Lessons I have Learned by Teaching Genealogy

In the summer of 2017 I began teaching a genealogy course to graduate students studying library science. I've taught the course four times now; three times as 5-week long summer intensive classes and once as a full 15-week fall semester course. I'm not sure which format I prefer but there have been a few lessons I have learned. First let me describe for you what I teach.

The course consists of readings, discussions, some exercises, a personal research journal, and a culminating project which consists of a family tree, two family group sheets, and a 1000-2000 word biography (which must include extensive footnotes in Chicago style format) on an ancestor who died before the student-author was born. We cover topics including:

1. Organizational forms such as pedigree charts and family group sheets
2. The difference between genealogy and family history
3. The field of genealogy and its relationship to popular culture including discussions of "Roots" by Alex Haley and genealogical television programming with specific attention to the incident which occurred regarding Ben Affleck on Who Do You think You Are?
4. Library services related to genealogy including collection development and programming
5. The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
6. Interviewing etiquette and ethics
7. Database search strategies
8. Census records
9. Vital records
10. Community Created Resources including, newspapers, city directories, obituaries and death notices, published family histories, photos, discussion forums, listservs, and blogs
11. Family History Library and Local History collections
12. Ethnicities and cultural identities
13. Annie Moore
14. Cemeteries
15. Government created resources including ship manifests and passenger lists, naturalization papers, military records, court records, wills, probates, estate inventories, guardianship records, land deeds, and maps.
16. Chicago style citations
17. DNA

In short, A LOT!

Initially I thought the 5-week format didn't give students enough time to really think through the research process but students in my most recent 15-week format course seemed generally unfocused. 

Don't get me wrong; they all did extraordinarily well and accomplished an abundant amount of work. And generally, in an online learning environment it is challenging for me to get to know my students. However, there are certain skills and qualities that come through in one's work that makes me confident in saying whether or not a student possesses excellent interpersonal skills and an able to communicate clearly in writing. Additionally, understanding the difference between data and display is a critical library science skill if not one that is necessary for all of us to success in our modern day society. I strive to make certain my students possess the ability to carefully read, decipher, interpret, and convey the meaning of content contained in archival documents. 

This lack of focus I witnessed I blame, in part, on myself and on the nature of the subject. It's difficult to write guidelines or criteria for evaluation for this type of learning as each and every person's research will be different. Genealogists quickly learns that every family is different, every community and culture maintains records to varying degrees of quality, and not everything is available digitally online. 

Thus, I am giving some deep thought as to how to redesign the personal research journal component as it seems to me that most people don't see the purpose or value in journaling one's discoveries or experiences.

So, to walk the walk I talk, this is what I have discovered about genealogy through the experience of teaching genealogy; and these are the lessons I hope to have left with my students:

• This is hard: Despite the fact that many view genealogy only as a hobby, there are serious skills needed to do this type of research well; reason, logic, persistence, compassion, etc. Aside from genealogy though, life is hard, we all struggle at points and surviving the struggle is a noble act. 
• Mistakes were made: Your going to find errors and imperfections in all sorts of information, records, indexes, articles, citations, and people. Do you see what I did there? Digging up the past can be painfully revealing of imperfections. Just go forward knowing that everyone makes mistakes.    
• Spelling never counts: There are many reasons for variations in the spelling of names on records. Never dismiss potential evidence of the truth simply because it doesn't look the way you think it should.
• Truth is elusive: Unless you lived through something yourself you don't really know what happened. In fact, even if you lived through it, you're going to have a different perspective than those around you. My truth might not be yours. Own yours. Make it something that someone else has to cite.
• No one should be graded on the depth or breath of their family tree: Librarians should serve all equally. Again, every family is different, every community and culture maintains records to varying degrees of quality, and not everything is available online. However, no one should be judged based on those who have come before them. As Mr. Affleck stated, "We deserve neither credit nor blame for our ancestors..."
• Lastly, no one reads: Thus if you have gotten to this point of my post, thank you. Some might perceive this to be a vicious statement for a librarian to make but what I have observed is people want to talk, they want to be heard and listened to.They overlook blatant signs. They skip right to the end. They "ctrl-F to find the answers. They want to fast forward to who dun it. And so I want to acknowledge that the exercise of writing is not solely for the reader but a gift to the author as well. Sincerely, THANK YOU.

Who Do You Think You Are? Review: Bryan Cranston

This has been one of my most favorite episodes in a long time. Perhaps because the subject, actor Bryan Cranston, digs up some serious dirty on his paternal line; dirt I can identify with.

Like everyone I have ever tried to help with their family tree, Bryan begins by saying he doesn't know much about his father's family. In actuality though, he knew his father, who was also an actor, was born in Chicago in 1924 and that his paternal grandparents names were Edward and Alice. That's enough.

This leads him to a 1930 census record with curious details; details that uncover that Grandpa Edward had a previous marriage and a daughter from that union. Like Bryan's father, who bailed on Bryan, his siblings and his mother when Bryan was just 11 years-old, Bryan's grandpa abandoned his first wife and child as well.

Through divorce records Bryan learns that his father had a half-sister, Kathleen. In the divorce record it shows Edward Cranston's first wife, Irene, requesting to return to her maiden name, Kelly. In light of the fact she had a child, the court encouraged her to retain her married name. If one pays close attention, though, we see when the half-aunt's death certificate shows up that Kathleen is recorded as Kathleen Ann Kelly; a detail that is not discussed on the show but one that I think ought to have been.

