Year: 2009

Genealogy Blog Memes

Kris Hocker on 22 Mar 2009

When I first started this blog, I’d never actually visited another genealogy blog. As I began posting, I started wondering about what I should be posting—besides my research findings, that is. I got curious. What were other family researchers posting? Just their research? Genealogy news? Helpful how-tos?

While surfing from blog to blog, I came across the idea of a blog meme. Now I don’t consider myself a newbie, but I’d never heard of a meme. What is it? you ask. Well, you’ve probably already seen one, but just didn’t know what to call it. Chris Garrett on his blog about the business of blogging and new media defines it like this:

“For bloggers Memes have become synonymous with internet quizzes, surveys, and novelties that people link to and pass around on their blogs, forums and via email…”

The interesting ones that caught my attention, however, were the themes of genealogy posts for days of the week. Geneabloggers had a list, with tips on what to do if you want to participate. The memes are suggested by various bloggers and passed around. Bloggers post content to their site that corresponds with the theme all on the same day. Here’s some of the topics that were suggested:

  1. Tombstone Tuesday (yep, photos of grave stones)
  2. Wordless Wednesday (just the photo, please)
  3. Madness Monday (the ancestor who drives you crazy)
  4. Saturday Surnames (tweeting the names you’re researching)

Aren’t they great? I love the idea of a “regularly scheduled feature,” with additional posts as available. I also got to thinking of other ideas (at 3 a.m., of course in lieu of sleeping):

  1. Friday Finds (unexpected or gratifying research finds)
  2. Monday’s Memories (remembrances, yours and those passed on to you)
  3. Theory Thursday (the latest research theory you’re following)
  4. Sunday’s Sources (new or helpful sources of information, site/book reviews, etc.)

Of course, I don’t have to post anything. I’ve never been one to do what everyone else was, just because they were doing it… But I did see a lot of good ideas on my tour of the blog-o-sphere, so don’t be surprised if you see some of them popping up here. :^)

Photo: Greulich Children

Kris Hocker on 22 Mar 2009

Charles and Caroline Greulich's children

Some of Charles and Caroline Greulich's children and/or spouses

This photo was likely taken circa 1941-1942 in East Greenville, Pennsylvania and includes the living children (and/or spouses) of Charles Philipp and Caroline K. (Wolf) Greulich—assuming, of course, that the identifications are correct.

Men (L-R): John Wieder, Lewis Keller, Elmer Greulich, Albert Sterner, Charles Greulich

Women (L-R): Katherine Jane (Greulich) Wieder, Kate Amanda (Weil) Greulich, Anna E. (Greulich) Keller, Lillian Witmer (Snyder) Greulich, Flora (Greulich) Sterner, Carrie A. (Greulich) Letterhouse, Anna M. (Scholl) Greulich

I’m not sure of the identification. I’ve taken the information from another photograph where Bill Wieder, son of John and Katherine (Greulich) Wieder, kindly identified the occupants. Bill was present at the gathering, so I’m trusting his memory. I, unfortunately, am too young to have ever met any of these family members.

If you’re a family member and can make a positive identification of one of the people in the photo, please let me know.

Must Have Books For the Family Researcher

Kris Hocker on 21 Mar 2009

If you’re going to be researching your family, there are some books that you must have. These are not just the books that I’ve found useful, but books that I’ve returned to again and again.*

Red Book

Red Book

The Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources contains much need background information on the genealogy resources for every state. It provides information on each county, including when it was created, its parent county or counties, and the first year Deed and Probate records were recorded for that county.

You’ll also find contact information for archives, libraries and genealogical societies in that state, as well as a state map which shows the counties and it’s main city.

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Census

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Census, 1790-1930
The Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Census provides a map for each state showing the counties enumerated in each census year overlaid on the state’s current counties. If you’re a visual person, like me, it’s a great way to understand how the boundaries shifted and counties were added over time.

Evidence!

Evidence: Citation & Analysis for the Family HistoriaEvidence: Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian is absolutely a must have for the family researcher. Knowing the source for any piece of information is the ONLY way to determine it’s value. Elizabeth Shown Mills not only explains how to cite a source correctly, but how to analyze that source. Very important stuff!

The answers to your family research questions can seldom be found in books. And when they are they are only what that author knew at that time. Sometimes, they are right. Sometimes, they are partially correct. And sometimes, they are flat out wrong. That’s why you need to know the source of that information, so you can follow-up, verify it, and if necessary build on it. I’ve found several instances where follow-up research on information I felt to be reliable proved incorrect with new information! (Okay, getting off the soap box now.)

Producing a Quality Family History

Producing a Quality Family HistoryOf course, once you’ve done your research, you want to present to to the world, right? Or at least to family. And you want it to be the best. I’ve found Patricia Law Hatcher’s book Producing a Quality Family History to be very helpful in putting my research together in a cohesive, readable format.

