24 February 2011

My Take on Scanners for Genealogical Research

Lately there has been a lot written and said about the new selection of wand-type scanners for use in genealogical research.  My problem with my use of the wand scanners that I have tried is my inability to get a nice equal scan.  This is probably due to my lack of patience or shaky hands.

When I first got involved in genealogy, before the current popularity of wand-type scanners, a research assistant at NARA told me that the only scanners they would allow is flatbed.  My research led me to the wonderful portable-sized Canon LiDE200 Color Image Scanner
It is about the same size as a 17-inch laptop computer but much lighter.  It fits perfectly into my backpack right next to my laptop.  It scans at 4800x4800 resolution, scans in only fourteen seconds, and intelligently identifies the type of document being scanned and adjusts its settings accordingly.  But here is the kicker -- it powers off of my Laptop via USB!!  No bulky, heavy adaptor;  No extra wires!  I connect it to my laptop and go, that is all it takes.  I also got it for about half the price of what wand-type scanners sell for.  So for me the decision was clear.  Older models than the 200 are available with a little research, and there is a newer 500 model, all priced accordingly.

 I have to admit the size of the wand scanner makes it so-o-o-o tempting!  It takes up so little space!  But for me the Canon LiDE200 is easier to use and priced better.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

23 February 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Joseph and Edith Baggott Wedding (1/10/1888)

Joseph Cashel Baggott and Edith Hense Wedding, January 10, 1888.
My wife's maternal great-grandparents.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

22 February 2011

Maria Gertrude (Homberg) Hense (1836-1880)


From The Baggott Family: A Family History (self-published, 2002) by Bert and Joan Donlon --
Frank Hense, born in Prussia in 1820, married Maria Gertrude Homberg, born in 1836, on April 15, 1852 in Adams County, Illinois.  Frank was 32 and Gertrude was 16.  They lived in Hersman, Brown County, Illinois where Frank owned the Lillian Flour Mill.  Hersman is located about three miles southeast of Mt. Sterling on State Highway 99.  Frank and Gertrude had 17 children, five of whom died as infants or in early childhood.  Records from a family Bible indicate that Gertrude died 12 days after the birth of her 17th child.  Gertrude was 44 years old.  Our family has Gertrude's prayer book as our only remembrance.
Gertrude is my wife's great-great-grandmother along her purely maternal line (Gertrude Homberg Hense --> Edith Hense Baggott --> Helen Marie Baggott Frank --> Living Casattas --> Sherri Casattas Walker).  If we were to test Sherri's Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) it would establish a direct link to Gertrude.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

21 February 2011

Amanuensis Monday: Eugene Chesley Still in Nebraska in 1903

From the February 19, 1903 issue of the Custer County Republican (Broken Bow, NE) --
Mr. Eugene Chesley, one of our
former students came over from
Mildale, Monday to visit friends.
He returned Tuesday. He expects
to start to Buckley, Washington
where his parents already
reside, about April 1st.
Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

09 February 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Keith G. Walker Family (Circa 1971)

Pictured (left to right) Arthur "Bud" Walker (1916-1985), Sister Violet Walker (1920-present), Beulah "Lee" Walker Wistrom (1907-1980), Keith G. Walker (1894-1980), Paul Walker (1929-present), Betty Jo Walker Strasheim (1924-2002)  [not pictured: Dorothy Grace Walker Nitzsche 1912-1948; Frances "Jennifer" Walker 1909-1993; Ralph Walker 1918-1969, Wayne Walker 1931-present].
Remember you can always click on the picture to enlarge it.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

07 February 2011

Amanuensis Monday: Capt. Edward Everett (1739 - 1815)

From Descendants of Richard Everett of Dedham, Mass. (Boston, Mass. : T.R. Marvin & Son Printers, 1902) by Edward Franklin Everett --
Capt. Edward5 Everett (Edward4, John3, John2, Richard1), born Dec. 9, 1739, at Dedham,  Mass.; died about 1815, at Peru, N. Y.; married , 1762, at Milton, Mass., Ruth Field, of Milton, died at Peru, N. Y., between 1807 and 1815.

They were both received into the Secoud Church of Dedham, Dec. 25, 1763, and after their removal to New York, are reported as being Quakers. He was a land surveyor, and about 1769 removed from Stoughton to Rumney, N. H. He was one of a committee, in 1779, to settle the town lines of Rumney, and in 1785 was a town assessor. In 1781-2, he removed to New Holderness, and represented that town in the Legislature of 1782. In 1786, he crossed Vermont and Lake Champlain to that part of Plattsburg, N. Y., which was set off, in 1793, as Peru, when he was elected the first supervisor of the town, and re-elected three times. His name appears, May 3, 1757, as private on the muster roll of Stephen Miller's company, in Col. Miller's regiment, of Stoughton. He was captain, from Rumney, N. H., in Col. Bedel's regiment of New Hampshire Rangers, in 1776, in the expedition to Canada; was taken a prisoner, at the Cedars, May 19, 1776, and later released.

Children:
134. i. George, b. Oct. 26, 1763.
ii. Persis, b. Jan. 20, 1767.
iii. Hannah, b. July 2, 1769; d.___ at Peru, N. Y.; m. 1st, Robert Whitcomb, of Peru, d. about 1805; m. 2d, Eleazer Nichols.
135. iv. Edward, b.___
136. v. Robert, b.___
vi. Susan, b.___ ;d.___ at Peru, N. Y.; m. Capt. David Cochran, of Peru.
vii. Ruth, b.___ ;m. Elisha Green, of Peru.
viii. Polly, b.___ ;d.___ at Peru; m. John Stafford.
137. ix. David Allen, b. May 23, 1786.
-- Susan Everett and David Cochran were my g-g-g-g-grandparents.  That makes Captain Edward Everett and his wife Ruth Field my g-g-g-g-g-grandparents.  This is the maternal line behind my g-g-grandmother Phoebe Cochran (Ward) Chesley.

The interesting thing here is that the Everetts were said to be of Quaker persuasion.  Their daughter Susan married Capt. David Cochran, which one source said was mistaken for being a Quaker by the way he dressed.  Capt. Cochran was famously the leader of the local militia that fought the British in the Battle of Plattsburgh during the War of 1812.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

06 February 2011

Obituary for Cyrus D. Ward, Jr.

I found this obituary on the Ward-Surname Forum on Ancestry.Com.  No other citation is offered.  Cyrus D. Ward, Sr. was my g-g-g-grandfather.  Cyrus Jr. is the older brother of my g-g-grandmother Phoebe (Ward) Chesley.
Cyrus D. Ward was born July 1st, 1832 at Plattsburg, Clinton County, New York. 
He came west in 1868, settled in Mankato and in the early seventies came to Chippewa County [Minnesota] where he settled on a homestead and lived there until his death, Nov. 20, 1922. 
Mr. Ward was one of the early pioneers of this part of the country. At the time he settled on his homestead was before the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul R. R. came to Montevideo. There was a little village near where Montevideo now stands known as Chippewa City. [2007 update: this village was restored into a museum.] 
Mr. Ward was a man without an enemy in the world, he was respected and loved by all who knew him. 
He answered Lincoln's call for Volunteers when the Civil Was broke out, served two and a half years in the 16th N. Y. Volunteers. Among the battles he was in were Bull Run, Fredricksburg and Vicksburg. 
In 1859 he was married to Marion Danforth of Port Henry, N. Y. Twelve children were born, seven still survive; George of Port Henry, N. Y., Ed of Donnybrook, N. D., Linnie Cromwell of Red Stone, Mont., Alice Matthews of Minneapolis, may McGoech of Devils Lake, N. D., Mabel Post of Black River Falls and D. M. Ward of Havelock, with whom he has lived for the past 25 years, his wife having died about 30 years ago. 
The funeral was held today at 10 o'clock at the house. Interment at the Montevideo cemetery. [2007 update: Now known as Sunset Memorial] 
Rev. Seifert officiated. The deceased has been a member of the Methodist church the past 30 years. 
Such men as Mr. Ward were the real empire builders of the northwest.
Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

03 February 2011

My Ward-family has ties to Massachusetts?

This is news to me, but apparently true.  More fleshing out is needed.  From Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts (New York, Lewis historical Pub. Co., 1910) by William Richard Cutter and William Frederick Adams --
Cyrus Ward lived near Plattsburg, New York. His ancestors settled originally in New Jersey, and his father moved to Ohio after the revolution and during the early settlement of that state.
(II) Luman F., son of Cyrus Ward, was born at Keesville, New York. He was educated in the public schools, and learned the trade of cabinet making, which he followed for many years. From 1855 to the time of his death lie was engaged in farming at Keeseville. He enlisted in the civil war in the Ninety-eighth Regiment of New York Volunteers and served two years, and when he was mustered out he was sergeant of his company. He was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church, an upright, honored and useful citizen. He married Lydia D. Chesley. Children: I. Myron A., born April 14, 1844, mentioned below. 2. Oscar, resides at Easthampton, Massachusetts. 3. Albert Lewis, killed on the railroad at Emery. 4. Elizabeth. 5. Lydia, lives on the homestead at Keesville. 6. Carrie.
(III) Myron A., son of Luman F. Ward, was born in Keeseville, New York, April 14, 1844. He was educated there in the public schools, and worked on his father's farm until 1861, when he enlisted in Company D, Sixtieth New York Regiment, and served four years in the civil war. He was wounded in the battle of Lookout Mountain. He was with General Sherman in his "March to the Sea"' and was one of the men detailed to forage for his regiment. He was discharged and mustered out July 17, 1865. During the next three years he followed farming on the homestead in his native town. In 1868 he came to Easthampton, Massachusetts, to learn the trade of steam-fitter, and in 1870 came to Turner's Falls, where he worked as a journeyman two years. In 1879 he embarked in business as partner in a firm of plumbers and steamfitters and met with gratifying success. He bought out the interests of his partner in 1897 and since then has been in business alone. He has a store on Third street, Chicopee. Besides his tinsmith, plumbing and steam heating business, he deals in stoves, ranges, furnaces and tinware and is one of the leaders in his line of trade in Turner's Falls. Mr. Ward was one of the water commissioners of the town when plans were made and adopted and a system of municipal water supply introduced. He is a member of Post No. 162, Grand Army of the Republic, of which for several years he was commander. He is also a charter member of Elliottstone Lodge, No. 132, Knights of Pythias, of which he was one of the first delegates to the state convention.
He married, November, 1867, Alice I. Keach, daughter of Oran H. Keach, of Rhode Island. Children: William Wallace and .Myron A. Jr.
The Cyrus Ward mentioned in the first paragraph is my g-g-g-grandfather, he lived from 1788-1873, and is buried in Treadwells Mills Cemetery, Plattsburgh, NY, along with his wife Rachel (Cochran) Ward (1797-1859).

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker