Friday, February 26, 2010

Winter Games 2010 - Days 6 to the End

My Winter Games progress has been impeded by my very busy work schedule and two sick children, one worse than the other. What started as a simple head cold morphed into an ear infection and bronchialitis caused by RSV. Nobody is getting much sleep because we have to do nebulizer treatments every 4 hours, day or night! This is definitely something to document in my journal for little M. Hopefully she recovers quickly.

So a recap of my medal standing:

Category 1. Cite Your Sources: I have managed to cite six census entries, which also includes a transcription of the family, so it's time consuming. Not what I wanted, but it's six more than when I started. It also means I finished all the citations for the 1860 census that I have been working on as part of my database overhaul included as part of my Resolutions.

Medals Earned: none

Category 2. Back Up Your Data: I backed up my blog and my RootsMagic database. I also have backed up various files on my flash drive. My pictures were previously backed up on an external hard drive and I have added no new ones since that time.

Medals Earned: Gold (but I feel like I should have started at Bronze)

Category 3. Organize Your Research: I took a big (and I mean BIG) stack of papers and organized them into file folders by surname. Much more refined organization will have to take place at a later time, but at the present they are organized so at least I can find all relevant papers on a family line.

Medals Earned: Bronze

Category 4. Expand Your Knowledge: No changes here
Previous Medal Earned: Silver

Category 5. Write, Write, Write: No changes here
Previous Medal Earned: Silver

Category 6. Reach Out and Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness: I found several "new to me" blogs to comment on and I found another way to give back as noted here.

Previous Medal Earned: Silver
Current Medal Earned: Gold

Congratulations to everyone who participated. Much was accomplished in the last two weeks!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Winter Games 2010 - Days 1-5

Here is a recap of my activities for Days 1 through 5 of the Geneabloggers Winter Games:

Category 4:
Task A: I used Google Maps to locate the various residences of my Grandpa Lee.
Task E: I created a Wordle of all the surnames I am researching which can be seen here.

Medal Earned: Silver

Category 5:
Task C: I have prepared several posts that will be published in March.
Task F: I participated in Challenge #7 of 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy using Google Maps.

Medal Earned: Silver

Category 6:
Task D: I have been doing some online parcel research in an adjacent county to where I live for a fellow geneablogger. I researched the county assessor's webpage and worked towards determining a cross street position so I could figure out what area of the city the property lies in. I communicated via email with the other researcher what I had found and how parcel maps could be obtained online through the county system. I also worked on another parcel to identify it's location in another Idaho county. I have not been as successful with locating this one, but will keep working on it.

Task G: I am following 11 blogs using the Follow feature on Blogger. Most of these blogs were not new to me. I hope to add some new-to-me blogs in the coming days.

Medal Earned: Silver

Not too shabby considering I have been working 10 hour days and spent Sunday being wife, mommy, and chief laundress.

52 Weeks to Better Genealogy: Google Maps

Challenge 7 of the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy is to make a Google map using addresses important to my family's history.

About three weeks ago, I spent some time reviewing the city directories on Ancestry.com for Stockton, California. My grandfather, Lee McNeill, ended up in Stockton by 1937 and was there through the early 1940s.

I found him living at the following street addresses:
635 E. Main
1406 E .Poplar
844 Sierra Nevada (don't know whether this was North or South - I picked North)
443 N. Aurora
825 N. Commerce

What I found most fascinating about this task is that I think that most of the residences are still there, likely without substantial change, assuming that the street numbers haven't changed. The buildings that were photographed by Google appear to be houses or buildings that would be appropriate for the era or earlier. The Main address is currently for a hotel but was likely an old apartment-type building. The Commerce property is by far the best maintained and the surrounding homes look to be as well. The Poplar address and the N. Sierra Nevada address are adjacent to one another. Not sure if the house at N. Sierra Nevada is where he lived or if the Poplar apartment building's current parking lot had a building on it.

Overall, I am very pleased with this feature of Google and will most definitely be using it again.




View Lee's residences in Stockton in a larger map

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Surname Silliness



After much struggle and with the help of my husband, here is my surname collage listing 27 of the names I am researching.

And this is all I have completed for the Geneabloggers Games Day 1. I spent the rest of my day at work and then with my family.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Let the Games Begin!

I have had a long love for the Olympic Games, both Winter and Summer, so I am very pleased to participate in the geneablogger community's Winter 2010 Geneabloggers Games. I am at my busiest time of the year for my real-life job, so if I am able to get anything above a Bronze medal in any of the events, I will consider it an accomplishment. And I also will challenge myself to work towards completing any of the challenges I am unable to do later this year.





Here is my flag representing my heritage from the countries of Norway, Great Britain (English and Scots-Irish) and Germany. To make it all fit I rotated the three bars of the German flag to fit vertically on the right rather than their typical horizontal display. I am 25% Norwegian through my maternal grandmother. All of her ancestral lines are from Norway and after they immigrated to the United States, those individuals married others from Norway. I have several lines of English and German descent from the remaining three grandparents. My paternal grandfather's line is Scots-Irish. And additionally my married name is German.

