Genealogy & Stone Hunting

[Miriam C.]

Good Morning guys and gals. Lynn I would love a picture of a relative but I have to ask Mike where first. He is the one who gets deep into genealogy. What a wonderful trip for you. We would love to do this but Mike has to retire first.

[Lynn Coleman]

I just tried to catch up on this thread, so I may have missed it if it was mentioned. I have to find the link again that I used to access the site; but I was able to track down the original manifests from Ellis Island (and some of the other minor ports of dis-embarkation).

If you find that link do share it. I don't have anyone in my family that came through Ellis. But many people do.

My husband's family entered through NY but long before Ellis Island. They were Dutch and one of the early families to arrive. I haven't spent a lot of time on my husband's line yet but I hope to before I go north so I can track down some of his family line as well.

I can't recall if I mentioned this or not but Paul's and my line merge eight generations back. It was quite a shock to learn I married my cousin. Of course, I don't care, . In fact, I'm surprised our lines don't cross more.

Lynn

[Lynn Coleman]

:thumbsup: Good Morning guys and gals. Lynn I would love a picture of a relative but I have to ask Mike where first. He is the one who gets deep into genealogy. What a wonderful trip for you. We would love to do this but Mike has to retire first.

I hear ya. Paul isn't too crazy about this trip but he's letting me go. I'm trying to arrange it so that he can fly up to MA. for a week while I'm there. I'd do all the driving up and down but he'd get to fly in for a week. Hmm, that doesn't quite sound fair. But then again, we built the trailer for me to travel in.

Lynn

[PresTx82]

I recently was directed to a web site maintained by "distant" family and people in and around a town that my family lived 100 years ago until the 1940s. On this website it seems everyone visits the graveyards and takes pictures of the grave stones and uploads them to the website. The stones are all alphabetized with stories for some of them. I found numerous relatives (stones) that gave me additional information for my research project. These town folk tell stories of their history of the area and seem like a tight little group. I'm glad I found them.

[Lynn Coleman]

I recently was directed to a web site maintained by "distant" family and people in and around a town that my family lived 100 years ago until the 1940s. On this website it seems everyone visits the graveyards and takes pictures of the grave stones and uploads them to the website. The stones are all alphabetized with stories for some of them. I found numerous relatives (stones) that gave me additional information for my research project. These town folk tell stories of their history of the area and seem like a tight little group. I'm glad I found them.

Nice find, Mark. I hope to get as many stones as possible. I know I can't get Nathan Putnam's stone because in 1972 or 3 it was destroyed by vandals. I read that in a town history. I would have loved to have gotten his because my brother now owns his rifle that he used in the American Revolutionary War. In other town records, he's recorded as being one of many who voted for independence. I'll be writing up a history of him asap. I'm going to contact the town hall in Sutton and see if they have any other writings of his, he was an esquire too, so there might be other records.

Lynn
Who was able to knock down a brick wall in the family genealogy this weekend that's been there for 8 years.

[MsDana]

How does one leave information at the library. Is there a form to fill out? I'd love to pass along what I've found and make it easier for the next person.

Lynn

Years ago I was very entrenched in geneology. The church of laterday saints is a great place to start. They were very nice to me. I spent hours in their liabrarys and never once did someone try to convert me. Heres the thing..the answer to your question. They will store your data..and deep in a salt mine...but you have to have documentation for every step you make or they will reject it.

Dana

[Miriam C.]

Hey Lynn, if you are going to Boston and get a chance to go to Duxbury Mass. I would really love a picture of the John and Priscilla Alden's stones and the house if you just want to mess around. The graves are in Miles Standish Burial grounds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Stan ... ial_Ground

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duxbury,_Massachusetts

Have fun and wouldn't this make a great book.

[Lynn Coleman]

Hey Lynn, if you are going to Boston and get a chance to go to Duxbury Mass. I would really love a picture of the John and Priscilla Alden's stones and the house if you just want to mess around. The graves are in Miles Standish Burial grounds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Stan ... ial_Ground

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duxbury,_Massachusetts

Have fun and wouldn't this make a great book.

They are on my list, of course that's because they are a relative, I take it we're related in a long about way?

Lynn

[hotrod]

In all your diggings back to the mayflower have you seen any mention of a person that went by the name of "thankful maker"? One of my aunts has traced things way back and I think I may have relation that was on the mayflower. This has not been brought up around family for a couple decades.. I think she has the paperwork too.. Just keep your eyes peeled. Thanks!!Paul

[Miriam C.]

Hey Lynn, if you are going to Boston and get a chance to go to Duxbury Mass. I would really love a picture of the John and Priscilla Alden's stones and the house if you just want to mess around. The graves are in Miles Standish Burial grounds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Stan ... ial_Ground

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duxbury,_Massachusetts

Have fun and wouldn't this make a great book.

They are on my list, of course that's because they are a relative, I take it we're related in a long about way?

Lynn

Well cousin,,,,,,,,,,John Alden, my Great Grandfather 14 generations back on my fathers side. (if I did the numbers right) Boy were we surprised..........

(corrected)

[hotrod]

wow, that was easy,
I just googled thankful maker pilgrim and got sent right to the stephen hopkins geneology page.. I had never done that before. My great grandmother was a Chase and that in a nutshell is my ties to the beginning.. Thanks for this thread!! now I have something to do this afternoon or if you know me, the rest of my time on earth. I tend to obsess with things like this....

[Lynn Coleman]

wow, that was easy,
I just googled thankful maker pilgrim and got sent right to the stephen hopkins geneology page.. I had never done that before. My great grandmother was a Chase and that in a nutshell is my ties to the beginning.. Thanks for this thread!! now I have something to do this afternoon or if you know me, the rest of my time on earth. I tend to obsess with things like this....

You're not the only. I'll be in the Mayflower area/PLymouth, MA. but not for too long. Most of my family seemed to leave Plymouth and settled for land further out.

Today I've been tracking things in Harvard, Billerica, Concord & Chelmsford, MA.

Lynn

[Lynn Coleman]

Well cousin,,,,,,,,,,John Alden, my Great Grandfather 14 generations back on my mothers side. (if I did the numbers right) Boy were we surprised..........

John and Priscilla are 13 generations back for me. Does that make me older than you?

Lynn

[Betsey]

I just tried to catch up on this thread, so I may have missed it if it was mentioned. I have to find the link again that I used to access the site; but I was able to track down the original manifests from Ellis Island (and some of the other minor ports of dis-embarkation).

If you find that link do share it. I don't have anyone in my family that came through Ellis. But many people do.

Lynn

First, let me say that I have really enjoyed following this thread. I am so excited for all of you who are involved in genealogical research. It is a challenge, a puzzle, can be frustrating and lots of fun!

I just came back from a trip to NYC and had the opportunity to visit Ellis Island with my son. I have several ancestors who came into the U.S. through Ellis. It was a very moving experience to walk where 13 million people had passed before, tour the museum and learn of all the checkpoints a person had to pass in order to enter this country.

One of my great grandfathers came through Ellis at the turn of the (20th)century. My mother remembers him living with her family, up until he passed away, when she was a young girl. I wrote his history when I was in college and included many pictures and documents, including his passport. He always said he came through Ellis (he was 14 and by himself) but even though we had all the dates, we could never find out for sure. I belong to the Ellis Island Foundation and a few years ago, I was once again searching for his name on the passenger manifests. I finally found it...it was mispelled (not uncommon). It was really something to read. As my son was named after him, the trip to Ellis was an extra special one for both of us.

My mother has been an avid genealogist for over 50 years and my mother-in-law, too. Now I'm the "next link in the chain" for expanding the search, inheriting their collections and continuing their work.

I can remember many trips as a child travelling all over New England (I'm from New Hampshire) looking for the relatives (stones and lost/undocumented graveyards), town hall records, books, homesteads, visiting distant living relatives and helping my mom fill out all kinds of paper work/letters, requesting a variety of certificates, documents and histories. She has amassed quite a collection of photos (literally thousands), letters, certificates of every kind, and lots of old family history books. She is known as the family storyteller and record keeper and makes sure all of her grandchildren know who they are and who their ancestors were. My mother-in-law is the same and has also compiled and published several individual as well as family histories.

This country is so rich in the history of those who came before us. For me, being involved in researching my ancestors has given me a better understanding of who I am and a great reverence and appreciation for those who came before me, working hard to make a better life here for themselves and their families. Be they as far back as the Puritans or as recent as 1900, they all have a story of great importance to me.

I encourage anyone who has the slightest inclination to get involved in their family history. It will change your life in ways you never expected. And if you don't preserve those records and write down those stories, who will?

For anyone wanting to research Ellis Island passenger lists, go here:

http://www.ellisisland.org/

You can also find information/pictures of the ship they came on.

Sorry this is so long winded, but when I am passionate about something, I have a difficult time keeping it concise.

Betsey

[Rem]

Anyone interested in geneology should determine if they know any Latter=Day-Saints or inquire at a local church. Many have geneology classes through the week along with access to very exstensive records