Lyceum Course - Internet Genealogy - Summary Example

• Illustrating Many of the Techniques
  • What We Know Before Starting
    • Mary and Sarah Twins - Know married names from family recollections
    • Parents names - Bartholomew and Elizabeth - Surname (very uncommon in US) Omitted for Privacy
    • Census records after marriage => born ca. 1851 - born NY - parents born Holland
  • 1880 Census Search - Directions to Census Images
    • Sarah not married yet - probably with parents, didn't find
    • Mary married - found in census
    • Several males in Manhattan together - no way to tie them to twins except they are about right age to be siblings.
  • Twins should appear in 1860 census, most likely in NY
    • But last name too easily misspelled. Search using common spelling of last name fails.
    • Bartholomew too easily misspelled, and Dutch version may be used. Search using several variant spellings of given name fails.
    • Elizabeth not likely to be indexed - unless head of household. Search using this key fails.
  • Search using only - 1.)New York 2.)1860 3.) age of Bartholomew - (31-40) an estimate based twins born ca. 1851. 4.)Birth place Holland
    Yes, that's right, both Surname and Given Name fields left blank.
  • No promising close matches.
  • But one "Bartholamew" - Unbelievably, this is him! Even though last name Van Dom is completely different! Don't know why even looked at image. Luck?
  • Now know names of most family members
  • And now easily find them in 1880 and 1900 census
    Well, not exactly. Parents found by finding Sarah (without last name) This possible since 1880 index covers everyone, not just head-of-household.
  • 1900 census links them via proximity to brothers (see 1880) Yields where (Woodside) in Queens they lived.
  • Google - Advanced Search Search using Key: "Woodside" and phrase "Elizabeth ____________" and not "1684" to avoid a prominent woman of same name. This turns up obituary of Elizabeth.
  • Fulton History Site found by Google above finds news article re: 20th Anniversary of Abraham (a brother of the twins)
  • NY Metropolitan Area Vital Records - Death Record Finds index to death record for Bartholomew _________ Sr
    • Write for copy of Death Record. First non-Internet activity.
    • Learn given names of Bartholomew's parents
  • Google - Advanced Search turns up an obituary for Bartholomew Jr. at the Fulton History site (above) - Key - phrase "Bartholomew ____________"
  • Google - Advanced Search turns up a two possible living descendants - Key - phrase "Bartholomew ____________" Note: Did not put a blank between Van and _________. Without this Google doesn't find both men.
    • Radaris Helps locate people Locate - Guesses relationships based on social networking site postings
    • US Identify A site to help locate people.
    • AnyWho Used this site to find phone number contact.
    • Contact with descendant of Bartholomew Jr.
      • This second, non-Internet activity resulted in portraits of Bartholomew Jr. and wife Anna.
  • Then Sign-up for Netherlands List on Rootsweb - NETHERLANDS-request@rootsweb single word "subscribe in subject line.
  • Saw many references to Genlias.nl site.
  • Eventually, these two e-mails (posted from the NETHERLANDS board gave clues needed to properly search the data base
    • http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.weurope.netherlands.general/18610.1.1.1/mb.ashx
    • http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.weurope.netherlands.general/18610.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx
      • Found marriage record for Bartholomew and Elizabeth by dropping the "Van" and etc. and using only portions of their surnames.
      • This record has given and surname of parents of both the bride and groom, and a few other details.
    • Before and After Demonstrating the Power of the Internet - In class only.
      • Reflection - No library visits, no court house or cemetery searches, all done from home. All from Internet except Bartholomew's death certificate.

    © Prepared by Jay March 6, 2012