Now if I could only find the time to finish the darn book!

Do you have any books that you’d recommend as must haves for the family historian?

* Links to Amazon from this page are affiliate links. If you purchase one of these books, I will earn a small commission. It will not change the final price of the book to you, though.

Joseph and Susanna (___) HACKER

Kris Hocker on 21 Mar 2009

The family of Joseph and Susanna (___) Hacker is another of my loose ends/brick walls. I don’t know much about them, but I’m wondering if this Joseph is the one baptized on 21 Jul 1816 in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Shaefferstown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. If so, that would make him the child of George and Christina (Miller) Hacker. I’d appreciate any information on this family.

Joseph HACKER was born ca 1812/17 and died  sometime after 1880. He appears in the 1850 US census for Elizabeth township, Lancaster county; the 1860 US census for Ephrata; the 1870 US census for Stouchsburg, Berks county; and the 1880 US census for Lebanon (Ward 1), Berks county.

Circa 1845, Joseph married Susanna (___). She was born about 1825/27 and died after 1880, possibly on 9 Feb 1898 in Lebanon county. She may have been buried in Stouchburg, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania.

According to census records, Joseph and Susanna had the following children:

  1. Henry Hacker (1846—?) married Amanda (___)
  2. Emma Hacker (ca 1848—?)
  3. Susan Hacker (ca 1851—?)
  4. Albert Hacker (ca 1853—?)
  5. John B. Hacker (1854—aft 1930) married Mary Fessler
  6. Elizabeth Hacker (ca 1856—?)
  7. Ida Hacker (ca 1859—?)
  8. Alice Hacker (ca 1862/3—?)
  9. Beckie Hacker (ca 1871—?)

Jacob and Maria (Krieg) Hacker

Kris Hocker on 20 Mar 2009

The Jacob and Maria (Krieg) Hacker family is another family group that turned up during my Lancaster county, Pennsylvania research. They show up in Penn township census records in 1850 and 1870. The children show up in Penn township, Warwick township, Manheim township, and Lititz Borough through 1930. I’m interested in finding Jacob’s parents; I’m wondering if he’s possibly the son of George and Christina (Miller) Hacker.

Jacob Hacker was born 28 Sep 1803, probably in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He died 26 Jul 1873, probably in Lancaster county, and was buried in Emanuel Lutheran Church cemetery in Brickerville, Warwick township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. This is the church that my ancestor Johan Adam Hacker attended.

About 1841 Jacob Hacker married Maria Krieg, daughter of John Elias Krieg and Anna Maria Gibbens. Mary was born 5 Aug 1819 and died 22 Mar 1898, both in Pennsylvania, probably in Lancaster county. She, too, is buried in the Emanuel Lutheran Church cemetery.

As far as I know, Jacob and Mary had the following children:

  1. William Hacker (ca 1841—bef 1873)
  2. Elias K. Hacker (1845—aft 1920)
  3. Allen K. Hacker (1847—1928)
  4. Martin K. Hacker (1850—1906)
  5. Henry K. Hacker (1852—1925)
  6. Benjamin K. Hacker (1856—1938)

I’ve posted a transcription of Jacob’s last will & testament in a separate post.

John and Sarah (BEINHOWER) HOCKER

Kris Hocker on 19 Mar 2009

The family of John and Sarah (Beinhower) Hocker is another on that was inappropriately attributed as belonging to John and Christianne Catherine (Steirling) Hocker. Like Adam Hocker, John and family lived in the correct place to belong to John’s family line, but subsequent research proved that they did not.

I am searching for any information that might help to identify John’s parentage.

John HOCKER was born 6 Jul 1815, possibly in Hummelstown, Derry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. He died 21 Jan 1882 in Churchville, Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Churchville Cemetery in Oberlin, Pennsylvania. John was at various times a brickmaker, shoemaker and a farmer. He appears in Derry township tax records in 1838 and in Swatara township tax records in 1840.

John married Sarah BEINHOWER, daughter of John Peter BEINHOWER and Mary Ann SMITH, on 3 Dec 1835, according to the marriage announcement in The Democratic State Journal on Tuesday, December 15, 1835. Both John and Sarah were of Derry township at the time of the marriage. [2] Sarah was born 12 Jan 1814 in Churchville and died 12 Nov 1901 in Middletown.[3] She was buried in Churchville Cemetery with her husband.

John and Sarah (Beinhower) Hocker had, to the best of my knowledge, one child:

  1. Maria Anna/Anna Maria (1840—1873/83) married Christian Gingerich

Footnotes:

  1. John Hocker gravestone, Churchville Cemetery, Oberlin, Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Photographed by Kris Hocker, 7 April 2002.
  2. John Hacker and Sarah Beinhouer marriage announcement, The Democratic State Journal, Volume 1, Number 40, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 15 December 1835.
  3. Sarah Hocker gravestone, Churchville Cemetery, Oberlin, Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Photographed by Kris Hocker, 7 April 2002.

