Genealogy Do-Over Week 13

This is it, our final week of the first round of the 2015 Genealogy Do-Over which began on January 2nd, 2015. This week we will be discussing securing research data and review our journey.

Securing our Research Data

Securing our genealogical research is absolutely paramount for the generations who come after us. I started my research back in 1980 so when this "Do-Over" began I kept only the necessary documents and set aside what was left. Now I need to decide how I want to preserve all of that hard work and decide how I want to "future proof" that work.

What Can I do to Preserve my Genealogical Research?

I am doing a couple of things. I took advantage of the great deal that Thomas was able to get for this group right at the beginning with I-drive, an online storage company. I have been backing up my research, uploading documents, photos, letters, and scanning my research notebooks, pedigree and family group sheets so that it may one day help the next genealogist in my family. I also have a few flash drives and I am researching external hard drives to purchase at a later date.

Future Proofing my Genealogical Research

If I were to lose all of my genealogy research today, I would most likely be able to recreate most of the families in my research. I would begin with our grandson and go backwards from there. Because my master file is on Ancestry.com not many of my notes, if any are of them, are on my tree with Ancestry, my sources need to be redone (I have chosen to start new trees) and I certainly don't have all of my photos and documents uploaded to Ancestry. I will do all of this as I rebuild my new trees and is an ongoing project that feels like it will never end.

If I were to die today, the only person who might want my research would be my niece, Kaitlyn. She is the only one who has shown any interest in genealogy but I still have another niece and several nephews who are still young and may show interest as they get older. If Kaitlyn did not want my research than I have no doubt that it would be boxed up and set aside or thrown out.

Backing Up Your Genealogy Data

• Creating a Back Up Plan - Right now my back up plan is probably short sighted because I am not seeing "the big picture" but for right now it does work. 
• My I-Drive account is automatically backed up every day.
• I have started saving all of my blog pieces (with sources) to my Evernote account as well as working research notes  My Evernote account does an automatic synch every couple of hours on my computer
• All of my photos from my cell phone and tablet are automatically stored to my Drop Box account on daily basis and once a month I back up these to the micro  discs in both devices.
• On the 30th of each month I delete any previous gedcom's and create a new gedcom file of my master file in Family Tree Maker.
• Work on creating a hard copy and flash drive with ALL of research that I can give to certain people in case of an emergency. 

•  Identify Data for Back Up & Identify a Back Up Plan That Works for Me - I am not sure that I have actually identified what my must haves for back up are but here is what I have been backing up:
• I-Drive - my entire computer hard drive
• Evernote - blog posts, sources, documents, all research notes and emails
• Drop Box - photos, files, emails and documents
• Hard copies - notebooks, printouts, pedigrees and family group sheets 
• Question 1 - scan all of my hard copies at the beginning of each family researched?
• Question 2 - scan all of my hard copies at the end of each family researched?

• Test Your Back Up Plan - Done and seems to be working as far as I can tell.

•  Future Proof Your Technology - I am technically challenged without question so I will have to rely on those who do  through reviews to keep up with newest, latest and greatest ways to do this. Hint! Hint! Thomas!

Future Proofing Your Genealogy Now

This is an area that I need to work on and in all honesty not something I ever considered before now. I never realized that my genealogical research should be added to my will until recently when I saw a post on Facebook by a man who was in his 90's. He wanted to know what he should do with all of his research now that no one in his family seemed to care. I believe his questions were should he throw it away? donate it? and was asking what the genea-community for suggestions. There were hundreds of responses and I have been thinking a great deal about it. So this is perfect timing to discuss what I can do.

• Inventory! Inventory! Inventory! 
• Original Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
• Mass Cards
• Baptismal, Holy Communion and other Church documents
• Photographs
• Actual photos
• Digital photos
• Photo albums/scrapbooks
• Announcements
• Birth
•  Engagement/Wedding
• Graduation
• Obituaries
• Diplomas
• Funeral Programs
• Wedding Programs
• Commencement Programs
• Military 
• Discharge papers
• Pension records
• Awards (medals and ribbons)
• Handwritten Documents
• Diaries
• Letters
• Calendars
• Ledgers
• Newspapers
• Articles
• Birth 
• Engagement
• Weddings
• Obituaries
• Write ups on families
• Immigration/Natrualization
• Passenger lists
• Shipping manifests
• Citizenship
• Passports

An inventory is something I am severely lacking and it is now on my to do list. Once the inventory is complete I would think an index would be in order by surname and then by individual families with that surname. For instance if I pull the binder for my Rueff family and look at my grandparents George and Myrtle (Behrle) Rueff I would see the following: birth, marriage and death records, newspaper announcements, Mass cards and of course their family group sheet and pedigree charts. Ideally, once I have done this inventory, I would then decide what needs to be scanned, the best way to protect and preserve all of the items in my inventory. Then back it all up!

Next, I will add a codicil to my will detailing what should happen to my research should no one in my family have a desire to keep it for themselves or if none of my cousins should want the research I have done on our common branch as well as their mother or father's line. That would leave contacting local (pertaining to the area of a particular county or state), historical societies, libraries and/or archives to see if they would be interested.

I am already head of the game in that I have started a blog to post my research and my adventures in the world of genealogy. However I have been considering possibly using a domain such as www.tribalpages.com as a central location to put my research online. The other possibility would be to build a website for genealogy however, that is not something I know enough about to consider at this time. Another task on my to do list for the future.

I am going to make a conscious effort to put more of my life story down in some format such as a journal or diary but as yet the format is undetermined at this point. I have decided that I will begin making small family books using my blog posts but I have not decided anything further than this. I would eventually like to write a genealogy book detailing my maternal/paternal lines and one for my children that would include their paternal lines as well. These are projects that are for now on my ideas and/or future projects list. 

Reviewing my Journey with the Genealogy Do-Over of 2015

I as I have often said in the last three months, I have taught myself the genealogy research basics and I have never been afraid to ask questions, that being said I have learned so much more than I thought possible and I realize that genealogy is so important for the generations that will come after me. So, for the current generations and the ones far into the future I owe it to them and myself to be sure that my genealogy research is on a solid foundation, one that can be built upon and one to be proud of too.

Bad habits are hard to break! However, I am learning from those bad habits. I am shoring up my research foundation with all the new techniques I have learned during this journey. I will cite my sources properly, thank you to Elizabeth Shown Mills who has helped our group by commenting with her wisdom, feedback and suggestions. I may not have realized I needed to know that piece of information then but realized that yes in fact I did. Thank you to all of the wonderful professionals who gave their feedback and encouragement to this project.

I love the environment that our fearless leader and Genealogy Ninja, Thomas MacEntee has given us to ask questions, admit our mistakes and allow us collaborate in a forum that gives us the freedom to exchange and share our ideas about genealogy. I have formed a network that I might not otherwise have discovered on my own. I am honored to be part of this amazing network of people known as genealogist's! 

I have come to realize that genealogy is a continual journey, it never ends and I can go to visit anytime I like. Genealogy allows me to go back in time and get to know who my ancestors were, by the records that they kept such as diaries and ledgers, census records, vital records, court records and newspapers accounts. Where else can I go and visit the 18th & 19th centuries and never leave home? Genealogy allows me to to honor my ancestors and gives me the privilege of telling their stories which I can only hope would make them proud to have me as their descendant.

Thank you, Thomas MacEntee for coming up with such a wonderful project! However, I have to ask is there a part two? Or should I ask what is next? I am sad to see this journey end as I can hardly believe that three months has passed us by but I look forward to the next one no matter where it should lead me!

Copyright © Dawning Genealogy/Dawn M Kogutkiewicz 2014-2015, All rights reserved. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 12 - My Mormon Pioneers Charles Coulson Rich and Harriet Sargent Part 8

Source: City of San Bernadino California Library Services

Harriet Sargent was chosen to be the sixth and final wife of Charles Coulson Rich. A decision made by Charles and his first wife Sarah DeArmon Pea Rich. 

Harriet was born on October 23rd, 1832 in Fountain County, Indiana to Abel Morgan Sargent, Jr and his wife Sarah Edwards. When she was nearly two, her father moved to Ohio where the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints began. From there he followed the church from county to county, state to state until finally the Mormon community was chased out of Missouri by a violent and angry mob of neighbors. 

Like Charles's other wives, Harriet's family was one of the early families practically from the beginning of the Mormon church. As Harriet's family fled from Missouri, her mother Sarah became very ill and possibly injured from a fall and as a result her father took his wife to her family in Indiana. Sarah was pregnant with her 10th child and was expecting to be "confined" soon however, she began her confinement early. Harriet was seven years old when her mother and baby brother died in March of 1839.

After the death of her mother, Harriet's father stayed in Indiana through the summer but decided he would move his family to Nauvoo, Illinois, now the home of the Mormons who had fled Missouri. Unfortunately, his father in law, David Edwards was not pleased by the decision as he blamed the Mormon community for his daughter's death and wanted to keep his grandchildren safe with him. Abel gathered his family together and went to the home of friend to hide but Mr. Edwards, who was an officer of the law found them and told Abel that he would follow and bring the children back to Indiana.

Abel built a raft or skiff and with the aid of his brother, he, Harriet and her sisters Martha Jane and Caroline escaped from the home of his father in law, David Edwards. They traveled for nearly 200 miles before they felt safe enough to land their raft/skiff and transfer to a steamboat which carried them another 200 miles to Randolph County, Illinois. Due to his age, the youngest boy, Thomas and his sister Drucilla having a "swelling of her leg", Abel left them in the care of their grandfather. Upon arriving in Randolph County, Illinois, all of the children became ill and they remained so all winter. Since he was an educated man, Abel remained in Randolph County for four years and taught school there until the family finally moved to Nauvoo.

At some point, Abel found homes for his children (for what reason I do not know) and Harriet was placed in the home of Charles and Sarah D. Rich, caring for their children so that Sarah could do work at the Temple. Then in 1846, Harriet's father volunteered to a soldier in the Mormon Battalion. Upon his return, he stole his son Thomas away from the home of David Edwards and they began the move westward to Utah. Abel and Thomas joined a company heading for Utah. This company was stricken with Cholera during this time. Both Abel and Thomas were stricken with Cholera and died as a result. 

After living in the home of Charles and Sarah D. Rich for two years Charles, approached Harriet to ask her about the idea of plural marriages. Several months later he again approached Harriet about plural marriages and explained that two of his brethren were interested in marrying her. They approached Charles for two reasons (1) she was a member of his household and (2) he was the high ranking official during this time in Mount Pisgah, Iowa. The Rich household then moved to Winter Quarters, Nebraska and Charles again approached Harriet about plural marriages but this time he was asking for himself. Harriet then spoke with Sarah D. and with her guidance Harriet accepted the proposal and became the sixth and final wife of Charles Coulson Rich.

As the family made arrangements in Nebraska for the trip to Utah, Charles and Harriet were married on March 28th, 1847. Harriet helped to drive one of the wagons, the one carrying her mother in law, Nancy O'Neal Rich who had been ill through out the journey west. Mrs. Rich died the day after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. 

In the spring of 1849, Harriet gave birth to her first child, Franklin David Rich. Then in 1851, along with Mary Ann Phelps Rich and Emeline Grover Rich they went with Charles to begin the settlement of San Bernadino, California. Harriet's next three children, Adelberg Coulson, Harriet Tunis and Abel George Rich were all born in San Bernadino. In the spring of 1857, everyone in the colony of San Bernadino were ordered to return to Utah by church President Brigham Young. The reason for being ordered to return was due to the fact that Colonel Albert Sidney Johnson was marching on Salt Lake City and what was going to known as The Utah War. On the way back to Utah, little Harriet Tunis died of a convulsion and was interred upon arriving back in Utah.

 Top Photo: Martha Caroline "Caddie" Rich Parrish. Photo Below L to R: Morgan Jesse Rich, Franklin David Rich, Alvin Orlando Rich and Drucilla Rich Streeper. Source: Charles C. Rich - Mormon General and Western Frontiersman, Leonard J. Arrington

Once the war was over, Harriet and her children settled in Centerville, Utah. It was here that the next two children, Caroline "Caddie" and Harley Thomas Rich were born. When they first settled in Centerville their crops were meager, then Charles was called on to do a Mission in Europe. It was during this time that Charles's wives learned about each other, supported each other and their husband and respective families. By the fall of 1863, Charles was called upon to settle another colony, this time in Bear Lake Valley. It was here that Harriet's last four children, Luna Rosetta, Morgan Jesse, Alvin Orlando and Drusilla Sarah were born.

 Top Photo: Luna Rich Waldo. Photo Below L to R: Harley Thomas Rich, Adelberg Coulson RIch and Abel George Rich.
Source: Charles C. Rich - Mormon General and Western Frontiersman, Leonard J. Arrington

Those first several winters in Idaho were as difficult as any of the other journey's that Harriet had been through thus far. The winters here would have been very long and severe in Idaho which resulted in their grain being frozen which made it damp and moldy. They were still able to perhaps trade and/or hunt wild game and fish. They may have lost some cattle as well as any food that was not properly prepared for storage under such harsh winter conditions. 

