Book Of The Week: History of Cass County, Michigan

History of Cass County, Michigan

Unigraphic, Incorporated, 1882 - 

Cass County (Mich.) - 

432 pages

©2017 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Book Of The Week: HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, MICHIGAN

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, MICHIGAN: 

together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.

history of Michigan : embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, aborigines, French, English and American conquests, and a general review of its civil, political and military history..

Chicago: Inter-State Pub. Co., 1881.

©2017 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Book Of The Week: The History of Detroit and Michigan

The History of Detroit and Michigan:

Or, The Metropolis Illustrated; a Chronological Cyclopaedia of the Past and Present, Including a Full Record of Territorial Days in Michigan, and the Annals of Wayne County

Silas Farmer

S. Farmer & Company, 1884 - Detroit (Mich.) - 1024 pages

©2017 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Tools For The Dig: State Focused Research | Michigan

State Focused Research | Michigan

Some of my favorite research sites are slightly off-radar by today's definition.

First I'd like to talk about Genealogy Trails. From their homepage: "Our goal is to help you track your ancestors through time by transcribing genealogical and historical data and placing it online for the free use of all researchers. We are all about adding data for you to use in researching your family lines!!!We know that what you're looking for is data -- and we have LOTS of it right here. 
Our hosts work continuously to bring you fresh, interesting and NEW data (well.... as new as hundred year old data can be!!!)" Pretty much everything you need to know to begin your Michigan research is contained within the pages of  Michigan Genealogy Trails. This is a thorough, well thought out site - and they are always looking for volunteers!

Companion Yahoo! Group: Genealogy Trails/Upper_Midwest

Next up, RAOGK. Another volunteer site. A treasure trove of links, well organized and easy to understand. From this site you can request look-ups from a team of Michigan volunteers. Or add you name to the volunteer list if Michigan is your home-base.

MIGenWeb is an oldie but a goody! Volunteer based also, this database was founded in 1996! From their home page: "MIGenWeb isn’t an ordinary genealogy website. Ordinary websites are those where text and sometimes pretty pictures are present, but trying to get in touch with a real person to help you with your research… impossible. The strength of MIGenWeb is its many volunteers, some of whom have spent over a decade assisting others with their Michigan research. Using our county page visit the Michigan county your ancestors lived in and first try and find any information the county may freely provide on their pages (most have some sort of search built in). If the particular fact isn’t available online, then reach out to the county coordinator (cc) and they will try and assist you as best they can. Most county coordinators have their email address available on their website, though some will use contact forms."

Linkpendium is another all around resource hub. So What is Linkpendium, Anyway? "Linkpendium is a 10,000,000+ resource directory to everything on the Web about families worldwide and genealogically-relevant information about U.S. states and counties. We cover both free and subscription sites, with a strong emphasis upon free resources provided by libraries, other government agencies, genealogical and historical societies, and individuals. We are particularly proud of our unique indexes to online biographies."

Check Michigan Family History Network  "Data For Every County in Michigan!" From their homepage: "The Michigan Family History Network was created in 1999 to house data that we had and wanted to share with other researchers."


FamilySearch:
Michigan State Wiki
Michigan State Catalog
Michigan Online Genealogy Records


State societies and archives include:
Michigan Genealogical Council
Historical Society of Michigan
Seeking Michigan


A comprehensive list of newspapers can be found at The Ancestor Hunt's Michigan page.


For social context look at LOC Michigan Collection,  DPLA Michigan Hub and Seeking Michigan


As I discover more resources I'll update this post. Do you have any Michigan favorites that I've missed? Please share!


©2017 Anne Faulkner - Ancestor Archaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Field Notes: Write It Out - New Writing Contests For 2017

Ohio Genealogical Society Writing Competition
1 January - 1 March 2017

OGS is sponsoring its genealogical writing contest to reward amateur and professional genealogical authorship and to fill the pages of its renowned journals with quality articles. All entries fitting the criteria will be considered for publication in Ohio Genealogy News (OGN) or the Ohio Genealogical Society Quarterly (OGSQ). Editors will select the appropriate journal for each winning article. Both OGS members and non-members are able to compete. Only unpublished entries are eligible.

Prizes will be awarded as follows:

$50 Grand Prize for highest scoring article (in either category) - one prize given
$25 Prize for next highest scoring article in each category - two prizes given
$15 Prize for next highest scoring article in each category - two prizes given

Articles must be properly cited following the guidelines in standard works by Elizabeth Shown Mills, MLA, or APA.

