This morning I attended a workshop on using the U.S. census site. Although family historians use the census it is almost exclusively the historical census. There are a few items on today's census site that you may useful.
Under People & Households there is a link to their Genealogy Page. There isn't alot of info but there is a significant little tidbit. For $65.00 they will do an Age Search: that is, they will search the confidential records from the Federal population censuses of 1910 to 2000 and issue an official transcript of the results.
If you have a missing person and you are waiting every ten years for the next census to come out to see where they were this could be helpful.
Also, they have a gazetteer under Geography. It will list all the places in the census. Select a year and a state.
Even better are the Maps. I had an obit with the place name, Hilda, SC. I wondered where the town was located. Again, under Geography, click Maps; click related sites; click U.S. Gazetteer. At this point search for: Hilda, SC. Do you see the population stats? Now Browse a Tiger Map of the area. Redraw the map adding cities and you find that the little town of Hilda is near Barnwell, SC.
This is better than googling the town because I didn't have to click a zillion sites to find a map I could understand.
While you are on the census site, just for fun, look at the Facts For Features under Newsroom. It is fun, miscellaneous info. It will be amusing!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
abcgenealogy.com
One of the advantages of using the Blogger program for this blog are the added value of google extras. One of those extras is the analytics program. It tells me how many hits I have, what country they come from and what web site referred this blog. So I know that in the last month I have had 17 hits from the Live Oak Public Library. It is really just intetresting minutiae but it amuses me.
Okay it does more than amuse me. It is also a learning tool. When I see a new referral site I go and check it out. One of the new referrel sites is the abcgenealogy.com site. It is a Cindy's List sort of site but it is organized in several different ways: alphabetically, subject, regionally, etc. It is much cleaner to look at and use. There are curently almost 13,000 links.
The abcgenealogy site also lets users rate a site without registration. Yippee!
If you decide to use the link above it goes to the page with the Dead Librarian site listed. Please consider giving me a rating and check out abcgenealogy while you are there.
Okay it does more than amuse me. It is also a learning tool. When I see a new referral site I go and check it out. One of the new referrel sites is the abcgenealogy.com site. It is a Cindy's List sort of site but it is organized in several different ways: alphabetically, subject, regionally, etc. It is much cleaner to look at and use. There are curently almost 13,000 links.
The abcgenealogy site also lets users rate a site without registration. Yippee!
If you decide to use the link above it goes to the page with the Dead Librarian site listed. Please consider giving me a rating and check out abcgenealogy while you are there.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Rootsweb Newsletter and Census Marriages
Do you subcribe to the Rootsweb newsletter? I generally find it very interesting and it doesn't pop into my mailbax so often that it becomes annoying. The last newsletter had some clear and concise information about marriage information in census records. I used it right away to determine that someone we were looking up had two wives (at different times, thank-you very much!). It was quite enlightening. Here is the excerpt from the October 8, 2008 issue:
Marital Status or Civil Condition
Early on, newlyweds were the only ones whose length of marriage was recorded, and the only year the month of marriage was asked was 1870. By 1880, divorces, widowhood, and single status were included.
From 1900–1910, the number of years a couple had been married was enumerated, but in 1920 this was eliminated. Strangely, in 1930, the enumerator determined the age when a person had first married.
That's quite a different issue, and it didn't matter if one was on a second or third marriage—the enumerator just recorded the age at first marriage. So what was the point? From a demographic standpoint, as more women worked or attended college, they were less likely to marry high school sweethearts! Luckily some records show M1 or M2, indicating first or second marriage.
Information enumerated, by census year and column number:
1850 and 1860. Columns 10 and 11, respectively: Whether married within the year
1870. Column14: If married within the year, the month (Jan., etc.)
1880. Column 9: Civil Condition Single; Column 10: Civil Condition Married; Column 11: Civil Condition Widowed, Divorced; Column 12: Whether married during the census year
1890. Column 7: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; Column 8: Whether married during the census year (June 1, 1889, to May 31, 1890)
1900. Column 9: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; Column 10: Number of years of present marriage
1910. Column 8: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; Column 9: Number of years of present marriage
1920. Column 12: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced
1930. Column 14: Marital condition; Column 15: Age at first marriage
Military
Some abbreviations you will see relating to military information include "UN" for Union Navy; "UA" for Union Army; "CA" for Confederate Army; "CN" for Confederate Navy; "CW" for Civil War; "SP" for Spanish American War; and "WW" for World War I.
