I almost forgot to tell you that Holly was interviewed on Good Things Utah yesterday (Salt Lake Channel 4). She told about her young start in genealogy and plugged our Northern Utah Conference. She was great! She told me before that she was mostly concerned that she would smile enough, so when I was watching I was saying to myself, “Smile, Holly, smile!” My husband looked at me funny and said, “She’s doing just fine.” He didn’t know I was just trying to send some positive vibes her way.

Sorry to get so personal, Holly, but when you’re famous your life becomes very public.

We hope many of you have heard about our upcoming Northern Utah Family History & Genealogy Conference (Ogden, UT - Oct 6-7). We’ve been amazed at the media coverage in the Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, KSL Radio, Weber State, and so on. We know that we’ve been working like crazy for many months to put this conference on, but you never know how the stars will align to add the extra impetus to make it a success. All we can tell you right now is that we’ve been greatly blessed.
What a wonderful group of people we have coming to speak and show their wares! Elder Marlin K. Jensen and DearMYRTLE — and to top it all off, we will all be blessed to see the performance of Remember the Tears, performed on Fri. and Sat. nights at the Egyptian Theater.

We had our pre-conference meeting at the Eccles Center yesterday to make sure all of our ducks are in row. The booths were all set up in the Exhibit Hall and it didn’t take much imagination to see it filled with happy conference goers. This conference center is a beautiful facility.

Hope to see you all there this Friday and Saturday! Click here for information.

Selected queries are posted for our readers benefit. Read how a professional approaches a research problem and then apply the same principles to your personal research. You can always submit a query for expert advice at www.myancestorsfound.com/q&a.htm.

Query

I have been unable to find much on Lola Eskins (Deskins, Eskings), my paternal grandmother. She was born between 1905-1908 in West Virginia. We have been unable to locate a death date for her. I did find her in the 1930 West Virginia census living with her parents. It is possible she died in Ohley, West Virginia. Her sister told me Lola had died of tuberculosis.

Lola married Clowney Otis Green. They had only two children who lived to adulthood: Calvin Eugene Green and Otis Junior Green.

Her parents’ names were Daniel and Geneva (Short) Eskins.

Records I have searched: Census, birth and death records, funeral home, and cemetery records. I found that she and Clowney had four boys, and she was in the 1930 census records living with her parents. Clowney had a housekeeper and the two boys: Calvin and Otis Junior.

Helpful Info: Most of the Eskins family lived in Boone or Kanawha Counties in West Virginia. With her sister saying she (Lola) had died of TB, I thought there would be a record of her death, as she was probably in a hospital.

Answer

It appears that you most want to find the death record of Lola. State death registration should exist from 1917, but access to death records is restricted and they will only search a 3-year period per request. Therefore I suggest further searches in census and Kanawha County records, if you have not already done so.

I quickly checked the 1930 census to become more familiar with your family. As you mentioned in the records of Cabin Creek (District 16) in Kanawha County, I found Clowney Green age 30 born in West Virginia, married, first married at 23, roustabout in an oilfield, with a widow Ella Mackey age 67, his housekeeper, and 2 sons: Clouney Jr., age 6, and Calvin, age 4.

Dan L.? Esking age 47 born in West Virginia was in Cabin Creek, District 20 Warrior, with wife Geneva E., age 43; daughter Zona, age 25, married (first married at 16); daughter Lola E., age 23, born in West Virginia, who was listed as Single; son Ira 17; daughter Gladys R., 15; son Raymond, 13; son Warren. age 9; daughter Mildred, age 7; and daughter Vana, age 1 ½.

This is a puzzle. If your ancestor ,Lola, was married to Clowney and they had 4 children, why is she listed as single in her parents’ household?

The Family History Library has a good collection of records for Kanawha County, including marriage records. Check the marriage records for the period 1920-1925, looking for Clowney Green marriages.

There are also county death records for Kanawha with an index to 1967. Check these records to see if Lola can be located.

It would be advantageous to also check for Clowney Green and the Daniel Eskins family in the census records 1900-1920 to see if any additional detail may help locate further information.

We also suggest a search into cemetery compilations available in the LDS Family History Library.

Judith W. Hansen, AG

A My Ancestors Professional

Query #04386

Receive professional advice for researching your ancestor by submitting your query at www.myancestorsfound.com/q&a.htm.

Selected queries are posted for our readers benefit. Read how a professional approaches a research problem and then apply the same principles to your personal research. You can always submit a query for expert advice at www.myancestorsfound.com/q&a.htm.

Query

I am trying to locate my paternal ancestor, Thomas Force/Forse. He was born in 1775, Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania and died between 1850 & 1860 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The 1860 Pennsylvania Census shows wife Elizabeth, age 85.

