We have a big problem in Nebraska with our old pioneer cemeteries. Farming continues to encroach on abandoned cemeteries and when those cemeteries are on private property farmers will often destroy the cemeteries. Our cemeteries are protected under state laws, however, only about half of the cemeteries were on the state registry in 2017. An…
If you have collected someone else’s research from the 1990’s or before you have an idea of what a daunting task it is to take all of that written work, files, photocopies, notes, etc. and try to digitize and bring to a new life on the internet and the computer.
The earliest known modern photography came into existence around 1840. When looking at old photos knowing about the photography process is helpful to point to a date or time period.
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Let’s visit the U. S. Census again; this time the tragic story of the 1890 census. The 1890 census was historic for a couple of reasons like being the first census to employ an electronic counting device. It was enumerated in the Summer of 1890 and sadly, only about half of it survives today.
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
From the U. S. Census Bureau web site:
Authorizing Legislation — An act signed into law March 1, 1889 authorized the census of 1890, which was modeled after the 1880 enumeration.
Enumeration
Because June 1 was a Sunday, the 1890 enumeration began on June 2. The census employed 175 supervisors, with one or more appointed to each state or territory, except Alaska and the Indian Territory. Subdivisions assigned to a single enumerator were not to exceed 4,000 inhabitants. In cities designated by 1880 census results to have populations under 10,000, the enumeration was to be completed within two weeks. Enumerators were required to collect all information required by the act by a personal visit to each dwelling and family.
The 1890 questionnaire retained almost all of the inquiries from the 1880 census, and a few new questions were added. The 1890 census included a greater number of subjects than any previous census and more than would be included in those immediately following. New entries included questions about ownership and indebtedness of farms and homes; the names, as well as units served in, length of service and residences of surviving Union soldiers and sailors and the names of the widows of those who had died. Another new question dealt with race, including “Japanese” as a category for the first time, along with “Chinese,” “Negro,” “mulatto,” “quadroon,” “octoroon,” and “white.”
The population schedule was changed so that a separate sheet was used for each family, irrespective of the number of persons included.
As in 1880, experts and special agents were hired to make special enumerations of manufactures, Indians living within the jurisdiction of the United States, and a separate enumeration of Alaska. Furthermore, the schedule collecting social statistics was withdrawn from enumerators; the work of obtaining statistics concerning mines and mining, fisheries, churches, education, insurance, transportation, and wealth, debt, and taxation, also was conducted by experts and special agents.
For the first time, enumerators were given detailed maps to follow so they could account for every street or road and not stray beyond their assigned boundaries.
Technological Advancement
The 1890 census was notable as the first in which the electric tabulating system, invented by former Census Office employee Herman Hollerith, was used. Tabulation of the 1880 census results took almost a decade to complete, and officials hoped Hollerith’s machine would alleviate delays caused by relying on hand counts and rudimentary tallying machines to process data.
Hollerith’s machine required information from the census questionnaires to be transferred to a card, which was hole-punched at various places to indicate the characteristics – age, sex, color, marital status, etc. – of a person enumerated. The cards were then run through an electronic tabulating machine, which, using metal pins to complete circuits through the punched holes, counted or cross-tabulated different characteristics.
You can download a free PDF file of the 1890 Census instructions here:
For 1890, the Census Office changed the design of the population questionnaire. Residents were still listed individually, but a new questionnaire sheet was used for each family. Additionally, this was the first year that the census distinguished between different East Asian races.
Across the top of the sheet were several organizational questions:
Number of dwelling house in the order of visitation by enumerator
Number of families in the dwelling houseNumber of persons in the dwelling house
Number of this family in order of visitation by enumerator
Number of persons in this family
The following questions, listed by row number, were asked of each individual resident:
Christian name in full, and initial of middle name
Surname
Was this person a soldier, sailor, or marine during the Civil War (U.S.A. or C.S.A.), or the widow of such a person?
Relationship to the head of the family
Race
Enumerators were instructed to write “White,” “Black,” “Mulatto,” “Quadroon,” “Octoroon,” “Chinese,” “Japanese,” or “Indian.”
