Nearly a year later...

A year ago last month I applied to be Family Tree University's Family Tree Firsts Blogger.  What a year it has been!  The latest blog post over at FTF is about my journey thus far as a newbie genealogist.  You can read it here.

I really don’t have much to add to my post this time, except if you know of anyone who may want to be the 3^rd FTF Blogger you should send them over to Family Tree University to see if it is something they may be interested in.  It has been the most amazing experience and I know that I could not have got this far in my research without the classes and materials from FTU. 

You can find more information on the contest here.  Hurry, you only have until November 16^th to get your applications in!

Mysteries coming to light

When I first declared to my family I was going to begin my journey into genealogy and family history my mother-in-law came to me with a mystery.  What happened to her great grandparents Daniel B. Chamberlin and Juliet Hubbell?  I told her that I would do my best and in turn she told me all she knew about them. 

First off, she had their marriage certificate from Lockport, New York.  You can read a transcription here.  She knew that her grandfather, William Holmes Chamberlin, and his brother Frank were orphaned when William was about 10 years old.  William was adopted by a Marvin and Anna Mills in Clarendon, New York shortly after his parents died and he took their name.  His brother Frank Herbert kept the Chamberlin name eventually making his way to San Antonio, Texas where he lived and died.  I was given copies of the marriage license, Marvin’s will, the deed to his adopted parents farm after Anna died, and several pictures.  Well, that was a start.

For the last year I have looked, searched, chewed my nails, followed leads, and kept on looking.  One of the first records I found was the 1875 New York Census from Clarendon, Orleans County, New York listing William as the adopted son of Marvin and Anna Mills.  That gave me a major clue his parents were dead before 1875.

I found the entire family on the 1870 US Census for Rochester, New York with a surprise.  There was an older daughter, Ella.  My mother-in-law was so excited.  No one had ever told her about Ella, she wasn’t sure anyone knew.  Now I had a new quest:  what happened to Ella? 

Last spring my mother-in-law got in touch with a cousin from that side of the family.  Lo and behold she had Juliette’s family bible.  She was more than happy to photocopy the family register pages and send them to me.  Wow.  So much information that we didn’t know.  William had his mother’s bible which he passed on to one of his daughters, who gave it to her daughter.  I now had information on Juliet’s parents, her marriage, her siblings, and then each generation who have continued to fill out birth, death, and marriage dates. 

In the mean time I had also learned that Daniel was an author of an English book.  He is listed in the 1872 Rochester Directory as an author.  His book Natural System of English Grammar was in the 1871 American Catalogue advertising his course.  Interestingly, my mother-in-law was an English teacher as well as a speech, drama, and debate coach.


Then yesterday, the find of the year:  Juliette’s probate and burial record.  Thanks to the Monroe County, New York US Gen site I found the records that I was looking for.  Her death was in the records of the Central Presbyterian Church of Rochester listed as 25 March 1873.  Next, her probate was located in The Wills of Monroe County, New York 1863 to 1874 Inclusive vol. 2-A.  There was a also a clue about what happened to Ella.  She was now Mrs. William Percival.

Now… what happened to Daniel? 

Post every day... yeah, sure, why not!

I find it serendipitous that as soon as I begin to seriously contemplate writing as a full time endeavor a month long writing challenge pops up for National Writing Month.  Well, you know, practice makes perfect and daily practice will only further my writing ability.  Right?

National Blog Posting Month, aka NaBloPoMo, over at BlogHer is an ongoing monthly writing theme.  November is writing for writing’s sake and there is no real “theme” that they want you to stick to.  Just write and write, Monday through Friday, for the whole month.   True to form, however, I found out about it today through the In-Depth Genealogist Facebook page.  If you have a blog and want to participate in in the future you can check out themes here.  For this month’s writing fest there were 886 blogs signed up at the time of this post.

So… what to write?  What to share?  Hmmm…… where to begin?

Alright cousins, friends, families, devoted readers anything you would like to hear more about?  Need follow-ups to any of my previous posts that you have been wondering about?  I have ideas in my head for some series type posts, but figured I would ask you all too.

Happy Posting! 

Local relatives at FTF!

If you couldn’t tell from the post at Family Tree Firsts, I loved being able to go to a local library and gather information on my family.  It was so much fun!  Granted, it is a bit of a drive if I want to visit the nearly 1,000 acres this man owned, or to see his headstone, but I think that may be worth it.

I haven’t gathered a lot, but what I have found has been amazing.  Samuel Givens was born about 1693 in Antrim, Ireland where he married his wife Sarah Cathey, born about 1697, also in Antrim.  They had all but their last child while living in Ireland.  Lucky for me, they were all listed on his oath of allegiance to the King that allowed him to own land in Virginia.

Samuel and Sarah’s children were: James (b. 1719), John (b. 1720), Samuel (b.1721), Martha (b. 1725), Elizabeth (b. 1728), William (b. 1729), Margaret (b. 1731), Sarah (b. 1733), Jane (b. 1735) and finally George who was born a few weeks after his father’s death in December 1740 here in Virginia.  After he came to Virginia I know he began acquiring land in earnest thanks to his will and the one deed that has been found in the Orange County, Virginia deed books.

On 28 September 1738 he purchased 311 acres of Beverly Manor from William Beverly of Essex County, Virginia.  I looked up William Beverly and found an interesting website about the Ulster-Scots of Virginia.  It really shed some light on the why they came here, and also insight into my family from the northern part of the Shenandoah Valley (the Germans).

Samuel then took his oath of allegiance (listing him, his wife, and children) the following 28 February 1739.  Deed Book III, p. 13, is the following order:

Deed (or release) dated Sept. 28, 1738, William Beverly of Essex county, Virginia, Gentleman of the first part, and Samuel Givens, of Orange County, farmer, of the other part, - for and in consideration of seven pounds, ten shillings, and six pence, - deeds 311 acres of land known as Beverly Manor." This was signed by William Beverly.

