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Genealogy is like a giant jigsaw puzzle gradually revealing a mysterious picture, but instead of a box with a picture of the finished puzzle, you are the picture. Learning who your ancestors were reveals the pieces of the puzzle that is you - beyond the person you see in the mirror. It starts out as a blur, but with each new piece found, the blur begins to come into focus. It has a way of changing our perspective and telling us that we have been on a long journey, spanning many generations, bringing us to the place we are today. When we lose our family history, we lose the valuable lessons our ancestors learned along the journey - the ones they often paid for with their lives. We grow wiser by learning from their experiences as they faced problems common to mankind today and from the beginning - the struggle for survival among natural disasters, sickness, disease, oppression, greed, and other obstacles we haven't even considered. History teaches us that our decisions impact the future, just as the decisions of our ancestors have impacted our lives today, in one way or another. Feuding neighbors in the 14th century could easily share descendants today. Imagine, two of your 5th great-grandfather's face to face in battle. If they had known that they would both end up in your family tree, would they have been more brotherly and kind toward each other? This is the greatest lesson of researching one's family history. We realize we are all connected. By cheating or oppressing a stranger today, you may be harming your great-grandchildren down the road. History teaches us that we should be kind to all and I believe that society's overall disconnection with history has led to more greed, corruption, and general unkindness in the world. No matter how pleasant or unpleasant the journey was for your ancestors, the fact that you are reading this is evidence that they were survivors with sufficient ability and strength to leave a seed that survives today - you. Unlike billions who died throughout history without having children, your ancestors left a seed that still lives and breathes today, leaving copies of their genetic code in your DNA, which physically define your genetic traits. Advances in the study of genetics are astonishing, but I believe they're just beginning to scratch the surface of the vast complexity of the human genome. It is fascinating to view DNA matches on Ancestry, though. If you're interested in being tested, you can get your test on Amazon. It's a great time for genealogy, that's for sure! With DNA testing and the multitude of resources available online at your fingertips, from the comfort of your own home, it's now easier than ever to trace your family's history. I began tracing mine in the year 2000 when I knew nothing beyond my grandparents and some great-grandparents. With a lot of work and help from others, I have since discovered the identities of several hundred of my ancestors and, of course, we're still finding more. MyGenealogyAddiction.com was created to share my finds and generate interest in family history. If we share ancestors, you can find information about any common ancestors we share by clicking My Family in the site menu at the top of the page. You can also choose a State from the dropdown menu at the top of the page to see my (or our) ancestors who were born, married, died, or buried in that State, as well as any resources for finding records in that State. From each State's page, you can choose a County and see the same - a map of the County, a list of towns in the County, my (or our) ancestors born, married, died or buried in the County and any known resources for the County. Finally, if you select a Town, you can see a map of the town, my (or our) ancestors born, married, buried or died in the Town, and any known resources or historical books about the town. On these pages, you can click on the ancestor's name to go to their profile where any information I've collected, including records, photos, or other memorabilia pertaining to the person can be found there. You might also enjoy the Family Album, the Wall of Honor, featuring my 40+ veteran grandfathers, or the Virtual Family Cemetery. Subscribe for updates and if you have anything to contribute and share with us all, please contact me. Family or not, you're welcome to use my Genealogy Dashboard with links to the many places I go to find free genealogy records online - biographies, cemetery records, census records, church records, foreign records, immigration records, maps, marriage records, land records, newspapers, military records, photographs, vital records and more! Search or browse by record type or choose a State from the dropdown list at the top of the page to view maps and resources for the State. Like, share and subscribe for updates! #memes #genealogy #humor

Voting is every American's civic duty, but don't just vote, vote smart! Research the candidates to insure they are honest and capable representatives of the people. For more information on how to register and vote in elections, an informative summary is found here. Click here for a list of all United States elections since 1788. Click here to see the Presidential Gallery. #sticker #vote #voted #patriotic #flag #election #voting #pins #America

It is hard to imagine that just a few centuries ago, some of my ancestors called Wales their home. It inspires visions of castles, kingdoms, and medieval villages of people living the simple life. Digging into Welsh history, however, reveals the difficulties the Welsh endured. It was Welsh resistance against the invading nations that seemingly gave them a reputation for being fighters. With invading Romans, Gaels, Normans and Anglo-Saxons, not to mention Viking raids, they had two choices - fight or be conquered. They chose to fight for Wales, century after century and have maintained their land, their name, and their identity. The word for Wales is the Welsh language is "Cymru", pronounced kim-roo. The name "Wales" derives from the Ango-Saxon "Wealas", meaning foreigners. Welsh people are called "Cymraeg" or "Cymry", meaning "Compatriots". The country's motto is "Cymru am byth", meaning "Wales Forever". All my life, I thought my Welsh blood came from my maternal grandfather's side of the family. This was what he was told and since both his first and last names are both Welsh names, it seems highly plausible. His DNA test originally reported his Ethnicity Estimate as 70% "England, Wales, and Northern Europe", 15% Germanic Europe, 10% Sweden, and 5% Ireland and Scotland. Recently, however, the estimates have been updated and his ethnicity estimates are now 66% "England and Northwestern Europe", 21% Germanic Europe, 10% Scotland, and 3% Sweden. Notice, it now makes no mention of Wales? I assume the estimates will change again, but it seems unlikely to find as much Welsh as I expected him to have. My mother's DNA wasn't tested but my father's was, and since his results showed no sign of Wales, I assume the 6% Welsh that appears in my results must have come from my maternal grandmother's side. Perhaps my 3rd great-grandmother, Emma (Griffith) Robinson, is the contributor of my Welsh DNA? See more of my maternal grandmother's ancestors on the Dickinson page and the Decker page. If these DNA results are accurate, my ancestors from Wales are listed there somewhere. Hopefully I will find some documentation about my Welsh ancestry eventually. Stay tuned for updates! In closing, I recommend this fantastic Welsh folksong, sang beautifully by Eve Goodman. It is called "Dacw 'Nghariad", meaning "There is my Sweetheart". Enjoy! Translated lyrics: There is my sweetheart There is my sweetheart down in the orchard, Oh how I wish I were there myself, There is the house and there is the barn; There is the door of the cow house open. There is the gallant, branching oak, A vision, lovingly crowned. I will wait in her shade Until my love comes to meet me. There is the harp, there are her strings; What better am I, without anyone to play her for? There’s the delicate fair one, exquisite and full of life; What nearer am I, without having her attention? For more Welsh Music see this playlist (it's not mine either) on YouTube: Click here for my list of places to find Welsh genealogy and history. If you're interested in getting your DNA tested, Ancestry DNA is highly recommended! #pennsylvania #wales #welsh #gallery #folksong #song #music #reese #griffith #dickinson #foreign

"To prevent counterfeiters from reproducing the postage stamps" from their advertisements, the U.S. Postal Service crossed out the word "Forever" beneath Freedom, Liberty, Equality and Justice. (2012) Your thoughts? Comment below! #gallery #patriotic #America #fourfreedoms #forever

Click the play button to listen (from Archive.org) #America #memes #patriotic #veterans #pins #pinterest #flag #lyrics #folksong #song

Click here to see more #memes #pins #pinterest #life #accountability #gallery #quotes #inspiration

Here in this 1918 news advertisement we have "proof" that it wasn't uncommon for people (especially women) to be dishonest about their age. Even today, many people consider one's age to be privileged information! Others just weren't good at math or maybe they couldn't correctly recall what year someone was born. Census records can provide valuable clues about families and people, but unfortunately, they are not a reliable source for age or birth date or even birth place. "How old is Ma? She won't tell the census man". Bath Plaindealer 1916-1918 Bath, New York Click here to find census records online for free. Click here for loads of other resources! #census #genealogy #notablenews

Newspapers are a resource for finding all kinds of information. Hard to find vital records such as marriages, births, deaths, weddings, funerals, and so much more were often printed in the local paper, but you may come across other stories you never heard, too. You could find graduation notices, biographies, military honors, land grants, photographs or sketches, or you may find news about accidents, crimes, misfortunes, bankruptcies, and the list goes on. These paper trails provide valuable clues for the genealogist. Court matters such as the distribution of a will, or the transfer of property, can also prove to be very informative. The possibilities are endless. Visit the Newspapers page to find the sites you can use for searching old historic newspapers online or offline. Most are free. Take a look! #tips #newspapers #links #resources

If you had ancestors who worked in the coal mines, check out this great find! At the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission's site you can now view Coal Miner Records including employment cards, accident reports, and more. Take a look - click here (Pennsylvania Archives) Image: "The Miner", by George Luks. Get a copy of this print from Amazon. This reminds me of a song I heard a few years ago, which, even though I don't appear to have any coal mining ancestors, struck a chord. "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive", sang by Patty Loveless. I love this bluegrass song! (Not my song, channel or video...just enjoy!) Don't forget to bookmark my Free Genealogy Resources page! Share this page with your family and friends! #links #tips #pennsylvania #art #coalminer #photos #mining #miner

The genealogy bug bit me in 2000 when my mother showed me this old family photo that reminded me of Little House on the Prairie. I asked who the people were, and she told me all she knew was the baby on the lawn was her grandfather. I had to find out who they were. Never before had I had any serious interest in family history, but this photo really sparked my curiosity. Who was his father? Where did they live? Where did they come from? Who are the other two adults in the photo? Who are the other children? I began to search online and found the family relatively easily. The first find was the 1900 census. This family lived at 310 Gross Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, shown here: It turns out, this photo was taken right around the same time as the 1900 census. The census revealed to us that the other two adults in the photo were Anna's brother and sister, David and Emily Robinson, which told us her maiden name - Robinson! I also noticed they were born in England and came to America less than twenty years prior. Now I definitely had to know more - and I have found so much, but the hunger for more information is still not satisfied, and still the search continues. The Dickinson's home has been torn down and the space is now part of West Penn Hospital's yard. It was on the corner of Gross Street and Mend Way, shown here: Later, my great-uncle sent me a copy of the same photo, in much better condition. With the wider view this version provides, we can see Mend Way on the right side of the picture. It was an alley, which couldn't be seen in my mother's copy, above. It is true that knowing this information doesn't change anything about our lives today, but it brings them back into our minds to reflect upon the struggles and challenges they endured, enabling us to be here today - and for that we honor their memory by never forgetting. For more information, see the Dickinson page. Share this find with friends and family! #tips #genealogy #dickinson #pittsburgh #robinson #williamhenrydickinson #harrydickinson

