While conducting research, you sometimes come across a neat story. This one involves a collateral ancestor, Conrad Earthenhouse, whose daughter married the brother of my Martin Cawby.
Earthenhouse was a Hessian soldier during the Revolutionary War. On the ship over, he befriended a soldier from another regiment, Jacob Zeuch [Zike]. Their regiments were initially stationed in New York. In 1779, they were sent to Virginia. It is unclear whether Earthenhouse and Zike missed the ship that would take them from Virginia by accident or intentionally. Conrad and Jacob decided to switch sides. They made their way to Maryland and enlisted in the Continental Army. The pair fought at Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse and Yorktown.
Conrad and Jacob would settle in Maryland after the war and eventually make their way to Jessamine County, Kentucky. Earthenhouse applied for a pension in 1832, but lacked sufficient documentation to prove his service because Jacob Zike, the one man who could confirm his service, had died three years earlier.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Pittsburgh and Uniontown
I attended a national genealogy conference in Pittsburgh about 2001, give or take a year or two. After the conference, I rented a car and drove to nearby Uniontown to research my Faucett and Crousore ancestors. The research was not terribly successful. I still had a couple of days left before flying back to FL.
Those days were spent visiting a few French and Indian War sites: Fort Necessity, the site of Braddock's Defeat and a couple of others. It was a very informative trip. I learned quite a bit about Washington's early military career.
Those days were spent visiting a few French and Indian War sites: Fort Necessity, the site of Braddock's Defeat and a couple of others. It was a very informative trip. I learned quite a bit about Washington's early military career.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
McHughs in Wisconsin
In 2001, I attended the Samford University [AL] Genealogy Institute for a week, then drove to Springfield, IL to see Abe Lincoln sites. From there, I traveled to Galena, IL and Lafayette Co., WI. After that I went to Madison, WI and then to Indy to visit cousins.
Lafayette Co., WI was the key to the trip. My McHughs had settled there in 1849. I was able to meet with the county historian for awhile. I also took in the historical society and library in Darlington, the county seat. The McHughs resided at Gratiot for a few years before moving to Shullsburg, a few miles away. The 1st generation of the family was buried at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Gratiot. The 2nd generation was interred at St. Matthew's near Shullsburg. I toured both cemeteries and took pictures of the headstones.
Backtracking to Galena for a paragraph: I checked a city directory for John "Jack" McHugh, who owned a cigar factory there for several years. The address for the cigar factory was now a corner stationary store, I asked the manager if a cigar factory had been in the building. She called the owner and confirmed that part of the store had indeed been Great-Uncle Jack's cigar factory. I also located the building where he had lived while in Galena.
Oh, the cousins I visited in Indy? McHughs.
Lafayette Co., WI was the key to the trip. My McHughs had settled there in 1849. I was able to meet with the county historian for awhile. I also took in the historical society and library in Darlington, the county seat. The McHughs resided at Gratiot for a few years before moving to Shullsburg, a few miles away. The 1st generation of the family was buried at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Gratiot. The 2nd generation was interred at St. Matthew's near Shullsburg. I toured both cemeteries and took pictures of the headstones.
Backtracking to Galena for a paragraph: I checked a city directory for John "Jack" McHugh, who owned a cigar factory there for several years. The address for the cigar factory was now a corner stationary store, I asked the manager if a cigar factory had been in the building. She called the owner and confirmed that part of the store had indeed been Great-Uncle Jack's cigar factory. I also located the building where he had lived while in Galena.
Oh, the cousins I visited in Indy? McHughs.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Misguided, but great Adventure
I was a novice researcher back in 1990. I had been told by my Aunt Dorothy that the Pralls were Pennsylvania Dutch and my Pop said he had been told we were Scottish. When I learned that the University of St. Andrews [Scotland] was offering a one week genealogy workshop, I jumped at the chance to go. It would be my first trip overseas!
The Prall surname failed to appear in any of the records. The day trips and evening activities though, made the trip worth while. Earlshall Castle, the fishing village of Crail, Edinburgh and an assortment of local museums and pubs occupied the week. One evening I took in "When the Nightingale Sings" at the local theater. The play told the story of a British family during World War II. It was fantastic!
As it turned out, I later learned that Prall was Dutch, German or Norman-English in origin. A few Scots or Scots-Irish have popped up in the family over the years: Douglas, MacCallum, Cunningham, Campbell, Mahurin and, probably, Crail. I had visited the ancestral home after all!
I hope to return to Scotland someday and see more of the country.
The Prall surname failed to appear in any of the records. The day trips and evening activities though, made the trip worth while. Earlshall Castle, the fishing village of Crail, Edinburgh and an assortment of local museums and pubs occupied the week. One evening I took in "When the Nightingale Sings" at the local theater. The play told the story of a British family during World War II. It was fantastic!
As it turned out, I later learned that Prall was Dutch, German or Norman-English in origin. A few Scots or Scots-Irish have popped up in the family over the years: Douglas, MacCallum, Cunningham, Campbell, Mahurin and, probably, Crail. I had visited the ancestral home after all!