In 1910, column 30 recorded whether someone was a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. In 1920, the question wasn't posed, but in 1930, column 30 noted veterans of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition (with a Y or N), and column 31 indicated the war/expedition. Interestingly, a number of Civil War veterans survived, along with veterans of the Spanish American War and the Great War.
In addition, in 1890 a special census was enumerated to assist with pension requests granted to veterans or widows. Only those with disabilities were eligible, and it didn't include confederates. Much of this special census schedule is missing—only records from Kentucky and Wyoming remain. However, if you are lucky enough to have an ancestor recorded, there are a number of important items included.
Information enumerated, by column number:
Columns 1 and 2: The house and family number
Column 3: Name of surviving soldiers, marines, and widows
Columns 4 and 5: Rank and Company
Column 6: Name of regiment or vessel
Columns 7 and 8: Date of enlistment and discharge
Column 9: Length of service
Column 10: Post office address
Column 11: Disability incurred
Citizenship and Naturalization
Over the decades, questions were expanded from place of birth to information about parents and native languages.
Information enumerated, by census year and column number:
1850. Column 9: Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country
1860. Column 10: Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country
1870. Column 10: Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country; Columns 11 and 12: Parentage of father and mother of the foreign born; Column 19: Constitutional Relations—Male citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards; Column 20: Male citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards where right to vote is denied on other grounds than rebellion or other crimes
1880. No related information enumerated
1890. Column 33: Number of years in the U.S.; Column 14: Whether naturalized; Column 15: Whether naturalization papers have been taken out
1900. Column 13: Place of birth of this person; Column 14: Father; Column 15: Mother; Column 16: Year of immigration to the U.S.; Column 17: Number of years in the U.S.; Column 18: Naturalization
1910. Same as 1900, but recorded on Columns 12 through14; Column 15: Year of immigration to the U.S.; Column 16: Whether naturalized or alien
1920. Column 13: Year of immigration to the United States; Column 14: Naturalized or alien; Column 15: If naturalized, year of naturalization; Columns 19 and 20: Place of birth/mother tongue of person; Columns 21 through 24: Father and mother
1930. Columns 18 through 20: Place of birth of person, father, and mother; Column 21: Language spoken in home before coming to the United States; Column 22: Year of immigration to the U.S.; Column 23: Naturalized or alien; Column 24: Whether able to speak English
In addition, census records often report addresses, literacy, occupations, and property values. Each decade was different, so do your research carefully.
I recommend RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees Number 9, which details the index system, official dates of enumeration, and pitfalls in interpreting and locating data.
Marital Status or Civil Condition
Early on, newlyweds were the only ones whose length of marriage was recorded, and the only year the month of marriage was asked was 1870. By 1880, divorces, widowhood, and single status were included.
From 1900–1910, the number of years a couple had been married was enumerated, but in 1920 this was eliminated. Strangely, in 1930, the enumerator determined the age when a person had first married.
That's quite a different issue, and it didn't matter if one was on a second or third marriage—the enumerator just recorded the age at first marriage. So what was the point? From a demographic standpoint, as more women worked or attended college, they were less likely to marry high school sweethearts! Luckily some records show M1 or M2, indicating first or second marriage.
Information enumerated, by census year and column number:
1850 and 1860. Columns 10 and 11, respectively: Whether married within the year
1870. Column14: If married within the year, the month (Jan., etc.)
1880. Column 9: Civil Condition Single; Column 10: Civil Condition Married; Column 11: Civil Condition Widowed, Divorced; Column 12: Whether married during the census year
1890. Column 7: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; Column 8: Whether married during the census year (June 1, 1889, to May 31, 1890)
1900. Column 9: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; Column 10: Number of years of present marriage
1910. Column 8: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; Column 9: Number of years of present marriage
1920. Column 12: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced
1930. Column 14: Marital condition; Column 15: Age at first marriage
Military
Some abbreviations you will see relating to military information include "UN" for Union Navy; "UA" for Union Army; "CA" for Confederate Army; "CN" for Confederate Navy; "CW" for Civil War; "SP" for Spanish American War; and "WW" for World War I.
In 1910, column 30 recorded whether someone was a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. In 1920, the question wasn't posed, but in 1930, column 30 noted veterans of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition (with a Y or N), and column 31 indicated the war/expedition. Interestingly, a number of Civil War veterans survived, along with veterans of the Spanish American War and the Great War.
In addition, in 1890 a special census was enumerated to assist with pension requests granted to veterans or widows. Only those with disabilities were eligible, and it didn't include confederates. Much of this special census schedule is missing—only records from Kentucky and Wyoming remain. However, if you are lucky enough to have an ancestor recorded, there are a number of important items included.
Information enumerated, by column number:
Columns 1 and 2: The house and family number
Column 3: Name of surviving soldiers, marines, and widows
Columns 4 and 5: Rank and Company
Column 6: Name of regiment or vessel
Columns 7 and 8: Date of enlistment and discharge
Column 9: Length of service
Column 10: Post office address
Column 11: Disability incurred
Citizenship and Naturalization
Over the decades, questions were expanded from place of birth to information about parents and native languages.
Information enumerated, by census year and column number:
1850. Column 9: Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country
1860. Column 10: Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country
1870. Column 10: Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country; Columns 11 and 12: Parentage of father and mother of the foreign born; Column 19: Constitutional Relations—Male citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards; Column 20: Male citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards where right to vote is denied on other grounds than rebellion or other crimes
1880. No related information enumerated
1890. Column 33: Number of years in the U.S.; Column 14: Whether naturalized; Column 15: Whether naturalization papers have been taken out
1900. Column 13: Place of birth of this person; Column 14: Father; Column 15: Mother; Column 16: Year of immigration to the U.S.; Column 17: Number of years in the U.S.; Column 18: Naturalization
1910. Same as 1900, but recorded on Columns 12 through14; Column 15: Year of immigration to the U.S.; Column 16: Whether naturalized or alien
1920. Column 13: Year of immigration to the United States; Column 14: Naturalized or alien; Column 15: If naturalized, year of naturalization; Columns 19 and 20: Place of birth/mother tongue of person; Columns 21 through 24: Father and mother
1930. Columns 18 through 20: Place of birth of person, father, and mother; Column 21: Language spoken in home before coming to the United States; Column 22: Year of immigration to the U.S.; Column 23: Naturalized or alien; Column 24: Whether able to speak English
In addition, census records often report addresses, literacy, occupations, and property values. Each decade was different, so do your research carefully.
I recommend RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees Number 9, which details the index system, official dates of enumeration, and pitfalls in interpreting and locating data.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Finding Obituaries at RCPL - part II
Part I covered finding obituaries from 1962 to the present using Social Secutiry Death Index and Newsbank. This entry will look at finding death dates that occurred prior to 1962.
We have two great resources for deaths prior to 1962. The first is the South Carolina Death Index (SCDI). Currently death certificates are published from 1915-1957. There is a 50 year delay for public accessibilty of death certificates so 1958 will be added to the index in January.
The SCDI is available for public use from DHEC. It has an awkward piece of software that must be downloaded to view the pages of the index. However, Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) has a lovely search engine.
That can be accessed by clicking the Search tab in Ancestry and then clicking South Carolina and then South Carolina Death Index. SCDI is very helpful for African American researchers because it has a non-white search field.
Ancestry and DHEC just have the index. The complete certificate can only be accessed at the SC State Archive (if the patron is calling from out of state they would contact DHEC for the complete certificate).
Remember that just because a death date is located in SCDI it doesn't mean that The State published an obituary. To find an obituary the patron would have to look through the obituary indexes. They will be the focus of the next post.
We have two great resources for deaths prior to 1962. The first is the South Carolina Death Index (SCDI). Currently death certificates are published from 1915-1957. There is a 50 year delay for public accessibilty of death certificates so 1958 will be added to the index in January.
The SCDI is available for public use from DHEC. It has an awkward piece of software that must be downloaded to view the pages of the index. However, Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) has a lovely search engine.
That can be accessed by clicking the Search tab in Ancestry and then clicking South Carolina and then South Carolina Death Index. SCDI is very helpful for African American researchers because it has a non-white search field.
Ancestry and DHEC just have the index. The complete certificate can only be accessed at the SC State Archive (if the patron is calling from out of state they would contact DHEC for the complete certificate).
Remember that just because a death date is located in SCDI it doesn't mean that The State published an obituary. To find an obituary the patron would have to look through the obituary indexes. They will be the focus of the next post.
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