Monday, March 23, 2020

More things to do at home


Still lots of continuing news and special offers for genealogists…without further adieu…

RLP Challenge 14 Day Challenge starts today, Monday, March 23.  I don’t think it is too late to sign up.  If you miss the first few emails, I can send them to you. Learn more and sign up here: 14 Day Research Like a Pro Challenge.

Thomas MacEntee published a list of offers including Ancestry Library Edition access from home until April 30, last week’s 24 Hour Genealogy Webinar Marathon available free for two weeks ending April 6, MyHeritage colorizing black and white photos free until April 23 plus research sites, food, entertainment, etc.  Lots of choices.  https://mailchi.mp/abundantgenealogy/covid19-promos?e=cb7c45b1c4

Diahan Southard is offering a free webinar “How I Am Using AncestryDNA Right Now”.   Pre-register for the Thursday, March 26 11:00 AM or 5 PM PT session.  https://www.yourdnaguide.com/webinar

Roberta Estes offers the blogpost, Fun Genealogy Activities for Trying Times.  Don’t be fooled.  It starts with genealogy, progresses through gardening and quilting all the way to #21 Spring Cleaning.  As usual, the post is long and directions are detailed.  https://dna-explained.com/2020/03/14/fun-genealogy-activities-for-trying-times/

In response to the Covid-19/Coronavirus pandemic and the need for genealogy educational materials, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B) is offering 16 different FREE webinars! Starting March 17th through April 3rd, 2020, you can participate in the webinars below. Click HERE for schedule and to register for a webinar. Times are Eastern time zone.  Schedule subject to change.
  • Before You Click: Developing an Online Research Plan
    Tuesday, March 17, 4:00 pm ET  |  Presented by D. Joshua Taylor
  • The Many Benefits of NYG&B Membership
    Wednesday, March 18, 3:30 pm ET  |  Presented by Jennifer A. Davis
  • Indexing New York: The New York Land Records Project
    Thursday, March 19, 6:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Susan R. Miller
  • Mapping Your New York Ancestors
    Friday, March 20, 12:00 pm  |  Presented by Frederick Wertz
  • Jewish Genealogy 101
    Sunday, March 22, 1:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Lara Diamond
  • An Introduction to Researching Hispanic Ancestry
    Monday, March 23, 3:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS
  • Strategic Searching on Findmypast
    Tuesday, March 24, 5:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Jennifer Baldwin
  • Beginning Your African American Genealogy Journey
    Wednesday, March 25, 2:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Kenyatta Berry
  • How to Find New York State Death Certificates
    Thursday, March 26, 7:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Susan R. Miller
  • A Japanese American Family from 1902-1992: Finding Records to Recreate the Hirai Family Story
    Friday, March 27, 2:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Linda Harms Okazaki, MA
  • Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers
    Sunday, March 29, 1:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Lara Diamond
  • Introducing the NYG&B's Online Records Platform
    Monday, March 30, 3:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Frederick Wertz
  • Online Family Trees: Avoiding Pitfalls and Maximizing Possibilities
    Tuesday, March 31, 12:00 pm ET  |  Presented by D. Joshua Taylor
  • PERSI Across the Generations
    Wednesday, April 1, 12:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Jen Baldwin
  • Finding and Accessing New York State Birth Certificates: 1880s through the early-1900s
    Thursday, April 2, 3:00 pm ET  |  Presented by Susan R. Miller
  • Genealogy Resources of the Daughters of the American Revolution
    Friday, April 3, 12:00 pm ET  |  Presented by: D. Joshua Taylor


Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Sylvia Demonstrates Evidence Analysis


Here’s Sylvia description of what she is doing followed by her Evidence Analysis document.  Several of us are working or thinking about how to adapt the Research Like a Pro process and make it our own but Sylvia is making strides.

Now I hear your virtual hands clapping.  Take it away, Sylvia:

I’m adapting the Research Like A Pro steps to make them work better for me. I’m starting by writing the Evidence Analysis for the Webb family in a decade-by-decade timeline format, adding in all relevant information for that decade. I’m inserting the record I am doing for Michael Webb. He and his wife Esther Poland are the common ancestors for what is now four of my cousin matches, starting with Vicki Robertson. Sadly, Vicki passed away from cancer last year and her sister (the Scoobedoo9 researcher) took over her tree. She has never responded to any of my emails. I thought it interesting that Vicki and I share 103 cM/4 segments and Scoobedoo9 and I share only 42/5 segments. They are sisters according to their individual trees, however. Could they only be half sisters? Or is it just the way the DNA is passed down?

