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A Chinese family in Malipo had believed they were lucky. They believed that their ancestors literally lived beneath the floors of their home.
Wang Hexiong stated that his father had once dropped a metal ball on the floor and it rolled into the hallway where it came to an immediate stop. He believed their ancestors lay beneath the floor.
When a police officer was refused admittance to the hallway, he became suspicious. They soon discovered that beneath the floors of the hallway lay, not the family's ancestors, but 38 rusting bombs, believed to have survived from World War II.
Read the entire story from The Daily Times here.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
6 Genealogy Myths to Avoid
The following is taken from the 31 March 2009 Family Tree Magazine Blog:
"Don't let your family history search get sidetracked by these common—but erroneous—genealogical beliefs.
1. You can buy your family crest.Cups, mugs, wall hangings and other family crest doodads are available online everywhere. But “families” don’t have crests—rather, individuals do. Coats of arms must be granted, and to claim the right to arms, you must prove descent through a male line of someone to whom arms were granted Think you qualify?
Get more details on heraldry in our online article.
2. The 1890 census burned to a crisp.Actually, it didn’t—it was waterlogged and lay around until some unknown person authorized its disposal. But some parts survived—
see the full story on the Now What? blog.
3. You can find your whole family history online.If only! Nowadays you can get lots of actual records online, including censuses, passenger lists, military records, digitized books—and on and on. But lots of errors abound in online indexes, transcriptions and family trees, and repositories hold richly detailed, lesser-known records. So at some point, you’ll want or need to log off and go to the library.
When you do, look to our Libraries & Archives category for research tips.
4. Your ancestor was a Cherokee princess or George Washington, or you’re related to John Brown.Lots of families have legends about famous kin, and of course it could be true—but stories tend to get embellished and even made up over time, so research such legends before passing them on as the truth. Regarding the above-mentioned myths: Though you may have Cherokee blood, there weren’t any Cherokee princesses and George Washington can’t be an ancestor because he never had children (Martha did, from her first marriage). Also, not everyone with the same last name is related, even when you go waaaaaaay back in time.
5. The courthouse burned, and all the records are gone.Many a genealogical dream has run smack against a courthouses fire. But the vital records, naturalizations, deeds, wills and other records within weren’t always completely destroyed. Sometimes records survived, or copies had been sent to another office, or the clerk asked citizens for copies of their records, or you can find the same information elsewhere.
See our tips for beating brick walls and contact the county library or state archives, whose staffs may have prepared special helps for genealogists researching around courthouse blazes.
6. Your ancestor's name was changed at Ellis Island.This may be the biggest genealogical myth of all time. Passenger lists were created at the port of departure, and Ellis Island officially checked the names on the list. (One reason why knowing your ancestor’s name in the old country will help you find his passenger record.) Many immigrants changed their own names after arrival in an effort to sound more “American.”
Here are more—actual—ways immigrants’ names were changed. "
"Don't let your family history search get sidetracked by these common—but erroneous—genealogical beliefs.
1. You can buy your family crest.Cups, mugs, wall hangings and other family crest doodads are available online everywhere. But “families” don’t have crests—rather, individuals do. Coats of arms must be granted, and to claim the right to arms, you must prove descent through a male line of someone to whom arms were granted Think you qualify?
Get more details on heraldry in our online article.
2. The 1890 census burned to a crisp.Actually, it didn’t—it was waterlogged and lay around until some unknown person authorized its disposal. But some parts survived—
see the full story on the Now What? blog.
3. You can find your whole family history online.If only! Nowadays you can get lots of actual records online, including censuses, passenger lists, military records, digitized books—and on and on. But lots of errors abound in online indexes, transcriptions and family trees, and repositories hold richly detailed, lesser-known records. So at some point, you’ll want or need to log off and go to the library.
When you do, look to our Libraries & Archives category for research tips.
4. Your ancestor was a Cherokee princess or George Washington, or you’re related to John Brown.Lots of families have legends about famous kin, and of course it could be true—but stories tend to get embellished and even made up over time, so research such legends before passing them on as the truth. Regarding the above-mentioned myths: Though you may have Cherokee blood, there weren’t any Cherokee princesses and George Washington can’t be an ancestor because he never had children (Martha did, from her first marriage). Also, not everyone with the same last name is related, even when you go waaaaaaay back in time.
5. The courthouse burned, and all the records are gone.Many a genealogical dream has run smack against a courthouses fire. But the vital records, naturalizations, deeds, wills and other records within weren’t always completely destroyed. Sometimes records survived, or copies had been sent to another office, or the clerk asked citizens for copies of their records, or you can find the same information elsewhere.
See our tips for beating brick walls and contact the county library or state archives, whose staffs may have prepared special helps for genealogists researching around courthouse blazes.
6. Your ancestor's name was changed at Ellis Island.This may be the biggest genealogical myth of all time. Passenger lists were created at the port of departure, and Ellis Island officially checked the names on the list. (One reason why knowing your ancestor’s name in the old country will help you find his passenger record.) Many immigrants changed their own names after arrival in an effort to sound more “American.”
Here are more—actual—ways immigrants’ names were changed. "
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Bush Library May Be Last Housed In A Building
The following was taken from the 31 Mar 2009 EOGN:
"Bush Library May Be One of Last Housed in a Building
In an interesting sign of the technology available today, the new George W. Bush Presidential Library could be one of the last brick and mortar institutions of its kind.
Congress is looking for ways to cut the expense of overseeing such buildings, and some researchers say the traditional library setup for keeping presidential documents is outdated in a digital world. One possibility is to digitize all the presidential records and put them online, eliminating the need for costly buildings.
This is strictly a proposal at this time, not a defined plan. "We really want to hear from people who care about the libraries or who use the libraries and have suggestions," said Sharon Fawcett, the assistant archivist for presidential libraries.
The proposal aims to run the library system at less cost but with better access to presidential papers. The National Archives and Records Administration will deliver its report to Congress this summer.
You can read more in an article by Eaura Isensel in the Dallas News web site at http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-archives_31met.ART.State.Edition1.4a4f4d0.html. "
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Oh come on! With our country in debt for more than 4-trillion dollars, what's a couple of million for a brick and mortar Presidential library???? Hmmmm???? [Yes, that's sarcasm folks! I'm all for digitizing and putting Presidential documents into the hands of the people online. Accessibility is heightened a thousand-fold over a brick and mortar house for them!] - cbh
"Bush Library May Be One of Last Housed in a Building
In an interesting sign of the technology available today, the new George W. Bush Presidential Library could be one of the last brick and mortar institutions of its kind.
Congress is looking for ways to cut the expense of overseeing such buildings, and some researchers say the traditional library setup for keeping presidential documents is outdated in a digital world. One possibility is to digitize all the presidential records and put them online, eliminating the need for costly buildings.
This is strictly a proposal at this time, not a defined plan. "We really want to hear from people who care about the libraries or who use the libraries and have suggestions," said Sharon Fawcett, the assistant archivist for presidential libraries.
The proposal aims to run the library system at less cost but with better access to presidential papers. The National Archives and Records Administration will deliver its report to Congress this summer.
You can read more in an article by Eaura Isensel in the Dallas News web site at http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-archives_31met.ART.State.Edition1.4a4f4d0.html. "
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Oh come on! With our country in debt for more than 4-trillion dollars, what's a couple of million for a brick and mortar Presidential library???? Hmmmm???? [Yes, that's sarcasm folks! I'm all for digitizing and putting Presidential documents into the hands of the people online. Accessibility is heightened a thousand-fold over a brick and mortar house for them!] - cbh
"LISTEN" to EOGN Now!
Taken from the 31 Mar 2009 Eastman's EOGN:
"
I am experimenting with a new feature on this newsletter: you can now listen to the articles on your computer, on your iPod, or on most any other MP3 music player.
When you look at the newsletter's home page at http://blog.eogn.com, you will note that a new icon appears near the top of each article: Listen Now. Clicking on that icon allows you to listen to a computer-generated voice that reads the article to you. You can listen to it directly through your computer's speakers or have it sent to iTunes for later listening on an iPod or iPhone. Another option is to have the article sent to most any other MP3 player that is capable of accepting audio from the Internet. Finally, you can download articles as MP3 files and save them on your local hard drive and listen to them later at your convenience.
