The Oracle of OMcHodoy

The Moment We're All Waiting For

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:21:00 +0000

For three months now I've had a burning, yearning, yearning, feeling inside me...deep inside me, that's inching towards the surface. Okay, so that last part wasn't what you were expecting....

I have actually been wondering about the 1940 U.S. Census. As most of you know, that year's Census record is due to be released in 2012, and I'm sure I'm not the only geneablogger who is starting to get excited about it. So today I sought some answers about the release of this important record.

The census for the year 1940 will be released on 2 Apr 2012. It will be digitized and released to the National Archives. It will also be available to those who have access to the Internet. It is very exciting indeed.

Today I found a site I'd like to share that has a wealth of information and suggestions relating to the 1940 U.S. Census. It is informative, easy to understand, and straight from the horse's mouth. You can read about the release of this database and much more at 1940 Census Records. There are also links to other aids to help researchers prepare for this important event. Not to mention to links to help researchers with the Census Records for any year.

Don't Lose Your Census

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:27:00 +0000

I know, I know, your eyes are in the back of your head over this old pun. But truly, as genealogists who idolize the Census, it would be easy to get carried away when answering questions about the upcoming Census. I received an email from my homeowners' association regarding cautions to remember when completing Census surveys. This article was written by Susan Johnson of the Better Business Bureau, and she encouraged us to pass the word on. Some minor formatting changes were added, solely to correct spacing issues that had come up in the paste. No words were changed. This is important information for all, but especially for the elderly who may lack adequate social supports; they often so excited to have contact with the "outside world" they often talk to anyone about anything.

WARNING:

2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau
by Susan Johnson - August 3, 2009 12:07 pm

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice

Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home. Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, the Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit

http://www.bbb.org/us/article/10306
http://www.snopes.com/fraud/identity/census.asp

SHARE THIS INFO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

The Race is On

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:07:00 +0000

It's a very exciting time for genealogists, who hold the U.S. Federal Census in high regard. The U.S. government is preparing for the massive task of counting its citizens. Before they can count, however, they need to ensure the form is asking for the appropriate information. There is a debate going on as to what terminology to use for identifying race and ethnicity, mainly for the African American population of the United States. See the link below for more detailed information.

2010 U.S. Census Debate

1820 was the first census year that asked information specific to non-white persons living in the home. The previous years' forms asked for number of slaves, but did not request information about demographics of the slaves. The 1820 census form asked for information on the ages of slaves held for both males and females, and asked for ages of free colored-persons living in the home.

The 1850 U.S. Census eliminated questions about slaves all together, making sense given the historical era. It did, however, ask about the color of the residents, as did the 1860 Census. Both of these Census years asked for racial demographic information in terms of White, Black, or Mulatto. The 1870 Census added Chinese and Indian to the demographic. The mostly-missing 1890 Census added some interesting terms to the question of race: Quadroon (3 white grandparents, one black grandparent) and Octoroon (7 white great-grandparents and one 100% black great-grandparent). The 1890 Census also added Japanese to the questionnaire.

The U.S. Federal Census forms from 1900-1930 simply asked for "Color" or "Race". I find the evolution of language to be fascinating, but I'm also a bit perplexed: It is January 25th, 2010 and they are just now battling with terminology?

Digging Deeper

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:31:00 +0000

In the course of my research I have spent time trying to find out who and where my ancestors were in any given time. Today, as the new year begins to unravel, I will attempt to find out the type of people my ancestors were. What were their beliefs? Their values? Their hobbies? How did they perceive the world?

Since there are precious few relatives who can give me answers to some or most of these questions, I will have to rely on the study of our history during the times and in the locations in which they lived. I will start by delving into the history and life of anthracite coal miners in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where many of my ancestors lived and worked. I will start my series by providing links and videos that provide a cursory outline of Anthracite Coal Mining in Pennsylvania.

A good place to start is the United States Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which has some wonderful information. The link will take you to a timeline of history of Anthracite Coal, which is the type of coal my ancestors mined. The website owning that link will also give you some basic coal-mining definitions and some graphics of how coal mining works.

Below is a series of YouTube videos shot inside a coal mine in Pennsylvania. I find it fascinating to see what life underground is like, and as I watch this basic documentary, I find myself trying to place my ancestors "down there".

If you like photographic biographies, you'll like this final cut of the day.

Where oh Where Have My Hodicks Gone?

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:19:00 +0000

Oh where, oh where could they be? I have them in '00, and in '20 & '30, but where were they in 19 and 10? Oy.

Sorry. But every time I try to begin this post about my HODICK dilemma that silly song comes into my head.

I've rejuvenated my efforts to add citations to my RootsMagic4 database but I've run into a major roadblock: As I was citing sources for my paternal great-grandfather Edward HODICK, I realized that I am missing his family in the year 1910. So what do I do? Continue citing the sources I have? Or go off on a genealogical tangent and search for them again in 1910? I suspect you know the answer ;).

In 1900 my great-grandparents and their children were in Washington Township, Crawford County, KS, under the spelling HODIZ (thanks to Ella Buzzard of the Crawford County Genealogy Society for helpin me find this listing!). In 1905 they were in Frontenac, Crawford County, KS under the spelling HUDIC. An interesting side, there is also a Frank HUDIC listed in Frontenac in 1905, about 11 pages prior to "my" HUDIC family's listing.

I know that in 1910 my great-grandparents were still in Kansas, as their youngest child, Sylvestina (Vesta) was born 29 Dec. of that year in Kansas. I did find their oldest son, William, in Frontenac in 1910, married to an "Amielin". No one seems to know an Amielin, so this may not be ours, though all the data on William's listing in 1910 fit our HODICK family, including William's birthplace of PA. But there is no sign of the rest of them. I did do a page-by-page search of the series of records in which I found William, but no surnames even resembled HODICK in the pages prior to and following William.

So last night I left it at that, vowing to return to my citations today. Which I started until I decided to look for NAHADIL/NAHODIL instead, which was Edward's wife, Justina's maiden name. I figured if I couldn't find the HODICK family perhaps I coulf find the NAHADIL/NAHODIL family and find the HODICK family via a back door. No luck. I did find two listings for John NAHODIL in the 1900 U.S. Census in Nanticoke, Luzrene County, PA. One was living with the Edward and Annie Holobak family, listed as the "father-in-law" to Edward. John was 66 years old, and was born in Austria and immigrated to the U.S. in 1891. This entry was listed on page 52 of the series. On page 49 of this series is John and Katie NAHODIL, ages 28 and 20 respectively, both born in Austria, both immigrated to the US, in 1892 & 1893 respectively.

No sign of the HODICK family, thought I'm a long way from showing a relationship between the John NAHODILs and Justina HODICK. I suspect that I will need to do a page-by-page search of Crawford, Cty KS to find them, if they're even in there. In the meantime, I suppose I'll return to my citations. It seems the prudent thing to do.

Database Overhaul Session 9

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:13:00 +0000

I dug back in and finished up sourcing my paternal McHugh line yesterday and today. 26 people down, only about ... I dunno ... 700 or so left to do? Hey you have to start somewhere.

There've been a few mind blocks to my sourcing as I go. The big thing is to change how I define a "Source". I didn't source before because I didn't think I had anything worth citing. I don't have much by way of original records and such so what was there to record? I had to stop thinking about a "Source" as "Only official, primary documents" and start thinking about a "Source" as anything from which I gathered my information. If my information came from a Census record, that's a source. If it came from an email from a trusted cousin, that's a source. So in my current process of referencing my data I'm being sure that I record all the sources I have, not just primary ones. I just need to understand what type of sources they are (primary, secondary, etc) so I'll know how reliable they are.

I am running into one big problem with RootsMagic4, though. One of the things that lured me to switching from Family Tree Maker was the pre-set source templates. RM4 allows you to choose your source template. This might be a pre-set one for something off their long list of sources (BMD, Census, Obits, Newspaper, Email, etc. etc), or it might be a source you'd already referenced in the database. For example, I used the 1900, 1910, and 1930 U.S. Census records repeatedly. When I go to cite a Census record from one of those years for Annie and I'd already used that source for John, I click on the "Cite Existing Source" icon in the Source field and click on the Census record I want to use for Annie. So when the template I chose from the "Cite Existing Source" tab comes up for Annie, the fields are already filled in since I manuallye entered them before, right?
Wrong! Only the top fields are pre-filled in (in the screen shot above, the text in the bottom portion is the generic information that explains what to type there, not the text I'd previously entered). I have to manually enter the Ward, ED Number, etc. (whatever information is on the bottom portion of the template) for each new use, even though I'd elected to use one of my pre-filled sources for this new person.

This is the case regardless of what type of source it is. If it's a Census template that I chose from the "Cite Existing Source" tab, the specifics of that Census document that's listed on the bottom half of the field is blank. If it's an email correspondence I'm sourcing from the "Cite Existing Source" tab, the information from the bottom portion of that template is not transferred automatically. I'm finding this incredibly inconvenient and annoying. If I saved a source template, why doesn't it save the entire template as I had it filled out and transfer all of the data I input?

Fighting for Justice and Celebrating Independence

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:51:00 +0000

I decided that for my entry for the 75th edition of the COG, I would post a slideshow of a combination of all three topic requests: Some photos depict ancestors who have served in our armed forces. Others show family and/or friends celebrating either what may have been our nation's history, or just the freedom to hang out and be American. Finally, I added a little bit of music by none other than a British Superstar to represent how far we've come to bridge the differences that once tore two worlds apart.

Freedom

Sir Paul McCartney

This is my right
A right given by God
To live a free life
To live in freedom

Talkin' about freedom I'm talkin' about freedom
I will fight for the right to live in freedom

Any one tries to take it away
You will have to answer
Cause this is my right

Talkin' about freedom I'm talkin' about freedom
I will fight for the right to live in freedom

Yeah Oh Talkin' about freedom I'm talking about freedom
I will fight for the right to live in freedom

Everybody talkin' about freedom we're talking about freedom
We will fight for the right to live in freedom

Oh talkin' about freedom I'm talkin' about freedom
I will fight for the right to live in freedom

Talkin' about freedom we're talkin' about freedom
We will fight for the right to live in freedom

Database Overhaul Day 8 Updated

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:08:00 +0000

In regards to the glitch with RM4, I deleted the small, hand-entered file I'd originally started since I don't use it. I then closed the program. I got the same window asking me if I wanted to "Backup This Database", "Skip this Database", or "Skip All Databases". I chose to "Backup This Database". It backed it up and I got the little window saying so. Again, it gives me the same window asking what I want to do with the database. This pop-up window will continue to appear until I click on "Skip This Database". Since there is now only one database file in there, it should close after I make my initial selection. Why does this matter? In the scheme of things it's not a big deal, but I start second guessing myself when I see the same window continually open; it makes me think I did something wrong or didn't complete something.

Database Overhaul: Day 8 and a Success Story!

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:04:00 +0000

I was able to do a little more work on my overhaul. I was working on my paternal grandfather, Joseph Dennis McHugh. I'd had his death date as 29 Sep 1976, but no source was listed. I checked the SSDI and it only had the month and year. I checked all my obits, but do not have any referencing him after his death. Therefore, I removed the "29" from his death date since I don't have a clue how that date came to be. I did make a note of it in his "Death Notes" section, though so I will know later to research it.

Now I think I have found a bug in RootsMagic 4. When I started working with RM, I'd begun manually entering data, starting with myself. After determining that it was too difficult to do it this way since I didn't have a printed report to work on, I imported my file from Family Tree Maker. I made this imported file a new file; I did not merge it with the little information I'd entered by hand, and I named the imported file something different.

Now the glitch. When I close down RM4, I get a window that says "Back Up the Following Databases?" with the name of the open database and three choices: "Back Up This Database", "Skip this Database" and "Skip all Databases". Since I'm only working on one and had only opened that one (the imported one), I click on "Back Up This Database". I then get the same pop up window for the small, hand-entered database I didn't open, so I click on "Skip this Database". I then get another pop-up window that asks me what I want to do with the first, imported database I was working with and already backed up. After saying "Yes" to overwriting this database, it will then close. If I say no to overwriting, I'll keep getting the pop-up window asking what I want to do with the file until I click on "Skip all databases". What's up with this?

Now, a SUCCESS STORY :). For some reason, I decided to do a search for my elusive paternal great-grandparents' family in 1900 in Kansas. Once again, I plugged his name (Edward Hodick) into Ancestry.com, narrowing it to 1890-1915, and expanding to use Soundex. The first result was a Kansas State Census database I'd never seen before: Must have been one of the new additions to the site. I scrolled one page for the indexed Edward Hudic and guess what? It's THEM!

(photo courtesy of http://www.ancestry.com/)

How cool is this? Not much information on this page, but it still is something. They were living right where I expected them to: In Frontenac, Crawford County, KS. In the 1900 U.S. Census, they were in Washington Township, KS, which I'm guessing is a neighboring town in the same county. I'm still looking for him in 1910. From Sylvestina Hodick-Kovaleski-Kinney's obituary (my grandma's sister), the family moved to Askum, PA in 1915, and Sylvestina (Vesta) was born in Kansas in 1910 or 11.

Database Overhaul: Day 7

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Well, after today my updates will be a bit fewer and farther between as I return to work full-time tomorrow. So I made some good use of my time by returning to my printed family history narrative and checking my data and sources. This is not only tedious, but confusing at times!

You'll recall that early on after purchasing RM4, I changed my mind about manually entering all of my information and imported my data from Family Tree Maker. Then, after I purchased and set up a new printer unit, I printed out a narrative from RootsMagic4, starting with myself and working backwards in the report. In this printout, everything I had entered into FTM printed out, which told me all the information transferred, since I was printing from RM4.

Today, as I was working on source citations for my grandparents and great-grandparents, I noticed something very odd as I was updating resources for my grandfather, Joseph McHugh: Though the notes printed out in the narrative generated from RM4, I could not find the same notes in the actual database! I looked and looked, and couldn't find them. So I looked for notes on my other paternal great-grandfather, Edward HODICK and his were in the database and on the printed narrative. So I went back to my great-grandfather Dennis Joseph McHUGH and his wife, Mary GRIFFIN. The notes were there! And it dawned on me: I was looking for my dad's paternal grandparents' notes under my grandfather's screen. I navigated to my GREAT-grandparents and found what I was looking for. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't strayed from the task of updating my grandfather's sources by doing an Ancestry.com search for my great-grandfather of the same line. Shame on me for making such a beginner mistake.

