1880 Census Records Posted to Lost Cousins

Yesterday, I discovered the website, LostCousins.com.  I entered the 1880 US Census information for my ancestors into that application.   Each household was entered as a separate entity.   Each was entered as it was written on the Census form --- the application allowed for override to correct the Census Taker's spelling of the names or recording of the ages.   For each family member in the household, I recorded their relationship to me -- direct ancestor or blood relation.   For the direct ancestor, I needed to indicate their relationship via Ahnentafel code.   Luckily, they make a blank Ahnetafel chart available so that I could determine the code to use.   

Once entered, clicking the SEARCH button causes the application to do a quick edit.  It caught that my great grandfather was reported in two separate households in the 1880 census and that in his father's household there were two children with similar names of the same age.   Both were correct.  All I had to do was confirm these items as being correct.  

Now I wait to see if any of the descendants of my ancestors also post to this site.  The only US Census entries that are available are 1880 and 1940.   The other census options are for Canada and the UK,   Since my ancestors, even those that started out from England, were in North America long before 1880, I could not avail myself of these options.

The site boasts of (as of today, 7 September 2015:

• 99, 502 members
• 2,584,365 relatives entered
• 116,482 relatives matched

So, #Jenks, #Koontz, #Shaul, #Weaver, #Tobias, #Gardner, #Dagan, #Lee, cousins get busy!!

#LostCousins  #Genealogy

MyHeritage - A New Venture for Me

On a lark, I decided to upload the GEDcom file I use for DNA matches to MyHeritage and just see where it lead me.  The file was an abbreviated version of my main database with just main line ancestors back about six generations.

This has been in place now for a few months.   Updates keep flying in from MyHeritage.   As of yesterday, I pulled down and printed off my Genealogy Report.   This installment is 215 pages in length.    The table of contents for the report is as follows:

1. PATERNAL ANCESTRY
2. MATERNAL ANCESTRY
3. DESCENDANTS
4. DIRECT RELATIONS
5. INDIRECT RELATIONS via CATHERINE ELIZABETH WEAVER [DEAVER]
6. INDIRECT RELATIONS via MARY E WEAVER [WOOD]
7. INDIRECT RELATIONS via CHRISTOPHER EVERETT DRAKE
8. INDIRECT RELATIONS via HANNAH JENKS OR JENCKS [BOSWORTH]
9. FAMILY TREES
10. NOTES
11. SOURCES
12. INDEX OF PLACES
13. INDEX OF DATES
14. INDEX OF INDIVIDUALS

All in all, a rather impressive presentation!   In the following entries, I want to take the time to explore the report and its elements.     As far as the mind boggle point of view, page 82, the last of the section on DIRECT RELATIONS, notes Generation of Twenty-one-Times-Great-Grandparents !!  Although the birth dates for none of the four reported grandparents appear, birth dates for their children (my 20 Times Great Grandparents) are reported:

• John Baldwin - 1250
• Ann Baldwin [L'Enfant] - 1260
• Abigail Savage [Stanton] Shropshire - 1263

Back to the mid 1200s! 

Next stop --  looking to see from where is the lineage proof source derived.

Stay tuned.

(BTW -- received another update from MyHeritage this AM with more confirmations)

#MyHeritage #Shaul #Weber #Weaver #Genealogy

Another Great Great Grandfather.

Jumping on the success of finding GG Grandfather, Ellis Shaul, I thought I would just hunt and peck for anyone else's obituary that I could find.   Well, there popped up the obituary of GG GRandfather, Ezra Peter Koontz:

Ligonier Leader, 31 January 1907

Obituary -- Ezra P. Koontz

Ezra Peter Koontz was born at Navarre, Ohio, May 15, 1832.  He came to Indiana in 1846, walking from Ft.Wayne to Ligonier where he was engaged in manufacturing of chairs for a year or more.  He went to Markle, Ind., where he was married to Mary Ann Allen April 11, 1853.   To this union was born four children: Ephraim R., who died in infancy; Casmear P. of Columbus, O., Harriet H. J. Smith of Port Clinton, O.,  Orrin D. of Glenville, Minn,

In 1863 he moved to Huntington, Ind., remaining there a year.   He then moved to Ft. Wayne, Ind. where on Sept 7, 1864, the wife and mother answered the devine summons from this life here to a life of the blessed, beyond this world of pain.  After the death of his wife he removed to Navarre, O., leaving the motherless children with their grandmother.  He soon returned to Indiana, settling in Ligonier in the spring of 1865, where he engaged in the manufacture of furniture for thirty years.

He was married to Mary Anna Sibert in Ligonier, Ind., Dec 29, 1867.   To this union there were three children born:  Phineas H., who died at the age of six years; Ezra B. E. of Savage, Neb, Geo D. of Chicago, Ill.

The children were all present the funeral except one, who arrived later.

Mr. Koontz answered the roll call on Monday morning at 4 o'clock, Jan 21, 1907, aged 74 years, 8 months, and 6 days.   The lamp of this temporal life went out, but to be relighted on the shores of God's eternal bliss.

Those present from a distance were:  Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Koontz, Columbus, O.; Dr. Sirvenius [Sylvanis] Koontz, Roanoke, Ind.; Mr. Wm. Koontz, Roanoke, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Koontz, Milford, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Tuff and daughter, Gladys, Kendallville, Ind.; Messrs Harry and Herman Smith, Port Clinton, O.

Card of Thanks

We desire to than the friends and neighbors who so kindly assisted us during the sickness and death of husband and father.

Mrs. E. P. Koontz and Children


OK, most of this is old news.  BUT, WHO ARE:

• Dr. Sirvenius [Sylvanis] Koontz, Roanoke, Ind.; 
• Mr. Wm. Koontz, Roanoke, Ind.; 
• Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Koontz, Milford, Ind.;
• Mr. and Mrs. Tuff and daughter, Gladys, Kendallville, Ind. 

They have never appeared anywhere before.     Another door has opened.   More research. 

#Obituaries #Genealogy #Koontz #GenealogyDoOver

Ellis Shaul --

OK,  now here is why you cannot take all of those trees on Ancestry.com as the absolute truth:

Member Tree	Name	Parents
LA_Wilds Family Tree Public Member Tree  1 source	Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer, United States Marriage:  18 Jun 1882 - Madison, MI(Michigan) Spouse:  Catharine Dagan	F:  (Name Unknown) M:  (Name Unknown)
Moore-Mereness-Reuter Tree Public Member Tree Unsourced	Ellis Shaul Birth:  05 Nov 1855 (5 Nov 1855) - Herkimer	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Wyatt Family Tree Public Member Tree  1 source	Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Bailey Family Tree Public Member Tree 4 attached records, 5 sources	Charles Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer, United States Death:  Iron, Michigan, USA Marriage:  18 Jun 1882 - Madison, MI(Michigan) Spouse:  Catherine (Kate) Dagen	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Al Coney FTM Public Member Tree  Unsourced	Ellis Shaul Birth:  1855	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Laurie Edwards Family Tree Public Member Tree 1 attached record, 2 sources	Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer, USA Death:  Iron, Michigan, USA	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Carter Family Tree Public Member Tree  1 attached record, 2 sources	Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer, USA Death:  Iron, Michigan, USA	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
LMBrown Public Member Tree 1 source	Ellis Shaul Birth:  05 Nov 1855 (5 Nov 1855) - Herkimer, USA Marriage:  18 Jun 1882 - Ludington, MI(Michigan) Spouse:  Catharine Dagan	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Shaul Descendants & their Ancestors Public Member Tree  1 attached record, 1 source	Ellis Shaul Birth:  05 Nov 1855 (5 Nov 1855) - Herkimer, USA Marriage:  18 Jun 1882 - Madison, MI(Michigan) Spouse:  Catharine Dagan	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Wyatt Family Tree Public Member Tree 1 source	Ellis Shaul Birth:  1855 - Herkimer	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Zachary's Tree Public Member Tree  1 source	Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer, United States Death:  Iron, Michigan, United States	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Obenauf Family Tree Public Member Tree 2 attached records, 3 sources	Charles Ellis Shaul Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer Death:  Iron, Michigan, United States Marriage:  18 Jan 1882 - Madison, MI(Michigan) Spouse:  Catherine (Kate) Dagen	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Faye Brady Family Tree 1st GEDCOM-can't open Public Member Tree  1 source	Ellis Shaul  Birth:  5 Nov 1855 - Herkimer, USA Death:  Iron, Michigan, USA	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Faye Brady Family Tree 2nd Public Member Tree 2 sources	Ellis Shaul  Birth:  05 Nov 1855 (5 Nov 1855) - Herkimer, USA Death:  Iron, Michigan, USA	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon
Faye Brady Family Tree 3rd Public Member Tree  1 source	Ellis Shaul  Birth:  05 Nov 1855 (5 Nov 1855) - Herkimer, USA Death:  Iron, Michigan, USA	F:  Madison Shaul M:  Cynthia Cahoon

Notice -- everyone claims Ellis died in Iron [County], Michigan.   No one has a guess as to date.   No one has a source of this information.   But, this was the only death information that existed on Ancestry.com.   [This is not a problem with Ancestry -- they are just reporting what data others have supplied].

