AncestorTracking

Wordless Wednesday (Almost)

2011-09-07T12:33:00.006-04:00

Brothers and Sisters
The Moore Family of Madison County, Indiana
Seated, l-r: Lethia Moore Warner, Julia Moore Wright,
Jane Moore DeHority, Mat Moore.
Standing, l-r: Joseph Moore, Will Moore, Tom Moore

Tombstone Tuesday: Kentucky Trails, part 2

2011-08-29T16:26:00.023-04:00

Perhaps this is unusual for the Tombstone Tuesday theme, but, in the end, it really is about a tombstone.

Day 3 of the Kentucky adventure (see: Kentucky Trails, part 1) was a day off from research. DH had spent 3 days driving and sitting (and driving and sitting), so we planned a visit to Mammoth Cave, about 2 hours south of where we were in Frankfort. Lots of hiking, impressive cave formations, truly a welcome change of pace.

The plan for our last day was to spend two or three hours at the Kentucky Historical Society library, and then drive two or three hours toward home. I was still hoping for something “special” to take home from this trip. I had collected documentation for several marriages, a couple of wills, sorted through the surname folders, and started on county histories. My plan was to make copies of some land records to take home and study later, and look through the online card catalogue for anything I might have missed.

At about 1:30, while waiting for my DH to return from a tour of the old capitol building, I began to browse through the Bourbon County shelf. One book caught my eye. It was produced by the Bourbon County Genealogy Society and was a record of old graves, many of which were on private land.

There was a listing for 4g-grandfather David Jameson, not a picture, but a transcription of who was with him, his wife Hannah, a previously unknown daughter Susanna, a John Jameson SR, and 3 infant children of his son Wesley that were also previously unknown to me. The grave was located on a farm in Paris, KY, and the address was also noted.

Here was a find! I wondered if I could locate the grave. Paris was (more or less) on the way home. We packed ourselves up and headed for the car and the GPS. An hour and a half later we were watching a threatening sky and making our way down one of those 2 lane, 55 mph, ditches on both sides country roads, looking for the farm.

We had no trouble finding the address, a lovely farmhouse surrounded by acres of pasture, some with cows grazing in the late afternoon. I knocked on the farmhouse door, but no one was home. In fact, it looked from the cobwebs as if no one really lived there. Maybe you could see the graves from the road? No luck here. I really didn’t want to trespass on someone’s land, besides there was just too much land there.

I was pretty disappointed, and not quite sure what to do next. DH pointed out that there was a little bobcat tractor on the property, and it was almost 5:00, maybe someone might come home from work. He tilted his seat back to take a nap, but I wasn’t very hopeful.

Not 10 minutes later, a truck turned into the driveway. Oh my goodness, maybe we would have some luck after all! A wonderful gentleman, Mr. Clemmons, with two kids in the back, rolled down his window. I told him why we were here and asked if he knew of any graves on the property. It turned out he did! It wasn’t his land, but he took care of it for the owner. Bless his heart, he offered to unhook the trailer from the back, let us pile in the truck and ride out where the tombstone was! It was a good thing he did…we went through several gates and fields before reaching the right one. We would never have found it without him.

And there they were, just as described. Behind a barbed wire fence,next to a stout young tree, amongst a lot of brush, the final resting place for David and Hannah Jameson. The inscriptions on the 4-sided obelisk were:

David Jameson,died Jun 23, 1833, Aged 76 yrs.
Hannah,wife of David,died Aug 19, 1814, Aged 52 yrs
John Jameson Sen.,died Jan 5, 1824, aged 72 years
Susannah Jameson,died Apr 1, 1820, aged 24 years; daughter of David and Hannah

At thy feet lieth these three children of Wesley and Mary Jameson
David T. Jameson,died May 30, 1831, aged 2 months
Azubah K. Jameson,died Aug 12, 1833, aged 5 months
Jonathan R. Jameson,died Oct 11, 1834, aged 2 days

This was the prize. This made the trip special, one of those moments when I am sure the ancestors are leading me. David and Hannah had been whispering this whole trip… in the records that I found….in the decision to spend half of the last day back at the library….in the last source checked that identified the grave….in Mr. Clemmons’ decision to bring the mower to the farm at exactly that moment.

Maybe it is all in my imagination. Then again, maybe it’s not….

Kentucky Trails, part 1

2011-08-22T09:04:00.004-04:00

My wonderful DH made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Would I like to spend a week doing research in Kentucky? You betcha! A number of my families came through Kentucky during the 1780-1840 time period, as part of the westward migration. There was so much to be documented, hints from the Ancestry trees to be proven. What a treat!

But, my people were stubbornly hiding. All that I know about my ggg-grandmother Susannah Huffman came from her obituary in 1899. She was “born near Kingsport, TN, in Hawkins County” and came with her brother to Indiana about 1836. A brief stop at the Kingsport Public Library provided few clues. I learned that Sullivan and Hawkins counties lost records to burning during “the late Unpleasantness”. I did find a few Huffmans in tax records that I hadn’t seen on census records, so they are saved for future reference.

Luck was better in Kentucky. The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives sits atop a hill on the outskirts of Frankfort, looking very much like a fortress. Their microfilm collection yielded a few marriage records, but there weren’t many wills for my Walker, Carr, and Mauzy families. Probate records are my favorites when they appear. I didn’t find a likely candidate for Sallie Gooding’s father, nor Mary Reed. But, gggg-grandfather David Jameson left a lovely will naming his children. A lovely find! And also, there was a will left by a previously unknown (to me) brother Samuel 20 years earlier. So there was more family in Kentucky with him.

The next day took us to the beautiful Martin F. Schmidt Library at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, home to the resources of the Kentucky Historical Society. On their shelves was a volume of Mauzy research by Ben Mozee, someone I had communicated with many years ago. The early pages describing research into the Huguenot ancestor were definitely worth copying. Most of this day was spent combing the extensive surname files that include research contributions collected over years. Fairly common names like Carr and Walker certainly accumulated a lot of requests for research over the years, but nothing new on my folks. But here in the Jameson file is a copy of what appears to have been a Jameson family group newsletter, with a new clue! “Besides Andrew in Rockingham County records have shown the following: David, Samuel, and James Jamison. David and Samuel Jamison were the sons of Robert and Sarah (McKee) Jameson (see JN, June issue, 1992, page 630)…These two men along with a brother John resided for a short time in Augusta county, then later in Greenbrier co. now West Virginia before moving on to Kentucky.” This is my David! Well, you know I looked madly for “JN, June issue, 1992” in the Jameson file. Not there. Well, at least I have some more breadcrumbs to follow. The Jamesons were certainly speaking to me this trip!

A Message from Aunt Minerva

2011-07-07T20:12:00.011-04:00

I will always remember yesterday as one of the golden days of my family research. I had decided to begin to look at one of my families who came through Kentucky as it was being settled. After learning the names of my 3rd great-grandparents, Harvey Werley Carr (1800-1870) and Elizabeth Wilson Walker (1798-1857), I had been able to find little else. I knew Grandfather Harvey’s father was a William Carr, who served in the Revolutionary War, but, since there was more than one, I couldn’t find anything else. And I knew nothing about Grandmother Elizabeth.

So, not having checked Google books yet, I crossed my fingers and entered “Harvey Werley Carr” + “Elizabeth Wilson Walker” (this rarely ever works). Lo, and behold! Top of the list is a free, full view, pdf book titled History of Walker Family, 1775-1916, by Minerva A. Carr Muir, published in 1916. Well, what have we here? The link takes me to an early page of the book that is largely blank, except, centered in the middle, is the following:

NO WAY!! THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!!!

Quickly, I downloaded the file before it disappeared, and settled down to read. Who is this Minerva? She is the youngest child of Grandfather Harvey and Grandmother Elizabeth, baby sister to my Grandfather Hueston. The first thing she taught me is that I have been spelling Grandfather’s name wrong! It isn’t Houston, like the city, it is Hueston, his grandmother’s maiden name. The book was “Began in December, 1892, finished in March, 1899, in her 60th year”.

What followed was a chronicle written by a woman intensely proud of her family. Her narrative gave me a view of the kind of people I can claim as ancestors.

Amelia (Forsythe) Walker: “After Mr. Walker died, in Ireland, his widow, Amelia Forsythe, with her three sons and two daughters, emigrated from the north of Dublin, Ireland, bordering on Scotland, to America, in 1775…Being of enterprising Protestant parentage, she purchased a farm on the Juniatta River, in Mifflin County, Pa….They were accompanied thither by their cousins, Henry Buchanan … Henry and his wife became the grandparents of President James Buchanan.”

William Walker and Margaret Elliott: “This good old grandmother, Margaret Elliott Walker, was known as the ‘Lady Bountiful’…She was a loving friend to the poor and needy…Every corner expected to break bread at her board and she never questioned whether he had come from palace or prison….It is no fiction to say they lived happily together, and are now treading the golden streets hand in hand.”

Harvey Werley Carr and Elizabeth Wilson Walker: “The names of Uncle Harvey and Aunt Betsey Carr…were widely known … Possessed of simple and frugal habits, coupled with a long life of industry, they acquired, solely by their own exertions, a large amount of this world’s goods. What others wasted in luxury and pride they husbanded and with sound and discriminating judgment invested in property. The world knew much of their public career and generous hearts.”

Minerva Carr Muir: “Minerva Muir was known to her nieces and nephews by the name of Aunt Ninnie. Every one of them knew they would always find a warm welcome when they came to see Aunt Ninnie, and there was scarcely a meal she did not set an extra plate at the table so that if one of them came the place (w)ould be ready.” (I wonder who wrote this?)

The pages are full of the children of each generation. There are stories of the good and the bad. Grandfather Harvey suffered beatings at the hands of his aunt and uncle after his mother died and he went to live with them. Uncle John Madison Carr was a brave Civil War soldier.

It is almost as if I can hear Aunt Minerva’s voice telling the pages, an intimate sharing of our history across time on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. I know it all needs research, but she has left quite a trail for me to follow. I’ve read about “miracles” in genealogy—help from beyond the veil, as the book says. I think this was one of them.

Thank you, Aunt Ninnie!

And thank you, Google books,

Genealogy ADD

2011-07-06T07:10:00.002-04:00

I’m usually a fairly focused person when I have a task to finish…except when Genealogy ADD sets in.

I have a trip coming up which might take me near the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort. My Carr, Mauzy and Jameson families came through Kentucky in the late 1700-early 1800’s. Yesterday, I found myself with a couple of hours that I could spend putting together a list of objectives, if I do get the chance to visit. Sounds simple, no?

I opened up my Family Tree Maker file, and did a location report for Kentucky. I’ve done this before and should have known better. Somehow, in generating the report, the program seems to change random entries to Kentucky. I noticed this when my Henry Mauzy, who I “know” died in Virginia in 1804 now is listed as dying in Kentucky. Rats!! Now I have to fix this! Better go online and check my tree at Ancestry to mend the other….oh, look! There’s someone else with an ancestry for Henry Mauzy’s wife! But, wait, that birthday can’t be right. I wonder what the source is? Of course, it’s the dreaded “Family Data Collection”, described as

“The Family Data Collection - Individual Records database was created while gathering genealogical data for use in the study of human genetics and disease.“

which sounds to me like someone collected data online without doing much to verify whether it was true. When is a source not a source?

You know, maybe I can find something about the Mauzys on FamilySearch. Heading over there it occurs to me that I haven’t checked their entries for France, since this family descends from a Huguenot refugee. Lots of Mauzy births, but no hits. They were supposed to have married in England at some point, to a Connyers, let’s try England. I had no idea there were so many Connyers in England!

You know, GeneaNet has a lot of European sources. Let’s see what a Mauzy search brings. Lots of listings. Too bad a lot of them are in French….oh look, there were Mauzy families in Illinois! I wonder who? None have new information. I think they all memorized the same information about the Huguenot ancestor. Why, here’s a copy of the Arbutis, a University of Indiana student publication from the early 1900’s, and it mentions my grandmother, Mary Louise Mauzy! How cute! I should download that!

You know, I don’t know much about the Huguenots. There is a book here listing the Huguenot settlement in Virginia. What if I Google that? Well, now, there are a few sites on this topic. Why, there’s even a Huguenot Society of Virginia! Here are some interesting links.

You know, I’ve never been able to identify the ship that the early Mauzy came over on. I wonder if there is anything here?

Wait! What? It’s time to make dinner?

Wow!!

2011-06-18T20:49:00.003-04:00

This is a special day. A few weeks ago, I decided to forge ahead and try to research my mother’s father, Adam Douglas (Dobrovolskis), born in Lithuania and arrived in the U.S. with his sister in 1914. I only had 2 documents that might be clues. But, they were in Lithuanian, or Russian, or something.

I joined the Lithuanian Rootsweb list many years ago, figuring that I might educate myself about Lithuanian history and research. Thanks to that list, there were a couple of consistent recommendations for researchers in Lithuania. Since traveling to Lithuania is not currently in my budget, I decided to try one of the researchers to see if there was any evidence that might be available. The remarkable Sigita agreed to undertake the research, and translated the papers, which were a birth record for one Casimir Dobrovolskis and a school record for my grandfather. It did give a starting point.

Tonight, a document arrived in my email box. It is a marriage record for Adam’s parents, which documents their marriage date, village AND THEIR PARENTS’ NAMES. I wish I could show you, but it is a .pdf and not a jpeg. But here is the translation:

Marriage Record of Jonas Dobrovolskis to
Petronele Urnikaite (Urnikas) on 1892 y .

On 16th of February, 1892 In Roman Catholic
church in Alsedžiai Rev.Juozas Dargužas, the
pastor of this church after triple announcements
blessed a matrimony of a peasant of Alsedžiai
vicinity 25 years old Jonas Dobrovolskis from
Šašaičiai village in Kalvarija parish ( he was a
son of Jonas Dobrovolskis and Pranciška
(Francis), nee Gintvainyte (Gintwojn) to a
peasant of the same vicinity 22 years old
Petronele Urnikaite from Platakiai village in
Alsedžiai parish (she was a daughter of
Kazimieras Urnikas and Ona, nee Labžintyte
(Labžintis). Witnesses were- Pranas Urbonas,
Julijonas Urnikas and others.
Translation from Russian language

Wow, indeed!

This is the Face of Genealogy

2011-06-06T06:19:00.005-04:00

Abram Gooding Mauzy
1825-1905
2d Great-Grandfather

My Private Forest

2011-05-26T06:58:00.002-04:00

I call it the “Shaking Leaf Syndrome”. And I’m afraid it is killing trees.

I have enjoyed the “Who Do You Think You Are?” series as much as anyone. It is interesting to see the varied ancestries of famous people. But, they make it look so easy! And then, those commercials for Ancestry.com. “You don’t have to know what you are looking for, you just have to look!” Really? REALLY?!

I had hoped posting trees online at Ancestry would lead to exchanges of emails and information with other folks researching the same people. In the beginning, it did. I have ”met” some lovely folks and helped to advance their research and mine. Win-win.

But lately on Ancestry, people seem to just appropriate information that seems to be about their family without considering sources or possible conflicts. Pictures that have been posted are copied without so much as a “please” and “thank you”. When contacted, there is often no response and no move to correct errors. By then, the damage is done. Grafting branches willy-nilly from one tree to another creates some pretty bizarre mutations. And there doesn’t seem to be any way to halt the spread.

So, I’ve decided to privatize my trees. I’m hoping the names will appear in searches, but that people will have to contact me for the information or the pictures. I will gladly share, I just want to try to halt, or at least slow the spread of the “shaking leaf” blight.

I hope it works.

Not Royal, But Pretty Special

2011-04-28T22:24:00.010-04:00

With all the attention being paid to the royal wedding today, I'm guessing the topic of weddings will be very popular in the blogosphere. It has me thinking of a very special newspaper announcement of my grandparent's wedding that I found on a research trip to Indiana. You know I was thrilled! Today, I would only have to go to NewspaperArchive.com. Here is a transcription of the announcement. Cue Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera!

The Daily Republican, October 13, 1915:

Miss Mary Louise Mauzy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Mauzy and George Hupp DeHority, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. DeHority of Elwood were married Tuesday evening at seven-thirty o'clock at the Mauzy home at 611 North Harrison Street. Many guests were present.

The ceremony was performed by the Rev. C.M. Yocum, pastor of the Main Street Christian church, before an immense bank of pink roses, and ferns studded with green cathedral candles, in the living room. The Episcopal ring service was used.

Colors of pink and green predominated in the very elaborate decorations. Pink roses and greenery were used in profusion and green potted plants were also a part of the decorative scheme. The bride's table was especially beautiful with feather fern suspended from the chandalier to the four corners of the table, forming a canopy when entwined with pink maline.

Leading the bridal Party were Wendell Wilkie of Elwod and Benjamin Hitz of Indianapolis, ribbon bearers, and following in order were the pastor; the bridegroom, Mr. DeHority, and his best man, Louis Mauzy, brother of the bride; Miss Erema Wilk and Miss Mary Louise Craig of this city, bridesmaids; Judith Mauzy, little daughter of Mr and Mrs. Hugh Mauzy, ring bearer; Miss Edith Wilk of this city, maid of honor; Mary Belle O'Brien of Elwood flower girl, and the bride and her father, who gave her away. Mrs. Florence Frazee Woodward san "All For You" and "At Dawning" just preceding the ceremony; Mrs. Hugh Mauzy playing the accompaniment. Maroni, an Indianapolis harpist, played the wedding march and a program of wedding music during the ceremony, as well as throughout the evening.

The bride's wedding gown was of white tulle over white charmuse, embroidered in pearls. She wore a veil and carried a bridal boquet of orchids and lilies of the valley.

The maid of honor was gowned in pale green taffeta. The bridesmaids were in dresses of pink silk net over pink silk. All three carried shower bouquets of sweetheart roses. The ring bearer and flower girl were dressed in white dresses.

Following the ceremony, light refreshments were served the guests.

Mr. and Mrs. DeHority left last night for their honeymoon trip to Chicago in an automobile, stopping over night in Elwood and will be at home in Elwood after December 1.

Mr. and Mrs. DeHority were both graduated at Indiana University and were students together there. Mrs. DeHority is a member of the Kappa Alphha Theta and the Psi Iota Xi sororities and Mr. DeHority is a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

The guests from out of the city included Miss Lois Stewart of Sullivan, Miss Laura Lindley, Miss Irma Wyebacher, Mr ad Mrs. Carl Eveleigh and Benj. Hitz of Indianapolis, Mrs. Florence Frazee-Woodward of Covington, Ky. Miss Helene Whitesides and Ferd Strickler of Franklin, Miss Hallie Pilger of Anderson, Fred Durham of Muncie, Jolin Morris of Newcastle, Mr. and Mrs. Frank DeHority, Mrs. Arthur O'Brien and daughter Mary Belle, Wendell Wilkie and Mr and Mrs. C.C. DeHority, parents of the bridegroom, all of Elwood, Mrs Rose Kranier of Indianapolis, Mrs. George Becker of Richmond, Mr. and Mrs Ed DeHority and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph DeHority of Elwood, Mr. and Mrs S.B. Harding of Indianapolis, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. DeHority of Indiannapolis, Mrs. Anna Mauzy-Moore of Findley, Ohio, Mr. and Mrs. William Harding of Elwood, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Parry of Indianapolis, Miss Gladys Henley of Chicago, Ward Hackleman of Idianapolis, Mrs. Harold Mauzy of Gary and Mrs. St. Clair Parry of Indianapolis.

Best wishes to all the happy couples this weekend!

Spoiler alert: Who is Isaac Moore?

2011-04-23T15:33:00.009-04:00

I have come to believe that every other male born in the 1700's was named Isaac Moore. I know my 4th great-grandfather was. I think I know from census records and local county histories of the late 1800's that he was born in Pennsylvania, birthed my 3d great-grandfather Thomas in Virginia, and died in Indiana in 1853. And he was married to Sarah UNK, of the dreaded UNK family.

I know that if I go online, at Ancestry or Rootsweb and elsewhere, there are people who will tell me who Sarah is, and, sometimes, who Isaac's parents were. I just wish they could tell me why, or at least enter into a discussion. Doesn't it just bug you when there are "facts" out there that you know might be wrong, and yet people are going to attach them to their tree and spread the virus of mis-information? Here is my take on couple that I have run across recently:

Spoiler #1: Isaac born in May of 1764 is the son of Andrew and Sarah Starr Moore of Sadsbury Twp., Lancaster County, PA. I think I know where this started. It is almost verbatim from what appears to be a Moore family newsletter that can be found online. It isn't sourced and there is no mention of where the information originated. As Randy Seaver is reminding us this week at Genea-Musings, sources can be wrong. Especially something like this which has no source. I can come up with a conflicting source, one of those lovely genealogies from the late 1800's that tried to name every descendant of a particular ancestor. The book is Ancestors and Descendants of Andrew Moore, 1612-1897, by John Andrew Moore Passemore, published 1897. Mr. Passemore says that Isaac, son of Andrew Moore and Sarah Starr of Sadsbury Twp., Lancaster County, PA married Lydia Wilson and is buried in Half Moon, PA. My grandfather is buried in Indiana. Perhaps one of these sources is right, but maybe not. And yet a number of folks on Ancestry and Rootsweb assert this connection. Wish I could find a source with a little "Moore" credibility.

Spoiler #2: Isaac is married to Sarah Starr Carrico. Apparently Sarah Starr is not only Isaac's mother, she is now his wife. I'm not sure where this comes from, except there is one researcher on Rootsweb who asked the question, "Is it Sarah Starr or Sarah Carrico?" Maybe someone thought "When in doubt, use them both!" So far, I can't find a record that supports either one. Census records do show a Carrico family living near the Moores, but there isn't a way of telling if this is the right Isaac Moore. Poking around the Virginia State Library site tells me there were at least 2 and maybe 3 Isaac Moores coming out of the Shenandoah Valley at this time. But I can't find a way to sort them out from here.

So I guess the search for Isaac will require a couple of road trips. Fortunately, I don't live very far from the state archives in Richmond, VA, or from the Shenandoah counties. Guess how I will spend my summer vacation!

I LOVE This Book

2011-04-22T08:06:00.009-04:00

I suppose given all the recent blogging about monetizing, I should say up front that I am categorically not getting anything from this endorsement!

I've used FTM since it first came out. I loved the ease of entry, the chart options, the interface with Ancestry. I haven't always gotten the upgrades, usually letting a couple go by before making another investment. But with the recent upgrades, I've gotten the feeling that I wasn't understanding the program, or getting the most out of it. I know, there is a help file, but those are sort of like reading the dictionary. Not much fun. And it sometimes takes forever to find the right search parameters for what you want. So, I decided to buy this book.

I went right to chapter 9 and the discussion on setting up the web search (and no, this is not how I read mysteries!). The first thing I read is that the reason for the "shaky leaves" that look so exciting on commercials is that FTM does an online search EVERY TIME THE INTERNET CONNECTION IS AVAILABLE. I didn't know this! Could this be one reason it takes too long to connect? I don't know, but I definitely don't like things going on behind my back, so I turned that off right away. Bye, bye, shaky leaves.

Then, I thought I probably ought to read the book in the order it was written. So, I start into chapter 1, and one of the first things I learn is how to enter all my husband's French-Canadian ancestors with their "dit" names, like "Charron dit Ducharme". FTM displays these in the people list as "dit Ducharme", and listing them under "dit" mixes a lot of families up. Lo and behold, here on page 8, I find that putting backslashes around the whole last name results in a correct sort, and the backslash doesn't show up in the tree or the printouts. Who knew?

Not to give away too much, let me say I am really enjoying this book. I was able to get it used from Amazon and it has a permanent place next to my keyboard.

While on the subject of learning new things, Julie Cahill Tarr, over at GenBlog is blogging tips on using the Ancestry Search ("Search Strategies: Ancestry - Part 2"). I have taken away a couple of very good tips to improve my searches (I confess to beng a very bad searcher). Be sure to check it out.

Rip Van Winkle

2011-04-19T08:21:00.016-04:00

Well, now I know what Rip Van Winkle must have felt like, at least in a small way. Opening the blog vault today, I am confronted by how much I learned, the online friends I've made, and how much I've forgotten.

