06 December 2012

Etta Lund (Witten) - Obituary


I'm slowly making may way through the pile of obituaries from Aunt Jeanine's house. I'm scanning them in, along with the funeral program if she had it, and then transcribing everything. These obituaries should be a great help in finding all the descendants of Didrick Funk and Karen Hansdatter Lund. Here's the one from today for Etta Lund (Witten), their granddaughter:

Source: "Etta Lund Witten," Obituary, The Ogden Standard Examiner, 22 October 1968 or 23 October 1968, born 15 March 1887, died Monday [21 Oct 1968]. Held by Jeanine Lund (Clountz) (Allen) (Sinsel).

Transcription:


OBITUARIES
Etta Lund Witten
Mrs. Etta Lund Witten, 81, of 2640 Washington, died Monday night in a local nursing home of natural causes.
Mrs. Witten was born March 15, 1887 in Plain City, a daughter of Mathius and Pauline Swenson Lund.
On April 30, 1907, she was married to Robert Alfred Witten in Ogden. The marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on Feb. 12, 1908. Mr. Witten died Feb. 21, 1937, in Ogden.
She had resided in Plain City and Perry, and most of her life in Ogden. She was formerly employed by the Shupe-Williams Candy Co.
She was a member of Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 3rd LDS Ward and had been a Relief Society teacher.
Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Lionel (Ivy) Ipsen, Clovis Calif.; Mrs. Robert (Myrtle) Parsley, Panorama City, Calif.; Mrs. James (Verda) Faulkner, Ogden; Mrs. Tom (Carma) Dixon, Las Vegas, Nev.; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, one brother and two sisters, Heber C. Lund, Farr West; Mrs. Rosella Cottle, Plain City; Mrs. Frank (Clide) Heslop, Tremonton.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Lindquists and Sons Colonial Chapel.
Friends may call at the mortuary Thrusday from7 to 9 p.m. and Friday until services. Burial in the Ogden City Cemetery.

What I Learned:
  • Where she was living when she died.
  • Support for her birth date and place and parents. (There were no birth certificates for this date/time).
  • Support for her wedding date, my date came from a family group sheet.
  • Death date for her husband.
  • Where she worked.
  • Names of her four daughters and husbands...didn't know any of this.
  • When the funeral was held.
  • Where she was buried.
What a goldmine!

05 December 2012

Oh, sources!


My brother-in-law is getting into genealogy. He chose a line of the family I haven't done any research on and got really excited to see the the work that was "already done." His excitement quickly turned into annoyance when he discovered that none of what he found in online trees was sourced and that he had wasted a lot of time adding three generations to his tree that may not even be related! As I talked with him during our Thanksgiving get-together, I tried to emphasize the one big thing to remember:

If it doesn't have a source, it's not true (yet).

Yes, the topic of sources is a big one and the nuances of each source type and its veracity in relation to any particular event or fact could be, and has been, discussed in depth. However, put very simply: I may suspect something, and possibly use family "knowledge" to help guide my search but until I have proof, it's not true. It's a frustrating lesson to learn but a very important one.

The ancestor in question: Mary Ann Waller (Mills).
At the party we were unable to find her death certificate online at the Utah State Archives...I was hoping to show him what kind of information he could get from that kind of record. Later, at home, I did find it:


Here's part of the email I sent my BIL with suggestions on where he may look next:

I have also attached Mary Ann Waller (Mills) (Hatton)'s death certificate. She did remarry, which is why we didn't find her death certificate the other day. I have not yet updated my database. This is the information I currently have for her:

Mary Ann Waller
b: 16 Jun 1838, Bagshot, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
d: 25 Oct 1925, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
m: 1855 to William Mills
Parents: Sammuel Waller and Diana Wild
Children: Annie Chelsea Mills

I don't have any verification for any of it! I'm sure she had more children. I don't know if she was married in England or in Utah.

Here's the interesting thing about her death certificate - It has slightly different dates and names for her parents. 

Mary Ann Mills Hatton
Born: 16 January 1838, England
Died: 29 October 1928 (at home - 1788 So. 11 East, SLC)
Parents: Josiah Waller and Margaret Wild

The Informant was Edith P. Fowler who may be related...a married daughter, perhaps? Not sure.

I don't know for sure that this is our Mary Ann but I believe that it is. 

From here we could try to find her in a census record living with Richard Hatton. Since William Mills (her first husband) died in 1887 she may be in the census with Richard as early as 1890 (which was destroyed), but also in 1900, 1910, or 1920. If some of her other known children (which we don't know yet but will have to find) are also living with her, that would be evidence that this Mary Ann is our Mary Ann. 

To find her other children, we can try to find her in censuses with her first husband, William Mills. I'm not sure when they immigrated to the US but we could start with 1860, then go on to 1870 and 1880.

06 September 2012

The Great Genealogy Clean-up

I am stuck in a rut. I feel like I have so many options and people to research that I just don't know where to focus next. So, I'm deciding to not focus on any one person and instead focus on ... everyone!

Yes, I will be cleaning out my entire database. In preparation for "The Great Genealogy Clean-up" I've read various posts that have been helpful.
  • James Tanner of Genealogy's Star posted Clean up your Genealogy Database where he talked about looking at place names to make sure there aren't duplicates. I will definitely be doing this, but probably towards the end of the process since I think the method I've come up with will solve most of the issues.
  • Tina Lyons of Gen Wish List has a whole series of posts dedicated to Cleaning up My Genealogy Database. I started using her system, and even printed out 60 pages of names! But after about 10 minutes, I knew this wasn't the method for me. Her process, however, was informative.
So, I made a plan that I think will work for me. My process is more focused on "creation" rather than "deletion." Just as a reference, as of today here's what I'm starting with:

 The Plan:

  1. Create a new database that is blank. To this database I will add people one at a time and work on updating them before moving on to the next person. RootsMagic makes this so easy because I can just drag and drop people into the new database.
  2. Only people who currently have sources associated with them or with a fact will move to the new database. If I can quickly find something to support the fact/person I will do so. Otherwise, they get left behind.
  3. To be "complete" and included in the new database all of the following must be true: A. Each fact associated with the person must have a source; B. Each source must have a complete citation, including a image of the source and transcription/translation; C. Relevant notes must be included with each citation or fact, as needed.
  4. Additionally, I will also be updating all file/folder names as I go along and scanning/filing all originals following my "Family History Filing System" (a 4 page description of my system which I've included with my physical files). I have so many original photos and documents still to scan...I know those will flesh out a lot of the facts that are missing citations.
I am starting as any new genealogist should, with myself. I'll me, my husband and kids then move on to our parents and siblings working my way back.

