Archive for category Genealogy Resources

Writing Your Family History

Posted by on Friday, 6 March, 2015

Well, it’s been quite a while since I last blogged regularly. My personal life was thrown for a loop quite some time ago which led to my absence. I’m trying get back into a regular blogging habit for those of you regular readers of this blog. I feel somewhat guilty since my absence in blogging occurred shortly after my blog being mentioned in Family Tree Magazine’s 2013 best genealogy blogs. First I’m going to finish what I started in 2013.

In addition, this year I thought I would try something a little bit different and something I haven’t seen done on any other genealogy blog. I’m going to choose one of my ancestors and try to write his life story. I will write snippets of his story by evaluating each record group and showing how you may be able to start on your ancestors life story. You do not need to be a great writer and you do not need to have completed all research you can ever find about this ancestor. You only need to review the research, perhaps find and complete some gaps in that research and just start writing. If you do not document his life story, who will?

My goal is to write something about his life every month. My ancestor I chose to write about is Edwin A. Banks. He is pictured below with his wife.

Edwin A Banks & Mary Ann McKeown

The following snippet is what I have written about his life story in my version Family Tree Maker software right now. Let’s see how we can write this life story using primary and secondary records.

“Edwin Alfred Banks was born on 28-Nov-1846 in Newtown, Fairfield County, Connecticut and the son of Alfred Banks and Jane Ann Shepard. He had a twin son Edward Alfred Banks. In 1850, he was living with his parent and brother in Seneca, Ontario County, New York. By 1860, the family was living back in Newtown, Connecticut.

On January 2, 1864 at the age of 17, Edwin enlisted in the Union Army. He had lied about his age and he indicated he was actually 18. He served in the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillary. On August 18, 1865 he was discharged from the Union Army.

After the war, he married Mary Ann McKeown on April 22, 1869. The ended up having three children, Minnie, Alfred and Charles. During the rest of his life, he moved around quite a bit. He lived for a while in Washington DC. He died at a soldiers home on July 2, 1921.”

While writing his life story this year, I will try to document the sources properly to the best of my ability. A great resource for this is the Book “Evidence Explained”. It shows the proper way of citing just about any resource you can imagine. Look for the first snippet of Edwin’s life story to emerge by highlighting his civil war service records. At the end of the year, I will attempt to put all these snippets together and create one long blog about Edwin’s life.

Get Paid To Do Free Offers!

Amaneunsis Monday: Seymour High School Room1 1891-92

Posted by on Monday, 10 June, 2013

The following is a transcription from the Seymour School records for the academic school year 1891-92. Clearly the ages of these individuals are most likely not in a high school level class. Perhaps there was an extra room at the high school which was needed for younger students.

School Teacher Teacher 2 Year
Seymour High School – Room # 1 Mary A. Moose 1891 – 92

————

Name Age Last Bday Name of parent or guardian
First M Last S Sex Yr Mo Mo Day P First M Last
Albin Kottman M 7 10 Oct 25 John Kottman
Alfred Collington M 8 9 Dec 9 Henry Collington
Charlie Lumb M 5 0 Sept John Lumb
Charlie Nichols M 6 8 June 15 Geo. Nichols
Elmer Munson M 5 Louigo Munson
Eddie Burgess M 7 10 Nov Arthur Burgess
Ernest Manweiler M 7 0 Sept Jacob Manweiler
Fritz Henniger M 6 11 Oct Bernard Henniger
Freddie Weislogel M 5 9 Dec 11 Fred Weislogel
Freddie Stephanofsky M 6 0 Sept John Stephanofsky
Geo. Acrase M 6 11 Sept 11 Richard Acrase
Henry Nick M 7 Henry Nick
Henry Rumetch M 7 0 Sept Henry Rumetch
Henry Munson M 6 Louie Munson
Herman Finder M 7 11 Oct John Finder
Howard Booth M 7 4 Apr 30 Edward Booth
Jeremiah Driscoll M 8 2 June 3 Jeremiah Driscoll
John Cosgrove M 7 11 Oct John Cosgrove
Nelson Happy M 6 1 July Nelson Happy
Olin Simmons M 8 2 July 14 Edwin Simmons
Raymond Healey M 6 6 Mch 5 Robt Healey
Robbie Stewart M 5 7 June 18 Gabriel Stewart
Timmie Mahoney M 7 6 Feb Daniel Mahoney
Wallace Warner M 8 Geo. Warner
Wallie McDonald M 5 Hugh McDonald
Charlie Flack M 12 3 Sept 30 Theodore Flack
Lawrence OOonnell M 6 6 June 4 Wm. OOonnell
Freddie Davis M 7 4 Dec 5 Frank Davis
Amelia Madenkard F 9 3 May 20 Wm. Madenkard
Annie Weislogel F 7 2 July 2 Fred Weislogel
Bertha Rot F 7 5 March 24 David Rot
Clara Lumb F 7 3 May 19 John Lumb
Eleanor Sperry F 6 5 Mar Frank Sperry
Etta Nichols F 7 2 June 18 Chas. Nichols
Edith Maynard F 6 3 May Jesse Maynard
Hattie Trounson F 7 9 Nov 28 Alba Trounson
Ida Taber F 10 5 March 7 Frank Taber
Jessie Hotchkiss F 7 4 Apr 18 Frank Hotchkiss
Jessie Jones F 7 5 Apr Henry Jones
Lottie Schmink F 7 8 Jan Fred Schmink
Lizzie Maybury F 7 3 June 7 Chas. Maybury
Lizzie Bauers F 6 5 March Fred Bauers
Lena Weirdo F 7 7 Jan 27 Louis Weirdo
Lulu Mathess F 5 8 Dec 13 Chas. Mathess
Minnie Bach F 6 8 Dec 8 John Bach
Minnie OBrien F 7 0 Aug John OBrien
Mary Clark F 6 8 Dec 5 John Clark
Maggie McCarthy F 5 10 Nove Chas. McCarthy
May Gilbert F 6 3 May 9 Fred Gilbert
Martha Young F 10 5 Mch Fred Young
Malvina Miles F 9 5 Mch 25 Gustave Miles
Alice Peterson F 7 3 Sept 10 Gustave Peterson
Lizzie Buckmuller F 12 2 July Adolph Buckmuller
Daisy Knapp F 7 5 Apr 2 Hiram Knapp
Eva Weston F 11 0 Dec Fred Weston
Emma Juno F 11 Arthur Juno
Eliza Moshier F 9 5 Mar 12 James Moshier
Maggie Cushing F 6 0 Apr 11 Patrick Cushing