Can it really be more than a year since my last post? Time certainly does fly!

Why so long? Lots of reasons. Frustrations with my various brick walls is probably the biggest. I have reached that difficult time period in the 1700's on most of my lines (except for my Lithuanians...I haven't had the nerve to tackle them!). You know the time when public records are scarce, church records, at least for the Methodists, seem rarer, and newspaper obits are few and far between.

Not that I haven't been trying. I took the big step (for me) of hiring some wonderful local researchers in Indiana and Delaware, to try to find parents for my James M. DeHority and Susanna Huffman. I got lots of interesting information about the Dehortys of Delaware, but nothing new on James. Susanna seems to have been born in Tennessee in 1816, according to her obituary, but it looks like this will take a road trip to research further.

And I have looked at other lines online, but there is a lot of unsourced fantasy out there, you know?

But, enough whining! Rolling up my sleeves, I'm ready to wade in again. Maybe that should have been "putting on my boots"? I've spent the last couple of days catching up on favorite blogs and trying to remember how to make a basic post. I've decided to focus on the piles of research and photos that I have, organizing, categorizing, and looking for things I've missed. Reading through all those magazines, clipping and tossing. That will keep me busy for awhile.

Why now? I guess today has gotten me a bit nostalgic.

Charles Mauzy DeHority (1916-2003)
and
Irene Geraldine Douglas (1922-1999)
April 19, 1948

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-01T07:39:00.004-05:00

Well, here we are, another year…..another decade!….put to bed.

Trolling the web for inspiration, there are many sites that offer pithy quotes to inspire reflection. The ones I like most have a cynical chuckle in their telling:

Every New Year is the direct descendant, isn’t it, of a long line of proven criminals.
~Ogden Nash

That one seemed particularly apt for a genealogy blog. But, isn’t that the real truth? We are, after all, the sum of what we’ve said and done. Not what we meant to do, but what we really did.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

You can always rely on a New Englander for practical advice, no nonsense, cut to the chase. I have no use for resolutions on New Year’s Day. They just seem doomed to failure from the outset. Taking life one day at a time is a small enough chunk to be manageable. I can’t set goals for the year….who knows what will happen? But I can look to this day.

In the end, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s cockeyed optimist, and fellow carrot-top, Anne Shirley said it best:

Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?

Happy New Year everyone!

Festival of Postcards - Faces from the Box

2009-12-20T08:43:00.006-05:00

This edition of the Festival of Postcards features all things white. I have scrambled through my treasures to find a submission, but, alas, nothing quite fits the bill.

BUT, since black and white postcards are acceptable, I submit these lovely ladies...two of my unknown "strangers in the box"...dressed in their winter finery. It seems at some time around the turn of the 20th century, it was popular to print pictures on postcards for easy mailing. I know, as I have a number of these mementos, lovely pictures on the front and a postcard on the back. Unfortunately, it is blank, never mailed, with no clue who these folks might be. Maybe they were residents of Elwood, Indiana, where my Hupp and DeHority ancestors lived. Maybe they are from somewhere else entirely. But here they are for your viewing enjoyment.

Blog Carol 2009

2009-12-16T09:09:00.004-05:00

The footnoteMaven has called all Geneabloggers to join in for the annual caroling. Picking a favorite carol is difficult…Silent Night is great for a reflective evening, Deck the Halls gets the energy going for the shopping and decorating, cooking while Little Drummer Boy plays in the background. But the one below is one that I look forward to singing along with every year, not exactly a carol, more of a song, and a melancholy reminder to remember the less fortunate.

Mary's first Christmas

Pretty Paper
By: Willie Nelson

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write “I love you”
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue

Crowded street, busy feet hustle by him.
Downtown shoppers, Christmas is nigh.
There he sits all alone on the sidewalk
Hoping that you won’t pass him by.

Should you stop? Better not, much too busy .
You’re in a hurry, my how time does fly!
In the distance, the ringing of laughter,
And in the midst of the laughter he cries

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue!
Wrap your presents to your darling from you.
Pretty pencils to write “I love you”
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue.

Friday's Focus Family: the Hupps of Elwood

2009-12-04T00:00:00.007-05:00

Above is a picture of the family of George Washington Hupp and Elizabeth Stokes Hupp, the source of whatever German genes I have. Based on what I know about birth and death dates, in the photo are:

Top row, left to right
Lola M. Hupp (my great grandmother, 1870-1951)
Albert A. Hupp (1878-1947)
Maude Hupp (1882- )
William A. Hupp (1868-1904)
Samuel S. Hupp (1871-1911)

Bottom row, left to right :
George Washington Hupp (1834-1923)
Isabelle Stokes Hupp (1843-1918)

George W. Hupp was born on December 3, 1834, in Shenandoah County, Virginia, near New Market, the son of Samuel A. Hupp and Mary Kipps. Isabelle Stokes was born on May 7, 1843, in Butler County, Ohio, to Jesse Stokes and Elizabeth Hineman. According to George’s obituary, he came as a young man to Indiana in 1859, moving to Elwood in 1862 where he lived the rest of his life. I think this picture must have been from around that time. He does look like a young man headed west looking for adventure.

George and Isabelle were married in 1867. He established the first tinning and plumbing company in Elwood, later opened a hardware store, and much later went into the insurance business. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Odd Fellows Lodge. His home, with much changing and addition, is the current Copher-Fesler-May Funeral Home in Elwood.

It seems the family, like all families had its share of happy and sad times. They apparently liked to travel to Hot Springs, Arkansas, as shown in this picture.

Five children are shown, but three died in infancy. And their son Samuel must have suffered from some type of depression, as a note in the family bible indicates that he committed suicide.

Isabelle’s obituary shows her to have been an active member of the community:

Mrs. Hupp was a lifelong member of the M.E. Church, a worker in its Aid and other societies and a Christian woman who found much for her hands to do and willingly contributed to every good cause. She will be missed in the community where she was so long known and so much beloved.

Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-11-29T21:29:00.005-05:00

Many thanks to TCasteel of Tangled Trees for thinking of me for the Kreativ Blogger Award. It is always a pleasure to find that someone reads this chronicle of my misadventures in this family history search.

Now, according to the rules for this award, I must reveal 7 things about myself, and then name 7 other blogs for the honor. Here goes:

1. My ULTIMATE brick wall challenge is finding the parents of my ggg-grandparents, James Madison DeHority (1819-1891) and Susanna Huffman (1817-1899).
2. Like Tcasteel, I am a mystery lover; favorites are Dame Agatha Christie, Rex Stout and Martha Grimes.
3. I love to knit….there is a certain zen to the movements that is very calming.
4. My favorite countries are France and Ireland. It must be in the DNA. I have been lucky enough to visit both.
5. I have one wonderful granddaughter, thanks to my wonderful daughter.
6. In my next incarnation, I hope to have musical talent.
7. Favorite movie: Charade, with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.

The difficult part will be to nominate only 7, as there are so many fascinating stories out there, but my latest list of faves are:

Carrow and Faunt Family Tales
Kathy’s Kampground Kapers
Pollyblog
The French Genealogy Blog
The Professional Descendant
We Tree
Donna’s Genealogy Blog

Thanks to each of the above for many mornings of fascinating reading!

The Huguenots

2009-11-06T17:08:00.005-05:00

Many thanks to Anne Mordel of the French Genealogy Blog for her introduction to the story of the Huguenots in France in her recent post Huguenot Genealogy-A Bit of Background.My Mauzy ancestors, referenced in a Surname Saturday post recently, were members of this Protestant group, and made their way to North America as a result of the persecution. Anne's chronology of the events is fascinating, and her links to online resources are very helpful. If you also have ancestors from France, be sure to pay her a visit!

Tombstone Tuesday

2009-11-03T07:11:00.008-05:00

Photo courtesy of FindAGrave.com

Friday’s Family-Peter and Sallie (Gooding) Mauzy

2009-10-30T06:30:00.003-04:00

With the Mauzy surname being the topic for Surname Saturday last week, I thought this might be a good opportunity to look at one of the families on this branch of my tree, trying to imagine their lives.

Peter William Mauzy was born 25 October 1792 in what was called west Virginia. I don’t think this was the state, but rather western land in the state of Virginia, and possibly land that became part of Kentucky. His father was the patriot William Mauzy, who was reportedly present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and his mother was Ursula Arnold, and English lady. In 1792, according to the Richard Mauzy book mentioned earlier, Peter’s parents were headed from Virginia to Kentucky, so perhaps Peter was born along the way.

Sallie Gooding was born 15 December 1795, probably in Fleming County, Kentucky. Her parents have yet to be determined. Ancestry trees list them as Cornelius Gooding and Margaret Scott, while a FamilySearch entry lists Abraham Gooding and Elizabeth Randall. Since one of their children was named Abram Gooding Mauzy, I think the second is a good bet. Neither of these entries are sourced, and I have yet to find other evidence online, so I’ll leave this as an open question for now.

Peter and Sallie married in Fleming County, Kentucky on or about 12 March 1813, when Peter was 20 and Sallie was 17. Together, they had 8 children who survived: Lucinda, Reuben D., William C., Abram Gooding, Martha A., Silas H., Elizabeth and Nancy. Sallie must have been a strong woman indeed! Peter is described as a “powerful preacher in the Old Christian Church”.

They moved their brood, apparently along with grandpa William Mauzy, to land near New Salem Indiana in about 1829, according to county histories. It is easy to imagine their hopes for their family on their new land, visions of the prosperity to come. Sadly, both Peter and Sallie were victims of typhoid fever, according to family lore, after entertaining travelers. Peter died in September of 1832 and Sallie followed in October. Lucinda, the eldest, and her husband Joseph Pattison are credited with shepherding the orphans as they grew up. Because of their efforts, Peter and Sallie’s children grew to adulthood to become teachers, doctors, farmers and merchants, successfully pursuing the American dream.

The Gift of Music

2009-10-25T10:30:00.006-04:00

“I sail my memories of home….”

The words of Judy Collins’ old song run through my mind whenever I’m in the throes of this family history addiction, like Sherlock Holmes and his 7% solution.

I had no intention of participating in the Carnival of Genealogy this month, but I think it was the picture that kept calling to me, the picture of the lovely lady at the piano.

At one time, I aspired to be a lovely lady at the piano. I started lessons very young (see picture), and continued into high school. I don’t remember it being my idea. I think it was my mother’s idea, as she had both my sister and me in lessons. Lessons were expensive enough, so she didn't invest much in the instrument, a worn, old clunker that no amount of tuning would save. For years, I studied with “Professor Michaelides”, a wonderful, OLD man from Cyprus, who had settled with his wife in Norfolk and offered piano lessons. He was very patient with me, and thanks to his training, I even won second place in a piano contest in high school. I can still hear his gravely voice with the mysterious accent telling stories of accompanying singers in Europe….one lady even rehearsed bare from neck to waist, so as not to constrict her breathing. Fascinating stories! That same voice is in my head, saying “Practice, Mary Lou! Practice!” whenever I start something new, or glance at the piano in my living room that sits mostly idle now.

Eventually, I broke his heart when the excitement of high school won out over the practice sessions, and I quit taking lessons. After I had married and started teaching, I did stop by to see him once in his little house. He was so kind and happy to talk. Years later, when I saw his obituary in the paper, I went to my first Greek Orthodox funeral, and had a little cry.

My dad usually sought refuge in the farthest room in the house when I practiced, doors shut. Let’s just say he wasn’t encouraging. I don’t know whether he ever played. I never heard him. But I did find a piece or two of sheet music in his papers after he died, so maybe he did. But he always….ALWAYS…..had classical music playing as he graded papers and planned his lessons. He had a vast collection of vinyl records, and later 8 track tapes and cassettes, mostly classical, but Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte (for my mother) and other crooners and artists from the 40’s and 50’s. That’s where it ended. When I rhapsodized over the Beatles, he just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

This was his gift to me, a love of all kinds of music. We have it going all the time in our house. I love to listen….and sail my memories…..