Bryan commented on the request by Irene to revert to using her maiden name when they are looking at the divorce documentation. He states something to the effect of, of course, why would one want to bear having to hold on to the name of a man who abandoned his family.

Whether is was done legally or not when Kathleen Cranston dies at the mere age of 16 her death certificate lists her with her mother's maiden name, as Kathleen Kelly because...why would one want to hold on to the name of a father who abandoned you.

There was a time when it was much easier to change one's name; illegally if you will. Some people went by many aliases. Nowadays with Social Security and the significance of "identity," changing one's name or even spelling of one's name is an intense legal process. But back in the day, names and what one was called were two different things and spelling almost never counted. We see this in other places throughout this episode; example, the Cranstons show up as Kramston in the 1930 census. It's only now that people are so hung up on spelling. But I digress...

Bryan is visibly moved by the discovery of his half-aunt's early death. He seemed genuinely hopeful that she might still be with us at the age of 100 or at the possibility of finding a long lost line of cousins. However, he was only left to wonder if Edward ever knew his first child died so young or if he even cared about her.

Edward Cranston apparently abandoned his family and opted to serve in World War I. Bryan discovers through Edward's Soldier's Bonus Application that Edward was also an actor. Now had the genealogist more thoroughly explored Edward's WWI draft registration card with Bryan earlier on, he might have noted that Edward had been employed by the Vaudeville Theater in Chicago; that was clearly visible on the show.
     
The biggest surprise on that Soldier's Bonus Application is that Edward’s marital status is listed as single. This dodgy move on Edward's part ensured that Irene and Kathleen would not receive any part of his soldier's pay. Grandpa Edward Cranston, in my opinion, was a big jerk and although Bryan doesn't say that he does state that this bit of information "exposes a link between his actions and my father’s actions. My father’s indiscretions, my grandfather’s indiscretions."

The pattern goes back even further, though when Bryan finds the baptismal record for his great-grandfather, James Daniel Cranston, born in 1849 in Montreal. I love this part too because my great-great grandfather, Damase Desjardins, was born in Montreal at about the same time. And as Bryan runs his finger down the column of recorded church functions he reads off some of the surnames one of which is Damase's mother's maiden name, Clement. This makes it feel even closer to home.

The baptismal record for James Daniel Cranston list his father, Joseph, as "absent." A subsequent record shows 2 year-old James Daniel living in a home for the destitute because his mother must work as a servant and can not financially support her child since the father has "dissipated." It is later discovered that the father had left Montreal to go off and fight in the American Civil War.        

Joseph Henry Cranston is found living in Ohio in the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. He too is listed as single when he entered the home in 1883. Through a newspaper article, Bryan learns that this great-great grandfather was found dead in a boardinghouse from what we presume to be carbon monoxide poisoning. At the time of his death 1889 the Soldier's Home appraised Joseph Henry Cranston's personal effects at just $0.25. Sad.

Granted, everything we learned about these men are facts. Facts that develop in us an opinion that is derived from our personal perspectives. We do not know the whole story. We have not walked in their shoes but Bryan ends the episode by stating: "There was so much abandonment in the line of men...these are men born with suitcases in their hands...this is what happened in my family and it stops with me."

Bryan also states that he wonders if there is really something in the genes. Is there? Or is this a learned behavior amongst certain clans that come to see this shunning, self-absorption, and distancing as acceptable? Who knows.

Bryan goes on to say that it seems you either move in the same patterns as your ancestors before you or you turn 180 degrees from it, in the opposite direction. This made me reflect on my own family's history of abandonment, well, more like estrangement in my case. And I thought really hard about it. It hasn't ended with me and I don't think it will. I do not, however, believe I am continuing in the same direction exactly. I have great hope what I do here, acknowledging of the truth of my family's history, will eventually bring about resolve for subsequent generations. I hope.    

Who Do You Think You Are?: Alfre Woodard

This past week's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? focused on the ancestry of actress, Alfre Woodard. Specifically it focused on her paternal grandfather, Alexander Woodard, and his enslaved father, Alex or Alec Woodard.

Alfre's grandpa died when her father was a child and at many points throughout the episode Alfre stated that she was doing this research not only for herself but for her father. I have encountered this with many of the friends and patrons I have helped with their family trees. Even though their mother or father is long deceased, the person feels they are answering the questions their parents had about their family history. For example, I had one client burst into tears when I discovered her father's long lost brother in the Social Security Death Index. Through her tears she announced that that her father had wanted to find his brother so badly and "now he's dead too." Um, had the uncle been alive he's have been 96. Hmm. But I digress...

Woodard's journey really was an homage to her father and her African-American ancestors.

Although it is true that  African-American genealogy research can often hit a dead end due to a lack records identifying slaves by name, a great deal of information does still exist in post Civil War documentation including census, deeds, wills etc. The unfortunate truth is that enslaved African-Americans were considered property, however, they were indeed a valuable property and often documented in records of their owners. It was an obviously emotional experience for Alfre to see her great-grandpa at age 10 listed among the property of the estate of John Woodard, the slave owner.

That too can be a startling fact to most novice African-American genealogy researchers; that the African-American's family name is often derived from that of the white slave owner. I recently had to explain to a researcher that just because two African-American families in the same community have the same last name doesn't mean they were biologically related; it is probably more likely an indication that they were owned by the same white man or by white families that were related.

I think what was most moving to Alfre was the fact that this man who had been a slave with no possessions of his own had prospered after Abolition.Through tax records and land deeds we learned that Alex had become a land owner in Louisiana and paid the poll tax of $1 to become a registered voter.

The journey back in time through African-American ancestry can be emotional but it can be done. If the notion that you won't find any records because of slavery, or the Holocaust, or some war, or what-have-you, keeps you from researching you family history, don't be silly. Records do exist and you can uncover the stories of you ancestors who accomplished overwhelming feats.

Tune in again this Sunday for a special episode of WDYTYA called "Into the Archives." Can't wait to see what that's all about...

Tune in again this

Who Do You Think You Are?: J.K. Rowling

I love it when a family story gets debunked and that is just what happened to J.K. Rowling in last night's episode of WDYTYA? Now that is not to say that I like to see any one's dreams dashed, but history should not be a fantasy.

For those of you who are not familiar with Rowling, who is called Jo amongst her friends and family, she is the famed author of the Harry Potter series of books.

In this episode she explored her mother's French ancestry, focusing initially on her great-grandfather, Louis Volant, who apparently is not to be confused with Louis Volant.

Rowling's family lore had her believing that her great-grandfather, like herself, had been the recipient of the esteemed Legion d'Honneur; France's National Order of the Legion of Honor award first establish by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. She comes to find out, though, that the Louis Volant who received the honor was not her Louis Volant. 

Who would have thunk that there could be two men with the same name? (This is the point at which hundreds of Harry Potter's drop me a comment to declare their shock and dismay at their inability to cast spells.)

Rowling did learn, however, that her Louis was decorated for his brave service in WWI. And she appeared to be more moved by that knowledge than by the disappointment that he had not received the Legion d'Honneur; as it should be.

She also learned that several generations of her foremother's were single parents, just as she had once been. One of those single mother's was Louis Volant's mother, Salome Schuch and as evidenced by the record of her great-grandfather's birth at the Paris Hospital Archives, Louis was illegitimate. As an illegitimate child he was given his mother's maiden name at birth. Later documents reveal Salome, the single Parisienne servant, eventually becomes a dress maker and marries Pierre Volant, who took on Louis as his own son.  However, it is still unclear if he was or was not the biological father of Louis. Now there was a time when genealogists would have shrugged and left the paternity a mystery but now with the ubiquity of DNA testing, we might be able to resolve that question for Rowling.

As I often say, life is a struggle! There is no shame in survival. Legitimate or not, recipient of a one award or another, the struggles of Rowling's ancestors is still something she should be quite proud of; as should you be of your forebearers.

Next week's episode of WDYTYA? on Sunday, August 9 at 9 p.m. on TLC focuses on the ancestry of actress Alfre Woodard.

Who Do You Think You Are?: Ginnifer Goodwin

It has been a while since I blogged. I've been busy with genealogy, though, and ushering relatives into the world of Ancestry DNA but I haven't really had the time to write.

The new season of Who Do You Think You Are? aired last night, though, and I like to write my reviews of these genealogy research vignettes while they are still fresh in my mind. And so, I am back on the blog...

...and maybe in time I will catch up on writing about my own summer family research. In time.

The first episode of this season of WDYTYA focused on the family history of actress Ginnifer Goodwin who played Margene Heffman in the HBO series Big Love. Ginnifer starts the episode by stating that she knew a great deal about 3 of her grandparents' heritage but nearly nothing about her paternal grandfather, John B. Goodwin. As the episode progresses we see there is a good reason for that; Grandpa John's relationship with his parents was undoubtedly painful.

In speaking with her father about his recollections of the Goodwin family, he expressed to Ginnifer that he wished he had asked his father more questions when he was alive.

This comment made me recall an informal family history interview I had with my maternal grandfather. My Grandpa Gardner's love for his children and grandchildren was palpable but he was not terribly forthcoming with information about his past or his family's past. Although many might argue with me on this, I believe that regardless of it being YOUR family history, someone's past is not necessarily any of your business and perhaps it was best for the Goodwins to wait until Grandpa John had passed to go rifling around in his childhood and upbringing.

By all means ask your loved ones while they are alive about their knowledge of family history but don't press them to stir up painful memories; that is simply unkind.

In any case, Ginnifer learned her great grandmother's real maiden name by obtaining a copy of her Grandpa John's SS-5; the application for a Social Security number. This program began in 1935 and although I have never used this type of resource in my research, it can obviously prove very useful to a researcher. It was evident to me, though, that Ginnifer's grandfather concealed his mother's maiden name on purpose. I suspect he did not want to revisit his relationship with his mother who could blame him.

The discovery of John Goodwin's mother's maiden name leads Ginnifer on journey through court records, divorce decrees, prison records, and hospital documents. Her grandpa John may have been better off on his own at age 11 then with his mother who suffered a series divorces from men who had more than mere run-ins with the law. John's biological father, Al Goodwin, was sent to federal prison for bootlegging. His mother and his step-father, Hugh Wyllie, were dealing narcotics at one point. And both John's mother, Nellie Haynes-Williams-Goodwin-Wyllie,  and his half sister, Pearl Williams, wound up hospitalized for addiction to morphine, a commonly prescribed painkiller at the time.

It was not a pleasant history to unravel but many are not. And whether any of us would like to explore them or not, a wealth of family histories are buried in court records. Don't be surprised, or disappointed, or ashamed to discover you have an ancestor or two who's suffering is documented in court records. Life is hard, people.

Next week's episode which airs on TLC on Sunday, August 2 at 9 pm, focuses on author J.K. Rowling's family history.

Who Do You Think You Are?: Groban, Harmon, and Hayes

Although I have not had the time to write my review for these last three episodes of WDYTYA? until now, I have been watching them as soon as they aired on Sunday nights at 10 p.m. on TLC; March 15, March 22, and March 29, 2015 respectively.  I hate cramming 3 reviews into one post but to do so means the highlights really rise to the surface.

JOSH GROBAN

Episode 2 of this season, Season 6, featured the family history of musician Josh Groban. (God, my mother loves him.) With the help of several genealogists, Josh tracked down his German ancestry. He learns that his 8th great-grandfather, Johann Zimmermann, was not only a religious leader, but also a music teacher & astronomer. In fact, he was such a well known astronomer in his time that Issac Newton referred to him in his own writings. Impressive!

But Josh's ancestor's astronomical sighting of Haley's Comet in 1682 lead him to predict cataclysmic doom which put him at odds with the church and thus forced him to head to the New World. Sadly, he never reached these new shores because he dies at sea. Sort of an anticlimactic ending for him.

What I loved most about this episode was Josh's reaction to learning of his ancestor's musical ability. I find that people love to credit their talents to genetics but the more and more I research family histories, the more inclined I am to believe that environment dictates talent so much more than genetics.

ANGIE HARMON

On her journey, actress Angie Harmon uncovered the life story of her 5th great grandfather, Michael Harman, who came America as indentured servant in the 1770s and went on to fight in the American Revolution. That means that, like myself, Angie could join the Daughters of the American Revolution. I hope that she does because Angie was so enamored by this man. In fact, she was so in love with him that it felt that some significant part of his story was left out. I mean I am sure tons get edited out of these episodes, and I do understand what it is like to deeply connect with an ancestor, but she was just SO in love with Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandpa Michael Harman, it seemed a little - - much. That being said though, it kind of was my favorite aspect of this episode. You really can build significant bonds with your ancestors even though you have never met them, never will, probably will never even get to see a picture of them. It's a magical thing this genealogy research; the way it connects you to history and people.

SEAN HAYES

Episode 4 featured one of my favorite actors, Sean Hayes. He played Jack on Will and Grace, the ever flamboyant gay neighbor. Sean's research lead him through a history of estrangement between his forefathers and their sons. Well, technically, those sons were also Sean's forefathers, hmm, but again, I digress. This is a type of family story is one that I am quite familiar with researching.

Estranged from his own father, Sean traveled to Chicago to learn the sad details of his paternal grandfather’s life. Not only did his grandfather die very young, at the age of 40, he also suffered an obvious decline into poverty. He didn't "die in the gutter" though, as Sean had been told but he was living in a flop house and died destitute.

Sean then follows the Hayes ancestral line back to Ireland, where court records show deep roots of estrangement and many relatives' brushes with the law. Through his research Sean comes to more deeply understanding his own broken relationship with his father. What I truly admire and appreciate is Sean's ability to not place blame.

Next week's episode features actor/director Tony Goldwyn. Tony is the grandson of media mogul Samuel Goldwyn which lends this episode to potential be quite dramatic.

Who Do You Think You Are?: Julie Chen

Quite honestly, I didn't know who Julie Chen was but it didn't matter to me. I was so excited for the start of a new season of Who Do You Think You Are? that it could have been about an inanimate object, I would have tuned in to see it. Not surprisingly, though, Julie Chen and her ancestry is a whole hell of a lot more interesting than say a rock.

Chen is an American television personality and has been the host of the reality show Big Brother since it debuted in July of 2000. Obviously, it is not a show I watch. She is also a host on The Talk and an anchor on The Early Show. Again, I obviously don't watch morning television.

A few aspects of her upbringing struck me as intriguing right away. One, she was born and raised in Bayside, Queens. I had friends that grew up there and are around her age. maybe they knew each other...

And she is of Chinese descent and I have distant cousins who are also of Chinese ancestry and I know next to nothing about Chinese genealogical research. So I was captivated by this episode.

Not knowing a language other than English has impeded my genealogy research in European and even Canadian records. Reading Chinese seems even more challenging to me than trying to read French or German or even Czech. And Chinese naming patterns are entirely foreign to me. Julie, even though she is able to speak Chinese and knew some written Chinese, had various translators with her throughout her journey through China.

Julie first visited the National Library of Singapore where she met with Jason Lim, a historian from the University of Wollongong. Julie had seen her grandfather's English language obituary but there was more detail revealed in the Chinese language newspaper. There it described her grandfather as  having an "improper" childhood without an explanation as to what about it was "improper." This description perplexed and stayed with Julie through most of the episode. I could relate to that feeling of having to unpuzzle that description.

It was later revealed that her great-grandfather was appointed by the Emperor to oversee the Imperial Examination of young scholars. That position ended when the Dynasty abolished the exam, forcing Julie's grandfather to enter the workforce at just  13 years old in order to help support the family.

She learn the grandfather she never knew but had thought had always been so privileged actually made his own way in this world. I liked that this episode that further research into the lives of our ancestor can correct our sometimes improper and inform our always incomplete vision of the lives our ancestors led.

It was worth the watch and you can check it out online at TLC.com: http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/who-do-you-think-you-are/

Who Do You Think You Are?: Kelsey Grammer

This week’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featured actor Kelsey Grammer who strangely reminds me of my step-father. They look a lot alike but my step-father was such a terrible human being, Kelsey seems like such a warm kind man...in any case...

Kelsey's parents divorced when he was very young and his grandmother, Evangeline, became a strong presence in his upbringing. Evangeline, like Kelsey, was not raised by her parents either. That is where Kelsey's research began; trying to answer the question why didn't Evangeline's parents raise her. As it turns out, Evangeline's father abandoned her mother resulting in her mother filing for divorce in the early 1900s.

It turned out that both of Evangeline's parents were likely alcoholics. I say likely because the mother's death from cirrhosis of the liver is not necessarily caused by alcoholism; likely but not definitely. 

Upon discovery of the circumstances surrounding Evangeline's upbringing, Kelsey opened up a bit about his own struggles with addiction. The episode went on to highlight the search from Kelsey's grandmother’s parents in California back to pioneers who traveled the Oregon Train in the 1850s which some viewers may have found most interesting but I myself loved watching Kelsey see the parallels between his own life and the lives of his ancestors. That is what I love about genealogy research for myself and for those I help with their own family history research.

Another statement Kelsey made that I just loved reflected the addictive quality of genealogy research; the gist of which was - - some blanks get filled in and new blanks open up. And so one digs further.



Next week's season finale on Wednesday, August 27 will feature actress Minnie Driver.

Who Do You Think You Are? : Valerie Bertinelli

This week’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featured actress Valerie Bertinelli.

Valerie had the opportunity to research both sides of her family; her father’s Italian ancestry and  her mother’s English ancestry. Valerie stated in the episode that she has always thought of herself as Italian especially given her Italian last name. This is a condition I find befuddling. As English as my last name is I always identify myself as American. I would never think to call myself English or Irish or French Canadian but I digress.

Valerie's English side traced back to Edward the First; King of England from 1239 to 1307. That of course for someone it today's day and age to be able to trace their lineage back to royalty but frankly, I found Valerie's Italian ancestry much more interesting. Perhaps it was because she connected with a cousin she didn't know she had. She traveled to Italy where she met her third cousin once removed. That sounds like a distant relationship but it just means this man Pietro and Valerie's father have a great-great grandparent in common.

Cousin Pietro knew much more about the family than Valerie’s father.  He shared with her a beautiful letter his father had in which he expresses the desire for the America cousins to come visit the homeland again. Here more than 40 years later, that wish came true when Valerie embarked on this research. I found that so very moving. Also, Pietro had held onto a postcard  that Valerie's great grandmother Maria had sent to the family right before she left for America. So sweet.

And speaking of America, Valerie has deep American roots. Like many Americans, Valerie identified with her most recent immigrant ancestor, the Italian Bertinelli's, but knew nothing of her American-ness. Valerie's maternal line goes back to a man named James Claypoole, who was very involved in the Quaker movement in England and America in  the17th century. James had emigrated to  Pennsylvania to practice his faith and was closely associated with the notable Colonist, William Penn. 

I found this episode really interesting and again, the encounter with her third cousin to be the most moving.

Next week’s episode of WDYTYA? is on TLC on Wednesday, August 20 at 9 p.m. Eastern time and  will feature actor Kelsey Grammer. I thought Kelsey would be the last of this season's episodes but I noticed in the intro a new face, actress Minnie Driver, and so I am excited to think we have at least another two more week of WDYTYA? this season.

Who Do You Think You Are?: Rachel and Kayleen McAdams

This week’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featured actress Rachel McAdams and her sister Kayleen McAdams. The two learned about their maternal lineage, their mother's side of their family tree.

First the sisters traced their ancestry back to England to a couple who met while employed as servants in a manor near Plymouth, England; a manor house which is still standing and which the sisters got to visit. Their great-great grandfather was a footman at the house. I believe it was Rachel who commented that until she had watched Downton Abbey that position in a household would not have meant much to her.

The sisters' also remarked that the path they walked from the house could very well have been a path their ancestors walked as well, maybe even while the couple was courting. That sense of stepping on the same path your forefathers would have walked can be very overwhelming, even palpable at times. It is a sensation I often experience when visiting family gravesites. I wonder which relative or friend of the family stood right where I am now the day this ancestor was buried here. But I digress...

The episode then shifted to the sisters' ancestors in Canada. Like many of the early settlers of Canada, the McAdams sisters' Gray ancestors had once lived a region that is now the United States; specifically the Lake Champlain area on the border of Vermont and New York. The Grays were loyal to the King of England during the American Revolution. Like many Loyalists, the Grays thus fled to Canada when the war turned in favor of the Patriots. The Grays lived in a refugee camp in Quebec under very rough conditions. After the war, Mr. Gray, who had served in the war on the side of the British, was granted land in Canada near the St. Lawrence River. I too have ancestors who settled along the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence but they were actually from my Patriot line.