I’m liking the rigor of this method, and how much I learn from paying attention to the details, though impatient to move on as it is extremely time consuming! And only one ancestor at a time!!! But this is a working document and my idea is to add information as I find it and name the sources more explicitly. Also as I go back and forth through the document, I will add in the geographic locations and all the information I can find out about them.

There are virtually no Webb or Poland records before they left Ireland for England or the US. Only a few ancestral names appear before that, but with few details. This is true for all the matches’ family trees and for any others I have found online. I have to look for clues as to where in Ireland they came from and when they emigrated.

So, on with the hunt! And good luck to all of us!


CHRONOLOGICAL EVIDENCE ANALYSIS FOR: MICHAEL/THOMAS WEBB 
OBJECTIVE 

Michael Webb or Michael Thomas Webb is the father of John Edward Webb. John Edward Webb is the grandfather of my 3rd cousin Vicki Robertson and several other 4th – 6th cousin matches. My objective is to trace the Webb family’s journey from Ireland to the US and California and to find as many relatives of the Webb family as possible in order to find a potential link between myself and the DNA matches who also descend from the Webb line. I am looking for clues about Michael Webb and his wife Esther Poland’s origins in Ireland because Ancestry’s Shared Geographical Regions show that we are all connected via the Irish midlands.  

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
1868 record of a marriage between Michael Webb and Esther Poland, on 12 January 1868 
ANALYSIS 
The marriage record for Michael Webb and Esther Poland on 12 January 1868 show street names and numbers, but not a city. Michaelium (Michael) was living at 19 Park Lane. His father is Thomas Webb. Michael marries Esther Poland, then living at 19 Whitfield St. Her father is Thomas Poland. Present are Patricius (Patrick?) Kelly and Margarita (Margaret?) Poland. The church and location are not evident in the copy of this record. There is a Park Lane in the Toxteth Park area of Liverpool in the 1860s, and there is a Whitefield Road in the Everton district of Liverpool.  
[More research will be needed to determine whether the marriage took place in Liverpool or at a different location in England or Ireland. From the record it appears this is a Catholic church. More research will also be needed to determine when Michael and Esther moved from Ireland to England and whether they came separately or together, when/where they might have met, etc.] 
RESEARCH SOURCES 
1868 Marriage record for Michael Webb & Esther Poland. 
Webb Family Trees posted on Ancestry, Family Search, and Find My Past. 
Online research 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
1872 Baptismal Record for Rosanna (Rose Ann?) Webb, daughter of Michael Webb and Esther Webb [Poland]. 
ANALYSIS 
The birth of Rosanna Webb (Rose Ann in subsequent documents) is recorded as 28 July 1872 (subsequent records show different birth years, including 1871) and the baptism is dated 5 August 1872. The record does not identify either a church or a parish where the baptism took place. Michael Webb is the father and Esther Webb (Poland) is the mother. 
The Latin phrase a me believed to mean “by myself” on the baptism record has Patrisio (Patrick?) L. Kelly signing as the person who conducted the baptism. His name appears in this position on all the baptisms on this page. This name (minus the “L”) also appears on the marriage record of Michael and Esther Webb as a witness, not as the official conducting the wedding. The Latin form indicates it was a Catholic church. Subsequent documents (census records) report that Rose Ann was born in Liverpool. With Patrick Kelly in attendance at both the Webb’s marriage and baptism of this child, it is likely that the marriage also took place in Liverpool 
[A thought: Could Patrick Kelly be related to the Bartholomew Kelly in the 1881 Liverpool census?] 
RESEARCH SOURCES 
Baptism record of 1872 for Rosanna (Rose Ann) Webb. 
Webb Family Trees posted on Ancestry, Family Search, and Find My Past. 
Online research 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
Census Record for Year: 1881     Location: Liverpool, Lancashire, England 
Address: 40 Flint Street, Bootle, St. Mary’s Parish, Liverpool, Lancashire 
Name 
Sex 
Status 
Age/DOB 
Occupation 
Where Born 
Michael Webb 
Head 
41 
Stoker 
Ireland 
Esther Webb 
Wife 
38 

