It will be epic...the 1940 census will be

The other day I heard a woman talking about the release of the 1940 census, which is set to occur on Monday. She was confused as to whether she would be able to search it starting Monday or even be able to see it. I wanted to explain to her what I know about the release, but didn't want to be that "know-it-all-genealogist." You know the one I'm talking about.

Anyway, to ensure that my "know-it-all" status was legitimate, I signed up for the 1940 Aces Program set up by Ancestry.com. They will be sending me updates on the process of releasing the census and will provide clarification on the process as they move through it. This is a blurb they provided to better help explain the process of releasing the 1940 census:

"The National Archives and Records Administration will open the 1940 U.S. Federal Census on April 2, 2012—the first time this collection will be made available to the public. Once we receive the census, we will begin uploading census images to our site so the public can browse them. Initially, this collection will be what we call a browse-only collection. This means a person can scroll through the pages of the census districts much like you would look at a microfilm or a book. At the same time, we will be working behind the scenes to create an index of the census that will eventually allow people to search for their family members by name as they currently can with all other censuses on Ancestry.com. Note also that the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be accessible free of charge throughout 2012 on Ancestry.com."


The bottom line is that as soon as the NARA releases the paper census to the public, Ancestry.com will begin scanning it and posting those images online for individuals to browse. Behind the scenes hordes of volunteers and professionals will be creating an index of the pages for a searchable database. I was also excited to learn that Ancestry.com will be providing the 1940 census for free throughout 2012.

For more information and updates on their progress you can visit their 1940 census page. You will also be able to access scans for free from the collaboration between FamilySearch, Archives.com, and FindMyPast.com. Learn more here. Epic!

I'm an Internet Genealogist

I'm an Internet Genealogist and I'm okay with that. I know, a typical genealogist would argue that you must have visits to dusty archives, trips to cemeteries and coffee with the local historical society. But I'm a different breed. I don't live anywhere near where my ancestors lived so visits to all the typical haunts are out of the question. Not to mention that I have two little boys that aren't big fans of libraries...or I should saying they aren't fans of being quiet.

So how does today's stay-at-home mom that lives far away from her homeland conduct research? Through the joy of the Internet and the lightening quick speed of the U.S. Postal Service. I must admit that I am proud of what I've accomplished on my family research without having left my desk. Here's some of my favorite tips:

1. Subscriptions. I couldn't live without my Ancestry.com subscription. In fact, I maintain my family tree on the site publicly. Through this I've received numerous queries on family that have led to massive brick wall destruction. I also maintain subscriptions to fold3.com, Newspaperarchive.com and genealogybank.com. But you don't always have to pay for these subscriptions. Check out your local library for genealogy sites they subscribe to, sometimes you are able to access them from your home. Some large genealogy libraries also offer library cards to "out-of-towners" for a fee, which grants you access to their subscription sites at a cost less than purchasing your own subscriptions. Keep in mind that Ancestry.com is usually only available from within your library.

2. Google. Have you Googled your ancestors? As part of my research checklist I always do a Google search for each ancestor. You never know what other researchers have posted online. And don't just look at the first page of results, flip through a few pages. I've found worthwhile links on the fourth and fifth pages of results. Also try a search in Google books.

3. WorldCat.org. WorldCat.org is a website that lists the catalog of libraries from across the world that I have already sang the praise of here. If a library includes their catalog on WorldCat.org, it will list all their holdings which could include books, articles and archival material. I found letters written by my third great-grandfather through a catalog listing on WorldCat.org. Can you say Sah-weet?

4. FamilySearch.org. What can I say, it's a great resource. Of course you can look for your ancestors through their searchable database. But also check out records that haven't yet been transcribed. FamilySearch has countless record images for viewing that are not yet available in their search engine. I was able to locate the birth record of my fourth great-grandfather in Norfolk, England, just by browsing through FamilySearch's Norfolk Bishop Transcripts, 1585-1941. It does take a little more time, but it is well worth the effort. A good way to locate these types of records is to visit the FamilySearch wiki, which is yet another great option from the FamilySearch folks. And this may make your head explode, but you can also conduct a search for genealogy books from their homepage.

5. Local/State historical societies. Have you done a search for the historical society serving the area your ancestors lived in? Many local societies have great websites, often including records that they have in their collection. Look for a society for the city, county, region and state of your ancestor as each one will have a different collection and each one may be able to provide a different link to your ancestors' story. State societies also usually offer interlibrary loan for their microfilm/books. Don't be shy and give the society a call or send an email to ask about your relatives. I once made a big connection through an email to a society where the volunteer that returned my email was also researching the same line.