Surname Saturday

2009-10-24T00:23:00.002-04:00

Mauzy, Mauzey, Mauze, Moze
For many years, Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Henry Mauzy, A Huguenot Refugee, the Ancestors of the Mauzys of Virginia and Other States from 1685 to 1910, by Richard Mauzy, 1911, was the definitive work on this family. It boasted responses from Mauzys all across the U.S., 105 pages on the descendants of Henry Mauzy. But it was only breadcrumbs showing the way, none of it supported by documents. Still, it was something.

Since then other researchers have taken up the search. It is generally thought that John Mauzé, born in England about 1675 to Michael Mauzé of France, is the common ancestor for the Mauzys of the U.S.

Dr. Armand Jean Mauzey published his research in 1950 in an excellent article for the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography¹. He believes the Mauzé name might have come from the Arabian word “Mauz”, a plantain tree, and may have been adopted during the Crusades. He documents 10 Mauzé families that left France for the British Isles between 1681 and 1724, Huguenots who fled France on the repeal of the Edict of Nantes. The family appears to have come from lands near LaRochelle.

The Mauzys undertook the hardship of escape from France, travel to the British Isles and then to the New World in search of religious tolerance and freedom. How proud and grateful we should all be for their courage.

1. Armand Jean Mauzey, M.D., D.S.C., “The Mauzey-Mauzy Family”, Virgina Magazine of History and Biography 58 (1950), 112-119.

Destination Delmarva

2009-10-18T07:29:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been a while since the last posting. The start of school always brings new work for me, which is a good thing, and less time for genealogy, which is not.

Saturday, I was fortunate to be able to attend the Destination Delmarva 2009 workshop at Washington College, sponsored by the Delaware Genealogy Society and the Maryland Genealogy Society. Each lecture that I attended gave me a piece of information I didn’t have before about history and resources that can help clear some of the cobwebs from my research. I knew there was a boundary dispute in the 1600-1700’s around the boundary between Maryland and Delaware, and I knew my Dehortys were on land smack in the middle of the disputed area. Russ McCabe’s presentation gave me a clearer picture of how the land was settled, a few ideas about where my folks might have come ashore, and a nifty new book to read for more information. The Deakyne twins, Sally Burke and Peggy Mealy, reminded me about the importance of investigating all the names in the Orphan’s Court records for possible family connections. Bob Barnes had a fascinating collection of “Black Sheep” ancestors…I haven’t found any yet, but I must have some and now I know where to look. Ed Wright has cataloged the churches of the early period and the records that he has transcribe. Unfortunately, my folks were Methodists, who were not known for their record keeping. But, you never know if the odd Quaker or Anglican might have married in, so, they will be worth a look. And, of course, I took home a couple of new books for the research library.

The weather was horrible, rainy and cold, but a bright spot on the day was meeting fellow blogger Kathleen Ingram. Her enthusiasm and positive spirit were infectious!

What a great day! Now to catch up on my blog reading……

Melodrama on a Sunday Morning

2009-09-06T07:45:00.014-04:00

Still sorting through those pesky Delaware Dehortys, I came upon a newspaper article from the front page of The Logansport (IN) Journal, dated August 20, 1898, with a story about my cousin (3X removed) Tillie DeHority. It is a long post, but fun, so I'll excerpt the article below. The writing is such fun, dramatically telling the story of two young lovers. It was a lesson for me on the importance of looking for newspaper articles of the period to give life to our ancestors' stories.

THEIR SECRET OUT
*****
CAME TO LOGANSPORT
***
Here an Obliging Justice Said the Words that Made Them One

Society circles in the little cities of Elwood and Kokomo are just at present all excitement over the episodes of a couple of lovers who ran away to this city and, sometime between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning are supposed to have been united in marriage by some obliging official possessing the authority to tie knots that are said to bind. The principals in the elopement are prominent in the social circles of both the cities both being residents of Elwood.

The bride is the daughter of the president of the leading bank of Madison county's second city and the groom is a handsome young widower, in the drugs and soda water line. The dramatis personae also includes a wronged wife seeking her lost marriage lines: a young attorney, mutual friend of the principal characters, and a friend of the heroine who was inoocently made to aid in the development of the plot, while the "villian" in the play is supposed to be represented by the irate papa of the blushing bride.

The first part of the story is told by the Kokomo Dispatch as follows:'Tuesday morning Miss Tillie DeHority, a daughter of J.H. DeHority, president of the Elwood National bank and perhaps the foremost man in the commercial life of that place, came to Kokomo for a brief visit with Mrs. Cordis Ovens of West Walnut street.....Miss DeHority had visited Mrs. Ovens here on several occasions. Naturally she suspected nothing when she received a letter from her Elwood friend a few days ago announcing her purpose to 'come over' for a brief time. Invitations were secured for her to a number of social gatherings, functions at which she was to be the houseguest were organized among the younger set, and no effort was spared to make her visit a pleasant one...

Miss DeHority came to Logansport on Tuesday night and here [she was] met by Curt Howe, an Elwood druggist, and attorney Bert Call of Elwood. No record of any marriage license having been issued to Mr. Howe and Miss DeHority appears on the books in the office of the county clerk here, but from an acquaintance of the parties here the statement comes that the marriage license was brought from Madison County by Mr. Howe. The marriage ceremony howeve is said to have been performed here, but even surrounding that there seems to have been thrown a circle of secrecy for, while it is whispered that one of Logansport's very popular and ever-obliging justices in matters of this kind knows more than he is willing to tell, no definite statement has been given out. However, certain it is that when the Elwood young lady left here Wednesday, returning to the home of her friend in Kokomo, she went not as Miss DeHority but as Mrs. Howe.

She, however, failed to apprise her friends at Kokomo of her marriage and she attended an afternoon and an evening social gathering and another on Thursday, as Miss Tillie DeHority, 'heart whole and fancy free.' On Thursday afternoon, however, as the Dispatch tells the story, when on her way to the Ovens home in company with Mrs. Ovens, Mrs. Howe was met by a messenger boy with a telegram. It was from her husband and announced that he would be in Kokomo that night. With many tears and much pleading that her secret be kept she told Mrs. Ovens the whole story. Mrs. Ovens was dumbfounded and greatly distressed at the fact that she had been innocently made to aid in what was evidently an elopement and a match that she was sure would not be approved by the young woman's parents.

Mr. Ovens at once communicated with Mr. DeHority by telephone, laying the story before him. Mr. DeHority asked Mr. Ovens to keep his daughter at his home under any and all circumstances until her brother who he would send on the first train could reach Kokomo. The first train was that reaching there at 10:12 o'clock Thursday night. On it Mr. Howe came, but not the brother of his bride. Whether a truce had been patched up between Papa DeHority and his son-in-law is not known. Mr. Howe went to the Ovens home. His stay was significantly brief, but when he came away his wife was with him. They remained at the Clinton hotel until the 1:45 train, which they took to Elwood.

I've left out the tale of Tillie's friend, who seemed to have misplaced her own marriage license. It was altogether a bad day for poor Mrs. Ovens! The story goes on the give particulars on the families, ending with the note that Curtis Howe's first marriage was also "a runaway match".

I wonder what 18-year-old Tillie had gotten herself into?

Back in time--1820

2009-08-24T10:02:00.003-04:00

So, when last heard from, I was trying to organize all the data I’ve collected on the Dehorty family in Delaware to try to identify the father of my brick wall, 3g-grandfather James M. Dehority (1819-1891).

I am most of the way through that, having sorted through census records, probate records, orphan’s court records, tax records, marriage listings in the Delaware Public Archives’ card files, land records, and various mentions in books and journals on the period. I’ll chronicle my thoughts here in hopes that if someone reads this and notices things I have overlooked or errors of any sort, they will be so kind as to leave me a note.

I’ve decided to focus on the time around the 1820 census, as James was born in 1819 (or, by one count, 1816). Either way, he would be under age 5 in 1820. If I count the number of Dehorty men on the census who are of an age to father a child in 1820, I have 15 candidates. If I use information from James’ obituary, that he was orphaned by age 8, then I am looking for someone who has died by the 1830 census, both husband and wife (and the wife could have died prior to 1820). This is a little harder, but I can definitely eliminate 5, so I am down to 10.

Of the 10, there are 2 definite candidates. One Benjamin Doroty of Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, is enumerated in 1820 with 9 people in his household, of which 2 are males under the age of 9 and 2 males of “fathering” age (16-25). Benjamin dies intestate in 1823. The problem with Benjamin is that his wife is listed a s Louvania, and the will to Thomas Dehorty previously mentioned references a James, son of Sarah Silivan (Paternity Search in Delaware).

Research that I just received also finds a John Dehorty in the tax lists of Kent County who is a head of household in 1820, but dies insolvent by 1823 (must be a bad year for Dehortys). Here is where I run headlong into what I don’t know about the 1820 census.
I think that everyone counted in the household was a member of the family, excepting the slave listings. But, could they be related as siblings of the head and his wife, grandchildren, cousins, or in other ways related? This is where my count of 10 could be high. There seem to be a lot of “blended” households on my list. There is a John Dorothy in Duck Creek Hundred, Kent, listed in 1820. Could this be the one from the tax list? Or, might he be listed as a tick mark under a different household? How do I resolve the unnamed gentlemen from the census?

This is going to require some thought.

Slogging Along

2009-08-15T17:29:00.003-04:00

It has been quite the wet week in our little part of Virginia. Downpours and flooding and lots of reasons to stay indoors when you don't have to go out.

It was a good week to get results from a professional genealogist whom I engaged to try to find information about you might be the father of my "brick wall" ancestor, James Madison Dehority (1819-1891) from Delaware.

I received 8 pages of data, an amazing amount found in just 4-5 hours in the Archives. It just goes to show how much more efficient are the folks who know the records of the time like the back of their hands. Some of the information I already knew, but much of it was new to me. He made an educated guess as to the likely candidate from what he found. Rats! This is not going to be a "smoking gun", can't be anyone else but kind of discovery, but a guess made based on a process of elimination.

What became evident very early on was that my organization of information in my FTM program by individual was not going to be the best way to embark on this hunt. So, I have spent every spare moment organizing what I have on the Dehortys of Delaware (sounds like the Kennedys of Massachusetts, doesn't it?....or Kelloggs of Battle Creek?...no, that's cereal). I decided to organize by census year and group land record and tax record between the given census years to help me zero in on the 1815-1820 time frame. Re-typing and sourcing all this info has been quite the slog this week, but I'm almost ready to merge the data from the professional research. I can only hope that it points with some certainty to one of the families.

I can only hope....

Saturday Night Fun-the Great-Greats

2009-08-10T06:45:00.007-04:00

I've been in a real genealogy "funk" lately. DNA test results on a distant cousin that were due July 6th won't be posted for a couple of weeks. I'm waiting with fingers crossed on a report from a genealogist in Delaware doing research on one of my brick walls. Those kinds of things never come quickly enough, do they? And, I just can't translate one more old land record.

To the rescue is Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Challenge: Name and place your 16 great-great grandparents. One thing I love about blogs, and Randy's in particular, is that they focus my attention on what I know, and what I don't. It turns out, there's a lot I don't know about these folks.

Let's get started:

John Wesley DeHority, b. 16 Oct 1840, Madison Co., IN, d. 28 Aug 1881, Madison Co., IN. Ethnicity: IRISH.
Jane W. Moore, b. 14 May 1840, Madison Co., IN, d. 25 Aug 1925, Elwood, IN. Ethnicity: UNK.
George Washington Hupp, b. 3 Dec 1834, Shenandoah Co., VA, d. 18 Jan 1923, Elwood, IN. Ethnicity: GERMAN.
Isabelle Stokes, b. 7 May 1843, Butler Co., OH, d. 7 June 1918, Elwood, IN. Ethnicity: ENGLISH.
Abram Gooding Mauzy, b. Feb 1825, Bourbon Co., KY, d. Aug 1905, Rushville, IN. Ethnicity: FRENCH.
Emily R. Jamison, b. 29 May 1828, Bourbon Co., KY, d. 12 July 1873, Rushville, IN. Ethnicity: UNK.
Houston Carr, b. 6 Feb 1821, KY, d.10 Sept 1856, Rushville, IN. Ethnicity: UNK.
Mary A. Dunnohew, 8 Sept 1834, OH, d. UNK. Ethnicity: UNK.

Now, for the other half. These are the folks that I don't know. I do know that in all probability, they are all LITHUANIAN. I just haven't braced myself to tackle "jumping the pond". Since the oldest complete generation that I have are the greats, I'll list them here:

John Douglas (Dobrovolskas), Dates UNK, but born and died in Lithuania.
Anna Urnikas, b. UNK, d. before 1916, Lithuania
Jacob Wychulis (Vaiculis), b. 3 May 1865, Lithuania, d. 3 Apr 1942, Old Forge, PA. Ethnicity: LITHUANIAN.
Anna Burke (Bartkeiwicz), b. 1874, Lithuania, d. 10 May 1951, Old Forge, PA. Ethnicity: LITHUANIAN.

So there you have it! I don't know whether to be pleased about what I know, or blue about what I don't know.

It must be something about August......

Are Blogs a Distraction?

2009-07-22T12:20:00.010-04:00

Randy Seaver, over at Genea-Musings, poses the question "Are the many blogs being written and read messing us up - are they time-wasters?" To me, that question has two parts.

Are they messing me up? Sure! Reading all the blogs I've followed (not as many as Randy, but still quite a few)does take time. And, it is time taken away from other genealogical pursuits. The same goes for writing a blog. Formulating these pithy, yet profound, observations on life, liberty and the pursuit of ancestry takes time away from other things. And, I haven't gotten the time-management thing down yet.

Are they time wasters? Well, the jury is out on my blog, but the blogs I read are definitely not time wasters. Reading the observations of others never fails to give me a new way of thinking about my own genealogical problem. And, I would have to say that since beginning this blog, and reading others,I have spent more time on my own research so far this year that I had in the previous 2 years combined. I had reached (several) brick walls, and lost the enthusiasm needed to push past them. Of course, the laundry doesn't get done as often...

Far and away the most important reward for blogging are the folks I get to exchange ideas with. Kathleen, over at Carrow and Faunt Family Tales has single-handedly given my Maryland and Delaware research a real shot in the arm. Murmurd's Franco-American and Quebec Genealogy led me to a previously unknown to me family organisation for my husband's family, introducing me to a wealth of research already done that I had no idea about. These are just two examples of several that have profitted my research in only 6 months!

Couldn't we ask the same question of all the resources we use? Are the family trees at Ancestry and Rootsweb really helpful, since so many are unsourced and reproductions of wishful research? Couldn't the same questions be asked of FamilySearch? How helpful is DNA really....how may folks out of the thousands who have been tested actually come up with a helpful match? (Not me, not yet!) And how many of us have spent too much on a book only to find that reference to our surname was only a mention as a witness to a will? And not even someone from our tree!

Is blogging a distraction? Yes, and a welcome one. It has helped me refine my focus, stay on task, expand my knowledge, and make new friends.

I think I'll keep it up!

A Vacation Read

2009-07-14T07:46:00.012-04:00

Just back from vacation, and trying to get caught up. All the buzz about Genealogy Wise has me over there trying to figure out how it works, and how to find time to fit it all in. (If you haven't already read Greta's excellent post on "Researching, Blogging, Social Networking, and Finding Time", you should. It is definitely a must-read).

Vacation included lots of time on the road. Along with trying to finish knitting a pair of socks, I took along this new book for when the fingers got tired. It turned out I did more reading than knitting. What a find! Marcia Hoffman Rising's The Family Tree Problem Solver: Proven Methods for Scaling the Inevitable Brick Wall has me rethinking some of the ways I have been doing things. She advises researching the families around your family in the census for hints as to female relatives or places of origin. ("Do you mean I have to research all those people too?" Sigh!)
She calls it the difference between searching and researching. She has tips for getting around missing "burned county" courthouse records (my case in Madison County, IN). Plenty of examples help illustrate her recommendations. Full disclosure, I have nothing to do with this book, I just learned a lot.

Now to finish those socks....

Strangers in the Box

2009-06-30T08:11:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Robert Ragan of the Treasure Maps newsletter for including this piece:

Strangers in the Box

Come, look with me inside this drawer,
In this box I've often seen,
At the pictures, black and white,
Faces proud, still, serene.

I wish I knew the people,
These strangers in the box,
Their names and all their memories
Are lost among my socks.

I wonder what their lives were like.
How did they spend their days?
What about their special times?
I'll never know their ways.

If only someone had taken time
To tell who, what, where, when,
These faces of my heritage
Would come to life again.

Could this become the fate
Of the pictures we take today?
The faces and the memories
Someday to be tossed away?

Make time to save your pictures,
Seize the opportunity when it knocks,
Or someday you and yours could be
The strangers in the box.

Copyright 1997 by Pamela A. Harazim. All Rights Reserved.
May be used in unchanged form for non-commercial
purposes if accompanied by this copyright message.

Every Trip Needs a Cemetery Visit

2009-06-27T09:00:00.010-04:00

Anyone doing family history research knows you can't just drive by a cemetery with an ancestor, even if it is a little out of the way.

This week my DH and I took a short trip from Norfolk, VA, to Abingdon, VA, in the farthest reaches of our state, to witness our niece and nephews at a Suzuki violin camp. This is an awesome thng to see, so many young violinists, learning to play in the mountain beauty. Our travels took us through Carroll County, VA, where lies my 5th great-grandfather, Capt. William Bobbitt and his family.

County histories¹ tell a little about William. He lived near Hillsville and the Mountain Plains community of Carroll County. He had several positions of responsibility in the community--surveyor for a road, Captain of the county militia and Justice of the county court. William died in August, 1817.

Finding the cemetery is an adventure. The Quesinberry-Bobbitt Cemetery is located on a small hill, near the intersection of Rte. 682 and Rte. 52 south of Hillsville, next to a cow pasture. The Bobbitt marker is the big modern one amongst all the broken headstones. Very disappointing, but I'm glad to see someone took the time to remember the families buried there. It appears that the Bobbitt headstones have all been broken over time. I guess it won't be a good source for my research, but the photos are still nice to have. Also listed here is his wife, Nancy Ann Mackenzie and their children.

1. John Perry Alderman,Carroll 1765-1815, The Settlements (Alderman Books, 1985) 77-78

It's a brick!

2009-06-22T20:22:00.021-04:00

I guess family historians collect strange things. I know that if I find out something belonged to an ancestor, it becomes a treasure and off limits to any downsizing we might undertake. Consider my latest acquisition.

It's a brick. A lovely orange-red, with "Kokomo" on its face, brick. It came from a building, formerly in Elwood, Indiana, called the "DeHority Building". A member of the Elwood Pipe Creek Genealogy Society was kind enough to let me know that the building was being torn down to be replaced by a CVS pharmacy and its parking lot, and also kind enough to go down and get a brick for me, package it carefully with copies of the newspaper accounts of the demolition, and put it in the mail (Thank you, Linda!). How sad! But the building was pretty sad, too. It had pretty much fallen into disrepair in recent years, as you can see from a picture I took a few years ago.

The last DeHority that I knew of to use the building was Robert DeHority, who had an insurance business there, along with other small shops. I don't know what it was before that. The family started a bank, had a general store of sorts, and other enterprises, and maybe some of them were in that building, too. Someday, when I get time, I intend to research the building. That will be after I break down a few more "brick" walls.

For now, my momento will take its place in the garden with my other "Elwood bricks". These I got years ago from an Elwood antique shop. The proprietor told me they once were used as pavers in the streets of Elwood. Aren't they fine?!

The Just Make Up Some Lyrics Challenge

2009-06-15T15:20:00.018-04:00

Bill, at "West in New England" has issued the Make Up Some Lyrics Challenge. The song above represents the best a musically challenged family historian can do...but it sure was fun!

Saturday Night Fun--Sunday A.M.

2009-06-14T08:45:00.003-04:00

As much as I would like to participate in Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Fun on Saturday night, I never seem to make it. But I always enjoy the read on Sunday morning.

Here is what I learned this week:

I already loved maps and knew of their importance to research, but I found this Cool Map documenting the population center for the U.S. over time...it pretty much follows my ancestors' travels. I also have a new blog to follow.
Since Ancestry's launch of the Canadian censuses, I've been prowling for my husband's Canadian ancestors online.
I got a brick in the mail....it's a meaningful brick, and the subject of a coming blog entry. Stay tuned.

Fair is Fair

2009-06-08T13:06:00.011-04:00

I have no horse in this race. I do not descend from Native Americans. All of my ancestors are "come-heres" and probably didn't consider Indians as friends. But fair is fair.

If you don't live in Virginia, or don't have Native American ancestry, you probably don't know that the Virginia tribes--Nansemond, Eastern Chickahominy,Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Rappahannock, Upper Mattaponi, Chickahominey, and Monacan-- have yet to gain recognition from the federal government.

Say, what? That's right. The tribes of Powhatan and Pocahontas are not recognized by the federal government, which means that they get no part of federal money that some tribes have used for college tuition, housing loans and health care.

Joanne Kimberlin, reporter for the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, VA, is completing a 3-part series for the newpaper entitled “We're Still Here”¹on the history of the tribes' efforts for recognition. Unfortunately, you can't see it online unless you are a subscriber. That is too bad, as it is wonderfully written and comprehensive in scope. Some of the high points from her findings are below (the editorial rant is mine):

Virginia tribes signed a treaty with England in 1677 which is in force today. The tribes still present the Virginia governor with a payment of rent each year in the form of a deer or other animal offering, as prescribed by the treaty. Other tribes, who made peace with the U.S. much later negotiated a better deal. It seems no good deed goes unpunished.
Recognition now involves completion of a process supervised by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which involves documenting the tribes' history over several hundred years. This effort has been complicated by Virginia's 1924 Racial Integrity Act, which defined “white” as “having no trace whatsoever of any blood other than Caucasian, and everyone else as “colored”. One public servant in charge of vital records at the time, Walter Plecker, made it his mission to make sure that all records conformed to the Act, forever altering the clear lineage that today's applicants need. As family historians who rely on the public record, we should be stunned.
The tribes' efforts at legislative support for their cause over the years is an absolute embarassment. Legislators, who are loathe to protect us from lax gun laws, dilapidated interstate highways and crumbling schools, fear that recognition brings the threat of Indian casinos. Supporting the effort when it suits them and withdrawing support at the eleventh hour seems to be their M.O. Absolutely shameful!

So, what's to be done? VITAL, the blog of the Virginia Indian Tribal Alliance for Life, reported on April 22 that the “Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2009”, H.R. 1385, passed the House Committee on Natural Resources and is positioned to be considered by the full House. The bill is sponsored by Virginia Congressman Jim Moran. Virginia's Governor Timothy M. Kaine released this statement:

“Today’s vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize six of the Native American Tribes of Virginia is a major step towards reconciling an historic wrong for Virginia and the Nation. While the Virginia Tribes have received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia , acknowledgement and officially recognized status from the federal government has been considerably more difficult due to their systematic mistreatment over the past century.
“We are proud of Virginia ’s recognized Indian Tribes and their contributions to our Commonwealth. The Virginia Tribes are a part of us. We go to school together, work together, and serve our Commonwealth and nation together every day. These contributions should be acknowledged, and this federal recognition for Virginia ’s native peoples is long overdue.
“Virginia’s congressional delegation, including co-sponsors Rep. Gerry Connolly, Rep. Tom Perriello, Rep. Bobby Scott, Rep. Rob Wittman—and especially bill sponsor Rep. Jim Moran—deserve credit for their work on behalf of the native peoples of Virginia .
“I will strongly support efforts to pass federal recognition legislation for the Native American Virginia Tribes in the U.S. Senate and look forward to assisting in any way I can to help ensure this legislation is enacted into law.”

I hope anyone who reads this and feels moved to add their voice to setting this business right will contact their congressman and ask them to support this bill when it comes to a vote. And if you aren't so moved, I thank you for allowing me this little rant.

(Taking a breath......)

Back to genealogy.

1.Kimberlin, Joann.”We're Still Here”.Virginian-Pilot. 7-9 June 2009:A1+.

The Puckerbrush!

2009-06-07T21:42:00.012-04:00

What a treat to be the proud recipient of the Puckerbrush award! I rather feel like Sally Field at the Oscars! Thanks to Delia's Genealogy Blog for the honor!

Quoting now from Delia's blog on the Puckerbrush:
"The award was created in honor of genealogy blogger Janice Brown by Terry Thornton, author of "Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi", who explained that "Janice told us all about the word 'puckerbrush' in an article she posted August 27, 2007 at "Cow Hampshire". Terry elaborated a bit further in a comment: 'On any land allowed to go fallow and left untended, a wild assortment of wild plants grow – in some areas, this wild growth results in such a thicket of plants that it is almost impossible to push your way through the growth.So it is with the growth of blogs --- so many that it is impossible to read them all. But in the puckerbrush eventually a few plants/trees become dominant and influence all who view them through the thick surrounding puckerbrush.And it is those outstanding blogs whose influence spreads beyond just the surrounding rabble of puckerbrush that I'm honoring.' Terry issued this challenge: Henceforth these awards will be called the Janice Brown Puckerbrush Blog Award for Excellence. All blog authors are hereby challenged to name the ten blogs which have influenced their writing the most and list them as a tribute to Janice --- the Janice Brown Puckerbrush Blog Awards for Excellence."

I am inspired daily by bloggers who take the time to share their triumphs and stumbles while pursuing this maddening hobby. Several I have mentioned before and would again here, but someone has beaten me to it: Becky at Grace and Glory,the footnoteMaven,The Small-Leaved Shamrock , Cindy at Everything's Relative. I have nominated these favorites on other occasions and they all deserve a repeat mention. But, new favorites include these five listed below who absolutely represent the Puckerbrush spirit:

1. Craig at GeneaBlogie. His descriptions of his Gines/Guions family research are almost a tutorial on how to develop leads. Plus his Louisiana sojourn is just fascinating reading.
2. Kathleen at Carrow and Faunt Family Tales share with me an interest in families in the DelMarVa. I have learned much from her knowledge of the region.
3. I have only recently discovered Terry at Desktop Genealogist Unplugged. Her vivid narratives bring her ancestors and their stories alive.
4. Debbie, at Debbie's Indiana Genealogy, is a genealogy angel. Her dedication to transcribing records for online access is inspiring.
5. My thanks to M. Murmurd, at Murmurd's Franco-American and
Québec Genealogy, for his timely information about common Charron/Ducharme ancestors. When he posts, it is always a must-read.

The blogging community is fast becoming a valuable resource for exchanging information and ideas that promote good research. The days spent at the crank of the microfilm reader are gradually being overtaken by days spent reaching out from the keyboard. I know the microfilm days will probably never disappear, but this is definitely more fun!

Main Street, USA

2009-06-03T10:39:00.013-04:00

This is a postcard showing Anderson Street, looking North, Elwood, Indiana. I am not sure of the date, but it appears it was never sent, and someone, probably someone little, left his message on the back in the scratches. From the cars on the front, I would guess it was taken in the late 1930's or early 1940's. Very different from Elwood today.

It certainly seems perfect for this month's Festival of Postcards on the theme of "Main Street".

Memorial Day, 2009

2009-05-24T06:10:00.006-04:00

Major Charles M. DeHority U.S.M.C.
May 1, 1943
5th Artillery. 2d Battalion
Somewhere in the Southern Pacific
(back of photo)

To all those in uniform and their families, thank you for your service!

The Good Earth?

2009-05-23T11:46:00.000-04:00

It is a happy coincidence that the topic for the Carnival of Genealogy this month requests submissions about our ancestors' connection to the land. Today is the 88th anniversary of my maternal grandparents' wedding, and both were tied to the land, but in different ways.

I could write about my grandmother, Mary (Wychulis) Douglas. She always had a garden in her back yard...grew the best tomatoes I can remember. But I've written about Grandma Douglas before.

Today, I want to write about my grandfather, Adam Anthony Douglas. He was born in 1895 in Lithuania and immigrated to this country in 1914. He made his living by working for many, many years as a coal miner near Old Forge, Pennsylvania. I remember my grandmother talking about how he would come home from work completely black in coal dust, except for the white of his eyes. As an adult, I visited a Pennsylvania coal mine exhibit that allowed us to go down into a coal mine and demonstrated the harsh conditions of the miners. At one point, the guide turned out the overhead lights...it was a black that I have never experienced before or since. I can imagine that the little lights on their hats didn't allow for much visibility.

But the Grandpa I remember was not at all bitter about the experience. He moved to Washington D.C. after WWII and worked for the DC transit company repairing buses. I remember him coming home from work and sitting with me in his chair, reading the funny papers. I still have that chair.
Grandpa passed away in May of 1956, a casualty of the black lung disease that claimed many.

I'm proud to be a coal miner's (grand)daughter!

An Irish Name

2009-05-21T07:04:00.010-04:00

The 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture features a roll call of Irish names, to which I proudly add the name DeHority.

When I first started doing research, I thought, since we spelled the name DeHority, that it was probably French. My dad, though, had always said we were "shanty Irish", suggesting humble beginnings and strength of character, and surely he was right.

The oldest research that I have on the family has our ancestor landing somewhere, somehow, in Maryland in the early 1700's. This was a George Dahorty, although his name was spelled many ways in records of the period, from Daugherty to Dagity. One of his descendants, Andrew Doherty(1774-1856), described his family's beginnings in Methodism in Pickerington, Ohio, 1812-1905 (H. E. Brill,Gayman Pub. Co., Canal Winchester, OH, 1905):

"About the year 1738, four young fellows were kidnapped on the coast of Ireland, brought to America and sold as indentured servants to pay their passage. One of these young men, George Doherty, was sold to a man who lived on the Delaware coast. He finally died there. What became of the other two is not known. George was the father of Andrew Doherty."

Well, there is no telling how much of this is true. It was probably their oral tradition at the time (and, I did notice that one of the four young fellows disappeared from the story completely). But, after researching probate and land records at the time, I believe Andrew's father was at least the third generation here when he was born about 1744.

Various branches of the family have surnames which include DeHority, Dehorty, Doherty, and Daugherty. In trying to be certain of my Irish claim, I have had my brother's DNA tested, and another DeHority from another branch has joined. Hopefully, more will follow. Our matches with others from the Doherty project at Family Tree DNA convince me I'm in the right place.

Count us as sons and daughters of the Clann ÓDochartaigh!

Saturday Night Fun -- Sunday Morning

2009-05-17T08:24:00.004-04:00

Randy Seaver, over at Genea-Musings, has issued his weekly challenge: "What event or person inspired you to start your genealogy research?"

For me, it was the absence of information. As I mentioned earlier, my husband's mother gifted us with a family tree for his dad's family that went back a couple of hundred years. It made me think about what I didn't know about my family. My dad rarely got together with his brother's family, and I could count on three fingers the number of times I could remember seeing his parents before they passed. Just not a close knit family. I knew my mother's family, but not where they were from, other than they were Lithuanian (several Lithuanian dishes had made it to the table when Grandma was visiting). Even when I started research, Dad wasn't very forthcoming with information...always glad to hear what I had found, frequently saying "Oh, yeah, I do remember that", but also a bit bemused that anyone would be interested.

I started with census records and was hooked. Back then, they were only available until the 1910 census, and I took a trip to the National Archives to read the films. It was amazing to me that there was all this information about people who lived so long ago. After that, the hunt was on! Now, I'm squinting my way through online images of land warrants that date to 1715, from the comfort of my home!

So, thanks to my mother-in-law for what she knew, and my dad for what he wasn't telling! And thanks to Randy, for the inspiration!

Vive la France!

2009-05-16T07:38:00.006-04:00

I haven't spent a lot of time researching my husband's family. I should. Someday my daughter or granddaughter may take an interest in all this, and I want to have the information for them. But I usually get distracted by the hunt for my elusive DeHoritys.

One thing about researching my husband's family is that it is so darn easy! Until his generation, every one of his ancestors, with one exception, are of French-Canadian stock. Information seems to just fall from the trees! Preserving family history seems to be coded in their DNA. My mother-in-law, God rest her, gave me a family tree that went back a couple of hundred years. I know, not sourced and hearsay and all, but when I started to verify the information, with very few exceptions, it was correct. Amazing!

Another thing that is wonderful about researching these hardy folks is that their wives kept their maiden names. No guesswork here! The Catholic Church records in the Drouin collection are a tremendous resource --"Benjamin Beaulieu, son of Francois Beaulieu and Marie-Louise Rapideaux (marries) Aglae Legault daughter of Dominique Legault and Marie Deguirre". Amazing!

The same sort of luck seems to happen on the Internet. I was browsing for new blogs the other day and the search engine calls up L'Association des Charron et Ducharme, a web site dedicated to the family history of my husband's grandmother's ancestors. The research and information available there is, well, amazing!

If all family history research were this easy, we would all need another hobby to fill the time.

I love the French!

"Friendly Bloggers Award" - Thank you Gini

2009-05-13T07:42:00.007-04:00

What a pleasure to wake up this morning and see this in my mailbox! Thank you, Gini, you've made my day!

This is a completely new experience for me, as most everything about blogging is, so I have set about to try to complete the responsibilities that come with this honor. Another blogging lesson!

I have figured out how to download the image, and post it to the site. I must now send this along to 7 members of the blogging community whose work I enjoy. This may be hard, as there are so many--

Cindy, at Everything's Relative. I know she has already been awarded, but I love the photos and family stories.

Julie, at Genblog. I always learn something, and thanks for the tip on the Irish Genealogical Research site.

Shades of the Departed, because I have inherited boxes of photos, and she has helped me try to date them with her examples....and I love the graphics on her page.

Randy, at Genea-Musings...another reason to look forward to Saturday. He has probably been nominated by many, so just add my name to the list!

Earline, at Ancestral Notes...thanks for reminding me about a genealogical will. I'd hate for all this work to go to waste!

Wibbling Jo...I LOVE the name, and I feel a kindred spirit also new to the blogging game.

Small-leaved Shamrock. I know my DeHoritys are Irish, and this site is a real celebration of Irish-American pride.

So, that's my list! Thanks to all of the above for their inspiration!

Cruising the Choptank River

2009-05-11T16:08:00.008-04:00

I am completely amazed that it has been almost 3 weeks since I posted anything here. So much for that resolution about advancing my research every week. Ah, well....I did learn how to knit socks.

Anyway, when last I worked on the research, I was trying to find out where the early Dehorty lands were after attending a wonderful workshop in Maryland. One of the earliest land records that I have for this family is for a George Dehorty who had a survey in 1715 for 100 acres of land called Venture "beginning at a white oak standing in the woods on the North side of Ingrams Creek that (?) out of the south side of Great Choptanks River" (my translation of a Maryland land record, liber FF7, page 121). My thought was to try to figure out where this might be....not that I expect that old white oak to still be there. Googling "Ingram's Creek Choptank River" leads me to a wonderful site called the Choptank River Heritage Center. Here I find that I can take a virtual tour of the entire length of the river. Apparently, Ingram's Creek is now called the Chapel Branch, and there is a historic site called Melville's Warehouse which was an early county seat for Caroline County in the late 1700's. I know I've seen the name Melville somewhere, and checking my notes, I see that George Dehorty's daughter Herodias, mentioned in probate records in 1754 for her brother Absalom, was married to a Melvill. Could there be a connection? I'll certainly have to research this! It certainly looks like they were at least neighbors.
It's the side trips in genealogy that make research so much fun. They are also why it takes me so long to get anywhere....

Land Record Research

2009-04-21T06:37:00.010-04:00

This past weekend, I had the chance to find out a little more (actually, a LOT more) about researching land records in Maryland. Although I have a huge brick wall to climb with my James Madison DeHority, I know he came from Delaware, and I know the Delaware Dehortys started in Maryland in the early 1700's.

The Dorchester Historical Society hosted a workshop presented by John Lyons on his years of research into the Maryland land records. John has reviewed the land records for the lower counties of Maryland, "platted" these properties with software, pinpointed their location and created a wonderful database to organise this information. Having read some of these old patents myself, I can't imagine what a huge job this has been. My eyes start to blur after a couple of hours!

John demonstrated the wealth of information available in these records, some of which are available online. After lunch, John, along with his fellow researcher, John Polk, patiently allowed each of us the opportunity to see if they had information on particular families and see plats of the early land holdings. There were quite a few happy folks in the room that afternoon.

Unfortunately, their research is just now getting to Dorchester County, which is where my people were. I hope they continue to organize this early information, so that someday I'll have a better idea of where my family washed ashore.

If your are a Maryland researcher, attending John's workshop is an opportunity not to be missed! Both John Lyons and John Polk are active on the Lower DelMarVa Rootsweb list, and their posts are usually mini-workshops in and of themselves.

Many thanks to the Dorchester Historical Society for the opportunity! Now, to plan my next trip to the Maryland Archives!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T08:55:00.001-04:00

Can't Wait for the Weekend!

2009-04-13T07:01:00.005-04:00

The earliest records that I have in my Dehority research are land records from Maryland. The Maryland State Archives has a wonderful resource at MdLandRec.net that allows searching for old land records from the comfort of your home. You have to sign up for a username and password, but the record access is free. Here is a sample image. It is an order dated 1715 for a survey of land for one George Dehorty. It is really exciting to come across these old documents. I am lucky enough to live close to Maryland, so this weekend I will be able to attend a workshop given by someone with a lot of experience with these old documents. I hope to maybe find out where these lands were, and how to get the most out of this type of record. Even though I can't directly link my family to this group yet, I know I will someday, as soon as I get over my brick wall.
Happy hunting!

Deja Vu All Over Again

2009-04-05T22:10:00.004-04:00

I have a LOT of land records to transcribe before going to a workshop on Maryland land records in a couple of weeks....but I really don't feel like it. SO, I decided to check out a site that was recommended, GenealogyBank.com . It is a subscription site that features historical newpapers, books and documents, and the always available Social Security Death Index.

The good thing about a name like DeHority is that most of the time, when you get a hit on a search, it is somebody connected to the family. In browsing the hits on this site, I read an article that referenced William DeHority (who would be a great uncle), the first mayor of Elwood, Indiana. The report seemed to be right out of today's headlines, but the reference is a newspaper called the Inter Ocean, dated 20 July 1893:

Dull Times in Elwood

...A deplorable condition of affairs exists among the poorer class of Elwood. Over two thousand workmen are out of employment and many are in suffering circumstances with starvation staring them in the face. The stagnation in business circles prevents them from obtaining any work, and, with no prospect of immediate relief in this direction, they are in a very pitiable condition. With rent to pay and food to procure they are helpless, and in order to furnish them relief Mayor Dehority called a meeting of citizens this evening to devise means for their support.
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, 1892, there were no unemployed men in Elwood. The mills and factories were running on full time and the wages paid were high. But on that day, though a Republican majority was cast in Elwood, many working men in the country at large were led to believe that the Homestead strike was a result of Republican rule, though really it was an event uninfluenced by political causes; and, acting on this belief, they aided in the election of a Congress and a President pledged to repeal that protection to American industries which alone had given birth and maintenance to the Elwood enterprises. The Sherman law, so-called, was then in force, but its operation did not prevent the prosperity of Elwood. It does not now prevent it. The cause of depression there is uncertainty as to the intentions of Congress and the President toward the tariff. If assurance be given that protection will be continued to the glass and tin-plate industries the business of Elwood will revive. If such assurance be withheld it is probable that yet darker days are in store for this lately prosperous little city."

March Madness

2009-04-03T14:13:00.005-04:00

I always knew my dad to be a super tennis player. He won many trophies playing for the U.S. Marine Corps in the late 1950's and early 1960's. But, I didn't know about his earlier career on the basketball court. This photo was probably taken around 1928 or so, and from the front of the jerseys, I'd guess this team played for Elwood (Indiana) Junior High. Written on the back is the following:

"My brother, Bill DeHority, wrote the names on the back of the picture.

Left to right top row: Carl Renner, Ass. Coach, Don Dellinger, Bud Hefflin, Bill DeHority, Mr Bridges coach, Denver Foist, Ralph Warner, Pete Vanness.

Bottom row: Tom Lindley, Jim Frazier, Carl Sigler(?), Paul Alexander, Alvey Havens.

Very Bottom Charles DeHority"

Surname meme

2009-03-02T07:51:00.006-05:00

Craig on GeneaBlogie has a great suggestion for a blog. Of course, I just posted yesterday, but it is such a good idea, I really want to get this out there. The task is to list the surnames I'm researching, their localities and your "Most Wanted Ancestors". Here goes, through 2xgreat-grandparents:

DeHority/Dehorty and variants: Indiana, Delaware, Ohio, Maryland, Idaho and (someday) Ireland;
Mauzy: Indiana, Virginia, France;
Hupp: Indiana, Virginia, Germany;
Moore: Indiana, Virginia;
Bobbitt: Indiana, Virginia;
Huffman: Indiana, Tennessee;
Carr: Indiana, Virginia;
Douglas/Dobrovalskas: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Lithuania;
Wychulis/Vaiculis: Pennsylvania, Illinois, Lithuania;
Urnikas: Pennsylvania, Illinois, Lithuania;
Bartkiewicz: Pennsylvania, Illinois, Lithuania;
Beaulieu: Massachusetts, Quebec, France;
Landry: Massachusetts, Quebec, France;
Ducharme: Massachusetts, Quebec, France;
Filion: Massachusetts, Quebec, France;

Most Wanted: No surprise here, the parents of James Madison DeHority, born 1819 in Delaware, probably Kent County, and died in 1891 in Elwood, Indiana. Second, the parents of Susanna Huffman, said to be born in Kingsport, Tennessee in 1817, died in 1899 in Elwood, Indiana.

Paternity search in Delaware

2009-03-01T19:57:00.003-05:00

So, nothing seems to be shaking loose in Indiana. Maybe I should shift my focus to Delaware.

Here's what I know. A James M. Dehorty is mentioned in the will of Thomas Dehorty of Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, dated December, 1846. Thomas calls this James the son of Sarah Silivan, but does not identify his relationship to Thomas. I know from records in the Delaware Archives that Thomas married Margaret Reed, daughter of John Reed, in about 1792. John Reed's will confirms that he had grandchildren Mary(Dehorty) Cahall, William B. Dehorty, Elizabeth (Dehorty) Cubbage and a great grandchild Margaret Clark, who would be the daughter of Amy (Dehorty) Clark. So, there is a William B. Dehorty, son of Thomas. James M. named his first son William B. Dehorty. Could this be James' father? I have yet to find a record in Delaware or Maryland of William B. marrying anyone. William dies in or before 1831, when my James would be about 11-12 years old. Unfortunately, there is a problem. There does exist an Orphan's Court record in the Delaware Archives dated about 1884 that appears to be an effort to settle land that William left. And, it begins

"William Dehorty late of then Murderkill Hundred in the County and State aforesaid deceased departed this life intestate and without issue on or about the year AD 1831...."

Rats! This is a great bit of evidence, detailing the descendants of William's siblings, their marriages and even a divorce, but, there it is, he died intestate and without issue. Another dead end!

Why did Thomas leave James $100 in his will? How are they related?

My #21

2009-02-22T17:51:00.003-05:00

Being new to this genealogy blog thing, I am learning something new every day! In tracking down ways to get my blog on various lists, I stumbled across Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings blog. His prompt for yesterday was “Who is #21 on your Ahnentafel list? Well, that got me scurrying to my Family Tree Maker program to find the answer.

By coincidence, I have been corresponding about this lovely lady with someone who posted her grave on the findagrave.com web site. My #21 is Emily R. Jamison, wife of Abram Gooding Mauzy of Rushville, Indiana. I don't have a picture of her that I know of, but I do have boxes of unidentified photos, some of whom could be her. Emily was the daughter of Wesley Jameson and Mary Reed, born 29 May 1828 in Bourbon County, Kentucky and died 12 July 1873 in Rush County, Indiana. I don't have a photo of her, but here is a link to the photo of her gravesite in the East Hill Cemetery, Rush county, Indiana. It's a beaut!

Thanks for the idea, Randy!

Tombstone Tuesday-James M. DeHority

2009-02-17T13:14:00.007-05:00

Here is the final resting place of James M. DeHority and his wife Susannah Huffman DeHority in the Elwood City Cemetery, Elwood, Indiana.

At the top is noted that the mausoleum was rebuilt in 1899, indicating that it had fallen into some disrepair at one time. When I first saw the mausoleum it was in sad shape, but on a more recent visit, I was pleased to see it had been cleaned up, repaired and locked up. A recent reading of the cemetery by the Elwood-Pipecreek Genealogy Society lists its occupants as:
Anna DeHority (1833-1880)
Bertha M. DeHority (1877-1877)
Frank E. DeHority (1875-1942)
Homer DeHority (1881-1881)
James H. DeHority (1844-1899)
James M. DeHority (1853-1907)
James M. DeHority (1819-1890)
Jane H. DeHority (1850-1937)
John W. DeHority (1840-1881)
Joseph A. DeHority (1850-1853)
Mary J. DeHority (1855-1856)
Myrtle DeHority (1874-1968)
Myrtle L. DeHority (1876-1954)
Susannah H. DeHority (1816-1899)
William B. DeHority (1838-1839)

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

2009-02-07T16:14:00.007-05:00

I started this post three days ago, then the flu hit. Let me see, where was I?

Following George L. and Anna Warren DeHority hasn't gotten me any closer to my James M. DeHority's parents (yet), but I am more convinced that I'm on the right trail. In searching the 1860 census for Anna, I did notice some familiar names. Also living in Pipe Creek Township in 1860, so, not far from James M., is Andrew Griffith(age 31) and his wife Nancy(34), with children Mary(6) and Sara(3). This Andrew is a railroad agent and lists his birthplace as Delaware. Thomas Dehorty (the one with the will that mentions my James, I think) had a grandson Andrew Griffith by his daughter Elizabeth. Another hint that this might be him is that member of his household is a William Lord(21). Thomas has a great grandson William Lord by his daughter Elizabeth with her first husband William Cubbage and their daughter Mary. That would have made Andrew his uncle. Coincidence? I don't think so. It looks like maybe a group of folks from Delaware settled in the same area of Indiana. Going fishing at Ancestry, I find a source Hamilton County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1850 - 1879 which shows that an Andrew J. Griffith married Nancy J. Huff on March 6, 1852. The date would support the ages of the children. Where was Andrew in 1850? I can't find him in Delaware or Indiana, but he seems to be in Franklin County, Ohio listed as an attendant in a "lunatic asylum". The age of this Andrew is consistent with my target, and supporting this hypothesis is the presence of a Cubbage Dill as another attendant. Both the Cubbage and Dill families lived near the Delaware Dehortys. If these conjectures are true, Andrew must have had an interesting trek from Delaware to Indiana.

I sure seem to be able to find out more about the people around my DeHoritys than I can find about my DeHoritys.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

2009-02-05T07:40:00.000-05:00

This lovely lady is my grandmother, Mary Marcella (Wychulis) Douglas. Today would be the 111th anniversary of her birth. I was named for her (actually for both my grandmothers, as they had the same first name.....pretty convenient!), and she has a special place in my heart. She is one of my ancestors that I had the very special privilege to know personally.

Grandma was born February 5, 1898 to Jacob and Anna Wychulis, two immigrants to Pennsylvania from Lithuania who came to this country between 1888 and 1895. Mary grew up in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, the fourth oldest of eight children. She met my grandfather, Adam Anthony Douglas, who had immigrated from Lithuania in 1914, and they were married in St. Casimir's Church, Pittston, Pa, on May 23, 1921. This is a photo of their marriage certificate.

St. Casimir's must have been a Lithuanian church, as their names have a Lithuanian spelling, Dobrovolskas (Douglas) and Vaiciulis (Wychulis). I remember Grandma telling a story on herself about when she and Grandpa were dating. One night she wanted to go out with another fellow and so she told Grandpa she couldn't go out with him. Who should she meet when she was walking home with her date, but Grandpa. She said he was pretty mad. I guess he forgave her.

Grandpa died in 1956 and Grandma lived until 1984. Grandma always regretted not having more education. I remember that for a while, Grandma was one of the cafeteria ladies, making lunch at a high school in Alexandria, Virginia, where she lived. But mostly, I remember Grandma coming to stay with us when my dad was stationed away from the family. Since there were 6 kids in my family, I know how much mom must have appreciated the help. Here is a picture taken about 1958 of Grandma and some of her grandchildren. I'm the cute one, second from the right with the donut braid on top of her head.

I know how much I appreciated having her to talk to. She used to say, “Be a good girl, Mary Lou. Study hard, and help your mother.” She was a devout Catholic, and I remember her “saying her rosaries” every day. Also, watching her “stories” every day.....she introduced me to “Search for Tomorrow” and “Guiding Light” when they were 15 minute episodes. I watched “Guiding Light” for years.

Now that I'm a “Nana”, I think about her often. Her family was the center of her life. Her life wasn't big, and she probably didn't think it was very special.

But it was special to me.

Little Boy Lost

2009-02-03T13:20:00.002-05:00

Well, I finally got a few minutes to read the 1860 census for Madison County, IN. Only 42 pages, not too bad! That year, most of my DeHoritys were Doughertys. I saw my James Madison DeHority with wife Susannah and sons John and James. I was on the lookout for George L. DeHority's family, minus George as he appears to have passed around 1857.

It doesn't take very long to find Anna (Warren) Dougherty. There she is on page 105, age 37, born in Delaware. She is listed as a seamstress, so that must be how she is keeping the family going after George's death. She is listed with children James (9), David (7), George (4) and Thomas (3). George?! I have the other boys in my database, but not George. Who is this little guy? Maybe I should look for them in 1870.

By 1870, Anna's fortunes seem to have improved. She is still in Madison County, IN, but she is listed as the wife of William Etchison (56), farmer born in North Carolina. According to the Pioneer Cemeteries of Indiana web site, there are lots of Etchisons in the area at this time. Anna's sons James (17) and Thomas (13), are there, along with daughter Emma Etchison (5). Where are David and George? Well, David is listed as a farm laborer working on the Kidwell farm. But no George. I think I might know where he is.

In the Duck Creek Cemetery, Frazier Farm listing on the Pioneer Cemeteries site is an entry (#15558) for a little grave for George N. Dehority, 7 y. 9 m. 5 d., December 3, 1866 or 63. I've often wondered who this little guy might be, now, I think I know. If the date on the stone is 1863, the age would be right for the George on the 1860 census. Too sad!

What happens to Anna? Well, by 1880, Anna is again a widow, still in Madison Co., IN, and living with daughter Emma, now 17, and son Thomas (22). After that, I'm not sure what happens to her. I haven't yet stumbled on her gravesite. Maybe I will.

But she isn't near that little boy on the Frazier Farm.

But I digress...

2009-01-27T09:52:00.009-05:00

I had every intention of writing about George and Anna (Warren) DeHority. But, every now and then, when trolling the Web for a specific individual, happy serendipity bestows a gift.

Today, I am looking for Anna (Warren) DeHority in the 1860 census (or anywhere else). Since my James M. DeHority held an estate sale for George in Perkinsville, IN, I will need to find it in the 1860 census, since Ann isn't showing up on a search (nor are sons David and Thomas....where are they?). In what township is Perkinsville? My clicking lands me at the wonderful site Pioneer Cemeteries of Indiana, where Prewett Cemetery in Perkinsville is beautifully photographed, accompanied by a narrative about some of the “residents” of the cemetery. And, lo and behold, there is a picture of the tombstone of Isaac Moore and his wife Sarah. Isaac and Sarah had a son Thomas R. Moore, who had a daughter, Jane Moore, who married John Wesley DeHority, son of my James. That makes Isaac my 4th great-grandfather. But, even better, I did know about Isaac, but not his wife Sarah, so I have a new find to add to my tree. This is a good day!

I don't have a picture of Isaac, but I do have this wonderful shot of my 2d great grandmother Jane (Moore) DeHority and her twin brother Thomas, taken about 1923.

Looking for George L.

2009-01-26T11:27:00.003-05:00

When I'm looking online for ancestors, I usually stop first at Rootsweb, just to see if anyone else is looking too. There are often hints on how to proceed. Unfortunately, no one at Rootsweb is looking for George L. Dehority or Anna (Warren) Dehority, except me. No trees, no records, nothing (sigh!). Even looking for sons Thomas or David doesn't help.

Next stop, the Ancestry census files. My favorite census is 1850, since this is the one where they finally started listing all the members of the household. There he is, page 111, Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, George Dorority, age 23 (or possibly 33—there is a markover), a farmer with 300 acres (Thomas' will left George half interest in his home and plantation estimated at 400 acres). Also listed with him are: Ann (29), David (1), Susan Herd (15) and Thomas Herd (19). All of this is consistent with George being the “son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd” as in Thomas' will. Further up the page is James Herd (38) and wife Mary (44) with their children: Elizabeth (12), Samuel (11), Rebecca (8), James (6), Benjamin (2). Well, if this is George's mother Mary, then either George is definitely 23, not 33, or she had him at age 11. It is starting to look like Mary had an earlier husband.

Next: Other clues in 1850.

Where there's a will...

2009-01-17T14:56:00.002-05:00

Taking a closer look at Thomas' will, there doesn't seem to be a mention of bequests left to children. He mentions grandchildren: George L. Dehorty, John Tilghman Cubbage, Andrew J. Griffith, George R Griffith, Martin V. Griffith, Alexane Griffith, Joshua M. Dehorty, Thomas D. Cubbage, Margaret Clark. He mentions also, without identifying a relationship: James R. Griffith (father of the above children surnamed Griffith) and Elizabeth Griffith (probably his daughter Elizabeth, but he doesn't name her as such). So, who were the children of Thomas? Why are they not mentioned? If James is to be related to Thomas, it would seem that I need to look into this further. Maybe by investigating these grandchildren, I will find a clue. And there is also the elusive Sarah Silivan....did she marry a son of Thomas? Did she marry Thomas? If she is my James' mother, this last does not seem likely if the obituary is correct in that James lost both his parents by age 8. I think I'll start with George L. Dehorty, since he's the one that ended up in Indiana.

Next: Looking for George L.

The Trail in Delaware

2009-01-15T17:26:00.010-05:00

So, James Madison DeHority was born in Delaware in 1819. This seems like the next place to look. There are a number of Dehorty families in Delaware in this time period. In researching the probate records, the only one which offers a link is a will for Thomas Dehorty, probated in 1847. The first hint is as follows:

“I will and devise unto my grandson John Tilghman Cubbage and to my grandson
George L. Dehorty son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd, as tenants in common all
my home and dwelling plantation.”

So, a George L. Dehorty is the son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd. Is this my George L. Dehorty in Indiana? The marriage card file of the Delaware State Archives lists a marriage for James Hurd and Mary Longfellow. Does the “L” in George's name stand for Longfellow?
Further in the will:

“...subject to a legacy of one hundred dollars which I do hereby will and
devise that the said John Tilghman Cubbage and George L. Dehorty shall pay or
cause to be paid to James M. Dehorty, son of Sarah Silivan the same to be paid
within one year of my demise.”

Aha! So here's a reference to a James M. Dehorty. My James?! Efforts to find a reference to a Sarah Silivan have so far been unsuccessful. If James' obituary is correct, she must have died around 1828. And how is James related to Thomas? Thomas didn't refer to him as a grandson (drat!), so why is he leaving him $100?
Last, from the will:

“I further will and devise unto Ann Maria Warren one cow and one feather bed
with bedsted and furniture.”

Well, now. George L. DeHority had a son, Thomas (!) L. DeHority. A biography of Thomas indicates that his mother's name was Anna Maria Warren. I think this verifies that Thomas is referring to the DeHoritys in Indiana. George, Anna and their family are in Madison county in 1850, three years after the will was probated. I wonder if they delivered the $100 to James?

The trail seems hot in Delaware...

Leads in Indiana

2009-01-13T10:48:00.005-05:00

James M. DeHority and his descendants are mentioned in several directories, databases, and histories of Madison County, IN. None of these include information about his parentage, except for the obituary previously mentioned. So, where to look next. One thought was to check for other DeHority families that show up in Indiana at the same time to see if there is a connection. There seem to be 2 that fit this description: George L. DeHority and Caleb DeHority. They aren't listed consecutively on any copies of the 1850 or 1860 census images that I have found online, but it seems they knew each other.

Caleb DeHority and his family arrive near "Anderson town" Indiana in September of 1838 according to a note left to descendants of his son William. 1838 is the year James M. married his wife Susanna in Fayette Co.,IN, and he comes to Pipe Creek Twp. by 1840, according to the Forkner Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, published in 1897. A son born to Caleb in 1834 in DE is named James also. Did they know each other? Seems likely to me.

George L. DeHority and his family arrive from DE to settle "further west of Elwood" in 1850, according to a biography of his son Thomas. George names his son born in 1852 James M. DeHority. A clipping in the Anderson Public Library from 19 March 1858, notice in the Democrat Standard reads:
Administrator's Notice and Sale

I, the undersigned, have administered according to law on the estate of George
L. Dehority, deceased, late of Madison county, Indiana. The estate is probably
solvent. And on Saturday, the 10the day of April next, I will offer at public
sale at Perkinsville, all the personal effects of said deceased, consisting in
part of Horses, Wagon, Household and Kitchen Furniture, &c. A credit of nine
months on all sums of three dollars and upwards. Purchasers will be required to
give notes with approved security, waiving appraisement laws and barring
interest. James M. Dehority, March 13, 1858, Administrator.

So, it seems likely they were related, no? Unfortunately, probate records from George L. DeHority haven't been found (yet.....gotta love those courthouse fires).

Next: Clues in Delaware.

Brick wall: James Madison DeHority 1819-1891

2009-01-11T07:53:00.009-05:00

Vital statistics: James was born in Delaware, reportedly near Dover, on 21 April 1819, parents unknown. He came to Indiana in 1836 and married Susanna Huffman 13 September 1838 in Fayette County, IN. Between 1839 and 1858, James and Susanna had 4 children: William B., John W., James H. and Joseph A. Only John W. and James H. lived to maturity. Obituaries and various county histories refer to him as a physician, minister (Methodist), banker and the owner of DeHority and Sons mercantile. James died in Elwood, Indiana, 18 July 1891. When he died, an obituary reports that 2000 people attended the funeral, notably a contingent from the Odd Fellows lodge.

So, my 3x-great grandfather seems to have been quite a Renaissance man. But who were his parents? Biographies of him, and his sons, are silent on this point. His obituary claims that he was orphaned in Delaware at the age of 8, and he lived with his grandparents until the age of 18 when he sets out for Indiana. Research in Delaware has revealed some clues, but no definitive suspects. So far, none of the articles found hints at the answer.

Next post: Clues in Delaware.

What's in a name?

2009-01-09T11:32:00.008-05:00

So, I guess the first question is what family names am I following? Most important is my family's name, DeHority. Variants have appeared in documents dating to the 1700's: DeHority, Dehorty, Dougherty, Daugherty, Daggity, Dehortee, and even Dawoughtee. Other surnames include Mauzy, Hupp, Moore, Sillivan, Huffman, and Bobbitt. In researching these folks, I have picked up quite a bit of paper on collateral lines...my stacks are pretty big. Along the way I've corresponded with many other wonderful researchers, each stalking their own ancestors, lurked on a lot of lists hoping for tips, spent hours on Google hoping to sight new contacts, tramped through cemeteries....pretty much the same thing everyone bitten by the genealogy bug does. As hobbies go, it is fascinating, frustrating, enlightening and non-fattening.

But enough philosophizing...next, working on a brick wall.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-08T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been tracking ancestors for almost 10 years now, some years more successfully than others. Previously I've had information on the web scattered amongst AOL, Family Tree Maker and Ancestry sites and posted on various Rootsweb boards. Last October, the Hometown AOL web sites went down, and the little that I had went with it. This year the plan is to dive into a consolidated web site, while trying to continue research and keep up with "real life" in general. No small plan. So this first post is small, a test, because I'm completely new to blogging and real life is calling in the background. Any and all suggestions about how to proceed are gratefully accepted.

More later.