When I read his will, there was the distinct impression he amassed quite a bit more land over the few years he lived in Virginia.  Samuel left his wife 350 acres, unless she remarries, at which time it goes to his youngest son William.  His other sons John, Samuel, and James also receive 350 acres of land.  That adds up to 1,400 acres of land.  Not bad for a few years in the colonies. 

At the local library I found that in 1736 Samuel Givens was a “gentleman justice”, or justice of the peace, for the Orange County court.  He was listed with all the other men who served as a justice of the peace from 1735-1749.  To me this information appears to make him to be a well-respected man of the community. 

My next step:  going to find more in person records on the rest of the family. I hope that the Orange County Historical Society will be able to help me.  However, this website on the founding families of Augusta County may also come in handy.

Image from wikimedia

Week 44 of abundant genealogy

Week 44: Genealogy Conferences. What was your bestgenealogy conference experience? Why is it so memorable in your mind? Whohosted the event? What did you learn from this experience? How does it impactyour genealogy research today?

I have yet to attend a full blown national genealogyconvention.  To date I have attended the FamilyTree University Virtual Conference, the NARA Genealogy Fair and this pastweekend the Fairfax Genealogical Society Fall Fair.  Not sure how those would compare to anational level conference, but here is what I think.

Out of the three I would say that I loved going to theNARA Fair most.  Biggest reason:  it was at the National Archives!  How could you not love that?  I attended with 2 friends and it was a great experienceto a novice genealogist.  The booths wereamazing and very informative.  There werelectures by staff and guests who really gave you insights into what you couldget out of the archives. 

My research has only improved by what I learned and experiencedthere.  I am not afraid of the archivesand love to explore the databases, stacks, microfilm, and other materials.  In between sessions that day we explored theirresearch library and I was amazed at what I could find there.  I could spend days in there!

Yep, I am looking forward to the next one.  Fingers crossed that I can make it! 

Day at the fair

On the 27^th I went, by myself (gasp) to the 9th Annual Genealogy Fall Fair by the Fairfax Genealogical Society.  The biggest obstacle was overcome successfully... I did not get lost, turned around, or take the wrong exit off of I-495.  For me that was the biggest deal of the morning; particularly since I left my house at 6:30 am, while it was still dark.  I felt like my husband and I had a role reversal yesterday morning.  I was the one with the travel mug of caffeinated liquid and the to-go breakfast, he was the one kissing me good bye in the bath robe. 

The doors opened at 8am and I was one of the first into the room.  Perused the book collection (oh....books...drool) and found a seat close up to the front.  The presentation didn't start until 9am so I had plenty of time to kill.  So, I spent half an hour vendor perusing then sat and looked through all the pamphlets I picked up.  Lots of interesting material, things I didn’t know, and places I now want to see.

One thing I have heard, and read, over and over, is that you should sit down and talk to other people when you attend these events.  Well for this shy wall flower, that is very hard.  I know right: me shy?!  Well writing words in the privacy of your own home is much easier than actually having to hold a conversation with someone.  For the first hour I spoke with no one.  I just people watched.  Which, is a favorite past time of mine anyway.  It would have been easier if one of my friends had been able to come with me.  Visiting a museum alone is so much better than a conference.  However, by the end of the day I had met and carried on great conversations with the people sitting at the table with me.  We shared ideas, thoughts, tips, and a very yummy lunch.

At the first break I went over to the Fairfax Genealogy Society table and asked some questions.  Guess what…I ran into Dear Myrtle!!!!  Love her blog, and it was very cool to meet her in person.  What a wonderful lady.  I did decide to become a member too.  They have a lot to offer, and even though I won’t be able to make a lot of their meetings, the trips and member benefits seem worth the $22 dues.

The three lectures presented by Claire Bettag, CG, FUGA were fantastic.  I learned so much that I didn’t know about land records, the serial set, and the manuscript collection at the Library of Congress.  I need to schedule time in the near future to make a trip up there.  To live so close to some of the best research facilities in the U.S. and not get there is criminal.  There will be posts in the future, I am sure, about the discoveries involving these newly found resources. 

Happily my helium hand did not get me in trouble and on my first day as a member I did not volunteer to do anything.  I am a service oriented person, and it nearly killed me.  However, as I get older, I have found that I get better and better at managing what is on my plate.  That being said, I am sure the will power to stay as an observer won’t last for too long.  I am just not that strong.

Now… how do I convince my husband that I NEED to go to the NGS conference?  Anyone have a good argument that I can throw at him on why it is a moral imperative that I attend?

 

photo credit: *Louise** via photopin cc

Editing, my nemesis, we meet again....

This morning I was reading through blogs on my Google Reader account and saw the latest post from The Armchair Genealogist.  Titled “8 Tips and A tool for Self-Editing Your Family History Blog” she really hits it on the head with this one.  If you are a writer, part time blogger, or general researcher, go check it out. 

I have been known to rush through a post here and there.  The excitement of sharing my find, pushing it on out there, just gets me all in a tizzy.  Sometimes I only read it through once before I hit publish.  Then I cringe when a week later I notice a grammatical or spelling error.  Jeesh, what people must think about it!  Luckily, no one has ever written me a nasty comment about my lack of grammar and spelling skills.

In the future I am going to try and follow her tips listed.  It may drag out the process a bit longer, but that will be a good thing if I can get into a good rhythm of writing, editing, and posting.  I even went out to iTunes this morning and picked up the book she suggested.  The Little Red Writing Book looks like it may come in handy.
 

photo credit: S1ON via photopin cc