The Combs family cousins, about 1955, Washington, Ind.

Where I am from, everyone knows everyone else. I am pretty sure in my mother’s home county everyone is all related in some way, unless you are a foreigner (i.e. not born there). As you can imagine trees merge, intermingle, and sometime collide right into each other. This leads to people you never even thought about being in your family tree turning into cousins. Just so you all know, I think my parents merged the only two families in two counties that were not linked yet; or at least as far as I know.

I can remember a nice woman who was a teacher friend to my dad’s mom. My Grandma Combs was Miss Hilbert’s mentor and they became lifelong friends. They traveled together, worked together, and were in many of the same organizations. I even had Miss Hilbert as a substitute teacher a couple times when I was in first and second grades.

Then one summer Miss. Hilbert was at a Sanders family reunion that I went to with my mother’s mother. What was she doing there? Well, it turns out that Miss. Hilbert’s mother and my Grandma Arvin’s mother were sisters; both Sanders girls. That was when I started paying closer attention to exactly who came and went from family reunions over the next few years (as well as whether that cute boy I was making summer-crush-eyes at was a cousin too).

Miss. Hilbert had been a keeper of most of the family history for that side of the family. She never married, but she has always been diligent on keeping the family (now families) together and informed. A few weeks ago I ran across some old newsletter articles she wrote for the now defunct Arvin-Armstrong newsletter (we have an online group now) and wondered if she could still be alive. If she was I know she would be able to help me a lot with this research. Time was of the essence, as she had to be nearing ninety.

I have not been home to a family reunion since we left Indiana almost six years ago. Many things conspired against a trip home, but I am doing my best to make the 14 hour drive back this fall. I had not heard that Miss. Hilbert had died, so using some of the sleuthing techniques on finding living relatives I was taught through a Family Tree University course, I went to work.

I found her.

Using nice stationary, I hand-wrote a letter to her re-introducing myself, letting her know that I have taken up researching the family history and that I would love to correspond with her. That was the middle of March. In the second week of May I got a reply, and I had found the correct Miss Hilbert. She caught me up on her family, told me about how the Loogootee boys’ basketball team won state in their division this year, and how she knew both of my grandmothers.

The best part: She sent me a photocopy of an index “Mother Alford Sanders” had written listing the Sander’s parental lineage for three generations.

The page states:

G. Grandmother Wildman name

was St. Clair Burton

G. Grandmother Sanders

name was Gamble

Grandmother Wildman

name Mary Francis Moberly

died April 30 1864

Grandmother Sanders

Name Elizabeth Denning

Born May 27 1827 Died June 13 1880

Grandfather Armstead Wildman

Born Dec 6 1829 Died Mar 15 1900

Grandfather James Sanders

Born Sept 8 1829 Died Jan 30 1913

Aunt Ann Sanders died

Sept 22 1937 Wednesday 6.30 O Clock

Thankfully, it confirms some of the research I have done (or at least gives me another source), but it also gives me some more mysteries to chase. I am going to have to write her back and ask who the writer is. Alford is one of the names that have been in the area for a long time, and I am going to make the assumption that one of her uncles married an Alford. The question is which one? Also, who was Ann? It is a name I had not heard before and do not have in any of my records. The last question I am going to ask is: when was this written? There is neither a date on the page nor identification.

It always seems that there is always a mystery to solve or a name to chase with each new piece of evidence that lands in my lap. The thrill of the chase, as it were.

Family Tree Firsts is an ongoing blog series featuring newbie genealogist Shannon Bennett of Locust Grove, Va.

Want to learn how to make the most of Ancestry.com? Sign up for our May 23 webinar: Your Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com. You’ll learn all of the tricks, hints and hacks you need to become an Ancestry.com expert!

• Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2012
• Starting Time: 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific
• Presenter: Lori Bessler, Research Librarian at the Wisconsin Historical Society
• Duration: 60 minutes
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It all starts simply enough. An idea, a spark of inspiration, will hit at the darndest of times. Usually I will mull it over, think about possible scenarios, and unless it is a really horrible idea, talk myself into doing it. There have been comments made in my house that if I could siphon a bit of that drive to do these projects off the house would be immaculate! What’s a little dust among friends?

My current project idea is one for my eldest boy. He is very interested in history, particularly, military history of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The project bug hit me in the car the other day (while I was listening to them argue about who won the Battle of Bunker Hill and why) because his birthday is a few short months away. He will be entering middle school, and the types of presents to give him within his interest set are few and far between. History books are always a big hit, and that is when it dawned on me; why shouldn’t I do something that represents his family at all those battles he reads about?

The first thing he asked me after my trip to NARA in March to do Civil War research was, “Where did they fight?” I found it amusing at the time, but now I think I can turn this interest into a neat piece of family history memorabilia. He wanted to know which battles, which regiments, whether or not they got hurt, what happened to them after it was all over, and so many more questions. After talking it over with my husband, who will have to help me with the organization and formatting, we agreed that making some kind of book for him could be a big hit.

Of course, much to my sadness, I will be required to make another trip up to the Archives. Can you feel the sarcasm? I think I should see our ancestors’ compiled service records too, since I already have pension records for most. In addition, I am going to make runs to the local libraries to see if I can find books and histories on the battles and regiments.

At this point I want to make it expandable, just in case I find more ancestors or additional information in the future. In my head I see a section on each person with a small biography, service record, battle listing, and, of course pictures. My husband had a good idea of an overall timeline in the back with everyone listed on it as well has historical events. Finally, there should be an appendix with regimental histories and an index of some type.

As with many of the projects I take on, this has morphed into a larger-than-life goal. The final project may not contain all these ideas, but hopefully it will be close. I have until September to get it done; however, realistically it may be a Christmas present if I really get into the research. I would love to hear if anyone out there has any ideas or suggestions on how I should do this. Any resources I should not overlook? I am giddy with excitement, the sign of a good project in my book. If I get another miscellaneous project done this week, I can start carving out time to begin working on it.

Photo from the Library of Congress

Family Tree Firsts is an ongoing blog series featuring newbie genealogist Shannon Bennett of Locust Grove, Va.

Want to learn how to make the most of Ancestry.com? Sign up for our May 23 webinar: Your Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com. You’ll learn all of the tricks, hints and hacks you need to become an Ancestry.com expert!

Old Post Office, Washington, D.C.

Over the past several weeks, I have discovered the joys of reading old letters. These letters have been sent to me by my mother-in-law, her cousin, ones I found in a trunk, and several that I copied from the National Archives while I was looking at pension records. It amazes me how much you can see into a person’s life with just a simple letter.

Each one has given me a glimpse into a moment in time. The way each person wrote tells me so much about their personality and the circumstances they were living in. I have read letters from mothers begging to hear from their sons, sons writing on the battlefield asking for word from home, veterans pleading for money from the government to help their families and people sending heartfelt condolences to friends. I have been transcribing a letter a day for the last several weeks, and I think I have several months to go before I will be finished. That is, if I ever do finish; now that my family knows I am doing this project, who knows how many more I will be sent?

In addition to reading letters that have historical importance (such as one from a Union Army camp), most of the letters are to and from relatives that lived on opposite coasts. They told about each other’s daily lives, family history, exciting developments, and town gossip. This past December, when I was at home, I held in my hands the letters that my mother-in-law possesses, letters written in the early 1900s, and thought to myself “Wow, what history! What a legacy for our kids.” I had an even larger sense of connection and awe when I held the letter written by my great-grand-uncle, Lemuel Kelley, while he was waiting for orders in Front Royal, Virginia on June 14, 1862, to his father, my third-great-grandfather Lemuel Kelley. This letter is located at the National Archives in the pension record my third-great grandfather filed after his son, and his financial supporter, died. The feelings I had from holding that paper in my hands, knowing that my ancestor had held it and kept it for 20 years, is indescribable.

Reading all of these letters made me think about what my children and grandchildren will read from me? Letter writing has gone by the wayside for texts, emails, and phone calls in recent years. The only letters that I have in my possession from my life are little love notes that my husband and I wrote to each other in high school. Yes, I am one of those few who actually married their high school sweetheart. Sometimes I pull those notes and letters out of the shoebox I keep them in and think it may be best to pitch them. Other times I think about how these notes and letters show how much, and for how long, we have loved and cared for each other. I may just have to suck up my pride and hide them away to be found long after I am gone and my kids can’t see me blush.

On the email front, I have thousands going back almost 10 years. The ones from college and the first few years of marriage are all gone, but I have personal emails from 2004 to the present. Short ones, long ones, more love notes, business letters, family letters, and who knows what else is in there. Every time I think I should go through and weed out my inbox I have this overwhelming worry that I may delete forever something that could be important or needed one day. However, I can’t keep everything and I will eventually need to go through it all. I don’t think my kids need my grocery lists, do you?

Overall, I am very happy I have all these correspondences and that I get to share these people with so many others. I am sending the transcripts to family as well as placing them on my personal blog. It is my contribution to the history of our families and also the towns they came from—places like Swanville, Maine; Pioneer, Washington; and Loogootee, Indiana. It is my hope that others will enjoy them and be able to see them as the wonderful treasure I do.

Photo from the Library of Congress

Family Tree Firsts is an ongoing blog series featuring newbie genealogist Shannon Bennett of Locust Grove, Va.

Want to learn how to make the most of Ancestry.com? Sign up for our May 23 webinar: Your Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com. You’ll learn all of the tricks, hints and hacks you need to become an Ancestry.com expert!

DATE: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific
LENGTH: 1 hour
PRICE: $49.99 ($39.99 Early Bird Special)
PRESENTER: David Fryxell, Family Tree Magazine founder and contributing editor

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to efficiently navigate Ancestry.com
• Tricks for finding the databases you need
• Tips for locating hard-to-find ancestors
• Things Ancestry.com doesn’t want you to know!

WHO SHOULD WATCH THIS WEBINAR:

• New and veteran Ancestry.com users who want to get the most out of the site
• Genealogists new to online research
• Anyone who’s stumped by Ancestry.com’s search system

Arvin/Armstrong family reunion, about 1972

I have been absolutely amazed by the people of this community. Cousins, yes very distant but relatives just the same, seem to be coming out of the woodwork to introduce themselves to me, share information, and collaborate together on family lines. I never in my wildest dreams expected this.

When I first started researching my family, I found a cousin through Ancestry.com. Her grandfather and my great-grandfather were brothers. Thanks to her, my Combs family research opened up and blossomed almost overnight. Within a few months, I had contact with several more cousins from different lines in my father’s family. It wasn’t until recently that I had made connections through my mother’s lines; several cousins have reached out through the Family Tree Firsts blog to make contact with me. Without doing this blog I would never have been able to find them.

I also have a personal blog that I started to meet fellow researchers, share information, and collaborate together. As I have made contact with these offshoot branches of the family I have invited them to read and keep up with my research through it, as well as here. Through the spirit of working together, we all can benefit from each other’s successes.

You can therefore understand my frustration and confusion with people who put their information out there but have no intention of talking, connecting, or sharing with you. Mainly, why would you create a public tree or blog if you don’t want people to contact you? Why would you put yourself out there? I looked recently and I have a good dozen unanswered messages over at Ancestry.com to people who may be related. Even worse, one of them has incorrect information published about my grandmother that I am trying to get corrected. She was my grandmother after all; I would think his person may like my insight into her life and the correct information for her birth, death, and marriage.

I sat down the other day and wrote a handwritten letter to a woman I have not seen in over a decade. She is my grandmother’s cousin and in her late 80s, which means time is of the essence. I am hopeful, as the keeper of the Sanders family history, she will be willing to share her knowledge with me and, if no one on her side is interested, pass on the family memorabilia to me one day. A consequence of becoming the family history keeper that my husband and I have discussed: how big does the next house need to be exactly?

Family Tree Firsts is an ongoing blog series featuring newbie genealogist Shannon Bennett of Locust Grove, Va.

Want to learn how to get the most out of US census records from 1790 to 1940? The April 30 session of our Finding Ancestor in the US Census course is only $39.99. That’s a $60 savings!

COURSE BEGINS: View upcoming course schedule for dates
COURSE LENGTH: 4 weeks
TUITION: $99.99 ($89.99 for VIP)
INSTRUCTOR: Lisa A. Alzo (Bio)

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• The history of Polish immigration—and what it means for your research
• What records to search for in North America and in Poland
• What resources exist overseas for genealogists

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE

• Anyone with Polish ancestry
• Librarians and volunteers wishing to assist patrons researching Polish roots
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WHAT YOU’LL NEED: REQUIREMENTS & SUPPLIES

• This course assumes you understand the basic principles of genealogy and have done some research on your family history. If you’re a complete beginner, you should take our First Steps: Discover Your Family Tree course.

Course Syllabus

Lesson 1: Historical Background

• Introduction
• Polish Immigration and emigration
• Famous Polish People
• Understanding Poland’s three partitions
• Key events in Polish history
• Quiz

Lesson 2: Researching Over Here—North American Records

• Preparing for old country research
• Setting research goals
• Determining names and places
• Finding and using records
• Exercise

Lesson 3: Researching Over There—Polish Sources and Resources

• Locating the ancestral town or village
• Using maps, atlases and gazetteers
• Polish record sources
• Utilizing the Family History Library
• Online resources
• Contacting Polish archives and repositories
• Exercise

Lesson 4: Overcoming Research Obstacles

• Common problems and pitfalls
• Languages and handwriting
• Collateral research and cluster genealogy
• Networking with other researchers
• Other strategies
• Exercise

This file was unique, as he had to prove to the United States government who he was more than other people did. He did not legally change his name: he assumed a new identity, which led to questions and suspicions as to why. Was he on the run? Did he commit a crime? Was he lying about who he was supposed to be? There was a large number of Henry Thompson’s who fought in the war, and he had to prove which of those he was and was not. Questions like this had to be answered by the special examiner on the case before the pension would be granted. The fact that he did not apply for the pension until 1915 made them leery of his request. When asked why he never applied before, Harry simply explained they didn’t need the money. He could work up until then and he felt it was dishonest to apply for a pension if you could still provide for your family.

They interviewed well over a dozen people in the course of the three year investigation, mainly family members and as many living soldiers who served with him as possible. There were only a few living soldiers who were able to give any detail as to who he was. In the file were nearly a dozen returned questionnaires that had been sent out returned informing the government that the person they were looking for had died.

Harry saw many battles with his units. Initially he was in the Birge’s Sharpshooters, which became the 14^th Missouri Infantry, and then the 66^th Illinois Infantry. He was at Shiloh, Corinth, and on Sherman’s March to the Sea to name a few. Harry even participated in the Grand Review in Washington, DC before mustering out in Louisville, Kentucky.

His list of occupations was fascinating. Before the war he stated that he had started training to be a tin smith. After the war he became a teamster and drove mule trains across the plains from Leavenworth, Kansas to Denver, Colorado. It was after this he changed his name and moved to Dickson County, Kansas, where he worked as a logger and met his wife, Nancy Cody. She was the daughter of Button Gwinnet Cody, whom I have written about before. They made their way to Grand Pass, Missouri where he was a farmer.

From the moment I read the reason he changed his name, I wondered if his mother also harbored any ill will toward her son over what had happened. It was a relief to know that she didn’t. Nearly 30 years after the last time his mother had seen him, they were reunited in the parlor of his sister Sarah Elizabeth’s house in St. Louis. The entire family had believed he was dead, killed while driving the mule trains west. Upon seeing him, his nephew Frank Maple (Sarah Elizabeth’s son) told the special examiner that his grandmother’s reaction was the following:

There was a joyful recognition. As the aged mother folded “H.M. Coad” in her arms she exclaimed, “My long-lost boy has come to life again!”

That was the last time they would see one another. The deposition goes on to state that he never visited St. Louis again and his mother died at his sister’s home in February 1903.

Harry only benefited from his pension for a few short years. It was granted June 1918, and he received back pension from the time the claim was filed in 1915. His wife Nancy died on Oct. 22 of that year, and he followed her two years later on June 15, 1920.

Photo from the Library of Congress

Family Tree Firsts is an ongoing blog series featuring newbie genealogist Shannon Bennett of Locust Grove, Va.

Want to learn how to get the most out of US census records from 1790 to 1940? The April 30 session of our Finding Ancestor in the US Census course is only $39.99. That’s a $60 savings!

Hand punching machine, Census

Have you checked out the 1940 US census yet? Waiting for the rush to subside, or the index to be completed? I thought I would do that too…then I found out Indiana was up and available on Ancestry.com by 1 p.m., day one. This news made me rush to my computer and start looking.

Luckily for me, I knew the cities and townships in Indiana where my family lived. Plus, they were living in small communities that had few enumeration districts. In my dad’s home town there were 12 enumeration districts, averaging a couple dozen pages each. On the other hand, my grandfather’s parents’ enumeration cistrict consisted of 12 pages and included their entire township.

I found my dad while sitting down to my morning tea after feeding my boys breakfast. This is the time I check email, use Facebook, and ponder my schedule for the day. (Sounds organized huh? Yeah, don’t let it fool you; there are usually at least three arguments I have to settle and a shoe to find before it’s over.) I was so excited when I read their names that I reached for the phone to call him. Then I realized it was 5 a.m. there. He would not be too pleased if I had called at that hour, even if he most likely was already awake. So I waited until 8 a.m. his time.

He was interested, but not nearly excited as I was that I had found him on the census. I pulled out the sheet I printed off NARA and read it to him as I filled it out. The first thing he noticed was his dad had given the wrong age for Grandma. He made her a year older than she should have been. She was 20 when my dad was born and he was not yet one year old when the census was taken. She should have been listed as 20 years old, but Grandpa had told the Census Taker she was 21 already. Dad told me exactly the area where they were living, what Grandpa did as a metal worker, and told me about all the relatives I should be able to find in the area right around them. Uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends from school; names I had heard before, but did not know how they were connected to the family. Talk about the Friends, Neighbors, and Associates (FAN) principle being put into effect!

In addition to my dad’s immediate family, I found both sets of his grandparents. His mom’s parents were listed at the house I remember visiting out in the country off of US 50 called (Old US 50 today, with a strip mall on it). Grandpa’s parents had been in a house they owned that my father didn’t know they ever lived in. The address was unfamiliar to him, but he described to me where it was in town.

Next time we get to visit in person I will have to pull up the census forms and go through them page by page with him. I can just imagine the stories he could tell about most of those people. Yes, they were at least one generation older than him, but those were the parents of his friends, grandparents of kids he coached, and our family, most of whom have long since passed on. This census is the first one to have still living members of my family on it. My dad, a great-aunt, and an uncle are the only ones left in my immediate family who I can see there.

Photo from the Library of Congress

Family Tree Firsts is an ongoing blog series featuring newbie genealogist Shannon Bennett of Locust Grove, Va.

Want to learn how to get the most out of US census records from 1790 to 1940? The April 30 session of our Finding Ancestor in the US Census course is only $39.99. That’s a $60 savings!