Cornelia's genealogy blog

Orange County NY Probate Records go online

2011-12-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

Thanks to an Agreement between the Orange County Surrogate's Office and the Genealogy Society of Utah, the early Probate Records are being digitized and made available to the public. This is an ongoing project.

To view these records, go to http://www.orangecountygov.com/history and look for the Genealogy Section.

For more information about the Orange County Surrogate Court and its records, go to http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/9jd/orange/surrogates.shtml

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Commonwealth Approves Changes to Royal Succession

2011-10-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

I applaud this decision of the British Commonwealth, recognizing both the abilities of women to lead, and the inappropriateness of its former anti-Catholic position which dated back to the fall of the House of Stewart hundreds of years ago. Thank you, Mr. Cameron.

"PERTH, Australia—In a historic move that ushers in a new era for Britain's monarchy, rules governing succession to the throne will be changed to allow first-born females to succeed ahead of their male siblings and allow future rulers to marry a Catholic.

British Prime Minister David Cameron secured the agreement with the 16 nations that share Queen Elizabeth as their head of state during a meeting here of Commonwealth nations, a loose association of 54 countries that owes its origins largely to the British Empire.

Mr. Cameron said the changes will overturn hundreds of years of tradition but were needed to ensure the monarchy better reflects modern society.

'Attitudes have changed fundamentally over the centuries," the prime minister told reporters. "The idea that the younger son should become monarch instead of an elder daughter, simply because he is a man, or that a future monarch can marry someone of any faith except a Catholic, this way of thinking is at odds with the modern countries we have all become.'

In effect, Mr. Cameron said if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a first-born female, that child would be in line for the throne."

Full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203554104577002922751910902.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

DNA studies of aboriginal hair point to 2 waves of migration

2011-09-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

"In comparison with DNA from other humans, the DNA in the Aboriginal genome revealed the paths taken by the Aborigines' ancestors when they first migrated out of Africa as the first group to split away from the main group before Europeans and East Asians split from each other, according to the findings.

The rate of mutation in DNA indicates that the Aborigines moved out of Africa possibly 62,000 to 75,000 years ago toward Australia, and that the ancestors of Europeans and East Asians split from each other around 25,000 to 38,000 years ago.

'Aboriginal Australians descend from the first human explorers,' said Willerslev, whose work was published in the journal Science Express on Thursday."

To view this article, go to http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/218889/20110923/aborigini-hair-australia-migration-africa-dna.htm

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Thomas Jefferson, the man

2011-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

Anyone who attended the University of Virginia was taught to revere President Jefferson.
So, when questions arose about the parentage of Sallie Hemings' children, a heated debate ensued.
A DNA test, pointing to a Jeffersonian genetic connection, proved to the satisfaction of some but not all, that the President was the father.
As I pointed out in an earlier posting to this blog, "Did he or didn't he... Thomas Jefferson and DNA", 10 May 2010, DNA testing points to the family, not to the man.
This debate will apparently continue for some time.
What does it mean to be descended from a President? Does it inspire someone to become President himself? Does it create the motivation to be a leader? What difference does it make in someone's life to know that he or she is descended from a particular someone? Genealogy, the study of our ancestors, is more than a passion. It has become a national obsession. And, in the end, we are all one family...

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Japanese-American Intern Camp opens as Museum

2011-08-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

"During World World II, as the United States battled Japan and the other Axis powers, 14,000 Japanese-Americans were incarcerated at a remote camp. Ex-internees, their descendants and local residents worked together to develop a place that would tell the stories of the forced relocation and teach its visitors lessons for the future. "

Click here to read the article on Voice of America

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Are we extra-terrestrials?

2011-08-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

This morning, as I perused the news, I came across another article about Human DNA, and was surprised that I was not surprised, as it were, by this assertion.

The article on the Christian Science Monitor can be found via this link:
Are we all extraterrestrials?

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

“Disponendo Me Non Mutande Me” – “You may displace me but you cannot change me.”

2011-07-25T03:36:00.000-07:00

"The bigamist Duke and his three wives...After the 13th Duke of Manchester’s marital misdemeanours were aired in the High Court, his (very) extended family talk about the trials that the ignoble aristocrat has put them through."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/8657033/The-bigamist-Duke-and-his-three-wives.html

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Royal Watcher's link to the Grimaldi family of Monaco

2011-07-09T05:05:00.000-07:00

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco celebrated their marriage this month with both a civil and a religious ceremony.

For the official website of the Prince's Palace of Monaco, visit here:
http://www.palais.mc/monaco/palais-princier/english/homepage.1969.html

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Please join me in sponsoring Father Joe

2011-07-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Please join me in sponsoring Father Joseph Tyrrell of Saint Patrick's Cathedral in the NYC Marathon, as he raises funds for the National MS Society.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=6865739&fr_id=17204&pg=personal

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Prince Philip turns 90

2011-06-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

Recognizable instantly for his tall frame and piercing gaze, Prince Philip, consort of Her Majesty Elizabeth II of Great Britain, looks back on a life lived entirely in the limelight.

For the article, go to:

The Duke of Edinburgh

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Her Majesty visits Ireland

2011-05-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Ireland is the first visit by the head of the British Royal Family in 100 years. For an excellent explanation of the historic implications of this event, please see historian Diarmaid Ferriter's article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13410979

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Happy Tartan Day!

2011-04-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Tartan Day on Ellis Island, 01 April-03 April, 2011

2011-03-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

Everything you ever wanted to know about tartan but were afraid to ask....

THE NATIONAL FABRIC OF SCOTLAND

THE HIGHLANDS’ GIFT TO THE WORLD

Think of tartan and many colorful images appear.

Like a flag, tartan evokes the Scottish nation and its kilted clans. One look at tartan, and you can almost hear the skirl of Highland bagpipes.

Tartan, more than anything else, is the symbol of Scotland.

Yet, tartan – thanks to Scotland’s gift of it – is beloved throughout the world. No other fabric or pattern is so steeped in tradition.

Or, paradoxically, so consistently at the forefront of fashion.

Historians study it.

Designers design in it.

Branders use it to sell products– think Scotch Tape.

Tartan – so steeped in history – just seems to appeal to something deep within us all.

Rockers and royals alike agree– tartan rules.

So, join us on Ellis Island as we explore and celebrate tartan–this national fabric of Scotland which has managed to capture the world.

To learn more, visit the website for Tartan Day on Ellis Island

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Japan - World Vision link

2011-03-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.worldvision.org/home.nsf/pages/home.htm?Open&Open#/home/main/quake-tsunami-devastate-japan-1-1360

Scottish clans: cadets, septs & more

2011-03-10T05:50:00.000-08:00

A Scottish Clan is a tribal concept, generally meaning an extended family all related by birth. A Clan is usually named for one person -- for example, Clan Mackenzie derives its name from Kenneth, its Progenitor. In theory, all Clan members are descended from him. In reality, some may not be, as over time a Clan may have been joined by other people. The seniormost branch of the family is the direct line of descent from the Progenitor to the current Chief [this is where the concept of tanistry meets the concept of primogeniture]. The senior branches of the family, or cadets, generally signify a subgroup, or family, that each descend from one of the Chief's sons. The affiliated branches, the septs, are often said to be unrelated by those who assume that a sept's allegiance to the Chief was a matter of safety during dangerous times. In fact, members of the septs are often the descendants of the Chief's daughters. Only DNA tests can show these relationships, but descendants of the septs would then show up as having the Y DNA of the men the daughters married, not the DNA of their father. It would take a very detailed DNA analysis to prove all the links.
Finding the above confusing...? Many Clans today welcome new members based on a mutual desire to respect and preserve Scottish heritage. A good place to find your Clan is in the Highlander Magazine, where they list their mailing addresses. Many Clans have a presence at the Highland Games. See also Electric Scotland.

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

SCOTUS and Snyder v. Phelps

2011-03-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

The US Supreme Court, sometimes referred to as SCOTUS, has issued an historical opinion regarding free speech, from which Justice Alito dissented. I am grateful to him for being the lone voice of reason. Hate crimes and free speech are not the same thing. This case appalls me, and my deep sympathy goes to Mr. Snyder for his suffering.

To read the Court's documents on the case, follow this link:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-751.pdf

For other information about the Court, visit:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/about/about.aspx

And for the National Archives' link to the United States Constitution, visit:
http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=3

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

DAR breaks ground on Women Veterans' Memorial

2011-02-28T02:54:00.000-08:00

On Friday last, the Daughters of the American Revolution broke ground for a Memorial to honor women veterans.

“With the support of the 7,500 Illinois Daughters and the Illinois Department of the American Legion Commander Richard C. Groharing, we set out to erect a tribute to encompass the first women veterans of the Revolutionary War to today’s women veterans who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan and world-wide,” said Luanne Frosch Bruckner, Illinois State Regent DAR.
“The faces of Molly Pitcher, Margaret Ludwig Hays from the Revolutionary War to today’s women veteran, represented by Tammy Duckworth, deputy director of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C., an Iraqi veteran who lost both of her legs after being shot down in Iraq, were used for the sculpture. Tammy is also a member of the DAR."
...“Many years ago, a DAR, a former Army nurse, Gertrude Peterson of Rockford, told of her experiences as her group of nurses landed a few days after D-Day,” Bruckner said. “She inspired those listening with her matter-of-fact story of the incredible services given by these women. As an active member of the DAR, (I) have seen much of Illinois, and nowhere could (I) find a statue erected to honor only women veterans. A dream of creating such a tribute formulated and in 2008, upon accepting the nomination to lead the Illinois State organization as the Daughters of the American Revolution, a project was born.”

To view the article, visit Mt. Vernon Register-News

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Conservation of family papers

2011-02-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

For those of us with records sitting in boxes in the attic, basement or garage, take heart -- there is a professional service which may be able to rescue your precious documents.

The Northeast Document Conservation Center provides helpful information about their services as well as a convenient Resources List

While its primary focus is on organizations, the individual family historian will find the programs helpful and informative.

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Git yer kilt on!

2011-01-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

Countdown to Tartan Day!! In approximately 80 days, Scots will take over downtown Manhattan and participate in a number of events including a kirkin' of the tartan, parade, live music, dancing, and perhaps some imbibing! To attend the events which make up the annual NY Tartan Week, go to http://www.tartanweek.com/ and be sure to sign up to participate in the parade with your Clan or your band (or your wee Scottish doggie). If you don't have a kilt, wear something tartan!

Join your fellow Scottish-Americans as we celebrate the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, the document which was signed at Arbroath, Scotland on 06 April 1320. The Declaration was addressed to the Pope, and specifically describes the special relationship that Scots have had with the Church, as being under the protection of "the most gentle Saint Andrew, the Blessed Peter's brother."