Thomas married Elizabeth Ann (Reiter) Forse circa1798. Her Parents were John & Nancy Phipps. Their children’s names were: Mary Forse Cassidy, born 8, Nov.1802; William H. born 11, May 1806; Albert Thomas, born1811; Jeremiah, born1814; Henry Alexander, born 1816; David, born 8, Nov. 1820, Centre County, Pennsylvania(a Civil War Penshioner); and Nancy (Forse) Harrison, born 1822.

Religion: Possibly Baptist since they lived in Uwchlan Township, Chester, Pennsylvania in 1799.

Occupation: Carpenter.

Records I have searched: 1790 Pennsylvania Census, Uwchlan Township shows Thomas & 2 females. The same appears in the 1800 Chester, Pennsylvania Census. I found 7 Thomas Forces in New Jersey, so I’m thinking one of them crossed the Delaware River to Pennsylvania with “my” Thomas born in 1775 during the Revolutionary War. I found a William and Joseph Force on the 1774 tax list in Willistown, Pennsylvania. Could one of these be Thomas’s father?

Helpful information: I have a copy of a handwritten genealogy by one of Thomas’s son William’s children, showing William’s birth and marriage dates. It also mentions that Thomas changed his name from Force to Forse at the time he married.

Answer

There are no civil birth records for that time period, but here are some alternate ideas:

1. Search existing indexes of church registers for both Chester and Delaware Counties, as Delaware County was created from Chester County in 1789.
2. Search specific church registers. Unfortunately, this can be time-consuming if the church or religion is not known.
3. Thomas Forse’s parents may be found by searching county will and in testate records for both Chester and Delaware Counties.
4. Search online databases for clues turned up by others seeking the same information.
5. Check newspaper clippings files and the local newspaper indexes. However, births do not appear frequently in newspapers during that period, and obituaries are also very brief.

St. George Genealogy & Family Heritage Jamboree

February 9-10, 2007

Dixie Convention Center

1835 Convention Center Drive, St. George, Utah

My Ancestors Found and the Washington County PAF Users Group would like to invite you to participate as a Speaker in our upcoming conference at theDixie Convention Center.

Speaker Registration Deadline is August 15, 2006.

Reasons to Join in the Jamboree!

• 2007 is the third year for this major genealogical event in Southern Utah and Southern Nevada. Last year was a tremendous success, with attendance estimated at over 2500 by the Dixie Convention Center (pre-registered plus walk-ins and visitors to the Exhibit Hall).

• The ticket price is very affordable and we expect to have between 2000 & 3000 people.

• This is an outstanding opportunity to make yourself and your organization known to many new genealogy and heritage enthusiasts. Most attendees in 2006 were from Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California, but we were also surprised at the number of attendees from all across the country. Many senior citizens with time, money and inclination to do their family history were in attendance. Their presence was not only very significant but also very exciting.

• The Dixie Conference Center is a large, attractive facility with easy unloading and loading and ample free parking for everyone.

• Many vendors were so impressed at the turnout and their results that they have signed up and paid for their booths for 2007 already! Booths are going fast and are sure to be a great success again in February.

• The weather is great! In February, the temperature averages 54° and sunny. Bring your sweatshirt and come have fun in Southern Utah.

Speaker Information

Our emphasis for this event will focus on beginning research strategies. We are looking for some great topics in the following areas: (1) Basic Classes for Beginners; (2) General Research Skills & Organization; (3) Computers for Beginners; (4) Internet and Email for Beginners; (5) Organizational Software for Beginners [PAF, Legacy, RootsMagic, etc.]; (6) LDS Family History Center and Ward Consultant Skill Building; (7) Immigration, Emigration, Naturalization, & Migration; (8) Locality & Geographic Research [British Isles, Europe, Mexico, etc.]; (9) Personal & Family Histories and Family Reunions; (10) Religious Records [Baptist, Jewish, Latter Day Saint, etc.]; (11) Special Collections for Beginners [Archives, Libraries, Internet, etc.]; (12) Military.

Please submit up to eight titles; the maximum chosen will be four. The Speaker Committee will choose those best fit for our audience.

We will let you know which classes you have been selected to teach in September and will request a brief, one paragraph biography and other syllabus materials at that time.

A podium, microphone, small table, and overhead projector will be provided to those who need them.

No LCD projectors will be provided; please bring your own if you need one.

In order to keep attendance costs to a minimum, we will not be paying speakers. You will, however, receive a free two day registration to the Jamboree and a Jamboree syllabus on CD.

