Sunday, July 29, 2012

Goals Goals Goals


I haven’t visited my goals in a very long time and I really need to…  I’ve slacked off on my blog writing due to the writing goal of finishing my Grampa book.  Now that I’m on the home stretch for that, I am going to keep better track of my goals.
Revisiting my 12 for 2012 goals, I find that I’m doing pretty well.
1.      Finish rough draft of Dukes of Mixager.  DONE.  I finished last week and had Cousin Cindy read it and next up Aunt Karen gives her final go through.
2.      Edit Dukes of Mixager.  I’m done with my part.  Now it’s in Aunt Karen’s hands (or will be once she receives it in the mail).
3.      Publish Dukes of Mixager.  Waiting for Aunt Karen’s edits.
4.      Finish rough draft of Chicken Wings and Peas.  I’m nearly finished.  I hope to finish this while Dukes is at Lulu.
5.      Edit Chicken Wings and Peas.  Pending the rough draft.
6.      Publish Chicken Wings and Peas.  Pending the rough draft.
7.      Put together a photo book of William Mason Conner.  I incorporated this into the Dukes of Mixager.  Done.
8.      Order death certificates from Iowa.  Done.
9.      Order Civil War pension file and service records for Miles Price.  Done.  Received.  Enjoying.  Another book needs to be written (2013 goal?)
10.     Write up John Shelton and do research on Shelton line.  This is getting moved to 2013.  I’m hung up on the Connor and Price lines and if I segue to Shelton, I’ll just prove I have severe ADD.
11.     Write at least one post per week on genealogy blog and family blog.  Oops.  Epic fail.  Will try harder going forward.
12.     Do not get sidetracked by other projects.  I’ve done okay on this one, with the exception of the pension file taking up time.  But if I move Shelton out, I can still work on the book for the Civil War and the Chicken Wings and Peas.  Books books books.

In addition to these goals, I also am coordinating two new special interest groups for my local genealogical society.  I do a writing group once a month and a lunch-n-learn featuring different topics.  

And I have two young children.  And I work full time.

Not.  Too.  Shabby.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Hotel (Not) California


One of my favorite moments featuring the 1940 census was live-emailing with my dad on April 2 as we walked the town of Midland, South Dakota through the census together.  I found his grandparents living in the hotel and while I emailed him that, he pulled up Google Earth and emailed me a picture of the hotel.  Then he told me which room they were in.  He knew this because years later, when he ran away from a farm that he’d been working on at 15, he went to the Midland hotel and asked for a room. The owner recognized his name and asked if he wanted to stay in the same room his grandparents had lived in.  

So Dad described the room and the hotel to me in email while I looked up the history of the hotel and sent it to him.

Someday, I too will stay in the Midland Hotel.  In that very same room.

It’s in the cards.  Or maybe just the census.  But still...

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday: The Connors


A very nice person granted my request for a photo of my third great grandfather and his wife's grave on Find-A-Grave.  Made my day (which was also my birthday!).

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=93719795

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Civil War Pension File- Miles Price Deposition


Miles Price was my 3rd great grandfather, shown here.  For many years I have looked for his parents and I was hopeful that his pension file would give me clues.  Well, I didn’t find any well-documented pages of full genealogies, but in going through the depositions, I found many clues to his life pre-Civil War and many other things that were just plain interesting. Here are some of the things you might find in a Civil War pension file for your ancestors.

Emmaline (Markham) Price and Miles Price


Deposition A
Case of Miles Price, No. 450953

On this 28th day of March, 1890, at Zero, County of Lucas, State of Iowa, before me, __ E  Burman, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Miles Price, the claimant, who being by me first duty sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this Special Examination of afore-said pension claim deposes and says:

I am 52 years old, a farmer and always have been.  Zero, Lucas Co., IA is my post office address.  I am the identical Miles Price who enlisted in Co. A 16th Ill Inft, April 18th, 1861 (sworn in in May 1861) and was transferred to Co G 1st US Vet Vol Engineers, and was finally discharged at Nashille, Tenn Sept 26, 1865, since which date I have never been in the US military or naval service.  I lived near Bushnell, McDonough Co., IL for three years previous to my enlistment.

My claim for invalid pension is based on disease of throat and lungs result of measles contract at Hannibal, MO. in the month of Jun 1861.  I had a severe attack of the measles and had the flu at the same time.  Watson was the name of the surgeon who treated me.  After I was taken down with the measles I with others was taken to Palmyra, about sixteen miles north of Hannibal and placed in a small house that had been deserted and it was here that Surgeon Watson treated me.  He treated me up to the 3rd of July, 1861 when he gave me a thirty days sick furlough and I returned to Bushnell, Ill.  This furlough was extended two weeks by or through Sergeant CC Morris now living in Springfield, Ill.  Richard Speake was home on sick furlough too and his furlough was also extended by Morris.   My furlough was not extended on what is called Medical Certificate.  Morris was at home recruiting when my furlough was extended.  At the time I enlisted and when I was on furlough in July 1861, I was making my home with Mr. Asa B. Markham of Bushnell, IL but whose post office address is now Bardolph, McDonough Co, Il.   After having the measles, I took cold which settled on my lungs and I have had a trouble of throat and lungs ever since.  I had not fully recovered from the measles while I was home in July 1861 and don't think my lungs were effected then.  I took cold while down with the measles, but I don't think it had effected my lungs so that it was noticeable until after I had returned to the command from furlough.

When were your lungs and throat first affected?
I think it was the first winter I was out- the winter of 1861and 1862.  I had soreness through the lungs and throat and after a tightness.   I went to Sergeant Watson and he gave me a cough syrup.  I had a cough and this medicine was given to me for it.  I think it was at St. Joseph, MO in the winter of '61 and '62 that Watson gave me the cough syrup.

In the winter of 1862 and 1963 at both Nashville and Stone River, I got medicine, but I am not sure whether it was for my lungs or not.

I know I had a cold and that is why I think it was for my lungs.  Whenever I would get a cold it would settle on my lungs and cause me to cough and have severe pains in and soreness on the lungs.  I don't remember of any sergeant of the regiment other than Watson ever giving me medicine for my lungs. 

Abut two days after the Stone River fight (Jan 1863) I was detailed to the Pioneer Corps and didn't see much of the boys of the company after that.

In December 1863 I returned to Company A 16th Ill lnft and veteranized.  I remained with the command until sometime in July 1865 when I was transferred to the Engineers. after which I saw no more of the company I first went out with.  Two men from each company were transferred to the Engineers and a man name Adams (Full name and address unknown) and I went from Co. A 16th Ill Vols.

I did not require any treatment for my lungs and throat after I joined the Engineers.   Whenever I would strike a town, I would purchase cough syrup and carry it with me particularly during the winter months.  We had surgeons connected with the Engineers but none of them was treating me.  The companies would be sent here and there on work that would arise, so that we hardly ever had enough men together to make a battalion- each battalion usually had a surgeon.

While at Chattanooga., TN in Sept 1865 I was taken sick and was put on a train and taken to Nashville and placed in a hospital.  I don't know what ailed me and couldn’t give the name of the hospital.  I was there just two days and left the hospital and joined the regiment at Nashville.  No Sir. I did not come over from Chattanooga to Nashville with my regiment but came over in a hospital train ahead of the regiment.  This is all the hospital treatment I received.

By whom can you prove that you contracted measles and resulting disease of throat and lungs?
Surgeon Louis Watson, Ellis, Ellis Co, Kansas
Capt. B. F. Pinckly, Girard, Crawford Co, Kansas
Clark C. Morris or Morse. Springfield, Co, Ill.
Henry H. Gash (ditto)

What persons will probably know of your physical condition while you were with the Engineers?
William Shields, Ripley, Adams Co. Il
I cannot refer you to any one else unless it is Adams and his address is unknown to me.

As soon as I was discharged I returned to Bushnell, Ill where I lived until about 1876 when I came to this vicinity here. I have since resided.

The first winter after I came home, Dr. Markham treated me for throat and lung trouble and after this I didn't receive treatment until I came to this state.  While in Ill, I used Hall's Balsam purchased from a druggist named Frisbee, then doing business in  Bushnell.  Dr. Markham is dead.  I can prove my physical condition from discharge to 1876 by
Asa B. Markham, Bardolph. McDonough Co, IL (2 mi NW)
Druggist Frisbie Bushnell (ditto)
Henry McElvin Sr. (ditto)

I cannot think of others at present but perhaps Markham can refer Special Examiner to some one, if deemed necessary.

