Where: Blacksburg Library

When: February 11, 6:00-7:30

Learn about a variety of record types usually found in local repositories. Record sets discussed in this class include vital records, probate records, city directories, and land records. A 45 minute informational session will be followed by time to practice on your own laptop or tablet. Come ready to work on your genealogy research!

Many of us have heard some exciting or interesting family stories.  You may have a family story that you have a Mayflower ancestor, or that you had ancestors that fought in the Revolutionary War or the Civil War.

Record the stories, but take them with a grain of salt.  They may not be entirely true!  Sometimes mistakes were made, sometimes the story changed as it was passed from person to person, and sometimes misinformation was deliberately passed on to family members.  Look for documentation to confirm or disprove the stories.

Let me give you an example.  When I started researching one of my father’s lines, my grandfather could not tell me the name of his great grandmother and didn’t remember ever meeting her.  The story was that she abandoned her husband and three small children to run off with another man, so no one ever talked about her. 

As I researched, I found that only a small part of the story was true!  I found her marriage record which gave her name as Virginia Burgoyne.  In 1900, Virginia was still listed with her husband Samuel Reese, living in Jefferson County, Ohio.  Their two youngest sons also lived in the household.  

Then, I found that my parents had a photograph of the family in about 1901.  It shows my great, great grandfather Samuel Reese, his wife, Virginia Burgoyne and three children….but the oldest son (Harry) was 23, the middle son (Joshua) was 16 and the youngest son (Frank) was 5, so I knew she was still living with the family at that time. After the 1900 census, she disappeared from the records in Ohio, but so did the two youngest sons! 

After extensive research I found her again in 1904 using the name Virginia Roberts, listed as the widow of Samuel Roberts and living in Wheeling, WV.  I have found no record of another marriage for Virginia. She may have simply presented herself as a widow in order to avoid scandal.  Her two youngest sons, Joshua and Frank, were living with her in Wheeling, West Virginia at the time. 

She evidently did leave her husband, but she took the two younger boys with her.  They both lived with her until she died in 1915.  After her death, Joshua was committed to the Huntingdon State Hospital where he remained for the rest of his life.  He was mentally ill, and his death certificate lists “Mental deficiency Imbecile with psychosis” as a significant condition. My theory is that Virginia’s husband wanted to commit Joshua to an institution, so Virginia took the boys and left.  The only part of the original story that was true was that she left her husband!

Come join me at the Blacksburg Library tomorrow (December 12) from 6:00-7:30 for a fun evening of census research!

If you are interested in learning more about using census records in genealogy research, please join me for this detailed program.  The first part of the program will be an informational session about the history of the census as well as what can be learned from each different census. 

Bring your laptop or tablet and work on your own genealogy research project!

Handouts, in both paper and digital formats, will include general information, maps, charts and templates for all fifteen census years so that you can transcribe the census records you find.

One piece of advice that I always give to new genealogists is to be sure and record women in their records with their maiden names.  Since they may have multiple surnames over their lifetime, this helps to keep track of which woman you are talking about.  Changes in surnames can make it very challenging to trace women!

An example I encountered in my research is Minerva Jane Strickland. 

Minerva was born in about 1834 in Florida and was the daughter of John Strickland and Elizabeth Poppell.  John died young and Elizabeth married Wiley Grice.   By the 1850 census, Minerva had taken the surname Grice.

On August 15, 1855, Minerva married Jacob Carter in Jefferson County, Florida.  Unfortunately, Jacob died sometime between 1860 and 1869.  He appears to have served in the Civil War, but little information is available.  It is possible that he died during or shortly after the war. 

Next, Minerva married Andrew Jackson on February 18, 1869 in Taylor County, Florida.  He appears to have died before 1876.

Minerva married once again on January 29, 1876 in Taylor County, Florida to James Jackson Sapp.

The clue to tracing Minerva through all of her name changes, marriages, and moves was her headstone in the Fellowship Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Madison County, Florida, which read “Minerva Jane Strickland-Grice-Carter-Jackson-Sapp”. 

Thank goodness for that headstone!  I kept losing her between marriages and this clue helped me to find all of the marriage records.

When: December 12 from 6:00-7:30. 

Where: Blacksburg Library

If you are interested in learning more about using census records in genealogy research, please join me for this detailed program.  The first part of the program will be an informational session about the history of the census as well as what can be learned from each different census. 

Bring your laptop or tablet and work on your own genealogy research project!

Handouts, in both paper and digital formats, will include general information, maps, charts and templates for all fifteen census years so that you can transcribe the census records you find.

I had the pleasure of presenting “Introduction to Genealogy” to two groups in the last month.  I spoke at the Blacksburg Library on October 29 and at the meeting of the Price Family Historical Society on November 19.  I enjoyed meeting all of the participants!

This presentation includes information on how to record your research, how to get started, popular genealogy software, documenting your data, free websites to use to get started and more.  Handouts included paper and digital copies of a 5-generation pedigree chart, family group sheet and a 4-page informational handout.

If your group is interested in learning more about how to get started in genealogy, let me know.  I love to talk with interested people!