Five inches of snow this last weekend and weather in the low 20's with a wind chill of 5 degrees and it's time to review my family tree and other genealogy projects. The wood-stove is fired up and the weatherlady says that we could see a foot or more of snow here this weekend.
So during the day it's time to check the generator and snow blower again. Make sure the shovels are where they are supposed to be and that the fluids are topped off on the vehicles.
Last winter the huge amount of snow made a mess of my roof and I had to have a new roof installed and several thousands of dollars of water damage repaired inside my home. This year I'm adding a roof rake to my arsenal so I can reach more of the Cape Cod style home's roof.
I think an extra propane for the grill might be a good idea too.
So the title of this rambling should be my plans during the day and my plans for the evenings! Genealogy in front of a nice warm fire with a hot cup of tea or coffee in the evenings and winter storm preparations during the day.
So folks, let's get back to it. Take advantage of this cold weather and take another look at your genealogy. Try to figure out that brick wall. Find that long lost person from your bygone past and give them life again by remembering them forever with genealogy!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Monday, January 18, 2016
Where to Start Your Genealogy in 2016
I was reading a post on a website the other day from someone who wanted to know more about their past. The person was upset that they didn't know anything about their family or where they came from. They wanted to be able to tell their children where their family was from but knew nothing about genealogy.
If you are able to read this then you can work on your family history. Their is some to learn, but if you take your time and gather some facts, you might be surprised what you can find online. Nope, it's not all on the internet, but a lot of good information is.
The best advice I can give to someone who has no genealogy background and wants to learn is to either join your local genealogy society or hire a professional to work with you or consult on an as needed basis to help you learn how to discern from the flood of information you are soon bound to discover.
If you would like some help finding a genealogy society in your area, shoot me an email and I'll see if I can't refer you to a local society.
If you'd like some help getting started; consider hiring me or another genealogist to work with you for a set period of time just to get you pointed in the right direction!
The final word: Genealogy can cost money. Some genealogy websites charge membership fees, Genealogy societies charge for memberships. Genealogy researchers charge $25 an hour or more. In the Boston area, Genealogy Researchers are in the $35 plus range. Some charge upwards of $100 an hour for their expertise.
My advice? Keep it simple. Work within your budget. Learn as you go. Have fun!
Interested in learning more? Use this form. No obligation. No fooling around, just straight realistic conversation.
If you are able to read this then you can work on your family history. Their is some to learn, but if you take your time and gather some facts, you might be surprised what you can find online. Nope, it's not all on the internet, but a lot of good information is.
The best advice I can give to someone who has no genealogy background and wants to learn is to either join your local genealogy society or hire a professional to work with you or consult on an as needed basis to help you learn how to discern from the flood of information you are soon bound to discover.
If you would like some help finding a genealogy society in your area, shoot me an email and I'll see if I can't refer you to a local society.
If you'd like some help getting started; consider hiring me or another genealogist to work with you for a set period of time just to get you pointed in the right direction!
The final word: Genealogy can cost money. Some genealogy websites charge membership fees, Genealogy societies charge for memberships. Genealogy researchers charge $25 an hour or more. In the Boston area, Genealogy Researchers are in the $35 plus range. Some charge upwards of $100 an hour for their expertise.
My advice? Keep it simple. Work within your budget. Learn as you go. Have fun!
Interested in learning more? Use this form. No obligation. No fooling around, just straight realistic conversation.
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A Lithuanian Family with Eight Last Names. An Ode to Phonetics?
Not Really. But thanks to American record keeping of the late 1890's and early 1900's a simple Lithuanian family looking for a better life in the USA had their name spelled many different ways. The Gintautas family; John and Victoria arrived in the US about 1894, based on information from the 1900 US Census.
The family, settled in Somerville Massachusetts; on a short narrow street that splits the Somerville and Cambridge line near where the stockyards and slaughterhouses would have been in an area now known as the Boynton Yards.
The family, settled in Somerville Massachusetts; on a short narrow street that splits the Somerville and Cambridge line near where the stockyards and slaughterhouses would have been in an area now known as the Boynton Yards.
Between 1897 and 1905 John and Victoria had 6 children; Anthony in 1897 (who only lived one day), Joseph in 1899 (who only lived one day), John in 1900, Amelia in 1902, Paul in 1903 and Joseph in 1905.
On various documents their last name is listed (or transcribed) as Gientoft, Gintautas, Gintaut, Ginter, Gintot, Gintoff, Ginto and Tinton.
Interesting to note is that the children born prior to 1900 are listed in birth records as Gintaut and the children born after 1900 are listed as Ginto and Gintoff.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
World War II Military Records
Update, 14 February 2014
My client; Benjamin Rauch has published a tribute page for the soldier in this blog. The soldiers name is Walter Cuichnowicz and he was assigned to G Company, 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division (Yankee Division) Here is the link to Benjamin's tribute page (Look on the map for the Yankee Division patch and click on it)(The one on the Rauch Page, not the one in my blog ;-)
Benjamin is a French Citizen and English is not his first language, so we will be tweaking his tribute over time.
Walter died in 2005 in Newton MA and is buried in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts. Here is his memorial on Findagrave.com
A special thanks to Len and Keith at the MA National Guard Museum and Archives which just moved from Worcester to Concord, MA over the summer for their assistance with my research.
Locating the owner of a WW2 Wool Coat. Using the shoulder patch and laundry mark?
How many times have you tried to find WW2 records only to turn up empty handed? Frustrating at best! Many folks I have spoken with find this to be the biggest time period brickwall that they encounter.
We are blessed here in Massachusetts to have the Massachusetts National Guard Museum and Archives, which is currently settling into it's new home at the Concord MA National Guard Armory.
I recently located the owner of a military coat that was found in France. The soldier who lost the coat was a member of G Company, 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division; and was wounded by shrapnel in November 1944 near Metz France. He survived to be discharged from the Army in 1945 from Cushing General Hospital in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Starting with a photograph of a wool coat and a laundry mark (first letter of last name and last 4 of the service number) I was able to locate the soldier, who surely nearly lost his life, that day in France.
I have updated the soldiers Find A Grave web page and the owner of the wool coat is in the process of building a tribute page for the soldier. Unfortunately the soldier died in 2005.
More research to determine if any surviving relates is in in progress. At some point I will provide the links to these pages, however I have decided to fold off until it is determined if other family members exist.
During my research I was able to limit the number of possible soldiers to four. Two served in different units and that left two from Massachusetts. Thanks to the MA NG Museum and Archives, it was very quick and easy to locate the correct soldier.
My client; Benjamin Rauch has published a tribute page for the soldier in this blog. The soldiers name is Walter Cuichnowicz and he was assigned to G Company, 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division (Yankee Division) Here is the link to Benjamin's tribute page (Look on the map for the Yankee Division patch and click on it)(The one on the Rauch Page, not the one in my blog ;-)
Walter died in 2005 in Newton MA and is buried in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts. Here is his memorial on Findagrave.com
A special thanks to Len and Keith at the MA National Guard Museum and Archives which just moved from Worcester to Concord, MA over the summer for their assistance with my research.
**************
Locating the owner of a WW2 Wool Coat. Using the shoulder patch and laundry mark?
How many times have you tried to find WW2 records only to turn up empty handed? Frustrating at best! Many folks I have spoken with find this to be the biggest time period brickwall that they encounter.
We are blessed here in Massachusetts to have the Massachusetts National Guard Museum and Archives, which is currently settling into it's new home at the Concord MA National Guard Armory.
I recently located the owner of a military coat that was found in France. The soldier who lost the coat was a member of G Company, 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division; and was wounded by shrapnel in November 1944 near Metz France. He survived to be discharged from the Army in 1945 from Cushing General Hospital in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Starting with a photograph of a wool coat and a laundry mark (first letter of last name and last 4 of the service number) I was able to locate the soldier, who surely nearly lost his life, that day in France.
I have updated the soldiers Find A Grave web page and the owner of the wool coat is in the process of building a tribute page for the soldier. Unfortunately the soldier died in 2005.
More research to determine if any surviving relates is in in progress. At some point I will provide the links to these pages, however I have decided to fold off until it is determined if other family members exist.
During my research I was able to limit the number of possible soldiers to four. Two served in different units and that left two from Massachusetts. Thanks to the MA NG Museum and Archives, it was very quick and easy to locate the correct soldier.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Newspapers & City Directories at the Boston Public Library
The Boston Public Library, located in Copley Square in downtown Boston, Massachusetts has an extensive collection of city directories, newspapers and newspaper on microfilm in their microtext department. Newspapers are a great source of information for our genealogy research. They are often the most overlooked of all the resources available to us.
The BPL has many newspapers and city directories from all over the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts. Their collection of newspapers includes titles from Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York and many others.
The Boston Public Library is one of my favorite repositories in Boston and I enjoy researching there.
The BPL is best accessed via public transportation.
City Directories at the BPL
Boston Newspapers at the BPL
MA Newspapers at the BPL
US Newspapers at the BPL
The BPL has many newspapers and city directories from all over the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts. Their collection of newspapers includes titles from Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York and many others.
The Boston Public Library is one of my favorite repositories in Boston and I enjoy researching there.
The BPL is best accessed via public transportation.
City Directories at the BPL
Boston Newspapers at the BPL
MA Newspapers at the BPL
US Newspapers at the BPL
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Sean Collier, MIT Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty. 18 April 2013
Officer Sean Collier was ambushed and murdered in Cambridge Massachusetts by two terrorists that were eventually captured/ killed in Watertown Massachusetts. Officer Collier responded to a report of a disturbance and never had a chance to get out of his cruiser.
Sean walked up to my office in 2008 and knocked confidently on the door.
I am a Police Officer at the Somerville Police Department since 1986 and I have been assigned as the Information Technology Officer since just after September 11, 2011.
I motioned Sean in and he introduced himself and shook my hand. Sean was confident and carried himself well. After speaking with him for a short period of time I realized that Sean had real potential and agreed to let him complete his internship for Salem State College in my office. After a short period of time it was evident well beyond what was taught in college. Sean was already a member of the Somerville Auxiliary Police and was excelling there as well.
Sean spoke often of his family and it didn't take Sean long to bring up his brother who was working for NASCAR teams in North Carolina. Soon after that his brother, Andrew landed a job with Hendrick Motorsports and Sean was very proud. I have several pieces of NASCAR memorabilia from NASCAR in my office as I have been a NASCAR fan for many years and Sean and I talked about NASCAR frequently.
After Sean's internship ended, he still came into my office at least once a week, just to help out. Soon a job opened up for a records clerk and part time IT assistant and Sean was hired for the job from a large pool of candidates.
Sean worked with me while he attended the Transit Police Academy and till he was hired by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Police in 2012.
Sean was more than a co-worker, he was a friend of mine and because of the age differences I tended to treat him like my third son. Sean and my youngest son are the same age. I was proud of him as I am my own sons. He was paying his dues as he climbed the ladder to become what his lifetime goal was. To be a police officer at the Somerville Police Department.
Sean was in the process of being hired as a police officer for the Somerville Department in just a few short months.
The world was a better place with Sean Collier in it and his supreme sacrifice in keeping our world safe and secure will never be forgotten.
Sean walked up to my office in 2008 and knocked confidently on the door.
I am a Police Officer at the Somerville Police Department since 1986 and I have been assigned as the Information Technology Officer since just after September 11, 2011.
I motioned Sean in and he introduced himself and shook my hand. Sean was confident and carried himself well. After speaking with him for a short period of time I realized that Sean had real potential and agreed to let him complete his internship for Salem State College in my office. After a short period of time it was evident well beyond what was taught in college. Sean was already a member of the Somerville Auxiliary Police and was excelling there as well.
Sean spoke often of his family and it didn't take Sean long to bring up his brother who was working for NASCAR teams in North Carolina. Soon after that his brother, Andrew landed a job with Hendrick Motorsports and Sean was very proud. I have several pieces of NASCAR memorabilia from NASCAR in my office as I have been a NASCAR fan for many years and Sean and I talked about NASCAR frequently.
After Sean's internship ended, he still came into my office at least once a week, just to help out. Soon a job opened up for a records clerk and part time IT assistant and Sean was hired for the job from a large pool of candidates.
Sean worked with me while he attended the Transit Police Academy and till he was hired by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Police in 2012.
Sean was more than a co-worker, he was a friend of mine and because of the age differences I tended to treat him like my third son. Sean and my youngest son are the same age. I was proud of him as I am my own sons. He was paying his dues as he climbed the ladder to become what his lifetime goal was. To be a police officer at the Somerville Police Department.
Sean was in the process of being hired as a police officer for the Somerville Department in just a few short months.
The world was a better place with Sean Collier in it and his supreme sacrifice in keeping our world safe and secure will never be forgotten.
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Welcome to New England Research
This picture may help you understand the Massachusetts sense of humor. I can assure that the amount of snow shown in this picture is very representative of what it looks like in my neighborhood, right now.
My thanks to Boston Fun Facts for this image! ( www.bostonfunfacts.com )
My thanks to Boston Fun Facts for this image! ( www.bostonfunfacts.com )
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