Sex
Age
Was the person single, married, widowed, or divorced?
Was the person married within the last year?
How many children was the person a mother of? How many of those children were living?
Person’s place of birth
Place of birth of person’s father
Place of birth of person’s mother
How many years has the person been in the United States?
Is the person naturalized?
Has the person taken naturalization papers out?
Profession, trade, or occupation
Number of months unemployed in the past year
How many months did the person attend school in the past year?
Can the person read?
Can the person write?
Can the person speak English? If not, what language does he speak?
Is the person suffering from an acute chronic disease? If so, what is the name of that disease and the length of time affected?
Is the person defective of mind, sight, hearing, or speech? Is the person crippled, maimed, or deformed? If yes, what was the name of his defect?
Is the person a prisoner, convict, homeless child, or pauper?
Depending on the person’s status in the questions in rows 22, 23,or 24, the enumerator would indicate on this line whether additional information was recorded about him on a special schedule
The following questions, located at the end of each family’s questionnaire sheet were asked of each family and farm visited:
Was the home the family lived in hired, or was it owned by the head or by a member of the family?
If owned by a member of the family, was the home free from “mortgage incumbrance?”
If the head of the family was a farmer, was the farm which he cultivated hired or was it owned by him or a member of his family?
If owned by the head or member of the family, was the farm free from “mortgage incumbrance?”
If the home or farm was owned by the head or member of the family, and mortgaged, what was the post office address of the owner?
Unfortunately, in January 1921, a fire in the Commerce Department Building destroyed many of the 1890 census records. All files from Alabama through half of Kentucky (alphabetically) were destroyed. The National Archives has a great two part article on their web site about the fire and the loss of documents which you can find at these links:
The earliest known modern photography came into existence around 1840. When looking at old photos knowing about the photography process is helpful to point to a date or time period.
We have a big problem in Nebraska with our old pioneer cemeteries. Farming continues to encroach on abandoned cemeteries and when those cemeteries are on private property farmers will often destroy the cemeteries. Our cemeteries are protected under state laws, however, only about half of the cemeteries were on the state registry in 2017. An effort has been underway for quite sometime to get all cemeteries registered. This is a great video from Nebraska Stories (about 6 minutes) that gives an overview of this effort.
If you have knowledge of abandoned cemeteries in Nebraska or you’re going out to visit a cemetery in Nebraska this Summer look to see if it has been placed in the registry.
If you want to start putting your family history into a story version and write a family history book this is a great session from RootsTech 2017 – about an hour of very helpful information!
They came from Germany to America in 1714 originally to provide a buffer zone colony against the French and to work and protect the ironworks of Lt. Governor Spotswood.
It’s interesting to trace the evolution of family trees moving online since the 1990’s. Jeanne was the researcher who went traipsing all over creation to cemeteries, courthouses and libraries tracking down our ancestors. I find it interesting to go through her notes when I find things like the invention of Family Tree Maker software and old installation CD’s from Netscape – the dawn of the internet. The researchers of the early 1990’s were navigating an exciting time but it was just in the infancy of where genealogical research was going to take us.
If you have collected someone else’s research from the 1990’s or before you have an idea of what a daunting task it is to take all of that written work, files, photocopies, notes, etc. and try to digitize and bring to a new life on the internet and the computer. We are the bridge between the pre-internet age and the future internet age and we have a lot to do.
After doing this for many years here is my list of seven things you should absolutely invest in for your family tree research. These are my “must have items” in my research, organizing and digitizing tool box.
If you do not have one of these for your computer/files stop what you are doing now and order or go get one. I have learned the hard way on not properly backing up my files. This is the Seagate external hard drive – the same one I use with A LOT of memory. I always have it connected to my computer and I have it set to back up automatically once a day. I cannot say this enough times: No excuses! Back up your computer!!
