This week's hints and tips cover finding living people, researching your Polish and Irish roots and more.
Sunday, July 17
Genealogy Blogs: Dear Myrtle – Your Friend in Genealogy Visit: blog.dearmyrtle.com
Monday, July 18
Genealogy Slogan: When I searched for ancestors, I found friends!
Tuesday, July 19
Looking for ancestors in Poland? Check out the Jewish Records Indexing Project (JRI) Poland Name Finder. Visit: www.jri-poland.org/index.htm
Wednesday, July 20
Genealogy Supply List: If you are filing your source documents in binders a label maker will help keep them organized.
Thursday, July 21
Looking for living people to help in your genealogy search? Try Radaris, a comprehensive people search. This can help you pinpoint family relationships and either give you hints or the actual married surnames of female relatives. Visit: radaris.com
Friday, July 22
Stephen P. Morse has created “One Step Webpages” to make searching large sites, such as Ellis Island simpler. Visit: stevemorse.org
Saturday, July 23
Need help with your Irish research? Eneclann: Irish Genealogy and Family History Research Visit: http://www.eneclann.ie/
Good Luck Researching!
Take Care,
Pattie
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Everyday Genealogy - Top 10 Posts of the Year
July 24th is the one year anniversary of the Everyday Genealogy Blog!!!
This is the 116th blog posting - what was the most popular posting this year? Here are the top 5 from the Blogger Stats and the top 5 from the RSS feed.
1. Rootsweb Message Boards-The Gift That Keeps on Giving
2. Research on the Go - Using Your iPhone or iPad
3. The Titanic, Megan Smolenyak and My Family Tree
4. Using Timelines to Understand Your Ancestor's Lives
5. eBooks, eReaders and Me - The Finale
6. Take a Reading Break!
7. Add Paint to Your Genealogy Toolbox
8. Angel Island - West Coast Immigration Station
9. Genealogy and the Younger Generation
10. Automate Your Genealogy
Read or click on your favorite - or just read them all.
I will be back next week with the most popular of the year.
Take Care,
Pattie
This is the 116th blog posting - what was the most popular posting this year? Here are the top 5 from the Blogger Stats and the top 5 from the RSS feed.
1. Rootsweb Message Boards-The Gift That Keeps on Giving
2. Research on the Go - Using Your iPhone or iPad
3. The Titanic, Megan Smolenyak and My Family Tree
4. Using Timelines to Understand Your Ancestor's Lives
5. eBooks, eReaders and Me - The Finale
6. Take a Reading Break!
7. Add Paint to Your Genealogy Toolbox
8. Angel Island - West Coast Immigration Station
9. Genealogy and the Younger Generation
10. Automate Your Genealogy
Read or click on your favorite - or just read them all.
I will be back next week with the most popular of the year.
Take Care,
Pattie
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sunday's Obituary - Catherine Golbach Balmes
Barrington Review November 13, 1930
Grade Crossing Claims Life of Man and Two Women
A tragic accident that bowed the heads of all Barrington residents occurred last Friday night when grim death stalked a Barrington automobile and claimed the lives of a man and two women. The victims were:
Bayard T. Falter, 52, of 536 Grove Avenue, Barrington.
Mrs. Peter J. Balmes, 36, of 600 E. Hillside Avenue, Barrington.
Mrs. William Murphy, 22, of 922 Dakin Street, Chicago.
Mrs. Balmes and Mrs. Murphy were instantly killed when the automobile in which they were riding collided with the end of the of the rear gondola of a gravel train on the C. & N. W. railroad at a crossing on the outskirts of Crystal Lake. Mr. Falter had his skull fractured and his left leg nearly severed from his body. He died at 3 o’clock Saturday morning, 5 hours after the accident at the Woodstock hospital without recovering consciousness.
Mr. Balmes, the driver of the car, had his right knee cap fractured and suffered minor cuts and bruises. He was taken to the Woodstock hospital with Falter, but returned to his home in Barrington the same night. He is at present at home and is making a satisfactory recovery.