Speaker Agreement:

Read the disclaimer below. Your submission to My Ancestors Found will constitute acceptance of this agreement.

I would like to be a speaker at the St. George Genealogy & Family Heritage Jamboree held February 9-10, 2007. I will submit a brief, one paragraph biography and syllabus materials when requested. I will be responsible for setting up my own room displays/equipment according to the schedule provided and will abide with common courtesy to the other speakers and stay within the allotted time of my assigned speaking schedule. I will abide by all of the policies/regulations established by the Dixie Convention Center. Any problems I have will be directed to the Event Coordinator, Holly Hansen, or a designated representative. I am aware that a podium, microphone, small table and overhead projector will only be provided for those requesting them; however, no LCD projectors will be provided and I will need to bring my own if desired. I am aware that I will receive no financial compensation for speaking.

If I am unable to attend the Jamboree, I will contact My Ancestors Found (801-829-3295) as soon as possible to give them ample time to make other arrangements.

Send the following to jamboree@myancestorsfound.com by August 15, 2006:

• Up to eight class titles with a brief description and the level of expertise (beginner, experienced, or advanced). See samples below.

• Your name, company, address, and phone number.

• Tell us which of the following you want us to provide: Podium, Microphone, Small Table, Overhead Projector. Remember that you must bring your own LCD projector, cables and extension cords.

Sample Lecture Submissions:

a. Pedigree Charts and Other Great Forms

(Beginner) This class will focus on using various charts and forms to aid in the process of basic research. It will guide the student into a path leading to proper analysis of information as they move through the research process. Examples of different forms will be presented.

b. The Ethnic Experience:

(Experienced) This lecture will focus on US migration routes and settlement patterns. We will examine ethnic and religious migrations and identify the key record sources and maps needed to help you discover your ancestor’s movements in America and to accurately document their lives.

c. Beyond the Basics to Success:

(Experienced-Advanced) The focus of this class is on mastering US probate records. We will explore testate vs. intestate estates, types of wills, unrecorded wills, probate proceedings and the myriad related records including administrations, petitions, bonds, inventories, accounts, property divisions, publications, releases, guardianships and a vast number of miscellaneous records.

Don’t pass up this great opportunity. Sign up today!

Holly Hansen

President, My Ancestors Found

Event Coordinator

Contact Us
Mail: My Ancestors Found – PO Box 187 – Morgan, UT 84050
Website: www.myancestorsfound.com/jamboree/jamboreeSG.htm
Phone: 801-829-3295 Email: jamboree@myancestorsfound.com

Please help the Jamboree grow by talking about this event
to your neighbors, friends, acquaintances, and any online lists that you participate in!

Sponsored by My Ancestors Found and the Washington County PAF Users Group

Selected queries are posted for our readers benefit. Read how a professional approaches a research problem and then apply the same principles to your personal research. You can always submit a query for expert advice at www.myancestorsfound.com/q&a.htm.

Query

I am seeking immigration information for Catherine Elsbeth Schumann (Shumann, Schuman, Shurman, Schuhmann, Schuhman.) She was born 1 November 1838 in Holstein, Germany. She died 9 September 1928 in Winona, Minnesota. Catherine married Heinrich Vick about 1859, 1860. They were parents of the following: Anna, Minna, Mary, Hermann, Henry

Her parents name: Nick

Her religion: Lutheran

Her occupation: farmwife

I have searched the following records: Death certificate, newspaper obituaries, New Orleans ship arrival lists, direct index Hamburg ship lists (she came in 1856), 1870 Hart, Minnesota, 1880 Hart, Minnesota, 1900 census records. No marriage record found-the likely church in Hart, Minnesota, burned and records gone.

Additional information that may be helpful: She had a brother, Paul, who came in 1862. Paul farmed in Hart, Minnesota and later moved to Larson, North Dakota. I could not find Paul’s passenger record in the Hamburg lists. Heinrich Vick (Fick) came in 1857 from Mecklenburg.

Answer

Here are some suggestions for research:

1. Find Catherine Elisabeth and Heinrich in the 1910 and 1920 Federal Censuses to help verify emigration year, number of children born, name of the province/area they say they come from in Germany, and so forth.
2. Find Catherine Elisbabeth in the 1857, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895 and 1905 Minnesota State Censuses. You never know who might have come to live with the family for a short period and may be caught in one of these censuses. Again, the name of the province or area in Germany where they came from may be mentioned.
3. Find Catherine’s brother Paul in all U.S. Federal and state censuses available.
4. Find Paul’s marriage license application, and the birth records of his children.
5. Look for Catherine and Paul in the “Klüber Kartei” 1 & 2 indexes to Hamburg, as well as the indirect passenger lists themselves. The Klüber Kartei 1 indexes the direct Hamburg lists 1856-1871. Klüber Kartei 2 indexes the Indirect Hamburg Lists 1854-1865. However, since an index is only as good as those who created it, both the original lists as well as the Klüber Kartei should be searched.
6. Look for Catherine, Paul, and Heinrich (if you’re also trying to find his place of origin) in the “Germans to America” series. See whom they were traveling with, and which port the ship comes out of.
7. Search the “German Immigrants” series by Wolfert, to see if perhaps they might have come out of Bremen. This series only lists those landing in U.S. ports (New York) whereas the U.S. passenger list gives more than “Germany” as the place of origin.
8. For all of them, search every history you can find for the counties where they lived. Don’t just look for them, but look for their children and their spouses. A history may say, “Anna Vick’s parents came from…..” If you don’t find them in the biographical section of the history, read through the township section of the history. All you need is a “one-liner” saying where they came from.
9. Search the Elmer Shepard Collection, which is listed under Winona, Winona, Minnesota - Genealogy. It indicates it contains family group sheets for many families from varying areas of the U.S.
10. Obtain Paul’s death certificate, obituary, and so forth. If anything indicates additional siblings emigrated - follow through with every one of them in each of the above steps also. Follow through each of Catherine and Paul’s children to present day. Some 4th cousin twice removed may have a copy of her original German passport, vaccination certificate, confirmation certificate, etc.
11. In the areas where you find them living, see if anyone one else comes from “Holstein.” If they have a somewhat unusual name, try to follow them in the records.

Answered by Ruth E. Maness, AG

A My Ancestors Professional

Ancestry.com Digitizes Entire U.S. Federal Census Collection From 1790-1930

Near Decade-Long Process Makes Available More Than 540 Million
Individual Stories at the Click of a Mouse

PROVO, UTAH – June 22, 2006 - Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history source, today announced it has completed digitizing and indexing the entire U.S. Federal Census from 1790 to 1930. Ancestry.com is the only source where all publicly released census information can be found online.

The addition of the complete census collection makes Ancestry.com the most comprehensive genealogical database ever compiled online with more than five billion searchable names. Prior to the completion of this project, these priceless pieces of American history were primarily found on microfilm at the National Archive and Records Administration (NARA) offices and select libraries across the country.

“Ancestry.com has made a vast investment in technology, people, research and tools to bring online this national treasure and the amazing emotional connections that come with it,” said Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer, Ancestry.com. “We are just beginning to scratch the surface in terms of the amount of content we can offer and the millions of people all over the globe we can connect. Through simple and easy-to-use search tools, virtually anyone with a computer and a connection can begin to explore and make amazing discoveries.”

Over the course of the Census digitization project, Ancestry.com’s team of experts spent 6.6 million hours of labor deciphering handwriting from 13 million original census documents and 21.9 billion keystrokes manually entering information into the database.

“A few years ago, the idea that the census would be digitized and indexed online seemed beyond the realm of possibility,” said Ruth Carr, Chief, Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. “Researchers had to work with thousands of reels of microfilm in order to find a specific person or family they wanted to learn about. With the digitization of the census, it is now possible for someone to type a name in the search box, and within seconds view the image of the actual Census page.”

The U.S. Federal Census on Ancestry.com provides a wide range of “snapshots” into the lives and lifestyles of ancestors. At the touch of a button a subscriber can access an individual’s record, revealing occupation, age, race, marital status, relationship to head of household, place of birth, parents’ place of birth, assets, native language, neighbors and street address.

The 14 available enumerations in the census collection reveal some fascinating facts. For instance, Abraham Lincoln’s wife Mary, aged only seven years between the 1850 and the 1860 enumerations (in other words, perhaps someone wasn’t truthful about their age). Harry Truman lived with his mother-in-law just 15 years before he was elected President of the United States. According to the 1930 U.S. Census, Tom Hanks’ grandfather, Clarence Frager, worked for “Rodent Control,” and his daughter’s birth certificate listed the exact occupation as “squirrel inspector.”

With an estimated 73 percent of the U.S. population actively researching or interested in family history, genealogy is one of the largest and fastest growing online industries today. Ancestry.com makes family history research easier by providing customers a myriad of resources which help bring the complete census collection to life through a vast range of archives including photographs; birth, marriage and death records; military records; immigration records; newspapers and periodicals and personal narratives.

Access to the newly completed U.S. Federal Census collection, along with Ancestry.com’s full line of international and U.S. databases, can be purchased on a monthly or annual subscription basis at the following rates.

Annual membership: