Two weeks since my last report and what do I have to show for it? The short answer is little in comparison to the amount of time elapsed but here is a quick run-down, despite the hot temps and evening thunderstorms which threaten to cut my internet connection at any time.
This 4th of July weekend is free, FREE, US Federal Census viewing on Ancestry.com. That means all US census records from 1790 to 1940 can be viewed and attached to your family tree for free!!
I only learned about this last night and already have punched through some minor brickwalls. I found my grandmother's grandmother's (Anna Guy Selye) sisters' families - right where they are supposed to be - and have cleared up the question of why she would go to Connecticut, as noted in this post. Answer: she went to visit her youngest sister, Mary Ceclia Guy O'Brien, and her family. Through this, I was also able to sort out more of the O'Brien family tree and find that those members are thriving along the eastern seaboard.
Another cool find was the afore mentioned Anna with her family, husband Devillo and four year old daughter Harriet, in the 1892 New York State Census on FamilySearch.org (view the full census image here; bottom of fourth column on the right). The surname Selye was completely redefined by the enumerator as Sealey! (Which only then makes me think: Posturepedic!) Sadly this census is not free on Ancestry right now, nor does it contain new tantalizing information about the researched individuals but it is one more record off the list.
Whilst not part of the census collection, a death record indexed appeared for Anna's sister Helen Guy Phelan Davis. Since I already know Helen's death date, I did not think that there would be much to concern myself with until I noticed that Helen and Anna's father's full name was listed: Clinton Alexander Guy. I had long suspected that Clinton's middle name was Alexander, after his father, and now I finally have the proof. The sad part is that this index is not just an index, it is a copy of the original record... AND, I have just missed great deals on getting that record. Ancestry.com just had a half-off subscription rate and Pennsylvania increased their birth and death record copy costs this July 1st from $10 to $20! Though to be fair, Pennsylvania is putting those extra $10 toward child welfare services. Guess I will have to wait for the next sale. Patience is a virtue?
For the time being, I will continue to search through both sides of my Mother's family tree for census records while they are free through Sunday. ...Off for a Pepsi 8-pack mini run now but when I get back, I am going to patiently look through all 88 pages of the Santa Clara, California 1870 US census with the hope of finding Anna's husband Devillo with his first wife Juana Sanchez. He appears in the California voter registration for that area from 1868-1871, so I am hoping that Devillo is missing from the 1870 census due to transcription error and not lack of recording by enumerator.
Have a happy and safe Independence Day weekend!
This 4th of July weekend is free, FREE, US Federal Census viewing on Ancestry.com. That means all US census records from 1790 to 1940 can be viewed and attached to your family tree for free!!
Another cool find was the afore mentioned Anna with her family, husband Devillo and four year old daughter Harriet, in the 1892 New York State Census on FamilySearch.org (view the full census image here; bottom of fourth column on the right). The surname Selye was completely redefined by the enumerator as Sealey! (Which only then makes me think: Posturepedic!) Sadly this census is not free on Ancestry right now, nor does it contain new tantalizing information about the researched individuals but it is one more record off the list.
Whilst not part of the census collection, a death record indexed appeared for Anna's sister Helen Guy Phelan Davis. Since I already know Helen's death date, I did not think that there would be much to concern myself with until I noticed that Helen and Anna's father's full name was listed: Clinton Alexander Guy. I had long suspected that Clinton's middle name was Alexander, after his father, and now I finally have the proof. The sad part is that this index is not just an index, it is a copy of the original record... AND, I have just missed great deals on getting that record. Ancestry.com just had a half-off subscription rate and Pennsylvania increased their birth and death record copy costs this July 1st from $10 to $20! Though to be fair, Pennsylvania is putting those extra $10 toward child welfare services. Guess I will have to wait for the next sale. Patience is a virtue?
For the time being, I will continue to search through both sides of my Mother's family tree for census records while they are free through Sunday. ...Off for a Pepsi 8-pack mini run now but when I get back, I am going to patiently look through all 88 pages of the Santa Clara, California 1870 US census with the hope of finding Anna's husband Devillo with his first wife Juana Sanchez. He appears in the California voter registration for that area from 1868-1871, so I am hoping that Devillo is missing from the 1870 census due to transcription error and not lack of recording by enumerator.
Have a happy and safe Independence Day weekend!