However, as I slowwwwwwly make progress with citing sources, I have another question: Is there a way to delete a recurring source from all entries? When I imported the data from FTM, RM4 automatically added the imported GEDCOM as a source and cited that GEDCOM as a source for all data. Well, I did not cite sources too well in FTM (I actually have a LOT more than I thought I did, but they are listed under individuals' Notes in FTM, not as a separate entry) and I do not want that GEDCOM listed as a source. I know I can delete the source from each individual, but can I do an overall delete of that citation?

Database Overhaul: Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:43:00 +0000

Today's overhaul post poses a question for my fellow genealogy buffs. RootsMagic 4 has several places for entering sources. When you double-click on a person's name, you are brought to the "Edit Person" screen. For ease in formulating my question, I will refer to this screen as the person's "General" screen. The white field on the left lists the person's name at the top, then the facts as you choose to include them, such as birth, confirmation, marriage, death, etc. To the right of these facts are columns for Notes, Sources and Media that are checked off when data is entered about these facts. This way you can see at a glance if you have any sources for this person. If you double-click on the check in, say, the Media column, it shows you the items you have attached to this person. When the person's name is highlighted (defaulted when you first open this screen), then the five buttons in the blue section relate to General information about that person; you can add Notes; Sources; Media; Address; and To-Do tasks.

If you highlight a fact, however, the five buttons change to four and allow you to add Notes, Sources, Media and To-Do tasks, all of which relate to that highlighted fact. I will refer to this screen as the "Event Specific" screen. Now, logic would say to enter birth notes, media, sources and to-do tasks under the birth fact, enter marriage data under the marriage fact, etc.

My question is, would there be any harm in foregoing the specificity in this and just entering all the data under the "General" screen? I had noticed that I had entered sources and media and a note for my Grandmother HODICK under her "General" screen and the information is still recorded in the fact columns for which the data was entered (i.e., I have her obituary listed as a source, and even though this source is listed under the "General" screen, it is still accounted for in the check off columns for death source. In other words, event specific sources, notes, and media are still indicated for each fact even if the information was not entered in the fact specific field but in the general field. So what's the disadvantage to just entering notes, sources, and media under the general field and not worry about being more specific?

Also, RootsMagic4 users, how about some ideas on entering source information? I could also use advice on how to enter source information in the "Edit Source" field: I want to be consistent in how I idenitify the master source, repository, etc. I did get a response to this on FB that I will be re-visiting but wanted to pose it here as well.

Database Overhaul: Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:56:00 +0000

As you can see, I've taken some time to update the appearance of this blog a little bit. I added a new header that {ahem} I made all by myself. Okay, so it's not perfect but it's MINE.

I also widened the background and the text area, thanks to Blogger Guide. I'm still working on widening the profile container to match the rest of the blog; as you can see it's a bit off-kilter at the moment.

If you're a blogger user, and not an expert on html/formatting, I highly recommend visiting Blogger Guide (http://www.bguide.blogspot.com/). The instructions on widening my text area were written for the newer Layout format, and this blog is in the old "Template" format of Blogger. However the instructions were the same and it was very easy to follow.

As for the database overhaul, well, I took a break from that as I was bound and determined to put a new header on this thing. Opinions wanted: Should I add a third column to the right and split up the "busy-ness" of the left sidebar? Or do you prefer the wider text field that I currently have?

Database Overhaul: Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:02:00 +0000

Today I took a little break from adding sources and creating to-do lists and added digital media to some of my lines, starting with my generation. I completed adding at least one photo for my parents and my dad's parents and his siblings. I added photos to the Hodick family members for which I had photos and knew the figures in them.

I then opened a Family Group Sheet for each of these three generations (my immediately family, my dad's immediate family, and his mother's immediate family). I like the way it looks with photos inserted!
It's going to take me forever to finish my overhaul, and I'm hoping to keep this blog abreast of my progress.

Tomorrow it's back to sourcing and to-do lists!

Database Overhaul: Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:46:00 +0000

Today I started creating To-Do lists with RootsMagic4. I started by identifying the need for my nearest deceased ancestor, my mother, who died in Tempe, Az in 1988. I first did a search of the Internet to determine where to request her death certificate, as I'm keeping with the traditional method of genealogical research by starting recent and moving backwards.

Once I obtained the location to which I need to send my request, I added the task to RootsMagic4: All's well and good, no? Well, no. For a few reasons. First, I entered the information in the wrong menu option for "To-Do" list. What I did was highlight the person I was seeking in the Family View screen and navigated to "Lists" on the top tool bar. I then chose "To Do" and entered necessary information into the appropriate fields and clicked "OK". Done. Except I wasn't.

See, I didn't have a way to identify for whom this task was assigned. Simple solution: Open the Task and enter mom's name in the "Reference Number" field, since I am not using reference numbers (if anyone has input on whether I *should* use reference numbers and if so, how do I do that, please "Comment" below). Done. Except I wasn't.