I hope to return to Scotland someday and see more of the country.
Sunday, July 10, 2016
A Shelbyville Adventure
About 5 years ago, I went to do Crail research in Shelbyville, IN. I knew it would be a longshot, I was trying to find info on James B. Crail and Mary Jones - my most elusive ancestral couple. While I located a scattering of tax records that might have referenced James, my most interesting find concerned his namesake grandson, James Crail.
James was a veterinarian in Shelbyville during the first decade of the 20th century. I had found his office address in a directory advertisement some years earlier. The town had undergone changes and I wasn't able to pinpoint the exact address.
A local historian had compiled a set of books based on city directories that showed where businesses were located during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Lo and behold, Dr. Crail's veterinary surgery was shown in one of the books. He was conveniently located between a butcher shop and a livery stable.
James was a veterinarian in Shelbyville during the first decade of the 20th century. I had found his office address in a directory advertisement some years earlier. The town had undergone changes and I wasn't able to pinpoint the exact address.
A local historian had compiled a set of books based on city directories that showed where businesses were located during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Lo and behold, Dr. Crail's veterinary surgery was shown in one of the books. He was conveniently located between a butcher shop and a livery stable.
Saturday, July 9, 2016
The Quest for the Mayflower and a Birthdate
Another of my Salt Lake Institute trips generated quite an adventure. I was trying to determine if my Hazen family had a Mayflower connection as a couple of researchers had been told. Nothing in the Hazen genealogy or research had pointed to such a link. If there was a Mayflower tie-in, there had to be an error in the research dating back to the turn of the 20th century.
That was the case. John Hazen had married Elizabeth Dart in 1726. What early researchers had missed was the fact that this was Elizabeth's 2nd marriage. Her 1st had been to Thomas Dart in 1717. Elizabeth's maiden name was Turner! She was the daughter of Ezekiel Turner and Susanna Keeney. Ezekiel was the great-grandson of William Brewster, one of the leaders of the Mayflower.
With the main goal accomplished, I also wanted to find out exactly when Mary Hazen [daughter of John and Elizabeth] was born. I had two dates 22 May 1735 and 18 May 1735. The first date was recorded in the family bible, the second turned out to be her baptism date. While going through Connecticut deeds, I found a note at the bottom of a John Hazen deed. It gave Mary's birth date - 5 January 1735!
My guess was that the Bible record was a memory error on the part of the recorder. In the Lyme, CT First Congregation Church baptismal records, there were three Hazens: Thomas, Mary and Ezekiel. Ezekiel had not been previously listed in any of the Hazen family groups.
One of the best sources I came across was the Diary of Joshua Hempstead. Hempstead chronicled the activities of New London, CT for 47 years [1711-1748]. The Hazens, Turners and Darts were oft mentioned.
It was a busy and interesting week!
That was the case. John Hazen had married Elizabeth Dart in 1726. What early researchers had missed was the fact that this was Elizabeth's 2nd marriage. Her 1st had been to Thomas Dart in 1717. Elizabeth's maiden name was Turner! She was the daughter of Ezekiel Turner and Susanna Keeney. Ezekiel was the great-grandson of William Brewster, one of the leaders of the Mayflower.
With the main goal accomplished, I also wanted to find out exactly when Mary Hazen [daughter of John and Elizabeth] was born. I had two dates 22 May 1735 and 18 May 1735. The first date was recorded in the family bible, the second turned out to be her baptism date. While going through Connecticut deeds, I found a note at the bottom of a John Hazen deed. It gave Mary's birth date - 5 January 1735!
My guess was that the Bible record was a memory error on the part of the recorder. In the Lyme, CT First Congregation Church baptismal records, there were three Hazens: Thomas, Mary and Ezekiel. Ezekiel had not been previously listed in any of the Hazen family groups.
One of the best sources I came across was the Diary of Joshua Hempstead. Hempstead chronicled the activities of New London, CT for 47 years [1711-1748]. The Hazens, Turners and Darts were oft mentioned.
It was a busy and interesting week!
Friday, July 8, 2016
Begat, Bewed and Begone Notebook
I have a special notebook/photo album for important documents and pictures. This is primarily for direct line ancestors. My title for the book may be a bit irreverent, but I call it my "begat, bewed and begone book."
Begat: birth certificates
Bewed: marriage licenses, applications, returns and certificates
Begones: death certificates, records, obituaries, announcements, coroner's reports
Additional: cemetery and gravestone photos, photos of homes or workplaces, some rare family photos
I can access the notebook quicker than family files if I need to check on a birth, marriage or death date.
I could also add copies of the documents to the individual files, but haven't as of yet.
Begat: birth certificates
Bewed: marriage licenses, applications, returns and certificates
Begones: death certificates, records, obituaries, announcements, coroner's reports
Additional: cemetery and gravestone photos, photos of homes or workplaces, some rare family photos
I can access the notebook quicker than family files if I need to check on a birth, marriage or death date.
I could also add copies of the documents to the individual files, but haven't as of yet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)