Progress

Today I have been working on the NGS Home Study Course vital records assignment, lesson 6.  I visited the County Clerk's Office in order to survey their marriage records.  All marriage licenses have been digitized and can be accessed on one of several computers in the office for viewing various records. 

Cool, I thought as I sat down and began performing various searches.  I found the database easy to use and was able to quickly find the information I needed. 

I did come across a few pages that were dark and impossible to read.  The scanned image included a helpful notation that said Original Illegible.   Even so, and because I like looking through old books, I wanted to take a look at the original, so I went to the desk to ask if I I could see the original documents.

I was told that once the records are scanned they get rid of the originals.

I guess that is progress.

I can only hope that  before the aliens send a pulse to destroy our computer infrastructure as they begin their invasion that these records are somehow backed up and protected.  

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History #10 Disasters

Week 10: Disasters. Did you experience any natural disasters in your lifetime? Tell us about them. If not, then discuss these events that happened to parents, grandparents or others in your family.

I haven't really lived through any major disasters and I am not aware of any that my parents or grandparents went through either.

 

The closest I came was Hurricane Allen which hit Corpus Christi in 1980. 

 

(picture from Wikipedia)

 

We were on a family vacation at Padre Island and recall hearing news reports about the approaching Hurricane.  The day we left, I recall seeing dark clouds way out on the horizon. 

 

The next close call was when Hurricane Rita was approaching the Galveston/Houston area in 2005.  I was far enough inland that I didn't feel I needed to evacuate, but my parents were a bit concerned so I hopped in the car and joined the mad rush out of Dodge.  In hindsight, I could have stayed home and had a mini b-movie fest.

Lineage societies

I know of several people who have taken up genealogy in order to join one of the many lineage societies such as Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT) and the like.

I do have some cousins on my father's side who are members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and if I wanted to, I could propably use that information to join SAR.  I also probably have enough information on my mothers side to join SAR as well as other similar groups. 

The main reason I haven't really looked joining any of these groups is that I'm not sure how active I would actually be.  I realize that like any other group I can be as active as I want, but it seems to me that the main benefit would just be having a group legitimize my and others work.  Right now my plan is to find and join some active, local genealogical societies rather than lineage groups. I think these type of organizations would be more beneficial for me at this time.

Sounds – 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History

Week 9: Sounds.  Describe any sounds that take you back to your childhood. These could be familiar songs, jingles, children playing, or something entirely different.

The one TV theme song that instantly takes me back would have to be the Looney Tunes theme.  I remember getting home from elementary school and my mom would have a card table set up in front of the TV with popsicles, ice cream sandwiches and the like waiting for us.  When the tune played we'd bop along in our seats while eating our treats.  Eventually, the table disappeared and we'd end up sitting on the floor rocking out to the theme. 

Another sound I remember would be late at night trying to go to sleep and hearing a train way off in the distance.  It was far enough away not to be annoying and I enjoyed listening to the whistle and the clickity clack.  It usually was able to distract me from whatever was going into my mind and help me fall asleep. 

Census

I just competed the fifth lesson in the HGS home study course dealing with census records.  While I didn't really learn anything I hadn't known or heard before about using the census, I did find the checklist very useful.

 No. 12 Charlie J. Webb (1874-1937)

            1880, Arkansas, (named male, 6 yrs, in household of his father Zephaniah Webb)

            1890, Arkansas, (no census for Arkansas due to fire damage to census)

            1900, Pope Co., Arkansas, (Head of household, 25 yrs)

            1910, Pope Co., Arkansas, (Head of household, 35 yrs)

            1920, Pope Co., Arkansas, (Head of household, 45yrs)

            1930, Pope Co., Arkansas, (Head of household, 55 yrs)

No. 13 Roxie Anna Hughes (1876-1961)

            1880, Arkansas, (named female, 4 yrs, in the household of her father)

            1890, Arkansas, (no census for Arkansas due to fire damage to census)

            1900, Arkansas, (named female, 24 yrs, in the household of her father)

            1910, Pope Co., Arkansas, (wife, 34 yrs, in the house of her husband, Charlie Webb)

            1920, Pope Co., Arkansas, (wife, 44 yrs, in the household of her husband, Charlie Webb)

            1930, Pope Co., Arkansas, (wife, 54 yrs, in the household of her husband , Charlie Webb)

14. Dennis C. McFadden (1847-1924)

            1850, Ireland

            1860, Ohio, (named male, 13 yrs, possibly in the household of his  sister, Unk Ferry)

1870, Pennsylvania, (head of household, 23 yrs)

            1880, Pennsylvania, (head of household, 33 yrs)

            1890, (no census for Pennsylvania due to fire damage to census)  

1900, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, (head of household, 53 yrs)

            1910, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, (head of household, 63 yrs)

            1920, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania, (head of household, 73 yrs)

15. Elizabeth Neuland (1866-1949)

            1870, Maryland or Pennsylvania, (named female, 4 yrs, in the household of her father, Lewis Neuland)

            1880, Pennsylvania, (named female, 14 yrs, in the household of her father, Lewis Neuland)

            1890, (no census for Pennsylvania due to fire damage to census)

            1900, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, (wife, 34 yrs, in the household of her husband, Dennis McFadden)

            1910, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, (wife, 44 yrs, in the household of her husband, Dennis McFadden)

            1920, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania, (wife, 54 yrs, in the household of her husband, Dennis McFadden)

            1930, Baltimore, Maryland, (named female, 64 yrs, in the household of her son Cornelius McFadden)

Before when I searched for census records it was more scatter shot and I really didn't have anything planned out.  Using this I think will be very beneficial, time wise. 

I'd also like to create a spreadsheet for this so I can search it and not have to scroll or flip through several pages to find what I am looking for.