I am having trouble staying busy this summer and decided to post goals on the blog in hopes of staying organized and focused.
1) Index at least 700 names this week.
2) Post something from Wilson L Starkey mother's pension file.
3) Work on a research plan. This week for Delaplain Ridgway.
4) Redo citations for 1FGS received from Jean Belbutowski.
5) Spend some time in Second Life.
Note: My great-grandmother Minnie Miner Huyck's sister joined the LDS Church towards the end of the 1800's. Since then her family has been working on that line of my family. I meet her daughter while attending BYU and at that time copied quite a few FGS that were in her collection. When I transferred from PAF to RootsMagic the citations transferred as free form, so I need to go back and redo the citation.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Surname Sunday
There is an interesting pattern to some of the men the women I my mother's family married. See if you notice it.
Starting with my great-grandmother.
Mary Orpheline Boche, married John Elere Bionaz.
Her son John C Bionaz, married Elizabeth Grace Hawke. (Here it kind of skips a generation, but it makes up for it in the next generation.)
My mother Elizabeth "Joan" Bionaz, married James Edward Baker Jr
Her sister my aunt Jacqueline Carol Bionaz, married Arthur Stuart Backer (Yes, my mother married a Baker and her sister married a Backer)
Me, Betty-Lu Baker, married a Burton.
Did you notice the pattern? All the last names that start with a "B". I just think it is interesting and wanted to share this with others.
Starting with my great-grandmother.
Mary Orpheline Boche, married John Elere Bionaz.
Her son John C Bionaz, married Elizabeth Grace Hawke. (Here it kind of skips a generation, but it makes up for it in the next generation.)
My mother Elizabeth "Joan" Bionaz, married James Edward Baker Jr
Her sister my aunt Jacqueline Carol Bionaz, married Arthur Stuart Backer (Yes, my mother married a Baker and her sister married a Backer)
Me, Betty-Lu Baker, married a Burton.
Did you notice the pattern? All the last names that start with a "B". I just think it is interesting and wanted to share this with others.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
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.
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
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Wilson L Starkey Marriage
Here is one of the two letters enclosed in the pension packet that indicate that Wilson L Starkey had been married once. The letter is from his ex father-in-law. This was one of the last pages in his mother's pension packet, so would not have been included in a partial packet. Through out the rest of the pension, Wilson is listed as being unmarried and without heirs. Come to find out that only means he was unmarried without any heirs at the time of his death. It did not mean he had never married.
This is one of two such letters. The other one lists the name of his wife and her death date.
This is one of two such letters. The other one lists the name of his wife and her death date.
Wilson L Starkey Pension Papers
Over the next few posts I am going to be posting various pages from Wilson L Starkey's mother's pension file. There are about 62 pages in the file, so it would be difficult to post all of it at one time.
Here is the official Service Record/ Statement submitted by the Adjutant General's Office
Here is the official Service Record/ Statement submitted by the Adjutant General's Office
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wilson L. Starkey
Corporal Wilson L. Starkey
Co. "C" Illinois Volunteers
Died at the age of 27 while assigned to Signal Duty
On the Hospital Ship "Red Rover"
Died apparently during the night of July 26th 1862
Service records put his death on the 26th or the 27th.
Official death certificate states 27 July 1862.
He was buried at Spanish Moss Bend on the Mississippi River, Louisiana
Wilson L Starkey was the son of Benjamin Starkey and Mary C. Ridgeway. His brother William Coulton Starkey is my 3great-Grandfather. Wilson was married for a short time to Eleanor R. Stone, who died in March 1860 (She died at her parents house in Rockport Illinios). Wilson was born in Greece, Monroe County, New York.
The information came from his mother's pension records. She had claimed a mother's pension on his service. The mother's statement only stated that he was unmarried and had no living heir. However, in the pension file there are affidavits that state he was married, but his wife had died leaving no heirs.
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