Saddleback Valley Trails
South Orange County California Genealogical Society
Vol. 14
No. 7
Editor: Mary Jo McQueen
July
2007
P.O. Box 4513, Mission Viejo, CA.
92690
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. SOCCGS is not affiliated with the LDS Family History Center.
GENERAL MEETING –
July 21, 2007
British Naming Patterns:
Fact or Fiction
Presented by
Ivan C.
Johnson
When Mr. Johnson
began doing genealogy research, he was not aware of the naming patterns, which
existed, or how they could help in the search for his ancestors. During this
presentation Ivan will show how he was able to advance his family tree, using
these naming patterns, and will relate the details of his search for ancestors
in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, England.
Ivan was born in
rural Lincolnshire, England. He and wife, Gail, have been involved in
genealogical research for many years and have lectured in Southern California
and New Zealand. Ivan will illustrate his lecture with photographs of areas of
their research. Mr. Johnson is the
current president of the British Isles Family History Society–USA.
August 18 – Penny Feike, ÒCourt Records.Ó
September 15 – Joan Rambo, ÒLand & Tax
Records.Ó
October 20 – John Colletta, Family
History Seminar
November 17 - Nancy Carlberg
December 15 – Holiday Party
SAFARI NEWS
There are no safaris scheduled for the summer months
of July and August.
SOCCGS ANNUAL FAMILY HISTORY SEMINAR
Saturday
October 20, 2007
Featuring
John Colletta, who will present the following lecture topics.
ÒState Archives: What They Are and How to Use ThemÓ
ÒUsing
Newspapers for Family History ResearchÓ
ÒErie Canal Genealogy: The Peopling of
Upstate New York and the MidwestÓ
ÒHow to Assemble and Write a
Genealogical Work that Is Both a Reliable Document and a Readable Story.Ó
You will find a seminar
registration form on page 7 of this newsletter. Seminar flyers, with
registration forms, are also available at the SOCCGS Genealogy Library docent
desk and on the Web at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~casoccgs/. Flyers
will be obtainable at the July 21st meeting.
Please
mark your calendar now!
ÒThere is
no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.Ó
~ Maya
Angelou
PRESIDENTÕS
MESSAGE
~Bill
Bluett
During the first weekend in June, Helen and I traveled to Grass Valley,
California, for the 16th Annual Gathering of the ÒCalifornia Cornish
Cousins.Ó About 100 folks gathered together for this event. Two brothers, born
in Cornwall, were in attendance. They had come to Grass Valley in 1950 as young
boys (with their parents). They said that, because of the Cornish influence and
culture in this town, it was like moving down the street in their Cornwall
hometown. My own Cornwall ancestors came to this region about 1852 during the
gold mining era.
We participated in a sing-along at the Elks Club with the Grass Valley
Male Voice Choir Friday evening after enjoying a Cornish PASTY dinner. This
choir has been a tradition in Grass Valley for over 150 years
A
pasty (Cornish: Pasti, Hoggan, incorrectly written as pastie) is a type of pie,
originally from Cornwall, England. It is baked in a savoury pasty case
traditionally filled with diced meat, sliced potato and onion. The ingredients
are uncooked before being placed in the unbaked pasty case. They have a
semicircular shape (like a large turnover), achieved by folding a circular
pasty sheet over the filling. One edge is crimped to form a seal.
Saturday morning, the American and
Cornwall flags were raised in a ceremony at City Hall. The mayors of Grass
Valley and Nevada City gave greetings to the group. Then came the Pasty
Olympics! The mayors had a pasty hurling contest against one another for
accuracy. The Grass Valley mayor won. Then, just for fun, other folks tested
their skill. A lunch was provided on the grounds of the Empire Mine State Park,
after which, all were invited to tour the facility. The mine was in operation
from 1850 to 1956 and has a tunneling network that exceeds 367 miles in length.
The deepest part of the mine is nearly one mile below the surface. Most of the
miners were of Cornish decent. This gold mine was the largest and richest in
California.
That evening, after a banquet at the Elks
Club, the President of the Idaho-Maryland Mining Company gave an interesting
Òpower pointÓ presentation about a mine in Grass Valley that is going to
re-open. In this day and age, mining operations can utilize most of the rock
that is removed. The gold is extracted and the waste tailings are then used to
develop ceramics, such as, tile for flooring and roof tiles. The ceramics plant
will be located on the mining operation property. This mine could create as
many as 400 new jobs.
Most of the ÒCornish CousinsÓ attended
Sunday church services in Nevada City. The Methodist Church in this community
dates back to the early 1850Õs. This is where my ancestors attended from the
mid to late 1800Õs. In 2003, I had an opportunity to look through the old
church records and make a few copies. I did find my ancestors listed on
numerous pages.
Being a member of a Special Interest
Group can be a lot of fun, and, there is the opportunity to network with fellow
members. Some suggestions: a state genealogical society, or groups, such as
Scottish, British Isles, German, DAR, etc. Seek out a society or organization
that suits your interest and join. You just may find a cousin or distant
relative!
JUNE
MEETING
ÒBakerÕs
Dozen,Ó websites, not donuts, was the program expertly presented by Alan
Jones. The handout lists websites, tips
and search engine guidelines. A crossword puzzle is included on the back. Extra
copies are available at the docent desk in the SOCCGS genealogy library. Ruby
Netzley, Dana Point and Judy Davin, Mission Viejo were guests. Bob and Cindie Reilly and Pat McCoy provided treats for sixty members and guests. Thank You!
Norma
Keating gave inside information on
working the genealogy booth at the Orange County Fair. This was the last
opportunity to sign on for a shift. Anyone still wishing to work may call Norma
at (714) 319-5994 or email, [email protected].
Marcia
Roy told about Irish microfilm she
ordered through the Family History Center. To search she went to Library
Catalogue Keyword Search, and put in ÒWorkhouse, IrelandÓ and ÒWorkhouse
Registers, Ireland.Ó
She also told of her success with the Poor
Law Records from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. There are
comprehensive sets of records covering the 27 poor law unions that were established
in the counties of Northern Ireland. The extent to which the records survive
for each of these unions varies from place to place. The minute books, the
admission and discharge registers, the registers of births and deaths and the
outdoor relief registers are all valuable source material for anyone interested
in tracing their family tree. Go to http://www.proni.gov.uk/records/poor_law.htm
"Every
man is his own ancestor, and every man his own heir.
He devises
his own future, and he inherits his own past."
~H. F. Hedge
MEMBERSHIP
We
extend a special welcome to new members Peter and Jane Lehmann-Shafron, Mission
Viejo, [email protected]. We encourage them to list their surnames on the
SOCCGS website (see below).
SURNAME LIST
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~casoccgs/
Herb Abrams
will update your information on the SOCCGS Surname Website Listing as needed.
Please check your information, and if corrections and/or additions are necessary
notify Herb [email protected]
or (949) 581-6292). New members are
especially encouraged to add their Surnames to this list. Send an
email to Herb listing your surnames, locations and years you are researching.
THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
This
column will appear each month to note happenings in the lives of SOCCGS
members. Please notify the president or Trails editor if you have an item of
interest, or know of someone who needs a special card or phone call.
Get Well Soon
Iris Graham has
been ill and is confined to her home. We miss her and wish her a speedy
recovery. Email: [email protected]
or (949) 770-5685.
NEWSLETTER
ARTICLES
DonÕt forget to send your literary contributions to
the newsletter editor by the Wednesday following the monthly meeting. These may be sent via email or Word attachment. All
submissions are subject to editorial approval and may be edited. Send to: [email protected]
The Curse
of the Search
Some
branches are broken, others snarled and bent.
Still many
are missing, where could they have went?
But the
trunk is still firm, the roots are down deep.
They hold
many truths that still lay there asleep.
I'm searching
the limbs for the secrets they hold.
For lost
tales and stories that's never been told.
I'm looking
for family that was lost in the ramble,
For truths
about them for me to unscramble.
I may find
a scoundrel and a wild renegade or two.
You'll find
them in all families, that's really not new.
That fact
that I found them, that's all that counts.
I feel I
have gained something, my curiosity mounts.
I've got
the taste of blood, there's no stopping me now.
I'll not
rest nor will I laggard till I solve this somehow.
It may take
some doing and a lot more of my time.
But I
promise before I'm done it will all turn out fine.
When it all
gets together and my rigorous quest is through,
I'll go
back to my notes in hopes of finding something new.
The search
bug has bit me, leaving me still in that frame,
For that
thrill of the search is still embed in my brain.
DONÕT FORGET THE SPRAY BOTTLE
~Diane Walters Hearne
The year is 1800 and Dinah Robbins Garrison, age
28, carefully places a bed warmer between the rough homespun sheets as she and
her sister-in-law prepare to climb in. DinahÕs husband, James, had to travel to
Kingwood, in the next county, to pick up some cows and would be gone overnight.
Even though the Indians in these parts are friendly, Dinah feels nervous so she
asked Mary to spend the night. They tucked the children into their beds in the
one other bedroom, and then washed the dishes in the big kettle. ItÕs beginning
to get dark so it must be about 7:00. Dinah hid the few coins in her possession
under a floorboard. If something should happen, she has no way to get in touch
with James, or neighbors, or the nearest town.