Ireland 
Mary 
Dau 
 9 

Liverpool, Lancashire 
Rose Ann 
Dau 
 7 

              “ “ 
Margaret 
Dau 
 5 

              “ “ 
John 
Son 
 3 

              “ “ 
Thomas 
Son 
 1 

              “ “ 
Bartholomew Kelly 
Widower/ 
Lodger 
62 
General Labourer 
Ireland 
  
ANALYSIS 
Internet searches do not reveal a census record in England from 1871. All the Webb children were born in Liverpool, indicating that Michael and Esther Webb were living there from at least 1871 or 1868 if it can be proven that the marriage occurred in Liverpool.  
In 1881, Michael is a “Stoker” which typically meant a person who stoked the engine of a steam ship or steam train. The Navy, Marines, and Merchant Marines employed stokers. Michael is reported to be 41 years of age, putting his birth at about 1840. Esther is 38 years of age, putting her birth at about 1843. Mary, the eldest daughter is reported to be 9 years of age, putting her birth at about 1872. John, their son is 3 years old, putting his birth at about 1878. 
[From online research, Bartholomew Kelly in the 1881 census appears not to bear any relationship to the Webbs, but it might be worth researching if there is any relationship to Patrick L. Kelly.] 

RESEARCH SOURCES 
Marriage record for Michael Webb and Esther Poland. 
Online search of 19th Century occupations. 
Ancestry Search for Bartholomew Kelly. 
1881 UK Census 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
1891 - 1899 
Census Record for Year:   1891   Location:       Bootle, Liverpool, Lancashire, England           
Address: 23 Recreation Street, Bootle, Derby, Christ Church Ecclesiastical Dist., Liverpool, Lancs. 
Name 
Sex 
Role 
Status 
Age/ 
DOB 
Occupation 
Where Born 
Michael Webb 
Head 
Married 
54 
General Labourer 
Ireland 
Maggie 
Dau 
Single 
16 
Housekeeper, domestic 
Liverpool, Lancashire 
John 
Son 
Single 
 13 
Coal tender 
Liverpool, Lancashire 
Thomas 
Son 
Single 
 11 

              “ “ 
Esther 
Dau 
Single 
  8 

              “ “ 
Lizzie 
Dau 
Single 
  6 

              “ “ 

ANALYSIS 
Michael Webb is listed as a General Labourer, still living in Bootle, Lancashire, now part of the Christ Church district. His wife is not listed but Michael is reported to be married, indicating that his wife may have been physically elsewhere at the time the census was being taken. Son John is age 13 and is what appears in the record to be a “coal tender.” A search of 19th Century occupations on the internet revealed nothing specific, but children as young as 12 were employed in the coal mines, and John could have had a job there or on-board ship. Maggie or Margaret is age 16. These ages correspond with those of John and Margaret who were ages 6 and 3 in the 1881 census. Michael is reported to be 54, indicating he was born about 1837. Neither of the older children, Rose Ann or Mary, who appeared in the 1881 census, are listed here. It is likely they had both already left home, as they would be about 19 and 17 respectively (the 1881 record has Rose Ann as age 7 and Mary as age 9, but their true ages are reversed, based on Rose Ann’s baptismal record and later records).  
[Further research is needed to located Mary and Rose Ann from 1891 on.] 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
New York Passenger & Crew Lists 1820 – 1957 
Ship: Aurania, sailing from Liverpool in 1892, arriving in New York 5 Dec 1892. 
ANALYSIS 
Listed as passengers are Mary Webb, Spinster, age 20, Esther Webb, age 7, Child, and Eliza Webb age 5, Child. Apparently, Mary was old enough to travel and brought the two youngest children with her to the US.  
[Further research is needed to trace Mary’s path once she arrived, and where she and the children lived upon arrival in New York. Also, did she travel with any other adults, and what was her destination?] 

EVIDENCE 
Census records for 1891 or 1881. 
New York Passenger & Crew Lists including Castle Gardens and Ellis Island, 1820 - 1957 
Family tree records on Ancestry 
Online research 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
New York Passenger & Crew Lists 1820 – 1957  
 October 21, 1899, the SS Campania sailed from Liverpool to New York, arriving at the end of October 1899. Thomas Webb, Mechanic, was listed as a passenger. He was age 60, widowed. He was a mechanic. Born in Ireland, destination New York. His passage was paid for by his daughter (no name given). He was in possession of only $3. He had never been in the States before. His last residence was in Liverpool (no address given). He was going to join his daughter Mrs. Quilty of 73 Steuben Street, Brooklyn. It was reported that he was “Senile and blind in left eye.” An indecipherable response, rather than “No” was given to the question, “Ever in prison or almshouse or supported by charity?” It is likely he spent time in an institution if he was senile and visually impaired.  
[It is interesting that the name recorded is “Thomas Webb,” but his age, other records, and family stories indicate that this was Michael. There appears to be no other evidence that he had a middle name such as Thomas.] 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
1900 Census for City of New York, Borough of Brooklyn, County of Kings, NY, USA. Taken 11 June 1900  
This is the twelfth census of the United States. 
73 Steuben Street, Brooklyn, NY 
Name 
Role 
Age 
Where Born 
Parents 
Born 
Immigr. 
Year 
Occupation 
Own or Rent 
Notes 
James Quilty 
Head 
b. 9/ 
1865 
Ireland 
Ireland 
1882 
Engineer 
Speaks, reads, writes English 
Rose 
Wife 
b. 7/ 
1872 
England 
Ireland 
1888 


“ 
Webb, Michael 
Father-in-Law 
9/ 
1838 
Ireland 
Ireland 
1898 
Day Laborer 
“ 

ANALYSIS 
James and Rose Quilty are living at 73 Steuben Street, Borough of Brooklyn, County of Kings, New York. Michael is listed as the father-in-law of James Quilty and is reported to be widowed, age 61, born in Ireland in September 1838, both parents born in Ireland. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1898 and is a day laborer. He can speak, read, and write English. The residence is a home and is rented. It is not a farm. James Quilty is 34 years old born in Ireland in 1865, both parents born in Ireland. James immigrated in 1882. He is an engineer. Rose Quilty (Webb) is 27, was born in England in 1879. Both parents born in Ireland. She immigrated in 1888.  

DOCUMENT 
1910 U.S. Census for City of New York, Borough of Brooklyn, County of Kings, NY, USA. Taken 11 June 1900  
Address: 3 Sycamore St., Brooklyn, NY 
Name 
Role 
Age 
# Yrs 
Marr. 
Where 
Born 
Parents 
Born 
Immigr. 
Year 
Occupation 
Notes 
McMahon, 
James 
Head 
42 
15 
Ireland 
Ireland 
1879 
Labourer - Docks 

Margaret 
Wife 
31 
15 
England 
Ireland 
1890 

Liverpool, Lancashire 
John 
Son 
10 

NY 

  


Elizabeth 
Dau 
14 

NY 

  

               
Esther 
Dau 
12 

NY 

   

               
Agnes 
Dau 

NY 

   


Mary 
Dau 

NY 




Rose 
Dau 

NY 




Annie 
Dau 

NY 




Webb, Michael 
Father-in-Law 
72 
45 
Ireland 
Ireland 
1900 

No record of blindness in one eye or any other disability 


ANALYSIS 
RESEARCH SOURCES: 

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION 
1915 New York State Census for City of New York, Borough of Brooklyn, County of Kings, NY, USA. Taken June 1, 1915 
Name 
Role 
Age 
Where 
Born 
Occupation 
Notes 
McMahon, James 
Head 
43 
Ireland 
Engineer 

Margaret 
Wife 
35 
England 
Housewife 

Elizabeth 
Dau 
20 
US 
Millinery 

Esther 
Dau 
17 
US 
Millinery 
               
John 
Son 
15 
US 

Occupation faded – hard to read               
Agnes 
Dau 
13 
US 
At School 

Mary 
Dau 
12 
US 
“ 

Rose 
Dau 
US 
“ 

James 
Son 
US 
“ 

Anna 
Dau 
US 
“ 

Thomas 
Son 
US 


Webb, Michael 
Father-in-Law 
85 
Ireland 
No occupation 
No record of blindness in one eye or any other disability. Is a citizen.