To the most Holy Father and Lord in Christ, the Lord John, by divine providence Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Roman and Universal Church, his humble and devout sons Duncan, Earl of Fife, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, Lord of Man and of Annandale, Patrick Dunbar, Earl of March, Malise, Earl of Strathearn, Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, William, Earl of Ross, Magnus, Earl of Caithness and Orkney, and William, Earl of Sutherland; Walter, Steward of Scotland, William Soules, Butler of Scotland, James, Lord of Douglas, Roger Mowbray, David, Lord of Brechin, David Graham, Ingram Umfraville, John Menteith, guardian of the earldom of Menteith, Alexander Fraser, Gilbert Hay, Constable of Scotland, Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland, Henry St Clair, John Graham, David Lindsay, William Oliphant, Patrick Graham, John Fenton, William Abernethy, David Wemyss, William Mushet, Fergus of Ardrossan, Eustace Maxwell, William Ramsay, William Mowat, Alan Murray, Donald Campbell, John Cameron, Reginald Cheyne, Alexander Seton, Andrew Leslie, and Alexander Straiton, and the other barons and freeholders and the whole community of the realm of Scotland send all manner of filial reverence, with devout kisses of his blessed feet.
Most Holy Father and Lord, we know and from the chronicles and books of the ancients we find that among other famous nations our own, the Scots, has been graced with widespread renown. They journeyed from Greater Scythia by way of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pillars of Hercules, and dwelt for a long course of time in Spain among the most savage tribes, but nowhere could they be subdued by any race, however barbarous. Thence they came, twelve hundred years after the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, to their home in the west where they still live today. The Britons they first drove out, the Picts they utterly destroyed, and, even though very often assailed by the Norwegians, the Danes and the English, they took possession of that home with many victories and untold efforts; and, as the historians of old time bear witness, they have held it free of all bondage ever since. In their kingdom there have reigned one hundred and thirteen kings of their own royal stock, the line unbroken a single foreigner. The high qualities and deserts of these people, were they not otherwise manifest, gain glory enough from this: that the King of kings and Lord of lords, our Lord Jesus Christ, after His Passion and Resurrection, called them, even though settled in the uttermost parts of the earth, almost the first to His most holy faith. Nor would He have them confirmed in that faith by merely anyone but by the first of His Apostles — by calling, though second or third in rank — the most gentle Saint Andrew, the Blessed Peter's brother, and desired him to keep them under his protection as their patron forever.
The Most Holy Fathers your predecessors gave careful heed to these things and bestowed many favours and numerous privileges on this same kingdom and people, as being the special charge of the Blessed Peter's brother. Thus our nation under their protection did indeed live in freedom and peace up to the time when that mighty prince the King of the English, Edward, the father of the one who reigns today, when our kingdom had no head and our people harboured no malice or treachery and were then unused to wars or invasions, came in the guise of a friend and ally to harass them as an enemy. The deeds of cruelty, massacre, violence, pillage, arson, imprisoning prelates, burning down monasteries, robbing and killing monks and nuns, and yet other outrages without number which he committed against our people, sparing neither age nor sex, religion nor rank, no one could describe nor fully imagine unless he had seen them with his own eyes.
But from these countless evils we have been set free, by the help of Him Who though He afflicts yet heals and restores, by our most tireless Prince, King and Lord, the Lord Robert. He, that his people and his heritage might be delivered out of the hands of our enemies, met toil and fatigue, hunger and peril, like another Macabaeus or Joshua and bore them cheerfully. Him, too, divine providence, his right of succession according to or laws and customs which we shall maintain to the death, and the due consent and assent of us all have made our Prince and King. To him, as to the man by whom salvation has been wrought unto our people, we are bound both by law and by his merits that our freedom may be still maintained, and by him, come what may, we mean to stand. Yet if he should give up what he has begun, and agree to make us or our kingdom subject to the King of England or the English, we should exert ourselves at once to drive him out as our enemy and a subverter of his own rights and ours, and make some other man who was well able to defend us our King; for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.
Therefore it is, Reverend Father and Lord, that we beseech your Holiness with our most earnest prayers and suppliant hearts, inasmuch as you will in your sincerity and goodness consider all this, that, since with Him Whose vice-gerent on earth you are there is neither weighing nor distinction of Jew and Greek, Scotsman or Englishman, you will look with the eyes of a father on the troubles and privation brought by the English upon us and upon the Church of God. May it please you to admonish and exhort the King of the English, who ought to be satisfied with what belongs to him since England used once to be enough for seven kings or more, to leave us Scots in peace, who live in this poor little Scotland, beyond which there is no dwelling-place at all, and covet nothing but our own. We are sincerely willing to do anything for him, having regard to our condition, that we can, to win peace for ourselves. This truly concerns you, Holy Father, since you see the savagery of the heathen raging against the Christians, as the sins of Christians have indeed deserved, and the frontiers of Christendom being pressed inward every day; and how much it will tarnish your Holiness's memory if (which God forbid) the Church suffers eclipse or scandal in any branch of it during your time, you must perceive. Then rouse the Christian princes who for false reasons pretend that they cannot go to help of the Holy Land because of wars they have on hand with their neighbours. The real reason that prevents them is that in making war on their smaller neighbours they find quicker profit and weaker resistance. But how cheerfully our Lord the King and we too would go there if the King of the English would leave us in peace, He from Whom nothing is hidden well knows; and we profess and declare it to you as the Vicar of Christ and to all Christendom. But if your Holiness puts too much faith in the tales the English tell and will not give sincere belief to all this, nor refrain from favouring them to our prejudice, then the slaughter of bodies, the perdition of souls, and all the other misfortunes that will follow, inflicted by them on us and by us on them, will, we believe, be surely laid by the Most High to your charge.
To conclude, we are and shall ever be, as far as duty calls us, ready to do your will in all things, as obedient sons to you as His Vicar; and to Him as the Supreme King and Judge we commit the maintenance of our cause, casting our cares upon Him and firmly trusting that He will inspire us with courage and bring our enemies to nought. May the Most High preserve you to his Holy Church in holiness and health and grant you length of days.
Given at the monastery of Arbroath in Scotland on the sixth day of the month of April in the year of grace thirteen hundred and twenty and the fifteenth year of the reign of our King aforesaid.
Endorsed: Letter directed to our Lord the Supreme Pontiff by the community of Scotland.

Translation courtesy of http://www.constitution.org/scot/arbroath.htm

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

New Year's Honours List

2011-01-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what a Knight Bachelor was, or the letters CVO or OBE? Confused about Orders of Chivalry?
Wonder no more, here are the official links for the List, which include an explanation:
Types of Honours and award
And for a downloadable current list of the recipients, please go here:
London Gazette

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

A guid New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see!

2011-01-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

Presumably everyone knows that the traditional song with which we welcome the new year is Scottish, Auld Lang Syne. The poem by Robert Burns is just one part of Hogmanay, along with bonfires, first footing (good luck is associated with the first visitor of the new year) and fireworks. To learn more, go to RampantScotland's website, and have a great 2011!

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Who came first...

2011-01-01T05:58:00.000-08:00

In the North, we have early settlements in Maine (English), Massachusetts (English) and New York (Dutch & Huguenot). In the South, we have them at Jamestowne, Virginia (English & Welsh) and at St. Augustine, Florida (Spanish).
Occasionally, I have to remind people of the order in which these events took place (and the fact that there were people already waiting on the shoreline when the Colonists arrived).
And, occasionally, an interesting find takes place at one of the sites, such as the recent discovery at Jamestowne of a cache of tobacco pipes allegedly made by Robert Cotton circa 1608, each bearing the name of the owner or intended owner of the pipe.

Click here for the news article. and click here for an excellent overview of the Jamestowne project.

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

The story of evolution itself is evolving...

2010-12-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

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.

The 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.

Download full press release

Civil War Preservation Trust

2010-12-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

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

Note: CWPT is a 4 star rated charity on Charity Navigator.

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Who was Jefferson Davis?

2010-12-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

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.

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Secession

2010-12-18T03:49:00.000-08:00

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/

To follow my blog, sign up at http://corneliabush.blogspot.com/

Pearl Harbor Day, 07 December

2010-12-07T03:31:00.000-08:00

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

Interactive USS Arizona Memorial
Leave a tribute to a World War II Hero.
Pearl Harbor Muster Rolls - Free during December
Personnel assigned to ships based at Pearl Harbor.
A Narrative of Events During the Attack
Spotlight from the World War II Diaries.
'Attack on Pearl Harbor' Footnote Page
See documents and more about the Pearl Harbor Attack.

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.

Explore the entire World War II Collection

US Census Clock & Population increase since 1790 by decade

2010-12-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

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

http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html

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.

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/index.php

St. Andrew

2010-11-27T08:48:00.000-08:00

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/

Historic Markers

2010-11-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

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.

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

2010-11-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum - Ellis Island
New York,
Contact: Sr. Jane Burke, SSND
Phone: 301.588.4955
Email: jburke@lcwr.org
Web Site: http://www.womenandspirit.org/

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

A Royal Engagement is announced...

2010-11-16T14:08:00.000-08:00

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

Grant Allows U.Va. Press to Make Founders' Documents Online Free to Public

2010-11-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

Grant Allows U.Va. Press to Make Founders' Documents Online Free to Public

FSA Scot access to National Museums Scotland

2010-11-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

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

Comments enabled for blog followers only

2010-11-05T09:59:00.001-07:00

If you have signed up for this blog, you may comment on posts.

Clan Genealogists

2010-11-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

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

Daughtered out or died out?

2010-10-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

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.

Dutch naming patterns

2010-09-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2010-09-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

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.

HIGHLAND CATHEDRAL - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

2010-09-14T05:18:00.000-07:00

Change in Derhbfine rules for Scottish Clans

2010-09-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Scotland Tours

2010-07-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

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

In memoriam, Christopher Santora

2010-07-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Footnote pages

2010-07-06T04:28:00.000-07:00

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/

Purple Heart

2010-06-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

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/

Blue Star Museums

2010-06-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

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

Non-conformist records

2010-06-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

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]

NY immigration records

2010-06-03T02:16:00.000-07:00

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

The Jefferson Bible

2010-05-22T03:40:00.000-07:00

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/

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

2010-05-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

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:

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

2010-05-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

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

Presidential Genealogies

2010-05-08T08:06:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

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

Presidential Libraries

2010-04-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Presidential Libraries are part of the National Archives system. Their vast collections are visited by more than 2 million people per year.

VISIT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

VISIT THE LIBRARIES ONLINE

The 2010 Census and Latinos: What race are we? / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

2010-04-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Census and Latinos: What race are we? / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Census records

2010-04-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

21st Century Kilts comes to Manhattan

2010-04-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

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/

Announcing 2010 Scottish Tours

2010-03-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

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.

Source citations, index for Ahnentafel, Richard the Lionheart

2010-02-23T08:08:00.001-08:00

Sample Ahnentafel, 3 generations, Richard, the Lionheart

2010-02-23T08:05:00.000-08:00

Ahnentafel: What is an Ahnentafel?

2010-01-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

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/

Haiti relief efforts

2010-01-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

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/

Disaster Response

2010-01-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

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.

At Accreditation from Better Business Bureau

2009-12-02T04:59:00.000-08:00

BBB A+ Accredited

Announcement: My business has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating, the highest rating available.

Congratulations to Colonel Wayne Joseph Morgan, new Armiger

2009-11-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

Colonel Morgan is the head of the Sept of Mackenzie's Morgans, recognized by the Chief of Clan Mackenzie, and now an Armiger recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms of Scotland. Colonel Morgan is entitled to wear two feathers in his bonnet, and we look forward to seeing him wear said bonnet at the many Scottish Games!

Find a Grave website

2009-11-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

The website FindaGrave.com is a great place to search for your cemetery records, in part because there may already be a biography on your ancestor on that page, possibly placed there by a relative you can now connect with (and might not have known you had). You can add people, ask for photos to be taken, upload photographs you have taken, and share information with other researchers. It has a cooperative spirit, which is a big plus.

One feature which I particularly like is the ability to edit the links to other persons in other cemeteries, so that families who have migrated from one state to another can be linked.

For example, I can search for the surname McReynolds in the states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas, where our family tradition states that they lived over a 200+ year period. Our research has given us the names of family burying grounds and a cemetery or two. Various genealogical societies have transcribed some of these records over time.

Now I can enter all this data on FindaGrave.com and link to other persons in the same or other cemeteries, and ask for volunteers to photograph the cemetery sites and tombstones.

I can then add biographical material, and using the Edit Feature I can enter the Memorial i.d. number of Person A who was already in the database on the new memorial page I'm creating for Person B, thereby linking them. Once they are linked, I can show parents, spouse(s) and children, and connect people from our family in every state where they lived ... a very fine service, indeed.

Scottish Catholic Archives go online

2009-10-14T04:28:00.000-07:00

For many researching their Scottish ancestry, it may come as a surprise to learn that the database we've been so happy using for the last few years, http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ does not contain everyone's data.
In particular, up until now, there were no sacramental registers for Catholics (records of baptism, confirmation, marriage and death).
The records which have been available represent the main branch of the Church of Scotland.
The Scottish Catholic Archives, under the auspices of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, and in partnership with the Office of the Registrar General and Keeper of the Records of the National Archives, has launched the baptismal portion of these records by adding them to the Scotlands People database.
This is roughly a half million records. Additional records will follow later this year.
As is true with the Protestant records, not all parishes are fully represented, and dates for search can therefore be misleading. Check the catalogs carefully before assuming that a search has been definitive -- one parish may have records back to 1703, another back to 1538.
Baptisms, marriages, censuses, death records and wills should be compared to other records to complete the search for your family.
To visit the website for the Scottish Catholic Archives, go to http://www.scottishcatholicarchives.org.uk/Archives/tabid/67/Default.aspx

Photo: Carol, Mary, Rosemary, Vinny, Audrey at the Scottish Catholic Archives, Sept 2009

USS NY leaves Louisiana for namesake home port

2009-10-13T15:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hK8OburzBCilXCMylWdOHgsYSlDwD9BAAGTO2

Ok, this isn't genealogy. However, as a native New Yorker, with family in Louisiana who survived Hurricanes Katrina & Rita, this is one more thing to make me both proud and teary. Thank you to the fine people in Louisiana for building this ship to safeguard our Nation. Thank you to the fine men and women who serve our country. God bless you all.

Ryan Woods, Cornelia Bush, W. David H. Sellar Lord Lyon King of Arms, D. Brenton Simons

2009-10-09T13:55:00.001-07:00

Recommended Author: Sharyn McCrumb

2009-10-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

Sharyn is a superb writer, whom I had the pleasure of meeting a few years back at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.
She writes books with tremendous insight into the Scottish-American culture, the wisdom of the people in Applachian communities, and a delightful wit.
So far I've read everything she's written, and she has just come out with a new book.
My favorites are Highland Laddie Gone, Songcatcher and Rosewood Casket (soon to be a movie).
For info visit her website http://www.sharynmccrumb.com/.