She unbuttons her homemade light blue cotton dress,
hangs it on a peg to air out for tomorrow, brushes her hair 100 strokes, and
ladles water from the bucket into her mouth to rinse. She quickly washes her face in the freezing water with soap
she made herself. The young women
take turns using the chamber pot before climbing onto the ropes, which support
the thin hay-filled mattress. They
light a candle and proceed to read together from the old Bible with family
births, marriages and deaths inscribed on the front pages. Yesterday, the stagecoach delivered a
letter from one of their relatives who moved to Indiana six months ago. These well-worn pages are studied again
and read aloud by Mary as Dinah never learned to read. Mary falters in the
fading light; her eyes are not what they used to be. If they want to write a return letter, theyÕll have to ask someone
in town to do it for them.
After blowing out the candle, the discussion
focuses on the many children each have and the ups and downs experienced by
their extended family. They turn their thoughts to their parents as they search
their memories for likenesses. They worry together over the future of the crops
and talk about planning a picnic by the Delaware River when the weather turns
fine. Morning will come soon enough when it will be time to pump the well for
water, milk the cows, gather eggs, rekindle the fire, heat water in the kettle,
and make breakfast for all of them.
Journal of DianeÕs 2006 Ancestral Quest to Ohio,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
September 26 - I arose much earlier this morning in order to catch my flight to
Columbus via Atlanta. My brother,
Garry met me and soon we were eating dinner prepared by his wife, Noelle.
Trying to adjust to the three-hour time difference, I went to bed and pondered
our upcoming trip to New Jersey. Were we crazy to plan to meet people we didnÕt
know even if they might be distantly related? After all, you do hear some strange stories about people
meeting on the Internet.
September
28 - Drifting to sleep that night, I
recalled one of the emails from a Garrison relative which mentioned three
Garrison brothers from France, who traveled to Holland in the 1600s, marrying
three Dutch princesses and then sailing to America. Family stories seem to have become fairy tales –
goodness!
September
29 – With friends, Kay and Jim, I went to Marietta, Ohio where my ancestor,
Zadock West, applied for a land grant around 1826. We ate lunch, enjoyed the
view of the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers and visited the museum.
I thought about Zadock and family making the long journey from Connecticut to
Ohio in 1820 via covered wagons and longboats on the rivers. I went to sleep
wondering if ÒcousinÓ Jeanne, whom weÕre meeting for breakfast on Tuesday in
New Jersey, will be a complete bore who might be difficult to get rid of.
October
1 – This morning Noelle and I drove off at 8:00. I reminded her to pack
the spray bottle she kept talking about. We arrived near New Hope, Pennsylvania
in time to enjoy a pleasant dinner.
October
2 - We drove across the Delaware
River to Flemington, New Jersey arriving at the Hunterdon County Historical
Society at 9:30. The society is
housed in a charming old residence, which fits in with the other homes on the
three or four blocks in this historic section of town.
Roxanne, with whom I had corresponded, opened up for
us. As she showed us around, she said, ÒThatÕs not a pen I see in your hand, is
it, Diane?Ó Before I could reply,
Noelle said, ÒI have an extra pencil IÕll loan her.Ó IÕve been doing genealogy for six years but didnÕt know
about keeping pens away from books in case someone lets loose and marks up the
pages. We spent about three hours doing research.
ÒI promise it wonÕt happen again,Ó Noelle said once
from across the table after she strayed from looking for her husbandÕs (my
brotherÕs) family, the intended purpose of this trip. She couldnÕt resist when
she saw some books about northern New Jersey where her own family settled.
- Kay,
Jim and I took off for Marietta, Ohio. What if the male cousin hits us over the
head in the cemetery and takes off with our purses, cameras and the spray
bottle? How would the headlines
read?
October
3 - We met my distant cousin, Jeanne,
with whom we have corresponded about the Welch and Tinsman families. She is, thankfully, very nice and we
enjoyed getting to know her over breakfast. ÒDonÕt forget to fill the spray
bottle in the restroom,Ó I called out as we headed to the parking lot.
We followed Jeanne to St. JamesÕs Church cemetery.
Noelle had been here before, but couldnÕt quite remember where my ancestors
Christopher (1885) and Louisa (1902) Welch were buried. Less than thrilled, I squished through
sopping wet eight-inch high grass, swatting at the gnats around my head. We
snapped many pictures when we finally found the tombstones with the aid of the
friendly caretaker.