Mr. and Mrs. Balmes and their guest, Mrs. Murphy, started out from Barrington shortly before 10 o’clock Friday night to attend a church function and dance at Crystal Lake. Mr. Falter, who frequently accompanied the Balmeses on an evening ride, was invited to go along.
As they approached the Rout 10 crossing of the Crystal Lake-Elgin branch of the C. & N. W. they saw no train and proceeded across. The train that struck them was a gravel train backing up without a caboose or lights on the rear. The car struck the automobile just back of the front wheel and hurled it to one side. The automobile was almost completely demolished and its occupants pinned in the wreckage.
Return Open Verdict
At an inquest held at Crystal Lake by Coroner E. H. Cook of McHenry County Saturday morning employees of the railroad of the railroad company testified that there was a flagman and brakeman on the crossing with lanterns and that another brakeman rode the rear car of the gravel train with a white lantern and that an attempt was made to signal the oncoming automobile.
There were no other witnesses to the accident and Mr. Balmes was unable to attend the inquest. The coroner’s jury returned an open verdict. McHenry County newspapers pronounce the crossing one of the most dangerous in northern Illinois.
The Balmes family has been resident of Barrington for four years. Mr. Balmes is a well known contractor and has built several built several fine country estate homes in the Barrington district. This year, with Herman Mass he formed the firm of Mass & Balmes. They are at present engaged on a $45,000 bridge contract for the C. B. & Q. railroad at Princeton, which is nearing completion.
Mr. Falter has been a resident of Barrington for about 15 years. He was a tailor by trade but had been employed by the Public Service Company of Northern Illinois for the past six years and was the driver of a line-gang truck for that company.
Mrs. Murphy spent most of her life in Lake County. Her husband operated a drug store here in the Dayton Hotel Building for several years. They moved to Chicago last March.
Funeral Services at St. Anne’s
Funeral services for the three victims of the accident were held at St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Services for Mr. Falter took place at 9 a.m. on Monday morning. Fr. F. P. Gahagan of Wauconda officiating and burial was in Evergreen Cemetery.
Services for Mrs. Murphy were held Monday morning at 10 o’clock and burial was in All Saints Cemetery at Des Plaines.
Services for Mrs. Balmes were held at 10 o’clock Tuesday morning and burial was in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Wilmette.
Fr. J. C. Duffiey (sp), pastor of St. Anne’s Church officiated at the funerals of Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Balmes.
Mrs. Catherine Balmes
Mrs. Catherine Balmes, the daughter of Bernard and Katharine Golbach was born in Wilmette March 24, 1894, and was married there to Peter Balmes on May 19, 1915.
Besides her husband and the five children - Bernadine, Ruth, Robert, Patricia and Gerald - she is survived by one sister, Mrs. Gesina Koepber of Wilmette and two brothers, Peter Golbach of Evanson and John Golbach of Dallas, Texas.
She was a member of the Alter and Rosary Society of St. Anne's Catholic Church and of the Barrington Women's Club.
Wedding Photo of Peter and Catherine Golbach Balmes - May 19, 1915
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Newspaper Research, Poison and my eReader
I have spent many hours reading newspapers at the Barrington Library (located in Barrington, IL). The library has the local Barrington paper on microfilm beginning in 1890. It has been a wealth of information over the years and has helped flesh out the Schwemm and Pahlke family trees.
Poison at a Children's Party
Newspaper research helps us learn when, where and how our ancestors lived their daily lives making them more real to us. They become more than just a group of vital statistics. They become members of the family who suffered through family tragedy, celebrated marriages, graduations and birthdays. Some even broke the law!
During my research I found that children's parties were quite often front page news. In the March 7th edition of the Barrington Review there were multiple parties! Here is a clipping from a party my great uncle Fred Schwemm attended.
