Census excitement

Most everyone in the genealogy world was anticipating the arrival of the 1940 census in April. I was. But I also made a point of staying away the first day or two. Good thing. The NARA website apparently crashed for awhile early on April 2 - not my fault! Now everyone appears to be in a race to get it online and be the first to have it indexed. I hope there isn't another 'crash' when the indexing comes online. I can always wait a day or two for that also.

I tried to find my parents, Ken and Margaret McDougall, on the Pittsfield Township portion of the Washtenaw County, Michigan census. I know right where they SHOULD be. But, I guess someone forgot to tell the census taker in the area that there was a small apartment above Cady's Food Market. Cady's was on the corner of Platt Road and Michigan Avenue, on the southeast corner. The Cady's lived around the corner and down Platt Road from the Market. My sister, Pat, remembers in later years, Mrs. Cady sitting in a rocking chair by the stove most days in the Market. Her daughter, Donna, would help out everyday after school.

Pat was born April 19 of that year, so I know she would have missed having her name there by 18 days. The census, even though there may be other dates at the top of the page - I see: May 6, April 11, May 7, on just a few I looked at - is supposed to be a list of the people who reside in the house at that address as of April 1, 1940.

I did find my maternal grandparents, also in Pittsfield Township. Garth and Edna Beckington. They are on Bemis Road, near Fosdick Road. They are listed along with my Uncle Garth (Toot), 29, Uncle Tom (24) and his wife, Aunt Dorothy (20) and daughter, Karen (1), Aunt Mary (20) and Aunt Jim (Alice) (16).  Toot and Tom are both working for King Seeley Corp. My mom eventually worked there, starting when I was about 8 years old. Also, the ages listed would be the age at their last birthday.

My parents purchased land on 105 W. Bemis Road, where they eventually lived (moving there about 1942), but the house hadn't been built yet in 1940.  We lived there until I was about 9, when we moved down the road to another house. It was much bigger and put us in a different school district. We kept the original house, and when my parents retired, they added another story and moved back. We sold it a couple of years after my father died in 1996. The land was in the family for almost 60 years.

It was fun 'going up and down' the roads in that area of Saline/Milan/Ypsilanti (Pittsfield and York Townships) and seeing all those familiar names from my childhood. They are still familiar after all these years, and the descendants of many continue to live in that area. I need to spend more time looking for other family members. Another day, another time.

Boy, life has a habit of getting in the way!  It has been a busy month, but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We had another great meeting of the Study Group on Wednesday. Everyone enjoyed the trip to the Mesa Libary and learned a great deal - mostly about the library and what it has to offer, but some also found exciting things to add to their research. We are excited about planning another field trip - maybe this time to the State Archives and the genealogy library in downtown Phoenix - at the State Capital.

But first we are going to tackle a case study. We have talked about doing this but just haven't had the time. One of the members, MaryLu, prepared a 4-generational pedigree chart on an ancestor, Cassandra Brashears, she is interested in finding more information on Cassandra and her family. She found the information she has on a 5-generational chart in Belmont County, Ohio. No resources, just "family lore."  This is a collateral line for her. Other people have come up with the same information but again, no real documentation.

I think this will be a great learning tool. Taking people/places that are completely unfamiliar to us and trying to track down information and, hopefully, sources. This is what you would do if you were helping a client. It is a good exercise  in "thinking outside the box." I think sometimes you get so focused on your particular lines, think you have done everything possible to locate more records on them. Maybe having to look at a family/person/locale completely foreign (so to speak), will help open up some new ways of approaching our own research. MaryLu has found, in preparing this information for us, new data she didn't already have for this family. She is sending an email to the members with further information for this project. It will be interesting to see the different tactics the members take to gather data and sources. Everyone will do what they have time to do and go about it any way they want.

Syracuse and the Mesa Library

It has been a busy couple of weeks, with travel and research. Somewhat frustrating, but overall good things were accomplished. Syracuse was fun - mostly because I got to spend time with my husband. We went to a basketball game, a play, had a nice Valentine's dinner and tried many new restaurants. We had dinner with a friend and her husband Saturday night at their home and then I spent a day with said friend and had a great time - thank you, Lauren!  Enjoyed getting to know Syracuse better too. They have great old houses - lots of history - oh, and it was cold! But not much snow, which helped with traveling around the area. I was able to do some research, especially in the town of Oswego where the county records are. Unfortunately, I got hit about 4 days into the trip with a flu/cold bug and had to slow down a bit. But, next time....