I'm expecting when I'm done to have far fewer people in my database, but only "real" and verified information will be recorded. I will of course keep my "old" database as a guide when I continue research. Just because great-great-grandma's birth date is not verified (yet) doesn't mean I can't use the "alleged" date as a starting point in my research. As Reagan would say, "Trust, but verified!"

05 September 2012

(not so) Wordless Wednesday

William Leslie Taylor (b. 1893) and Edith Pearl Taylor (b. 1891)
Photograph taken in 1895 (according to note on back)

04 September 2012

John Ammon Taylor (1846-1921) narrative

John Ammon Taylor (1846-1921)
and possibly his signature?

Again, more from Aunt Jeanine's documents. It seems like there should be a lot of documentation/sources for the information in this narrative. I will definitely have to follow up on these leads.

JOHN AMMON TAYLOR; MY GRANDFATHER.

John Ammon Taylor was born in Georgetown, Texas, Febr. 18, 1846, a son of John and Eleanor Burkett Taylor. They with 35 other families, had left their homes and property in Nauvoo and went to colonize in Texas under the leadership of Lyman Wight. This group and other families had been called by Joseph Smith Jr. to make a settlement in Texas a few weeks before his death and were making preparations to do so when he was killed by the mob. All the colonists that went to Texas belonged to the “Josephites.” (Which later became the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

John and Eleanor later decided to go to Utah and in 1852 they moved to Oklahoma Territory where they stayed 2 years getting ready to join their family, who by this time were at Bingham’s Fort near Ogden. (This was in the area now known as Five Points.) They started their journey June 12, 1854 and arrived at Bingham’s Fort August 15, 1854. Another family started out with them but had better horses, no oxen, and didn’t want to travel as slow as the train so pulled ahead. Several days later the train found the wagons where they had been attacked by Indians and all killed except 2 boys who were riding their horses ahead and upon hearing the Indians hid in the brush and watched their family massacred. John Taylor’s party consisted of the parents, 10 children, 12 yoke of oxen and 1 horse. They had one bad accident when the baby was run over b a wagon but through faith and prayers he was healed. They moulded [sic] his head back in shape and took turns holding it with their hands.

Grandfather was 8 years old at the time of this journey and in later years when he and his brothers and sisters visited together they would take of the amusing happenings on this trip, perhaps not so funny at the time but remembers so afterward. All the family had a great sense of humor which helped them through many trying times, and he especially liked to tease and play harmless jokes on others. As he was the 6th child in a family of 12 he found plenty of outlet for this.

The family settled in Weber County and there he spent the rest of his life with the exception of a few years in Montana. He led the usual hard life the times with scant schooling but like most parents had the desire to see his children educated and out of a family of 9 boys and 1 girl he had 4 sons who attended Utah State Agriculture College and 1 son graduate of Harvard University of Engineering.

During his early manhood he made several trips to the Missouri River after immigrants, and on the last trip in 1868 he drove a team during the day and took turns in the night-hearding or watering camp at night. On these trips the guides and immigrants indulged in wrestling, singing, jumping etc. for amusement and he was the best wrester in his Company. When they would meet another Company they always stopped and had wrestling matches and other diversions. He often told of one of these matches when an opponent, a Wm. Gibson, after being thrown by Grandfather broke the hold and caught the leg of his overalls ripping it to the top. This made Grandfather angry as he had on a new pair and they couldn’t be had often in those days, so he said “I’m going to throw you had now.”  which he proceeded to try and do, finally succeeding but he also broke Gibsons arm. This made him as remorseful as he had been angry before and he insisted on paying the Doctor’s charge, although Mr Gibson didn’t hold him to blame for anything. On this trip back from the Missouri he bought one of the first cook stoves ever to come into that part of Utah (Ogden Valley) as he was contemplating marriage to Mary Hannah Poulson (Maren Johanne Ottoson).

[page 2]
In his early boyhood his father John Taylor got the goldfever [sic] and wanted to go to California so 6 younger children of the family and the parents made preparations to go but while camped at the mouth of Ogden Canyon waiting for the rest of the company they had a bad Indian scare and abandoned this plan and the next year set out with ox team and went up through northern Utah across Idaho and finally ended at Alder Gulch, Montana, where one of the richest goldfields then known was located. During their stay here the Indian Wars broke out, Grandfather and his brother William went to fight the Nez Perce. It seems there must not have been any age regulation about joining the Army – just the ability to load/fire a musket as they were in their teens. They never rejoined their parents who stayed in Montana several more years. On coming back to Utah Grandfather spent one summer in East Mill Creek working for Amos Neff, but one was enough when he had settled for his summers work he had a small amount of script on the Tithing Office and about 30 pounds of homemade soap. He packed the soap and walked to Weber County, about 50 miles. It was after this experience he made the trips back to the Missouri River and between trips worked for Bishop Ballantine of Eden, Ogden Valley. His parents were still in Montana, and his brothers that were married had been sent by Brigham Young to help colonize different parts of the Territory; one to Ashley Valley (Vernal), one to Franklin, Idaho and another was freighting from Utah to Montana.

While working for Bishop Ballantine he met Maren Johanne (Hannah) Poulson in 1868 in the Salt Lake Endowment Hiuse [sic] after his last trip to bring in immigrants. They lived in Eden a little over a year, where John Henry was born, their eldest son.

The people of Ogden Valley had to travel through Ogden Canyon to Ogden City for supplies and Grandmother very often made the trip behind a yoke of oxen and told us many times it was not uncommon for them to have to stop and build a road or bridge over the river where it had washed out. IT would take them all day to make the trip[.] She was very proud of the cook stove Grandfather had brought her and often baked bread and other delicacies for the neighbors, especially when there was a wedding supper or a party. She used this same stove until 1895.