I intend to compete in the following categories:

1. Cite Your Sources. I was actually slowly working on this anyway so this will be a good motivator.

2. Back Up Your Data. I plan to complete at least one of these tasks.

3. Organize Your Research. I have some new city directory discoveries that need to be cited and filed away.

4. Expand Your Knowledge. I already have one thing I want to do in this category.

5. Write. Write. Write! I need to pre-post some items for my next two very busy months before I can resume regular posts and research.

6. Reach Out and Post a Genealogical Act of Kindness. I read many blogs but not always good at commenting so that will be my goal here.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

My Ahnentafel

This is my ahnentafel through eight generations. I will link to my articles written about these individuals as they are posted. Additional articles beyond the main biography post will be noted after the person's name and dates.

For any of my readers not familiar with what an ahnentafel is, please look here for an explanation. Basically take the individual and double their number to find their father. To find the mother, take the father's number and add one.

If you see any names with which you are familiar or if you see errors, which there are undoubtedly some, I would love to hear from you. Please click on the yellow Contact Me button to the left of the blog to get in touch with me.

1. Me
2. Dad
3. Mom

4. Lee Wesley McNeill (1912-1971) I have posted multiple times about Lee. Please select the McNeill tag to see posts on him and this line.
5. my grandma
6. Fred Joseph Harmon (1921-1993)
7. my grandma

8. Charles Lafayette McNeill (18 Feb 1886-12 May 1970)
9. Della Winnie Grindstaff(15 Mar 1893-1 Mar 1979)
10. Bertel Scott (19 Nov 1884-20 Aug 1950)
11. Frona Rebecca Greathouse (13 Jun 1890-29 Jun 1971)
12. Edward Joseph Harmon (9 Jan 1883-31 Jan 1960)
13. Kate Nellie Arthur (5 Nov 1889-21 Sept 1974)
14. Helmer Nickolie Hiby (1895-Jun 1982)
15. Bernice Hanson (1903-Mar 1982)

16. Robert Nelson McNeill (29 Oct 1858-22 Oct 1932)
17. Margaret Ledford (24 Oct 1848-8 Jun 1927)
18. Rev. Isaac Grindstaff (May 1852-4 Apr 1936)
19. Mary Jane Woody (11 Jan 1853-26 Jan 1946)
20. Conrad Coons Scott (15 Mar 1845-2 Feb 1904)
21. Zerlinda Jane "Jennie" Pitts (11 Mar 1854-1906)
22. William Michael Greathouse (19 Mar 1853-6 Feb 1906)
23. Sarah Jane Johnson (28 Dec 1856-15 Mar 1938)
24. Walter J. Harmon (1855-6 Jun 1921)
25. Fannie Arnold (7 Nov 1856-12 Jun 1945)
26. Homer Eugene Arthur (4 Aug 1850-7 Mar 1943)
27. Amanda Savilla Myers (1862-11 Feb 1920)
28. Iver Hiby (originally spelled Hoiby) (abt 1865-10 Sept 1951)
29. Sarah Nelson (abt 1866-9 Dec 1930)
30. Albert S. Hanson (abt 1864-1 Oct 1928)
31. Maria Anna Anderson (abt 1866-26 Dec 1949)

32. Archibald H. McNeill (1838-1886)
33. Jane E. Howell (1841-1863)
34. Noah Ledford (1813-23 Jan 1895)
35. Clarissa Grindstaff (1822-15 Apr 1905)
36. Henry H. Grindstaff (12 May 1820-1 Jan 1892)
37. Bedie Buchanan (25 Apr 1829-25 Jun 1919)
38. William M. Woody (abt 1836-10 May 1862)
39. Marginia M. Thomas (17 Jan 1831-26 Jan 1914)
40. David Scott (1814-bef 1880)
41. Malinda P. Jones (1815-bef 1880)
42. Absalom Stroud Pitts (abt 1831-1857)
43. Medina Scherer (also spelled Sherer, Shearer) (24 Feb 1833-21 Feb 1904). See here
44. Thomas Greathouse (1821-bef Jun 1880)
45. Sarah Ann Algood (1821-unknown)
46. John C. Johnson (Oct 1914-after 1900)
47. Jane Cox (Nov 1824-between 1906 and 1910)
48. Porter Joseph Harmon (14 May 1819-25 Nov 1897)
49. Rebecca Armstrong (17 Feb 1825-31 Mar 1876)
50. Edward Arnold (6 Jan 1828-25 Mar 1909)
51. Mary Arnold
52. Thomas L. Arthur (6 Feb 1825- 12 May 1903)
53. Eunice Brown (25 Jun 1826-6 Oct 1867)
54. Samuel L. Myers (abt 1837-1922)
55. Catherine Ella Struble (Jun 1836-1 Mar 1921)
56. Halvor Hoiby (Mar 1825-unknown)
57. Kari (abt 1834-unknown)
58.-59. Unknown
60. Syver Hanson (14 Dec 1841-1 Jan 1912)
61. Ingebor (17 Jan 1845-26 Jun 1933)
62. Anders Anderson
63. Unknown