Barrington Review - March 7, 1896 pg 1
Parties Held During the Week
Miss Homuth's Party
Monday evening about twenty of Miss Rose Homuth's friends assembled at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Homuth to help her celebrate her birthday. Games of various kinds kept those present in a jolly mood until a late hour. "Poison," "I'll Bring Back What I Borrowed," "Keep House," "Fruit Basket," "Roll the Platter," and other games were played. At 10:30 o'clock a dainty lunch was served, girls choosing partners. A most pleasant time was spent by all. Among those present were:
Misses Tillie Hobein, Louisa Sadlic, Emma Schultz, Martha Groff, Maud Cady, Lillie Smith, Ella Homuth, Laura Homuth and Edna Homuth.
E. Weiseman, H. Robertson, Ed Groff, Charlie Schultz, Chas. Schwemm, Walter Homuth, Fred Schwemm, Reuban Homuth, Wilbert Smith and Mr. and Mrs. E. Hachmeister.
POISON is a children's game? While unusual, since it was in the paper I assumed that it was a harmless game which needed to be renamed. After I transcribed the newspaper article into my database I did not think much more of it.
Free Books and my eReader
Today while eating lunch I was browsing for free books on Amazon.com for my Kindle
and came across Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium
by Jessie H. Bancroft. Since the copyright was 1909 it was FREE so I downloaded it. I wondered if it would have a reference to the game "Poison" and it did! Poison is a variation on the game of Tag, quite harmless and not deadly. I searched Google Books and it is also available there. I also found a book titled "What Shall We Do Now
" which contains 500 games and pastimes written in 1907 by Dorothy Canfield.
Over the past few years I have downloaded many free books from Google Books, Barnes and Noble Online and Amazon. The great thing is that I can read them on my computer, my eReader or print out pages of interest to read or highlight.
I have been loading my Kindle with all types of free books. I have histories written at the turn of the century, fairy tales from countries of my ancestors origin and a popular 30 volume series featuring Ruth Fielding. When my grandmother died I came into possesion of a Ruth Fielding book
- so I now have a complete series. Just think, my grandmother may have read them!
Over Labor Day I am going to be in Minneasota with Chuck's extended family, I may teach the kids how to play Poison, now that I know the rules of the game.
Take Care,
Pattie
Poison at a Children's Party
Newspaper research helps us learn when, where and how our ancestors lived their daily lives making them more real to us. They become more than just a group of vital statistics. They become members of the family who suffered through family tragedy, celebrated marriages, graduations and birthdays. Some even broke the law!
During my research I found that children's parties were quite often front page news. In the March 7th edition of the Barrington Review there were multiple parties! Here is a clipping from a party my great uncle Fred Schwemm attended.
Barrington Review - March 7, 1896 pg 1
Parties Held During the Week
Miss Homuth's Party
Monday evening about twenty of Miss Rose Homuth's friends assembled at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Homuth to help her celebrate her birthday. Games of various kinds kept those present in a jolly mood until a late hour. "Poison," "I'll Bring Back What I Borrowed," "Keep House," "Fruit Basket," "Roll the Platter," and other games were played. At 10:30 o'clock a dainty lunch was served, girls choosing partners. A most pleasant time was spent by all. Among those present were:
Misses Tillie Hobein, Louisa Sadlic, Emma Schultz, Martha Groff, Maud Cady, Lillie Smith, Ella Homuth, Laura Homuth and Edna Homuth.
E. Weiseman, H. Robertson, Ed Groff, Charlie Schultz, Chas. Schwemm, Walter Homuth, Fred Schwemm, Reuban Homuth, Wilbert Smith and Mr. and Mrs. E. Hachmeister.
POISON is a children's game? While unusual, since it was in the paper I assumed that it was a harmless game which needed to be renamed. After I transcribed the newspaper article into my database I did not think much more of it.
Free Books and my eReader
Today while eating lunch I was browsing for free books on Amazon.com for my Kindle
and came across Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium by Jessie H. Bancroft. Since the copyright was 1909 it was FREE so I downloaded it. I wondered if it would have a reference to the game "Poison" and it did! Poison is a variation on the game of Tag, quite harmless and not deadly. I searched Google Books and it is also available there. I also found a book titled "What Shall We Do Now" which contains 500 games and pastimes written in 1907 by Dorothy Canfield. Over the past few years I have downloaded many free books from Google Books, Barnes and Noble Online and Amazon. The great thing is that I can read them on my computer, my eReader or print out pages of interest to read or highlight.
