Saturday NIght Genealogy Fun - Questions 16-20

Last week I answered 15 questions for Randy Seaver's Genealogy Fun at Genea-Musings. This month he asked genealogists to answer the 20 questions Ellen Thompson-Jennings posed at her blog, Hound on the Hunt, a few weeks ago as "Even More Questions About Your Ancestors and Maybe A Few About You".

I'm looking forward to reading all the answers. Hope someone has compiled these. 

From the Rogers recipe box. Now - which Jean gave this recipe out? 

I think I know but if you ate these cookies too, please contact me. 

For my answers to questions 1-10, please follow this link to my July 20th post.. 

And for questions 11-15, please follow this link to my July 14th post.


QUESTIONS 16-20


16. If you’re into DNA which would you say you work on more? Genealogy or DNA? Or about the same? 

'Genealogy' more likely for my own families. To me, the DNA test results provide me with new information and some new genealogy tools, alongside the documents, and interviews, etc. And in genealogy research, the more tools the better. Of course, sometimes you start out with only DNA results, but confirmation usually involves other sources.  

17. Do you think that your genealogy is ever really done? 

No. I’m sure I’ll never run out of people and associated places and time periods to research. There’s always something new (old) and even new people to be found.

18. Did you ever search an ancestor’s name on the internet and you were surprised at what you found? 

I do have Google Alerts for many family names and places. That’s how I learned quite a while ago that one relative is a politician. That was a bit of a surprise. My dad would have liked to know this – he was quite political himself.

 19. Do you ever feel like your ancestors are nudging you in the right direction in your research?

Well…. I’m not usually thinking like that, but there have been times. Mostly in cemeteries, when it seems I’ve walked up and down the aisles fruitlessly searching for an hour, and ‘something says’ “make a little turn and look again”. ‘Aha!’  Then again, maybe like many of my ancestors, I’m just stubborn, and won’t give up.

20. If you could give one piece of advice to someone new to genealogy, what would you tell them?  


Enjoy the genealogy hunt! Yes, be methodical and thorough, yes, cite those sources. But never stop thinking of family history research as a chance to satisfy your curiosity about people and places you knew - and those you never knew in person - and, indeed, to meet new-to-you relatives and make genealogy friends too 

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - More Questions 11-15

Fun at the Photographers!

The Rogers children, 1950s, Vancouver, BC

It was Saturday Night again - and time for some more Genealogy Fun at Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings!! This Saturday he's asking genealogists to answer Part 3 of the 20 questions Ellen Thompson-Jennings posted at Hound on the Hunt two weeks ago - "Even More Questions About Your Ancestors and Maybe A Few About You" (27 June, 2019).

I'll catch up with the rest this week but here are my answers to #11-15. Check out Ellen's blog (link above) to see all the questions.

11. If money wasn’t an issue; where would you go to do genealogy research?

Sweden! 

Yes, I could do some research there, although now I do a lot on-line, but better yet, I could take my kids. We would see all the places their families lived, visit the churches, learn about the country, and likely meet some living family. Now, of course, I’d want us to go to Norway (there are a couple of Norwegians who married in), and Denmark and Iceland and Finland too. And maybe on the way home, we could hop over to Scotland? To get them a drink at the Canal Inn in Falkirk (our James and Judith Scott ran the Inn way back) and the Orkneys and the Hebrides. Lots of Scandinavian influence (and DNA) in those places.

12. Do you ever feel like you’re the only person researching your family?

Definitely! 

But the ease and lower prices of DNA kits for genealogy have interested some of the younger family members. I’m hoping they start branching out their own trees, and take up a surname or two.

13.Why do you think you’re interested in your family history and other family members might not be?

I grew up with some stories about my mum’s side of my family, but very few about my dad’s. And because of migration and geography, and since I’m one of the young cousins in my generation, I didn’t know my cousins or other closer relatives as many of my friends did. And I was always interested in history, especially Canadian history. I started genealogy to answer questions from Mum’s stories, but I think I got hooked when I realized I felt myself ‘finding family’ even though most were gone.

14. Do you intend to write about your genealogy/family history findings?

I do write about my family history finds – sometimes here on my blog or in a genealogical society journal, but much of my writing is still on my computers. I’m not thinking of ever writing ‘the one big family book’ though, perhaps several smaller books on the various lines, or a few special topics. I’m working on one right now about a set of family postcards, for example.