Photo: Charles and Edith Seltzer

Kris Hocker on 18 Mar 2009

Charles and Edith Seltzer

Charles and Edith Seltzer

Charles and Edith (Early) Seltzer mugging it up in their automobile. Charles was the son of Dr. Henry Hocker and Susan (Arnold) Seltzer.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

James BUCHANAN

Kris Hocker on 17 Mar 2009

I’m seeking information on James Buchanan, husband of Sarah “Sally” Craig, and possibly the son of John Buchanan and Mary Irvine(?). I’d like to prove/disprove that the James Buchanan who was married to Sarah Craig was the son of John and Mary (Irvine) Buchanan,  identify a birth place, and prove/disprove that he also married Margaret Tatlock

James BUCHANAN was born circa 1812/22 in Ireland and he may have died 17 Apr 1888 in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland of bronchitis. In various census records, he was listed as a coal miner and ironstone miner. About 1845, James married Sarah CRAIG. She was born circa 1809 in Ireland and died sometime between 1851 and 1861 in Scotland.

James and Sarah had two children that I know of:

  1. Elizabeth Buchanan (1845/7—13 May 1828) married Peter Purvis Bonnington. Scottish census records place Elizabeth’s birth place most consistently in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  2. Sarah Buchanan (ca 1847—?)

The 1851 Scottish census found him in Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland with his wife Sarah, daughters Elizabeth and Sarah, and widowed mother Mary, living at #9 Barnhall Row. He was a coal miner. All the family was listed as born in Ireland. I’m fairly certain that this is, indeed, my James Buchanan.

I believe the 1861 Scottish census found him in Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland with his daughter Sarah. He was listed as being a coal miner. Both father and daughter were listed as born in Ireland. Daughter Elizabeth was living with a family in High Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, working as a dairymaid. According to this census, Elizabeth was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

I may have found him in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1871 and 1881. Unfortunately, while the birth place matches and he’s still a miner, the ages do not match. Additionally, neither daughter is living with him. Instead he’s living with what would be a second family—wife Margaret Tatlock and children: Mary, Catherine, James, William, and John. I think this may be the same James Buchanan, but I need more proof before I can say for certain.

Do you know anything about this Buchanan family? If so, please add a comment.

Where’s Your Irish From?

Kris Hocker on 17 Mar 2009

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d point out some excellent sources for Irish genealogy research.

Ancestry

The 24/7 Family History blog article, Irish Database at Ancestry.com points out several of their most popular Irish databases. You must have a WorldDeluxe membership in order to use them, but I usually find at least some of what I’m looking for on Ancestry. Here’s the list:

  1. Index to Griffiths Valuation, 1848—1864
  2. Ireland, Tithe Applotment Books, 1824-1837
  3. Irish Flax Grower’s List
  4. The Royal Irish Constabulary 1816-1921
  5. Cassell’s Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland
  6. Irish Records Extraction Database
  7. Irish Immigrants: New York Port Arrival Records, 1846-1851

Sometimes you can find Irish ancestors in databases from outside Ireland. I found an Ireland connection while researching my Scottish ancestors through the Scottish Records Office. Here are some other helpful databases suggested by Ancestry:

  1. UK Medical Registers, 1859-1959
  2. UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
  3. New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896
  4. British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
  5. British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920

NEHGS

The New England Historical Genealogical Society are featuring three family bibles from Irish families online. The current features is the Irish Bible record for the John Gough Family, 1822-1878. The Goughs apparently immigrated circa 1822/24 and lived in Albany, New York before moving to Massachusetts and settling in the Worcester area. You can view some pages from the bible online here.

NEHGS also has several excellent articles written by Mary Daly for the Irish American family researcher. If you’ve got Irish ancestors, I’d recommend reading these articles Getting Started in Irish American Genealogical Research and Identifying the Origin of Your Irish Immigrant Ancestor. More articles on Irish research are also available for free.

FamilySearch.org

And, of course, the FamilySearch indexing project also has Irish records available. Currently, the Irish Civil Registration Indexes, 1845—1958 are available for viewing (index only).

Of course, this is only a small part of the information available for Irish researchers. If you know of another great resource, go ahead and post a comment to share it. It’s always great to discover new sources of information! Thanks.

Photo: Christian and Sarah Hershey

Kris Hocker on 17 Mar 2009

Christian and Sarah (Hocker) Hershey

Christian and Sarah (Hocker) Hershey

Christian Millard Hershey married Sarah Frances Hocker, daughter of Henry Landis and Mary A. (Shenk) Hocker on 15 Sep 1910 in Hockersville, Derry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell