52 Weeks to Better Genealogy-Goals for 2011

Since I’m new to genealogy blogging, I thought it would be a good idea to join the GeneaBloggers on facebook.  So I asked for an invite and received an email from Thomas MacEntee.  The challenge :

Week 52: Based on the goals you made last week, make a list of the documents and research steps you need to accomplish them. The great way to start a new year is with a to-do list and a plan. What information do you want and where can you get it? If you have professional or educational goals in mind, consider drafting a time line. This task is flexible, based on your goals. When you are finished, post your to-do list somewhere handy and pat yourself on the back. You just finished the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy Challenge!

Thinking this would be motivational to me to have my goals out there, I accepted. Now the biggest challenge, I need to find the time the time to type them up and post them somewhere handy.

My Genealogy Goals for 2011:

• ·         Complete my Mayflower Quest and apply to The Mayflower Society

Find documentation to prove Clarissa Fuller is daughter of Ezra Fuller and Avis Briggs.  (Maybe land or probate records from Jay, Franklin, Maine.)

Find death records or obituaries for George Knox and his wife Clarissa (nee Fuller).  Just need to find out where and when they died.

Find out what happened to Letis Ellen Littrell or Pate (nee Knox)

Order vital records from Alberta government.  (not the cheapest records, nor the easiest to get)

• ·         Set up a family website

I’ve already signed up for course from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies before I knew about blogs.  Hope it’s not too difficult, I’m still learning blogging.

• ·         Contribute to an indexing project

In the past I’ve help with Ancestry, but I’ve noticed lots of sites that are asking for volunteers.

• ·         Complete more courses from the National Institute of Genealogy Studies

I’ve already completed some basic courses this year and have a couple more to go.  I’ve already signed up for intermediate courses.

• ·         Clean up my database on Family Tree Maker

This may take some time as I’m always learning something new. I have quite a bit of information in my tree that is not properly cited, from my days of not knowing any different. I’ve gotten the books by Elizabeth Shown Mills and plan to use them. 

• ·         Find time to post on my blog

I plan to aim for a post a week.  Hopefully I’ll become more proficient as time goes by.

Happy Holidays

May this Christmas be filled
With happiness in all that you do
And may this joy continue
The whole year through
Wishing you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year

My Mayflower Quest

This past year, I’ve been working on proving my line back to the Mayflower passenger Samuel Fuller.  The line I’m trying to prove is: Samuel Fuller-Samuel Fuller- Samuel Fuller-John Fuller-Consider Fuller-Ezra Fuller-Clarissa Fuller-Letis Ellen Knox-Angeline Littrell-Bessie Landers-Ruby Belknap-My Mom-Myself .  I’ve been in contact with a few cousins who have been most helpful, and have proved the line up to Ezra Fuller and Avis Briggs. So, I just need to work from them to myself.  Not always as easy as it sounds.  But I have been assured by my cousins that it is worth the effort. This has been like a great treasure hunt, trying to find the records.  It has, also, been a wonderful learning experience.  Important lesson, that not all records you need are the internet. You will be required to write to county courthouses or archives. Some records can be obtained through writing to the state archive and other through the county courthouse. I have found if you have a choice; choose the courthouse as it seems like a faster response time.  Almost, but not all, will required some sort of fee for their effort in finding your record.  I found it very important to do your homework. Find out what records may be available for each county you need records for. Google each state or county you need records from to see what their policies are for getting records.  There are some states that have forms, you need to fill out and require ID in order to get the records.  The hardest part is waiting.  Each record that I’ve received is my treasure.  Some of them have been more valuable than others.  There has been some more difficult to find, and I’ve hit a couple of brick walls.  I’ve been unable to discover the death date and place for George W Knox, his wife Clarissa Fuller (nee Knox), and their daughter Letis Ellen Littrell or Pate (nee Knox). But I’m hoping that in the New Year, I’ll break down these walls. 

My Scottish Roots

I use to look at this photo with my Dad, and we would try and put a name to each face.  This photo sparked my interest in finding my ancestors.  Thanks to a cousin, who had labeled the same photo, I now can put a name to each face, even the dog.  It was taken in the summer of 1903 in Airdrie, Scotland before the family immigrated to Canada in 1907. In the photo are my great grandparents, Francis Paterson and Elizabeth Danskine and their children. The only boy is my grandfather, Johnston Cumberland Paterson.  Standing behind my grandfather is his sister, Christina Muirhead Paterson. Standing on the other side of the photo is Agnes Findlay Paterson. The two youngest next to their mother are Edith Greenlees Paterson and Ewenia Kennedy Paterson. Sitting in the chair, in the same attire as her older sister, is Janet Danksine Paterson.  Right next to her seated on the ground is Elizabeth Muirhead Paterson.  Not to forget the dog, Oscar. The great thing about the Scottish, are their naming traditions. My grandparents left me wonderful clues about the women in our family.  They named each of their daughters with names of grandmothers or other names important to the family. My grandfather’s name Johnston is a recycled name, as well, used in each generation. But I can’t figure out Cumberland?????

My English Roots

Alfred & Edith Warry

My grandmother’s parents, Alfred William Warry and Edith Eilnore Smith emigrated from England to Canada in 1906 and 1907.  Alfred arrived in March 1906 aboard the Southwark.  Edith followed more than a year later, arriving in December 1907 aboard the Kensington.  Traveling with Edith were the children;  my grandmother, Dorothy Eleanor May Warry, Sydney Alfred Warry, and John William Warry. They first settled at 34 Brunfield in Toronto West, as they are in the 1911 census. I’m not sure when or why they ended up in Alberta (this is an area for more research). While Alfred, Edith, Dorothy, and John came to Alberta.  Sydney stayed in Ontario, later moving to New York.

Automated Genealogy is a great site for free Canadian census information for 1901, 1911, 1906 for Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and 1851. The linking project looks interesting and I plan to try it in the future. 

Wordless Wednesday - Mystery Man

Introduction

This is a blog of my journey to discover my and my husband's ancestors.  So far it has been an interesting and exciting journey. I’ve learned that genealogy is so much more than the collecting of names.  Each one of our ancestors has a story.  In trying to discover their story it has involved researching where they came from, who their neighbors were, the history of the area, and so much more.  I’m realizing that in order to have a reliable family tree for future generations, records have to be organized and cited.  I’ve become just a little addicted to genealogy. So I read books, read information online, read magazines, subscribe to blog, and have started genealogy courses. I know that there is so much more to know and I look forward to the journey.  I never imagined that I would have a blog, but why not.