I found Goodies.

Today was the start of the WWII  records through Ancestry from today till the 7th at Midnight.  And by chance on the first day, I found the two relatives I was looking for. I am so happy, I have a record now of their World War II Service.
I have also made new genealogy buddies that have the same Bush,Phillip people. 
Also I found on Face book two groups one for Nance and one for  Phillips. Hopefully I can make some connections there.

My Favorites in Genealogy Programs.

I am still fairly new to Genealogy. I love working with Legacy and Roots Magic when I first started out.  Lately, I think my newest favorites are Ahnenblatt, and My Family Tree Software. All of them are easy to work with which for me is a must, and a plus for any Genealogy program.  My favorite part about all the programs in particular is all the charts, and reports that you can do. Especially interesting in Roots Magic and Legacy you can create web pages. Definitely a plus for those who aren't savy in html.


  The one thing I had never noticed in other genealogy programs that I noticed in Ahnenblatt was that you could create a birthday list,But that would really be only for the living relatives. I haven't found this tool useful yet.
My Family Tree program.  A little odd at first but fairly easy to work with.  It's trees look different than what we're used to in the family tree maker ,Roots Magic, or Legacy.  And it does open different and doesn't from what I can tell keep your trees loaded. If I figure out how to keep the trees within the program I'll re post about this at a later time. That's really the only draw back the the program.


I'm most favorite would be The Legacy and Roots Magic.

Stumbled upon some new things and figured out Birth Dates.

I've lately been going through census's and through the free Civil War records. So far I have only found a few things. I did manage to stumble on to Thompson Cooley's and Davids Civil War record. Could not find Dilly's though I know for sure that he served with his father and brother. I also ran across Bradley Cooley's Dad ,MomFamily in  census Record. I now know what year they were all born. But, here's the kicker they had more kids than I thought. and Two I had no Idea of. Also  A few children were missing in the listing. Perhaps already grown at this time and not living with them. I may have ? Found my Thomas Raper along with a couple of others. Not totally sure yet. But I am very hopeful this gives me something to go on.

*Raper* Mystery of Cherokee within the line.

Lately, I have stumbled upon a new mystery within my newest line that I'm researching Rapers. While  I have been trying to find Martha Raper's father Thomas Raper with no success. Not even and inkling of it which is frustrating. I know when and where he was born 1761 in Surry County NC. and when he died I have a year but the place is in question  I can't seem to find him in Stokes County NC or Virginia (county unknown) 

I have stumbled upon many posts on the Raper list boards that the Rapers were either Cherokee or had some Cherokee within them. I have yet to find whether my Rapers were in fact of Cherokee or not. Since I still haven't been able to find much or anything on Thomas. 

Hurray have found something out on the NANCE line.

First of credit and Thank you go to Bill Huckaby for Helping me out in find out about Paul Nance.

I found out His Parents names were Frank and Anna Nants /Nance /Wants they lived in Indiana Brownstown in 1889 where Paul was born.
It seems he had two brothers named Leo and Neal in the 1900 1910 Census.  Neal appears on the 1910 census as a servant in another family.And was apparently found in the California Death Index. He's Mother's last night is a bit of a mystery It might be Southerland But, we're not sure.  Leo later appears in the 1930 Censuses with a wife and children living in Indiana.
Paul was also found in the 1930 census at age 13 as Paul wants in Owen.Jackson County in Indiana.
It is very confusing to me to have so many different spellings of one name.LOL
But, I'll get the hang of this hopefully soon. It interesting at least  when researching. I'm learning quiet a lot about Genealogy.

I still have a few mysteries to solve in the Nance Nants though it is a start. I'm hopeful to find his Mother's Birth and Death along with the definate last name whether it be Southerland or another. My hunch is that it is Southerland. And that it is just a matter of time before I find her. I also know that she was born in Indiana it's now just matter of what part.

Dang! Brick Walls

My latest brick wall is a Nance. I have been searching, and searching for Paul Nance's parents with no success anywhere.
I know that he was born in 1889 where is though is up in the air. As he died in Detroit MI in 1952. What I can find out however was he born here in Indiana or Mi? I've looked on Rootsweb, Ancestry, and Genealogy.com.,various places nothing so far turns up anything.
even googled his name thinking I could find him that way since I had found one of my bushes through there.
 Can't even locate him in any census's for that year.
I do know He married Naomi Booker marriage date unknown at this time.  
I'm also trying to figure out Surname Country origins.


How on earth do you conquer a brick wall with very little information?

Gravestone Mystery Solved

Hello Genealogy friends remeber that recent posting when I put on my blog about the eluded gravestone emblem. I have finally solved the mystery. It was Knights_of_Pythias It turns out that the inner upside down triangle represents end of life. So I Thank Those that have helped me on this little mystery. Soo happy to have solved this.

Stuck! Help! Unknown Gravestone Carving

I have been trying to figure out this symbol, I have searched all over the net for this symbol but, can not find it anywhere.  I don't suppose anyone out there can help me out here.



Here is a piece of a picture with this symbol . I realize the clarity of the image isn't so good but if you can help I would be grateful.

It's been awhile since I posted.

Been sorting through all the Information still from last posting. And also today sorting through photographs of Cemeteries that my mother had collected over time with her Cousin. Trying to find some photos that might be possible of my lines.
  I did find several with the same surnames as the ones that I have. But, Verifying whether they are one of mine is tricky. Hopefully, I'll be able to find out for sure.

The Chi Ching of The Genealogy world (Finding the Goldmine of information on your ancestor)

Edit and Correction :7:55Pm

The night before I ran onto info on one of the lines I have been researching, the Wright-Cooley line once again produced a goldmine of information that I did not have.  I have managed not only to find Celia/Sela or Selah  Wright-Cooley's Mother and Father's name William R. Wright and Martha Besty Morgan.

But, I found  out that they were in middle of a migration Kentucky (counties not known actually )Then To Bartholomew and Jackson co for a time then settling in Washington county where they are buried at the Wright Cemetery.

This is only a small amount I have found I'll post more later once I have sorted through everything.

Part 2 Newbie starting out .

Sorry that this so long to get back to this post but, I have found some useful links on genealgy,webdesign,and templates.



http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ You might find some old land record here.
(found this one by accident.lol)

http://www.findagrave.com Both of these links have gravestones you can look through
http://www.interment.net/

http://www.rootsweb.com (Has Free search as well as paid.)


HeritageQuestOnline http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index
free and you need to just imput your library card number to search.

and your local library ,  History Society, Healthdepartmen for birth and death certificates.

http://www.worldgenweb.org/countryindex.html If you have ancestors from another coutries this is the place to start looking.


For those that need to learn html css or could use good templates

http://www.webtechu.com/  (two week classes)


http://www.genealogy-web-creations.com/   Owned and operated by Pat Geary.


Also Join roots web lists for your surnames. and free pages list for web help. Pat Geary is also apart of this list.
http://rsl.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ (You can ask questions there and you can even find some people whom have the same name your looking for.


http://www.genealogy.com/index_n.html
http://americanancestors.com/home.html

There is also
genealogy tip of the day.

http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com/
And
http://www.cyndislist.com/

I will continue to search for more. As I know how hard it is to find place like this that are free.

Newbie Starting out (How hard it is to do researching a first timer)

(edited Post 8:37pm.)


In recent months I have found out how hard it is to find information on my surnames. Not to mention learning how to source citations. I'm actually still not sure if I have my citations right or not. LOL
Luckily, I found a great place a yahoo group for helping those in citing sources.  So hopefully I will get the hang of this.

Then there is the matter of finding the person your looking for the ancestors. It took me months just to find information on my bush line of what country they came from. I even found out what boat they came on.
Which was rather cool for me, And would be for any researcher looking for an ancestor.
I still struggle to find info on them. especially on finding German sites.
It sometimes does feel a little intimidating researching as I don't know what sites to always turn to for research.

And then there was the programs, My mom recommended Roots Magic and Legacy.
At first I was a bit wary about using them but, once I figured out how they worked it began to become easier and easier. I especially love the part of the programs where you can create pages.
I've also discovered an abundance of genealogical magazines recently that my mom had.  Which I found to be filled with lots of great links to places that are helpful.

To help anyone else that is first starting out on this genealogy ride. I'll put up some links in this post to help you out and ease some of your frustrations.

These programs have a try it before you buy it. Which is always a good policy. Especially not to have to pay for something you may not like. These are both great programs.

Roots Magic 


Legacy

ancestraldata.com

linkpedium.com/genealogy
And always remember Free sites are just as gold as pay or even more.
These are a couple off the top of my head. I'll find more for you and add them to the next posting.

Those Ah Ha Moments when you found something.

The night before last I was searching for info on John Cooley. And boy if  I didn't find not only a gold mine of information on him and two other people on Ancestral Data Site.. But, I now know what he looks like.  Not to mention I'm always hunting for old pictures of other relatives from that era.

On the information side I found something interesting, that I did not know about John Cooley, He was born in Salem Indiana, He was a farmer there.Then He was a Mail carrier via Horseback. Going from Center ville and  Cincinnati, Iowa.He was first Married to Laurinda Akin. From what I can gather no one can find whether she died in Washington Co. In or somewhere else they have also found that she my have  had family in Northern Indiana in a place called Carlyle, Indiana. He then Married a year after his first wife past away Elizabeth Pring in Sullivan County MO as far as I can tell they had no children that I could find.


  Also John joined along side his two sons into the Union Army becoming a  private in Company C, 42nd Missouri Volunteers. One of his sons Dill Cooley died during his service in the Civil War.




This is still a research in progress and absolute verification. But, it is definitely a great start.

One of My first Brick Walls. Hence Raises The Question, (How do you find a person when you don't have a last name?)

Lately, I have been researching one my lines my surname. I ran onto  one of my ancestors wife's name but, she had no maiden surname  listed both she, and her husband were born in Dais-Bach Germany. How do you search a German name.  Her nane was  listed as Anna Barbara. Her husband's name was David Busch.

Both born in the 1600's Her in 1652, and him in 1653.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I am a newbie to researching genealogy.  This year I decided to get really serious and start researching Father's ancestry line. While Mom does her side of the family. I have already found out a bit of information on 3 lines. while running into roadblocks on other lines.