Following are a few pieces of Leonard family history printed in books dedicated to other family names: Genealogical record of the Hodges family of New England - by Hodges, Almon D. (Almon Danforth), 1843-1878. Contains information on Abiah, Abigail, Abner, Albert Sanford, Almira, Amy, Asa Bradford, Belinda, Charles, Cromwell, Daniel H., Dinah, Edwin, Eliza Ann, Elisabeth, Elkanah, Ellen, Eloma, Elvira, Emeline, Emily, Ephraim, Eugene, Eunice, Eveline, Everett Russel, Experience, Fear, Freeman, George, George Russel, Georgia, Georgiana, Gustavus, Hannah, Harriet, Henry, Ichabod, Jacob, James, Jane, Jemima, Jerusha, Joanna, John, Jonathan, Joseph, Katherine, Keziah, Lee, Lemira, Levi, Levi Lyman, Lewis, Louise, Lurana, Lydia, Maria, Marrion, Martha, Mary, Mehitable, Meletiah, Nathaniel, Patience, Paul, Phebe, Rebecca, Rhoda, Sanford, Sarah, Serena, Sibyl, Simeon, Stella, Stephen, Theodora, Thomas, Timothy, William & Zebulon. (Note: Everett Russel Leonard on p. 259-260, son of George Russel Leonard of Norton, Mass., on p. 260, married Ellen Goward who was b. 1848. Also, Charles Leonard b. 1813, son of Lewis Leonard of Foxboro, Mass. and Bethiah Hodges). Account of the centennial celebration of the town of West Springfield, Mass. - by by J. N. Bagg. Mentions Nathaniel Leonard, Norman T. Leonard, Elias Leonard, Eliphalet Leonard, Enoch, Lewis, Joseph, Thankful and James. Also, on p. 139: Leonard is listed as being "Among the first settler and earliest families of the town". Notice on page 94, Mr. Nathaniel T. Leonard wrote a letter explaining the to the author, who the other Leonards in town were in relationship to him (excerpt): The Nicholas White Family 1643-1900 - by Thomas J. Lothrop, Taunton, Mass., 1902. The book's index contains more than two pages of Leonards from Abiel to Zephaniah. Early Years in Smyrna and our first Old home week - by George A. Munson, 1905. Contains information about Timothy Leonard of Smyra, a revolutionary soldier who died in 1830. Also, Joseph Leonard (a.k.a. Barney Leonard) and Deloss Leonard. Smyrna was incorporated in 1829. A man by the name of Russel Leonard conducted an axe factory in Upperville, Chenango County, New York. This page will be updated. Please feel free to add any books you know of in the comments! #leonard #books #tips

My great-grandmother had a little dog named Buster, who was her sidekick and faithful companion for many years. I remember her demonstrating Buster's skills and dedication during one of my visits to her home in upstate New York as a young girl. "Say Mama!", she commanded. "Rara", Buster replied obediently and with authority. When Great-Grandma died in 1988, Buster died very soon after, within days, from what I remember. I was told he died from a broken heart. Loyal to the end, his purpose had been fulfilled, bringing joy and happiness to his loving master. While writing this, I dug out Great-Grandma's photo album, searching for a picture of Buster. I found this one, dated Nov. 1970, which I believe is Buster! It's funny how those brief moments of happy memories come back to the surface after many years. I was reminded of Buster recently when I saw this sad story published in the New York Sun, October 23, 1936. Dog Dies of Broken Heart Kennett, Mo., (UP) - An 11-year-old rat terrier owned by Mrs. U. A. Presnell died when the boy who play with the dog moved from here. The dog refused to eat. Have you heard similar stories? Share in the comments below! #notablenews #dog #brokenheart #cleveland #ohio #presnell #kennett #missouri

Emma Dickinson was the daughter of Harry Dickinson and Annie (Robinson) Dickinson. Harry had moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Sheffield, England, with his parents, a brother, and a sister, in the 1870s. The Dickinson men worked as hammersmiths, a trade known to have been passed down by Harry's grandfather, a Sheffield hammersmith. Harry and Annie had nine known children between 1891 and 1911. The first six were born in Pittsburgh, including Emma, who was the second-born child. She was born on December 20, 1893. Harry's father had died in 1889 and his mother died in February of 1905, and that same year, Harry took his wife and kids and moved to Newark, New Jersey, where they lived on South 7th Street for many years. ​ They were there only eight years when Emma's 42-year old mother passed away. It was 1913 and 20-year old Emma was forced to step in as mother-figure to her younger brothers and sisters. A story passed down in the family is that when they still lived in Newark, Aunt Emma went for a visit at Fairmount Cemetery, where her mother is buried. She lost track of the time and when she was ready to leave, she found the wrought iron gates closed and locked. With no way of escaping, and dusk approaching, she called a passerby for help and the fire department had to use ladders to rescue her from the cemetery. In 1919 she kept her first diary, which must have been like a trusted friend to her. She reported her activities to the pages nearly every day. It was an outlet for her frustrations, her fears, and a place to state her goals. It was her leaving a record, letting us know that it was she who was caretaker of the family after her mother died. Whatever the reason she wrote the diary, she gave us a peek into their lives for a whole year - 1919. The pages of her diary give us information about the family that other records don't tell us. Emma never married or had children of her own, but she was largely involved in the raising of her younger siblings, whose descendants live on today partly because of her care, and for that we honor the life of Great-Aunt Emma, by preserving the memory of her. She died in August of 1968 and is buried in Blairstown in Cedar Ridge Cemetery with her father, a brother, a sister, and other family. Take a peek into the day-to-day life of a middle-class New Jersey family in 1919. Click here to read Emma's 1919 journal now (free). Alternatively, you can listed to an audio recording here: Want your own copy? The book "1919 by Emma Dickinson" is offered at a very low price and is listed on Amazon.com in two formats: Paperback Complete with photos of Emma and her family, the paperback edition is ideal for Emma's extended family members. Scanned images of her diary's pages are shown for authenticity, along with a typed transcriptions for each day, making it easier to read. Some events and subjects she speaks of, are explained in the book's Appendix. Her words and memory are now preserved with copies easily accessible at any time. 200 pages, 8.5" x 11". Kindle Edition This edition contains no images and contains the text only, for those interested in reading the transcribed entries. The Kindle edition can be read on most tablets, smartphones, and computers by downloading a free Kindle app. Details are on the book's page on Amazon. For more information about Emma's family, see the Dickinson page. More Background Emma Dickinson was the granddaughter of John Dickinson, an English immigrant born May of 1830 (or 1833) in Masbrough, a suburb of Rottherham in South Yorkshire, England. According to their marriage record, his father’s name as William Dickinson, a fitter. He married Elizabeth Reynolds in 1856 in Sheffield. She was born between 1833-1836 in Wakefield, daughter of Thomas Reynolds, a plasterer. John and Elizabeth Dickinson started their family in Sheffield, England. In 1861 when the census was taken, John’s family was in Brightside, Sheffield. John was 29 years old, a forgeman, and Elizabeth was 27. Two of their children were in the home: Mary Ann (born in Wadsley Bridge), who was three years old, and William Henry (born in Brightside, Sheffield), who was two years old. It is believed that one child died young. Their son, Harry Dickinson was born June 6, 1863 in Sheffield and in 1871, when the census was taken John Dickinson was listed on the census in “Nether Hallam”, Sheffield, England, with his wife and three children, ages 13, 12 and 7. At the time there were many small workshops in Sheffield, where steel was cast into tools and cutlery, and national fame was gained for it. There was a Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, a trade guild of Sheffield metalworkers incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1624, which was given jurisdiction over all persons making knives, blades, scissors, sheers, sickles and cutlery of iron and steel. According to a written family history, “John Dickinson had visions of a good future in the steel industry in Pittsburgh, Pa; and came to the USA in a sailing vessel. After he established himself, he sent for his wife and 3 children.” John’s brother, William Dickinson, “stayed in England and became wealthy in the investment and banking fields. He married and had a daughter who married Hill, a tobacco dealer, and had a daughter, Annie Hill who married William Croft.” John also had another brother whose name is unknown, but it is said that he went to New Zealand and developed a large cattle empire. He had a daughter who visited the Crofts in England every year. They held a family reunion in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, just before World War II. John & Elizabeth’s three children were: 1) Mary Ann Dickinson, who married 1st to John Proctor and had six children including Mary, John, Joseph, Harry and Martin Proctor. Martin died a baby, in July 1889. Mary married Charles Brown and had children. John, Joseph and Harry all married and had children, too. Mr. Proctor died in 1891 and Mary Ann married 2nd to Samuel Lewis and had three more children: Lillian, Samuel and Frank Lewis. Lillian married Jack King and had a daughter. Samuel died young, and Frank married but produced no offspring. 2) William Henry Dickinson, born January 1859, married Lucy and had several children including Joseph, Beatrice, Sam, and Frank Dickinson. Frank died in 1892 at the age of 4. Joseph died in 1905 at the age of 20. Sam was killed by a train at the age of 21. Beatrice married John Polite but had no children and died in Clearwater, Florida in 1986, at the age of 91. 3) Harry Dickinson, born June 6, 1863, married Anna (Annie) Robinson. He was the father of Emma Dickinson and several others. John’s son, Harry, married Anna Robinson, in Camden, New Jersey in 1889. They were the parents of Emma and eight other children, three of whom died young. Anna was one of seven known children born to George Robinson and Emma Griffith, a family from Manchester, England, where Annie was born. Annie had four brothers and two sisters: David, George, Albert, William, Lilly and Emily Robinson. George and David Robinson both had brilliant careers but never married. Albert Robinson married and moved to England where he made a family. Emily Robinson was living with Annie’s family in 1900. When the census was taken in 1900, all three of John and Elizabeth’s children were married with children and living on Gross Street in Pittsburgh. Elizabeth was living in the home of her eldest son, William, with his family at 318 Gross Street. Mary Ann was living at 347 Gross Street. She had been married 5 years to her second husband, Samuel Lewis, and reported only five of her eleven children still living at the time. And Harry lived at 310 Gross Street. Harry was employed as a Hammersman. He and Anna report having four children, three of whom were living when the census was taken in June of 1900. The fourth was their daughter, Annie, who had died August 28, 1897 from Capillary Bronchitis. In 1907, Harry’s family moved to Newark, New Jersey, as did his brother, William and his family. Harry and Annie’s daughter, Lucy Ellen, was born in 1909. At the time of the 1910 census, the family was living at 178 South 7th Street. Harry and Annie’s daughter, Ruth, was born the following year. (Note: It was Ruth’s daughter, Margaret Lindsay, who carefully preserved and generously shared many of the treasures of the Dickinson family). Two years later, on May 1, 1913, at the age of 42, Harry’s wife, Annie, died, leaving him with six children. Ruth, the youngest was 19 months old. Annie was buried in Fairmount Cemetery in Newark. Later, when Harry died, an additional marker was placed next to his grave in Cedar Ridge Cemetery, Blairstown, New Jersey, in Annie’s honor. Ten months after Annie died, Harry’s oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married John MacArthur, at the age of 22 in March of 1914, leaving her sister, Emma, as “mother” of the home. Emma was 20 years old. On August 12, 1916, Emma’s sister, little Lucy Ellen Dickinson, died at just seven years old, joining her mother in the afterlife. It was three years later, on January 1, 1919, that Emma Dickinson began keeping this diary, giving us a more personal glimpse into the family’s lives than census records and certificates can give. Though it is Emma’s personal diary, it is an important historic account of not only the family, but of life in general in 1919. It seems evident Emma wanted it to be read by others. She revisited it later and made out notes to the reader. Therefore, for posterity’s sake, her words are shared after 94 years in the attic, with respect and appreciation for Emma Dickinson. On behalf of Emma, her living relatives offer sincere apologies for racist remarks, rare but disappointing nevertheless. Keep in mind that although it was written less than a century ago, things were much different in America and it is certain she never anticipated it would be published. It is a true, unedited account of Emma’s thoughts and feelings. Some notes about specific events Emma mentions are provided. Click here to learn more about the Dickinson family. #EmmaDickinson #1919 #book #diary #Newark #NewJersey #memorabilia #dickinson

This editorial published in 1883, shows us that some things just never change! Following is the transcription: How Stories Get Mixed. The editor of the Clinton Courier is sick and the "devil" is running the paper. He says: A reporter is one who reports. Anyone who reports is a reporter. Reporters reported to a reporter the report that Mr. A-- was reported to be seriously ill. The reporter reported what reporters had reported, and now reporters report the report that the report is reported to have been falsely reported; and reporters further report that that report is reported to have offended certain of the elite. Now, the reporter only reported the reported report, and if said report was false, the reporter is willing to correct his report. Marathon Independent, Marathon, New York, March 14, 1883 Find more Notable News here! #media #newsreporter #falsereport #media #devil #NewYork #gossip #elite #coverup #notablenews #corruption

I learned about an interesting occupation while searching the newspapers for my great-grandfather, Charles Decker. This is from the Newburgh Register, Newburgh, NY, July 7, 1897: Transcription: Horse Thief at Walden. J. V. Decker, president of the Walden Horse Thief Detecting association, this morning spent the following message to the chief of police: Look for light bay horse, weight 1,030 pounds, white hind ankles, white around front hoofs, red gear sidebar top wagon, one bow broken, tied with string. Man 5 feet 10 inches, weight 200 pounds, dark complexion, small moustache, scar on forehead, wore dark suit of clothes. He was a railroad man. #notablenews #stolenhorse #horsethief #newburgh #JVDecker #JohnDecker #Walden #NewYork

While researching my 4th great-grandfather, John Shirley's family, I found this article relating to a man by the same name. It was printed in the Hudson Record, Hudson, New York, in 1887, as follows: Transcription: Denver, Col., May 13 - John Shirley, a miserly saloon keeper, who lived in Buffalo Creak, 10 miles west of Denver, died a few days ago and it is reported he left a large amount of money secreted about the house somewhere or buried in the yard. Search was instituted and a will was found leaving everything to Dr. Morey, who lived a mile from Shirley's cabin, but it failed to state where the property could be found. An old safe standing in the small bedroom where the miser died was broken open and $637 found. Those who know Shirley best, however, firmly believes that there is buried somewhere on the premises from $25,000 to $30,000 in gold. The town and surrounding county are greatly excited over the affair and those interested in the money have stationed guards around the grounds. Find more Notable News here. Learn more about my branch of the Shirley family here. Find thousands of free genealogy resources here! #notablenews #buriedgold #Denver #Colorado #JohnShirley #DrMorey #saloonkeeper #hiddenmoney

​​"About the year 1791, a Mr. Aikens settled upon a tract of 900 acres near Barton village, which Gilbert Smith subsequently purchased and occupied. Mr. Smith afterward became the supervisor of the town. At about this time Charles Bingham, Layton Newell, Lyon C. Hedges, Phillip Crans, Justus Lyons, John Manhart, and Moses and Elisha Leonard, settled on Shephard's creek. These were principally from New England, and were among the most industrious and worthy people and many of their descendants now reside in that valley particularly at "Lockwood" until within the past two years called "Binghams Mills" in honor it its early settlers. In 1796 Mr. John Shepard purchased of General Thomas, of Westchester county, N.Y., 1,000 acres of land at five dollars per acre, extending along the State line from Shepard's creek at Factoryville, near the 59th mile stone, to 60th mile stone; thence across the north end of Spanish Hill to the Chemung river, and from the Narrows across the mountain beyond Shepard's creek; thence down to the State line again, embracing Waverly, Factoryville, and many fine localities back of the villages. This tract was an entire wilderness at this time, except the flats and a few..." Waverly Advocate 2-5-1885 See the entire article at FultonHistory.com by clicking here. For more Leonard history, visit the Leonard page. Note: No relationship has been established between Charles Russell Leonard and Moses and Elisha Leonard. For more notable news, click here. #leonard #notablenews #barton #mosesleonard #elishaleonard

The State of Pennsylvania's Department of Health did not officially begin to issue birth and death certificates until January 1, 1906. Records of births prior to 1906 may have been recorded by the county or city the individual was born or died in. According to Pennsylvania's Vital Statistics Law of 1953 (P.L. 304, No. 66), birth and death records become public records 105 years after the birth date or 50 years after the death date. Pennsylvania State Archives holds birth records dated from 1906. Therefore, as of 2020, copies of death records of people who died in Pennsylvania can be obtained for individuals who died between 1906 and 1970. How to order death records ONLINE: Visit VitalCheck.com for expedited service. Their current fee is currently $30 and payable by credit/debit card from their site. VitalCheck is the only State approved website for purchasing vital records online. (Prices are subject to change). IN PERSON: In Pennsylvania, visit a Division of Vital Records office in Erie, Harrisburg, New Castle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Scranton to place your order. You can download and fill out the form beforehand or acquire one at their office. The fee is currently $20.00, Note: Cash is not accepted. BY MAIL: Uncertified copies of deaths that occurred between 1906 and 1966 can be ordered by downloading the Vital Records Request Form. The current charge for each record is $5.00, as of November, 2017. (For more details, click here). Certified copies of death certificates can be ordered from the State of Pennsylvania. The current charge for these is $20.00 each. Submit your request by mail following the simple steps below. Download the Application for a Certified Copy of a Death Record if you know the exact year the individual died, or download the Application for Multi-Year Search of Death Record if you do not know the year but can narrow it down to a 10-year time frame. Search the Pennsylvania death indices to obtain the state file number to be specified on the application as instructed. Fill out the form giving as much information as you know. If you do not know the exact town the individual died in, you must at least provide the name of the county in order for your request to be processed. Give the indice number found in the previous step. Sign the form at the top of the application. Include a copy of your valid government-issued ID. Expired ID is not accepted. The ID must match/confirm your address. Copies of photo IDs will be shredded upon examination. If you don't have acceptable ID, click here for alternative ordering methods. Address an envelope to: Division of Vital Records Attn: Death Unit PO Box 1528 New Castle, PA 16103 Enclose a money order or check for $20 (the current fee) payable to "Vital Records". Write out a self-addressed stamped envelope and fold it so it fits in your envelope. Enclose the completed, signed application, the copy of your ID, the check or money order, and self-address stamped envelope into the envelope and mail. Allow approx. 20-30 days for processing. Recent deaths may take longer. Tip: If you aren't sure which county the person lived in, use my free County Search Tool to find out. Important: Pennsylvania's policies and prices are subject to change. For more details, visit the State's web site. You must be 18 years of age or older and an immediate family member of the person in order for your request to be processed. The individual whose death certificate you are ordering must be your child, parent, spouse, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, great-grandparent (specifying "maternal" or "paternal" on the application) - or you must be Power of Attorney for the person named on the certificate. Note: You may only submit one spelling in the "Name at Death" field on the application, so be sure to use the name and spelling most likely to have been used. If there are other spelling variations, you may note it in the space marked "Other", however, the search will be for the spelling you specified. Other names given will be used to help positively identify any matches found. If the name is a common one, it may not be possible to produce the correct death record. If enough information isn't provided, your request may be unable to be processed. Click here for information about ordering birth certificates. Share this find with your friends and family! #tips #genealogy #pennsylvania #deathrecords #resources #myblog #Pennsylvania

If you've been researching your family's history for any significant amount of time, you already know that the government didn't require the reporting of births or deaths until 1885, so finding vital records beyond a few generations ago can be challenging. For these, we rely on church records, family Bibles, cemetery records, and other resources. Tip: Find hundreds of places to learn about Pennsylvania genealogy and history on my Pennsylvania Resources page. Pennsylvania Birth and Death records reported since 1906 are held by the Commonwealth, and indexed on their website, as time restrictions allow. These indices are used to obtain the record number for use in ordering copies, but can also be very useful for general research even if you don't order copies. Try a search to confirm the vital records you have recorded for ancestors and relatives who were born after 1885 in Pennsylvania. Tip: If you need to find out which county a town was in, use my County Search Tool, here. Birth records for individuals born in Pennsylvania from 1906-1915 are currently available, as of January 2021. Click here to view the birth indices. Tip: For instructions on how to order copies of birth records, see here. Death records for individuals who died in Pennsylvania from 1906-1970 are currently available, as of January 2021. Click here to view the death indices. Tip: For instructions on how to order copies of death records, see here. Tip: A great deal of other information is also held at the State Archives. Visit their website at pastatearchives.org. Click here for more Pennsylvania genealogy resources. Check out my genealogy dashboard for thousands of tools and resources! Share this find with your friends and family! #tips #birthcertificate #deaths #pennsylvania #vitalrecords #resources #freewebsites #resources #Pennsylvania

According to Pennsylvania's Vital Statistics Law of 1953 (P.L. 304, No. 66), birth and death records become public records 105 years after the birth date or 50 years after the death date. Pennsylvania State Archives holds birth records dated from 1906. Therefore, as of 2020, copies of birth records of people born in Pennsylvania can be obtained for the following: - Individuals born between 1906 and 1915, or - Individuals who died between 1906 and 1970. How to order birth records IN PERSON: In Pennsylvania you can order copies of birth records in person by visiting a Division of Vital Records office in Erie, Harrisburg, New Castle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Scranton. You can download and fill out the form (see below) beforehand or acquire one at their office. BY MAIL: Uncertified copies of birth certificates issued from 1906 to 1911 are available at the State Archives. The cost is currently $5.00 per certificate. Use their Vital Records Request Form to order. Certified copies of birth records are available from Dept. of Vital Statistics. Submit your request by mail following the simple steps below. Download the Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record if you know the exact year the individual was born, or download the Application for Multi-year Search of Birth Record if you do not know the year but can narrow it down to a 10-year time frame. Search the Pennsylvania birth indices to obtain the state file number to be specified on the application as instructed. Fill out the form giving as much information as you know. If you do not know the exact town or city the individual was born in, you must at least provide the name of the county they were born in. Sign the form at the top of the application. Include a copy of your valid government-issued ID. Expired ID is not accepted. The ID must match/confirm your address. Copies of photo IDs will be shredded upon examination. If you don't have acceptable ID, click here for alternative ordering methods. Address an envelope to: Division of Vital Records 101 S. Mercer St. PO Box 1525 New Castle, PA 16103 The current fee if you know the exact year of birth is $20. If you require the multi-year search, the fee is $45 for a search of 2-10 years. Enclose a check or money order payable to: "Vital Records". This fee may be waived for past or present military personnel or their dependents. (Prices are subject to change). Enclose the completed, signed application, the copy of your ID, and the check or money order into the envelope and mail. Important information: Requests can take 15-20 days to process, under normal circumstances. If you are ordering copies, you must be 18 years of age or older and an immediate family member of the person in order for your request to be processed. The individual whose birth certificate you are ordering must be your child, parent, spouse, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, great-grandparent (specifying "maternal" or "paternal" on the application) - or you must be Power of Attorney for the person named on the certificate. Note: You may only submit one spelling in the "Name at Birth" field on the application, so be sure to use the name and spelling most likely to have been used, most likely the spelling found in the birth indices. If there are other spelling variations, you may note it in the space marked "Other", however, the search will be for the spelling you specified. Other names given will be used to help positively identify any matches found. If the name is a common one, it may not be possible to produce the correct birth record. If enough information isn't provided, your request may be unable to be processed. *This information is up-to-date as of February, 2020, however, Pennsylvania's policies and pricing are subject to change. Visit the State's web site for details. For information about finding death records in Pennsylvania, click here. Click here for more Pennsylvania genealogy resources! Click here for 20,000+ free genealogy resources! Share this find with your friends and family! #pennsylvania #tips #genealogy #vitalrecords #birthcertificate #research #Pennsylvania #resources #genealogy

One of the most informative records you can find, pertaining to your ancestors are their marriage records. Unfortunately for us researchers, the United States government didn't require marriages to be recorded in any official capacity until 1885. On the bright side, you may be able to find church records proving the marriage, but those often didn't provide much personal information. Tip: Check out my Pennsylvania Resources page to find places where you can find marriage records and other Pennsylvania genealogical records, maps and more! For marriage and divorce records reported after 1885, they must be obtained from the courthouse in the county in which the marriage license was issued or decree of divorce was granted. The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records office does not hold copies of marriage and divorce records. Tip: If you're not sure which county a town is located in, try my County Search Tool. Click here to find free Pennsylvania genealogy resources. Click here to find more free genealogy resources. #pennsylvania #tips #marriagerecords #divorcerecords #genealogy #research #vitalrecords #myblog #Pennsylvania

One of the great joys while doing genealogy is finding a book with vast amounts of family history. This one published by Eleanora Reese in 1903 contains extensive history of the Reese family in Wales and America. Read this book free at archive.org here: Genealogy of the Reese Family in Wales and America: From Their Arrival in America to the present time, by Mary Eleanora Reese, Published 1903: The author supplied an illustration showing the Reese coat of arms (in black and white) with a description of the colors used. I have recreated the image here, according to her specifications, to the best of my knowledge. Other recommended books about Welsh history: 43 old books on CD #reese #wales #coatofarms #historicalbooks #photos #resources

Wales has a long and complex history of which countless volumes surely have been written. A brief summary is all I can offer here at this time. The country consisted of several independent kingdoms until the Conquest of Wales, which was completed in 1282. Deheubarth was the largest kingdom of Wales, and for centuries it was ruled by the Rhys (Reese) and Gruffydd (Griffith) monarchy. The illustration above is a portrayal of Rhys ap Gruffydd (1155–1197). Rulers of Deheubarth: For more information, see the Wikipedia page from which much of this information and the map was contributed. A complete list of rulers including those of Ceredigion, Dyfed, Seisyllwg, Gwynedd, Aberffraw, Snowdon, Morgannwg (Glywsing and Gwent), and Powys is available there. Claddagh rings, shown at right, are a Celtic Irish symbol. The hands symbolize friendship, the heart symbolizes love, and the crown symbolizes loyalty. #griffith #reese #wales #welsh #unitedkingdom #rhys #unitedkingdom

Some of my ancestors came from Wales and settled in Pennsylvania sometime probably in the 1700s. What made them leave their homes in Wales? What was in Pennsylvania for them? Answers to these questions and more can be found online in books like "Welsh Settlement of Pennsylvania" by Charles H. Browning, 1912, which includes illustrations like this one: Pages 18-19 are previewed here. Click here to read the book online for free. See the Reese family for more on the Welsh in Pennsylvania. #quaker #welsh #wales #pennsylvania #reese #griffith #myblog #foreign #Pennsylvania

Did you know that the prefix of your social security number indicates which State the number was issued in? The first three digits are the area number, the next two digits are the group number, and the last four digits are the serial number. The area number (first three digits of a Social Security number): 001-003 issued in New Hampshire 004-007 issued in Maine 008-009 issued in Vermont 010-034 issued in Massachusetts 035-039 issued in Rhode Island 040-049 issued in Connecticut 050-134 issued in New York 135-158 issued in New Jersey 159-211 issued in Pennsylvania 212-220 issued in Maryland 221-222 issued in Delaware 223-231 issued in Virginia 232 issued in West Virginia & North Carolina 233-236 issued in West Virginia 237-246 issued in North Carolina 247-251 issued in South Carolina 252-260 issued in Georgia 261-267 issued in Florida 268-302 issued in Ohio 303-317 issued in Indiana 318-361 issued in Illinois 362-386 issued in Michigan 387-399 issued in Wisconsin 400-407 issued in Kentucky 408-415 issued in Tennessee 416-424 issued in Alabama 425-428 issued in Mississippi 429-432 issued in Arkansas 433-439 issued in Louisiana 440-448 issued in Oklahoma 449-467 issued in Texas 468-477 issued in Minnesota 478-485 issued in Iowa 486-500 issued in Missouri 501-502 issued in North Dakota 503-504 issued in South Dakota 505-508 issued in Nebraska 509-515 issued in Kansas 516-517 issued in Montana 518-519 issued in Idaho 520 issued in Wyoming 521-524 issued in Colorado 525 issued in New Mexico 526-527 issued in Arizona 528-529 issued in Utah 530 issued in Nevada 531-539 issued in Washington 540-544 issued in Oregon 545-573 issued in California 574 issued in Alaska 575-576 issued in Hawaii 577-579 issued in District of Columbia 580 issued in Virgin Islands 581-584 issued in Puerto Rico 585 issued in New Mexico 586 issued in American Samoa, Guam & Philippines 587-588 issued in Mississippi 589-595 issued in Florida 596-599 issued in Puerto Rico 600-601 issued in Arizona 602-626 issued in California 627-647 issued in Texas 648-649 issued in New Mexico 650-653 issued in Colorado 654-658 issued in South Carolina 659-665 issued in Louisiana 667-675 issued in Georgia 676-679 issued in Arkansas 680 issued in Nevada 681-690 issued in North Carolina 691-699 issued in Virginia 700-728 issued by Railroad Board (railroad employee) 729-733 Enumeration at Entry (non-citizen w/ permanent residency) 750-751 issued in Hawaii 752-755 issued in Mississippi 756-763 issued in Tennessee 764-765 issued in Arizona 765-772 issued in Florida Did you notice which prefix has not been used? The second and third set of digits in the social security number is the group number issued to the post office for assignment. They were not distributed consecutively for security reasons. Search the SSDI for free at FamilySearch! Click here! You can also search the Social Security Death Index free at Ancestry (Click here). A free search provides name, year of death and residence only. Here's an example of how this can be useful. Some records pertaining to my great-grandfather's brother, James H. Leonard, indicate he was born in New York, while others say Pennsylvania. His social security number begins with 133, which I can see from the list above, was New York. Interesting fact: "The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004 (Public Law (P.L.) 108-458) placed limits on the number of replacement Social Security cards an individual can receive. Beginning with cards issued on or after December 17, 2005, individuals may only receive three Social Security cards per year and 10 in a lifetime, with certain exceptions, such as correcting errors or name changes." For more information about the Social Security system, see this page at http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v69n2/v69n2p55.html Click here for more genealogy tips and free resources! #tips #myblog #socialsecurity #genealogy #resources #tips

While researching my family's history, I found that almost all of my ancestors came from England or Wales. Naturally, this prompted a growing interest in the United Kingdom. Knowing the geography and history of our ancestral homes is an important part of genealogy. For some reason I always pictured England being a much larger country than it is. Perhaps my misconception was due to the sheer number of English people in America, or maybe because of the grandeur of the country itself, but it wasn't until I broke down the numbers that I realized that Oregon actually covers more area than the United Kingdom does! How big is the United Kingdom compared to America? Check out these resources for learning more about U.K. history and genealogy: United Kingdom ~ Wales ~ Scotland ~ Ireland ~ More #tips #england #size #myblog #unitedkingdom #uk #area #foreign

Gen. Erich Ludendorff announces that Hitler had restored freedom to Ludendorff's neo-pagan movement, angering Hitler. Syracuse Journal 4-6-1937 Syracuse, New York #socialistagenda #neopagan #erichludendorff #adolfhitler #German #Germany #1937 #notablenews #foreign

This photo from Dryer Family Photos is labeled with the names of Lewis Leonard and his wife, Cora Sherman. They were my paternal 2nd great-grandparents and this photo is a treasure. Two of their four known children are in this photo. Their son, James H. Leonard, who was their second born child, born in 1890, and Ethel M. Leonard, their third-born child, born 1892. (She later married William Bross). Their 4th child, Albert Jay Leonard, wasn't born until 1895. Therefore, this family portrait appears to have been taken around 1894. The question is, why wasn't their first-born child, Elma, in the photo? Elma was born in 1887, so she would have only been seven years old at the time. See also, the portrait taken years later of James, Ethel & Elma. For more information about Lewis Leonard see the Leonard page. #leonard #lewisleonard #jamesleonard #corasherman #ethelleonard #ethelbross #albertleonard #albertjayleonard

This photo is said to be three of the children born to Lewis Leonard and his wife, Cora (Sherman) Leonard. They are James H. Leonard, Ethel (Leonard) Bross, and Elma (Leonard) Osborne. Where was Albert when this photo was taken? If anyone knows, please comment below! (Photo from Dryer Family Photos) See also their family portrait from 1894. For more information, see the Leonard page. #leonard #jamesleonard #ethelbross #elmaleonard #elmaosborne

Mike Mcguinness, 3rd great-grandson of Charles Russell Leonard, shows us his unique style and creativity in these bold new pieces he recently produced. These are available as posters, prints (with matting and framing optional), greeting cards, pillows, and cell phone covers. Please take a look (click any image), like, comment, and share! To see more about the Leonard family, visit the Leonard page. #leonard #framedart