I can see that you are agog with the opportunities available from sitting on your bum. Nothing here is rocket science and you are probably using them now, but I hope that I have shared some new uses from some old friends. These are just some of my old friends. What sites have worked for you?

Military Monday - Camp Robinson, Arkansas

The main entrance of Camp Joseph T. Robinson in the 1940s. Originally named Camp Pike, the post was started in 1917 as a federal training facility for World War I. In 1922 the Camp was returned to the state of Arkansas for use as a training facility for the Arkansas National Guard. It was renamed Camp Joseph T. Robinson in 1937 to honor the death of a long-time Arkansas senator by the same name. In 1940 the camp was returned to the federal government for the 1-year mobilization of the 35th Infantry Division. At the outset of World War II the post was used as a training facility. Today Camp Robinson is the headquarters for the Arkansas National Guard and the location for the National Guard Bureau Professional Education Center (PEC), the national training center for the Army National Guard. Camp Pike still exists, though much smaller, and houses the federal military units in central Arkansas.

For more information on Camp Robinson visit the Arkansas National Guard Museum website.

Surname Saturday - Alexander

I am related to the Alexander family through my paternal great-grandmother, Gussie Creed. I have discussed the Reece family before here. I was lucky to find Elisabeth's maiden name on her marriage record to William Henry Reece.

They were married December 22, 1836 in Johnson County, Missouri. Note that her name is spelled Elizabeth on this record, yet it is spelled with an "s" on her headstone. I'm choosing to go with what was put in granite until I find information to the contrary. I was also lucky to find Elisabeth's brother, George, living with her on both the 1875 Kansas census and the 1880 federal census.

I adjusted the image a little to show the place of birth. George is quite a bit younger than his older sister; there is a twenty-year age difference. And the Alexander family migrated from North Carolina to Missouri somewhere between the births of Elisabeth and George.

Now I have two Alexander siblings. I received a response to a query on an Ancestry message board a few years back from a fellow researcher, John. Based on information he had received he indicated that Elisabeth and George's parents were John Alexander and Polly Ferguson. His deductions are sound, but I have yet to find documentation that proves this link. I did find a John Alexander living in Johnson County, Missouri in 1850. He is widowed and with him live five children, all born in Missouri, to include a George. This George is a year or two older than "my" George.

It is also important to note the name of the youngest child: Araminta. A unique name, one that Mary Reece Creed uses for one of her own children. And in 1850 Elisabeth Alexander Reece lives with her husband and children in the same township, county and state as the above Alexanders.

I added the above individuals to my practice tree to see what information I can find on them that may connect them to Elisabeth. And it's a good thing, too, because Araminta Alexander came up with 6 Ancestry hints. Each one was a census with the married name of Hull. I decided to look for her marriage record and found the following record from Johnson County, Missouri.

It states that Araminta Alexander and James Hull were married April 24, 1860 by none other than W. H. Reece. Have I mentioned that Elisabeth Alexander married William H. Reece, the preacher? An awfully convenient coincidence. Is it conclusive proof? Nope, but we're getting there. So now I return to the 6 Ancestry hints for Araminta. The first I click on is her listing on the 1860 census.

The last name in the listing? Araminta Hull. The first name? W. H. Reece. I had already found this census listing for the Reeces but had never taken note of the James and Araminta Hull listed in the family because I had no idea what the relationship was. I am calling this conclusive proof. At the very least, I am going to say John Alexander is my fourth great grandfather.

James McGuire - Irish ancestor

For as long as I can remember, I knew that my mother's roots were Irish and that our immigrant ancestor was James McGuire. My 2nd great grand aunt, Bruna McGuire, wrote a history of the McGuire line published in 1954 called Pioneer Families. In her book she discusses James McGuire and his Irish origins. She states he was born in 1747 in County Fermanagh, Ireland and died in 1838 in Anderson County, Kentucky.

Unfortunately, her information is inconsistent. Bruna states in some places that James McGuire is from County Fermanagh, Ireland. This is possible as this county has been a Maguire/McGuire stronghold for hundreds of years.

Enniskillen Castle in County Fermanagh, Ireland, built by Gaelic Maguires nearly 600 years ago.