All in all I thought it was a good episode; not my favorite though. The one thing I did really like is that it showed relatives researching together. I don't think WDYTYA has done that before. And in a way, it reminded me very much of my research adventures with Cousin Mary over at Threading Needles in a Haystack. She and I are 6th cousins once removed - very distant by most peoples' standards but not as far apart as it seems. It is always nice to research with her, to have someone with which to share the excitement of a discovery, the shock and awe, and sometimes the frustration and murderous plots. I kid, we're not planning to kill our common ancestor, Jacob Raynor. He's long dead. We're just gonna kick his ass when we get to the other side for leaving no records behind. Grrrr, Jacob, grrrr.

Next week’s episode will feature actress Valerie Bertinelli.

Who Do You Think You Are?: Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Last night’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featured Jesse Tyler Ferguson who plays on the sitcom Modern Family. Love him!!

The episode focused on his paternal grandmother's line and specifically on Jesse's great-grandfather, Jesse Wheat Uppercu (or Uppercue). Jesse Tyler Ferguson spoke at great length about how dear his paternal grandmother was to him. He knew that he had been named after her, however, he did not know that she had been named after her father.

Jesse Uppercu was an interesting character indeed. He led quite a salacious existence. As a young man he was arrested and accused of murdering his own aunt. The motivation for which may have been that he stood to benefit from the aunt's will. He was, however, acquitted. This was only his first brush with the law though.

After finishing law school he eventually moved to the  Dakota Territory where he was accused and arrested for embezzlement $1800 from a bank. Again, he was found not guilty. Several years later, while living in St. Louis, Missouri, he is again arrested  for embezzlement   Those charges were dropped, as was his marriage and, apparently, three children. Jesse Uppercu marries again while living in NJ but that marriage also ends in divorce.

Jesse is not having an easy go at life. In 1898 it seems as though all hits bottom when he leads a large expedition to Alaska to find gold. Not only does he not find any gold, several men on his expedition die. Even though Jesse is the organizer of the expedition, he abandons the effort and returns to the States. It is this event that seems to turn Jesse Uppercu's life around.

He marries  again, this time to Jesse Tyler Ferguson's great-grandmother. And even though that marriage also ends in divorce, Jesse Wheat Uppercu, lives out the rest of his days politically active and caring for his children and adopted step-children in Suffern, NY.

Jesse Wheat Uppercu reminded me a little of a character in my family's history; Leander L. Losee.

Leander was born on November 8, 1846 in Freeport, NY and died on April 23, 1917 in Bath, NY. One aspect of this episode of WDYTYA? that reminded me of Leander was the fact that Jesse Tyler Ferguson carried a family name from someone he knew nothing about. A distant 4th cousin of mine still bears the name Leander and I wonder if he knows how far that names goes back in our family. I am sure he is aware that he is named after his uncle who was named after his grandfather but does he know that grandfather was named after the illustrious Civil War sailor, Leander L. Losee (1846-1917)? Hmm...

Leander served in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. He returned from war to become head of the life-saving station on Freeport, Long Island's waterfront until he was ousted from the position for drinking and gambling on the job. His own brother-in-law testified against him. And shortly after his trial, his wife divorced him. In the 1880s divorce was rare and quite scandalous. You can read more about Leander in my past blog post; 1880: Captain Leander Losee Ousted from Life-saving Station No.31.

Unlike Jesse Wheat Uppercu who hit bottom and seems to turn his life around, poor Leander just seemed to spiral downward. He died in a Veterans Home in Bath, NY.

I suspect every family has someone like Jesse or Leander who makes one want to shout back in history, "Pull it together." I do believe that is exactly was Jesse Tyler Ferguson shouted back at Jesse Wheat Uppercu in this last episode.

Next week’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? will feature the sister Rachel and Kayleen McAdams.

Who Do You Think You Are?: Cynthia Nixon

SPOILER ALERT: I'm giving away all the details...

Last night a new episode of Who Do You Think You Are? aired; the first of season 5. This episode focused on the family history of actress Cynthia Nixon who is best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City.

Cynthia knew little of her father's family history. Her curiosity was sparked when the 1850 census revealed her great-great-great-grandmother and her 3 children, all under the age of ten, were living with the mother's maiden name, Curnutt.  As it turned out, 3rd great grandma Martha Curnutt, murdered her abusive husband, Noah Casto, with an ax and was sentenced to serve 5 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary at a reduced sentence of manslaughter. However, after having served two years and giving birth to her third child she pardoned by the Governor of Missouri. She returned to her father's home to raise the children. The child she gave birth to while in prison was not fathered by her late husband.

I thought it was one of the better episodes I have seen. Martha Curnutt made a compelling character and Cynthia asked all the right questions. They showed some of the research process in more detail than usual. I particularly enjoyed the moment when the librarian lead Cynthia to an old card catalog to look  for a microfilm reel of a newspaper. 

Not everything is online, folks. Yes, to get the whole story you might have to read a newspaper on microfilm.

In fact, this detail prompted me to request microfilm from the Family History Library. I ordered the films of New York City's Coroner's Inquisitions from 1874 to learn more about the murder of my relative, Edward Hughes. Which you can read more about in my past post called Edward Hughes Murdered?

However, the episode also showed Cynthia going to Washington, D.C. to view Union Civil War pension files; you don't have to travel to D.C. to see those, they can actually be ordered online for a fee.

Like with all of these shows the research goes much more smoothly and quickly than it does in real life. That is to be expected of TV though. Just as with real life though, once you start researching a specific individual you will bond with him/her. You will.

Next week’s episode features Jesse Tyler Ferguson, an actor on the sitcom, Modern Family.

Who Do You Think You Are? is Returning

The television network, TLC, has picked up the genealogy show, Who Do You Think You Are?, for its 5th season.

This coming Sunday, July 20, 2014, TLC will rebroadcast all 7 episodes of Season 4 which includes the ancestral history of the celebrities Chris O'Donnell, Cindy Crawford, Zooey Deschanel, Kelly Clarkson, Chelsea Handler, Jim Parsons, and Christina Applegate.

And if you're headed to a comedy club with your sister that night, maybe you can catch these re-runs on Wednesday, July 23 when you're off from work.

Season 5 of WDYTYA? will begin Wednesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. (Eastern) on TLC with the exploration of actress Cynthia Nixon's ancestry which promises to be filled with intrigue and mystery surrounding a murder in her father's family's past.

Who Do You Think You Are? Reviews 2: 2nd half of Season 4

Season 4 of Who Do You Think You Are? has not come and went. The second half of the season included episodes on celebrities Chris O'Donnell, Cindy Crawford, Trisha Yearwood, and Jim Parsons.

Episode 5. I love how Chris O'Donnell's episode started out with him learning what he could about his father's family history from his niece. Most people develop an interest in their genealogy later in life; I didn't, I was about 16 when I caught the disease. It was nice to see someone turn to someone younger for guidance. That being said though, I wish the episode ended with Chris going home to tell his niece what he discovered about their family. 

I loved how with every discovery Chris could see how significant family was to each of his forefathers. I too believe that family dynamics are inherited. By that I mean that it seems to me that one learns how to treat and interact with their relatives from the examples set before them. In my mother's line it seems that every generation suffers some sort of estrangement from one sibling or another. On my father's line it seems that every generation has taken in some distant family member or person in need for an extended period of time. Chris saw a pattern of men requesting to leave wars to return home and care for family. 

And dude, family heirlooms in the Smithsonian?!?! Chris had some amazing discoveries.

Episode 6. I have a lot in common with Cindy Crawford!! First off, gorgeous!! (Hee, hee, hee.) It must be in the genes. 

I too am supposedly descended from King Charlemagne. I came across that online somewhere but the source lacked documentation so I didn't believe it; but then again if Charlemagne lived 40 generations ago, and you have 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, then you have about 1,099,511,627,776 40th great-grandparents - no joke, that's true, that is 2 to the 40th power. In other words, it is virtually impossible for anyone of European descent not to be descended from Charlemagne. But, can everyone document their ancestry back to Charlemagne like Cindy can? I think not. I wish I could solidly prove my connection to him. I want a scroll!

Additionally, like Cindy, I too know Chris Child of the New England Historic Genealogical Society of Boston. I am a member of NEHGS, the oldest genealogy society in the United States, which is how I know Chris. He's such a nice man and very good at the work he does. And guess what, Cindy? I knew him first! Nanner-nanner, Cousin Cindy.

Episode 7. I really loved this episode. Trisha Yearwood seems so really down-to-Earth. 

She learned that one of her direct ancestors was orphaned young, committed the treacherous crime of steeling deer, and rather than be executed was sentence to be indentured in American. At one point she made a comments, "If I didn't know his history, if I had just heard a relative of your's broke into someone's private property and killed animals and stole them, I would think he's just a criminal; he's just a common criminal and has no character. But it's hard for me to say that though knowing his life; knowing what he's been through."

Upon hearing this I thought to myself, "I hope she sees other "common criminals" as having circumstances worthy of compassion."

I really do think genealogy teaches people compassion. I think when one learns that they are descended from thieves, beggars, slave-owners, indigents, struggling people, whatever the case maybe, they tend to cast a softer light on those around them.

Another aspect of Trisha's experience that I could relate to is that in the end she learned that she grew up in close proximity to where her first immigrant Winslut ancestor owned land back in the 1700s. I live no more than 10 minutes away from where one of my first immigrant ancestors settled in the 1600s.

Episode 8. Jim Parsons, like many novice family history researchers, was interested in getting "across the pond." That expression means that American is interested in finding their European roots. In Jim's case it was his connection to France. For most Americans their connection to France will connect them to New Orleans and/or Quebec, Canada. In Jim's case his French came by way of New Orleans. For me, my French connection came from Quebec. That is not to say I have not done a ton of Louisiana State research for friends; one in particular, Toni, has relatives from Iberville, LA just like Jim.

One thing I really loved about Jim during this process was that he constantly paused to do math; to figure out how old his ancestor would have been at the time the relative documents were created. Then he would compare the age to his own. I do the same thing. I look at family photos and think, "I am 5 years older than my grandmother was in this picture." 

It was pretty cool to ultimately learn that his ancestors hobnobbed with royalty and political figures of their times such as King Louis XV, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. What I appreciated most though is that Parsons was just as enamored to learn the details of the lives of those ancestors of his that did not have great fame and that he saw the common quality of paternal love and support through many generations of fathers and sons in his family line.

 

I really do love this show. I am sad to see the season end and I really do hope that TLC keeps it going and brings it back for another season soon. 

Now I am off to read Cousin Mary's posts about this TV series over at Threading Needles in a Haystack. I wonder if her take on these episodes are anything like mine; they must be, we're related, right? :) 

Who Do You Think You Are? Reviews: 1st half of Season 4

This morning Cousin Mary over at Threading Needles in a Haystack posted her reviews of the recent episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?; http://threadingneedlesinahaystack.blogspot.com/2013/08/thoughts-on-first-four-episodes-of-who.html.

Back in May the television network, TLC, announced that it was bring back the show, Who Do You Think You Are? (WDYTYA) which originally ran in the U.S. on NBC. For those of you unfamiliar with the television show, each one-hour episode is really a documentary of a celebrity's research into their own family history. Well, I say the celebrity's research but as Cousin Mary so correctly points out in her post we are really watching the celebrity being handed research already done for them. Ah, the perks of fame. Seriously, I'd be willing to put up with some paparazzi in exchange for someone breaking through my genealogical brick walls; but I digress...

So far this season on WDYTYA there has been 4 episodes; Kelly Clarkson, Christina Applegate, Chelsea Handler, and Zooey Deschanel.

Episode 1. Kelly Clarkson's episode focused on her Civil War ancestor, Isaiah Rose. I myself have spent a great deal of time on this period in history in my own family history. I feel very close, research-wise, to many of my ancestors who served in this horrific war. I could relate to how very moved Kelly was by the stories she discovered about Isaiah. However, she made this one comment that really made me roll my eyes. She commented that she had sung at the inauguration of a man who got to be president because of the cause her ancestor fought for. Well, Kelly, your 3rd great-grandpa didn't exactly put Obama in the White House. I understand what she was saying but truthfully, a majority of those who fought in the Civil War weren't there for the cause of racial equality, many were poor farmers there for the paycheck. The cause they fought for was preserving the Union. My advice, Ms. Clarkson, is that she you should watch Lincoln; maybe twice. But my own heart resonnates with Kelly hope that those who fought to save the Union somehow know that what they did mattered; still matters.

Episode 2. I wholeheartedly agree with Cousin Mary when she states that "Christina Applegate's episode was possibly one of the best episodes and stories I've ever seen on this show." Christina's father came from a "broken home." He had very little information about his mother and very inaccurate stories about the circumstances surrounding his parents' divorce and his upbringing. Like Cousin Mary I enjoyed this episode because it wasn't about heroes. It was about normal people struggling with their own demons and the effects that has on the lives around them - - for generations to come.

This episode underscored for me that genealogy has the power to heal. Uncovering the truth, however painful it may be, most definitely brings about a understanding and compassion for others around us and who have come before us. That is mostly what my research and my blog are about. I believe that my behavior, reactions, and personality have a lot to do with how I was raised; or in some instances how I have unlearned what my parents taught me. For example, my mother's side suffers a lot of estrangement. I've always wondered why they treat one another like that - - not speaking to sister and/or brothers for decades at a time. My research into her line revealed that it really was a learned behavior that was perpetuated for generations. Whereas on my father's side there is a history of taking in these "cousins," "aunts," and "uncles" that really aren't related at all. Christina's research was able to provide her father with some much needed personal closure and a clearer understanding of who his parents were.

Episode 3. Chelsea Handler's episode focused on the life of her German grandfather through WWII.  Despite my statements regarding episode 1, all my research into the Civil War, and my love of my soldier/sailor ancestors, I hate war. And I feel like I had just watched the Clarkson-Civil War one. Chelsea who is a Jewish, was very concerned about her German grandfather being a Nazi sympathizer. She knew her grandfather though and recounted how he was very loving towards her even though he himself was not Jewish. I wonder if she had found out that he was a Nazi what it would have really changed for her. Would she have turned to hating the man? I think what the experience did for Chelsea, and for all those watching it, was to clarify the fact that most German soldiers were not Nazis; they fought in that war out of necessity, they had to, their government made them, and they were trying to protect their families.

Episode 4. Zooey Deschanel's episode focused on her Quaker roots. I did not have a strong religious upbringing really. I was raised Catholic and identify myself as one though. However, I have always found religions to be intriguing. After reading about Quakerism in my high school, I thought, hmm, maybe I could be a Quaker. They were very progressive in their support of gender equality, racial freedom, and liberal education. I like them for that, and I do love oatmeal. (It was through Quaker brand oatmeal that I first learned about Quakerism from my mom, really.) But I don't know if I could cut it as a Quaker, they conservatively refrain from alcohol, dancing, and swearing. Eh. "F that in the A," she says as she swigs her whiskey and dances a jig. And it also doesn't bode well for them in my book that Richard Nixon was a Quaker.

Zooey learned, though that her ancestor, Sarah Henderson Pownall was indeed a strong Quaker woman at a time when abolitionism was extremely unpopular and most women were stifled from expressing strong convictions. Her family's connection to pivotal events in the history of the Underground Railroad was really quite moving. The recorded personal recollection of Sarah Pownall's son-in-law was an amazing family history find; that resource made me jealous.

All in all I think it is shaping up to be a wonderful season of WDYTYA and I am eagerly looking forward to seeing the second half of season 4 with episodes on Chris O'Donnell, Cindy Crawford, Trisha Yearwood, and Jim Parsons. Tuesday night at 9pm Eastern (repeated at 11pm Tuesdays) on TLC.