Winter 2010 Genea-Bloggers Games – Final Tally (GeneaPopPop)

 Uncategorized  1 Response »
Feb 272010
 

It is time for a final accounting:

Compose

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources!
150 sources cited in Research log; filed and indexed in Research wiki.  (Alright, enough already!  I continue to “Go Back and Cite” but I an not counting anymore.)
Platinum Medal

2. Back Up Your Data!
C. Data backed up using flash drive, external hard drive, and online. 
D. All data backed up digitally and secured physically (I am confident of being able to recover from a disaster while losing a month or less of research work.)
Silver Medal

3. Organize Your Research!
B. Organized 140 digital files into folders, labeled, etc.
E. Scanned 28 documents…     created 24 digital entries in my database
F. Created a master list of files, posted in Research wiki, described process in blog post, notified son.
Gold Medal

4.Expand Your Knowledge
A. Created a Google Map for my gg-grandfather’s home and work in Youngstown, Ohio, and posted it on my blog.
B. Created a timeline for my gg-grandfather, John Brenner, and posted it on my blog.
C. Created a memorial page for my Dad, Donald George Brenner, on Footnote’s Create A Page.
D. Visited and read articles on tutorial and learning pages of Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, National Geological Society, Genealogy.com.
E. Used Wordle to create two surname visualizations and posted the graphics on my blog
Platinum Medal

5. Write, Write, Write!
A. Wrote a summary of my blog and posted it as a new page on the blog.
C. Wrote and pre-published three blog posts.
D. Wrote a brief biographical sketch of my gg-grandfather and published it in my blog along with the timeline I created for his life.
E. Created a new page on my blog listing the surnames I am researching.
Diamond Medal

6.Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!
A. Commented on four new (to me) genealogy blogs
D. Assisted another researcher by providing photos and a document regarding a person we are jointly researching.
G. Using Blogger’s Follow feature, I added five more genealogy blogs that I am following.
Gold Medal

Final tally:  1 Silver medal; 2 Gold medals; 1 Diamond medal; 2 Platinum medals.

I must say “I surprised myself!”  I expected to complete 4 or 5 tasks… and I actually completed 18.  What a great way to move my research into high gear!   Thanks, Thomas, for initiating this challenge; and thanks to all the others who participated.  I had a blast!

John Brenner’s Youngstown, Ohio (GeneaPopPop)

 Brenner surname, Google Maps, sanitary policeman, tombstones, Youngstown OH  No Responses »
Feb 252010
 

For the sheer fun of it…   for the sheer learning of it…    and for credit as part of the Winter 2010 GeneaBloggers Games…    I have used Google Maps to map out three important locations for my gg-grandfather, John Brenner.


View John Brenner’s Youngstown in a larger map

John lived at 700 High Street for most of his adult life.   He was the first Superintendent for the Mahoning Cemetery, which was later to become Oak Hill Cemetery.  Later John was in the marble business.  I am guessing that this began as selling tombstones.  Perhaps it moved beyond that. 

One serendipity in this process.  As I was looking for the address of his marble works, I found a listing for John in the 1891-2 Burke’s City Directory for Youngstown, Ohio.  His occupation was “sanitary policeman.” This was a new one for me.  A brief web search helped me understand this occupation.  Public Boards of Health were formed toward the end of the 19th (and even into the early years of the 20th) Century.  Today we would call these individuals public health inspectors.  In 1891, one of the apparent duties of a sanitary policeman was to quarantine homes where contagious diseases were present.

One description of the function of sanitary policemen

Timeline for John Brenner (GeneaPopPop)

 Brenner surname, timeline, TimeToast, Youngstown OH  No Responses »
Feb 242010
 

I created this timeline using TimeToast.  This is the timeline for my gg-grandfather, John Brenner.  John was born in Adelshofen, Baden (now Germany) and lived most of his adult life in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio.

John Brenner emigrated to the United States on the William Tell packet ship in 1854, s
ailing from LeHavre, France. After surviving 36 stormy days at sea, John was mugged on the docks of New York harbor. Welcome to America!

Undaunted, 18 year old John, made his way (walking and picking up odd jobs) to acquaintences in Philadelphia where he was able to secure enough funds to travel to Rochester, NY. In the short time he spent in Rochester, John worked as a nurseryman – a trade that would eventually propel him into service as a cemetery manager, then a marble salesman, and finally office manager for a construction firm.

From Rochester, John moved to Columbiana County, Ohio (south of Youngstown) to join his brother Conrad who had earlier emigrated to the U.S. John did not stay long with Conrad, but moved to Youngstown, where he secured lodging with Martin and Catherine Winterbauer.  Catherine, only 6 years older than John, was his aunt. She and Martin Winterbauer was also from Adelshofen, Baden (now Germany).

John married Kate Welk from New Middletown (Columbiana County) in 1861.  For most of their married life, they lived at 700 High Street in Youngstown, Ohio.  Together they brought 15 children into the world, nine of whom survived beyond their 22nd birthdays.

John worked with John Manning in their own nursery company (Brenner & Manning) until 1865 when he was named superintendent of the Mahoning Cemetery (later to become Oak Hill Cemetery). He went into business with George Enders (selling monuments) and took over the business himself when Enders retired in 1880. Subsequently, John Brenner joined with Niedermeier & Restle, general contractors, where he served as manager of the office force until his death.

In 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln issue his call for 100 day troops, John Brenner volunteered and served in the 19th 19th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (Company A, private). After being discharged, he subsequently volunteered and served as a corporal in the 155th OVI (Company D).   Complications from a stomach injury received during the war, exacerbated by colo-rectal cancer brought about his death in 1909.

Research Roundup – MediaWiki, My Research Journal (GeneaPopPop)

 genealogy research, MediaWiki, RootsMagic, Smith surname  No Responses »
Feb 242010
 

The last few days I have working hard at the task of organizing my digital files.   In the past, all attempts at organizing those files has made me feel like the bicycle rider in the picture.

Keep my digital files organized is a significant task, since my son and I have decided to keep all our records digitally on-line.  That way both of us can have immediate access since I am in Nebraska and he is in California. 

Previously, I had up-loaded file folders to our webside.  That was alright for a while; but it had its attendant problems – the chief problem being the necessity of indexing the files separately. 

A couple of months ago, at the suggestion of my son (who is the technologically proficient one of our team), I began to use MediaWiki as my Research Journal.  That was a good move, but I didn’t begin to realize the major benefit to this Web 2.0 approach until I figured out how to use MediaWiki as an indexed storage system — not a storage system with a separate index, but a storage system that is its own index.  Let me explain…

I had already re-organized my digital files into two categories:  Vital Statistic Records & SURNAME Records.  

The Vital Statistics category is subdivided into the following folders:  Birth Records;  Baptism & Confirmation Records;  Marriage Records;  Census Records (sub-divided by Census Year); Death Records;  Immigration & Naturalization Records;  Land, Deeds, and other Legal Records;  Military Records;  Location Files;  Extracted Signatures;  and Media Files.

I have the SURNAME category sub-divided into 8 folders – one for each of the 8 grand-parental lines of my children.   In each of these folders, I have separate folders for all the individuals (sorted by Surname, FirstName). Here I have all the data that does not fall into the categories of my Vital Records files.

I have those digital files arranged in this manner on my desktop and laptop; up-loaded to our website; backed up on my RootsMagic4 To-Go memory stick and my external hard drive.   Redundancy is a good thing!

This organizational schema provided me with the structure of my MediaWiki Research Journal.  I reworked every data entry in my original (date-oriented) Research Log.  I added the appropriate citations for each item.  (On a separate MediaWiki page, I have saved about 50 cut-and-paste citation templates – including one for each U.S. Federal Census.)  Since I had been negligent in adding source citations at the time of extracting online data, this was an important task to complete.  Once completed, however, it was simple to transfer that data to the appropriate Vital Record or SURNAME MediaWiki pages.   Now the data is all organized and online — with source citations and links to digital images (or URLs).  Here is a screenshot of the SURNAME files for two leaves on our family’s tree:

The entry for John A. Smith indicates that there are Census records for 1870, 1880, 1890 (veterans schedule), and 1900, as well as Death records and Military Records.  I have no records for him in any of the other categories.  Also, I have an extracted biographical sketch for him, as well as an indication of an unsuccessful search for the Smiths in Montgomery County Ohio.  Actually, I do have more records for John A. Smith, but I have not organized and provided the source citations for them yet.  That comes next, as part of an on-going process.

MediaWiki has provided me with a very workable online way of recording and organizing my research.  As long as my son and I have internet connectivity, those records are available to both of us.

And this citing and organizing has provided me with some medals in the Winter 2010 Genea-Bloggers Games.  But that is the subject of another blog.

Stardust Stories – Julia (Brenner) Huffman, Truant Officer (GeneaPopPop)

 Brenner surname, Huffman surname, truant officer, Youngstown OH  1 Response »
Feb 202010
 

Among the family photos I was able to scan from the notebook of my 1st cousin, once removed, was this picture of my great-grandaunt, Julia Brenner (1877 – 1969) and her husband James Huffman (1874 – 1969).  The Huffmans lived in Mahoning County, Ohio.  I’m not sure whether this picture shows her as a tough non-conformist or a woman with a big sense of humor.  (It almost looks posed.)  Growing up as the twelfth of fifteen children, she probably had to possess both qualities.

Julia was quite a remarkable woman.  In 1927, she began working as the first woman truant officer for the Youngstown (Ohio) public school.  Her obituary in the Youngstown Vindicator remarked that “her willingness to help [youngsters] with their problems, real and imagined, forged a bond of respect between youth and the image of authority she represented.”

Her concern for young people (especially girls and young women) was more than just her job, it appeared to be her calling.  She helped organize the first Camp Fire Girls group on Youngstown’s South Side.  During the Great Depression she helped organize the Young Ladies’ Opportunity Club, aimed at self-betterment and she campaigned for the development of a neighborhood Playground Association.  She was active in Big Sisters and the Women’s relief Corps.  As the daughter of an immigrant, she taught Americanization classes to recent immigrants.

In her mid-70s, she was still well-known by the children in her neighborhood for her annual Easter Egg Tree.  Throughout the year, when baking she didn’t break the eggs, but blew out the contents and saved the shells.  She then dyed the egg shells a wide variety of colors and would hang them outside on a tree for all to see.

 

Julia Brenner Huffman was a remarkable woman…   a non-conformist, an organizer, a champion for young people (and especially young women and truants). 

Winter Games Update (GeneaPopPop)

 digital files, genealogy research, organizing, random acts of kindness  No Responses »
Feb 192010
 

The first week of our Winter 2010 Genea-Blogger Games is coming to its end.  It’s time to ask myself:  How Have I Done?  Did I accomplish what I had hoped to?  or less?  or more?

The good news is that I accomplished more than I had expected.  The great news is that I had a blast!

So…    here’s my summary:

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources!
101 sources cited in Research log; filed and indexed in Research wiki.
Platinum Medal

2. Back Up Your Data!
C. Data backed up using flash drive, external hard drive, and online.
D. All data backed up digitally and secured physically (I am confident of being able to recover from a disaster while losing a month or less of research work.)
Silver Medal

3. Organize Your Research!
B. Organized 101 digital files into folders, labelled, etc.
F. Created a master list of files, posted in Research wiki, notified son.
Silver Medal

4. Expand Your Knowledge
D. Visited and read articles on tutorial and learning pages of Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, National Geological Society, Genealogy.com.
E. Used Wordle to create two surname visualizations and posted the graphics on my blog
Silver Medal

5. Write, Write, Write!
A. Wrote a summary of my blog and posted it as a new page on the blog.
E. Created a new page on my blog listing the surnames I am researching.
Silver medal

6. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!
D. Assisted another researcher by providing photos and a document regarding a person we are jointly researching.
Bronze Medal

Stardust Stories – Edward "Tough Hands" Mieding (GeneaPopPop)

 genealogy, Mieding surname, Youngstown OH  1 Response »
Feb 172010
 

 George H. Mieding (4 May 1857 – 8 June 1934) was my great-grandfather. He worked at lumber yards all his life.  He was obviously known for his tough hands.  This article appeared in the Youngstown Vindicator (December 24, 1927).

The caption reads:  “The toughest hands in Youngstown are claimed by Edward H. Mieding, 70, of 125 E. Ravenwood.  Mieding has been working with lumber for 57 years.  This year, Mieding estimates, he has handled 90,000 rough boards, but not one sliver penetrated the tough fiber of his hands.”

Not bad for 70 years old.  Don’t you just love the smile!

Winter Games – Day Three (GeneaPopPop)

 batch genealogy, citation, genealogy research, OCFRD  No Responses »
Feb 162010
 

Two recent blogs from the company of Geneabloggers have helped me better to understand how I function as a genealogist / family-historian / default-’keeper-of-the-data.’  GenYGenealogist named my most comfortable style of working – namely, “batch genealogy.”  Katrina’s description of “batching” to save time, however, didn’t quite ring true for me. Sometime I have put concentrated effort into acquiring data, without taking the time either to log or provide source citations. Saving a little time now; creating much more work for later.  TennLady provided a more accurate provided a more accurate picture when she wrote: “I work in fits and spurts.”  The title of that particular blog was “The Distracted Genealogist with OCFRD*”  I, too, am afflicted with a distracted-OCFRD (Obsessive Compulsive Family Research Disorder).  Thanks to both GenYGenealogist and TennLady for the insight into my distracted research style.  Such insights help me chart a better path for my work.

