Using Your Senses in Genealogy

First, an important message to those who follow my blog posted on Blogger....In July, you will no longer be receiving my blog directly to your email.  I'm so sorry!  Google has decided to cancel the email subscriber feature.  I'll continue blogging and you can find me through Blogger or at my GenealogyAtHeart.com website where I also post.  

The photo above, which I discovered accidentally this week, haunts me.  It connects my past to the present in a special way.

Since the pandemic began, my husband and I have sat next to each other almost daily working separately but together from our home office.  When I began my career in the education field 44 years ago, if someone had told me this was how it would end I wouldn't have believed them.  

I have been fortunate throughout this difficult time when so many have suffered untold losses.  Last Friday, as I was wrapping up the work week, I came across the picture above.  Before reading the caption, I was overcome with a vague memory.  I somehow recognized the building.  I dismissed that thought quickly.  The JSTOR Daily article title, Libraries and Pandemics:  Past and Present could be a photo from any Carnegie library in 1918 since most used the same architectural plans.  Except it wasn't just any old library building.

The caption identifies the librarians sitting on the steps as protecting themselves from the influenze pandemic in October 1918 in Gary, Indiana.  As a child, I climbed those steps many times with my mother, who would have been 6 months old when the photo was taken.  Her father and maternal grandfather would bring the influenza home to the rest of the family three months later. Joseph Kos[s], who I've blogged about previously, would succumb to the disease.  

The last time I visited that library was about 55 years ago.  It has long been closed, not because of age or lack of use, but due to mismanagement of city finances.  Six years ago I was told that most of the holdings were still inside, waiting for the day that funds became available to reopen.  I don't know if that's still the case though it appears that it re-opened after a renovation in January 2018 but has been shuttered again.  

I wonder what the librarians pictured above, who worked hard to preserve the library's contents even during a pandemic, would think about the state of the library today.  No doubt, like me, they would have found it difficult to fathom what the future held.

I also wonder about the condition of the contents remaining in an environment that is unheated in winter or cooled in summer.  As a child, I well remember the annual heat wave in July where temperatures would sore to 100 degrees.  We managed with the windows open and portable fans to catch the breeze blowing off Lake Michigan.  The winters could be brutal with snow falling as early as October and as late as April.  

But this blog isn't about record loss; my thoughts today turn to sensory memory. After all these years, I still recall those steps that were so hard to climb when I was small.  The angle the photo had been taken no doubt helped me recall the building.  Being short in those days, the view I visualized and stored in my mind would have been from looking up at the entrance.  

Using our senses can help recall those distant genealogy memories we carry.  Smelling and tasting one of my grandmother's recipe takes me to another time.  For my husband, remembrances of holidays past are easily recalled when we share food around the table held in his maternal grandmother's china.  Hearing my departed relatives voices recorded on our old movies gives me that goose bump sensation as if they are still here. The sound of those voices helps me remember other events to which I associate them.  

Partaking in a former activity can also help recall long forgotten memories.  Early last year, my husband salvaged a bike that was placed for trash pickup.  We have two bikes which we never ride and he couldn't explain why he brought it home with its rear flat tire.  I was drawn to the bike, too.  Watching my husband tinkering with the bike recalled memories of my grandfather who had once been in the same position as my husband was, fixing the chain.  After the repairs were complete I decided to take it for a spin.  It was a cool spring morning and I felt like I was 8 years old again.  The only thing missing was my apple red wind breaker my mom had purchased from Montgomery Wards on sale. I can't explain why that one block bike ride made me remember that long forgotten jacket. Most likely it was due to my sense of macro reception, balance and movement on the bike, that enabled me to think of the past. 

There is also that 6th sense, intuition, that is yet unexplainable.  Somehow, we just know where to find that tombstone or missing document.  Perhaps this sense is a compilation of the others mentioned when we relax and let the thoughts enter.  

Using your senses in genealogy is another asset for your toolbox, however, caution is needed.  Memory alone does not suffice; examination of records and the input of others who may have shared that memory are necessary.  

All About Surname, aka One Name Studies

 

Several times a month, I’m contacted by someone who is interested in the findings of my surname studies.  If you haven’t embarked on a surname project or want more information on what a one name project is all about, today’s blog is for you.

A Surname or One-Name study is a research project recording ALL individuals with the same surname.  That differs from the intent of a typical genealogy project of identifying the parents of someone with a particular surname.  The results of a surname project may provide relationships but the main purpose is not to determine descendancy or pedigree. The purpose of a surname project is to identify everyone with the shared surname.

So you’re thinking, I can’t even identify my 3^rd time great grandmother’s maiden name, why would I focus on researching unrelated people of one particular surname?  A surname study might help you discover relationships since, back in the day, people tended to marry distantly related family members or siblings frequently wed the neighbor’s siblings.  Embarking on a surname study to discover a maiden name would be a waste of time, though, as the results are hit or miss.

People begin surname studies for a variety of reasons.  My first surname study was identifying all the Leininger surname in the U.S.  My interest was because it is my maiden name and I didn’t know much about my father’s family.  In middle school, I discovered another Leininger family living in my community and I asked my mom how they were related to us.  Her reply, “They’re the rich ones.” clearly didn’t answer my question. When I pressed for more information she said my dad had asked them and a common ancestor could not be identified.  This was long before DNA.  Fast forward to relocating 1200 miles away and discovering another Leininger, this one a priest who was the spitting image of my father.  When my mother asked him about the relationship he had no interest in a discussion.  My surname project to record every Leininger in the US resulted from these two situations. If a connection was found, great, and if not, that was okay, too.  I was more interested in identifying everyone with this uncommon surname.

Before you begin, let’s review surnames.  Typically, surnames are derived from the family’s place of origin.  Although Kos is not a common surname in the U.S., it is well used in Croatia.  Kos translates into blackbird or crow.  Croatians call themselves “Cro’s.”  See the connection? 

Besides place of origin, surnames may also denote a historical occupation, like Smith or Baker, or historical title, like the [House of] Leiningen, a title for Princes of the Holy Roman Empire.

Sometimes they are derived from a location, such as Harbaugh. The family was thought to have originated in Denmark or Switzerland but most likely the name is derived from the German words, har for master and bach for brook as the original spelling was Harbach.  Their origin appears to be in a small village outside of Kaiserslautern and you guessed it, the farm was located alongside a stream. My Hollin[g]shead family lived by the "head of the hollin bushes.  Hollin is middle English for holly. 

Surnames are sometimes descriptive, such as Small or Shortt. That description might not hold true today as it once did!

Sometimes a surname will change with each generation.  The ancient Nordic practice of patronymics, adding “son” or “dotter” to the father’s first name resulted in each generation having a different surname.  Jon’s son, Carl,  had a last name of Jonson.  When Carl had a son, that son’s last name became Carlson. 

Keep in mind surnames evolve for other reasons, as well.  My maternal Kos became Koss because it looked more Anglocized.  Herbach became Harbaugh possibly because a teacher insisted that was the correct spelling, as the family story goes, or because the dialect changed once the family relocated. 

Sometimes a surname is made up, think Elton John whose given name was Reginald Kenneth Dwight.  I have two cousins who legally changed their surnames, one to make it more Anglicized and the other make it more ethnic. 

Children who were adopted also have a surname change. 

If you are thinking about beginning a surname project, UNCOMMON is the key to selection!  You would not do a surname project on a common surname hoping to find relationships.  Sure, all homo sapiens are related but trying to record every Johnson or Williams would be so time consuming you would never finish.

Once you’ve identified an uncommon surname you are interested in researching, do an internet search to see if others have already begun a surname study group.  If they have, you can join and begin sharing your acquired information. If there isn’t one, you can create one. With DNA now available, you can make many more connections than I could have when I did my studies in the early 2000’s. 

Did you know there is  a society called the Guild of One-Name Studies that has resources and education available? Their website has a surname index of their members’ surname studies.

Before I explain how I did my study - a word of caution!  A study group is different than simply Googling a surname.  A study group is composed of those interested in genealogy and research.  They differ from the many websites that offer questionable  information about surnames for a price.

I’m not suggesting to not do a simple internet query of a surname.  The information can provide you hints but be aware that the information may not be relevant.  Remember – correlation doesn’t equate with causation!  In the case of Harbaugh, Google states it is one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon names in Britain and was derived from herebeorg, an Old English word for a person who ran a lodging house.  It does not state that the word is probably older and derived from the Teutonic dweller at a shelter.  Perhaps the English line of Habaugh’s originated with the man named Harbo who purportedly accompanied William the Conqueror to Britain or an earlier Viking (in Scandinavian, baugh means poor).  None of that applies to the U.S. gateways of the surname I wished to research.  The majority came from the Palatinate region.  I have found one Harbaughs from Great Britain emigrating to the U.S.

Like Google, Wikipedia often lists names of unrelated individuals under a surname but beware of the name’s description which is often not cited.  Sure it’s interesting but not necessarily relevant or connected to your surname of interest.

When I decided to do my Leininger surname study I looked for surname projects but didn’t find any as the internet was still young.  I then took genealogy books I found that listed Leiningers and Harbaugh and entered that information into my tree.

All of the information is public in my Main Tree on Ancestry and MyHeritage.  You can add people without connecting them to others in your tree.  To do that, enter the name and information under anyone, then under “Facts” click “Edit” on the upper right.  Next click “Edit Relationships” and click the X next to the father and mother’s names.  You will now have the individual in your tree but not connected to anyone.  You will then research their line as you would your own.  If you find they are connect to your line, you will add them to wherever they belong by selecting “Select someone in your tree” option.  If you never find a connection, no worries!  They are still visible and you can easily find them by using the search feature.

To help identify what I call my “loose lines,” I maintain a table housed under Gallery of all the gateways with that surname. If I’m contacted by someone inquiring how we are related and I do not see a notation on the heading under the individual’s death (such as 3^rd great-grandfather showing in the above picture), I know that the inquiry is regarding a loose line. 