15. Did you ever make a genealogy mistake that caused you to have to prune your family tree?

Not yet! But then I think I’m pretty wary of adding people till I’ve got lots of evidence, perhaps because most of my family names are so common.  I do have a number of speculative files and trees. And a small collection of ‘not us!’ BMD certificates. (Mostly surname: White)

Who To Blame? Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

It's time for Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun over at his blog, Genea-Musings.

Here is this week's SNGF task and the questions we're to answer -

1) Read Brenda Joyce Jerome's post Who or What Do You Blame? on the Western Kentucky Genealogy blog. She asks these questions:

* Can you identify person or event that started you on this search for family information?

* Did you pick up researching where a relative had left off?

* Did your interest stem from your child's school project on genealogy?

So....

I don't think there was any one event or person that started me on my family history research and no, when I started, I knew very few doing genealogy research, certainly no one in my immediate family, although a cousin quickly 'found' me. And my children did no 'family trees' at school, although my grandson did.

Anyway, I wouldn't be blaming anyone, that's for sure. It seems to me that my genealogical interests were a natural outgrowth of my interest in Canadian history, particularly women's and British Columbian and prairie history. After researching historical individuals and families in the census and directories, etc., it was comparatively easy to start looking for my own family.

I can say, however, that my mother was always interested in Canadian and women's history, especially in western Canada, and also, that being a child in school during several centennial celebrations gave my interest in history a early and healthy boost - 1958 British Columbia centennial; 1966 centennial of BC mainland and Vancouver Island colonies merging; 1967 Canada's centennial; 1971 centennial of British Columbia's joining Canada; later there was the 1986 Vancouver BC centennial. (And, my father took me to Mountain View Cemetery regularly too where most of his Vancouver relatives were buried.)

My mother never did any family research, although I know she tried to check out some of her own memories of visits to 1930s Vancouver, but when I started 'doing genealogy' in the late 1980s, she quickly came up with lots of questions she hoped I'd answer (like what ever did happen to Samuel WOOD's first family and to that cousin, James SCOTT, who went to the US...) as well as some topics she might have wished me to forget (like that SCOTT d-i-v-o-r-c-e).

As for the centennial celebrations, I still remember going to City Hall in 1958 to talk to the legendary Vancouver City Archivist, Major James Skitt Matthews, about Vancouver, British Columbia's early history while doing research for a class project at Simon Fraser Elementary.

My parents knew him and Dad was the first to say 'you need to ask the Major, Diane' when I started reading and talking about the 1880s in Vancouver. (My Dad was born in South Vancouver so I thought he should have known all about the city's history. )

The Major was very tall - of course, I was little - and he was both very enthusiastic about Vancouver and very patient with my questions, as I recall, pulling open filing cabinets to show me things - a great introduction to archives research. And he gave me a pamphlet to use - my first citation!

So, thanks Mum, thanks Dad - and special thanks to the Major! Both my historical and genealogical interests have shaped and enriched my life.

City of Vancouver Archives, history: http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/archives/about/history.htm

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Two Tickets for Sweden, please!

Over at Genea-Musings, it's time for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.

This time Randy Seaver asked

If you won the grand prize in the Ancestry.com Ultimate Family History Journey Sweepstakes of $20,000 for genealogy travel to places of your choice, where would you go, and what would you do?

Well, I don't think there's any question in my case - the Dear Daughter and I would start packing for Sweden!

We'd look for some help planning our trip first though as there's so many ancestral places we'd want to visit, for instance, Axmar Bruk and Gåsholmen, Hamrånge; Woxsäter and Bollnäs, Gävleborgs; Gallivare, Norrbotten; Brunflo and Hallesjo, Jämtland.

And I'd want to visit the major Archives sites in Sweden and the Swedish Emigrant Institute, if possible. And there seem to be a good number of genealogical events in Sweden, mostly organized by member groups of The Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies.

Of course, if our trip was like the television shows and the commercials, we'd find all the info we're seeking in a very short time, so we might even get to see lots of museums, the Swedish Northern Lights and, of course, we'd have time to visit a real IKEA and buy a souvenir or two (Orrefors for me).

Ancestry.com's Grand Prize is $20,000 travel money for one lucky person, but also an eight hour consultation with an expert genealogist. (Might that be Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak? Way Cool!) And five experts in fields relevant to your personal family history (Swedish military records and bouppteckning/estate inventories...) to help you learn even more and Annual World Deluxe Subscriptions for you and five family members.

Now that last prize is interesting. I often do wish I had five relatives that were that interested in genealogy, but maybe that last prize might bring a 'new to us' relative or two out of the woodwork. Like winning the big lottery, eh?

