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Saddleback Valley Trails |
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South Orange County California Genealogical Society |
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Vol. 18 No. 3 |
P.O. Box 4513, Mission Viejo, CA. 92690 |
March 2011 |
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Editor: Gary Schwarz |
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Monthly meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month from 10:00
a.m. to Noon at the Mission Viejo Family History Center Institute
Building, 27978 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, between Medical
Center Drive and Hillcrest Drive. Membership is open to anyone
interested in genealogy. Individual membership fees are $20 per calendar
year, $25 for joint membership. |
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Highlighted label means: dues are delinquent and this is last newsletter!!!!
General Meeting 19 March 2011
“Google 2: Tools you may not have tried yet”
Presented by
Francie Kennedy
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Francie Kennedy presents a follow-up to last year’s popular
presentation. Google is best known as a search engine, but there are
many other tools available at this deceptively simple-looking site.
Every genealogist should know how to use these tools which allow you to:
make your own family map; explore historic newspapers; discover the
timeline feature; delve into Google Books; get a free email address for
your genealogy -- and much more. Francie will also share a few recent
updates she has discovered on the “search” side of Google that will make
your searches even more rewarding!
About the Speaker: Francie Kennedy is a fourth-generation Californian who knew next to nothing about her roots before beginning her genealogy research about ten years ago. Now she knows slightly more and has a better idea of what she needs to research next. Francie teaches at Santiago Canyon College and also works for the City of San Juan Capistrano as a water conservation coordinator. She has lived in San Juan for over 25 years and has been active in the preservation of the Los Rios Historic district. |
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Safari News |
| The San Diego Genealogical Society Research Library will be our destination on March 30th (not March 23rd). Many of our books were relocated to their facility last summer. So, you might want to revisit what was once a part of our collection. Their "library catalog" can be accessed at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~casoccgs/. We will meet at the LDS Church parking lot at 9:00 A.M. You may bring a lunch, or be prepared to drive a short distance to a local eatery. Don't forget $$ for your driver. There will be no plans for dinner on the way home. Contact Bill Bluett to reserve a spot. |
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March Meeting Location |
| The Mission Viejo Family History Center Institute Building is to be torn down for the reconstruction of a larger building. The project start date has not been determined at this time, but could begin before the March meeting. During the construction project, the meeting will be held in the main Family History Center Building. |
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President's Message |
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~Bill Bluett |
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Our safari to the Los Angeles Public Library was a great success last
January. We had 12 folks from our society make the trip. I decided to
spend my day doing some Civil War research in the military book
collection section. I got to thinking about my wife’s great-great uncles
who served in the Iowa 7th Cavalry during the war. This is a family that
had four out of six brothers serving at the same time. The other two
were too young to join the military.
John Neunom Reynolds and William Yale Reynolds initially joined the Iowa 41st Infantry Battalion in October of 1861. The war was depleting troops that helped support the cavalry on the Western Frontier, so three companies were dispatched to Sioux City and then on to Fort Randall for assignment. The fort was located on the Missouri River in the Dakota Territory. They would be employed in active duties protecting the frontier from hostile Indians. They garrisoned posts, escorted trains, protected emigrants, guarded lines of travel and telegraph, and had frequent engagements with hostile bands of Indians. They served from this location until April of 1863. At that time, the Reynolds boys and the three companies of infantry were transferred to the 7th Cavalry. John and William were now part of Company “K”. I’m sure they were required to go through additional training at this time. Now they would be part of the longer expeditions into the Dakota Territory. From the spring of 1863 until the fall of 1864, they would travel as far as the junction of the Little Missouri River and the headwaters of the Yellowstone River on the Montana/North Dakota boarder. Most of the information I found at the library regarding the Battalion and the Cavalry were in the “Iowa and the Rebellion” and “Iowa in the Civil War” books. Each gave timelines with specific information about their location, movements, and engagements during the Civil War years. Even Company “K” information was included with distances traveled. When on patrol, they would travel anywhere from 600 to 800 miles over a two to three month period. Fortresses were scattered throughout the Territory at this time. Fort Union, in the western part of the Dakota Territory, was one of their furthest destinations. Company “K” was involved in several battles during this time period in this region and northwestern Iowa. John ended his three years of service in October of 1864. After the war, he moved around a lot. He cooked