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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The story of evolution itself is evolving...

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology



The Institute unites scientists with various backgrounds (natural sciences and humanities) whose aim is to investigate the history of humankind from an interdisciplinary perspective with the help of comparative analyses of genes, cultures, cognitive abilities, languages and social systems of past and present human populations as well as those of primates closely related to human beings.

Genome of extinct Siberian human sheds new light on modern human origins.

photo Denisova caveThe sequencing of the nuclear genome from an ancient finger bone from a Siberian Cave shows that the cave dwellers were neither Neandertals nor modern humans.
An international team of researchers led by Svante Pääbo of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig (Germany) has sequenced the nuclear genome from a finger bone of an extinct hominin that is at least 30,000 years old and was excavated by archaeologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences in Denisova Cave in southern Siberia, Russia, in 2008.


Sunday, December 19, 2010

Civil War Preservation Trust

The Battle of Wilderness site is the subject of an intensive fundraising campaign with a year-end goal of acquiring and preserving key areas of this important battlefield.

The organization works with willing property owners and utilizes conservation easements and property transfers as the means of preserving historic sites - making a win-win situation for all parties.

You can gift an acre, or buy a membership, or download their wonderfully-detailed maps in pdf format.

The CWPT website offers lesson plans for teachers and study aids for students.

If you want to pre-plan a visit to a Civil War battlefield, this is a fabulous resource.

Visit CWPT and learn about the campaign at Save the Wilderness

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Who was Jefferson Davis?

Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, is a much-misunderstood historical figure. Who he was and what he said, stood for, and believed are not what you may think.
After reading his correspondence, his speeches, and learning from historical records, he emerges as a human being who cared greatly for his country and whose repeated efforts to prevent the onset of a Civil War were largely ignored.
He saw the relations between the North and the South as a grab for power related to the westward expansion of the United States, with the North as the aggressor. He repeatedly pointed out that the states were sovereign, that the union was not of unequal states but of equal states, not of the North and South but each state sovereign in itself.
His views are presented cogently, and there is an excellent book published by Random House, from which the following extract is taken:

"The harmony, the efficiency, the perpetuity of our Union require the States, whenever the grants of the Constitution are inadequate to the purposes for which it was ordained, to add from their sovereignty whatever may be needed, and the same motives urge us to seek no power by other means than application to the States.
To all which has been said of the inherent powers of this Government, I answer, it is the creature of the States; as such it could have no inherent power, all it possesses was delegated by the States, and it is therefore that our Constitution is not an instrument of limitations, but of grants. Whatever was then deemed necessary was specifically conveyed; beyond the power so granted, nothing can now be claimed except those incidents which are indispensable to its existence; not merely convenient or conducive, but subordinate and necessary to the exercise of the grants."

Senator Jefferson Davis, Speech in the U.S. House of Representatives, March 16, 1846


Jefferson Davis: The Essential Writings, edited by William J. Cooper, Jr., Modern Library, 2004, page 34.

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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Secession

Secession is the defining word for Americans with ancestors who fought in the War Between the States aka the Civil War aka The War of Northern Aggression.


Documents
A new exhibit of important documents officially opened Friday.
When: Monday-Fridays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed for state holidays).
What: "Confrontation to Conflict: South Carolina's Path to the Civil War."
Where: S.C. Archives and History Center, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia.
Cost: Free, but the archives gift shop will available for purchases.


Secession Day
Monday
9 a.m.: The original Ordinance of Secession will be on display at the Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St., all day until 5 p.m.
10 a.m.: The S.C. Historical Society begins free hourly tours of its exhibit, "Voices of Secession," at 100 Meeting St. The last tour begins at 3 p.m.
10 a.m.: The Confederate Museum at Market Hall will observe the anniversary 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Men and women in period attire will greet visitors with copies of the Charleston Mercury's famous "Union is Dissolved!" special edition. The museum will highlight its collection of secession artifacts, including two of the pens used to sign the Ordinance of Secession, stage decorations from the ceremony and a lithograph of the ordinance owned by one of the signers. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children.
11 a.m.: Mayor Joe Riley and others unveil a new South Carolina historical marker at 134 Meeting St., where the Ordinance of Secession was signed on Dec. 20, 1860.
6 p.m.: The Secession Gala begins at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium with a reception. The original Ordinance of Secession will be on display. A 45-minute theatrical play starts at 7:15 p.m. and will be followed by dinner and dancing.

