Michael John Neill's Genealogy Website
I’m excited to be presenting at the annual Southern California Genealogical Society’s Jamboree this coming June. The Society will be live streaming fourteen sessions free for those who cannot attend Jamboree in person. My session on the Bureau of Land Management Tract Books will be one of those sessions. Those who wish to view the […]
John George Trautvetter was born in 1798 in Wildprechtrode, Thuringen, Germany, and died in Bad Salzungen, Thuringen, Germany, in 1871. He married Sophia Elizabeth Derle in Helmershausen, Thuringen. John George lived in Hancock County, Illinois, between 1853 and approximately 1869. Some things I learned from researching John George: some people were not permanent immigrants. John George […]
Note: A somewhat longer version of this article ran in the Ancestry Daily News on 11 December 2002. Today we’re asking questions of ourselves that we should also ask of our ancestors. If any of your ancestors are still living ask them the questions yourself (as politely as possible though, as some are somewhat sensitive). Most […]
Rebecca Tinsley (Newman) was born about 1820 in Fleming County, Kentucky, and died (according to her daughter) “near to Moberly, Missouri,” in the 1880s. She married William Newman in 1839 in Rush County, Indiana. Some things I’ve learned about research from Rebecca: don’t assume people with similar names are one person. Early in my research, a […]
William Newman was born about 1818 in Kentucky most likely in the Bourbon County area and died in the 1880s (according to his daughter Nancy) “near to Moberly, Missouri.” He married Rebecca Tinsley in 1839 in Rush County, Indiana. Some things I’ve learned about research from William: Some people are movers. William and his wife […]
Ancestry.com’s “California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968” was recently updated according to their site. It’s a great database for those with relatives who lived in California during this time period. A few general caveats about this database: it may not be completely extant for the 1900-1968 time period for all California counties–check the inventory listing to see […]
Nanke Albers who immigrated to the United States in 1869 is probably my oldest immigrant ancestor. Sometimes it can be easy to think that all immigrants were children or young-to-middle aged adults. That’s not necessarily the case. The native of Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany, likely immigrated when the last of her grown children sailed to the […]
Elizabeth (Chaney) Rampley was born in 1804 most likely in Southamptown Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, and died in Hancock County, Illinois, in 1883. She married James Rampley in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1830. Some things I’ve learned about research from Elizabeth: Sometimes kids travel without their parents. Elizabeth went to Coshocton County, Ohio, as a […]
James Rampley was born in 1803 in Harford County, Maryland, and died in 1884 in Hancock County, Illinois. He married Elizabeth Chaney in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1830. Some clues and lessons I learned from researching James: Who did you buy that first farm from? James’ first land purchase in Illinois was from a James […]
