Looking at Yesterday with Today's eyes

I am indexing Ontario Birth records right now and apparently we are reveiwing another sites index for these records. I find it interesting how the previous indexer assumed certain things.


Like the registration year as being the same as the birth year. There have been some families that when they register a birth, they register the previous one or two births at the same time. The difference in registration year and actual birth year can be important. My grandpa Johnny Bionaz was born in 1904, but the birth registry says 1905. When you look at the page in the registry and the date of registration you realize the register wrote down the wrong year. The birth is given as 21 Oct 1905, but was registered in May 1905. the register was just used to writing 1905 that he did not catch the late registration.


Also how the previous indexer applied today's last names to these records. It was common back then to use the mother's surname as part of the child's middle name. Well the previous indexer assumed that the child's surname was a combination of both parents surname and indexed it as such.


Also, I have research that was compiled a long time ago that has problems with dates and Counties. The problem with the dates is the researcher used the New Calendar when transcribing Old Calender dates, thus putting the months wrong. The problem with the counties is that Counties can change and some of the records contain the old county and some contain the new county and yet the town and state are the same.


We need to remember as we work on our Genealogy that times have changed and that we need to record or at least note the original otherwise it may confuse someone else. And that someone else might actually be ourselves.

James Edward Baker Jr, Biography

I was going to spotlight my dad and than I realized I did one on him last year for Father's Day. So this year I am going to say abit more about him. His life was cut short in 1975. He died at the age of 49 of heart dease.
James Edward Baker Jr or Eddy for short was an avid Boy Scouts, although he nor any of my brothers received their Eagle Badge (than very few under the age of about 17 could get their Eagles Badge, unlike today where most are getting it at 13 and 14) he was very active in Scouting for over 20 years. He was a Scout Master in San Jose and I remember going with him often to the weekly meetings and accompanying the troop to Summer Camp. As the only girl in the family I did get dragged to a lot of Boy Scout stuff.
Eddy also was an accomplished swimmer and enjoyed being in the backyard pool with his family
He also not only learned to Square Dance, but for awhile he even was a Square Dance Caller. And I learned how to Square Dance at an early age, so my brothers would have someone to dance with!
My father started college at San Mateo Community College where he received his Associate Degree. He always wanted to be a Music Teacher, but the War and Military Service got in the way. In the late 1940's and early 1950's it was very uncommon for men to go back to College after being out. By the time he would have gone back he was married and had children. Even though he never finished his dream he always encouraged us in music and became good friends with the Music Teachers at Oak Grove High School, where his children went to school. I remember being amazed on the few occasions my father would sit down at a piano and play from memory beautiful pieces!
As you can tell I really loved my dad and spent many an hour with him, from camping to music to dancing to swimming to working out in the yard. I just wish he could have lived longer.

Daddy I Love you