania for our family research. I just bought one of those scanning pens that scans text from Woot.com. I'm hoping it will come in handy for my research trip.
I finished the last couple of photos in Monroe Center Cemetery. I drove down there on Thrusday after class and the snow is finally melted off all the headstones.
I have submitted my first (and second) round of press releases as the publicity chair for GTAGS. It came to my attention after I sent out the batch orginally, that I put the wrong date, so after several phone calls and emails and another mailed batch, I think I have the error undercontrol. Thanks Brenda, if you're reading this, for catching that for me. This is definately a lesson in checking your work before submitting and making sure to proofread!
Of course, all this is after having the speaker changed because the orginal speaker that was booked wouldn't confirmed and that left us scrambling for a speaker. To make matters worse the orginal speaker was one of my newspaper contacts. I can imagine he was rather suprised when he recieved the email. At least it was straightened out.
I am very excited that this month's speaker is Betty Driscoll from Oceana County and she is speaking on her reserach on the Traverse City State Hosptial! I get lots of research requests about the state hospital and I am interested in hearing what Betty has to say. She is currently working on a book about the State Hospital, which I am sure I will add to my library here at home.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Google Maps
When we attended the Western Michigan Genealogy Society conference last fall, I learned about using Google Maps to help with my research. So today I spent the morning working on Google Maps with John and Emily Fitzgerald's family. I had done this once before, but that map came up missing. I think it was attached to another account, but its gone now. Anyway, I added the new map. I haven't quite figured out how to get the URL for the map, but once I do, I'll post it.
Today is the GTAGS/DAR workshop at the Traverse Area District Library at 1 to 4 pm, so I must be off. I will definately report on the workshop later!
Today is the GTAGS/DAR workshop at the Traverse Area District Library at 1 to 4 pm, so I must be off. I will definately report on the workshop later!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Crains in Monroe Center Cemetery
Last week we took a 'trip' to Monroe Center South of Chums Corners to the cemetery there to photograph several Crain headstones. Half the stones we were looking for were covered by the only pile of snow in the entire cemetery.
We did find:
Burnette Crain
There was also an Elmer and Ernet Crain. I'm assuming sons of the couple below.
The stones buried by snow:
Dean Crain and His wife Sarah (Dean is the brother of Burnette)
and Flyod Crain, their son.
I will have to make this venture again soon, once the rest of the snow is gone.
We did find:
Burnette Crain
There was also an Elmer and Ernet Crain. I'm assuming sons of the couple below.
The stones buried by snow:
Dean Crain and His wife Sarah (Dean is the brother of Burnette)
and Flyod Crain, their son.
I will have to make this venture again soon, once the rest of the snow is gone.
Fitzgerald>>What's in a Name, Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture
This is my first post for Genabloggers from facebook. The title here says it all!
The name Fitzgerald (also spelled FitzGerald and several other variations) mean son of Gerald.
Some snippets I have found on various internet sites about the history of the name follow:
FitzGerald Surname Origin(Origin Normandy French) The son of Gerald, Fitz, a son, Gerald (Teutonic), all-surpassing, excellent. This ancient and honorable family is traced from Otho or Other, a Baron in Italy, descended from the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Walter, son of Otho, came into England with William the Conqueror, and afterward settled in Ireland. Maurice FitzGerald assisted Richard Strongbow in the conquest of that kingdom.
Source: An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names With an Essay on their Derivation and Import; Arthur, William, M.A.; New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake, Bleeker & CO., 1857.
http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/f/fitzgerald.php
ORIGIN AND HISTORY
Fitzgerald is one of the many first or middle names that was originally a surname. Like many surnames threatened with extinction within family trees and histories (mostly through marriage on the women’s sides of the families), it was adapted for first name use in order to keep it visible. As a surname, Fitzgerald’s origins are almost exclusively British and French and possibly trace back to French Norman conquest/English times. There is evidence is was also present in Ireland with roots beyond the isle of Britain to German (Teutonic) areas. Interestingly, all four origins (English, French, Irish, German) translate into the same definition: son of Gerald. This naming style was common and transferred beyond any one Gerald or any one son. In other words, being a Fitzgerald could mean literally being the son of someone named Gerald or being the son’s son or any line of grandsons from that Gerald. Further, there was not necessarily any one noteworthy or famous Gerald. It could be used like “Jr.” or “III” is today to identify the ancestors of someone with the same name. [1]
http://wiki.name.com/en/Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald Name Meaning and History
Irish: Anglo-Norman French patronymic from the personal name Gerald (see Garrett). The name was formed by the addition of the Anglo-Norman French prefix fi(t)z ‘son of’ (Latin filius) to the personal name. The Gaelicized form Mac Gearailt is common in the Gaelic-speaking areas of West Kerry.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Fitzgerald-places-origin.ashx
The name Fitzgerald (also spelled FitzGerald and several other variations) mean son of Gerald.
Some snippets I have found on various internet sites about the history of the name follow:
FitzGerald Surname Origin(Origin Normandy French) The son of Gerald, Fitz, a son, Gerald (Teutonic), all-surpassing, excellent. This ancient and honorable family is traced from Otho or Other, a Baron in Italy, descended from the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Walter, son of Otho, came into England with William the Conqueror, and afterward settled in Ireland. Maurice FitzGerald assisted Richard Strongbow in the conquest of that kingdom.
Source: An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names With an Essay on their Derivation and Import; Arthur, William, M.A.; New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake, Bleeker & CO., 1857.
http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/f/fitzgerald.php
ORIGIN AND HISTORY
Fitzgerald is one of the many first or middle names that was originally a surname. Like many surnames threatened with extinction within family trees and histories (mostly through marriage on the women’s sides of the families), it was adapted for first name use in order to keep it visible. As a surname, Fitzgerald’s origins are almost exclusively British and French and possibly trace back to French Norman conquest/English times. There is evidence is was also present in Ireland with roots beyond the isle of Britain to German (Teutonic) areas. Interestingly, all four origins (English, French, Irish, German) translate into the same definition: son of Gerald. This naming style was common and transferred beyond any one Gerald or any one son. In other words, being a Fitzgerald could mean literally being the son of someone named Gerald or being the son’s son or any line of grandsons from that Gerald. Further, there was not necessarily any one noteworthy or famous Gerald. It could be used like “Jr.” or “III” is today to identify the ancestors of someone with the same name. [1]
http://wiki.name.com/en/Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald Name Meaning and History
Irish: Anglo-Norman French patronymic from the personal name Gerald (see Garrett). The name was formed by the addition of the Anglo-Norman French prefix fi(t)z ‘son of’ (Latin filius) to the personal name. The Gaelicized form Mac Gearailt is common in the Gaelic-speaking areas of West Kerry.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Fitzgerald-places-origin.ashx
Friday, March 20, 2009
Thomas Fitzgerald Pension Record
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thomas Fitzgerald Pension Record
A few days ago, Thomas' pension record arrived. It was sitting there between the front doors when we got home after getting our taxes done. I was so excited to see it there. I couldn't believe how thick it was. I was able to go through the file as a preliminary look over, but with all my school work, I couldn't really go through it until today. I have lots of information I'm adding to the file and filling in some holes, but it still doesn't give me anymore information on John and Emily. In fact, the only reference to John and Emily Fitzgerald made in the entire file is Thomas replying to the pension department that he was unable to access any family records about his birth as his parents are both dead. That recorded on 9 May 1913, which would be rather obvious that they would likely have died long before then, or they would both have been over 100 years old!
I did send a copy of the most current report this week to my Uncle Jack, who is my grandpa's only living sibling, to see if any new information helps him to remember anything about the family. I always look forward to seeing what Uncle Jack remembers, he always has stories about his grandparents. The stories make it all the more fun to do the research.
Thomas Fitzgerald Pension Record
A few days ago, Thomas' pension record arrived. It was sitting there between the front doors when we got home after getting our taxes done. I was so excited to see it there. I couldn't believe how thick it was. I was able to go through the file as a preliminary look over, but with all my school work, I couldn't really go through it until today. I have lots of information I'm adding to the file and filling in some holes, but it still doesn't give me anymore information on John and Emily. In fact, the only reference to John and Emily Fitzgerald made in the entire file is Thomas replying to the pension department that he was unable to access any family records about his birth as his parents are both dead. That recorded on 9 May 1913, which would be rather obvious that they would likely have died long before then, or they would both have been over 100 years old!
I did send a copy of the most current report this week to my Uncle Jack, who is my grandpa's only living sibling, to see if any new information helps him to remember anything about the family. I always look forward to seeing what Uncle Jack remembers, he always has stories about his grandparents. The stories make it all the more fun to do the research.
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