64. Hector McNeill (abt 1815-after 1880). Also, here
65. Betty Presnell (unknown-3 Apr 1849)
66. Thomas Howell (17 Jan 1805-22 Jan 1891)
67. Piety Wilson (1804-7 Mar 1874)
68. Frederick Ledford (1788-1839)
69. Prudence Curtis (1791-1860)
70. Isaac Grindstaff (14 Jun 1774/6-21 Jan 1866)
71. Sarah Hart (abt 1780-abt 1845)
72. Same as #71
73. Same as #71
74. Unknown
75. Sarah (Sally) Buchanan (1810-unknown)
76. Josiah Woody (1810-aft Jun 1880)
77. Marjorie Wilson (1814-unknown)
78. John Thomas (1799-21 May 1894)
79. Lucinda Wilson (1806-unknown)
80. Samuel Scott aka John Swift (abt 1781?-unknown)
81. Elizabeth Bradshaw (abt 1780-unknown)
82.-85. Unknown
86. Solomon Scherer (6 Jun 1803-13 Dec 1902)
87. Maria (could be Mary Geeding?) (abt 1811-unknown)
88. Michael Greathouse (abt 1797-aft 1860)
89. Debbie Snawder (abt 1824-unknown)
90.-93. Unknown
94. Jonathan Cox (27 Jan 1795-4 Mar 1819)
95. Sarah Wierman Cox (22 Dec 1796-unknown)
96. Walter Harmon (14 May 1798-30 Aug 1865)
97. Azubah Hyde (abt 1799-27 Nov 1875)
98.-99. Unknown
100. John Arnold (abt 1791-unknown)
101. Ann Sharp (abt 1802-unknown)
102.-105. Unknown
106. Titus Brown (7 Jun 1792-unknown)
107. Lucina Hopkins (unknown- bef 1837)
108.-109. Unknown
110. Peter Struble (unknown-1849)
111. Margaret (probably Praughard) (abt 1805-10 Feb 1870)
112.-127. Unknown

128. Neil McNeill (family lore indicates this is the name, but not proven at this time)
129. Unknown McMillan or McMillian (family lore indicates this is the name, but not proven at this time)
130.-131. Unknown
132. James Howell (unknown-abt 1844)
133. Martha "Patsy" Hill
134. John Wilson
135. Unknown
136. Frederick Ledford (abt 1743-30 Mar 1786)
137. Margaret McCurry (abt 1766-unknown)
138. McDaniel Thomas Curtis
139. Unknown
140. Isaac Grindstaff (abt 1754-unknown)
141-149. Unknown
150. William Buchanan (abt 1775-after 1850)
151. Elizabeth Jones (abt 1776-after 1850)
152. Wyatt Woody (abt 1776-aft Oct 1850)
153. Mary Robertson (abt 1785-unknown)
154-155. Unknown
156. Aaron Thomas (abt 1776-1883) These dates are very speculative but apparently he did live to be nearly 100.
157. Elizabeth Hunsucker (1782-1880)
158.-187. Unknown
188. Nathan Cox (1760-unknown)
189. Catherine Moffitt
190. Charles Cox
191. Amy Barker
192. Isaac Harmon (31 Oct 1773-22 Sept 1849)
193. Mary "Polly" Rawson (unknown-1848)
194. John Hyde 2nd (unknown-1838)
195.-211. Unknown
212. Aaron Brown
213. Lucy Sturdevant
214.-255. Unknown

Monday, February 1, 2010

February Dates in my Family History

The month of February has only a few dates in my family tree:

2nd - death of Conrad Coons Scott, my 2nd great-grandfather, in Desoto, Johnson Co, Kansas.

5th - anniversary of Walter Harmon and Azubah Hyde, my 4th great-grandparents, who were married in New Marlborough, Berkshire Co, Massachusetts in 1818

6th - birthday of Thomas Arthur, my 3rd great-grandfather, who was *supposedly* born in New London, Connecticut in 1825

6th - death of William Michael Greathouse, my 2nd great-grandfather, in Cedar Junction, Johnson Co., Kansas

10th - death of Margaret (Praughard? - maiden name unconfirmed) Struble, wife of Peter Struble, in 1870 in Northfield, Rice Co., Minnesota. Margaret and Peter are my 4th great-grandparents.

11th - death of Amanda Savilla Myers, my 2nd great-grandmother, who died in Clark Co, South Dakota in 1920. She married Homer Eugene Arthur, son of Thomas Arthur mentioned above.

17th - birthday of Rebecca Armstrong, my 2nd great-grandmother, in 1825 in Pennsylvania. She was the wife of Porter J. Harmon, who was the son of Walter and Azubah mentioned above.

18th - birthday of Charles Lafayette McNeill, my great-grandfather, who was born in 1886 in Snow Creek, Mitchell Co, North Carolina.

21st - death of Medina Scherer, my 3rd great-grandmother, in Arkoe, Nodaway Co, Missouri in 1904 just three days shy of her 71st birthday.

24th - birthday of Medina Scherer, who was born in Indiana (likely Warren Co.) in 1833. Further details about Medina's life can be found at my Orphans post that was written for the Carnival of Genealogy.