Thought you were done with backing your computer? Well,…you’re not. Next you need the Gorilla USB flash drive. Your computer is backed up but you need to backup and store all of those photos and files and documents as well. The Gorilla USB flash drives are rugged and solid. Save space on your computer hard drive by moving files to the USB drive or use these when you need to share or retrieve files on the go. Organize these however you want: by file type, family lines, etc.
I cannot LIVE without my Brother P-Touch Label Maker!! I am in LOVE with this thing! If you like your folders and files and drawers to look neat and tidy and organized you have to get one of these!! So many features! You can change the font sizes, add fun little images to the labels just to name a few fun things you can do! Runs on batteries! The tapes will last you a good while – (replacement tapes below).
Ancestry DNA Kit
I see in the family tree groups ALL the time people asking about the DNA test. Yes!!! You should do one and start working the DNA into your family tree. DNA must go hand in hand with records. It will help you with your “weak branches” and it will show you where you are going off course. Jeanne was wrong on some things; DNA was able to prove it. The Ancestry DNA test is the way to go to start with. It’s the best “bang for the buck”. (Don’t bother with the Health version as they have already discontinued it. You want the basic test.)
Another item I cannot live WITHOUT! A portable scanner! This one is a great option for less than $100. The Brother DS-640 Compact Scanner can scan to multiple destinations and can be connected to a computer. There are other portable scanner options out there depending on how much you want to spend but this one is great!
If you are dealing with a lot of old negatives that you want to convert to digital images you really want to invest in one of these negative scanners. This Megasonic All In One Film Scanner is great right out of the box! Go for the upgrade option with the built in memory and extra SD card.
If you have collected someone else’s data from anywhere around the year 2000 (after the floppy disk and before the flash drive) you will probably need one of these. This Zelda 3.0 USB multiple SD card reader is compatible with many different types and sizes of SD cards. This will allow you to open and retrieve files and photos on those pesky little SD cards.
The DNA testing continues! Thus far I have done the autosomal DNA testing through AncestryDNA for myself, my husband, my parents and my 91 year old grandmother.
Where do you start with your family tree research and organizing a massive amount of family history? This is a great session from RootsTech – about an hour of very helpful information!
The earliest known modern photography came into existence around 1840. When looking at old photos knowing about the photography process is helpful to point to a date or time period. An early photography process called the “Cyanotype” is explained in this video (about 5 minutes) from the George Eastman Museum
J. S. Winterbottom Store – Rulo, Nebraska, c. 1900 – cyanotype by Agnes Winterbottom– Minneapolis Institute of Art – Mary Beth Thayer Demarce Collection
Tracing African-American enslaved people in your family tree can be more difficult at times. Here is a Free book list of helpful resources from the Internet Archive.
Part 2 of the video tutorial series of starting a new family tree. This video covers the next steps in setting up a new tree and helps you explore the features you will use. This video is about 15 minutes.
Census records are so important to your research. I find it is very helpful to read the instructions and the history behind the census as I research my family tree. Having these files on hand as you work on hard parts of your tree can sometimes provide more insight or even clues. Let’s start with the first official 1790 United States Population Census which enumerated citizens in thirteen states.
The United States Census of 1790 was the first census of the whole United States. It recorded the population of the United States as of Census Day, August 2, 1790, as mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution and applicable laws. In the first census, the population of the United States was enumerated to be 3,929,214.[1]
1790 – Poplulation map of the United States – U. S. Census Bureau/Department of the Interior
Congress assigned responsibility for the 1790 census to the marshals of United States judicial districts under an act which, with minor modifications and extensions, governed census taking until the 1840 census. “The law required that every household be visited, that completed census schedules be posted in ‘two of the most public places within [each jurisdiction], there to remain for the inspection of all concerned…’ and that ‘the aggregate amount of each description of persons’ for every district be transmitted to the president.
Although the Census was proved statistically factual, based on data collected, the records for several states (including Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and Virginia) were lost sometime between 1790 and 1830.[4] Almost one third of the original census data have been lost or destroyed since their original documentation. These include some 1790 data from: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont; however, the validity and existence of most of these data can be confirmed in many secondary sources pertaining to the first census.
Census data included the name of the head of the family and categorized inhabitants as follows: free white males at least 16 years of age (to assess the country’s industrial and military potential), free white males under 16 years of age, free white females, all other free persons (reported by sex and color), and enslaved people.[6] Under the direction of the current Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, marshals collected data from all thirteen states (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia), and from the Southwest Territory.[2] The census was not conducted in Vermont until 1791, after that state’s admission to the Union as the 14th state on March 4 of that year. (From 1777 until early 1791, and hence during all of 1790, Vermont was a de facto independent country whose government took the position that Vermont was not then a part of the United States.)
At 17.8 percent, the 1790 Census’s proportion of enslaved to the free population was the highest ever recorded by any census of the United States.
You can click the link the “download” button to get these instructions in PDF form for your files.
These are two (2) great videos on how to read old gravestones without causing damage to old, fragile stones. I love this technique and we all should be learning how to use it.
What do you need to know before you start digitizing those old photos? This is a great session from RootsTech 2018 – about an hour of very helpful information!
7 Deadly Sins of Digitizing Photos – Pictures and Stories – RootsTech 2018 Session
The earliest known modern photography came into existence around 1840. When looking at old photos knowing about the photography process is helpful to point to a date or time period. An early photography process called the “Daguerreotype” is explained in this video (about 5 minutes) from the Getty Museum.
Clark Sisters of Washington – Library of Congress – daguerreotype – c. 1850
The Missouri Birth (1920 – 2015) & Death Index 1968 – 2015 are now available online for FREE! Thanks again to the hard fighting group at Reclaimtherecords.org you can access the Missouri Birth (1920 – 2015) & Death Index (1968-2015) online for Free. Visit the links below to start to research the index. Additional years…
I have all of my family tree library out of storage now after nearly 4 years! I can now provide research assistance for those researching the same family lines and locations. To view the resources available in my library you can go to the newly created page on this web site called “Research Assistance”. You…
Everyday I look at and date old photos. I look at old photos of people, places, buildings, maps, and all kinds of interesting things that can be found in old photos.
If you want to start putting your family history into a story version and write a family history book this is a great session from RootsTech 2017 – about an hour of very helpful information!
Let me guess, you inherited the family tree and you’ve got so much stuff you don’t know what to do and it’s sitting in piles in your living room…and your office…and your closet…and who knows where else!
If you’ve decided 2021 is the year to really “ORGANIZE” your family tree I’ve got 10 items you can get at the dollar store that won’t break your bank. Stock up on these to get started and on the right path to getting your family tree files and library organized. These are cheap but useful things that you can stock up on in bulk to have on hand as your work on your tree this year. A quick trip to the dollar store and you get what you need to start working through your library, organizing as you go. Maybe this is your first round or organizing or you are re-organizing, either way it will make things easier.
Paperclips! Stock up and get those papers organized and sorted. Get several types, the small ones and the big ones.
Pens & Pencils! I love color coding as I organize because I’m very visual on how I remember things. Lots of supplies here you can get cheap at the dollar store. Pens, pencils & markers. Get some good writing supplies!
File folders! The dollar stores have all kinds of different file folders. Choose the ones you like the best for your needs and stock up. After you paperclip it, label it and file it! You can always move it later, just file it away so you can find it later.
Notepads and Paper! Both are pretty cheap at the dollar store. Stop writing on little scrap papers and invest in a solid stack of notepads that you can organize by topic or family or task. Use more than one and label the front of the notebook.
3 Ring Binders! I generally go with the 1 inch binders here which are generally a little cheaper at the dollar store. It depends what kind you want and how high of quality but it’s always good to have a few on hand even if you change them out later.
Plastic Sheet Protectors! to put documents in that your are putting in folders or binders. This will help to protect from any dust or water damage. I put everything into a plastic sheet protector. I look for 20 or more packs which most of the dollar stores carry.
Index Dividers! to organize your 3 ring binders. Label and re-label as you go.
Fun Times With BoB 