Because of the challenges associated with participating in the “Winter 2010 GeneaBloggers Games” I have begun to correct some of my genealogical mistakes from the past and bad habits.  Since Saturday (especially with major roads being closed due to icing conditions) I have gone to a couple of the digital “heaps & piles” on my hard drive.  I collected and reviewed 55 Census images and 36 death certificate images that I had gathered over time. These images were just sitting there without source citations and I had made no notes about accessing them.  I have accomplished three major tasks with those images:  1) they all now have proper citations; 2) they are now logged and indexed in my research wiki; and 3) I have added a new page to my research wiki containing cut-and-paste formats for citing 45 different kinds of research data.  I have clearly reach Platinum in the “Go Back & Cite Your Sources” category, but I am not stopping there.  There is more citing to be done…  and I want to maximize the results of this spurt. 

Without realizing it, I have also been working on some of the other Winter Game challenges.  I have been organizing and backing up my data and adding appropriate pages, etc., to my blog.  I might just emerge from the rigors of these Winter Games with more medals than expected…   and without straining too many muscles..   More later.

Genealogy in the Clouds (GeneaPopPop)

 Brenner, Deeter, Gregg, surname cloud, Weaver, Wordle  No Responses »
Feb 162010
 
I had some fun with Wordle, a website that allows you to create word clouds – either from a URL or from text that you supply.  I tried it both ways. Here are the results:
Wordle produced this cloud from my blog’s URL.  I hadn’t played with all the formatting options – font, layout, color scheme – but I liked the result and saved it.
For my second attempt, I submitted key surnames in my family research, plus three geographic locations.  In my submitted text, I varied the number of times a surname was included, so as to allow the names to show in font sizes that represent their relative prominence — Brenner, Deeter, Weaver, and Gregg are my children’s four grandparent surames; Mieding, Smith, Hill, and Spitzer are added as great-grandparent surnames; and so forth.   I like this one enough to include in as a regular part of the sidebar.
Pretty neat!

Winter 2010 GB Games – Day 1 (GeneaPopPop)

 Brenner, Cole, Deeter, genealogy research, Mieding, Smith, Welk  No Responses »
Feb 132010
 

Let the games begin!

Thomas MacEntee of Genea-Bloggers is hosting the Winter 2010 Games for genealogy bloggers.  There are 6 possible events to enter.  Today’s event for me:  “Go Back and Cite Your Sources!”

This has been a big challenge for me.  I have a lot of digital data files (images of documents, census records, indexes, etc.)    Too, too many come without source citations.  I have started the process of catching up, but it is a slow process. 

Today I was able to dig in and show some real progress.  I tackled my un-cited census files…   as a result of today’s work I have no un-cited census files.    Here’s the record of the census files for which I cited their source:

  • 1840 (1) – Anthony Welk
  • 1850 (2) – George Washington Cole, John Messerall, Anthony Welk
  • 1860 (2) – Charles Weaver, Henry A. Welk
  • 1870 (3) – John Messerall, Mary A. Messerall, Henry A. Welk
  • 1880 (7) – George Washington Cole, Elmira Knepper, Nicholas Messerall, Edward H. Mieding, Dayton W. Smith, John A. Smith, Henry A. Welk
  • 1890 Veterans Schedule (4) – John Brenner, George Washington Cole, Aaron Knepper, John A. Smith
  • 1900 (13) – Lloyd Brenner, John Henry Deeter, James Adkins Gregg, Emma Hill, Aaron Knepper, Hedwig Borcherd, Adelia Mieding, Edward H. Mieding, Rudolph Allen Spitzer, Olive Lovinia Saltsman, John A. Smith, George A. Weaver, Henry A. Welk
  • 1910 (9) – Emma Hill, Fred Bode, George H. Brenner, Harley H. Deeter, John H. Deeter, George A. Weaver, Catharine Welk, Olive Lovinia Saltsman, Erick Simstad
  • 1920 (7) – Nathan Cole, Lloyd Brenner, Harley H. Deeter, George A. Weaver, George H. Brenner, Edward H. Mieding, Olive Lovinia Saltsman
  • 1930 (6) – George H. Brenner, Lloyd Brenner, Nathan Cole, Cyrus Deeter, James Adkins Gregg, Carl E., Mieding

I’m off to a good start:  55 sources, not previously cited, now cited.

It’s time for a break for a day or two, then there are about 45 death certificates, etc. waiting for source citations.  Another task for another couple of days.   I’m off to watch some Olympics!

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