I have been loading my Kindle with all types of free books. I have histories written at the turn of the century, fairy tales from countries of my ancestors origin and a popular 30 volume series featuring Ruth Fielding. When my grandmother died I came into possesion of a Ruth Fielding book
- so I now have a complete series. Just think, my grandmother may have read them!Over Labor Day I am going to be in Minneasota with Chuck's extended family, I may teach the kids how to play Poison, now that I know the rules of the game.
Take Care,
Pattie
Monday, July 11, 2011
eBay, Ancestry and the Photo Detective!
The lazy days of summer are great for reading books, building sandcastles and exploring new genealogy databases or ebay.
Sunday July 10
* Wyoming became a state on this date in 1890
* Visit the Wyoming State Archives for voting records, Spanish-American War Rosters, oral histories and more. Visit: http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/
Monday July 11
* Puerto Rico became a United States Territory in 1898 and a United States Commonwealth in 1952. Visit: The Hispanic Genealogy Society - http://www.hispanicgenealogy.com/
Tuesday July 12
* Looking for fun and practical genealogy supplies and gift? Visit: http://www.funstuffforgenealogists.com/
Wednesday July 13
* Using ebay for Genealogy Research: Look for postcards featuring family owned businesses or vacation destinations. Visit: http://www.ebay.com/
Thursday July 14
* Ancestry.com has over thirteen thousand names of individuals who were executed during the French Civil War. Visit: http://www.ancestry.com/
Search-> Card Catalog -> French Deaths
* Ancestry.com is a fee based database that offers trial memberships.
Friday July 15
* Looking for old newspapers in Iowa? Check out the Iowa Old Press website. Visit: http://www.iowaoldpress.com/
Saturday July 16
* Visit Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective, for clues to the unknown individual in your family pictures. Visit: http://www.maureentaylor.com/
Hope you break down a brick wall or two!
Take Care,
Pattie
Sunday July 10
* Wyoming became a state on this date in 1890
* Visit the Wyoming State Archives for voting records, Spanish-American War Rosters, oral histories and more. Visit: http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/
Monday July 11
* Puerto Rico became a United States Territory in 1898 and a United States Commonwealth in 1952. Visit: The Hispanic Genealogy Society - http://www.hispanicgenealogy.com/
Tuesday July 12
* Looking for fun and practical genealogy supplies and gift? Visit: http://www.funstuffforgenealogists.com/
Wednesday July 13
* Using ebay for Genealogy Research: Look for postcards featuring family owned businesses or vacation destinations. Visit: http://www.ebay.com/
Thursday July 14
* Ancestry.com has over thirteen thousand names of individuals who were executed during the French Civil War. Visit: http://www.ancestry.com/
Search-> Card Catalog -> French Deaths
* Ancestry.com is a fee based database that offers trial memberships.
Friday July 15
* Looking for old newspapers in Iowa? Check out the Iowa Old Press website. Visit: http://www.iowaoldpress.com/
Saturday July 16
* Visit Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective, for clues to the unknown individual in your family pictures. Visit: http://www.maureentaylor.com/
Hope you break down a brick wall or two!
Take Care,
Pattie
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Sunday's Obituary - Edna DeLap Edgerton
Star-Times - 11 May 2005
Edna M. Edgerton, 84, New Lisbon, died Sunday, May 8, 2005, at Moundview Memorial Hospital in Friendship. She was born Feb. 14, 1921, in New Lisbon, the daughter of William and Victoria (Sanderson) DeLap.
On Dec. 20, 1939, Edna married Lynn E. Edgerton in Tinley, Ill. She spent most of her life in the New Lisbon area, living for a while in Illinois and then returning to New Lisbon. She has spent the last even years in Necedah. Edna loved to play bingo and work jigsaw puzzles; they called her the "Queen" of puzzles.
Survivors include sone, Lynn W. (Phyllis) Egerton of Mauston; daughters, Tina (Denis) Nowicki of Necedah, and Linda Edgerton of Las Vegas, Nev.; brother, Harold (Geraldine) DeLap of Black River Falls; seven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lynn in 1975; sisters, Elizabeth Fredrickson and Nancy Sweeney; brother; Edwin DeLap; and grandson, Collin W. Nowicki in 2000.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 14 2005, at Hare Funeral Home in New Lisbon, with Reverend Kathleen Jury presiding. A private family interment of her cremains will be at a later date. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of services.
Edna M. Edgerton, 84, New Lisbon, died Sunday, May 8, 2005, at Moundview Memorial Hospital in Friendship. She was born Feb. 14, 1921, in New Lisbon, the daughter of William and Victoria (Sanderson) DeLap.
On Dec. 20, 1939, Edna married Lynn E. Edgerton in Tinley, Ill. She spent most of her life in the New Lisbon area, living for a while in Illinois and then returning to New Lisbon. She has spent the last even years in Necedah. Edna loved to play bingo and work jigsaw puzzles; they called her the "Queen" of puzzles.
Survivors include sone, Lynn W. (Phyllis) Egerton of Mauston; daughters, Tina (Denis) Nowicki of Necedah, and Linda Edgerton of Las Vegas, Nev.; brother, Harold (Geraldine) DeLap of Black River Falls; seven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lynn in 1975; sisters, Elizabeth Fredrickson and Nancy Sweeney; brother; Edwin DeLap; and grandson, Collin W. Nowicki in 2000.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 14 2005, at Hare Funeral Home in New Lisbon, with Reverend Kathleen Jury presiding. A private family interment of her cremains will be at a later date. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of services.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Idaho, Independence Day and Verify Your Sources
This week's tips range from tracing your ancestry back to a signer of the Declaration of Independence to getting family involved in your genealogy research. AND, always verify your sources!
Sunday July 3
* Idaho became a state on this date in 1890
* The Idaho State Historical Society Library has created a substitute for the 1890 census. Visit: http://history.idaho.gov/
Monday July 4
* Independence Day
* If you trace your ancestry to one of the founding fathers then the “Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence” will be of interest. Visit: http://www.dsdi1776.com/3.html
Tuesday July 5
* “It is a poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word.” Attributed to Andrew Jackson
Wednesday July 6
*Facebook and Genealogy: Share updates to your family research through Facebook, this will encourage other family members to join in the conversation. Visit: http://www.facebook.com
Thursday July 7
* Genealogy and Photographs: Ancestorville: Where Families Meet Again Visit: http://www.ancestorville.com/
Friday July 8
* Genealogy Glossary: Direct Line Family line of people who are related to each other as a child and parent.
Saturday July 9
* Just Starting in Genealogy? Just because you find a family tree with your great grandparents name does not mean it is YOUR ancestor. Never accept other researcher’s conclusions without thorough investigation and documentation.
Have a great time researching!
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy
Sunday July 3
* Idaho became a state on this date in 1890
* The Idaho State Historical Society Library has created a substitute for the 1890 census. Visit: http://history.idaho.gov/
Monday July 4
* Independence Day
* If you trace your ancestry to one of the founding fathers then the “Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence” will be of interest. Visit: http://www.dsdi1776.com/3.html
Tuesday July 5
* “It is a poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word.” Attributed to Andrew Jackson
Wednesday July 6
*Facebook and Genealogy: Share updates to your family research through Facebook, this will encourage other family members to join in the conversation. Visit: http://www.facebook.com
Thursday July 7
* Genealogy and Photographs: Ancestorville: Where Families Meet Again Visit: http://www.ancestorville.com/
Friday July 8
* Genealogy Glossary: Direct Line Family line of people who are related to each other as a child and parent.
Saturday July 9
* Just Starting in Genealogy? Just because you find a family tree with your great grandparents name does not mean it is YOUR ancestor. Never accept other researcher’s conclusions without thorough investigation and documentation.
Have a great time researching!
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)