Hawke's Bay Branch of the NZSG

Convenor: Jeannie Wright
Secretary: Margaret Elms
Treasurer: Kathleen Hargreaves

Committee
Joyce Reardon, Jan Tapper, Marguerite Young, Marcia Murtagh, Liz Gunn, Tina Purvis.

Newsletter: Margaret Elms
Overseas Magazines: Elizabeth Martin & June Sowman
Computers: Ian Webster
Blog: Kim Salamonson


Friday, October 10, 2008

GENEALOGY WARNING!! Very contagious to mature adults. NO KNOWN CURE
SYMPTOMS: Mumbles to self. Makes secret calls at night. Hides phone bill from spouse. Has strange far away look in eyes. Has strong compulsions to write letters. Always includes a check in these letters. Swears at mailman when he leaves no mail. Continual complaints for names, dates, and places. Patient has blank expression, sometimes deaf to spouse and children. Has no taste for work of any kind, except feverishly looking through records at libraries and courthouses. Has compulsions to frequently visit strange places, such as cemeteries, ruins, and remote desolate country areas.
TREATMENT:
Medication is useless. Disease is not fatal, but gets progressively worse. Patient should be given a quiet corner of the house where he or she can be left alone. Patient should subscribe to as many societies, newsgroups, surname lists, and genealogical magazines as possible.
REMARKS: The unusual nature of this disease is... The sicker one gets, the more he or she enjoys it.

Author unknown
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~parrottreilly/poems.html

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Something to make your day...

Something to make your day
Thought you'd enjoy this as much as I did. My cousin sent them to me..... Would you believe...these are copies of actual correspondence received by the Family History Department?
Our 2nd great grandfather was found dead crossing the plains in the library. He was married 3 times in the endowment house and has 21children.
For running down the Wheelers, I will send $3.00 more.
He and his daughter are listed as not being born.
I would like to find out if I have any living relatives or dead relatives or ancestors in my family.
Will you send me a list of all the Dripps in your library?
My Grandfather died at the age of 3.
We are sending you 5 children in a separate envelope.
Documentation: Family Bible in possession of Aunt Merle until the tornado hit Topeka, Kansas, now only the Good Lord know where it is . . .
The wife of #22 could not be found. Somebody suggested that she might have been stillborn. What do you think?
I am mailing you my aunt and uncle and 3 of their children.
Enclosed please find my Grandmother. I have worked on her for 30 years without success. Now see what you can do.
I have a hard time finding myself in London. If I were there I was very small and cannot be found.
This family had 7 nephews that I am unable to find. If you know who they are please add them to the list.
We lost our Grandmother, will you please send us a copy?
Will you please send me the name of my first wife? I have forgotten her name.
A 14-year-old boy wrote: "I do not want you to do my research for me. Will you please send me all of the material on the Welch line, in the US, England and Scotland countries? I will do the research.
Further research will be necessary to eliminate one of the parents.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Dear Ancestor

Dear Ancestor
Your tombstone stands among the rest; Neglected and alone The name and date are chiseled out On polished, marbled stone. It reaches out to all who care It is too late to mourn. You did not know that I exist You died and I was born. Yet each of us are cells of you In flesh, in blood, in bone. Our blood contracts and beats a pulse Entirely not our own. Dear Ancestor, the place you filled So many years ago Spreads out among the ones you left Who would have loved you so. I wonder if you lived and loved, I wonder if you knew That someday I would find this spot, And come to visit you.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