in a number of hotels in Kansas and may have married several times. I even found John in the 1910 census in Central California. He came back to Tiffin, Iowa, when his health was failing. A widowed sister lived with him, kept house, and took care of him in his illness. He died on June 9th, 1916, and is buried with many other Reynolds ancestors in the Oakhill Cemetery in Tiffin. His headstone inscription includes Civil War service information. John’s brother, William, remained in the cavalry until June of 1866. His departure was nearly 10 years to the day before General George Armstong Custer and 268 men of the 7th Cavalry lost their lives at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The dead included two of Custer’s brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law. In 1868, William married and started farming with other family members near Tiffin, Iowa. Eventually, he and his wife relocated to Shelby County in western Iowa and bought a farm. They raised a family and remained there the rest of their lives. Both are buried in the Washington Township Cemetery which is located about one half mile north of Interstate 80 at the Shelby exit. Over the years, my wife and I have driven past that exit on Interstate 80 over a dozen times not knowing where William Reynolds was buried. The next time we travel through that region, we’ll make it a point to stop at the cemetery. He died in 1902 and his wife, Roseanna, died in 1907. His headstone photo is on the Internet and there are no markings regarding his Civil War service. I think about the excitement and adventure that these two brothers must have experienced while they served in the Dakota Territory in the 1860’s, including extremely cold winters and blistering hot summers along with the constant threat from the Sioux, Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and the Arapaho. I realize that this was all part of the great expansion of our country, but at the same time, I feel some sadness for the displacement of the Native American Indians during this time period. The one thing that I am thankful for is the number of detailed records that exist today enabling me to find information regarding the Reynolds brothers and their service to our country. |
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Condolences |
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We are saddened to learn of the passing of Caroline Braxton
Rober, one of SOCCGS favorite lecturers, friend and genealogy patron.
“Caroline, we will miss you sorely.”
Caroline Rober, wife of Larry Rober, passed away on February 1, 2011. She was born on April 12, 1952 in San Bernardino to Robert Braxton and Gloria Lou Taber. She leaves her husband, three children, seven grandchildren, her father and a sister. Caroline was a professional genealogist and a favorite lecturer for Genealogical Societies all over Southern California. Many of our members knew her personally and have worked with her through the years. Among many other genealogy pursuits, she was chairman of the genealogy booth at the Orange County fair for seven years. |
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February Meeting |
| Beth McCarty’s presentation gave a timeline of events affecting how English records were kept. She also showed images of records on film and differences in script of handwritten records. Guests introduced at the meeting were: Vince & Maggie Bauerlein, Keith O’Connor, and Teresa Leone. Refreshmen providers were: Naomi McCabe, Eileen Merchant, Myrna McGaugin and Bob McQueen. |
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Membership |
| New Members: Virginia Dunk of Lake Forest; [email protected]; researching: Lucero - Las Vegas, NM 1850 – 1900; Ellsworth - Las Vegas, NM 1850 – 1900. Draden Ekas of Coatesville, PA; [email protected]; researching: Ekas, Ickes, Ekis, Eckaus. Barbara Taylor of Foothill Ranch; [email protected]; researching: Fowle - descendants of George Fowle about 1610 from England, Thornberry - Hugh, Hugh Henry from Ireland 1800's, Taylor - Fluvanna, Virginia. Christina Hurst-Loeffler & Rob Loeffler of Rancho Santa Margarita; [email protected]; Researching: Rouch: 1750's Maryland, early 1800's Pennsylvania, 1850''s Indiana, 1900 Colorado 2. Stutesman: 1700's Maryland, 1800's Ohio and Pennsylvania, 1840's Indiana 3. Payne: mid 1800's Missouri, early 1900's Arkansas 4. Hurst: 1840's Tennessee, 1870's Arkansas 5. Jameson: 1700's Virginia 6. Goodnight: late 1800's Texas |
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***** Surname List ***** |
| Members, please check your information on the SOCCGS Surname Website. If corrections and/or additions are necessary notify Herb at [email protected] or (949) 581-6292. New members may add their information by sending an email to Herb listing surnames, locations and years being researched. CHECK OUT THE SURNAME LIST TO DISCOVER A LITTLE MORE ABOUT FELLOW MEMBERS THROUGH THERE SURNAMES. |
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Brick Walls & Genealogy Research Suggestions |
| Victoria Crayne has had good luck finding family information on GenealogyBank.com. A 30 day free trial subscription is available. Marcia Roy reminded our members about paid websites that they can access for free on our computers at the Mission Viejo Library and the Mission Viejo Family History Center. Pat Christiansen described her negative experience with a year subscription (@$50) to Yearbooks.com. Schools of interest to her only had yearbooks for one or two years at the site. She found the site extremely limited for her and the fee is non-refundable. She reminded us that subscriptions are automatically renewed without prior notice by charging the credit card required for subscription. David Flint is now researching his wife's family and has connected with a nephew in Texas who is showing interest in genealogy - the first one in his family to do so. David’s nephew has provided him with a lot of information. Pat Nostrome has utilized the GenealogyBank.com was fortunate to find quite a bit of ancestor information (newspaper obituaries, etc) in the Pacific Northwest region and the Southern States. Her search in the New Jersey area did not provide her much information. Mickie Dempsey is researching her great-great-great grandfather Philip Hulvey. Google referenced his son, Madison Hulvey, on FindAGrave.com. She already knew where Madison was buried but clicked on the link anyway. On Madison’s entry she found a message placed there by a previously unknown third cousin in Kansas, “So wonderful to have found you Great Great Grandpa, Rest In Peace...." She emailed this Kansas cousin who gave her access to a family tree on Ancestry.com which included pictures and told her about another third cousin in Anaheim. She emailed her newly found Anaheim third-cousin and they got together for lunch. Her cousin brought a 500-page book on the Hulvey family, which Mickie has taken on loan from her cousin. Joyce Van Schaack asked about how to use the FindAGrave website. Donna Hobbs and Barbara Wilgus both responded and gave some suggestions in using the website. |
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Genealogy Software |
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GEDCOM, an acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunication, is a proprietary
and open de facto specification for exchanging genealogical data between
different genealogy software. GEDCOM was developed by The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as an aid to genealogical research.
A GEDCOM file is plain text file containing genealogical information about individuals, and a means to link this information together. Most genealogy software supports importing from and/or exporting to GEDCOM format. However, some genealogy software programs incorporate the use of proprietary extensions to the GEDCOM format, which are not always recognized by other genealogy programs. |
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Do you know? |
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What does the term processioning mean as it pertains to property in
Virginia in 1600-1800?
Processioning – land owners formed a procession every four years to re-validate landmarks that determined property boundaries within the parish. |
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USGenWeb and Sharing Information |
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~Herb Abrams |
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USGenWeb is one my favorite websites for gathering genealogical
information. If you haven’t been there, you should definitely check it
out at:
http://usgenweb.org/.
From this site there is a link to a GenWeb
site in every state in the United States. From the state site you will
find a link to every county in that state. When you get to the county
site - that is where it really gets interesting. These sites are usually
maintained by volunteers who reside in that county. You may find
marriage records, cemetery records, biographies, obituaries, county
histories, county maps and often a list of people who will do lookups.
The Wayne County Tennessee site has a section devoted to biographies of World War I Veterans from Wayne County. A few years ago I contributed a biography of my father to that site. You may check it out at: http://www.tngenweb.org/wayne/ww1/AB.htm. Recently I transcribed a manuscript written by my great aunt Annie (Horton) Abrams, born 1896, just two years after my father was born. The title is “Facts of Older Settlers in Wayne County Tennessee”. She tells of her life growing up on a farm in Wayne County. After sending a copy to my brothers and sisters, I began to wonder if the Wayne County Tennessee people might want to publish the story on their website. So, I contacted the lady who maintains that site and she was delighted with it and asked if she could publish it in the journal of the Wayne County Historical Society as well as putting it on the website. I have added it to a Google website at: https://sites.google.com/site/anniehortonabrams/. Annie wrote the manuscript in 1975 when she was 79 years old. Two years later, when she was in ill health, she wrote a second document titled “Changing Homes.” I have transcribed that one also and have included it on my website. I don’t know yet whether they will publish that one on the Wayne County site; I think it is important to share information and USGenWeb is an excellent place for your biographical and historical information. |
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AmericanAncestors.org |
The following new searchable databases are available on
AmericanAncestors.org. The site is available at the SOCCGS Research
center within the Mission Viejo Library.
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National Archives - United Kingdom |
| The U.K. National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk has research guides, sources for family history records, military records, and other government records. The site also contains articles, online exhibitions, and links for research in the United Kingdom. A free subscription to their monthly newsletter can be obtained at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/enewsletter.htm. |
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The Wedding That Became a Legend |
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~Brian Shannon |
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My maternal great grandfather, Charles “Papa” Durand, was truly a bon
vivant Frenchman and there are as many stories about his excesses as
there were children he fathered (25 from two wives – and that’s a story
unto itself). There is one story, however, that stands out above all
others and has truly become legendary – “The Gold & Silver Wedding” that
took place on May 21, 1870.
Charles’ father, a wealthy merchant, migrated from France to Louisiana in 1820, when Charles was just 4 years old. The family fortunes continued to grow, thanks to sugar cane and a large number of hard working slaves. Charles took over the business and made it even more successful, which was fortunate, as he lived a very lavish lifestyle. When two of his daughters announced they were to be wed on the same day, there was no limit to the extremes he would go to in order to celebrate the occasion. In fact, he vowed that it would be the most memorable wedding ever in Louisiana. 
Legend has it that he imported large tree spiders from Cathay, which
were released into the mature oak and pine trees, planted along the 3
mile road to his lavish plantation home, where they spun millions of
yards of delicate webs. On the morning of the wedding, while still wet
with dew, Papa’s slaves, armed with bellows and bags of gold and silver
dust sprayed the webs creating a glittering canopy. Carpets were laid to
cover most of the passage under the trees, making a fairytale entrance
for the procession of the wedding couples and the 2,000 guests.
The couples arrived at the ceremony in grand style, riding in a set of papa’s beautiful carriages which were adorned with ornaments of gold, including the harnesses. An open-air altar was placed at the end of the trees, and tables covered with food stood between the trees. Several bands played and everything went on schedule. At the end of the ceremony, a steamboat came up the bayou and docked at the plantation wharf to take the two couples on their honeymoon. The crowd accompanied them to the wharf, shooting off fireworks and waving until they disappeared into the Louisiana dusk. The celebration went on for days after they left. Papa’s fortunes changed for the worse in the difficult post-Civil War days and the wedding became his last grand gesture. In his final months, he is rumored to have told of money that was buried under one of the trees but none has ever been found. Oak and Pine Alley still stands today as a historical monument which is visited by thousands of tourists each year; a final reminder of an extraordinary one of a kind individual. |
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Do you need a name badge? |
| Wearing a name badge at the monthly meetings is an excellent way to meet new friends and/or possibly a “cousin.” These are provided to all members at no cost. Please contact Herb Abrams at (949) 581-6292 or [email protected]. He will have one ready at the next meeting. |
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News *********Ancestry World Archives Project |
| The World Archives Project for California Naturalization Records co-sponsored with SOCCGS through Ancestry.com has been completed. Ancestry is still processing the data internally, but when they have finished, SOCCGS is to have special access to indexes and images. Ancestry has not offered new genealogy society sponsored projects at this time. Congratulations to all SOCCGS participants for your successful completion of your part in this project and thank you for taking the time make access easier to more online data. For additional information contact David Flint - [email protected] |
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“If you are going through hell, keep going”
Continue citing those sources you postponed entering. ~Winston Churchill “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it” No kindness for deceased procrastinators. ~Winston Churchill “A clear and innocent conscience fears nothing” Elders had time to muddy conscience. ~Queen Elizabeth I |
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Who Are the British? |
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~David Flint |
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Many of you have done research on ancestors you traced to the British
Isles, while others are still seeking that elusive ancestor who will one
day connect you to the other side of “The Pond”. In either case, do we
all use the same terms in referring to our British ancestors? For
example, if they are from England, do you consider them British? In this
article I will review the geographic components of what we often call
the British Isles.
England, of course, is its own country. But it is also part of Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and the British Isles. So it’s important to define our terms. An English lecturer I heard referred to the British Isles as a “geographical expression” for the two large islands that make up Great Britain: the big island (consisting of England, Scotland and Wales), and Ireland (which includes the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland); plus thousands of small islands that surround the coast, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. But first, let’s review some history. In 1536 King Henry VIII united both England and Wales under one government. Today that is referred to as Britain. Two hundred years later, the parliament of the Kingdom of England and Wales and the parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland passed the Act of Union in 1707 combining England, Wales, and Scotland to form Great Britain. Another hundred years passed, and in 1801 Ireland united politically with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Most of Ireland later separated from the United Kingdom in 1921. Following the partition of Ireland the name changed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is typically abbreviated as U.K. (By the way, when the current monarch is a queen, as today, the name does not change to the United Queendom.) Today it is common to hear references to the “United Kingdom”. Historically, however, that term had different meanings depending on the time period. From 1801 to 1921 it included England, Scotland, Wales and all of Ireland. Since 1921 it includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To summarize: Great Britain includes England, Wales, and Scotland; United Kingdom (since 1921) includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; British Isles includes England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Since we are talking geography, here are a few comparisons of the U.K. land area with the United States. England, which is only part of the U.K., is a relatively small area. It is roughly the size of Louisiana or Alabama, and less than one-third the size of California. Scotland is smaller – about the size of South Carolina. Wales is even smaller and comparable in size to Massachusetts. The whole of Ireland is about the size of Maine. The entire U.K. is slightly smaller than Oregon. So, with this background perhaps we can think about the terms we use when referring to our British ancestors. |
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News From the Mission Viejo Library |
| Since our shelf space has been reduced at the library we cannot purchase paper books for our book collection. What we can purchase are books on CD. Bunny has requested that Society member’s contact her with their preferred CD titles from which selections will be made that would best benefit our collection. Please contact Bunny Smith (949-472-8946). As you expand your genealogy to new states, you may want to revisit our book and CD collections at the library. Our hardcopy collection is smaller but still has valuable content that you may not have used in research before finding new clues to pursue. |
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Ralphs Community Contribution Program |
| Thanks to all who are enrolled in this generous fundraising program. If you are a new SOCCGS member or have not yet enrolled, it’s easy. Get a Ralphs rewards Card, if you don’t have one. Present a copy of the “Scanbar letter” which contains our code at checkout the next time you shop at Ralphs. There, you’re’ enrolled until September. Please see me at the next meeting for a “Scanbar letter.” There are copies of the letter at the library docent desk, or one will mailed at your request. You may also enroll on-line at www.ralphs.com. Was your name missing? The names of three participants were missing in SOCCGS January newsletter. This suggests that their information is not correct in the Ralph’s rewards Card Database. If you have a question call or e-mail: [email protected]; ph: (949) 492-5334. |
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2011 Genealogy Events |
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March 12 – North Orange County Genealogical Society
presents a family history seminar featuring David E. Rencher, Familysearch.org.
Topics: “Find out What’s New & What’s Coming Soon,” “Uncover Hidden
Secrets to More Effective Searching,” “Learn New Skills for Using
Name Lists,” “Acquire Highly Effective Principles for Focusing on
your Research Objectives” (714) 777-2379 or
www.gsnocc.org March 26 – North San Diego County Genealogical Society is scheduled at the Carlsbad Center. Stephen P. Morse will present "The One-Step website: Its Tools and Its Applications." Additional information: [email protected] For reservations: [email protected] May 28 & 29 - United Scottish Society Highland Gathering & Festival, Costa Mesa, CA, http://www.unitedscottishsociety.com/events.htm June 10-12 – 42nd Annual Genealogy Jamboree presented by Southern California Genealogical Society at the Los Angeles Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, [email protected] Jun. 25 & 26 - San Diego Scottish Highland Games & Gathering of Clans, Vista, CA, http://sdhighlandgames.org |
You may still receive the April newsletter if dues are paid by March 19!
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SOCCGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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| President, Seminar
& Safari Chairman ________________________ |
Bill Bluett ________________________ |
[email protected] |
Vice President / Program Chairman ___ | David Flint _______________________ | [email protected] |
| Recording Secretary _______________ | Sandy Crowley____________________ | [email protected] |
| Corresponding Secretary ____________ | Pat Weeks _______________________ | [email protected] |
| Treasurer ________________________ | Mary Jo McQueen _________________ | [email protected] |
| Historian ________________________ | Barbara Wilgus ___________________ | [email protected] |
| Hospitality _______________________ | Barbara Heebner__________________ |
[email protected] |
| Sharon Keener____________________ |
[email protected] |
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| Librarian _________________________ | Bunny Smith _____________________ | [email protected] |
| Membership ______________________ | Jack Naylor ______________________ | [email protected] |
| Newsletter Editor __________________ | Gary Schwarz ____________________ | [email protected] |
| Parliamentarian ___________________ | Marilyn Kowalski __________________ | [email protected] |
| Publicity / Webmaster ______________ | Herb Abrams _____________________ | [email protected] |
| Ways & Means __________________ | Jim Thordahl______________________ | [email protected] |
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SOCCGS Website @ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~casoccgs/ |
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Mail List: [email protected] |
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SOCCGS Research Center, Mission Viejo Library |
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Marguerite Parkway at LaPaz, (949) 470-8498 |
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SOCCGS E-mail: [email protected] |
Use this form to send with your dues payment
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South Orange County California Genealogical Society Membership/Renewal Application |
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( ) New ( ) Renewal ( ) Individual, $20/yr. ( ) Joint Members, same address $25/yr. |
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Name(s) ________________________________________________________________________________ |
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Address _________________________________________________________________________________ |
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City _____________________________ State_____ Zip ____________ Phone _________________________ |
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Email address: ____________________________________________________________________________ |
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Make check payable to: SOCCGS (South Orange County CA Genealogical Society) |
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Mail with application to: SOCCGS, P.O. Box 4513, Mission Viejo, CA 92690-4513 |
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