The new addition has two intended audiences:
* Vision-impaired newsletter readers.
* Anyone who would prefer to listen to newsletter articles while commuting or jogging or at other convenient times. You no longer have to be seated in front of your computer to read the articles.
...
This is an experiment to see if there is sufficient interest for the new option. If it isn't used much, I will delete it in a week or two.
I must admit that I find it amusing when the computer-generated voice reads those long URLs!"
*~*~*~*
You've got to give this a try! Works really well, and is great if you are trying to multi-task and want to get caught up on your newsletters at the same time. - cbh
"
I am experimenting with a new feature on this newsletter: you can now listen to the articles on your computer, on your iPod, or on most any other MP3 music player.
When you look at the newsletter's home page at http://blog.eogn.com, you will note that a new icon appears near the top of each article: Listen Now. Clicking on that icon allows you to listen to a computer-generated voice that reads the article to you. You can listen to it directly through your computer's speakers or have it sent to iTunes for later listening on an iPod or iPhone. Another option is to have the article sent to most any other MP3 player that is capable of accepting audio from the Internet. Finally, you can download articles as MP3 files and save them on your local hard drive and listen to them later at your convenience.
The new addition has two intended audiences:
* Vision-impaired newsletter readers.
* Anyone who would prefer to listen to newsletter articles while commuting or jogging or at other convenient times. You no longer have to be seated in front of your computer to read the articles.
...
This is an experiment to see if there is sufficient interest for the new option. If it isn't used much, I will delete it in a week or two.
I must admit that I find it amusing when the computer-generated voice reads those long URLs!"
*~*~*~*
You've got to give this a try! Works really well, and is great if you are trying to multi-task and want to get caught up on your newsletters at the same time. - cbh
Whose Father Is He?
The following is from Eastman's EOGN for 31 Mar 2009:
"Whose Father Was He?
Several readers wrote yesterday and today about a series of articles appearing this week in the New York Times. It concerns a soldier killed in the American Civil War.
The soldier’s body was found near the center of Gettysburg with no identification — no regimental numbers on his cap, no corps badge on his jacket, no letters, no diary. Nothing save for an ambrotype (an early type of photograph popular in the late 1850s and 1860s) of three small children clutched in his hand. Within a few days the ambrotype came into the possession of Benjamin Schriver, a tavern keeper in the small town of Graeffenburg, about 13 miles west of Gettysburg. Then the story says this photograph of three small children was used for both good and wicked purposes.
You can read Episode #1 of this story at http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/whose-father-was-he-part-one/?th&emc=th while The Times promises an additional episode will be published every day this week.
UPDATE: Part 2 is available at http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/whose-father-was-he-part-two/?ref=opinion. "
*~*~*~*~*
I urge you to read these articles at The Times. They are absolutely fascinating! A real joy to read! - cbh
"Whose Father Was He?
Several readers wrote yesterday and today about a series of articles appearing this week in the New York Times. It concerns a soldier killed in the American Civil War.
The soldier’s body was found near the center of Gettysburg with no identification — no regimental numbers on his cap, no corps badge on his jacket, no letters, no diary. Nothing save for an ambrotype (an early type of photograph popular in the late 1850s and 1860s) of three small children clutched in his hand. Within a few days the ambrotype came into the possession of Benjamin Schriver, a tavern keeper in the small town of Graeffenburg, about 13 miles west of Gettysburg. Then the story says this photograph of three small children was used for both good and wicked purposes.
You can read Episode #1 of this story at http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/whose-father-was-he-part-one/?th&emc=th while The Times promises an additional episode will be published every day this week.
UPDATE: Part 2 is available at http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/whose-father-was-he-part-two/?ref=opinion. "
*~*~*~*~*
I urge you to read these articles at The Times. They are absolutely fascinating! A real joy to read! - cbh
New Library of Virginia Site
The following was received from Brent Tarter at the Library of Virginia this morning:
"A few weeks ago the Library of Virginia announced that its Web sitewould be replaced by a new edition and offered Va-Hist and Va-Roots subscribers an advance preview and solicited comments. We thank those ofyou who offered your opinions on the new site, which we hope will makeresearch and access to the many resources of the Library of Virginiamore efficient.
The preview for the new site is accessible from the current Web sitehome page at http://www.lva.virginia.gov
Effective Tuesday, 7 April 2009, the old Library of Virginia Web sitewill cease to exist, and the new site, with the same URL, will replaceit. Because of revisions in the structure of the site, some bookmarksthat you have may created to allow rapid access to specific portions ofthe Library's Web site may no longer function, and once the new sitebecomes the only site you may need to create new bookmarks for thoseportions of the new site.
Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
brent.tarter@lva.virginia.gov "
*~*~*~*~
Be sure to mark this announcement on your calendars so you will be ready! - cbh
"A few weeks ago the Library of Virginia announced that its Web sitewould be replaced by a new edition and offered Va-Hist and Va-Roots subscribers an advance preview and solicited comments. We thank those ofyou who offered your opinions on the new site, which we hope will makeresearch and access to the many resources of the Library of Virginiamore efficient.
The preview for the new site is accessible from the current Web sitehome page at http://www.lva.virginia.gov
Effective Tuesday, 7 April 2009, the old Library of Virginia Web sitewill cease to exist, and the new site, with the same URL, will replaceit. Because of revisions in the structure of the site, some bookmarksthat you have may created to allow rapid access to specific portions ofthe Library's Web site may no longer function, and once the new sitebecomes the only site you may need to create new bookmarks for thoseportions of the new site.
Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
brent.tarter@lva.virginia.gov "
*~*~*~*~
Be sure to mark this announcement on your calendars so you will be ready! - cbh
Ancestry.com Announces Ancestry Seance
The following appeared this morning in the "Ancestry Insider":
"
This first day of April, Ancestry.com announced yet another new service to help members investigate their family history: Ancestry Séance. According to company president, Tim Sullivan,
There comes a time in each genealogist's research when ancestral lines hit a dead end.
Sometimes it seems an ancestor simply popped into existence. Or available records dry up. What genealogist hasn't thought to themselves, "If I could only talk to this person, I know what I would ask." With Ancestry Séance, now you can!
Ancestry Séance is a service that allows customers to pose a question to an ancestor and get an actual answer back, usually within 48 hours. According to the press release,
Imagine the thrill of solving the Amelia Earhart mystery. Think how easy it will be to jump the pond once you know where to find your immigrant's birth town. Learn the true story behind Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance. Choose between the two John Smiths in your ancestor's town. Prove your illegitimate descent from King Charles II of England.
Ancestry.com chief technology officer, Michael Wolfgramm, explained how the technology works.
We employ a sophisticated network of trained and experienced Jamaican psychics. Using the same technology we employ for the World Archives Project, each question is automatically routed to an entire array of psychic specialists in the topic area. Human error is virtually eliminated by a special computer algorithm that employs a statistic model to filter their responses. The system is completely integrated into Ancestry Member Trees, which makes it easy for users and psychics to precisely the target the same individual, eliminating expensive and time-consuming mistargetting.
When asked if genealogists will actually use a system that flies in the face of traditional evidence-based family history, company spokesperson Mike Ward said, "Hey, look how many happy customers we have that depend almost exclusively on customer-submitted family trees with obvious inconsistencies and totally devoid of any sources."
However, critics have already come forward. Said first generation American, Ape Ralph Ools,
This is psycho. Why did Ancestry.com not choose American workers to contact our ancestors? The offshore psychic reader is cheap, that's why. There's no Jamaican psychic can read my ancestry better than an American.
Ward countered, "This move is actually good for genealogy. It's bothered us for a long time that in the Lifestyles category Zodiac websites outperform Genealogy. Sure, Ancestry.com stands to make a lot of money from this move, but we're really doing this for the good of the industry."
Interested customers need to act quickly. This special offer is good today only. Happy April Fools, everyone. Until next year, stay tuned..."
APRIL FOOL's!!!
Have a Happy and TRICKY Day! - cbh
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