Month: June 2015
Surnames, Last Names, and Patronyms-Part I
Thomas Frame Pullman Employment File-Part II
This is another in our series on the Thomas Frame employment file from the Pullman Car Company. There is a great deal of good information on this card–better almost than a United States census record from the same time period. There’s no indication of whether Thomas was boarding, renting, or owning (he owned his home–or […]
Thomas Frame Pullman Employment File-Part I
Employment records, when available, are a great genealogical source. They can vary greatly in content and scope. Over the next few days, we’ll look briefly at images from the employment file of Thomas Frame who worked at the Pullman Car Works in Pullman, Illinois. For all of my children’s ancestors, the Pullman Car Works is […]
Are You Getting Our Posts?
We are still working through a few issues after our transfer to WordPress for our blog management. We appreciate everyone’s patience. If you get this message, and have a free moment, please let me know–either by responding on the blog, or to the email. I usually write about whatever strikes my interest and don’t pay […]
Granted Not All Deed Indexes are Equal
The first time I used these records I really did not know what I was doing and I incorrectly concluded there were no land deeds for my wife’s Drollette or Desmarais ancestors in Clinton County, New York. I was wrong. When I used the grantee index to land records years ago, I assumed that the “D” […]
Half-Day Seminar in Princeton, Illinois
I’ll be giving a half-day seminar in Princeton, Illinois, on 26 September 2015 for the Bureau County Genealogical Society. More details will be forthcoming on the Society’s website and here. Topics are: Newspaper Research Locating Immigrant Origins The Bureau County group is a great group. I always enjoy making presentations there.
Courthouse Basics, Where Do I Go From Here?, What to Blog About, and Tightwad Genealogy
June is a busy time….we’re offering four new presentations this week. Join us! Courthouse Basics–15 June 2015–8:00 pm Central Standard Time Where Do I Go From Here?–17 June 2015–7:00 pm Central Standard Time What to Blog About?–19 June 2015–1:00 pm Central Standard Time Tightwad Genealogy–19 June 2015–3:00 pm Central Standard Time More details are available […]
An Attempt at Well-Written Queries
[reprinted from our old Rootdig.com blog on 8 November 2014] As a followup to “Before You Post that Genealogy Query,” I’ve posted some sample queries that may not be great are a good start to getting the answers you want. Note: Queries with the last name of Smith are fiction. The others are not. Never hurts […]
My Uncle’s Father-in-Law Got a War of 1812 Pension and Why It Matters
The War of 1812 pension file for my probable uncle’s father-in-law is a genealogist’s dream. It may also help me track my actual ancestor Benjamin Butler (born about 1819 in New York State). At over 100 pages, the pension application for Jacob Baker from served in a unit from Vermont and lived in Ohio, Michigan, […]