A fast method for finding the original owners of your house if you know the date the house was built, can be quite easy if that date lies close to a census date. My house was built in 1928, so to quickly find the probable owners I went to the 1930 census on ancestry.com and did a bit of crafty searching.
If you go to the correct census search page on ancestry.com (1930 census), on the right you will find "browse this collection" by state, county, and township/enumeration district.
State, county, and township is easy and self explanatory. One you plug in your township you will be able to search enumeration district. This you may not readily know, but if you scroll each district (which usually is listed by smaller groups within the township and even street names. Once you narrow this search as close as possible by cross streets/neighboring streets, you can scroll through the pages (looking on the far left of each page at angle will be the street. In the next column will be the street number. There are other ways to search, but I have found this to be the most expedient, at least for now.
This can also help in your search for ancestors. Many people new to searching for their family tree don't realize what great info they can find in a census record. Each census year holds different types of information that you can miss if you don't read all the fine print. And, I mean fine! So, have a magnifying glass handy if you can't enlarge it big enough. Happy hunting!!
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
Edgar Cayce
For many years I have been a fan of Edgar Cayce. Cayce was poor and tormented about the validity of his spiritual gifts and the ethical implications of earning a living from his gifts. (Here's a link where you can learn about who Edgar Cayce was https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce)
Cayce's strong belief that his gifts should be used to help others has been the North Star for me, as I have encountered many far less ethical spiritual leaders throughout my own spiritual journeys.
A short time ago I had the idea to look up Mr. Cayce's genealogy. He grew up in Hopkinsville, Kentucky not far from where I was from, so I had my suspicions. Yep....I'm related to him through my maternal great grandmother's father's paternal grandmother (a weaving path! Have I lost you yet?). Ha, ha! Ok...my maternal grandmother was a Caldwell, her mother a Blackard, her father's mother was Catherine Garrett (see previous article on her and Spivey Blackard) http://historicalgenealogy.blogspot.com/2008/06/good-stuff-bad-stuff.html
Edgar Cayce's paternal great grandmothers were sisters, making his grandmothers first cousins! Whoa! Oddly, I have a similar scenario in my genealogy. My paternal great great grandparents were first cousins, one generation further back than Cayce and not the family line that we share.
More on the practice of first cousin marriages:
http://www.mysticmedicine.com/current-health-issues/the-science-of-marrying-your-cousin
Another oddity, my link to Cayce is through this intermarriage making me his distant cousin twice over.
Read the article above and see that this is more common than most of us ever knew and still in practice in many countries. There seems to be much less evidence of genetic deformities than we have been led to believe. I always thought it was the product of time and long past traditions. Also, everyone assumes it's just "a hillbilly thing". For me it was through my Canadian Irish ancestry, not my hillbilly line😳.
Cayce's strong belief that his gifts should be used to help others has been the North Star for me, as I have encountered many far less ethical spiritual leaders throughout my own spiritual journeys.
A short time ago I had the idea to look up Mr. Cayce's genealogy. He grew up in Hopkinsville, Kentucky not far from where I was from, so I had my suspicions. Yep....I'm related to him through my maternal great grandmother's father's paternal grandmother (a weaving path! Have I lost you yet?). Ha, ha! Ok...my maternal grandmother was a Caldwell, her mother a Blackard, her father's mother was Catherine Garrett (see previous article on her and Spivey Blackard) http://historicalgenealogy.blogspot.com/2008/06/good-stuff-bad-stuff.html
Edgar Cayce's paternal great grandmothers were sisters, making his grandmothers first cousins! Whoa! Oddly, I have a similar scenario in my genealogy. My paternal great great grandparents were first cousins, one generation further back than Cayce and not the family line that we share.
More on the practice of first cousin marriages:
http://www.mysticmedicine.com/current-health-issues/the-science-of-marrying-your-cousin
Another oddity, my link to Cayce is through this intermarriage making me his distant cousin twice over.
Read the article above and see that this is more common than most of us ever knew and still in practice in many countries. There seems to be much less evidence of genetic deformities than we have been led to believe. I always thought it was the product of time and long past traditions. Also, everyone assumes it's just "a hillbilly thing". For me it was through my Canadian Irish ancestry, not my hillbilly line😳.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
The hidden genealogical findings in past life regression Part 1
Bear with me people! This is where synchronicity goes farther than you ever imagined. So.....if some one is hypnotized and experiences a past life, can genealogy be used to verify that remembered life?
The thought really never crossed my mind as a possibility until I first met my wife over 10 years ago. After being together for a short time she felt comfortable enough to share an experience she'd had several years earlier. She told me about experiencing another life, under hypnosis, that had some specific information that led her to believe I might be able to help her find out if this person really lived. She thought it was a long shot.
She described a woman living in probably the 1800's, based on her feelings of the time and clothing. My wife lived in New York City and had just moved to Boston shortly before we were married. Boston seemed to have a similar feel to the area that she remembered. She had a name, Rebecca Brown. Her husband, Charles, was a merchant of some type. She had two children, a boy and a girl, and was pregnant with another child when she died suddenly.
She relived a death by something suddenly hitting her in a field or park when she was with her children. They lived in a rural area, but her husband was always traveling to an area where he was conducting business, a big town (she surmised), possibly a nearby seaport. Her husband, Charles, was not a nice man.
That's not a lot to go on, BUT I was living in Boston with access to great vital records and I had just left my full time job as a researcher at the New England Historic Genealogical Society. So, off I went to the Society after some preliminary searching on-line that gave me some leads, to start. When I have a bone like this, I become obsessed! I spent the whole day finding every possible Rebecca Brown who lived in the New England area that possibly had a husband named Charles. I found a strong possibility, but hit a dead end when trying to find her death record. Everything else really fell into place. I just could not find a death record to verify her short life to seal the deal.
Going over my possible Rebecca deaths I had only one unanswered death record with a husband named Otis in the online database. I had already left the Society for the day after a long day finding great information that led me to conclude who my Rebecca Brown(e) was and that she indeed married a man named Charles A. Brown(e). With my suspected Rebecca Browne I was able to prove her lineage to Salem, MA, her maiden name being Andrews, and her middle name being Putnam. But, without a death record things could be challenged. So, I searched the online database at the NEHGS (Boston Genealogical Society)again. I blew up the death record of a Rebecca Brown with a husband named Otis. AHA! Someone had transcribed the name Otis when I could clearly see it was Chas, a common abbreviation for CHARLES! I notified the Society via email and they changed the transcription. The unknown death of this Rebecca Browne was not only found by me, but solved for generations of this families lineage.
Her ancestry:
Now that I had found a Rebecca Browne who was married to a Charles Browne I set out to verify any other facts that might prove this was the Rebecca Browne from my wife's past life.
The thought really never crossed my mind as a possibility until I first met my wife over 10 years ago. After being together for a short time she felt comfortable enough to share an experience she'd had several years earlier. She told me about experiencing another life, under hypnosis, that had some specific information that led her to believe I might be able to help her find out if this person really lived. She thought it was a long shot.
She described a woman living in probably the 1800's, based on her feelings of the time and clothing. My wife lived in New York City and had just moved to Boston shortly before we were married. Boston seemed to have a similar feel to the area that she remembered. She had a name, Rebecca Brown. Her husband, Charles, was a merchant of some type. She had two children, a boy and a girl, and was pregnant with another child when she died suddenly.
She relived a death by something suddenly hitting her in a field or park when she was with her children. They lived in a rural area, but her husband was always traveling to an area where he was conducting business, a big town (she surmised), possibly a nearby seaport. Her husband, Charles, was not a nice man.
That's not a lot to go on, BUT I was living in Boston with access to great vital records and I had just left my full time job as a researcher at the New England Historic Genealogical Society. So, off I went to the Society after some preliminary searching on-line that gave me some leads, to start. When I have a bone like this, I become obsessed! I spent the whole day finding every possible Rebecca Brown who lived in the New England area that possibly had a husband named Charles. I found a strong possibility, but hit a dead end when trying to find her death record. Everything else really fell into place. I just could not find a death record to verify her short life to seal the deal.
Going over my possible Rebecca deaths I had only one unanswered death record with a husband named Otis in the online database. I had already left the Society for the day after a long day finding great information that led me to conclude who my Rebecca Brown(e) was and that she indeed married a man named Charles A. Brown(e). With my suspected Rebecca Browne I was able to prove her lineage to Salem, MA, her maiden name being Andrews, and her middle name being Putnam. But, without a death record things could be challenged. So, I searched the online database at the NEHGS (Boston Genealogical Society)again. I blew up the death record of a Rebecca Brown with a husband named Otis. AHA! Someone had transcribed the name Otis when I could clearly see it was Chas, a common abbreviation for CHARLES! I notified the Society via email and they changed the transcription. The unknown death of this Rebecca Browne was not only found by me, but solved for generations of this families lineage.
Her ancestry:
Now that I had found a Rebecca Browne who was married to a Charles Browne I set out to verify any other facts that might prove this was the Rebecca Browne from my wife's past life.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Synchronicity
My favorite part of my family quest has been something that has led me to many discoveries. These have been more important than probate, deeds, vital records, etc.. What I'm talking about is "synchronicity"! I have found some of the most profound information and spiritual connections through...yes...the guidance of something unexplainable. What you want to call it is up to you. Whether to believe me is also up to you. I know many of my colleagues in the field have had similar experiences. Have you?
The more I follow these experiences and trust them the greater the reward. For instance, I have been an avid used bookstore follower for years. One day I was in a used bookstore looking for ancestors that crossed histories paths as I always do. I browse the indexes of any book that may be of the right time and place and see if my ancestors are mentioned. One in particular that I have always identified with is Jean (John) Louis Badollet 1757-1837. He was the land registrar for the Indiana territory and later for the state of Indiana, being on all the committees that decided the constitution for the state in 1816. He was also the closest friend of Albert Gallatin (both Swiss and college friends in Geneva).
Long story short, I was unsuccessful in this bookstore in finding anything of interest for Badollet or any other interesting ancestor. As I was walking out the door something told me to look down. Weird...below the bottom shelves were curtains. I slide one curtain down and there before me was the book "Tecumseh A Life" by John Sugden a British author. I knew that Badollet had been very involved in witnessing Tecumseh speak in Vincennes, IN in the early 1800's. I also knew Badollet had written about how impressed he was with Tecumseh and how William Henry Harrison was trying to do everything in his power to cheat the "Indians" out of their lands. When I opened the index I found gold. No more information that I really already knew, but more validation of his progressive beliefs and attitudes.
Several years later, this synchronetic event led me to search even more for the connection between Badollet and Tecumseh. In searching for Badollet and Tecumseh's names in old newspapers I was able to find an article in the Indianapolis News dated Tuesday Oct 27, 1874.
"The 'pipe of peace' used by General Harrison and Tecumseh at Vincennes, is now in the possession of Mr. Badollet in that city. It is a beautiful red color, mottled with dark and lighter colored spots. The bowl is about three inches long, and the stem six, both about the same size. It is probably a mound builder's pipe, and was first smoked thousands of years ago."
I cried.....
Ok...who has that pipe!
The more I follow these experiences and trust them the greater the reward. For instance, I have been an avid used bookstore follower for years. One day I was in a used bookstore looking for ancestors that crossed histories paths as I always do. I browse the indexes of any book that may be of the right time and place and see if my ancestors are mentioned. One in particular that I have always identified with is Jean (John) Louis Badollet 1757-1837. He was the land registrar for the Indiana territory and later for the state of Indiana, being on all the committees that decided the constitution for the state in 1816. He was also the closest friend of Albert Gallatin (both Swiss and college friends in Geneva).
Long story short, I was unsuccessful in this bookstore in finding anything of interest for Badollet or any other interesting ancestor. As I was walking out the door something told me to look down. Weird...below the bottom shelves were curtains. I slide one curtain down and there before me was the book "Tecumseh A Life" by John Sugden a British author. I knew that Badollet had been very involved in witnessing Tecumseh speak in Vincennes, IN in the early 1800's. I also knew Badollet had written about how impressed he was with Tecumseh and how William Henry Harrison was trying to do everything in his power to cheat the "Indians" out of their lands. When I opened the index I found gold. No more information that I really already knew, but more validation of his progressive beliefs and attitudes.
Several years later, this synchronetic event led me to search even more for the connection between Badollet and Tecumseh. In searching for Badollet and Tecumseh's names in old newspapers I was able to find an article in the Indianapolis News dated Tuesday Oct 27, 1874.
"The 'pipe of peace' used by General Harrison and Tecumseh at Vincennes, is now in the possession of Mr. Badollet in that city. It is a beautiful red color, mottled with dark and lighter colored spots. The bowl is about three inches long, and the stem six, both about the same size. It is probably a mound builder's pipe, and was first smoked thousands of years ago."
I cried.....
Ok...who has that pipe!
Friday, September 16, 2016
My Journey
I have the great pleasure of having an extremely diverse ancestry. World's collided that should not have and that created me. What I have been struck by most is I'm the one left at the end of a branch of my family tree. This happened because I was the only child of my parents, my mother was the only child of her parents, her father was the only child of his parents. Not all branches are a dead end, but enough to leave this leaf with a lot of responsibility that I take very seriously.
I also have a wife who's genealogy is even more diverse in many respects. Also, world's colliding.
This all has led me to my calling. Unfortunately, I have had to take many diversions to get here as I am pretty good at many things, all of which vie for my undying attention. But, that which connects us all to history is the deepest root of my soul. I have been swimming upstream and it's now time to follow my bliss!
In this blog my intention is to share my story, hear your stories, connect to the spirit chain of our shared DNA and experiences. I promise this will be fascinating if you are interested in knowing more about yourself and how we are all connected.
I will begin by sharing the big picture for myself and my wife.
My lineage is deeply rooted in the US all the way back to the 1600's and before (early VA native american), Swiss, French, German, English, Scottish, Irish, covering the states of IN, KY, IA, NE, OK, IL, CT, MA, PA, VA, GA, OH, NC, MD, TN, KS, and also Canada.
My wife's is Vietnamese, French, German, Hungarian, Irish, Norwegian, English.
We have a lot covered.
This leads to why what I do is different. Most people in the field call themselves experts in certain areas of research. Most the time this is because that is where their ancestors where from, so they have spend a lot of time researching in those areas, thus where their expertise by default lies. This always was a dilemma for me when I worked as a full time researcher for the New England Historic Genealogical Society. My realization was that my dilemma was my strength in offering a wide net of knowledge through many states. I took on cases from all over the states, cases no other genealogist wanted to tackle. I learned a tremendous amount about genealogy findings and trends throughout the US. My life long love of early American history up to 1850 (you got to stop somewhere!) really helped mold my passion.
I have 12 ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War, two that fought directly under George Washington, one that qualifies my membership in the Cincinnati Society as he was an Virginia officer under George Washington. I descend from 2 of the last Werworances (Chiefs) of the Wicocomino tribe (of the Powhatan Empire) proven through DNA testing. I have two family descendants that went to West Point, one graduating in 1815 the other 1840 who become a colonel, I descend from several founders of Stratford, CT with my descendants from this line migrating throughout territories in OH, IA, NE, and OK all before becoming states, real trail blazers.
All of this is important to me as I grew up knowing nothing about any of the above, but was strongly drawn to American History from a young age. I still devour and keep up with all the new non fiction biography and history books coming out. There has never been a more historically prolific time for actual truth seeking.
This is where my strength and offering lie. To go even more in depth with my passions, I believe there is a spiritual connection to our biology as well as the physical one. I follow a path that is guided by not only my knowledge of sources, but my inner guides who have found treasure troves of information that I would not have found otherwise. Synchronicity!
I will share many crazy stories of how my path has been guided by what I should find, even when I'm looking for something else.
Curious? Keep following....
I also have a wife who's genealogy is even more diverse in many respects. Also, world's colliding.
This all has led me to my calling. Unfortunately, I have had to take many diversions to get here as I am pretty good at many things, all of which vie for my undying attention. But, that which connects us all to history is the deepest root of my soul. I have been swimming upstream and it's now time to follow my bliss!
In this blog my intention is to share my story, hear your stories, connect to the spirit chain of our shared DNA and experiences. I promise this will be fascinating if you are interested in knowing more about yourself and how we are all connected.
I will begin by sharing the big picture for myself and my wife.
My lineage is deeply rooted in the US all the way back to the 1600's and before (early VA native american), Swiss, French, German, English, Scottish, Irish, covering the states of IN, KY, IA, NE, OK, IL, CT, MA, PA, VA, GA, OH, NC, MD, TN, KS, and also Canada.
My wife's is Vietnamese, French, German, Hungarian, Irish, Norwegian, English.
We have a lot covered.
This leads to why what I do is different. Most people in the field call themselves experts in certain areas of research. Most the time this is because that is where their ancestors where from, so they have spend a lot of time researching in those areas, thus where their expertise by default lies. This always was a dilemma for me when I worked as a full time researcher for the New England Historic Genealogical Society. My realization was that my dilemma was my strength in offering a wide net of knowledge through many states. I took on cases from all over the states, cases no other genealogist wanted to tackle. I learned a tremendous amount about genealogy findings and trends throughout the US. My life long love of early American history up to 1850 (you got to stop somewhere!) really helped mold my passion.
I have 12 ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War, two that fought directly under George Washington, one that qualifies my membership in the Cincinnati Society as he was an Virginia officer under George Washington. I descend from 2 of the last Werworances (Chiefs) of the Wicocomino tribe (of the Powhatan Empire) proven through DNA testing. I have two family descendants that went to West Point, one graduating in 1815 the other 1840 who become a colonel, I descend from several founders of Stratford, CT with my descendants from this line migrating throughout territories in OH, IA, NE, and OK all before becoming states, real trail blazers.
All of this is important to me as I grew up knowing nothing about any of the above, but was strongly drawn to American History from a young age. I still devour and keep up with all the new non fiction biography and history books coming out. There has never been a more historically prolific time for actual truth seeking.
This is where my strength and offering lie. To go even more in depth with my passions, I believe there is a spiritual connection to our biology as well as the physical one. I follow a path that is guided by not only my knowledge of sources, but my inner guides who have found treasure troves of information that I would not have found otherwise. Synchronicity!
I will share many crazy stories of how my path has been guided by what I should find, even when I'm looking for something else.
Curious? Keep following....
Friday, September 2, 2016
Exciting news for Genealogy clients and enthusiast!
I'm happy to announce my return to genealogical writing and research services! Which it has been some time since I have posted here my life has been very busy with my performing and teaching career in music that hasn't left me with the time needed to keep this blog going for some time now. There are big changes in the pipeline! While I can't let the cat out of the bag just yet, I will be revamping this site, starting some business ventures related to the great art of genealogy and history.
So....stay posted for my next update coming VERY soon!!!!
Can't wait???
Neither can I!!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
I found my grandfathers obiturary!
Transcription: Lawton Constitution (Lawton, OK) 12 Sep. 1962
Buford Orville McCaw, 47, of 1807 Bell, died at 4:22am today in a local hospital.
Services will be at 2pm Friday at Trinity Baptist Church. Rev. Bob Harris, pastor, will officiate, and burial will be in Chattanooga cemetery under direction of Becker Funeral Home.
Mr. McCaw was born Feb 20, 1915 in Chattanooga, and lived there until 1940, when he left to work in various states with a pipe-line company. In December 1961, he moved to Lawton from Henderson, Ky. He was a member of the Baptist church of Corydon, Ky., and a Masonic Lodge 723, Omaha, Ill.
Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Diana Lynne Duncan, and his mother, Mrs. R. L. McCosh, both of 1807 Bell; his father, W. J. McCaw, Oklahoma City, and his paternal grandmother, Mrs. W. D. McCaw, Casper, Wyo.
This obituary has a tremendous amount of information for someone who never knew their grandfather and never knew much about what happened or who his family was. This journey has been a long one for me. I have been looking for years for this!!
Buford Orville McCaw, 47, of 1807 Bell, died at 4:22am today in a local hospital.
Services will be at 2pm Friday at Trinity Baptist Church. Rev. Bob Harris, pastor, will officiate, and burial will be in Chattanooga cemetery under direction of Becker Funeral Home.
Mr. McCaw was born Feb 20, 1915 in Chattanooga, and lived there until 1940, when he left to work in various states with a pipe-line company. In December 1961, he moved to Lawton from Henderson, Ky. He was a member of the Baptist church of Corydon, Ky., and a Masonic Lodge 723, Omaha, Ill.
Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Diana Lynne Duncan, and his mother, Mrs. R. L. McCosh, both of 1807 Bell; his father, W. J. McCaw, Oklahoma City, and his paternal grandmother, Mrs. W. D. McCaw, Casper, Wyo.
This obituary has a tremendous amount of information for someone who never knew their grandfather and never knew much about what happened or who his family was. This journey has been a long one for me. I have been looking for years for this!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
everyone has a history and story to tell
My maternal grandfather died when I was 2 years old of a ruptured aorta. He was 46 years old. His life is only remembered through my mother who is mentally ill. Some of her memories are very lucid, others not so much. My job has been to decipher the truth and the fiction of her memories.
His name was Orville McCaw and records of his existence have been impossible to find. No birth record can be located inOklahoma
His name was Orville McCaw and records of his existence have been impossible to find. No birth record can be located in
I could find no death record, yet was finally able to find someone who has seen his grave site in
All of the players are dead now except my mother. Who was this man? He was a welder on the pipeline that sent him from
Orville went by the name of Bill his whole adult life. I can understand why with a name like Orville. His mother was Elfie Slaughter who I never got to know. She called and asked to speak to me at every holiday and on my birthday. She desperately wanted to see me, but I didn’t know her and I was afraid. Speaking to her on the phone was strange for me. My grandmother or mother didn’t really want to have much to do with her. I guess my mother really never knew her much.
Bill was Elfie’s only child and he died young and her only grandchild didn’t want to see her and her only great grandchild didn’t either. Oh, how I feel such remorse for this!! Elfie lived a very long life. When I found out she did not die until 1994, I was stunned. I had so many opportunities to make an effort to see her. I failed. My life required so much explaining, I always avoided even thinking about the past. A wrong that cannot be corrected.
Genealogy has given me a link to a very secretive family history. I have found tremendous things and I hope to continue. Bill McCaw still remains a mystery to me. I long for finding any information about him. His life could not have been so forgetful.
Divorce and early taboo pregnancy leaves many hidden secrets that are hard to flush to the surface. Those that hide them think they are helping. Those they think they are helping feel robbed. My genealogy has so many broken branches it’s no wonder I grew up knowing nothing and hearing nothing of who I am made from.
This is my fabulous grandfather. I, apparently, used to adore him, tear up his Cuban cigars for fun and hit him over the head with my bottle when he slept. He must have had the patience of Job! I missed having his presence in my life. And, I know his presence in my mothers’ life would have made a difference.
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