2009-10-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

As some of my longer-term friends know, Harlan Whatley made a film called the Tartan Apple about Scottish-Americans in New York, and invited me to be part of it. It was a fun project, he did something that was important for the community at large, and his film won several awards. It's available online at https://www.createspace.com/205040 and to learn about his other projects check out the Internet Movie Database listing at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1146507/

Carol at Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle in background

2009-10-02T09:29:00.001-07:00

A windy day at the Wallace Monument with Mary, Jan and Rosemary

2009-10-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Deborah found an ancestor

2009-10-02T09:21:00.001-07:00

Bob at Stirling Castle

2009-10-02T09:18:00.001-07:00

Nancy at ScotlandsPeople Centre

2009-10-02T09:15:00.001-07:00

Edinburgh, Scotland Sept 2009

2009-10-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a research trip to visit the National Archives of Scotland, the ScotlandsPeople Centre at the General Register Office, and the Scottish Catholic Archives. The support we received from the staff was just great. Our guest speakers included David Sellar, Lord Lyon King of Arms and Ken Nesbitt of the Scottish Genealogy Society. The program included day trips to Rosslyn Chapel, the Wallace Monument, Bannockburn and Stirling Castle. I gave two lectures and lots of consultations to fellow members of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Next stop for me is Stone Mountain Highland Games in Georgia back in the US of A. Pictured are Rosemary, Paul, Cornelia, Deborah. Special thanks to McLean Scotland

Cornelia's genealogy blog

Orange County NY Probate Records go online

Commonwealth Approves Changes to Royal Succession

DNA studies of aboriginal hair point to 2 waves of migration

Thomas Jefferson, the man

Japanese-American Intern Camp opens as Museum

Are we extra-terrestrials?

“Disponendo Me Non Mutande Me” – “You may displace me but you cannot change me.”

Royal Watcher's link to the Grimaldi family of Monaco

Please join me in sponsoring Father Joe

Prince Philip turns 90

Her Majesty visits Ireland

Happy Tartan Day!

Tartan Day on Ellis Island, 01 April-03 April, 2011

Japan - World Vision link

Scottish clans: cadets, septs & more

SCOTUS and Snyder v. Phelps

DAR breaks ground on Women Veterans' Memorial

Conservation of family papers

Git yer kilt on!

New Year's Honours List

A guid New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see!

Who came first...

The story of evolution itself is evolving...

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

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

Civil War Preservation Trust

Who was Jefferson Davis?

Secession

Pearl Harbor Day, 07 December

See more about the Pearl Harbor Attack and WWII

Explore the entire World War II Collection

US Census Clock & Population increase since 1790 by decade

St. Andrew

Historic Markers

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

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

A Royal Engagement is announced...

Grant Allows U.Va. Press to Make Founders' Documents Online Free to Public

FSA Scot access to National Museums Scotland

Comments enabled for blog followers only

Clan Genealogists

Daughtered out or died out?

Dutch naming patterns

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

HIGHLAND CATHEDRAL - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

Change in Derhbfine rules for Scottish Clans

Scotland Tours

In memoriam, Christopher Santora

Our Reason for Being…

In Memory of Christopher, with Love

Footnote pages

Purple Heart

Blue Star Museums

Non-conformist records

NY immigration records

The Jefferson Bible

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

Native American ancestry research

Presidential Genealogies

Harry S. Truman

Presidential Libraries

VISIT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

VISIT THE LIBRARIES ONLINE

The 2010 Census and Latinos: What race are we? / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Census records

Ahnentafel, Queen Eleanor, 3 generations

21st Century Kilts comes to Manhattan

Tartan Day, Tartan Week NY

Announcing 2010 Scottish Tours

Source citations, index for Ahnentafel, Richard the Lionheart

Sample Ahnentafel, 3 generations, Richard, the Lionheart

Ahnentafel: What is an Ahnentafel?

Haiti relief efforts

Disaster Response

At Accreditation from Better Business Bureau

Congratulations to Colonel Wayne Joseph Morgan, new Armiger

Find a Grave website

Scottish Catholic Archives go online

USS NY leaves Louisiana for namesake home port