I am still having trouble nailing down anything concrete about Ezra Lane and a connection to his father, Roswell Lane, and exactly where they were in 1810. We have really quite overwhelming circumstantial evidence that they have that relationship, but it would be nice to find it "on paper."  I did pick up deeds to land in Oswego County by a couple of Ezra's children, including my ancestor, Roswell, but other than names, no relationships were revealed.  I stopped in and talked to the County Historian, Justin White. I have corresponded with him quite a bit in the past and he has been most helpful. It was fun meeting him and we talked about other possibilities for research. A real disadvantage to those doing New York research is that they did not require records for births, deaths and marriages until 1881, but every town and county in New York has a historian and they are always very helpful. Ezra had two daughters, Almira and Laura, who married brothers, James M. and Richard P. Watson, who all remained in the Skaneateles area (pronounced "skinny-atlas" for those of us NOT in the know) of Onondaga County, about 10 miles from Syracuse. I did find a few more pieces of information on them. I do wish I could confirm all the children they had, with names and dates. The next step will be church records.

Then yesterday, back in Phoenix, the GenieGirls study group had their long awaited field trip to the Mesa Library. It is second only to the Salt Lake City LDS library in size, and about 45 minutes from our general area of Phoenix, but several of the members had never been. Those who had, were a bit intimated and didn't know where to begin, how to use it and hadn't stayed long. We started with a great tour by one of the volunteers to familiarize us with what they have, how it is set up and how best to use it. That was a huge help. Then we all started doing the research that each had prepared for. Lunch, of course, was a fun break and then back to work! We stayed until about 3, before heading back home. Everyone seemed to accomplish something, even if it was getting more familiar with the library and feeling better about going alone in the future. I think, in general, it enthused everyone to continue with their research.

Syracuse on the Horizon

The new coat is on it's way (check the previous post)! The weather in Syracuse seems to be cooperating with not much snow this year. Let's hope that continues for at least another two weeks. I am getting excited about my trip. I am also going to see a former high school classmate and enjoy a day with her, which should be fun.

I have heard from a few new "relatives" this past couple of weeks  The first was a woman in Michigan who is descended from the Muirs. Andrew and Mary Donaldson Muir, born in Scotland, arrived in America in 1828 and arrived in Michigan within the year. They are my 3rd great-grandparents. I had written an article on them entitled: "Early Settlers of Augusta and Superior Townships." This woman found my website, read the article and then emailed me. She is descended from this same couple, through a different daughter. This article (Winter 2010) and a more recent one on my Hazelton family (Winter 2011), can be found at:     

     http://www.ypsilantihistoricalsociety.org/publications/gleanings.html

Then I heard from a young man who is my first cousin, once removed on the Beckington side of the family. He is the son of a cousin. He was searching the web and came across my website and contacted me. It is always exciting when someone from the younger generation shows an interest. 

But, of course, the last couple of weeks have been mostly about getting organized for my trip. Ezra Lane, my 4th great-grandfather, was born in Connecticut and eventually migrated with his family, to New York (bringing along his father, Roswell). He and his wife, Sarah Chapman, had eleven children. The first seven were born in CT, the last four children in NY. By the 1860s, most of the sons had migrated to Michigan or Kansas. It appears that several of the daughters married and stayed in the NY area. It is not always easy to follow daughters. Two of them, Almira and Laura, married brothers, James M. and Richard P. Watson, respectively. Ezra's son, Roswell, my 3rd great-grandfather (named after his grandfather), married Jerusha Rhoads and stayed in NY. They are buried in Ira, Cayuga County, NY. I hope on one of these trips to visit their grave sites. I assume the elder Roswell, Ezra and Sarah might also be buried there, but there are no stones or records that prove that. I guess I am thinking I will see a "space" where they might be.

Anyway, I have done a great deal of research over the last several years through the mail, email and phone calls. The various organizations: historical societies, town historians, libraries, have been a great help. But, what can I do while I have "boots on the ground" that I haven't been able to do from a distance? I emailed some of the more experienced genealogists I know and asked for recommendations. I got some good suggestions and am following them. Apparently the court house may have records that have never been filmed. Libraries may have newspapers to browse - hopefully, some will have been indexed. I could visit cemeteries, but that may happen on a later visit. And, I need to travel to other small towns nearby - again, that may have to wait.

I would love any suggestions that someone would consider sharing on research in an area one is visiting. Back to organizing!

Organization, Meetings and Coats

Where is the month going? I have been busy organizing my data for the research trip I mentioned earlier. I may be going in February, which is sooner than I had expected. I always consider myself very organized, until I start going over all the information I have accumulated. I find that I need to STOP putting it in more than one location. Most frustrating. I am more and more trying to put my notes and list of things 'done' and 'to do' on the computer. As much as I love paper, it is too easy to put it into more than one notebook, etc. But of course, it is also easy to put information into more than one folder on the computer - but at least I try to get it all in one large overview folder on the computer. I THINK that is a step forward!  What do others do?  I have friends who do absolutely everything on the computer - some who just haven't come into the 21st century yet and have it all on paper.


The wonderful consequence of having a blog is the number of people who see it, read it and comment. The problem afterwards is to get these people to respond to MY response to them. The way the blog is set up, comments can be made and unless they leave an email, you don't have any way of answering them except through the comment section of the blog. Which I guess means they have to come back to the blog to see it. Unless of course they become a "follower." I find this most frustrating.

I went to the local LDS Library in Mesa, AZ yesterday. I don't get there near as often as I would like. It is about 45 minutes away, but an easy drive. The plus to yesterday's visit was that I stopped on my way and had lunch with my son and a friend of his from work on their lunch break. But the frustrating part is that no matter how many films I view, I swear that I only find something worthwhile on maybe 10% of them. As I was leaving, some woman commented she had had a good day as she broke through a brick wall - I should be so lucky!  I always wonder exactly what their definition of a brick wall is compared to mine. I have a list of over 100 films and several books I would like to review. At a cost of renting the films at $5/each - well you can see it might be cheaper to fly to Salt Lake City (which I have done) and look at the films for free. The last time I was in SLC, I was able to get through about 32 films in 3 days. That almost paid for the flight!  Who wants to go?

I need to get ready for the GenieGirls meeting here tomorrow. And, of course, work on getting more information ready to have at my finger tips when I get to Syracuse - oh, and buy a COAT!

Planning a research trip

I am planning a research trip to New York, probably in March. My husband is doing some work there, so this is a great opportunity to not only be with him and to save him a trip back home that weekend, but to do some research in the area he is in - which also happens to be very near the area where some of my ancestors settled.  Most of my ancestors came to Michigan from New York. Before that they were in the New England area - Massachusetts/Connecticut and some in New Hampshire. The surnames I will be concentrating on are Lane and Rhoades. This is a somewhat shortened list of those I will be researching in the Lane family:

1 Roswell Lane b: 15 Apr 1740 in Killingworth, Middlesex, CT, d: Aft. 1806 in Ira, Cayuga, NY

...... + Sarah Dudley b: 17 Oct 1744 in Guilford, New Haven, CT, m: 25 Aug 1766 in East Guilford, New Haven, CT, d: Aft. 1800

............2 Ezra Lane b: 02 Feb 1768 in Killingworth, Middlesex, CT, d: 15 Jan 1859 in Ira, Cayuga, NY

............ + Sarah Chapman b: 20 Feb 1774 in Sharon, Litchfield, CT, m: 06 Mar 1793 in New Marlborough, Berkshire, MA, d: Bef. 1850 in NY

..................3 Almira Lane b: 1794 in Litchfield, CT, d: Aft. 1870 in NY

.................. + James M. Watson b: 01 Apr 1788 in Halifax, , Nova Scotia, Canada, m: Abt. 1810, d: 18 Apr 1859 in Huron, Wayne, NY

........................4 Female Watson b: Abt. 1810 in NY

........................4 Male Watson b: Bet. 1815–1820 in NY

........................4 Syreno J. Watson b: 1818 in NY, d: 1871 in NY

........................  + Mary L. ? b: Mar 1823 in England, m: Bef. 1841, d: 1907 in NY 

..............................5 Norman Watson b: 1841 in NY

..............................5 Frances Watson b: 1845 in NY

..............................5 Nelson B. Watson b: Nov 1846 in NY, d: Aft. 1930

..............................  + Margrett Jane ? b: Jan 1851 in NY, m: Abt. 1880, d: 1907 in NY

....................................6 Ross A. Watson b: 18 May 1888 in NY, d: Aft. 1930

..............................5 Eliza A. Watson b: 1849 in NY

..............................5 George Watson b: Jul 1851 in NY

..............................  + Mary J. ? b: Aug 1853 in NY, m: 1873

....................................6 Eunice M. Watson b: Sep 1878 in NY

....................................  + Raymond Bailey b: Jan 1876, m: 1896

..............................5 Edward Watson b: 1861 in NY

........................4 Female Watson b: Abt. 1821 in NY

........................4 Female Watson b: Abt. 1825 in NY

........................4 Female Watson b: Abt. 1830 in NY

........................4 Male Watson b: Abt. 1830 in NY

........................4 Male Watson b: Bet. 1832–1835 in NY

..................3 Lovina Lane b: 1796 in Litchfield, CT, d: Aft. 1823

..................  + William Earle m: Bef. 1823

........................4 Adeline L. Earle b: 1823 in NY, d: 08 Mar 1890 in Sterling, Cayuga, NY

........................  + Heman Myers b: 1806, m: Aft. 1841, d: 23 Oct 1889 in Sterling, Cayuga, NY

..............................5 Hellen Myers b: 23 Jan 1854 in Sterling, Cayuga, NY, d: 14 May 1863 in Sterling, Cayuga, NY

..................3 Roswell Lane b: 10 Apr 1798 in Litchfield, CT, d: 28 Aug 1870 in Hannibal, Oswego, NY

