I’m revisiting an old entry today. That entry is the one from September titled, Menzies News. In that entry I examined a census record that I thought might be William Menzies in 1861. This is important to me because only a few of the Menzies siblings stayed behind in England. William strikes a cord with me because in a letter to his sister he wrote, “I am quite sure I will never stay in England all my life as I am quite tired of it.” I can’t help but wonder if he ever made it.
In the entry, I also mention that I found a marriage record for William Menzies and Ellen Patterson. The only problem was I couldn’t be sure that was my William. The index on familysearch.org only had the name of the groom’s father listed. With such common names like John and William, and no other clues, I couldn’t be sure if this was in fact my William Menzies.
That all changed yesterday. You see on April 19th, Ancestry.com added a huge number of Liverpool, Lancashire, England Church Records. This includes baptisms, christenings, marriages, and burials. I was fortunate enough to find the marriage record that I questioned so many months ago.
Beautiful Day. Very Warm. Went home and knitted. Ma & I went to Wellmont at night. Saw Beautiful & Dammed. La Moss & Willa went to see Abie’s Irish Rose. They went to Wellmont at night.
The genealogy community is buzzing. There’s only 1 year left before we’ll have access to the 1940 United States Federal Census. Like everyone else, I’m already trying to think about where my ancestors were at the time the census was taken.
Went to choir rehearsal but only about 5 of us there. Did not rehearse. Went home & went to bed. Ernest was not out to rehearsal. Started blue & silver sweater.
Meeting of Alethea class at the house. Epworth League. ?his meeting at church first. Put me in Secry. again. Elected Pres of Alethea class again. Mrs. Lederer came down to the house & Carl came down after her & Otillie. Good crowd out. Had a fine meeting. Geo entertained girls until Ma & Pa came home from Roseland. Ruth G, Miss Stanley & myself came down from church about 8:40.
Teachers Training Class. Had cold in my head. After prayer meeting (Mr. Miller lead) the prayer meeting crowd went over to parsonage to wish Mr & Mrs Gillespie Godspeed.
First thing first, I have to say a big thank you to Jennifer over at The Erudite Genealogist. She wrote up an awesome entry giving everyone advice on what to take with you on a research trip. In fact, I’m going to be digging into the spare room closet this week and making sure I have an empty scrapbook case on wheels to get started! So again, THANK YOU!
Now that I have some great advice to follow, it’s time to break into the nitty gritty work. That work has been what has kept me from blogging. Those darn Mays ancestors are driving me crazy but I’m slowly getting them entered into my file. I found that I’m not focusing so much on finding any new directions, I’m just trying to verify what I have with the resources I currently have. When I’m not driving myself crazy there, I’m trying to set up a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to organize the research I want to do on location.
As I get my information together, I’ll keep you updated on my progress. Most likely I’ll have more questions, so I’ll probably ask those as they come. Right now I’m not sure of the exact dates of this traveling. I just know I’ll be in Upstate New York for the 4th of July weekend. The plan is to leave time after the holiday for heading to New Jersey for a little research. Plans always change though so there might be a separate trip to New Jersey needed.
I’m also going to Ohio to visit family this summer because it’s our turn to make the drive. I want to get out a little and visit the Brown County cemeteries where my Webb ancestors are buried. I’m unsure of where Reuben H Webb from Orange County, VA is buried but I hope to figure it out and visit his grave also. I know his son, my 3rd great grandfather, is buried in Kentucky in an abandoned, derelict graveyard. So I hope the same isn’t true for his father.
Reuben was living with one of his sons in 1850. I believe he died shortly after the census. The family was living in White Oak, Highland County, Ohio at the time of the census. I believe James’ wife was born and raised there. Next door to James and Reuben is Alice Webb-Bell. Alice was foreign to me until I found her son Starling living with another of her brother’s in 1880. Then as I tracked back, I found her and later found a mention of her name associated with Reuben. Acc0rding to Reuben T Webb’s biography, his father was forced to move several times after circumstances caused him to lose his property. My question would be did Reuben die in Highland County or Brown County, where the family was living in 1860? This is something I am going to try and find out before I head to Ohio.
Sorry to get off subject, I do that often. So I have several lists going, one for births, deaths, and marriages. Another for cemeteries. I’m also going to start making an obituary list. Looking at the local newspapers is something I haven’t had the opportunity to do before (Ancestry.com’s collection is severely limited), so I’ll be really excited to get to check those out.
Lovely Spring Day. Geo & I went up to church to practice for M.E.W. Entertainment. Roswell, Ernest, Roy V. D., Brad, Carl, Geo & I there. Brad did not stay. When I finished with my part with Carl & Geo, Ernest asked me to stay and see how it went off & what I thought of it. Carl asked to take me home. I said Ernest was going down with me. Ernest & Roswell walked down with me. Miss S told about position in Mr. Rose’s office.
Pa got his money from the Government or the smash up of the car Sept 1920. Ma & Pa took papers up to Safe Deposit vault and then went over to Roseland. I went to bed at 9 o’clock. Clear & quite cool.
Hailed & snowed early in the morning. Was a chill in the air all day. Showered lightly around 5 o’clock. Ernest came home from Manasquan in time for church service. Decided to go to Institute at Middletown, Conn with Leaguers. First Sunday for Mr Armstrong. Very good crowd out both morning & night. Viola up to Aunt Belle’s. Aunt Grace sitting up. Love’s came up from Plainfield. Mr. Burcker’s wife died sometime during Sun. night.
