Saturday, October 31, 2009

Getting Organized Genealogy Style Day 7

Today's organization has revolved around this blog. I've spent time tweaking a few of the options Blogger provides such as the number of posts that show on a page as well as the layout for labels and archives. I've also played around with the feature that allows you to schedule when a post is published. I've not used that in the past and now realize what a convenience it will be. I need to do more work on my links and photos to ensure that each open in a new window rather than navigating the visitor away from my site. That requires minor HTML code that I am now learning.

The Genealogy & Family History Blogger's Almanac, created by The Family Curator, has proven inspirational to me. I like the seasonally inspired blogging prompts and the overall monthly theme. The idea to schedule posts in the future is covered in the Almanac and finally a light bulb came on for me in that respect! I feel more organized now and look forward to planning my future posts for November!

Now back to scanning photos. I have my maternal Grandfather's photo album and need to preserve the photos!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Getting Organized Genealogy Style Day 6


A task on Dear Myrtle's organization checklist includes scanning in all those photos tossed into a box. I have started on this item and have scanned 250 photos so far. After scanning, the goal is to name and organize the photos by family groups. That will be the most time consuming aspect of this task for sure!

During the scanning process (several hours so far) several questions have arisen. Why do Wyouida Emery and Howard Vanderman have such a strong resemblance to each other when she was an adopted sister? Why does Viola Vanderman's photo album, spanning many years, have photos of her adopted children and no photos of her natural children?

I have also begun to believe that all the photos I thought were of my grandmother may actually be of my great-grandmother also. I hope as I continue this process I find more photos with information on the back that may make things clearer.

I am including a photo I found just because it's a fun photo. There is no writing on the back, but I believe this photo is from the Emery or Evingham lines.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Birthday Tribute



Edith Irene Allen
October 15, 1926 - July 20, 2001

Mother of 9 and wife for 56 years!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Getting Organized Genealogy Style Day 5

At this rate, Dear Myrtle and her monthly checklists, are going to leave me in the dust!! Although I didn't start the January checklist until August, I could be more focused and diligent with this process.

At this point, I have all loose documents filed in 3 ring binders. I chose to file alphabetically with direct ancestors name on a colored tab, all collateral names have a white tab. Before I continue, I will review all documents that I have. As a beginner I was saving everything I came across whether it actually pertained to the individual or not. I have many items that may potentially be of value but I need to take a second look at everything.

I have high hopes for this review process. Some of the items I found nine years ago when I first started genealogy. At that time I really didn't know what I was looking at or for! I will use this opportunity to fully extract the information and analyze the clues it may give me.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Susan Allen is missing in 1920







Susan Hart Allan/Allen has been a challenge to work on. I have evidence, although, not to the proof standard that she is my 2nd Great Grandmother. Part of my evidence is a recurring address: 3429 Flora Avenue in Kansas City MO. In 1910 and 1930 I can find a Susan Allen enumerated at this address. I also have my Great Grandfather's WWI Draft card (1918) listing Susan Allen at 3429 Flora Avenue in Kansas City MO as his nearest relative. My Great Grandfather's death certificate lists a Suelda Hart as his mother. Lastly I have a death certificate for Susan Hart Allen at 3429 Flora. While I continue to try to nail down this relationship I'm curious as to where Susan was in 1920. When I pull up the 1920 census for 3429 Flora an unknown family is living there. Is it odd that Susan would live there move away and then move back to the same house 20 years later?