Grandfather often told how hard it was to get money or at least to keep it and it was a common thing to go to a dance with a girl on one arm and a pumpkin or such in the other to pay the dance ticket. One incident where his love of jokes to to light again happened whenhe [sic] was floor manager and door deeper of the Poplar dance hall. One young man named Summers for several weeks had brought a $5.00 gold piece to pay his ticket and always came early before enough money was taken to make change. This night Grandfather was prepared for him, securing the change after much trouble in dimes, nickles  [sic] and some pennies. When the gold piece was offered he proceeded to count out the pennies nickles [sic] etc. Summers immediately dug into his pocket and brought out the quarter to pay the ticket, but nothing doing, he had to weigh his pocket down with coppers.

After being married and living in Eden Grandfather moved his family to Plain City (the area known locally as Poplar) and began dealing in real estate. In 1899 he bought his fathers old homestead of 350 acres of the best irrigated land to be found in Weber County. Late in the 1880’s he and the older boys established a ranch in Bingham Co., Idaho buying part and homesteading part. The range was open and their cattle and horses ranged from Culew valley to Promontory, thus began the Bar JA brand one of the oldest and best known brands in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho. (Bingham County was later divided and the ranch was in Oneida Co. with Malad as the County seat.) This began as a cattle ranch with herds being driven out from Plain City and surrounding town to summer range and back in fall with horses being left at all times. After the Cattle war

[page 3]
with the Union Pacific R.R. and the subsequent closing of the waterholes on the range a large part of the ranch and all the cattle were disposed of and activity was given solely to the raising of horses for which the “Taylor Boys” became famous in this part of the country. They sold horses to the British Government for the Boer War in the 1890’s and also to the United States for the Spanish-American War and World War I. During later years they broke and sold horses for polo players.

As the sons grew older and married, Grandfather turned the active management of the farm and ranch over to them and devoted most of his time to civic affairs, helping establish the Plain City Irrigation Company, Plain City Canning Company, Harrisville Creamery Company, and the Utah Idaho R.R. in getting service to Plain City. He was a member of the District School Board for 20 years. He was also a member of the Black Hawk Veterans Association until his death.

Although being a stockholder in these companies took up most of his time, he always had time for visits with his brothers, sisters and friends and would arrange big family parties on the slightest excuse. He was a devoted husband and father and although not especially active in church affairs he instilled the L.D.S. religion into his children and sent two sons on missions, one to Australia and the other to the Central States.

Plain City was always the family home, here were reared the family, John H., William, George Francis, Charles Ezra (my father), Hyrum Alber, Ether Green, Parley Paul, Elmer A., and Lester Grant – nine sons and one daughter, Eliza Hannah. Grant died as a small child. With the exception of George F. his sons and daughter married and also reared their families in Plain City. On February 7, 1916, Grandmother died. Grandfather later married Martha Ferrin and moved to Ogden where he died after a two week illness on February 19, 1921, the day after his 75th birthday. He was survived by his eight sons and one daughter, 58 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He left his descendants a great heritage: of family love; to live a full useful life and be stalwart men and women.

Written by Thelma Taylor Storey, February 1935.
Information from family records, Ogden Standard
Examiner articles, personal letters written by
Uncle Francis and Emma Knight Furness, niece of
Grandfather and family memories.

03 September 2012

Joseph Taylor (1825-1900)

Joseph Taylor (1825-1900)
Here's the personal history of Joseph Taylor found in the documents from Aunt Jeanine. Joseph is Troy's 5th-great grandfather: Troy > Brent > Eugene Victor Lund > Edith Pearl Taylor >  Ada Rose Taylor > Joseph Taylor.

Having studied both History and English and the process/product of scholarly writing, I can't help but wonder at this narrative. I wish there were sources cited and less of the authors own bias. But, I guess this is a product of its time and the rose-colored look back at history, where things are very black and white. I just have to be sure to be careful in my own writing. I will also have to go back and verify everything stated in this narrative.

JOSEPH TAYLOR

Joseph Taylor, third son and eighth child of William Taylor and Elizabeth Patrick Taylor, was born 4 June 1825 at Bowling Green, Warren, Kentucky. He moved with his parents to Missouri and went through the trying times of the early church history. In Nauvoo he met Mary Moore and married her 24 March 1844. They went through the Nauvoo Temple 24 Jan 1846. At the same time his mother, brothers Allen and Green also went. He served as one of the body guards to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Under the leadership of Brigham Young, he and his family and his mother and some of her children crossed the Mississippi River on the ice 8 February 1846. They reached Council Bluffs in June and had planned to go on to Utah, but the calling for the Mormon Battalion upset all his plans and he was marching away without bidding his wife good-bye, leaving her in a campwagon and in a delicate condition. He suffered the terrible persecutions and starvation that this body of men had to endure. History treats it lightly in comparison to what it really was. When the men became sick, the government doctor would give them medicine to make them worse. If they had diarrhea, the doctor would give them medicine to make them worse or to increase the cramps. Because of this the men would stay on duty as long as possible before admitting that they were ill. They were so near starvation that they would eat the decaying meat of dead sheep, even picking out the eyes and eating them. One time they had one this sheep for a group of starving men. One man was left to keep guard and cook the meat while the others rested. The sheep was so this the firelight shone through. This man was so hungry he ate all of the sheep while he was cooking it. All the rest of his life he would never eat mutton.
Joseph returned to his family in 1847 but his cattle and belongings were so scatted that he couldn’t leave until the last of May 1850. In the company of fifty wagons where James Lake was captain, Joseph was lieutenant. He had his wife and children: Clarissa, Mary Melvina, Joseph Allen, and William Andrew. The latter was two weeks old when they began the journey. Joseph baptized Sarah Jane Marler in the Platte River on the way to Utah. They suffered the hardships, privations and horrors of the Indians but were always faithful. They came by way of Parley’s canyon and arrived in Salt Lake valley 5 September 1850. They settled in Salt Lake for a time, then moved to Kaysville. He had a farm and was building a log cabin when his wife took ill and died at childbirth 4 April 1852. He made her coffin out of his wagonbox, and placed her and the tiny baby in the coffin took her to Salt Lake for burial. She was one of the first to be buried in the Salt Lake Cemetary.
Soon after he married Jane Lake Ordway. After they lived in Kaysville for a time, she persuaded him to move to Ogden so that she could be near her parents, se he moved and settled in West Harrisville, now Farr West. He settled where Eliza Taylor now lives. Very few people lived here. He and two others built a small irrigation ditch to their farms. Tey [sic] made a proposition that if people would work onand [sic] enlarge this canal they could have water at four dollars an acre, where it had cost them therty-two [sic] dollars. People flocked here because of such good terms. He was water master for years. A branch of the church was organized with Daniel Rawson as head, and Joseph Taylor and Green Taylor as his two counsellors [sic].
During the Echo Canyon War, when Johnston’s Army came to Utah, Joseph Taylor was appointed Major and sent out with forty or fifty men to the Oregon road near the bend of Bear River to help delay the progress of Government troops and trains. The instructions given him were “Burn the whole country before them and on their flanks, keep them from sleeping, by night surprises, blockade the roads by falling trees and destroying river fords, take no life, but destroy their trains, and stampede and drive away their animals at every opportunity”. After he had passed fort Bridger he left his men and returned to that place on important business. He came upon a body of United States troops unexpectedly and he and his assistant, William Stowell, were surrounded and taken prisoners. The soldiers tried to poison them by putting poison in their soup after starving them. Joseph told his friend not to eat the soup because it was poison. Mr. Stowell just tasted his soup and then they buried it, yet he became deathly sick. Then the soldiers tried to smoke them to death in a tent. Joseph told his assistant to dig a hole in the ground with his hands, put his face in the hole, hold his hand around the hole and breath in it. By so doing they lived. One day Joseph said to his companion, “I’m leaving here tonight”.”You’ll be killed if you try it”, his companion replied. The officers had been given instructions to fire and kill the men if they tried to get away. In spite of this, that night Joseph kept asking the soldiers to build the fire higher because he was cold. He took off his shois [sic], supposedly to warm his feet. The sentinels kept up their duty of coming together, giving the password, and facing around to go back to meet the next sentinel, then coming back, which they did every few minutes. He waited until the sentinels turned to go back, their backs being toward him, then he bolted from the fireside and out into the midst of the cattle and horses. This caused a great commotion and started a stampede. His guards fired and searched but they couldn’t find him. He ran for miles without stoppingthen [sic] he slowed down some. A day or two later he found an overcoat and in the pockets of which were some clean, dry socks. He made good use of these, especially the socks, since he had left his shoes behind and it was winter.** The next day he saw two men coming toward him on horseback. At first he thought it was the men hunting him but soon saw that it wasn’t. They were hunting the overcoat. They gave it to him and ride back besides. William Stowell was released at the close of the war.
Joseph Taylor was stern, strong charactered man. He married two other wives, Maria Harris and Caroline Madsen.
About 1859 he took a herd of cattle to care for on shares. They milked about fourty head in summer and took them down to Salt Creek in winter. The winter that Joseph Allen was eleven and Andrew was nine, they stayed with the cattle, living in a dugout and their only clothes being straw hats, shoes and canvas suits. One night some Indians came into the dugout, motioned for the boys to go to bed, that they wouldn’t harm them, and they ate all of the boy’s food. Of course the boys didn’t sleep. Next morning Joseph Allen send Andrew home to tell his father what had happened while he stayed with the cattle. Andrew walked the twelve or fifteen miles through the snow, arriving hole late in the afternoon. His step-mother had no food ready so he had to wait until the next day before his father could take fresh provisions to his brother.
He was father to the following twenty- 4 children: Clarissa, Mary Melvina, Joseph Allen, William Andrew, Moroni, Esther, Emma Jane, Lydia Anne, James bailey, Janette, Julette, Mary Ellen, Elizabeth, Philomela, Amanda, Lamone, James, Heber, Hyrum, Ada, Evelyn, Frank, Joseph Jr. and Esther.
He lived to a ripe old age, doing good all his days. He was a Patriarch. He died at Farr West, Utah 9 August 1900 after a three week illness. His funeral was held in Farr West with a large attendance. Five Mormon Battalion members were present, all of whom spoke. They were: John Thompson, James Owen, Lorin Clark, Alexander Brown and Jess Brown. Bishop James Martin presided and he and George Middleton, William Fife and Thomas Doxey all spoke of long acquaintance with him and of his faithfulness in forwarding the Lord’s work. He had always been willing to defend his people, even to laying down his life.
** some say that he took his shoes with him when he ran away from the soldiers in Johnston’s Army.
Some of this was from Orson F. Whitney book “The Making of a State” Page 107.
                                                                                                                        (by Lola Taylor wells)
Source: Lund and Taylor Family personal papers, (genealogical research and documents, ; privately held by Jeanine Lund (Clontz Allen Sinsel), [address for private use], Plain City, Utah); Joseph Taylor narrative report of his life, great-grandfather, scanned and transcribed, 31 Aug 2012. Written by Lola Taylor Wells.

02 September 2012

George Francis Taylor (1875-1945)

Some of the pictures in the Taylor pile were Post Cards. These are pretty neat and while most of them were blank on the back, I thought it was a fun idea. I wonder what the process was to get them printed on post cards. I may have to look into that a bit more.
George Francis Taylor
b. 24 Apr 1875, Plain City, Weber, Utah, United States
d. 16 May 1945, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

That's all I know! He is Grandma Pearl's uncle, brother of her father, William Taylor (1871-1942). Apparently he served an LDS mission in 1909 in Subiaco, W.A. At first I thought that was Washington State but since the postcard came "via England" that wouldn't be right. When I did a Google search I discovered it was in West Australia. That's pretty neat. There was no stamp on the card so it may have come in a packet with some other missionaries and not individually through the mail.

Transcription:
Tarjeta Postal
Post Card
Bilhete Postal
Postkarte
Carte Postale
Levelezo-Lap

Union Postale Universalle

COMMUNICATION.
ADDRESS ONLY.
Subiaco, W.A.
Dec. 13, ’09.
Dear Niece;-
                    This picture will show
you how a Mormon Elder looks
just before preaching. Sometimes
he looks that way when preaching
except his hat is off and his
mouth wide open. This picture
was taken Oct. 30, ’09, but I
look about the same now.
It was taken in our back
yard the next day after my
beard was cut off. I am well
and hope that this will find
all of you the same. Love to
all and accept the same yourself.
                Yours truly, Geo. F. Taylor



Miss Pearl Taylor
Plain City,
Weber Co.
Utah,
Via England. U.S.A.


01 September 2012

William and Ada Rose Taylor, abt 1900-1909



William Taylor and Ada Rose Taylor (yes that was her maiden name). In fact, they were first cousins, once removed - here's what that looks like:

The back of the photograph had some information written in about them:
Ada Rose Taylor
Born Aug 13, 1872 in
Harrisville UT
Died with her 9th child
on the 9th day of the 9th
month in 1909. They were
married on 3 Sept 1890 on
Will's 19th birthday
William (Will) Taylor.
I have no birth date.
Died April 11 1942.

31 August 2012

Victor Erastus and Etta Letitia Lund, 1889

 Victor Erastus Lund (1888-1965) and his sister Etta Letitia Lund (1887-1868)

They are the 4th and 5th children (there were 10) of Mathias Christian Funk Lund and Pauline Persson Swensson. Victor is Troy's great-grandfather.

I think Victor looks just like himself when he was older -
Victor E. Lund
I wanted to find out more about the photographer and discovered his photography collection is held at the Utah State University Library. (Initial Citation: USU_P0466; Heber H. Thomas Photograph Collection; Photograph Collections Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.) Here is their biographical note: (http://uda-db.orbiscascade.org/findaid/ark:/80444/xv46704)
     Heber H. Thomas was born on November 17, 1862 in Wales and at the age of 14 immigrated to Ogden, Utah. He held various public office duties including that of superintendent of the state industrial school and a member of the Ogden school board.     Around 1911 he moved from Ogden to Salt Lake City where he opened the Thomas Studio. He resided in Salt Lake City until his death on October 8, 1926 at the age of 63. He was survived by his wife Nellie Dane Thomas and three children: Mrs. G. Earl Stoddard of LaGrande, Oregon; Mrs. C. B. Turner of Salt Lake City, and J. D. Thomas of Ogden and four grandchildren. (Source: Salt Lake Tribune October 10, 1926)

So then I searched the page for "Lund" or "Taylor" thinking he may have taken more photos of the family. Here's what I found:

8x10 Glass Plate Negatives, undated [Box 23]
     23:21: Lund. Family portrait with four children

5x7 Unlabeled Glass plates, undated [Box 40]
     40:07: Exterior shot of the Lund home
     40:07a: Group of boys in front of the Lund home


5x7 Glass Plate Negative, undated [Box 7]
     7:55: Taylor. Portrait of a man [cracked and held together by tape]

5x7 Glass Plate Negative, undated [Box 12]
     12:41a: Taylor. Portrait of a man wearing a military uniform and hat
     12:41b: Taylor. Portrait of a man wearing a military uniform without the hat

8x10 Glass Plate Negatives, undated [Box 17]
     17:15: Taylor. Portrait of a man

5x7 Glass plates, 1919 [Box 21]
     21:19: Taylor. A girl sitting on a bench and holding flowers
     21:51: Taylor. Woman wearing a corduroy jacket

5x7 Glass Negatives, undated [Box 24]
     24:47: Taylor. Woman sitting on a bench

I have to get up there and take a look! How exciting!


30 August 2012

Elizabeth (Patrick) Taylor (1793-1880)

I'm working my way through scanning all these awesome photos I have from aunt Jeanine. I'll post some as I go along. 
Elizabeth (Patrick) Taylor
b. 9 Dec 1793, Meclenberg, Virginia, United Stated
m: 22 Mar 1811, Warren, Kentucky, United States
      to: William Taylor (1787-1839)
d: 25 Oct 1880, Harrisville, Weber, Utah Territory, United States

29 August 2012

Edith Pearl (Taylor) Lund's personal history

Grandma Pearl, about 1915

I have such a huge pile of documents and pictures to sort through...it's kinda crazy. And wonderful!

Right now I'm looking through the Taylor family pile I received from "Aunt Jeanine" who is Troy's Father's aunt. She is the youngest daughter of Victor and Pearl (Taylor) Lund and had some amazing pictures and documents to share.

One document was the Taylor Talk newsletter for the Taylor Association from December 1977. In it was included some personal histories that were shared at the family reunion from that July. One of them was for Grandma Pearl.
Grandma Pearl, probably 1970's
Transcription:

EDITH PEARL TAYLOR LUND
(Pearl is the daughter of Ada Rose Taylor and William Taylor, who were third cousins. She is the granddaughter of Joseph Taylor and his third wife, Hannah Mariah Harris.)
I’m happy to be here today and see so many of my lovely relatives. I can’t see to read, so my daughter Ada Frazier will read what I have to say. Thank you.
(Ada begins) Mother is a timid little person, so she absolutely refused to say anything, so I have tried to sketch out a few of her life’s happenings.
Edith Pearl Taylor Lund was born June 28, 1891 in Poplar, Plain City, Utah. As you know, for many years Poplar was a little branch of Plain City about two miles east of the main town. She was the eldest daughter of William and Ada Rose Taylor. Her mother, Ada Rose, being the eighth child of nine of Hannah Mariah Harris, the third wife of Joseph Taylor. Her mother died at the age of 37 in childbirth. Both she and the child died the same day. She was the mother of nine children, also, Mother being the oldest. Many of you know her brothers and sisters: Leslie—he was from Idaho Falls—he died three years ago; Manila Hancock, who passed away 5 or 6 years ago, Lila May Hinchcliff, of St. Charles, Idaho, better known as the east side of Bear Lake; LaVern, who recently passed away; and Earl, of Silver City, California; then she had a brother Rulon that died as a baby. Their home at that time was the one in which Sister Olive Taylor lives now, or better known as Uncle Elmer Taylor’s home. In fact, that was known as Taylor’s Lane, I think, because Grandpa had seven brothers and one sister, and they all lived on that road.
She attended school in Poplar in a little schoolhouse on the north side of the street across from Augusta Nash or Fred Kenley, who was a life-long resident of Plain City. As a girl she would have to help care for the family and wash with all the old handwashers that I remember, too. She said many times her mother would still be washing when they came home from school. On Saturday her mother would go to Ogden and be gone all day to buy clothing and food or supplies for the family, because at that time they had only horses and buggies, leaving her and the older ones to tend the babies and do the housework. Her father was a great lover of horses and would go out on the range or Promontory Point to round up horses, bring them in and break them and sell them. I think all of the Taylors on that side were horse lovers, as was my dad. My Dad always had plenty of horses. They always told the story that as he was out there rounding up horses, someone rode out to help him and told him that Mother had cut her first tooth. So he immediately saddled up his horse and rode home to see it. This was always told to us by Brother Clark Streeter from Plain City, a neighbor.
She played the organ in Primary as a young child. Later they took down the schoolhouse in Poplar and sent the children down to the Plain City School. She graduated from the 8th grade in 1907. They held the graduation in the old tabernacle.
In August 1909 her father rented that house and bought a home down in Plain City. Many remember this house on the south side of the street across from the Plain City Cemetery, where Brother William Heslop’s family lived in later years. I see his children here today. They moved there in August, and in September her mother gave birth to this ninth child. Both mother and child died. This left Mother to take care of the family and keep house for seven children and Grandpa. She was eighteen years old at this time. She was dating my father, Victor Lund then, but she stayed home for two more years with the older ones until they were able to go out to work. She and Dad were married January 18, 1911 in the Salt Lake Temple. But they lived on with Grandpa another two years to help take care of the small children. Then they got a house of their own. Her brother LaVern came to live with her when he was eight years old, and Earl went to live with Aunt Nell in West Weber. Aunt Lile moved to Ogden and lived with the family of Leonard Taylor (of the Taylor Pet Shop), and the others gradually got married. Enough credit cannot be given to my Dad or Mother for the loving care they gave her family. Her home was always their home. Dad was so free and unselfish, even as hard as times were. The doors were always open, and they still are. In fact, home is still their home.
Mother was always active in the church organizations. After she was married, she was Sunday School Secretary, organist in the Primary for several years, she was teacher in the Religion Class until they dispensed with that organization. She and Dad were members of the ward choir for many years. She was a member of the Relief Society Singing Mothers, and she has been a Relief Society visiting teacher for 43 years. She also taught in the 4-H clubs.
Dad passed away Feb. 26, 1965. This made a great loss in our home. But bless her heart, she was able to accept it and carry on. On April 1st this year my two daughters and my son-in-law, my sister Janeen [sic] and I took her by car to Reading, California, to see LaVern, who was critically ill. She stood the trip so well, in fact better than some of us. She had such a good visit with him and with Earl (he lives only three hours’ drive away). Many of you know that LaVern passed away June 14th of this year, and we surely sense a great loss. He was just like a big brother to me, coming to live with us when he was eight years old.
Mother and Dad had four children: myself, Eugene, Verla, who died at the age of 11, and Janeen [sic] Allen. Mother was 86 years old on June 28th. Our families, totaling 26 who were able to go, had their dinner for her at Graycliff. Only four of mine, who live in New Jersey, were not there.
She is a choice spirit. She still keeps her own home—spotlessly clean—fixes her three good meals a day, and eats right by the clock. She’ll say she is going to do something, and I’ll say that I’ll be right over, but she has already been up on the ladder and washed the windows outside, washed the dishes in the cabinet. About all she leaves for me to do is wash the walls in the kitchen, and we threaten her not to do that. If you stop in to visit her, she still has refreshments for everyone. In fact, she is real insulted if you don’t stop and eat a bite with her. She still walks to church every Sunday, which is just a short Plain City block, and as always, attends all activities. I know there has never been a death in Plain City but what she has sent a choice frozen jello salad. She is in perfect health, although her eyes are getting bad. But we are so proud of her and thankful that we have had such a kind, patient person for our mother. We hope she continues as well as she is as long as life is desired. She had four children, 12 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren.

19 August 2012

My "Ancestry Number"

When I first read the post by Crista Cowen about finding "your number" I knew I wanted to make my own chart. Then Randy Seaver created the SNGF prompt...perfect! Challenge Accepted!

Here are his instructions:

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (and I hope more of you do than participated in the SNGF Genealympics the last three weeks), is to:
1)  Determine how complete your genealogy research is.  For background, read Crista Cowan's post Family History All Done? What’s Your Number?  For comparison purposes, keep the list to 10 generations with you as the first person.
2)  Create a table similar to Crista's second table, and fill it in however you can (you could create an Ahnentafel (Ancestor Name) list and count the number in each generation, or use some other method).  Tell us how you calculated the numbers.
3)  Show us your table, and calculate your "Ancestral Name Number" - what is your percentage of known names to possible names (1,023 for 10 generations).
4)  For extra credit (or more SNGF), do more generations and add them to your chart.
5)  Post your table, and your "Ancestral Name Number," on your own blog, in a comment to this post, or in a Facebook Status or Google+ Stream post.
 Here's what I did.

1) I created a narrative report in RootsMagic for 10 generations. I did this for myself, Troy, and our sons.

2) And here are our charts.



3) Our Ancestral Numbers for 10 generations are:
Julliana - 3%
Troy - 24%
Ben&James - 24%

Wow, it's looking bad. My family is so hard to research...since they are all in Brazil or Portugal. Plus, Troy's side of the family are all pioneers with a long line of genealogists who have done lots of work. My father is the only one to have done any work on my side, and now I'm taking over.

Everything I know for my side of the family is what my grandparents could remember and tell my dad. He had a few death certificates and birth records, but that's it. I'm now going through trying to find documentation for everything and even just my grandmother's information is hard to find. Also, the tradition is that one of my mom's grandmothers was a native Brazilian...who knows how far back I'll even be able to go?!?

At least now I can see that I have a lot of work to do (knew that before) and that I can quantify any progress I make.

09 August 2012

Indecision may or may not be my problem


Right now I'm at the point where I have a lot of documents and files. But, I know that as I continue researching I'm only going to collect more. I had one organizational system, then read about another I liked better, then another. For now, I'm happy with my naming conventions and more recently decided not to include the "de" or "da" in my Brazilian surnames...otherwise most would be under D. (Plus, there is the problem of those two last names which are really one, such as da Silva vs. da Silva Lima.)

Where the real indecision comes in is in the process. I can no longer remember every search I performed for every person, or every resource I used whether with positive or negative results. So the question I'm now faced with is - How do I organize the process of research?

Obviously, a research log is ideal. But which version? I really like having it in my database (RootsMagic) but feel like I might need more. Randy Seaver shared his Research Summary recently and I think it may work for me.

Another question I keep asking myself is - What should be the "standard" order of procedures?

For example, when I find a birth certificate how do I proceed. Here's what I think I may do:

  1. Save using the standard naming convention in the appropriate folder.
  2. Add entry in research log. (This step will have to happen even if I don't find anything.)
  3. Transcribe/translate and save that file in the same folder. (Should I set up tables to make it look just like the original or just list all the information.)
  4. Create a source citation for the document using RootsMagic and add to both the word document and in the metadata of the image.
  5. Link the image into the database and add the transcription/translation to the detail notes section.
  6. Using this same citation, copy it onto all events which it supports - in the example of the birth certificate I may use it for the birth date, parents names, parents ages, place of residence, etc.
  7. Create a blog post to share my discovery.
Here's the big question - Can, or should, I "move on" with my research even though I have piles of "stuff" to scan and analyze?

Since I have so much stuff to go through is it better to scan it all before proceeding? I don't want to redo what I already have, but just don't know about. This is the part of the "research" that isn't my favorite...the housekeeping. In the end I know it will help but for now, I just don't want to deal with it.

19 July 2012

Gertrude moves, and a revelation!

My search for Johan RIIS (or RIHS) continues!

So last time, I decided to work up a client report. Instead, I ended up creating a document study and then an accompanying work plan. Here is that plan, from page 4 of my report:

I had already done 1-5 so, but I ended up starting with #6, and did not find what I was expecting.

I figured, since Gertrude was from Knudsker and her son Didrich was born in Nylarsker that she would have moved to Nylarsker at some point - I know, brilliant. :) So, I started looking for a move-in record for her in Nylarsker before Mar 1816, when Didrich was born.

If she lived there more than 9 months prior to his birth, then she would have gotten pregnant there. If she moved in while pregnant, then she would have conceived Didrich at her previous parish...and that's where Johan would have been too.

Source: Danish State Archives, "Kirkebøger," digital images, Statens Arkivers Arkivalieronline (www.sa.dk/ao/ : downloaded 15 July 2012), Gertrude Kristine Didrichsdatter, moving in record (Tilgangsliste); Nylarsker Parish, 1815, pg. 42-b, no. 14.

Gertrude moved from Copenhagen!!! (København)

Now is a time for a pretty great aside.

Last Saturday I went to the Family History Library to take some more Danish research classes. I guess I didn't read the course descriptions very well because when I got there I found out that they didn't really apply to me. The first was Southern Denmark research (which got transferred back and forth with Germany, so their records are a bit different), then Big City Research, and finally, Copenhagen research. Since I didn't really have any Big City or Copenhagen ancestors, I was just going to leave and work in the library, but decided to stay and see if I could learn anything - I did!

And now I can use it!

So, next I need to track Gertrude to Copenhagen, figure out what parish she was living in and see if Johan is nearby.

15 July 2012

The search for Johan Riis

I've done extensive research on the Lund family from Denmark. I'm also working on the decendency research for Diderich Funk/Funch Lund, Troy's 3rd-great-grandfather. (The Lund was added after immigrating to the United States)

But Diderich's father remains a mystery. Here's what I know:
  • Johan Riis is listed as Diderich's father in his christening record dated 3 Apr 1816, he was born on 25 Mar 1816. Diderich is illegitimate and Johan is described as a bachelor who has traveled away.
  • Diderich's mother is Gertrude Christine Didrichsdatter, and her father's name is Diderich Jacobson Funch.
  • By the time Diderich is confirmed in the Lutheran church on 5 Oct 1834, his father, still listed as Johan Riis (although his mother had married by now) is now listed as "deceased."




RootsMagic5 has a new feature - Research Log. I've been using it to work on this and other research I've been doing and have found it a great way to note what I've done.

So, here's the plan.

  • I think before I can really find Johan, I need to first track Gertrude's family as they lived in Knudsker and then she (and possibly more of the family) moved to Arnager. I plan to work with the censuses and the church records, including the moving in and out records (I just learned about yesterday!).
  • Also, since at some point I think I'd like to get certified in genealogy, I'm going to try out a full client report and research notes for this search for Johan. I'll post more as I go along.

28 June 2012

Marriage Certificate - Genival and Deolinda de Macedo

I have a rediculously huge stack of documents and pictures to scan and transcribe, so I thought I better get started. This is a copy of my father's parent's marriage certificate.
Genival and Deolinda - 1984 - Sao Marcos, Brazil
  • I love how they listed the exact time of the wedding - "ten hours and twenty five minutes".
  • The witnesses, according to my dad, are my grandmother's uncle and his wife.
  • I thought it was interesting that my grandmother was listed as being born in the "Federal District" until I remembered that Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil at the time. Now the capital is in Brasilia, many hundreds of miles away.
  • My grandfather is listed as a machinist. He was a navy man all his life, so I guess he was a machinist for the navy. I never knew that.
  • My grandmother is listed as a public worker. She was an accountant for the city of Rio de Janeiro, I remember her telling me she was the first woman to have that job. She also talked about the computers they had in the late 40s and early 50s that would take up entire rooms. Now, she's on facebook. Go figure!
  • They were living on the same street. The story goes that they met when grandma was 13 years old and grandpa was 19. She was just the neighbor girl. They didn't start dating until she was 18, which would have been just after my grandfather returned from serving in WWII - in which his ship was sunk (!!), or so the story goes.
According to Google Maps, they lived 98 m away from each other, which would take 15 sec to drive in a car. Unfortunately, there was no street view available for this part of Rio de Janeiro.


Source: Twelfth Division, Guanabara, marriage certificate no. B. 80, 70, entry 7.180 (2 October 1948), Genival Marinho de Macedo and Deolinda Ferreira; Parish of Irajá and Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Transcription:

REPÚBLICA DOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DO BRASIL
DÉCIMA SEGUNDA CIRCUNSCRIÇÃO
ESTADO DA GUANABARA

CERTIDÃO DE CASAMENTO

Duljacy Espirito Santo Cardoso – Oficial do Registro Civil e Tabelião vitalicio da Décima
Segunda Circunscrição, Freguezia de Irajá e Jacarepaguá do Estado de Guanabara.

CERTIFICO que revendo em meu cartório o livro n. B. 80.-
de Registro de casamentos, n’ele a jolhas 70.-
acha-se lavrado o termo sob o n. 7. 180.-
do qual consta que no dia 2 de Outubro de 1948.-

às dex.- horas e vinte e cinco.- minutos, na sala dos casamentos.-

perante o Dr. Avelino José da Cunha.-
e as testemunhas Herminio Thomé de Paiva e Emerita Ferreira Paiva.-

receberam-se em matrimônio pelo regime de Comunhão de Bens: GENIVAL MARIN-
HO DE MACEDO e DEOLINDA FERREIRA.-

que passou a chamar-se DEOLINDA FERREIRA DE MACEDO.-

Êle, de nacionalidade barsileira.-
natural do Est. da Paraiba.-
nascido em 1o de Abril de 1921.-
filho de Antonio Avelino de Macedo e Leonisa Marinho de Macedo.-
estado civil solteiro.-
profissão maquinista.-
e residente rua Marechal Falção da Fronta, 1.365, ap. 202.-

Ela, de nacionalidade brasileira.-
natural do Distrito Federal.-
nascida em 4 de Janeiro de 1927.-
filha de José Ferreira da Fonseca e Anna Ferreria.-
estado civil solteira.-
profissão funcionária pública.-
e residente rua Marechal Falcão da Fronta, 1.457, apt 102.-


Translation:


REPUBLIC OF THE UNITED STATES OF BRASIL
TWELFTH DIVISION
STATE OF GUANABARA

CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE

Duljacy Espirito Santo Cardoso – Officer of the Civil Register and Notary of the Twelfth
Division, Parish of Irajá and Jacarepaguá in the State of Guanabara.

I hereby certify that in my office reviewing the book n. B. 80.-
of the Registry of Marriages, in the ????? 70.-
can be found under the ???? entry n. 7. 180.-
which states that on the day 2 of October of 1948.-

at ten hours and twenty-five minutes, in the hall of weddings.-
before Dr. Avelino José da Cunha.-
and the witnesses Herminio Thomé de Paiva and Emerita Ferreira Paiva.-


recived each other in matrimony through the communion of the bans: GENIVAL MARIN-
HO DE MACEDO and DEOLINDA FERREIRA.-

who came to call herself DEOLINDA FERREIRA DE MACEDO.-

He, of nationality brasilian.-
born in the state of Paraiba.-
born on the 1st of April of 1921.-
son of Antonio Avelino de Macedo and Leonisa Marinho de Macedo.-
marital status single.-
profession machinist.-
and residing at rua Marechal Falcção da Fronta, 1.365, ap. 202.-

She, of nationality brasilian.-
born in the Federal District.- (Rio de Janeiro)
born on the 4th of January of 1927.-
daughter of José Ferreira da Fonseca and Anna Ferreria.-
marital status single.-
profession public worker.-
and residing at rua Marechal Falcão da Fronta, 1.457, apt 102.-

24 June 2012

George M Draney Household - 1930 US Census

The 1930 Census for George Melvin Draney's family brings up a few items of interest.

At this point, the family has moved to 2538 ½ Wall Avenue which is just across the street from the Union Station (railroad). That is interesting because the Draney's now have a lodger, one Willie Johnson who is listed as a Cook for the Railroad Diner. This is also the first time I've come across "negro" for color or race. I want to research more about Willie and find out how he ended up in Utah from Arkansas.

Another item of note - Both Myrtle and George are listed as 10 years old. However, if you remember from the 1920 census, Myrtle is listed as 1 11/12 years old but there is no George listed ... so, they aren't twins. In order for them to both be 10 years old they would have to have been born within 12 months of each each other. Looking closely at the age listed for Myrtle, it appears the enumerator wrote over what was there with a 10. I believe it originally said 12.


Here's my reasoning:

  • If Myrtle was 1 11/12 on 20 Jan 1920, at the time of the 1920 census, that would mean she was born between 21 Jan - 20 Feb 1918. This would make her just over 12 years old on 14 Apr 1930, at the time of the 1930 census.
  • If George was 10 years old on 14 Apr 1930, at the time of the 1930 census, then he would have been born between 15 Apr 1919 and 14 Apr 1920. However, since he wasn't listed in the 1920 census, he would have to be born after 20 Jan 1920. So, he was born between 21 Jan 1920 and 14 Apr 1920.

I will have to search for birth certificates for all these children, but am particularly interested in what they will reveal for Myrtle and George.
Source: 1930 U.S. Census, Ogden City, population schedule, Ogden City, 1st Ward, enumeration district (ED) 29-16, sheet 13-B, dwelling 330, family 383, Geo M Draney Household; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : downloaded 23 June 2012); NARA.


Abstract:
Dwelling 330, Family 383
2538 ½ Wall Avenue

Line 85. Draney, Geo M. Head. Rented, $15/mo, radio, not a farm. Male, White, 38 years old, Married. No school in 1929, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English. Laborer, Laundry, worker. Employed. Not a veteran.

Line 86. -----, Josephine. Wife (H). Female, White, 41 years old, Married. No school in 1929, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Denmark. Mother POB: Denmark. Can speak English. No occupation.

Line 87. -----, Ruth. Daughter. Female, White, 14 years old, Single. Attended school in 1929, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English. No occupation.

Line 88. -----, Myrtle. Daughter. Female, White, 10 years old, Single. Attended school in 1929, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English. No occupation.

Line 89. -----, George. Son. Male, White, 10 years old, Single. Attended school in 1929, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English. No occupation.

Line 90. -----, Lee. Son. Male, White, 7 years old, Single. Attended school in 1929. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English. No occupation.

Line 91. Johnson, Willie. Lodger. Male, Negro, 39 years old, Single. No school in 1929, can read and write. POB: Arkansas. Father POB: Arkansas. Mother POB: Arkansas. Can speak English. Cook, Railroad Diner, worker. Employed. Veteran, World War. (meaning WWI)