Yet in another paragraph, Bruna states that James McGuire was born in "Tyrone, County Fermanagh, Ireland." Research shows that there is no Tyrone in Fermanagh, but the county just north of it is County Tyrone. She also states that James' parents and grandparents participated in the Siege of Londonderry in 1689. If James was born in 1747 it is unlikely that his parents were alive to participate in this siege, but his grandparents would be of the right age. But Londonderry/Derry is in County Londonderry, just north of County Tyrone. There was also Siege activity in Enniskillen, the county seat of Fermanagh, so it is possible that his family participated in that as well. Even though Ireland is a rather small country, these three counties still include a wide stretch of area to attribute to an 18th century family.

I do not know what became of Aunt Bruna's genealogy research so I am not aware of her sources for this information. She did gift many things to the Ray County Missouri Museum, but none of her research was included. In her book Bruna attributes some of her McGuire information to Mary Hale Dean, a distant relative, who she interviewed in 1942. I had never taken note of this information before so last night I looked in to Mary Hale Dean. A quick Google search brought up her FindAGrave memorial which states:

"Largely responsible for bringing the first library and starting the Women's Club of Owensboro. The Kentucky Room of the Daviess Co., Library holds what people once referred to as the 'Mary Hale Dean Traveling Library' of genealogical research of area families."

A quick search for the Daviess County Kentucky Library shows that their website does indeed include information on the Kentucky Room. I have sent the staff a note to see if any of Mary Hale Dean's research is archived in the Kentucky Room. Perhaps I will be able to find more conclusive links to the origins of James McGuire.

Wordless Wednesday - A happy family outing

A family trip in the early 1960s with Pete Underwood (center), Margaret McGuire Underwood and Clifton White (squating). I'm not sure where the photo was taken, but I know that my great-grandparents traveled quite a bit so this may have been on a road trip. I love this photo. The happiness on Pete and Margaret's faces makes me smile and I truly love the contemplative look of my great-grandfather, Clifton.

Military Monday - An Andersonville Connection?

Many months ago I requested two photos on the FindAGrave website for Peter and Susan Bodine. I knew they were buried in Pioneer Rest Cemetery, Plymouth, Richland County, Ohio, but I was not sure of their death information.

Yesterday I received photos of their headstones, plus extras, from generous volunteer MShirleyRN. She sent me not only the photos of the headstone for Peter and Susan, but also photos of all sides of their monument and an additional Bodine surname headstone next to it. Such kindness is wonderful and I will pay it forward. Anyway, it is clear that the individuals on the other sides of the monument are related, though it is not clear how. I would assume they are children of Peter and Susan, but you never know. One side shows the following:

Thos. Smith Bodine

Died March 27, 1864

Andersonville, GA

Aged

38 Y 7 D

If this Thomas was born in 1826 then he would be a son of Peter and Susan. I did not have Thomas in my records because I have not, to date, found a conclusive link for most of Peter and Susan's children. I was immediately intrigued by his death year, 1864, and death place, Andersonville, Georgia. Andersonville is the famous Confederate prisoner of war camp notorious for its deplorable conditions.

Andersonville Prison, Camp Sumter, Ga., as it appeared August 1st 1864 when it contained 35,000 prisoners of war / drawn from memory by Private Thomas O'Dea. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540

The prisoner of war camp opened its doors in February 1864 as Camp Sumter in honor of the county it was located in. It soon became known as Andersonville due to its proximity to that town. While only open for 14 months, the camp held a total of 45,000 prisoners with 13,000 dying in its walls from disease, malnutrition and exposure. At its height in August 1864 Andersonville held 32,000 captives at one time in a 26 1/2 acre area.

A quick search shows that a Thomas S. Bodine did in fact die at Andersonville. Date of death is listed as March 28, 1864, just one day different from that of the headstone above.

The Thomas S. Bodine listed above is buried in the Andersonville National Cemetery. He was assigned to the 45th Ohio Infantry as an Orderly Sergeant. I also found the Widow's Pension documents for Thomas Bodine's wife, Emma. It appears that he died of dysentary.

Are Thomas Smith Bodine of Richland County, Ohio and Thomas S. Bodine of Andersonville one and the same? I'm not sure. It is not unusual for a family to have a headstone placed at a local cemetery for a loved one that died in a distant location. So the headstone in Ohio may only be a place of remembrance for his family. Other than the headstone I have nothing linking Thomas S. Bodine to Thomas S. Bodine...if you get my meaning. The documents I have found for Thomas S. Bodine (POW), put him in Ohio, but not in Richland County. I'm inclined to think it is too big of a coincidence to ignore. Perhaps the next step is to research Richland County newspapers of the time to see if there is mention of his death.

For more information on Andersonville Prisoner of War Camp check out the following links:

Andersonville National Historic Site

Story of the Thomas O'Dea print (featured above)