Since completing my Leininger study, I’ve identified 27 Leininger/Lininger gateway individuals born between 1742-1830, who emigrated from the Palatine and settled in Pennsylvania or Ohio.  I am unable to connect them to my line.  DNA has shown that 3 of the gateways were distantly related to me but the key to discovering a common ancestor for probably all of these lines lies in Europe at least 500 years ago. 

Of the Harbaugh/Herbach/Hurbach study, I have 13 individuals I cannot determine a connection to my husband’s line. I have not reached out to descendants for DNA but perhaps will in the future.

Surname studies are an investment in time but the energy is worth it if you are interested in stretching your genealogy skills and leaving a legacy of research that provides a bigger picture of a family surname.   

2021 Conferences to Attend

Hopefully, by 2022, we'll resume traveling to in-person conferences.  In the interim, genealogy education continues to be offered online.  Here are some coming up soon that may be of interest to you:

National Genealogical Society (NGS) Annual Family History Conference that was to be held in Virginia takes place online May 18-20 and with the package you select, on demand lectures begin on June 15th.  Register at NGS soon to take advantage of the Early Bird special.

The International German Genealogy Conference will be held July 17-24.  Early Bird specials have ended but you can still attend virtually by registering here.

The Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research has a few open seats left for their online conference to be held July 25-30.  Check out what's available on their site.

Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Virtual Professional Management Conference is for those interested in a career as a professional genealogist.  There are 3 sessions over 3 months:  August 24-25, September 21-22 and October 19-20.  Sign up for those most interesting or attend all sessions offered by taking advantage of their Early Bird offerings.  Register at APG.

According to FamilySearch, there are over 9,000 historical and genealogical organizations so the few I highlighted are just a sampling.  Google conferences near you so that you can begin to make new connections.  I'm looking forward to meeting my new "cuz" I discovered at RootsTech soon who is working on the same Morrison line that I am.  It's a small world after all! By attending a conference from your home you may also discover family you never knew who just may hold the key you are looking for to unlock your family mystery.  That's definitely worth the price of the conference.

Remembering the Forgotten Ones - A New Project

The Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War (DUVCW) have embarked on a new project, The Forgotten Soldiers and Sailors.  This legacy organization will be accepting documentation through the end of 2021 about those that left NO DESCENDANTS due to their death in battle or from injury/disease due to their war service for the Union.  

This project is dear to my heart because I try to honor my ancestors by selecting a different individual for each lineage society that I join.  I'm sure you have in your tree many people that died childless and had you not recorded them, would have been forgotten.  I see this endeavor as a way to remember true patriots who would not likely have their stories told.

When I first learned of the project I looked through my tree, which combines both my husband and my sides, to list all those that would qualify.  I identified 15 people.

I then looked at the records that I had already found to see if any met the criteria.  For example, I have an Adam Kuhn who died during Reconstruction purportedly from wounds sustained in battle, however, he would not qualify as he left 5 surviving children. Since the descendants could join DUVCW based on Adam's wartime service he would not be eligible for this project. If his children had died childless then Adam would meet qualify to be listed in this project.  

I never took the time to deeply research the children of my several time great grandparents or thought much about the impact their deaths had on the family until I was heavily investigating my John Duer line in the past few months. That family lost a son to the Civil War - Prosser.  That was the first form I submitted.  

Next, I went up a generation and looked at the siblings of  John and his first wife, Jane, to see if those siblings had also lost a child due to involvement in the Civil War.  Sadly, I identified another Duer who qualified, Isaac.  Isaac's story was interesting as his father, Mark, likely whom one of John's son was named after, left home when Isaac was 6 to serve in the Mexican American War where he was killed in service in Onischalala, Mexico in 1848.  In researching Isaac, I learned that his widowed mother, Jane Skelly Duer, fell upon hard times when Isaac went off to war and had to rely on community charity from her Holmes County, Ohio neighbors to survive.  

Another Mark Duer, son of John's brother, Thomas, had been killed in battle, too.  Thomas, like his brother, Mark, served in the Mexican American War but returned to settle in Missouri where he was discharged.  Father Thomas and son Mark signed up together to serve in the Civil War.  Neither survived the war.  My heart goes out to Frances Bonhanan Duer, wife and mother of those killed as her second son, Thomas decided to enlist after his brother's death.  He was not killed and returned home after the war ended.

I then looked for other individuals in a different line, the Landfairs.  I quickly found Davidson who died while serving in Hampton, Virginia.  Davidson was the first cousin of Jacob Wilson Parrot, the first Congressional Medal of Honor recipient awarded for his bravery and I would add, audacious behavior, during those difficult times.  Remember that old movie, The Great Train Robbery?  That was about Jacob.  

I have 11 more individuals who served for the Union I will be submitting documentation for so that they may be remembered. These lives, cut short too young, should not be forgotten.  If you are not a member of DUVCW but would like to submit a Union soldier or sailor to be remembered, please email me at genealogyatheart@gmail.com and I will be happy to help you.