Travels with My Granddaughter & A Little Genealogy

I had a chance to spend time with my granddaughter, Tori, over the holiday season. She wanted to visit the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota so after she programmed my GPS we were off.

We had  a 15 minute wait for our tour of the Ca' d'Zan Mansion and a guide suggested we tour Mable Ringling's Secret Garden and the Ringling Private Cemetery. Tori looked aghast!  This was her day to view paintings, statues and circus memorabilia - not genealogy! As we walked over to the garden she spotted the fence and gate. There were the graves of John and Mable Ringling and John's sister Ida Ringling North.

As we toured the house, art and circus museum I would occasionally catch her eye and we would both laugh. No matter where we go, somehow we end up talking about dead people, cemeteries or genealogy. Tori and I highly recommend the Ringling Museum if you are ever in the Sarasota area.

Tori in the courtyard of the Ringling Art Musuem

Tips for the week:

• Explore online back up services
• Mozy
• Carbonite
• Genealogy Blog
• Judaism by Ariela Pelaia
• Researching in Michigan's Upper Penisula?
• Stanton Township Death Records - 1905-1952
• Genealogy Book
• Citing Ancestry.com Databases & Images Quick Sheet  By Elizabeth Shown Mills
• Texas became a state on December 29, 1845
• Learn how your ancestors lived at the Texas Civil War Home Front Living History Website 

Take Care and good luck with your research this week.

Pattie

NYC, NC Newspapers and Who Really Saved Washington's Portrait?

The majority of my research has taken place in the Midwest. When I did have to venture 'out east' I was thrilled to find one of the sites featured this week, the Italian Genealogical Group. While the group focuses on Italian heritage in New York it has vital record databases for New York City.

Sunday July 24
* Genealogy Books: My Family Tree Workbook - Genealogy for Beginners Author: Rosemary A. Chorzempa - This is a great book to share with your children, grandchildren or other young genealogist.

Monday July 25
* Just Starting in Genealogy? Did your relatives and family friends send out holiday newsletters or did their Christmas cards have letters? Find them and transcribe them because you never know when some comment about a trip or cousin will spark a memory and knock down a brick wall.

Tuesday July 26
* New York became a state on this date in 1788
* The Italian Genealogical Group has transcribed New York Naturalization and Vital Records. Visit: http://www.italiangen.org/

Wednesday July 27
* North Carolina Ancestors? Check out the North Carolina Digitization Project at the North Carolina Archives. Visit: http://archives.ncdcr.gov/newspaper/index.html

Thursday July 28
* Planning a Research Trip to Salt Lake City? The Family History Library has a site that will help you get organized so you can make the most of your trip. Visit: https://www.familysearch.org/locations/saltlakecity-library

Friday July 29
* Genealogy Glossary: Soundex - A method of indexing names most often used in census research. It assigns 1 letter and 3 numbers to every surname. This is to aid genealogist with the various spelling of names such as Smith and Smyth.

Saturday July 30
* The British burned the majority of Washington D.C.’s buildings and legal documents on August 24, 1814 during the War of 1812.

* While Dolley Madison is often credited with saving the portrait of George Washington, it was actually Paul Jennings, one of Madison's slaves, John Suze, a french door keeper and Magraw, the gardner. In 2009 there was a ceremony to honor Paul Jennings actions his descendents were invited.For more on this remarkable story and man visit: Paul Jennings and White House Slavery.



Stay Cool!

Pattie

Take a Reading Break!

Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading. Whether on a plane or a car, at the beach or in the back yard take a couple of minutes and relax with a book.

Some books on this list will help in your genealogy research and others are a great read with a family history twist.

* The Book of Myself A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography In 201 Questions

* Isle of Canes (paperback)

* Preserving Your Family Photographs

* Your Family Reunion: How to Plan It, Organize It, and Enjoy It

* Honoring Our Ancestors: Inspiring Stories of the Quest for Our Roots

* The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry

* Social Networking for Genealogists

* Slaves in the Family

* The Hidden Half of the Family: A Sourcebook for Women's Genealogy

* Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History

* Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America

And for the Younger Generation

* At Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices

*My Family Tree Workbook (Dover Hobbies and Amusements for Children)


And do not forget the sunscreen!

Take Care,
Pattie