Entries will be accepted from 1 January 2017 through 1 March 2017 and must be submitted according to The Ohio Genealogical Society Writing Contest Rules and Style Guide available on the OGS website or by e-mail request to writingcontest@ogs.org

For questions please contact writingcontest@ogs.org

See full description HERE


2017 WMGS Writing Contest (Western Michigan Genealogical Society)

~ A Sense of Place ~

All family historians and genealogists, except the Michigana Editor and judges, are invited to submit their favorite story for the contest. There is no entry fee and membership in WMGS is not required.

Location, Location, Location
Our ancestors moved, settled and moved again. Place often determines occupation, educational opportunities, and even the materials used in building a home. For the 2017 WMGS Writing Contest, entries should focus on the Great Lakes Region (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Ontario, and Pennsylvania). WMGS has worked for over 60 years to educate researchers in evaluating and citing sources. Your story may inspire someone else to use new research techniques or discover a unique resource. The 2017 Writing Contest will recognize unpublished excellent genealogical writing by awarding substantial prizes.

Prize winning entries will be published in Michigana. Like all submissions to Michigana, entries will be thoroughly edited before publication.

The prizes:
1st prize: $100 and 1 annual WMGS membership (total value - $120)
2nd prize: $75 and 1 annual WMGS membership (total value - $95)
3rd prize: $50
4th prize: $25

Winners will be announced in May.

We would love to hear your story. Write it up and enter the 2017 writing contest! Start your project now!  Entries will be accepted between January 1 & March 30, 2017. Full rules and entry information can be found on the downloadable and printable form HERE.


The Dallas Genealogical Society
2017 Writing Competition
January 1 - March 31, 2017

Seeking original material submitted by members and non-members, hobbyists and professionals. Length of articles may be from 1500 to 5000 words. Only original material not previously published elsewhere in any format is eligible. Winners are eligible for publication in Pegasus: Journal of the Dallas Genealogical Society.

Subject Matter: While DGS has a goal of preserving Dallas history, topics may range beyond the Dallas city and county geographic area only as specified below:

● advanced methodologies and case studies emphasizing an approach to a problem are not limited by geography

● family histories and genealogies must be linked to North Texas (as defined below), including those families who came from or left to settle elsewhere than North Texas

● historically interesting events in North Texas must include a connection with a local family

● histories of ethnic or military groups, or of neighborhoods and houses, must be specific to North Texas 

(North Texas: defined as the area that includes northern counties along the Red River from Fannin to Hardeman counties, eastern counties from Fannin to Limestone counties, southern counties from Limestone to Runnels counties, western counties from Runnels to Hardeman counties, with all interior counties within these boundaries; also counties which were included in the pre-Republic political boundaries of Nacogdoches.)

The historical time period covers from Pre-Republic days to the 1940 census.

Awards:
First Prize: $500
Second Prize: $300
Third Prize: $150

Winners will be announced in May 2017 .

Complete contest rules can be found HERE. Entry form can be found HERE.

Do you know of other writing contests? Have you ever entered a writing contest? Please share your thoughts and/or experience!

©2107 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

The Mysterious Jennie Whitford Faulkner (52 Ancestors #1)

Jennie M Whitford is my 2nd great grandmother on my paternal side. She, like many female ancestors, is hard to research. I have made a few discovers, but she remains largely a mystery.

Jennie was born about 1835 in either Ohio or Michigan depending on which U.S. Census  you are looking at. She first appears in the 1860 census recorded as being born in Ohio. The 1870 census lists Michigan for her birthplace and the 1880 census again lists Ohio as her birthplace.

She married Harrison Faulkner, my 2nd great grandfather, on May 1, 1856 in Grass Lake Michigan. From the Jackson Citizen Patriot dated May 15, 1856: "Faulkner, Harrison and Miss Jenni M Whitford, both of Grass Lake, m. in Grass Lake, May 1, 1856, by Rev. C. R. Pattison."

Mrs. Harry Faulkner of Faribault

So, I know she was living in Michigan in 1856. I have not been able to find any record of her prior to this wedding announcement. Her parents remain a mystery. How did she get to Grass Lake? I can find no other Whitford's listed in the early Michigan census' at this time.

