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Month: July 2011

Google Images

Google Images

Randy Seaver, a prolific genealogy blogger, wrote about finding cemetery images on Google Images recently. Naturally I had to try it. I am not sure how it works but searching for “Robert Downing cemetery” brought up his stone, his relatives’ stones, my non Downing relatives’ stones, photos from my blogs of unrelated people, even pictures of me. I guess he is linked to me in their logic. A search for “Samuel Downing cemetery” did not produce a photo of Samuel’s…

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BillionGraves Update

BillionGraves Update

IF you have an iPhone and you want to try this buying the app will save money. Yes, it is a gimmick. BillionGraves: Save a Dollar—Buy the iPhone App Now Remember, a GPS smartphone is required. iPods, iPads and Android tablets need not apply. If you try it let me know how it goes. Ancestor Hunting

Expand the View 2

Expand the View 2

This is my maternal grandfather’s mother’s line.Eliza S. “Lida” Harding [1869-1942] m. William H. Downing [1863-1903] m. John Rupp [1878-1935]doBenjamin Harding [1836-1915] m. Mary Ellen Clark [1847-1914]so Daniel Harding [1798-1869] m. Elizabeth Wilson [1801-1884]soJohn Bennett Hardin [?-1849] probable but not sufficiently proven – his ancestors are known should proof surfaceMy maternal grandfather’s maternal grandmother’s line.Mary Ellen Clark [1847-1914] m. Benjamin Harding [1836-1915]doRev. Richard Winans Clark [1808-1854] m. Margaret Ann Clark [1808-1867]soRev. David Clark [1776-1847] m. Rachel Rutter [? – c 1803]…

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Expand the View

Expand the View

I recently had a lengthy email correspondence with another transplanted Logan County native. We have different backgrounds and no ancestors in common but when we started talking our ancestors, collaterals and their families brushed at so many spots that I learned new things.This indicates to me it would be worthwhile to expand our somewhat limited view and see what turns up.If you have any connection to these lines or think you might – or know anything that might be interesting…

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Billion Graves

Billion Graves

Billion Graves is a relatively new web site which attempts to photograph tombstones and locate them on a cemetery map using GPS codes. This is a great idea. They also plan to transcribe the stones, either by the photographer transcribing or by a volunteer coming along later and transcribing stones from photos online.Billion Graves support told me the GPS is so “other people can know the distance they are from the cemetery.” I tend to think it is more useful…

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Joseph A. Bozarth Probate

Joseph A. Bozarth Probate

Joseph A. Bozarth wrote his will on February 28, 1896. He died April 18, 1897, in Illiopolis, Sangamon County. I got it through IRAD because it less expensive. Also, the interns at IRAD are more experienced at finding the entire file. It’s their job. It is not the primary job of the Circuit Court Clerk. Documents from IRAD are generally copied in the format in which they exist, ie, double sided pages are copied double sided. Joseph Bozarth was born…

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William Henry Downing Probate

William Henry Downing Probate

William Henry Downing’s probate file came from the Logan County Circuit Clerk. Parts of it could be found at IRAD and the whole probate would be in the FamilySearch files. On December 2, 1903, in the typhoid epidemic, William Henry Downing died. He was the only child of William Nelson Downing, who died in the Civil War, ironically of “typhoid pneumonia,” and Delilah Downing Downing. He was 40 years old, not expecting to die and had no will. His heirs…

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Delilah Downing Downing Shellhammer Will

Delilah Downing Downing Shellhammer Will

Delilah Downing Downing Shellhammer was the youngest child of Robert Downing whose probate was previously discussed. I had never considered that she had a will or probate but I found it in the probate records posted online at FamilySearch. These probate files are more work to collect, not being word searchable, but they are also free. Help with the records.  Delilah died June 22, 1909. She first married William Nelson Downing who died in the Civil War. She then married David…

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Gadgets and Gear for Genealogy

Gadgets and Gear for Genealogy

If all goes as planned I will be taking a trip and there will be research. Since my last trip my toys have changed.My new phone is an old smartphone. It’s a Nokia E71, their version of a Blackberry. It has a camera and internet, some apps but it is an older phone. It has built in free GPS. It has built in tethering [which I have not tried]. The best part: unlimited talk, text, internet – everything – is…

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