Dear Uncle,
Well now, I'm a bit calmer then the last time I contacted you and that's a good thing. But it did get me to thinking about just who have I been searching for. Of late, as you know, it's been the Irish side because I have neglected it for so long. Prior to that was your side of the Family, hence the name the Beal Family Tree.
For many years I felt alone in my search, and got used to the eye rolls and the "gotta go and get dinner on the table" or the "sorry someone is at the door gotta run, love you, bye".
Ok I got it, I was in it alone. Then like a miracle, a couple of years ago my brother got interested in our Charley. He was the one who went to the Civil War and never came back. Kind of. Now my brother is an educator and loves history as much as I do and seems to enjoy the deep research a little more than I do. After some digging and some contact from far flung, previously unknown cousins, the story took a different turn.
My brother approached me with an idea that perhaps we should send for Charleys Army records, which we did. But you know how it goes, information leads to more searching and more info. The next thing you know we're searching for the other Beal boys in the Civil War. Five of them, from the same family. Two came home. One died a few years later and the other lived to a good age.
I don't do war well. That is to say I don't want to see the pictures or read of the horrors. I have nightmares. Just skimming over the exploits of the boys battles was enough to keep me awake nights for months. So I left that particular part of the research to my brother.
He has done an outstanding job of recreating the days of battles, where the boys were on a particular day, what the days were like weatherwise and militarily. He has gone through diaries and military transcripts and logs and what all to bring the boys and their experiences to life. Sometimes too real for me. These boys break my heart. So my brother will write and do it so well. Our family will know what our boys went through and give them the respect that they and their parents deserve.
I am thankful that my brother, who was once only vaguely interested in the family tree, has found the members of the family that stir him and make him want to tell their story. Were it not for him it is doubtful that I could do them justice.
Uncle, you knew these boys. Your nephews, your brother Calvin and Sally's boys. Eleazar and Jesse who made it home. George W., Merrill and William who didn't. Brave boys.
That's who I look for Uncle. No one famous, or rich. No high society, special groups, certificates or whatever. Yes, I've found the ones who would put me into groups, certificates, etc. but these are my kin. I've got my heros and heroines, remarkable people, to me anyway, pioneers, risk takers. Strong folk. Determined. It was not easy, not privilaged. I am so proud and humbled to be of their line. I look, I find, I research and I am amazed. That is why I look into the past. But you already knew that.
And so my dear Uncle until the next,
Fondly,
Your Devoted Niece
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Digging for the rich and famous? Seriously?
Dear Uncle,
I've returned from the south and my all too short visit with the descendants (my daughter and grandson). I had missed my computer time and was eager to catch up. I stopped over at Greta's Blog and read with great sadness and then anger the discussion that was going on regarding whether Genealogy was a "Trivial Pursuit".
A Mr. Ball, author of a book which I will not mention here as I will not add to his income, made the statement that " Most people who do family research are white, and most of them look for ancestors with the goal to unearth the whitest, most moneyed forebears they can."
Here's what I can tell you about what that statement did to me. It lit me up like a firecracker. I'm talking Roman Candle, Blockbuster, the big boomers that we hear on the 4th of July and I don't mean in a good way.
Uncle, if we were sitting on a front porch in a couple of rocking chairs, I can tell you that we'd both be about ready for take off. We'd be rocking so fast in agitation and our voices would be getting pretty loud, thinking about the audacity of that man. I'm sure we'd have a couple of descriptions about him and his character and a few other things that "het up" folks have a say about.
Here's what I have to say. He doesn't get it. It's not in his blood or his soul. And I guess I should read his book before I condemn him for his statement but it's pretty obvious. He doesn't get it. If he did he'd never have made a statement like that.
Yes, there are all kinds of Genealogists. Professional, semi-professional, certified, not certified, taking classes to be certified and then there's the family genealogist. The person who gathers the names and dates and puts them in a chart. And then there is the family historian. The one who saves everything, looks for everyone, wants the story behind the story, who looks at the maps because they really care to know the area, to learn about the ancestors, reads up on history to know what affected the ancestors, who can't remember what they had for breakfast yesterday but can tell you the circumstances surrounding the crop failure of 1698, the Flu pandemic of 1918 and what happened at Thanksgiving dinner 20 years ago when Aunt Mabel told the story about the traveling salesman and great Aunt Gert and Uncle Fred.
So maybe he has a point. But Uncle I think you and I both know that we are the HIstorians. And because of folks like us, our ancestors never really die, they are just the next story to be discovered and told and remembered.