————

Amanuensis Monday: Third Primary School, Seymour Connecticut 1891-92

Posted by on Monday, 3 June, 2013

The following is a transcription of the school records for the Third Primary School in Seymour, Connecticut for the school year 1891-92.

School Teacher Teacher 2 Year
Third Primary School Nettie S. Rider 1891 – 92

——————

Name Age Last Bday Name of parent or guardian
First M Last S Sex Yr Mo Mo Day P First M Last
Idris Alderson M 9 8 Jan 31 Mr. Richard Alderson
Michael Bennett M 11 5 Apr 27 Mr. Morris Bennett
Harold Beach M 8 3 June 17 Mr. Theodore Beach
Louis Bullis M 10 6 Mar 1 Mr. Frank Bullis
Walter Burgess M 10 1 Aug 12 Mr. Arthur Burgess
Frank Baldwin M 8 9 Dec 25 Mr. M Baldwin
Claude Collington M 11 1 Aug 11 Mr. Harry Collington
Milton Carrington M 12 6 Mar 10 Mr. Albert Carrington
Charlie Duester M 12 6 Mar 22 Mr. Henry Duester
Willie Dick M 9 9 Dec 18 Mr. Chas. Dick
Willie Johns M 10 3 May 5 Mr. John Johns
John Kottman M 9 1 Aug 22 Mr. John Kottman
John Mahoney M 8 11 Oct 5 Mr. John Mahoney
John McCarthy M 9 2 July 5 Mr. Chas. McCarthy
Lot Maloney M 11 5 Apr 9 Mr. Thomas Maloney
Michael McNerney M 8 11 Sept 12 Mr. Michael McNerney
George Maybury M 10 6 Mar 23 Mr. C Maybury
James McCann M 9 5 Apr 1 Mr. George McCann
Morris Pearson M 9 11 Sept 29 Mr. Richard Pearson
Newton Perrins M 7 9 Dec 10 Mr. John Perrins
Clarence Peek M 9 2 July 14 Mr. Edward Peek
Eddie Regan M 9 2 July 9 Mr. James Regan
Charlie Reefer M 14 6 Mar 17 Mr. John King
Harry Spoonheimer M 9 9 Dec 20 Mr. Henry Spoonheimer
August Smith M 13 2 July 20 Mr. Adam Smith
Gottileb Schmidhausler M 11 6 Mar 1 Mr. Henry Schmidhausler
James Swan M 10 6 Mar 21 Mr. William Swan
Thomas Sheehan M 10 8 Jan 17 Mr. Thomas Sheehan
Arthur Volkman M 9 9 Dec 25 Mr. Justice Volkman
Norman Weaver M 9 1 Aug 22 Mr. Robert Weaver
Robbie Williams M 8 11 Sept 11 Mr. Joseph Williams
Eddie Weaver M 9 11 Sept 25 Mr. Chas. Weaver
Albert Knapp M 11 Mr. Henry Knapp
Adolph Martiekat M 14 Mr. Wm. Martiekat
Alfred Chatfield M 11 7 Sept 26 Mr. Joel Chatfield
Charles Lounsbury M 9 5 Nov 1 Mr. Chas. Lounsbury
Katie Allen F 8 0 Sept 1 Mr. Anthony Allen
Lizzie Chatfield F 8 9 Dec 8 Mr. Joel Chatfield
Edith Derby F 11 5 Apr 24 Mr. Jared Derby
May Dorman F 8 6 Mar 21 Mr. Walter Dorman
Sarah Evans F 7 11 Nov 25 Mr. Richard Evans
Maud Finkle F 11 4 May 21 Mr. A Finkle
Carrie Ford F 9 7 Feb 25 Mr. Frank Ford
Katie Fitzgerald F 9 6 Mar 4 Mr. Michael Fitzgerald
Mary Hurlbut F 9 4 May 24 Mr. George Hurlbut
Bertha Keeler F 9 8 Jan 30 Mr. August Keeler
Maggie Know F 8 4 May 9 Mr. Fred Know
Mamie Lyons F 9 3 June 25 Mr. James Lyons
Helen Moody F 9 4 May 26 Mr. Joseph Moody
Etta Munson F 13 2 July 30 Mr. Henry Munson
Lizzie Manweiler F 10 11 Nov 16 Mr. Jacob Manweiler
Charlotte McEwen F 10 1 Aug 22 Mr. Virgil McEwen
Annie OBrien F 10 1 Aug 17 Mr. John OBrien
Mable Searles F 9 3 June 30 Mr. Joseph Searles
Josephine Sprenger F 10 10 Oct 18 Mr. Conner Sprenger
Louise Smith F 8 3 June 9 Mr. Albert Smith
Clara Tyler F 7 8 Jan 24 Mr. George Tyler
Annie Trounson F 9 8 Jan 21 Mr. Abraham Trounson
Blanche Washburn F 10 9 Dec 6 Mr. George Washburn
Bessie Wakely F 8 6 Mar 1 Mr. George Wakely
Tinnie Sterling F 9 6 Mar 5 Mr. William Sterling
Minnie Bishop F 7 4 Dec 24 Mr. William Bishop
Nellie McDonald F 13 8 Aug 5 Mr. Patrick McDonald
Eva Squires F 9 0 Apr 7 Mr. Timothy Squires
Lottie Clark F 9 8 Aug 12 Mr. Joel Clark

——————

Amanuensis Monday: Seymour Connecticut School – 1891-92

Posted by on Monday, 13 May, 2013

The following transcription is from a Seymour, Connecticut School for the year 1891-92.  It appears to be a class at the high school.

School Teacher Teacher 2 Year
Seymour Edith K. Burnett 1891 – 92

————–

Name Age Last Bday Name of parent or guardian
First M Last S Sex Yr Mo Mo Day P First M Last
Harry Chamberlin M 13 7 Jan 25 Mrs. Eva Chamberlin
George Healey M 13 8 Dec 17 Robert Healey
James Kelleher M 13 1 July 17 John Kelleher
Ernest Malsbury M 13 Sept 6 Mrs. J Derby
Charles Regan M 13 1 July 24 Michael Regan
Henry Schneider M 13 9 Dec 6 Henry Schneider
Arthur Schafer M 13 1 Aug 19 Chas. Schafer
Frank West M 15 1 Aug 1 W P West
Charles Wyant M 12 10 Nov 9 E A Wyant
Nelson Dick M 17 3 June 11 Harry Dick
John Howard M 15 Sept 12 James Howard
Annie Barr F 13 6 March 11 Andrew Barr
Edith Baldwin F 15 5 Apr 15 Wilford Baldwin
Mabel Beach F 14 2 June 28 S D Beach
Katy Brown F 14 11 Sept 15 Wm Brown
Grace Bulter F 11 8 Dec 16 Samuel Butler
Mand Botsford F 13 2 June 22 Edward Botsford
Eliza Chatfield F 13 9 Nov 13 Clark Chatfield
Minnie Cutter F 12 5 Apr 6 Mrs. H A Cutter
Annie Dunham F 15 3 May 30 A B Brown
Mamie Evans F 13 Sept 8 Richard Evans
Annie Evans F 14 8 Jan 10 Richard Evans
Katrina Griswald F 14 7 Jan 26 D K Griswald
Lestina Griswald F 15 5 Apr 2 D K Griswald
Grace Harris F 14 11 Sept 18 Mrs. Martha Harris
Florence Hollenbrook F 13 2 June 20 John G Hollenbrook
Josie Moody F 13 5 Apr 4 Joseph W Moody
Lillian Rugg F 13 3 Mar 24 Fred A Rugg
Lillie Robertson F 15 2 June 28 Hannah Robertson
Minnie Troumpford? F 14 8 Dec. 23 Mrs. J V Troumpford?
Minnie White F 14 7 Feb 1 Chas P White
Alice Ward F 13 1 July 23 P Ward
Eva Simpson F 13 4 Apr 22 G A Simpson

———————————————–

Birth, Marriage & Death Records

————–