I found this claim hard to believe for a number of reasons:

1. Ellis' family lived in the South West portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
2. Iron County is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
3. Kate, his widow continued to live in the Ludington area after the city directories noted she was a widow.
4. There was no record of Ellis' death or burial in Iron County or anywhere else in Michigan.

So, I just kept knocking at the brick wall.

I was 'googling' for information about on of my wife's relatives when I was shifted to Newspapers.com.   Given the opportunity for a free 7 day subscription, I pulled up the articles about her relative.   Then, as was my habit where ever I research, I plugged in Ellis' name.   BINGO.   Newspaper accounts about a refinery explosion in Findlay, Ohio in 1904.  Ellis did not survive.   The family was so poor, they could not bring him back to Michigan and his coworkers chipped in and paid for his burial in Ohio.  The wonderful researchers at the Findlay-Hancock Library provided me with even more news articles about the event and I know have a full picture of my great grandfather's demise.  

To complicate the searches, Ellis' surname was reported as Shaul [the correct spelling], Schaull, Shaw, and Shawl, all within a 3 day reporting period.   

So, continue to ask the question of any tree you find anywhere on the internet:  Where did you get this information?   Be sure you can retrace the steps.   

#Evidence #BrickWall #Genealogy #Update

I just blew up a brick wall ...

OK, literally, my brick wall blew up.   My great grandfather, Ellis Shaul, has been hiding for many years!  I have his marriage records, the birth of his children, his 1900 census records, the marriages of his children, the deaths of his children, the death of his wife, but have not been able to find any mention of Ellis after the 1900 census.   The only clue I had was that my great grandmother was listed as his widow in the 1915 city directory for Ludington, Michigan.

Well, Ellis showed up!!!   I went back and started over with all the basics.   And I found him.  He BLEW UP.  Yup.  In September, 1904, Ellis Shaul, was working at the National Refinery in Findlay, Ohio, when the tank he was working on blew up and shot him 100 feet into the air! (Cincinnati Enquirer, Sep 22, 1904, p 1).  He did not survive.  The article goes on to state that Ellis was from Ludington, MI and that his widow was wired with the news of her husband's death.   A quick, four line blurb in the Sandusky Star-Journal, Sep 22, 1904, p 5, reports Ellis was blown to pieces.  

Now, there does not appear to be a death certificate issued in the state of Ohio.  I have dug deeper, pun intended, and found Ellis Schaull buried in Find A Grave at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Findlay, Ohio in September 1904.  It makes sense that the body would not have been shipped back to Michigan -- a matter of expense.  I have an inquiry into the Find A Grave keeper to verify this is really my Ellis.

KABOOM.

#Genealogy #BrickWalls

Big TY to Angie Bush!!

Angie Bush re-recorded the session she held for Dear Myrtle #DearMyrtle in the DNA Interest Group on FaceBook on GEDmatch Basics #GEDMATCH.   The original session had a number of audio problems.  I just finished the session.   WOW!  Now, I really can dig into this with more than a look of total bewilderment on my face.  

Angie's presentation was simple, clear, and HELPFUL!   And, she knew when to stop.  When there was enough covered and when to save more for later.   THANK YOU!!  #AngieBush

As the adage goes, a little knowledge can lead to a lot of danger!   I have a mystery cousin that wants to know how we are related and only has Ancestry and 23andMe testing done -- now, I know to ask to have one of the kits uploaded to GEDMATCH so a Chromosome Browser Comparison can be generated to see where we match.   I have a like report with a known second cousin on my mother's side of the family.  This might give a clue which branches to shake for the mystery member!!!

#geneticgenealogy #DNA

BSO has a synonym. And it is DNA.

OMG. Another BSO!  DNA!    Enough with the TLA.   (three letter acronyms).  DNA has become my Bright Shiny Object that derails me from the articles I want to read, the research I want to do, the updates I want to make.   It has become my downfall.

I get one notice that I have a potential DNA Cousin -- and it can come from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or FamilyTree DNA -- it doesn't matter which one -- and I am off an running.   Problem is that each has a separate database of potential cousins and there are only a hand full that repeat from one to the other.

So, I need to stop checking the notices, and start reading the articles -- most of them are on how to understand the DNA results and what the meaning of intersections of genetic codes mean.   Good things to know before getting in too deep.

So, BSO, Be Gone, Depart, Leave Me Alone.   At least until I finish a couple more pages......


#genealogy #DNA #geneticgenealogy