Until the next,
Fondly,
Your Devoted Niece
I've returned from the south and my all too short visit with the descendants (my daughter and grandson). I had missed my computer time and was eager to catch up. I stopped over at Greta's Blog and read with great sadness and then anger the discussion that was going on regarding whether Genealogy was a "Trivial Pursuit".
A Mr. Ball, author of a book which I will not mention here as I will not add to his income, made the statement that " Most people who do family research are white, and most of them look for ancestors with the goal to unearth the whitest, most moneyed forebears they can."
Here's what I can tell you about what that statement did to me. It lit me up like a firecracker. I'm talking Roman Candle, Blockbuster, the big boomers that we hear on the 4th of July and I don't mean in a good way.
Uncle, if we were sitting on a front porch in a couple of rocking chairs, I can tell you that we'd both be about ready for take off. We'd be rocking so fast in agitation and our voices would be getting pretty loud, thinking about the audacity of that man. I'm sure we'd have a couple of descriptions about him and his character and a few other things that "het up" folks have a say about.
Here's what I have to say. He doesn't get it. It's not in his blood or his soul. And I guess I should read his book before I condemn him for his statement but it's pretty obvious. He doesn't get it. If he did he'd never have made a statement like that.
Yes, there are all kinds of Genealogists. Professional, semi-professional, certified, not certified, taking classes to be certified and then there's the family genealogist. The person who gathers the names and dates and puts them in a chart. And then there is the family historian. The one who saves everything, looks for everyone, wants the story behind the story, who looks at the maps because they really care to know the area, to learn about the ancestors, reads up on history to know what affected the ancestors, who can't remember what they had for breakfast yesterday but can tell you the circumstances surrounding the crop failure of 1698, the Flu pandemic of 1918 and what happened at Thanksgiving dinner 20 years ago when Aunt Mabel told the story about the traveling salesman and great Aunt Gert and Uncle Fred.
So maybe he has a point. But Uncle I think you and I both know that we are the HIstorians. And because of folks like us, our ancestors never really die, they are just the next story to be discovered and told and remembered.
Until the next,
Fondly,
Your Devoted Niece
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Optimism and the Bricks in the Wall
Dear Uncle,
Typical Gemini that I am I got so excited about finding Will Greene that I thought the rest of the Irish hunt would go as quickly.
I’m sure that you also had your moments where a discovery got you pretty excited also. And you can’t say you didn’t Uncle…I have your journal! It takes a Gemini to know one. We are optimists.
The point is, Uncle, I am once again looking at the bricks in the wall.
How could I possibly think that just because I have the year of immigration (after the famine ships) for an individual I would be able to lickety split, click a few searches and ta-da have who I was looking for. Silly, silly woman.
Silly right up until 1:15 am when I finally looked at the clock last nite ( this morning) and realized that I had to get up to go to work today. If I hadn’t had to work…..well I’m sure you know where I’m going with that.
I’ll be taking the next few days off to go visit your 6th great grand niece and your 7th great grand nephew. I’ll give them your regards. I’ll also poke around the storage and see what I could possibly have left behind relating to genealogy. (Doubtful as everyone knows where it all goes – with me- always- period.)
But mistakes do happen. I may have left a couple of maps behind, possibly a magazine or 80. Photos – probably but there was only so much room on the moving truck and in my truck.
I’ll take the next few days to rest my genealogy brain, let things ruminate a bit and see what happens when I get back. While I'm gone if you happen to run into the Irish side you might mention I could use another break, thanks!
Fondly,
Your devoted Niece
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Finding William Greene & The Courage of our Immigrant Ancestors
Uncle!
First let me thank you and the other ancestors who made last evenings success possible, even though it was in the midnight hour. I am not complaining! I am so excited!
I've located my 3x Great-Grandfather, William Greene, in the immigrant records of passenger ships. How long have I chased this particular record? Long enough to cause great consternation.
How did I find him? I used Ancestry.com, found the record, decided it wasn't my kin, used Google, used NARA, used ships lists, looked through some Irish history websites- most of which I'd been to before, found a website that dealt with the famine that had a story.
The main point that I came away with- in regard to my particular search last evening -was that the majority of the ships that came to America carrying the Irish emigrants departed from Liverpool, England and landed in New York. I had dismissed New York as a point of entry feeling that in 1851, the very end of the famine ships, anyone leaving Ireland with intention of coming to Boston would take the ship going to Boston. Shame on me for “figuring”.
I went back to my notes on William and there it was, 1851 plus /minus 5 years.
I’d tried to figure when I thought he may have immigrated based on his marriage in Massachusetts (1853) and the first census that he appeared in (1860).
NARA had a record of William Green, age 24, departing from Liverpool on the Emma Fields in 1851, and landing in New York on 13 November. So then I had to find a ships list that had the passenger list, and then proceeded to find a copy of a NY Times notification of ship arrivals for that date. Then just to be absolutely sure, I found a ships list transcribers site that had transcribed the Emma Fields passenger list.
After that I was pretty much right there with my William. But before I leave you I must leave you with a link to a letter that was sent by a young man who came by ship to America. He tells of his voyage across the sea. Please read this letter. Then you will understand just how courageous these ancestors were.
http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/leavingofliverpool.html
Fondly,
Your Niece
NARA Info: Display Full Records http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=180&mtch=2&cat=SB302&tf=F&sc=17169,17170,17172,17189,17177,17180,17190,17181&bc=sb,sl,fd&txt_17169=Greene&op_17169=0&nfo_17169=V,20,1900&txt_17170=William&op_17170=0&nfo_17170=V,19,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=591636&rlst=52131,591636
File Unit: Famine Irish Passenger Record Data File (FIPAS), 1/12/1846 - 12/31/1851 in the Series: Records for Passengers Who Arrived at the Port of New York During the Irish Famine, created 1977 - 1989, documenting the period 1/12/1846 - 12/31/1851. - Collection CIR Brief Scope: These materials identify 604,596 persons who arrived in the Port of New York, 1846-1851, and the ships on which they arrived.
First let me thank you and the other ancestors who made last evenings success possible, even though it was in the midnight hour. I am not complaining! I am so excited!
I've located my 3x Great-Grandfather, William Greene, in the immigrant records of passenger ships. How long have I chased this particular record? Long enough to cause great consternation.
How did I find him? I used Ancestry.com, found the record, decided it wasn't my kin, used Google, used NARA, used ships lists, looked through some Irish history websites- most of which I'd been to before, found a website that dealt with the famine that had a story.
The main point that I came away with- in regard to my particular search last evening -was that the majority of the ships that came to America carrying the Irish emigrants departed from Liverpool, England and landed in New York. I had dismissed New York as a point of entry feeling that in 1851, the very end of the famine ships, anyone leaving Ireland with intention of coming to Boston would take the ship going to Boston. Shame on me for “figuring”.
I went back to my notes on William and there it was, 1851 plus /minus 5 years.
I’d tried to figure when I thought he may have immigrated based on his marriage in Massachusetts (1853) and the first census that he appeared in (1860).
NARA had a record of William Green, age 24, departing from Liverpool on the Emma Fields in 1851, and landing in New York on 13 November. So then I had to find a ships list that had the passenger list, and then proceeded to find a copy of a NY Times notification of ship arrivals for that date. Then just to be absolutely sure, I found a ships list transcribers site that had transcribed the Emma Fields passenger list.
After that I was pretty much right there with my William. But before I leave you I must leave you with a link to a letter that was sent by a young man who came by ship to America. He tells of his voyage across the sea. Please read this letter. Then you will understand just how courageous these ancestors were.
http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/leavingofliverpool.html
Fondly,
Your Niece
NARA Info: Display Full Records http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=180&mtch=2&cat=SB302&tf=F&sc=17169,17170,17172,17189,17177,17180,17190,17181&bc=sb,sl,fd&txt_17169=Greene&op_17169=0&nfo_17169=V,20,1900&txt_17170=William&op_17170=0&nfo_17170=V,19,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=591636&rlst=52131,591636
File Unit: Famine Irish Passenger Record Data File (FIPAS), 1/12/1846 - 12/31/1851 in the Series: Records for Passengers Who Arrived at the Port of New York During the Irish Famine, created 1977 - 1989, documenting the period 1/12/1846 - 12/31/1851. - Collection CIR Brief Scope: These materials identify 604,596 persons who arrived in the Port of New York, 1846-1851, and the ships on which they arrived.
Ships List Info:TheShipsList info for William Greene
Emma Fields (of Bath), [Captain]Snow, Liverpool, 28 ds.,[at sea for 28 days] mdse [merchandise] and 429 passengers to master [acting as agent]. Died on board, W. L. Baker,seaman, of Baltimore.
NY Times Info:
From: (Harry Dodsworth)
Subject: [TSL] Five arrivals, NY, November 13, 1851
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 19:41:25 -0400 (EDT)
New York Daily Times, November 14, 1851 (microfilm)
IMMIGRANTS - The following Immigrant ships arrived at this port yesterday [all from Liverpool]
Ship Telamon 561 [persons on board]
Subject: [TSL] Five arrivals, NY, November 13, 1851
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 19:41:25 -0400 (EDT)
New York Daily Times, November 14, 1851 (microfilm)
IMMIGRANTS - The following Immigrant ships arrived at this port yesterday [all from Liverpool]
Ship Telamon 561 [persons on board]
Ship Martha J. Ward 400
Ship Emma Fields 429
Ship Constance 600
Ship Universe 600
Total 2,590 [persons]
The Constance was reported as the Constantine in the arrival notices.
I think Constantine was the correct spelling.
Ship Emma Fields 429
Ship Constance 600
Ship Universe 600
Total 2,590 [persons]
The Constance was reported as the Constantine in the arrival notices.
I think Constantine was the correct spelling.
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild - Emma Fields
Friday, January 6, 2012
Where For Art Thou Relatives?
Dear Uncle,
I've once again trotted out the papers and books and maps and magnifying glasses. I've once again set up the little chart that I can tape to the computer monitor. I've re-checked the census info for birthplaces.
I've got my Griffiths Valuation list handy and I've got the Genealogical Atlas of Ireland at hand. I'd already started to trace the surnames by county from the years 1848 - 1864.
I'll go back through and check the estimated immigration dates to see if that might narrow the search.
Right about now I'm really not happy that we kids weren't close to my Dad's side of the family. For alot of reasons. So much was missed. Being back in touch with my cousins has been a huge blessing. At least they share their memories. Of course, now everyone we could ask questions of is gone. And we are all 1800 miles from "Home" in Massachusetts, where the history is. Therein lies the challenge.
This may require a trip back . To funeral homes and cemeterys and churches. As a new friend just told me.."The Irish may have lied to the census man, but they wouldn't lie to their parish priest." I imagine she is right.
Uncle it has been a great deal easier dealing with the other side of my dad's family- the English side - your side- going back 13 generations was a piece of cake compared to this. But it's onward!
Fondly,
Your niece
I've once again trotted out the papers and books and maps and magnifying glasses. I've once again set up the little chart that I can tape to the computer monitor. I've re-checked the census info for birthplaces.
I've got my Griffiths Valuation list handy and I've got the Genealogical Atlas of Ireland at hand. I'd already started to trace the surnames by county from the years 1848 - 1864.
I'll go back through and check the estimated immigration dates to see if that might narrow the search.
Right about now I'm really not happy that we kids weren't close to my Dad's side of the family. For alot of reasons. So much was missed. Being back in touch with my cousins has been a huge blessing. At least they share their memories. Of course, now everyone we could ask questions of is gone. And we are all 1800 miles from "Home" in Massachusetts, where the history is. Therein lies the challenge.
This may require a trip back . To funeral homes and cemeterys and churches. As a new friend just told me.."The Irish may have lied to the census man, but they wouldn't lie to their parish priest." I imagine she is right.
Uncle it has been a great deal easier dealing with the other side of my dad's family- the English side - your side- going back 13 generations was a piece of cake compared to this. But it's onward!
Fondly,
Your niece
When Irish Eyes are starting to smile
Dear Uncle,
I'm back on track and on the hunt for the Irish side of the family. I've used the searches on Ancestry.com , Rootsweb, and Family Search. I found another site that has the Griffiths Valuation and I've loaded the Griffiths Valuation info into a word document so that I can take my time with each of the names in each county. I've been to the Goireland.com website and done a surname search to see if that might help in so far as where the majority of the surnames were most likely from. Handy site though. It has the gaelic spelling of the names also. I've printed out a beautiful map of Ireland from www.failteromhat.com/eiremap.php . I'll have to use a magnifying glass on the printout but I can go back up to the site and enlarge the map on the computer screen if I have to. I've checked the LDS site for my Irish kin and have found some info but it is for the US info, nothing yet for Ireland. And I do have a form for each person to help me sort out the emmigration situation. Passenger lists are an issue and will take alot of time to go through.
I have a box of "stuff" that I had marked "Irish" which besides the individual folders of my folks contains heaven only knows what. Just "stuff" that I found along the way which I probably thought I might need in the future. I'll peruse that box tomorrow.
I went to the library today and met a woman by the name of Pat who is also known as "The Family Detective". She volunteers at the library in the genealogy department. Today was a quiet day and we shared a table. I was looking at some old magazines that sometimes help give me a bit of inspiration as to where to look next.
We got to talking about how long we've each been doing this (both 30 years), how things have advanced - from paper and pencil to computers and flash drives. Then of course it came down to "So who are you looking for?" We're both looking for - big sigh- Irish folks.
It would be lovely if we had some unusual names to look for, but of course not. I've got Greene, Moran, Garvey and Morris, just for starters. I had to send an email to Pat to get her folks names. I figure I can just as easily check for her folks too while I'm looking for mine.
I'll do an analysis chart on my folks and see if I can come up with some kind of trail to follow. It's helped in the past. Perhaps it will help again.
In the meantime I will send an etherial request to the Irish ancestors and see if they can give a little guidance, drop a few breadcrumbs, have a website pop up out of nowhere with all the info I need. You know...something a little serendipitous.
Until next time,
Fondly,
Your Niece
I'm back on track and on the hunt for the Irish side of the family. I've used the searches on Ancestry.com , Rootsweb, and Family Search. I found another site that has the Griffiths Valuation and I've loaded the Griffiths Valuation info into a word document so that I can take my time with each of the names in each county. I've been to the Goireland.com website and done a surname search to see if that might help in so far as where the majority of the surnames were most likely from. Handy site though. It has the gaelic spelling of the names also. I've printed out a beautiful map of Ireland from www.failteromhat.com/eiremap.php . I'll have to use a magnifying glass on the printout but I can go back up to the site and enlarge the map on the computer screen if I have to. I've checked the LDS site for my Irish kin and have found some info but it is for the US info, nothing yet for Ireland. And I do have a form for each person to help me sort out the emmigration situation. Passenger lists are an issue and will take alot of time to go through.
I have a box of "stuff" that I had marked "Irish" which besides the individual folders of my folks contains heaven only knows what. Just "stuff" that I found along the way which I probably thought I might need in the future. I'll peruse that box tomorrow.
I went to the library today and met a woman by the name of Pat who is also known as "The Family Detective". She volunteers at the library in the genealogy department. Today was a quiet day and we shared a table. I was looking at some old magazines that sometimes help give me a bit of inspiration as to where to look next.
We got to talking about how long we've each been doing this (both 30 years), how things have advanced - from paper and pencil to computers and flash drives. Then of course it came down to "So who are you looking for?" We're both looking for - big sigh- Irish folks.
It would be lovely if we had some unusual names to look for, but of course not. I've got Greene, Moran, Garvey and Morris, just for starters. I had to send an email to Pat to get her folks names. I figure I can just as easily check for her folks too while I'm looking for mine.
I'll do an analysis chart on my folks and see if I can come up with some kind of trail to follow. It's helped in the past. Perhaps it will help again.
In the meantime I will send an etherial request to the Irish ancestors and see if they can give a little guidance, drop a few breadcrumbs, have a website pop up out of nowhere with all the info I need. You know...something a little serendipitous.
Until next time,
Fondly,
Your Niece
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
I love every thing that is old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines.
From She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith. The play was performed for the first time at Covent Garden Theatre, London on March 15th, 1733
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Quotes.html
Dear Uncle,
In keeping with my intent to pay more attention to the Irish side of the family I've been poking around the internet looking for some historical perspective. Per usual I have ended up all over the internet because there are just so many interesting things.
I happened upon the quote above and decided that if I had to describe what I love about Genealogy it would be that it is old, my ancestors become my old friends, I am fascinated by the old times, I appreciate the old manners ( and I miss them), I LOVE old books and the taste of old wines. I love old architecture, old cities and streets and old maps. And history...I love history, the history of persons and places and things.
I think that I am not the only family historian who thinks that way.
I now have a roadmap to follow with the Irish side. I may not know precisely where my folk came from but there is enough history to tell a tale or two and paint a picture.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Quotes.html
Dear Uncle,
In keeping with my intent to pay more attention to the Irish side of the family I've been poking around the internet looking for some historical perspective. Per usual I have ended up all over the internet because there are just so many interesting things.
I happened upon the quote above and decided that if I had to describe what I love about Genealogy it would be that it is old, my ancestors become my old friends, I am fascinated by the old times, I appreciate the old manners ( and I miss them), I LOVE old books and the taste of old wines. I love old architecture, old cities and streets and old maps. And history...I love history, the history of persons and places and things.
I think that I am not the only family historian who thinks that way.
I now have a roadmap to follow with the Irish side. I may not know precisely where my folk came from but there is enough history to tell a tale or two and paint a picture.
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