5 Golden Rules of Genealogy

It's a fact of life. Trees can't live without light, water, air, and food. While fancy fertilizers and high-tech bug killers are nice, all trees really need to survive are the basics and a little TLC.
As with real trees, all your family tree really needs to grow and flourish is a little of your time (or a lot if you're as addicted as I am!) and some attention to the basics. Digitized census records, DNA tests, and merge-matching software are wonderful inventions, but applying these five essential rules to your family tree research will go a much longer way to achieving genealogy success.
Rule #1: Do Not Assume I know you've all heard this one, but it bears repeating. "Set in stone" is an expression that just doesn't apply to genealogy! Do not assume that the dates listed on a tombstone are the correct ones. Do not assume that your surname was always spelled the way it is today. Do not assume that household members listed in a census are actually brothers, sisters, or other relatives (unless the census actually states the relationship and, sometimes, not even then). Do not assume something as fact just because it has been published in a book or on the Internet. More: Do the Ancestors Hanging From Your Family Tree Really Belong There?
Rule #2: Do Your Own Research Following up on Rule One, secondary sources such as published family histories, indexes, and compilations are an easy way to expand your family tree quickly (the fancy fertilizer approach), but are also highly susceptible to mistakes and assumptions (as second-hand information usually is) that can quickly send your family tree growing in the wrong direction. While it is perfectly fine to use these types of sources to find clues to your family, you should always go back and take the time to verify second-hand sources with your own research in original documents. It only takes one incorrect assumption or fact to have you researching the wrong ancestors! More: Five Steps to Verifying Online Genealogy Sources
Rule #3: Treat Brothers & Sisters as Equals Many genealogists, especially beginners, are only interested in tracing their direct line -- grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. While there is nothing wrong with this approach, there is a good reason it is called a family tree, not an ancestor tree. The further back your research takes you, the more important it becomes to research your ancestor's brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. Commonly referred to as collateral ancestors or collateral lines, these family members may provide the clues that your direct ancestor somehow managed not to leave behind. While your great-grandmother may have been born before births were recorded in the state where she lived, her younger sister may have been born just late enough to have that birth certificate with the parents' names you've been looking for. Or when you learn that your great-great grandfather was born in America, and his parents never chose to become citizens, the naturalization record of the eldest child who was born in Poland may provide the only link to the family's ancestral town. Many choose not to follow this sibling rule because of all the extra work involved, but I can guarantee that by doing so you'll find your research stuck somewhere. More: Researching Collateral Lines
Rule #4: One Source Doesn't Equal Proof It seems pretty simple. You find a death certificate for your grandfather which lists not only his date of death and place of burial, but also his place of birth and his parents' names. Time to enter the information into your family tree and then move on to tracking down Great-grandpa, right? Nope, sorry. One source just isn't enough to constitute proof, especially when it is a secondary source -- as death certificates are for the date of birth and other information which do not relate directly to the death. I searched for my great, great-grandmother for years under the maiden name MARIN because that is what my grandmother remembered. Then, wasted some more time with the maiden name MOORE (pun intended), because that is what I found listed on the death certificate. Both wrong, of course. The actual name was close enough (MEARES), but close doesn't count in genealogy any more than it does in multiple choice.
Before arriving at a conclusion in your genealogy research, you must first conduct a reasonably exhaustive search for all pertinent information. Logically, this means trying to find several different sources for the same information, to give you the best chance at arriving at a well-researched, substantiated conclusion. More: Evidence or Proof? How to Prove Family Tree Connections
Rule #5: Share the Wealth Family trees are meant for sharing. Unfortunately, however, you'll probably find that most of your relatives could care less about the jumbled (to them) collection of facts, notes, and sources that constitute your genealogy database. If you weave all of those names and dates into a story, however, you may find they are interested despite themselves. And "interested" means you'll probably find them more receptive to sharing what they know. Take some time out from your research today to get some of your information into published form, whether it is creating a CD of collected family photos, a family cookbook of collected recipes, or a written history of the family. Even something as simple as framing a copy of Great-granddad's family in the 1930 census is a form of publishing - and makes a great conversation piece too! It's okay if your genealogy isn't "finished." Believe me - it never will be. Just include what you know, taking the time to carefully document your sources. Don't be afraid to use "weasel words" such as probably, possibly, and maybe for information you aren't sure about. As long as you're careful to explain what is fact and what is still guesswork, your family tree will grow for the sharing. More: Writing & Publishing Your Family History

Monday, July 21, 2008

NZ Research

NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand Society of Genealogists Inc. http://www.genealogy.org.nz/
Online Catalogue and Family Research Centre.
Getting started http://www.genealogy.org.nz/resources/researchnz.htmlNewspapers
Many older newspapers were not published daily and thus it is not too difficult to search all issues for a three-month period to find a birth notice. Many will contain parent’s names or state the birth of a child (name) to the wife of Mr. (name) of (location) on date.
Many NZSG branches, local historical groups and local museums have indexed their local papers. Check you local NZSG branch for these indexes.
Public libraries often hold local newspapers on microfiche or film. Many Maori newspapers published between 1842 and 1932 can now be searched on line at the Maori Niupepa Collection.
The Alexander Turnbull Biographical Index should be checked. This is available in many public libraries.Church Records
Check the Church, School and District History section of the NZSG library that will be available to NZSG members from March 2002.
Local church registers for many parts of NZ still exist and are available from the church, its archives or libraries and local branches of NZSG. They will give you dates and parent names and perhaps in some cases names of other family members.Intentions to Marry
The intentions to marry have been indexed by the names of both bride and groom up to 1880, and later dates can be checked using the indexes at Archives NZ, Wellington. These records often hold more information than a marriage certificate.School Records
The national NZSG School Records project is currently underway. These records often provide birth dates, parent or guardian name, last day at school and destination if the student was moving to a new location. Brothers and sisters are often in the same school roll, perhaps in sequential entries if they all enrolled together. The beginning of this index, up to 1940, is now on the NZSG Index. The next issue will have significantly improved coverage, around 3500 schools. This index is available only to NZSG members and observes a 60 year closure rule on availability of records.
Check with the local NZSG branch to see if they have indexed the records for the area that is being researched.
Perhaps you may find your nearest archives, library or school still retains copies of school rolls and will allow you to search them.NZ probates
Most NZ probates have been indexed. The indexes are available on the NZSG Index, some portions on microfiche, and in hardcopy form in many Archives NZ regional offices. The index identifies the date of the probate of the wills in New Zealand courts and are held by Archives New Zealand. Not all probate index records contain a death date, but often the will or other supporting documentation obtainable from Archives New Zealand will reveal more about the deceased person. You will be able to identify the full name, place of death, occupation, death date (if recorded), court, the probate number (to allow the documents to be found), the filed date (usually shortly after the death date), type (whether there is a will or the person died intestate), and where the documents can be viewed.Electoral Rolls
These often show all family members of voting age at an address. Search forward and backwards to other years once you have found your family.
The 1893 electoral roll. This was the first opportunity for women to vote and a very high percentage did. Their names, residence and occupation (for example "wife") are also shown. This index is on the NZSG Index.
Become a member: http://www.genealogy.org.nz/about/join.html
Special interest Groups within NZ: http://www.genealogy.org.nz/sig/index.html
Includes Australia, Channel Islands, Cornish, East Anglia, East India, European, Greater London, Irish, Hugenot, Isle of Man, Maori, Midlands/Northwest England, North America, North East England, Pacific islands, Scottish, Southern England, Welsh
Brides and Grooms Index: http://www.genealogy.org.nz/services/match.html
NZSG has a matching brides and grooms index. Once you know the Folio (reference) number and year for the marriage you will be able to find the marriage partner's name without needing to search hundreds of microfiche frames. Knowing both partners' names also makes other records easier to search eg, probates, burials, and electoral rolls. This, in turn, will identify more family information,