Civil War stories
If you have stories of your ancestors during the Civil War and you would like to share them with other readers, send them to newstips@postandcourier.com.
These stories will become part of our ongoing coverage of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Be sure to include your contact information.
Are you a Civil War re-enactor?
Whether you're dressed in blue or gray, we would like to share your photos with readers. Tell us your name, residence, who is in the photo and what battle you're re-enacting. Send them to newstips@postandcourier.com.

For more details:
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/dec/18/secession-documents-go-on-display-in-sc/

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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Pearl Harbor Day, 07 December

This month in History on Footnote:


"On December 7, 1941, the United States suffered the most shocking military defeat in its history at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The Japanese surprise attack caused over 3,000 casualties and sank or damaged many ships including all eight battleships anchored in the harbor. Though the attack severely incapacitated the US Pacific fleet, it united a previously divided America and committed a nation to war."

See more about the Pearl Harbor Attack and WWII

The World War II War Diaries provide a day-to-day record of operational activities and sometimes administrative activities as well. Free during the month of December.

Monday, December 6, 2010

US Census Clock & Population increase since 1790 by decade

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the resident population of the United States, projected to 12/06/10 at 18:23 UTC (EST+5) is 310,859,176

COMPONENT SETTINGS FOR DECEMBER 2010
One birth every..................................   7 seconds
One death every..................................  12 seconds
One international migrant (net) every............  37 seconds
Net gain of one person every.....................  13 seconds

Resident Population
The U.S. resident population includes the total number of people in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, was 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 counted during the 1990 Census. This data will be released by the Census Bureau before December 31, 2010.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

St. Andrew

November 30 is St. Andrew's Feast Day. He is the patron Saint of Scotland.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with St. Andrew, or for that matter would like a good source of information on the Saints, here is the link from the Catholic Encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01471a.htm together with the link for Scotland http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13613a.htm

The Scottish Saltire is in the shape of the Cross, due to the manner in which St. Andrew was martyred. His relics are in several locations, and in Scotland his shrine is at St. Mary's RC Cathedral in Edinburgh http://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/ and the Church website has a good history of his life, death, and his connections to the people and nation of Scotland at http://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/standrew.html

If you are a Golfer, you will certainly have heard of St. Andrews Links, found at http://www.standrews.org.uk/ (yes, this is a link to the Links).

St. Andrew's Society of New York is at http://www.standrewsny.org/

The St. Andrew's Pub in New York is at http://www.standrewsnyc.com/, one of the places you will find Scottish-Americans almost any day of the week.

For those of you interested in Scots Gaelic classes who live in the States, the New York Caledonian Club has an active schedule on an ongoing basis, at http://www.nycaledonian.org/studies.php

Not yet a follower of my blog? Sign in to follow at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Historic Markers

My favorite beach as a child was at Corn Hill, on Cape Cod.

An appropriate topic for Thanksgiving, since this is where Native Americans had planted Corn.

This brings me to the often overlooked but frequently valuable historic markers, placed by local, state and national organizations.

Here is the link for Corn Hill Beach: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4TFX_Monument_Of_Corn_Hill

And here is the link for Pilgrim Memorial State Park: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM172Q_Welcome_to_Pilgrim_Memorial_State_Park

Happy Thanksgiving to One and All.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America, at Ellis Island until 22 January 2011

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

When: September 24, 2010 – January 22, 2011
Time: 9 AM - 5 PM
Where: The Ellis Island Immigration Museum - New York, NY
Cost: Ferry Transportation Fee
Details: The traveling museum show "Women & Spirit" sheds light on the often unknown contributions of Catholic Sisters in America. It showcases the innovative, action-oriented women who have played a significant role in shaping the nation’s social and cultural landscape since the first Ursulines arrived in New Orleans in 1727. Exhibit features rare artifacts, media presentations, and photographs from more than 400 communities which have been brought together for the first time. Many of the nuns emigrated to the US from other lands; their contributions to American history are as unheralded as they are significant. Since first arriving in America nearly 300 years ago, sisters built schools, colleges, hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters and many other enduring social institutions. As they came to this country to assist fellow immigrants, Catholic sisters played a vital role in extending social services, educational opportunities, and health care to people from many walks of life. Baggage Room - First Floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Getting to Ellis Island: Statue Cruises provides ferry transportation to Ellis Island from Battery Park in NY and Liberty State Park in NJ from 9am to 5pm daily, For ticket rates and availability and schedule information, call 1-877-LADY TIX or 1-877-523-9849 or visit ww.statuecruises.com. __FEES__ - Museum Entrance Fee: None - Ferry Transportation Fee: $12 - Ages 13+ $10 - Seniors 62+ $5 - Children 4-12 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

A Royal Engagement is announced...

As it has been expected for years, and as the English companies have already made up the collectible china with their photographs last June, it is no surprise to learn that HRH Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales [aka Prince William] is now setting dates with Kate Middleton, who is now sporting the beautiful engagement ring previously worn by HRH Diana, Princess of Wales. Congratulations.

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/newsandgallery/news/his_royal_highness_prince_william_of_wales_and_miss_catherin_77816924.html

http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/The%20House%20of%20Windsor%20from%201952/DianaPrincessofWales/Background.aspx

On a genealogical note, I refer all seekers to Mr. Gary Boyd Roberts of the New England Historic Genealogical Society who will surely be adding comments to the work he has done to date. See, inter alia, Ancestors of American Presidents, Appendix 4, "Kinships Through American Forebears," (Boston, 2009), pp 621-645.

http://www.notablekin.org/
http://www.americanancestors.org/home.html

Saturday, November 6, 2010

FSA Scot access to National Museums Scotland

During the closure period, when the Research Library is closed to the general public, Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland [FSA Scot] can still visit and use a reader's desk by appointment.
The library is scheduled to reopen in Summer 2011, and will have a collection of 30,000 books on open shelves.
For more information on the Society, go to http://www.socantscot.org, and for more information about the collection at the Library and the online catalogue, go to http://libcat.nms.ac.uk/uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/x/0/0/49

Friday, November 5, 2010

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Clan Genealogists

This is a brief note for Clan Genealogists.
As many of you know, when people attend Highland Games, they may not know what Clan they are associated with, or they may not know further back than the names of their grandparents.
Occasionally, someone will attend who is a Celt but not Scottish (i.e. Irish or Welsh) and so there is no Clan representation in the tents at the Games.
So, here are a few suggestions for Clan Genealogists so that they can get someone started.
First, please make them welcome, and invite them to affiliate with your Clan if they choose. If you trace far enough back, chances are they're kin.
Second, let them know that there are several places to go if their clan is not in attendance, and these include: Highlander Magazine , Rampant Scotland , Electric Scotland and Genealogists like yours truly Cornelia Bush, FSA Scot .
Third, if they join your Clan Society, please make sure that they take home a piece of paper that gives your website address -- it will help keep them active.
Fourth, give them a form to fill out and mail back on which they can enter family history data (as far back as they have it.) It should be at least to their 3 greats grandfather in order to get them back to Revolutionary War records. If you are a Clan Genealogist and need a form, email me via my website and be sure to identify which Clan you are from.
Yours aye,
Cornelia

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Daughtered out or died out?

As a Genealogist, the meaning of these phrases is incredibly painful to me as I write this, knowing that with the death of my beloved nephew, my family has now died out.
For those of you who read my blog on Facebook, you may not know that it links from Google Blogger. And so, personal and professional finally meet.
We say "daughtered out" when a family has no more males to carry on the line, but the daughters have children (who carry on the line of their respective husbands).
We say "died out" when there are no more children in the male line.
And so, with heavy heart, I'm debating who gets what Family Bible, who gets what set of photographs, who gets great-grandfather's pocket watch...all things which have been in my mind, throughout his lifetime, the property of my nephew, and me the caretaker thereof.
Hold close the ones you love.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Dutch naming patterns

The early Dutch in America were sometimes referred to by more than one name, sometimes following the patronymic pattern and sometimes using English surnames more or less inconsistently.

The same man, Floris Willemse Krom might also be known simply as Floris Willemsen, or Floris son of William.

Surnames/last names might also pertain to the village or town of origin [Winkel=market town], the office or employment of a person [Peltz=fur trader], or a person's character [Vrooman=honest].

Their Christian/first names were sometimes translated into English and sometimes common Dutch nicknames might have been used. Understanding the first names is essential in identifying the right children and parent combinations in the baptismal records.

Some English persons were married or baptized their children in Dutch churches, so anyone researching Colonial New York and New Jersey will benefit from using this book.

My favorite book on Dutch names comes from Kinship Books, and is Names, Names and more Names: Locating your Dutch Ancestors in Colonial America by Arthur C.M. Kelly (1999), website http://www.kinshipny.com/. It's currently out of print, but I found a few older copies at Amazon here.

Friday, September 17, 2010

VIDEO: Honoring Constitution Day | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

VIDEO: Honoring Constitution Day | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

How many of you didn't know about this day?
To an archivist, it's a rare document.
To an American citizen, it's the defining phrase that makes us free.
WE THE PEOPLE.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Change in Derhbfine rules for Scottish Clans

From the website of the Lord Lyon King of Arms
William David Hamilton Sellar

Guidance as regards the holding of a Derbhfine or Family Convention
Derbhfine was the name given in Old Irish Law to a four generation agnatic kingroup of importance in determining succession and the ownership of property.  More recently the term has been used to describe what might be termed a Family Convention, held when the identity of the Chief or Head of a historic Family or Name is in doubt, the object of which is to recognise a new Chief or Head of the Family or Name; or to indicate a suitable Commander for a term of years.
A Family Convention should be composed of the leading members of the Family or Name in question.  It has not proved easy to define who exactly qualify as leading members, but the term certainly includes the heads or representatives of leading branches of the family.  In the past the term has been defined in terms of armigers and substantial landowners.  Although being an armiger does suggest a certain status and a degree of commitment to the Name, this definition has not proved entirely satisfactory, being on the one hand too exclusive and on the other open to abuse.  For example, such a definition might exclude non-armigerous heads of leading branches; also, in theory at least, definition in terms of a given number of armigers may make a Family Convention open to “packing”.  There is also the possibility that someone unconnected to the Name in question, might adopt that name as his or her surname and become an armiger.  It is not appropriate that someone in this position should then be regarded as a leading member of the family.  It does seem appropriate, however, to consult with a well established clan or family association where such exists.
There are a number of circumstances in which it would seem appropriate to hold a Family Convention:
(1)   Where a blood link to a past Chief or Head of Name is likely but is not conclusively proven and it is wished to propose a particular person in that situation to be recognised as Chief.
(2)   Where the main line of descent from a past Chief has died out and it is wished to recognise the Representer of a cadet line as Chief.
(3)   Where neither blood link to a past Chief nor Representer of a cadet line can be identified but it is wished to propose a particular person of the surname as Commander.  It is generally desirable that such a Commander should live in Scotland.
It should be noted that the Lord Lyon is unlikely to recognise a person recommended by a Family Convention as Chief or Head of a Family or Name, unless that recommendation is unopposed or, at the very least, has been approved by a substantial majority of the Family Convention.
The Family Convention should take place in Scotland although members outwith the jurisdiction may participate by video link or similar.
It is anticipated that the number of those participating in a Family Convention will be relatively small, of the order of ten to twenty-five people. 

The Conduct of a Family Convention
It is desirable that one of HM Officers of Arms, or some other person approved by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, be appointed to supervise the Family Convention.  The supervising officer’s role is to act as an impartial Chairman and to make an objective report to Lyon. 
In case of dispute, the supervising officer will determine which individuals shall comprise the Family Convention and, in reporting back to Lyon, shall also take into account the views of any well established clan or family association.
At least six month’s notice of the intention to hold a Family Convention should be given to the Lord Lyon to be posted, at a minimum, on the Lyon Court website.  The Supervising Officer should give at least two month’s notice of the date of the Family Convention to interested parties, setting out the procedure to be followed. 

Monday, July 26, 2010

Scotland Tours




Annual Scottish tour with Genealogist Cornelia Bush, FSA Scot. 

Accepting individuals, couples and small groups (limit 10 per group). 

Desinations include Edinburgh, the Highlands. 

Hotels are 4 star or castle stays.
Send inquiries to Email

Monday, July 12, 2010

In memoriam, Christopher Santora

I recently came across this website, dedicated to the memory of a Firefighter who died on September 11, 2001 http://christophersantora.com/. His family have posted the following information, which I want to share with my Readers:

Our Reason for Being…

In Memory of Christopher, with Love

Following in the foot steps of his Firefighter father, Christopher Santora was a member of Engine 54/Lad­der 4 for only 2 months before he lost his life tragical­ly on 9/11. Before he signed up for the FDNY Fire Academy, he’d already followed in the foot steps of his mother as a teacher in the NYC Public School system. No grass grew under his feet, as they say. Christopher had a certain, special “something.”
In memory and celebration of Christopher and the special person he was, the Firefighter Christopher Santora Educational Scholarship Fund is dedicated to the continuing education of young American students from all walks of life who have some thing special about them as well.
I also want to share the website for the NY City Firefighters Museum http://www.nycfiremuseum.org/
and the Fire Department of New York's own 9/11 Tribute page http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/media/tribute/tribute.html.

Today, and every day, let us honor their memory.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Footnote pages

Footnote offers an exciting feature which allows members to create person pages.

Images of that person, news articles found in footnote's extensive online files, census records, a timeline and links to relevant other websites can all be pulled together in one place for an interesting and attractive page.

This is a lovely way to remember a family member, to honor a veteran, to commemorate an event, or to link different family members who appear throughout the footnote data. To extend the tribute, a link to findagrave.com [see earlier posts] can be added.

For an example, visit:
http://www.footnote.com/page/94532939_james_clark_mcreynolds/

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Purple Heart

Today, General Petraeus spoke to Purple Heart recipients. For those of you who are interested in the history of the organization which honors them, or to verify that a person who received a Purple Heart is listed, or to list yourself or your family member, please visit the website:

http://www.thepurpleheart.com/history/

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Blue Star Museums

Blue Star Museums is a program that offers free admission to museums for all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 31, through Labor Day, September 6, 2010. 

What museums are participating?
More than 750 museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are participating in Blue Star Museums.  These include children's museums, fine art museums, history and science museums.  Some examples are the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas; the California Surf Museum Oceanside, California; the Mission San Luis, a living history site and historic landmark in Tallahassee, Florida; the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Lincoln – Nebraska; the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois; and the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire.

Where can I find a full list of all participating museums?
For a full list of participating museums, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.


For more info, go to the main web page:
http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/faq.html

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Non-conformist records

One of the difficulties people have in searching for their families in the records of the British Isles is that we forget that as Americans, many of us left because we did not belong to the official religion(s).
Non-conformist records do exist, and should be searched together with any civil or religious records pertaining to the geography of the family's known or suspected origin.

As an example, let us choose Devonshire England, which provides an excellent explanation of various nonconformist groups, including Quaker (Society of Friends), Baptists, Methodists, Huguenots, Roman Catholic, et cetera.
See http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/councildemocracy/people/family_history/family_history_3/nonconformist.htm , and follow the links to repositories in England.

See also http://www.bmdregisters.co.uk/ for The Official Non-Parochial BMDs Service [For records of birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial taken from non parish sources]

Thursday, June 3, 2010

NY immigration records

Thanks to Steve, my Greek buddy, for an interesting story...his family arrived in NY in 1905. This reminded me that not everyone knows about Castle Garden and Ellis Island. From 1855-1890, Castle Garden was the point of immigration. From 1892-1924, Ellis Island was.

I'm providing the links here: http://www.castlegarden.org/ and http://www.ellisisland.org/. These are free services (no subscription).

I particularly like the timeline provided on the Ellis Island site:
http://www.ellisisland.org/genealogy/ellis_island_timeline.asp

If you know the ship, you can search the databases above, or also http://immigrantships.net/nycarrivals1_6.html

See also US Citizenship and Immigration Services for record copies: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The Jefferson Bible

One of the points I try to share with friends whenever we discuss religion or the early days of America, is that our Founding Fathers were not atheists, so freedom of religion meant freedom to worship in the manner of one's choosing. Thomas Jefferson, like many prominent men of his day, were Masons, who referred to God in almost everything they did of consequence, as the Supreme Being. Recently, I learned that Thomas Jefferson published what is known as the Jefferson Bible, which is his version of the life and teachings of Jesus the Christ. Available from several sources, including one that supports the maintenance of Mr. Jefferson's home, the architectural gem known as Monticello.


http://www.monticellocatalog.org/010111.html


http://www.amazon.com/Jefferson-Bible-Thomas/dp/0807077143/ref=pd_cp_b_2


To visit Monticello, see http://www.monticello.org/

Friday, May 14, 2010

Did he or didn't he... Thomas Jefferson and DNA

It is a common misconception that DNA is extremely useful in Genealogy, to the extent that it is perhaps more definitive than written documents, oral history, or any other source. That is not exactly true.
First, we know that genetics begins with the premise that we are all either XX if female or XY if male. When I studied genetics in high school, the standard idea was that we are exactly 50 per cent of each of our parents. Well, no. It turns out that we are more our mothers than our fathers (more egg than sperm), and that certain aspects of a person come from a particular parent, such as intellect.
So, if we think of tracing our matrilineal line, i.e. our mother's mother's mother, we track the X, and wind up with what Bryan Sykes of Oxford calls the Daughters of Eve. And, there are only a handful of women from whom we all descend.
So, tracing the Y yields our father's father's father's line, the patrilineal line. So, the idea would then be that the Y doesn't change...but it does. In the work done to confirm the identity of Czar Nicholas II, it became apparent that not only does the Y mutate over time (roughly every 150 years), but that some people actually show the mutation (as did the Czar) in their genes. So, assuming that while a Jefferson fathered Sally Hemings' child, DNA evidence does not show which Jefferson. Family Tree DNA now offers a Jefferson-matching DNA service, noting that

"While DNA cannot prove that Sally Hemmings' child was Thomas' son, Y-DNA did prove that the child's father was 'a Jefferson.' Family Tree DNA has the Y-DNA signature of the Jefferson line:
Jefferson Markers"

If you want to have the test, the link is http://www.familytreedna.com/landing/matching-jefferson.aspx

For books by Professor Bryan Sykes, see http://books.google.com/books?q=+inauthor:%22Bryan+Sykes%22&source=gbs_authrefine_t

Native American ancestry research

This is the link on Footnote.com, of vital interest to those searching for Native American / Indian ancestry Dawes Packets The Records of the Five Civilized Tribes [Applications for Enrollment of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914, NARA M1301]. These tribes are: Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole. 


For those searching specifically for Cherokee heritage, the following is of help: http://www.footnote.com/page/93189061_eastern_cherokee_applications_of_the/ and http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/native-americans/cherokee-enumeration.html


The National Archives link is at http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/ and for the period of 1885-1940, there is census information of special interest at http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/native-americans/1885-1940.html

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Presidential Genealogies

And for those of you who are familiar with the work of Gary Boyd Roberts on the Ancestry of American Presidents, here's a link to his book:
http://www.newenglandancestors.org/publications/45_7151.asp

Harry S. Truman

Today is V-E Day, so a quick jump to the collections of his Presidential Library yields the declaration:
May 8, 1945
PROCLAMATION 2651 [Victory in Europe: Day of Prayer]
The Allied armies, through sacrifice and devotion and with God's help, have wrung from Germany a final and unconditional surrender. The western world has been freed of the evil forces which for five years and longer have imprisoned the bodies and broken the lives of millions upon millions of free-born men. They have violated their churches, destroyed their homes, corrupted their children, and murdered their loved ones. Our Armies of Liberation have restored freedom to these suffering peoples, whose spirit and will the oppressors could never enslave.

Much remains to be done. The victory won in the West must now be won in the East. The whole world must be cleansed of the evil from which half the world has been freed. United, the peace-loving nations have demonstrated in the West that their arms are stronger by far than the might of dictators or the tyranny of military cliques that once called us soft and weak. The power of our people to defend themselves against all enemies will be proved in the Pacific war as it has been proved in Europe.

For the triumph of spirit and of arms which we have won, and for its promise to peoples everywhere who join us in the love of freedom, it is fitting that we, as a nation, give thanks to Almighty God, who has strengthened us and given us the victory.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby appoint Sunday, May 13, 1945, to be a day of prayer.

I call upon the people of the United States, whatever their faith, to unite in offering joyful thanks to God for the victory we have won and to pray that He will support us to the end of our present struggle and guide us into the way of peace.

I also call upon my countrymen to dedicate this day of prayer to the memory of those who have given their lives to make possible our victory.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of May in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-five and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and sixty-ninth. [SEAL]

HARRY S. TRUMAN

By the President:

Joseph C. Grew,
Acting Secretary of State.
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/proclamations/index.php

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Census records

This being 2010, we are now all part of the newest decennial census, started in 1790, and conducted every 10 years by the US government.
The questions asked have varied greatly over the years, at some point providing detailed answers to genealogical questions such as family relationships, ages, dates of birth, how long a citizen, year of naturalization, number of children born vs. number of children living, whether or not a first marriage, etc.
At other times, census questions do not yield particularly helpful information for genealogical researchers. This is unfortunately true of the 2010 census, which asks lots of interesting racial questions, but leaves out the useful information from previous censuses.
I find it curious that the 2010 census asks for very detailed information on a great many possibilities, but groups all whites as the same. For example, there is a misconception that because a person is white, he or she is a WASP, meaning white anglo-saxon protestant.  However, many white people are Celts or Vikings and Catholic or Quaker, etc. We are diverse, too.
State censuses are also useful sources of information.
Don't forget to look for recreated census records for burned counties; these are compiled from various records such as taxes, voting lists and the like.

Here are a few useful links:
http://www.census.gov/
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/index.html
http://www.archives.gov/publications/record/1998/01/family-history.html
http://search.ancestry.com/search/default.aspx?cat=35
http://www.footnote.com/documents/60505077/census_us_federal_1930/
http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index

Ahnentafel, Queen Eleanor, 3 generations

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

21st Century Kilts comes to Manhattan

Howie Nicholsby, one of Scotland's most innovatove designers, and the inventor of the non-traditional kilted look, will be in NY this year for the Tartan Week events. For information about Howie and his company, visit his website http://www.21stcenturykilts.com/

Tartan Day, Tartan Week NY

Tartan Week kicked off with a great event at Ellis Island, organized by NY Tartan Day Committee Member Robert "Bob Currie".
For a schedule of events, including live music and the annual parade, check out the websites: http://www.tartanweek.com/
http://www.tartandayonellisisland.com/

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Announcing 2010 Scottish Tours

Visit the Scottish National Archives, the Scottish Catholic Archives, the General Register Office, The Court of Lord Lyon, the Highland Council Archives, and tour the capital city and the Highlands.
Get in-depth individual training by professional Genealogist Cornelia Bush, FSA Scot.
Group size: 10 persons per tour -- your group, or join other people.
Hotel categories: 4 star or castle-stays. Handicapped-accessible accommodation available. Adults only.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Ahnentafel: What is an Ahnentafel?

First, let me say that I am a Mac user, and see no reason ever to switch to a PC. I started using a Mac when I published the campus newspaper in graduate school, we used Aldus Pagemaker, which became Adobe Pagemaker, and I quickly came to realize that the publishing industry thrived on Macs.
So, the genealogy software program I use is Reunion, the one designed for Mac, recommended to me lo these many years ago by Dick Eastman back in the days of the Compuserve genealogy forum.
Using Reunion since 1996, I now have an extensive database of my own family, and build a database for each new Client.
Along with the database, I can create various kinds of reports, and my favorite one is the Ahnentafel.
An Ahnentafel starts with the Source person, who is the Client. We then can show all of the people he or she is descended from.
Reunion lets me show these by generation, and every person gets a number.
So, source person #1 has a male parent/father #2 and a female parent/mother #3.
From there on, double the number in the male line and you have that person's next generation.
Your father's father is #4 [2x2], your father's mother is #5, your father's father's father is #8 [2x4], your father's mother's father is #10 [2x5], and so on.
Your mother's father is #6 [2x3] and your mother's mother is #7. Your mother's father's father is #12 [2x6] and your mother's mother's father is #14 [2x7].
Once you are familiar with the system, you can glance at the number and know if you are following your paternal or maternal lines.
For Charlemagne lines, this gets a bit silly unless you remember to remove duplicates, since once we get back to any major noble or royal line, we start getting into the overlapping royal families of Europe.
However, it's very exciting when we are able to take a line far back into the past and show each person.
Reunion has an option of showing the children of each generation within the Ahnentafel, a feature that makes printing a Register Report redundant.
If you haven't tried your software program's Ahnentafel feature, give it a try now!
I'll be uploading samples of these for famous people in my next posting.
Here's the company's website: http://www.leisterpro.com/

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Haiti relief efforts

Thanks to Carole Cornell for this additional announcement regarding helping people in Haiti:
Missionaries are providing aid through Agape Flights. For info see http://www.agapeflights.com/

Friday, January 15, 2010

Disaster Response

Dear Friends,
I'm providing a link to WorldVision http://www.worldvision.org/ which I consider to be one of the finest organizations currently responding to the disaster in Haiti.