By 1860 she and Harrison are living in Faribault MN with their first child, Arthur, who was born in MN in 1859. (Second son Lloyd, b. 1862 and third son Louis, b. 1864, in Faribault as well. I can find no record of any other children born to this couple.) Interestingly, in this census there are listed two additional household members. Sarah Woodford age 16 and James Nichols age 10. Both born in MI. The children's relationship is not noted. I have always wondered if Sarah might be Jennie's younger sister. And if that is true then which surname might be correct? And who is James Nichols? Neither Sarah nor James appear in the household after the 1860 census.

On May 29, 1878 Jennie is granted a divorce from Harrison. Why? I'd love to know!

By 1880 Jennie is employed as a tailoress, still living in Faribault with her three teenage sons.

In 1885 she has moved to St Paul, MN and is listed in the city directory as Jane Faulkner (wid Harrison) residing with her three sons. Harrison, apparently following his family, is found living several blocks away.

Jennie died Feb 29, 1888 in St Paul. She was only 53. Her middle son, Lloyd, had become a successful doctor by this time and she was living with him at the time of her death. There is a record of the obituary in the Dalby Database, but I have been unsuccessful at finding either the actual obituary or the death certificate. It is claimed she was buried in Faribault MN, but that has yet to be discovered. Several other family members were cremated and I suspect that Jennie was too.

Interestingly, shortly after Jennie's death Harrison returned to Faribault where he remained until his death in 1905. The three sons remained in St. Paul.

Relook Early and Often: You Just Might Solve A Mystery!

Last January 2015 I wrote my first 52 Ancestors bio about my 2nd great grandmother Jennie Whitford Faulkner. I felt I had exhausted my search for the time being and was resigned to be content with not knowing the answers I was seeking. I put Jennie aside and moved forward with other ancestors.

Last week, to my utter surprise, I was contacted by a second cousin's wife. She had come across a letter I had written to him several years earlier and was curious if he had ever made contact with me. Short answer was no. But I had moved on and made significant discoveries in the time since I had first penned the letter.  

Eager to share my new discoveries I began taking a relook at the family we have in common.

Fresh eyes (quite literally) and a year of intense genealogical immersion allowed me to see things in a new light.

I revisited Jennie and laid out all the facts I had amassed. I created a new working tree in Ancestry dot com and titled it "Jennie Whitford Mystery". I plugged in everything I knew, the things I suspected, and a few questions. Then I went to work.

I kept coming back to the 1860 census. As I wrote previously, I was really curious as to who the 10 year old boy named James Nichols was who was living in Jennie's household. A little brother perhaps? Did her mother remarry? (And who was her mother?) So I was a little surprised when the second hint that appeared when I hit the "search" bar was for a marriage between Jane Whitford and Daniel Nichols in 1849.  (I knew that in later life Jennie had gone by Jane, and I had included that in the search.)

Clicking on it got me this:

Drat! Ok. I jumped over to Family Search and plugged in the info from the record and ......... Bing, Bing, Bing!!! Found this!

Oh. Jane. You were only sixteen! And who were the witnesses? E. M. Whitford and Elizabeth Whitford. I would suspect that at least one parent had to witness to give consent for a minor. Elizabeth may well be her mother, E. M. could be male or female. Father? Brother? Sister? Add that to the "to solve" list for now.

If this is my Jennie/Jane, then the 10 year old James living with her in 1860 was most certainly her child! (Happy dance ensued)

But before I got ahead of myself I wanted to check this new theory, so I utilized the aid of PFTs (public family trees). Normally I have these "hints" turned off, but now I wanted to see if other researchers had these people in their trees too.

FamilySearch had one entry with the right "keyword" for me: Faulkner. But no detail.

Ancestry brought me zip. So I searched through James Nichols and found this:

Opening it and then clicking on James' mother Jennie gave me this!

On the right track indeed!! But the "sources" were merely notations of people's names and email addresses. Messaging the tree owner brought no better results. 

BUT, I have solved the James Nichols mystery and have some new leads to follow. 

And a new mystery afoot. 

Jane, now Jennie, married my 2nd great grandfather in 1856 and went on to have three more children. Her first husband Daniel also remarried in 1856 and had another seven children.

Ironically, Jennie divorced her second husband in 1878 and went back to being Jane shortly thereafter.

Oh, to have a time machine!!