Next, we drove to the Finesville Cemetery, which is
much older and smaller, but also hosts swirling gnats. Jeanne couldnÕt quite remember where
Abner and Catherine Welch have been resting since 1855 and 1869, so we walked quickly
among the stones and found them in a corner where we repeated the picture
taking routine. This time,
finally, Noelle used her spray bottle in an attempt to show up the engraved
letters on the weathered surfaces of the tombstones. This technique is,
apparently, better than making a rubbing. Rubbing is ÒoutÓ because it can cause
the stone to erode.
We went on to Phillipsburg to see the house where my
grandmother was born in 1885. ItÕs
looking a little run down, but one can tell that it was nicer looking over a
hundred years ago.
Back in Flemington, which now seems like home, we
pulled up in front of the Union Hotel to find my other distant cousin,
Marshall, waiting for us. The three of us had lunch on the porch of the old
hotel Soon we followed cousin Marshall out of town for the ÒshortÓ trip to our
third cemetery of the day. ÒShort must have a different meaning in New Jersey,Ó
I commented to Noelle as I resisted the urge to write down MarshallÕs license
plate number during the half hour drive.
The
Garrison-Tharp cemetery is smack in the middle of a McMansion housing
development. One lucky home has our white picket fenced-in cemetery right next
door in a pretty, woodsy area flush with the street. Apparently, the developer wanted to do away with these
unsightly graves, but the law stated that if one descendant could be found to
protest, the area would be protected.
Marshall was the one. I
would have agreed too if anyone had asked me.
Apparently, a group of Boy Scouts had cleaned up the
cemetery a few years ago, but itÕs all grown back. This time, we not only had
the gnats to deal with, but what looked ominously like poison ivy. We divided
up the area as, for the third time, I found myself with someone who had been
there before, but couldnÕt remember a location. We stumbled over knee-high weeds until Noelle waved us over
to see the tombstones of James and Dinah Garrison who died in 1825 and 1857 and
John and Martha Garrison, laid to rest in 1851 and 1866. John and Martha are my
grandparents many times removed and James and Dinah were JohnÕs parents. ÒGrab
your pruning shears and letÕs get out of here,Ó I said, after we repeated the
picture taking routine.
Marshall
went on his way and we returned to the OrphanÕs Court for more perusal of old
wills and inventories. I canÕt say
IÕd be overjoyed today to be the recipient of the sack of feathers, ½
barrel of cider, five geese, a hog and two cows detailed in Dinah GarrisonÕs
inventory, but IÕm sure you had to be there in time and place.
The year is 2006 and Diane Hearne and her
sister-in-law, Noelle Van Pulis are getting ready for bed at NoelleÕs house in
Powell, Ohio. The central heating is on and, if it were winter, Diane would
surely turn on the electric blanket provided. The queen-sized bed with its
thick mattress and box springs looks inviting. Even if the Van PulisÕ three children still lived at home,
there would be a separate bedroom for everyone. The dishwasher washes the
dinner dishes in the kitchen. ItÕs about 7:00 so Diane turns on the lights. She sets the electric alarm clock in
order to be on time for tomorrowÕs airplane trip to California. She then plugs in her cell phone,
knowing that, in an emergency, she can dial 911 from it or a land phone,
although the house has an alarm system.
On the nightstand she places a novel and a book about the history of the
Quakers in the United States.
Diane unzips her jacket, ordered on the Internet,
and hangs it and her other clothes on hangers in the closet. Donning her robe
with its Velcro closing, she crosses the hall to the bathroom where she uses
the flush toilet, brushes her teeth with running water and washes with hot
water. She takes out the blue tinted contacts. The shampoos, conditioners,
scented soaps, shaving gels, air fresheners and nail accoutrements stand like a
pastel army on the countertop. SheÕll take a shower in the morning and fix her
hair with an electric hair dryer and curling iron.
Setting her purse with its credit cards cash on a
bench, Diane joins Noelle downstairs in her study where the women pore over
email letters from genealogy correspondents whom theyÕve never met. Photographs
of ancestors decorate the walls. They work on the computer looking for
genealogy websites and information how to organize their extensive family trees
electronically. Emails from their
children fill the screen.
Tomorrow Noelle will make coffee in her electric
coffeemaker. TheyÕll toast some store bought sliced bread in the electric
toaster, retrieve yogurt, milk and eggs from the electric refrigerator. As
Noelle puts the spray bottle back in the laundry room they wonder if DinahÕs
ghost was watching curiously as they tramped around her grave taking pictures,
pruning and spraying.
ÒSound not heard is
silenced, history not recorded is lost.Ó
~Sandra Gorin
INTERNET RESEARCH
WORLD
VITAL RECORDS, now available on SOCCGS computers, is a growing
collection of birth, death, military, census and parish records. They now have
thousands of databases online and will be adding over 10,000 new databases in
the next few months.
http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/ - "The UKÕs no.1 ancestry research website, with
over 40,000,000 records, and growing" Free to search, need $$ to contact
other researchers and obtain information.
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/special/ppcs/ppcs.html - Find Penny Post Cards from your state, county and
town.
http://catalog.loc.gov/ - Library of Congress Catalog. Find a book, go to worldcat.org to find a library that holds the title, and then use
inter-library loan to obtain the book.
http://www.immigrantships.net/ - ISTG is a group of volunteers dedicated to helping
you find your ancestors. From the links below, you can view our transcribed
passenger lists, including the names of the Captains. They have 8 completed
Volumes, each containing 1,000 passenger lists; they are working on Volume 9.
ONLINE TIPS
~Alan Jones
1.
In your messages always
CAPITALIZE SURNAMES.
2.
Always give concise and
complete known facts when asking for help. Include years, places, etc. People
prefer a form or chart rather than rambling paragraphs.
3.
Make sure your postings
and emails have concise and defined subject lines.
4.
Do not ask others to do
research that you can do yourself.
5.
Be patient if you get no
responses for months, sometimes it takes years.
6.
Always ask how you can
confirm the information you receive.
7.
Always give people your
name to call you by, even a nickname will do.
8.
Always give people a
reliable way to contact you, such as a permanent email address.
9.
Give to others so that
you might receive.
10.
DonÕt criticize (flame)
others.
11.
When asking for help,
donÕt ask for too much at one time.
12.
Most things are not on
the Internet. Use the Family History Centers, National Archives, churches,
libraries and other resources.
13.
Stay focused and on
track where you have researched.
ORANGE COUNTY FAIR GENEALOGY BOOTH
Questions? Or to volunteer now, please contact
Norma Keating:
[email protected]
or 714-319-5994
DIGITIZING GRANITE MOUNTAIN VAULT RECORDS
(Indexers Are Needed, Have you signed up?)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in
the process of digitizing 5 billion genealogical records stored in the Granite
Mountain Vaults near Salt Lake City. These records will be connected to
www.familysearch.org, the Church's website and one of the preeminent genealogy
sites on the Web. Tens of thousands of volunteers are at work helping to index
the collection and more are needed. To volunteer for the project, visit the
following website: http://www.familysearchindexing.org/en/index.jsp
2007
GENEALOGICAL EVENT CALENDAR
July
13–August 5 – Orange County Fair (Genealogy Booth)
October
21 - SOCCGS Family History Seminar, featuring John Colletta
ARLENE EAKLE AT THE BRITISH ISLES FAMILY HISTORY
SOCIETY
ÒChasing Your Ancestors ÔRound the U. K. &
Ireland.Ó
Dr.
Eakle will present four lectures at the seminar on August 25 at the Veterans
Memorial Complex, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City. Advance registration is
required and none accepted after August 10. For information: Lydia Jeffrey
(626) 359-1729; email Annie Lloyd [email protected];
sites.rootsweb.com/~bifhsusa.
South Orange County
California Genealogical Society
Mission Viejo, California
Presents
A Family History Seminar
Saturday, October 20, 2007 -
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
(Doors Open 8:00 a.m.)
City Hall, Saddleback Room, 100
Civic Center Drive, Corner La Paz & Marguerite
(North end of the city hall
directly across the library parking lot.)
ÒSearching for
Ancestors - A Journey of Self-discoveryÓ
Featuring
John Colletta
Renowned Genealogy Author & Lecturer
Topics:
ÒState Archives: What They Are and How to Use
ThemÓ
ÒUsing Newspapers for Family History ResearchÓ
ÒErie Canal Genealogy: The Peopling of Upstate New York and
the MidwestÓ
ÒHow to Assemble and Write a Genealogical Work
That Is Both a Reliable Document and a Readable
Story.Ó
*************************
Refreshments - Door Prizes -
Drawing for Handmade Quilt
Sales Tables and Displays
Pre-registration must be
received by October 18 / Tickets at the door $25.00, no lunch.
(Seminar information &
registration form also available on SOCCGS website.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOCCGS Ô2007Õ Seminar
Registration
Name(s)
____________________________________________ Registration: _____@ $20.00
___________________________________________________ Box
Lunch: _____@ $7.50
Address:
____________________________________________
City
& Zip: ___________________________________________ Total:
$__________ Telephone:
__________________________________________
Mail
to:
SOCCGS, P.O. Box 4513 Information:
(949) 581-0690 or
Mission Viejo, CA 92690-4513
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~casoccgs/