Monday, July 7, 2008

Genealogy Humour...

The Top Ten Indicators That You've Become A Gene-Aholic 10. You introduce your daughter as your descendent. 9. You've never met any of the people you send e-mail to, even though you're related. 8. You can recite your lineage back 8 generations, but can't remember your nephew's name. 7. You have more photographs of dead people than living ones. 6. You've ever taken a tape recorder and/or notebook to a family reunion. 5. You've not only read the latest GEDCOM standard, you understand it! 4. The local genealogy society borrows books from you! 3. The only film you've seen in the last year was the 1880 census index. 2. More than half of your CD collection is made up of marriage records or pedigrees. 1. Your elusive ancestor has been spotted in more different places than Elvis! "The Family Tree" I think that I shall never see, the finish of a family tree, As it forever seems to grow, from roots that started long ago. Way back in ancient history times, in foreign lands and distant climes, From them grew trunk and braching limb, that dated back to times so dim, One seldom knows exactly when, the parents met and married then; Nor when the twigs began to grow, with odd named children row on row. Though verse like this was made by me, the end's in sight as you can see. 'Tis not the same with family trees, that grow and grow through centuries. CENSUS TAKER It was the first day of census, and all through the land; The pollster was ready ... a black book in hand. He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride; His book and some quills were tucked close by his side. A long winding ride down a road barely there; Toward the smell of fresh bread wafting, up through the air. The woman was tired, with lines on her face; And wisps of brown hair she tucked back into place. She gave him some water ... as they sat at the table; And she answered his questions ... the best she was able. He asked of her children... Yes, she had quite a few; The oldest was twenty, the youngest not two. She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red; his sister, she whispered, was napping in bed. She noted each person who lived there with pride; And she felt the faint stirrings of the wee one inside. He noted the sex, the color, the age... The marks from the quill soon filled up the page. At the number of children, she nodded her head; And saw her lips quiver for the three that were dead. The places of birth she "never forgot"; Was it Kansas? or Utah? or Oregon ... or not? They came from Scotland, of that she was clear; But she wasn't quite sure just how long they'd been here. They spoke of employment, of schooling and such; They could read some .and write some .. though really not much. When the questions were answered, his job there was done; So he mounted his horse and he rode toward the sun. We can almost imagine his voice loud and clear; "May God bless you all for another ten years." Now picture a time warp ... its' now you and me; As we search for the people on our family tree. We squint at the census and scroll down so slow; As we search for that entry from long, long ago. Could they only imagine on that long ago day; That the entries they made would effect us this way? If they knew, would they wonder at the yearning we feel; And the searching that makes them so increasingly real. We can hear if we listen the words they impart; Through their blood in our veins and their voice in our heart.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Cooking Cleaning? I'd rather do Genealogy

Cooking? Cleaning? I'd Rather do Genealogy!
They think that I should cook and clean, and be a model wife. I tell them it's more interesting to study Grandpa's life.
They simply do not understand why I hate to go to bed . . . I'd rather do two hundred years of research work instead.
Why waste the time we have on earth just snoring and asleep? When we can learn of ancestors that sailed upon the deep?
We have priests, Rabbis, lawmen, soldiers, more than just a few. And yes, there's many scoundrels, and a bootlegger or two.
How can a person find this life an awful drudge or bore? When we can live the lives of all those folks who came before?
A hundred years from now of course, no one will ever know Whether I did laundry, but they'll see our Tree and glow . . .
'Cause their dear old granny left for them, for all posterity, not clean hankies and the like, but a finished family tree.
My home may be untidy, 'cause I've better things to do . . . I'm checking all the records to provide us with a clue.
Old great granny's pulling roots and branches out with glee, Her clothes ain't hanging out to dry, she's hung up on the Tree.

Anonymous
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~parrottreilly/poems.html