Our Swedish Surnames:
AXNER, BROSTRÖM, ERIKSSEN, JOHANSON, LOFHOLM, RYDBERG & ZETTERBERG: SWEDEN TO CANADA: http://www.tribalpages.com/tribes/swedesinbc

Third Annual iGene Awards - Academy of Genealogy and Family History

It's time for the 90th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy:

The Third Annual iGene Awards, The Best of The Best!

It's Academy awards time... time for the Academy of Genealogy and Family History, aka AGFH, to honor their best blog posts of 2009 in the following 5 categories:

Best Picture - Best old family photo that appeared on your blog in 2009. Tell us which you liked best and why.

The best family photograph of 2009 is the IRWIN family reunion group portrait that appeared in the Carnival of Genealogy - IRWIN Family Reunites - Manitoba Canada. Although it is a nice photograph of a handsome family, you will have to see the photograph to see why it deserves special recognition!

Best Screen Play - Which family story that you shared in 2009 would make the best movie? Who would you cast as your family members?

Remembrance Day 2009 - Muriel Scott - George Rogers, Vancouver BC Canada was 'almost' a movie. It's a slide show about my parents and their service in the Canadian Army during World War II. I'd certainly like to do more with the information I have.

Maybe a movie would be good... let's see, I have to be historical, of course, perhaps Norma Shearer could play Mum as the young 'Scottie', and who as Dad? Well, I know who Mum would want playing opposite herself, Ramón Novarro!

Best Documentary - Which was the best informational article you wrote about a place, thing, or event involving your family's history in 2009?

The Vancouver Exhibition, 1927 - Carnival of Genealogy, written for the 80th Carnival of Genealogy, is the winner here. Although I have no specific details about the Rogers family's experience at the 1927 Fair, I researched in historical newspapers and in publications to see what their Fair visits might have been like. Sometimes we need to do this, to flesh out the few details we have left to us.

Best Biography - Which was the best biographical article you wrote in 2009?

The winner in this category is They Worked - Smile For The Camera - Beekeeping in Ontario Canada, a short piece about Samuel Wood of Nottawa. Ontario, Canada.

Best Comedy - Which was the best funny story, poem, joke, photo, or video that you shared on your blog in 2009?

No question - the funniest thing I shared in 2009 was Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Famous (?) Look-alikes. Wow! Me and Burt Reynolds together, well, sort of. (Thank you, Randy Seaver!)

The IGene Award spotlights all Geneabloggers' efforts at recording their genealogy and family history in 2009. For a look at all those recognized by the AGFH for 2009, go to Creative Gene where the winners will be seen very soon.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - My Other Interests

It's Saturday night - time for Genealogy Fun - and this week Randy Seaver at GeneaMusings has challenged genea-bloggers to tell all - that is, to tell about our "other" hobbies or interests outside of genealogy and family history research, writing, speaking, etc.

Well, it's true that there aren't many days that I'm not researching at a library or archives, or teaching or speaking about, or at the very least thinking about genealogy and family history, but like Randy, I do have a life, honest!

I too have friends and a family and there are two special fuzzy critters here, Odette and Gilles, who share their home with us. I collect postcards, I love old buildings, I travel when I can, although almost always that has something to do with family history and genealogy. No beaches for me, when there's an archives or a library somewhere nearby!

And right there - a library - a clue!

Deborah Sayles Library, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. Opened in 1902, still a library, the Pawtucket Public Library, and now in the U.S.A's National Historic Register. Coloured postcard, unused; Published by the Rhode Island News Company, Providence RI, Leipzig, Dresden. Private collection. For another view, see the Library Postcards blog.

As some know (especially from my tweets) I do spend a significant amount of time each week reading - on the bus, on the train, waiting in line, even while watching the odd TV show (a Murdoch mystery tonight). I read a fair bit of history, but most of my very favourite authors write historical mysteries. A few would be Gillian Linscott for her series of English suffragette Nell Bray mysteries and, of course, Maureen Jennings and her Canadian mysteries set in 1890s Toronto and featuring detective William Murdoch, then there's authors Kate Ross and Barbara Hambly, and David Liss, Arturo Perez-Reverte....

People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading. Logan Pearsall Smith, Life and letters, v. 5, no. 27 (August 1930), Afterthoughts, page 71.

For years now, I've been eicuthbertson, as a member of BookCrossing. We register books on the BookCrossing site, read them, comment on-line, then release the books, usually in a public place, so others will find them and enjoy. Through BookCrossing, I've met good friends and been introduced to books I'd never have known about or considered reading otherwise. BookCrossers have a lot of fun - we meet in person or on-line to share books and participate in book related activities. Today in fact I posted a BookCrossing Challenge to promote Canada's Freedom to Read Week, February 21-27, 2010.

To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list. ~John Aikin,
Memoir of John Aikin: M. D. by Lucy Aikin, (Philadelphia: Abraham Small, 1824), page 312.

Oldest Relatives and My Genealogy Luck

Yesterday, The Genetic Genealogist posted this question:

"Who Is The Oldest Relative You Remember Meeting?

Did you know any of your great-great-great-grandparents? Great-great-grandparents? Who is the oldest relative you remember meeting?"

See his post and the comments for his answer as well as other people's answers.

I met & remember three of my grandparents - also a great aunt.

My paternal grandparents, Grandpa Rogers and Grandma Rogers, née Saggers, were born in 1877 and 1878; they died when I was five. I do remember them, but not well, I'm afraid.

My great aunt, Maggie Drummond, my 'Auntie Grandma', née Irwin, was born in 1881; she died when I was 18. My maternal grandmother, my 'Na', Amy Scott (née Irwin), was born in 1884 and died when I was in my mid 30s. Both I remember well.

As my mother told me several times, many relatives attended my christening, so I must have 'met' a few relatives who would have been born earlier than these, but I was just too little then to pay attention and it seems no one took any group photographs that day either. I do have my baby book with a list of relatives (and presents) in it.

I found the Genetic Genealogist's question very interesting. I've wondered sometimes myself if life would have been a bit different if I'd had more time with my paternal grandparents, (and not just because I could have got Grandpa Rogers to answer some thorny genealogical questions).

I never knew my Grandpa Scott as he died before I was born, but I know I was lucky that my Na lived long enough to know my children and lucky that she talked so often about family things, both to my mother and later to me. I'd never had had such a good start to my family research without the information she gave me when I was younger and it certainly seems highly unlikely that my Mum and I would have been able to identify so many family photographs without Na.

In fact, I feel very lucky that my maternal great grandmother, Janet Irwin (née Carmichael), lived so long too. In her later years, she lived a lot with my grandparents and my mother said her great grandmother talked about family history to her. Great grandmother Irwin lived from 1851 to 1927; my mother was 13 when she died.

Mum could hardly have remembered her grandfather William Irwin though as he died when mum was four.

Mum never knew her paternal grandfather, Walter Scott, as he died in 1892, but she did know her paternal grandmother, Mary Janet Scott, née Wood, who was born in 1858 and didn't die till 1944 when mum was thirty.

I don't think great grandmother Scott talked to Mum much about family or if she did perhaps it was only what she wanted known. I do know my mother overheard a family secret at Mary Janet Scott's funeral - one I didn't hear from Na - or from Mum till I started seriously researching family.

My mother knew and remembered other relatives too, especially, I think, her great aunt, Maggie Graham, née Carmichael, born in 1863.

This post is really my answer too for Randy Seaver's latest Saturday Night Genealogy Fun question too! He asked

"When have you had a dose of good genealogy luck?"

Have a look at the comments to his post to see people's answers.

And now, Randy, start scanning, photographing and writing about your 'lucky find' family treasures and don't forget to share them on Treasure Chest Thursdays!

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun at Genea-Musings

Over at Genea-Musings, Randy Seaver is stirring up some Saturday Night Genealogy Fun. This week it's

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Add to "You Might Be a Professional Genealogist if ..."

My entries:

...if your business cards feature a headstone.
...if you missed your own family reunion because you were organizing a client's.
...if you find yourself mentally formating EE citations in antique shops. (EE stands for Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, Elizabeth Shown Mills's amazing book on citing sources for genealogy)
...if you think 'professional' covers a wide ground - including ethical and thorough research for pay or not.

Join in!

Visit Randy for all the details right now at GeneaMusings.

Genea Games - Grab the book...

Randy Seaver has a game on his blog tonight.

The rules:* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.* Turn to page 56.* Find the fifth sentence.* Post that sentence along with these instructions in a note to your blog (or in a comment to his blog).

Here is my contribution from the 5th sentence on page 56 of the book closest to me on my bookshelf.

Most likely. this story was produced on a free lance basis for payment by the word.

Source, Brooke Kroeger, Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist. (Toronto: Random House of Canada Limited, 1994)

LINK

'It's Saturday night, let's have some genealogy fun', Randy Seaver, Genea-Musings, 22 November, 2008: http://www.geneamusings.com