Since I came to this State, I have been treated by Dr. CB Powell of Albia,. Monroe Co., IA (formerly of Russell, IA).  Dr. Trowbridge and Dr. Hawk.  Dr. Trowbridge is some place in Arkansas, but I have not been able to ascertain his address.  Dr. Hawk now resides in Denver, CO.  I refer you to Dr. Powell, Jno C Davis, Joel Whittlesey and Thomas S. Crozier, as to my health since I came here.  I have never had any hemorrhages of the lungs.  My trouble manifests itself by pain and soreness through the chest and a great deal of cough.  No, there is never any blood mixed with my expectorations.  In damp weather my throat troubles me a great deal.  It seems to get raw and I can then scarcely swallow.  I never had any throat or lung afflictions prior to enlistment.  I wasn't very much disabled for four or five years immediately following the war, except when I would take cold.  I consider now that I am 3/4 disabled any way.  I fully understand and comprehend the questions that have been preponded and my answers are correctly recorded.

It is signed by Miles Price.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Northern California Family History Expo-Day 2

Today's classes that I took started with Genealogy on the Go with Roots Magic's Michael Booth. I jotted down a number of new ideas and website and applications.

After that I went to Gena Philibert Ortega's class about the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. I didn't win the 9 courses, but now I know I will be paying for at least that many.

Stories to Tell (Biff and Nancy Barnes) then had a class on book design. I know I've made so many mistakes in my Grampa book. Next time I'm hiring Biff and Nancy.

I had never heard Arlene Eakle speak before so I attended her Irish genealogy class. Sadly, I didn't read the syllabus. The class is on Irish coming to America. I still picked up a lot of ideas even though my Irish went to Scotland.

Today I had lunch with Sheri Fenley and Kim Von Aspern-Parker and a table of other expo goers. The hotel had a buffet out with lasagna and whatnot, which was very nice.

Other highlights were getting a copy of Paul Larsen's Genealogy Toolbox and talking to Biff and Nancy Barnes, as well as Frankel & Fisch, who gave me some great ideas. Also, Michael Booth of Roots Magic gave me a copy of Personal Historian to give away to the L-AGS writing group. I told him I'd purchased a copy for that purpose, but after his class yesterday I knew I wasn't giving it up. He went to his booth and grabbed one for me to give away. I will need to think of some sort of contest now...

Next up is the closing speech and final raffle. Here's hoping I win!



Friday, July 6, 2012

Family History Expo- Day 1

The Expo is living up to my expectations and then some. I took a Roots Magic class and a Personal Historian class. I bought both at the Southern California Jamboree but they are still in the boxes... Time to rectify that. I intend to use RM for my "clean data" and slowly move from FTM.

At Jamboree, I got Personal Historian to see if it would be something I'd recommend to the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society writing group that I lead. I had no intention of using it, figuring that Word did just fine for me. I don't need writing prompts or fodder- I can write stories 'til they are coming out your ears. But after today? Not only will I recommend it, but I may make it mandatory. LOVE IT!

I also took a class about libraries by Gena Philibert Ortega. I had never heard her speak before and she is amazing. I really like her style of lecture and may revisit my schedule tomorrow to see if I can fit more of her classes in. And if not? There is the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. She has a class on that tomorrow...

The last class of the night was by Angela Kraft and it was called Beyond Names and Dates. She is giving this talk at our society meeting on Tuesday, but I have to miss it. Since this is what I love (beyond names and dates) I was glad to get to hear the talk afterall.

So far my only complaints are the same as everywhere. It's too hot or too cold. The restaurant is too crowded.

So in essence, no complaints and I really do love the Family History Expos. I had a great time meeting fellow bloggers and learning that people call me the Meerkat Manor Lady.

Off to the Expo

I'm leaving soon for the Northern California Family History Expo and am so excited!  I can't wait to fill my brain with information.  Technology willing, I'll be posting my notes from there.  Have a wonderful weekend!  And if you are at the Expo, please find me and introduce yourself.  I would love to meet you.