Because when I double-clicked on my mother's name in the Family View screen to see her data sheet, I noticed in the bottom-right-hand corner, where the buttons are for sources and files, a button for "ToDo". Clicking on that, I expected to see the tasks I'd entered (obtain death and birth certificates). But I didn't. Perhaps this would have been resolved had I used reference numbers? Will have to research that. In the meantime, since I am oh-so-impatient, I simply re-entered the information here.

What I found odd is that if I enter a task under the top tool bar "Lists", the task does not show in the person's "ToDo" screen when I click on that button on the personal data screen. But if I enter the information on the person's data screen, then later go to the top toolbar option "Lists>ToDo", the tasks I had entered in the person's screen DO appear. {whew}. Now the question remains: Once I enter in a series of "ToDo" tasks for different individuals (on their worksheet screens), will I be able to print a single report of all tasks I have entered for all individuals? I'm betting I can.

And I can. I suppose I need to add obtaining her marriage certificate to the mix, since I'm sure my dad does not have this. I'm almost sure many of our family documents (including birth certificates for us kids [I had to order a copy of my own], marriage certificate, and goodness knows what else) "got lost" during my dad's second marriage, though it seems odd since his second wife's mother was into genealogy (by hand). Course, his second wife hated her mother's obsession with it.

Another obstacle to obtaining records is going to be states' rules on requesting them. I should be able to get my mother's death certificate here in Arizona without a problem. However, New York State, where she was born, requires that the certificate be on file for at least 75 years and that I be able to prove she's deceased (this one is not a problem). I could, as my mother's child, request a certified copy of her birth certificate, but that would require me to obtain a court order from the State of New York. Might be easier to wait four years for the genealogy copy!

I will need my dad's help to obtain copies of his parents' death certificates from New York State, as he is entitled to it as their child, but I am not as their grandchild. I should be able to get his grandparents' death certificates on my own, since they died over 50 years ago.

So far I am liking RootsMagic. It certainly is quicker to load and navigate through than my FTM. I wish I wasn't as impatient and actually read instructions more! But, on the same token, I tend to remember more by doing it, so the time lost by re-doing something is often worth it. Assuming, of course, I catch my mistakes right away, and not 4 years after starting the project!

Database Overhaul: Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:56:00 +0000

The road to database conversion hell is paved with good intentions. Since I still cannot get my printer to work and thus don't have a tangible list from which to manually enter in information into RootsMagic4, I decided to import my FTM gedcom into RM4. I was simply too afraid I'd forget to enter notes or other information not seen on the immediate screen in FTM. But I am working my way up from myself, adding media files and sources. I am done with my generation with the exception of gathering dates for cousins' births and such. I am done with my parents' and my father's parents.

Tonight or tomorrow I will make my to-do list on the parent and grandparent lines and finish my mother's parents. I'm glad I only have 720 or so names in my database! This is what happens when you just jump in without doing your research first, as I did when I started this in 2005.

Today I will leave with a close-up image of my grandfather Joseph McHugh's Certificate of Participation in the Manhattan District project of the production of the A-Bomb. It's a certificate that validified my father's story about grandpa's work with the Army Corps. of Engineers. I always thought he was embellishing again ;).

Database Overhaul Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:37:00 +0000

Well, I made some good ground today. I had already added information manually to RootsMagic4 on myself, my parents, my four grandparents and two of my great-grandparents. Once I decided to purchase the product, I also decided to add information and media files on individuals as I enter them into the database. I think I'm done with my paternal grandparents' information. My next step is to make a to-do list for them before entering their siblings.

In doing this, I had found some scanned images on my hard drive that were sent to me via email from my cousin's wife, Christine. I haven't looked through my folders in quite a while, and I'm afraid to say I'd forgotten I'd had some of these. The upshot to this is that I feel like I'd made some new finds! Here is a collection of the images added to my grandparents, Joseph and Mary (Hodick) McHUGH.

Database Overhaul

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:19:00 +0000

I just ordered RootsMagic 4. I downloaded the free trial about a week ago and decided that it's time to switch from FTM, which has been good for most of my research, but the version I currently have is such a monster I'm hoping to cut down on loading and navigating time. FTM 2008 takes at least 2 full minutes to load sometimes, and never less than a full minute. The need for instant gratification can be a burden. But I also like the source formats in RM4.

I've been debating for quite some time about revisiting all my data and the incorporation of a new software program is a good chance to do just that. I am currently off work for 2 to 3 weeks. I'm going to use as much time as possible to manually add data into the new program. I can start loading it into the trial version until the CD arrives (I prefer CD to download); RM will incorporate the information in the trial version into the installed version later.

I'm entering information manually instead of importing the gedcom for several reasons: One, I'm hoping it will jump start my research. Two, it will give me a chance to first, identify the pathetically few sources I have and second, to make a to-do list for each entry to rectify the lack of sources. I just find it less mentally overwhelming to do it this way and I suspect it will help me focus my attention on the person I'm entering instead of seeing a database full of names I have to support. Three, I think it's time I start gathering information from cousins and relatives about my ancestors that I may not have known so well. Perhaps my paternal Kovaleski/Kinney cousin connections on Facebook will help with that!

At any rate, start bookmarking this site again; it will be the central location to track my progress and perhaps help others get a perspective on a database overhaul. I will be using Randy Seaver's tutorial on RootsMagic4 found HERE to help me with this endeavor. I was also hoping to use a resource brought to my attention by Dick Eastman called GedXlate, which is a free program that extrapolates information from a GEDCOM and formats the data in various document formats including an excel spreadheet. I'm not sure if this will help or not, but will experiment with sorting and other excel features to see if it will make it easier to use in navigating between the data in my gedcom and the blank database I'll be adding to in RM. It may not work however, given the notes I've entered into FTM for individuals do not appear on the spreadsheet. We'll see.

Keep your eyes tuned in as I embark on what seems an enormous task. Makes me kind of glad I've only gotten back to the mid 1800's in my family tree!

I Interrupt This Program

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:07:00 +0000

I have a special announcement for all of my geneablogging friends, my non-blogging friends, my readers and anyone else who stumbles across this post. Most of you are aware that I am fanatical about my dog, Izzie. So fanatical, in fact, that he has his own blog. I’m a fan of dogs, and hate to see any animal suffering.

The economy of late has been, as we all know, rather tight lately. People are losing their jobs, their homes, and quite possibly, losing weight as they struggle to keep food on their tables. Thankfully, there are food programs to assist with the latter for many families.

The same is not always true of our pets. Dogs and cats are being abandoned or surrendered at alarming rates. Often, it’s foreclosures that do the pets in. Often, it’s simply the cost of providing for them. A 2007-08 survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturing Association estimated basic annual expenses for dog ownership run $1,425, and cat ownership $990 (Maryland Newsline Business).

Many, if not most, animal shelters try to provide struggling families with emergency supplies of food if it means the difference between one more pet "in custody" and maintaining a pet’s home. But many, if not most, animal shelters use donated food to feed the pets in their care and cannot meet every need for every family.

Tucson is lucky. There are a couple of food programs to assist with feeding pets when families are struggling. I am lucky, as well, to have an opportunity to help feed Tucson’s pets. The Hermitage Cat Shelter in Tucson has been around for over 30 years, and one of their programs is called Food For People’s Pets. Its aim is to provide some relief to families who struggle to feed their pets (cats and dogs), in hopes that the families will be able to keep the pets as opposed to surrendering, or worse, abandoning, them. This program is in need of some re-vamping, and I hope to work with the shelter’s staff to do just that.

There is now a blog dedicated to the Food For People’s Pets program. I hope to make it a place for people to learn about pet nutrition, the prevalence of animal hunger, solutions to the problem, events of the program, and spotlights of the program sponsors. While hunger in animals will be addressed, it will be done so in a respectful, family-friendly manner; no “shock and awe” tactics such as graphic photographs will be used.

Please, bookmark the blog at http://www.feedingpeoplespets.blogspot.com/ and visit often. It’s just getting off the ground, but I want to make it a true showcase for the good that people’s donations do. I also, admittedly, hope to make it an accessible way to donate to the program. Towards this end there is a link on the blog page to the “Network For Good” badge that is assigned to The Hermitage Cat Shelter. From this badge, one can designate donations to the Food For People’s Pets program. I also have this link on my other blogs and here, so please, if you can, donate $5 to the program. Or donate a bag of pet food to a program in your area if you have one. I would be crushed if I had to surrender Izzie for lack of food, and I hate to think of something so simple being so far out of reach for pet owners everywhere.

Thanks for listening. I now return you to your regular programming.

Geneablogger Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:24:00 +0000

The Geneablogger cookbook is HERE! Thirty Five recipes from Eighteen geneabloggers! Wow. What a feat. It is available via download at THIS SITE! It is in .pdf format so you will need the Acrobat Reader to view it. You can choose to print it up yourself, copy it to disc and have a copy place print and bind it, or use an online service such as lulu.com to upload it, print it, bind it, and ship it.

This wound up being a bigger project than I had imagined, and I enlisted the help of a few geneabloggers to assist. Special thanks to Julie Cahill Tar, footnoteMaven, and Thomas MacEntee for their assistance with editing, graphic design, and technical guru.

I hope you enjoy the submissions, the photos, the stories, and of course, the recipes. I can tell you I've already tried one and it was delicious.

Brick Wall #1

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:50:00 +0000

It was suggested by Miriam over at Ancestories: The Stories of My Ancestors, that geneabloggers do even more to interact and work together to solve each others' brick walls. I think that's a great idea, and it's hopefully a way to jump start my research. First thing I did was revamp my "Research Goals" worksheet. It used to look like this:
The first line with the category to the left was to list the "Target" of my research. Below that was a space to list my "Goals" for this target, followed by "Current Speculations", "Source of Speculations", "Potential Resources", and whether or not those resources were found and/or successful.

The new form combined some features to allow for better citations.

The top line still lists the "Target" of my research, to which I also add the relationship of that person to my parents (using my parents as the reference helps clarify which family line, e.g., "mom's paternal grandfather).

Below that I added a new section for "Vital Information", providing one line for birthdate (and source of the information), marriage (date, to whom, and source), death (date and source) and other for other vital statistics that may be found. The next section is for "Current Speculations and Sources", and the last section is the same "Potential Resources" and the end result. In the "Goals" section, I number each goal for the sheet so that I can reference that goal by number in the "Current Speculations and Sources" section. This saves precious room as I attempt to keep the sheets to one-page to reduce clutter.

The above is the completed section of the new form for what is probably my biggest brick wall.

Target: James O'Rourke, mom's paternal grandfather.
b: 24 Oct 1876 (WWI Draft Registration Card) (presumption: born in Pittston, PA)
m: 25 Apr 1900 to Mary KEARNS (rootsweb.com Marriage Record Database, newspaper notice printed 27 Apr 1900)
d: 02 Oct 1944 (source unknown; year inscribed on headstone at St. Mary's Help of Christians Church).

Goals:
1. Determine and cite the source of date of death.
2. Determine his parentage.

Current Speculations and Sources:
2: 1870 U.S. Census from Pittston, PA. for William and Mary O'Rourke. Basis: Vague -- same small town as my gr-gf was known to live; age of HOH William compatible with James' birthdate of 1876; William's and Mary's birthplaces listed as Ireland, consistent with data recorded on some of James' U.S. Census records between 1900 - 1930. However, other records list James' parents birthplace as Pennsylvania. Neighbor of William and Mary's has surname of Rutledge, which is also surname of James' neighbors on future records.

2: 1880 Census, Pittston: Michael and Mary O'Rourke. Basis: Neighbors' name of Flynn, which later married Tighe who had married Doyle who had married O'Rourke.

Potential Resources:
1: Death Record for James (not ordered.as I need to start sooner and work backwards!)
2: Return to more recent ancestors and order vital records.

You will notice some baaaaaaad genealogy research techniques in play here. My sources are not even close to primary. I didn't cite any source for the date of death for my great-grandfather James O'Rourke. I jumped to him before getting records for more recent generations first (as available, which won't be too many to begin with). You have to love beginners, don't you?

One of my big goals for 2009, genealogically speaking, is to comb through my Family Tree Maker and look at all the sources of my information, formalizing as much as I can and re-creating my sources. I thought I had done a good job of identifying who sent me what, but I still find holes. My new blog, The R.I.P.PERS, is about digging holes. This one is about FILLING them!

The Graveyard R.I.P.PERS

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Well, I've finally done it! I've been wanting to create a blog for the Association of Graveyard Rabbits for a while now, but didn't really have any ideas that would or might prove read-worthy. I think I found an idea that will work, so I created "The R.I.P.PERS" blog at http://www.gyrippers.blogspot.com/. Go have a look, take a stab at the kick-off quiz (pun not really intended), and come back often

It's That Time of Year Again

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Well, it's time to make New Year's Resolutions again. I make them every year, and break them every year. But I can't achieve them if I don't make them, so here goes.
First, thanks to footnoteMaven for the above badge! She's so dang talented!

Well, this post is actually quite easy. First a synopsis of last year's resolutions and how I fared.

First resolution was to get back to the basics by utilizing the research form I'd developed.

How'd I fare? I didn't. I forgot I'd even made a resolution. However, I have used the form in the past and it works for me. I just plain haven't had much time to do research in the past year.

The other resolution I'd made was to get off my lazy butt and order vital records from Pennsylvania. How'd I do?

I plead the fifth.

So this year my resolutions are a bit different:

1. Make at least one research-related blog post to this blog every month.

2. Hence, research at least one topic every month so I can make at least one research-related blog post to this blog every month.

3. Find some community-based genealogy-related activity to partake in. This is part of a bigger resolution to do more this year than work and take care of dog and dad.

That's it. If I make too many resolutions, I'll have no chance whatsoever at achieving them, so I'm keeping them small.

Happy New Year to all and to all a good year!

The Proximidade Award!

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:35:00 +0000

The footnoteMaven has just awarded my blog an award! I'm tickled pick for any award, but this one has extra special meaning because it means that someone is still following this blog, which has been more dormant that I'd like. I promise to do better with my research next year, and you'll see that I'm serious when I post the "After the Clean-up" pictures. Head over to my Orations blog post "15 months DO make a difference" to see what I mean!

Meanwhile, The Proximidade Award!

You'll note that this award is given in part to blogs that aim to find and be friends. Since several cousins of mine have found this blog and have contributed to it, this is a special award that I present in turn to them: Joyce, Pat, Pat, Eileen, Mike, Jim, Jim, Clairellen: Thank you for contacting me, contributing to my information, reading my blog, and helping me re-connect branches long thought snapped.

I would also like to pass the award on to fellow bloggers who share my same goals:

Cat at Diggin' Up Dirt

Terry at Desktop Genealogist Unplugged

Kathryn at the California Genealogical Society and Library Blog

Carolyn, to help her get started with her new blog, Haas and Grimm Family From Baden Germany

Judith at Genealogy Traces

Lori at Smoky Mountain Family Historian

Marie at MarieB's Genealogy Blog-Southeastern USA, whose blog I need to visit more often, and I hope she adds a "Comment" link soon!

Bob Franks and the Itawamba History Review

Thanks, Maven for the award.

More on the Mollies

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:17:00 +0000

Though I haven't posted in a while, I've done some more browsing of information on the Molly Maguires. Wikipedia has an extensive article on this secret group from the mid-to-late 1800's. I've never really understood Wikipedia as a resource; given it's user-contribution nature, I shied away from using it when I need solid sourcing. Reviewing this article on the Mollies, I have to say the in formation is consistent with what I've read elsewhere.

That was interesting tidbit number one. Interesting tidbit(s) number two came in the names listed within the article:

Michael J. Doyle and Hugh McGeehan were led to the scaffold. They were followed by Thomas Munley, James Carroll, James Roarity, James Boyle, Thomas Duffy, Edward J. Kelly, Alexander Campbell, John Donahue. Judge Dreher[1] presided over these trials.

Ten more of the condemned men, Thomas P. Fisher, John Kehoe, Patrick Hester, Peter McHugh, Patrick Tully, Peter McManus, Dennis Donnelly, Martin Bergan, James McDonald and Charles Sharpe, were hanged at Mauch Chunk, Pottsville, Bloomsburg and Sunbury over the next two years.Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The following surnames are included in my ancestry, both paternal (P) and, mostly, maternal (M):

Doyle (M)
Kelly (M)
Donahue (M)
Kehoe (M)
McHugh (both; paternal is the point of interest here)
Sharpe (M)

Now, I realize that this was an Irish organization, and that the above names are common among the Irish. But I do consider this to be an interesting phenomenon, given that my lines hailed in Luzerne County, PA and many were coal miners.

Though most of the names of interest belonged to my maternal ancestry, it is the paternal side of my family which holds legends of Maguire involvement.

I also found a good source of the archives available in Pennsylvania at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission that I just might have to research this weekend. Lastly, somewhere in the midst of my "bookmarks" folders, I do have a transcript of the McHugh trial (at least a partial transcript). Dang if I can find it, though.

Perhaps I'll stroll on over to Elyse Doerflinger's blog to read up on series "De-Cluttering Your Genealogy Challenge"! The problem isn't disorganization; my bookmarks are very well organized into appropriately labeled folders. I just have probably 1,000 + bookmarks!

New Strategy for an Old Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 02:36:00 +0000

There are a few stories passed around in my McHUGH and HODICK lines about family Black Sheep. Dad said that one story surrounds a relative of his grandfather Edward HODICK who was caught stealing horses in Kansas. Well, I do know that Edward and his family lived in Frontenac, Crawford County, Kansas for about 10 years (ca. 1900 - 1911).

Another story surrounds the McHUGH line of the latter part of the 1800's. This story stated that there was a McHUGH son who had been arrested for his participation in the Molly Maguires and executed in PA.

I had done some research on this story and found several references to a Peter McHUGH, who was executed along with two others others for their participation in the murder of Alexander Rae (http://www.aoh61.com/history/molly_maguires_list.htm). There are several other resources that I haven't been able to find in my myriad of genealogy websites, including a transcript from a court hearing. I feel confident that the story of a Peter McHUGH participating in a murder as part of the Molly Maguires is true.

What I do not know is whether or not Peter McHUGH was an ancestor of mine. There is certainly enough circumstantial evidence to suggest the possibility. My McHUGH line had coal miners in their ranks (as did the HODICKS). They lived in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania, a central region of Molly activity. Other McHUGH descendants have also relayed lore of ancestors' partaking in Molly activity. None of this confirms a single thing in terms of my potential connection to Peter McHUGH.

Many people would ask, "Why in the world would you want to know of such a black sheep ancestor and, moreso, why would you want to publicize that?". Genealogists understand, though,, that history is history. It's not like I want to have an ancestor who'd committed such horrendous a crime as murder (in fact, the actual guilt of many who were hung for Molly Maguire related activities has often been questioned). But I do want to learn as much as possible. Genealogy is not something with which one can pick and choose their family's truths. It is what it is and it was what it was!

Therefore, I intend to reverse my process in this line of research. In the past, I'd continued researching known McHUGH ancestors to see if it would lead me to a Peter. This time around, I will do some research on Peter McHUGH and see if it leads me to MY McHUGH's. Who knows? Perhaps it will be connected and I'll find evidence to clear his name! One never knows where this research will lead!