.................. + Jerusha Rhoades b: 16 Aug 1802 in New Marlborough, Berkshires, NY

..................3 J. Dudley Lane b: 20 Feb 1800 in Litchfield, CT, d: 21 Oct 1863 in Cayuga Co., NY

..................  + Clarissa Parish b: 1805 in NY, m: Bef. 1828, d: Aft. 1870

........................4 Martin Lane

........................4 Antoinette Lane b: 27 Jun 1828 in NY, d: 29 Aug 1839 in Cayuga Co., NY

........................4 Alfonso Lane b: Abt. 1835 in NY, d: 16 Aug 1848 in NY

........................4 Dudley Lane b: 1839 in NY

........................4 Clarissa Lane b: 1843 in NY

..................3 Laura Lane b: 1802 in Litchfield, CT, d: Aft. 1870

.................. + Richard P. Watson b: 01 Jun 1796 in Nova Scotia, Canada, m: Abt. 1819, d: Bef. 1870 in NY

........................4 Lauraette Watson b: May 1829 in NY

........................  + George D. Grannis b: Mar 1827 in NY

..............................5 Charles W. Grannis b: Apr 1849 in NY

..............................  + Frances ? b: 1848 in NY, m: Bef. 1870

....................................6 Fred D. Grannis b: 1871 in NY

....................................  + Emma E. ? b: Feb 1871 in NY, m: Abt. 1896

....................................  + Gertrude A. ? b: Abt. 1890

....................................6 Jessie B. Grannis b: May 1874 in NY

....................................6 Florence Grannis b: 1878 in NY

..............................  + Laura ? b: Dec 1860 in NY, m: Abt. 1880

....................................6 Paul M. Grannis b: Jul 1883 in NY

..............................5 Florence Grannis b: 1860 in NY, d: Bef. 1870 in NY

..............................5 Martin F. Grannis b: 1863 in NY

........................4 Male Watson b: Abt. 1820 in NY

 Roswell and Sarah Dudley actually had three children, including: Luman/Lumen Lane and Sarah (Sally) Lane who married Ira Cowles.  Some of the Cowles children settled in NY. I have not been able to track Luman down with any confidence. The Lanes reproduced like rabbits (not Roswell and Sarah), and there are several Luman Lanes around the same time. Roswell and Jerusha Lane are my 5th greatgrandparents.  They had Ezra Lane, married to Sarah Chapman. Ezra and Sarah had 11 children, with some staying in NY and others going to MI or KS. Ezra and Sarah had Roswell Lane, married to Jerusha Rhoades.

Jerusha's parents (wife of Roswell Lane #2) were David Rhoades and Jerusha Hitchcock. Jerusha Hitchcock was David's second wife and Jerusha Rhoades was an only child. David had eight children by his first wife, and I think some of them followed him to NY. 

Roswell and Jerusha Rhoades Lane had 13 children, with 9 living to adulthood. Their daughter, Sarah Ann Lane, married Brooks B. Hazelton (my 2nd great-grandparents), this couple settled in Michigan. Some of Roswell and Jerusha's other children stayed in NY and I will check on what additional information I would like to have for them.

 

So what are my steps for getting started on planning this trip?  First and foremost, I need to update my data on the Lanes and Rhoades. I also need to update the data I downloaded to my iPhone more than a year ago. More on all this another day. I ought to get busy!

Start of a book!

This morning, I took the first steps in creating my book on Garth and Edna Beckington and their courting year before their marriage in February, 1906. I now have an ISBN number. Of course, that is the mere beginning. I need to figure out how I am going to lay out the book, exactly what I am going to include, get in touch with cousins who have not responded to my "memories" request, get my family history in order and foremost, decide which of their many letters to include. I certainly can't transcribe them all (especially Edna's long, rambling 'epistles') or include them all. The family history section will be the first task completed. I am submitting my revised and rewritten manuscript (for lack of a better word) to my writers group this Thursday. I will also ask for their help, in the future, in figuring out which letters to include and how many, and get general recommendations on my final format. These ladies are knowledgeable, direct, interested and it has been exciting and fun to be in this group.

I am also going to do another McMemories this month.  This newsletter for our McDougall family, was started in the Summer of 2000. It has been fun for me to do, others to read, but probably not so much for everyone to contribute to it. I know that they enjoy reading it and keeping up with everyone. It started with my sister, Pat, and me. It has grew to include my father's two surviving sisters and brother. We still hear from one of the sisters, Aunt Mildred. Uncle John has passed away and Aunt Phyllis is no longer able to contribute. We also have contributions from various grandchildren (of Ken and Margaret Beckington McDougall) and are now even starting in with articles from the great-grandchildren. I consider it a historical record of the general comings/goings of our family, and the /births/deaths/marriages that have occurred over the years. I hope others do too.

Happy Birthday to my husband, Bruce!