Harriet loved music, she sang, played the organ and guitar according to her family. Like the other wives she was excellent seamstress, accomplished at dying yarns and using raw materials such as hides to make clothes for herself and her family. With the help of her daughter Caroline "Caddie" she was able to make a rag carpet for her home. As busy as her home life was Harriet still found time to work with the Women's Relief Society and took a special interest in children who had been orphaned as she had been. Also like the other wives, Harriet made many sacrifices to ensure that her children received an education. The older boys Franklin, Adelbert and Abel went to Brigham Young Academy as did many of their their siblings. The youngest son Alvin along with his sisters Caroline, Luna and Drucilla all earned teaching certificates at the University of Deseret in Salt Lake City.

Harriet Sargent Rich died on July 18th, 1915 in Centerville, Utah and was laid to rest beside her husband in Paris, Idaho. 

To be a pioneer woman during this time you had to be tough, resourceful, industrious, courageous and have faith that what they were doing was for the greater good of their life, their home and their family. As a family they faced many hardships like rain for days at a time, harsh freezing winters, persecution for your religious beliefs, driving teams of horses and/or oxen, crossing dangerous rivers, deserts and plains, droughts, insects, heat, sickness, birth and death. They dealt with hardships, trials and tribulations of their circumstances at that time.

They saw first hand how the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints forged their way from New York, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska to the Salt Lake Valley. They watched as their husband, Charles Coulson Rich was called upon time and again to settle colonies in San Bernadino, California and Bear Lake Valley, Idaho and then accept a mission to Europe for more than two years. Lake Valley, Idaho. They also knew that because of Charles duties both civic and church kept him busy and away from home more often than not, it would fall upon them to raise their children.

These six women, Sarah DeArmon Pea, Eliza Ann Graves, Mary Ann Phelps, Sarah Jane Peck, Emeline Grover and Harriet Sargent were amazing women in their own right.  Collectively, these women gave birth to 51 children and of those, 13 died while in their infancy, early childhood or as teenager. They shared their joys and sorrows and depended on one another for support when Charles was away. They believed in their strength, their faith in God and knowing that all that they had endured would be rewarded in the end. It is my privilege to call these women my ancestors!

Sources:
Ancestry.com. LDS Pioneer and Handcart Companies, 1847-1856 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com, 2013.
Original data: Black, Susan Easton. Pioneers of 1847: A Sesquicentennial Remembrance. Provo, Utah: © 1980. Private donor; Black, Susan Easton. Members of the Ellsworth and McArthur Handcart Companies of 1856. © 1982. Private donor and Black, Susan Easton. Members of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies of 1856: A Sesquicentennial Remembrance. Provo, Utah: © 1980. Private donor.
Ancestry.com. Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1848 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: Black, Susan Easton, compiler. Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830–1848. 50 vols. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center, 1989. Private Donor.
Charles C. Rich - Mormon General and Western Frontiersman, Leonard J. Arrington, Brigham Young University Press, Provo, Utah, 1974, pp. 293-296, PDF Download digitally imaged at _ Family Search_ (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE96564&from=fhd : accessed 14 September 2014).
City of San Bernadino California, Harriet Sargent Rich, digital image (http://www.sbcity.org/cityhall/library/historical_photos/p_r_pioneers/rich_harriet_%28sargent%29.asp) digital image enlarged (http://www.sbcity.org/images/departments/library/csb_jpg/csb_132.jpg : accessed 20 September 2014)
Nina W. Palmer, Compiler, "Emeline Grover Rich" Charles C. Rich and His Six Wives, pp. 264-302; PDF Download, digitally imaged at (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE4786662&from=fhd : accessed 1 March 2015).
"Utah Death Certificates, 1904-1956," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZGZ-K9F : accessed 30 March 2015), Harriet Sargent Rich, 18 Jul 1915; citing Centerville, Davis, Utah, United States, certificate 54, series 81448; Utah State Archives Research Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; FHL microfilm 2,229,570.

Copyright © Dawning Genealogy/Dawn M Kogutkiewicz 2014-2015, All rights reserved.  

Genealogy Do-Over Week 12

We are in week the home stretch for the first session of the Genealogy Do-Over and this is week twelve. Our topics this week are sharing research and reviewing research travel options.

Sharing Research

I have been very fortunate when asking for help from other researchers. I have also been given research done by other family members many years ago. However, regardless of this I do my due diligence and verify every scrap of information passed on to me. I am always happy to share my research and I will do whatever I can to help someone and it is sometimes a bright shining object (BSO) for me depending on the family involved. I also expect whoever I share my research to do the same with my research. I love being able to share my research efforts with someone new and I like to be able to pay it forward for those who have helped me too. 

All of the above being said, I have a few observations I would like to point out regarding my views about sharing research in general. I am big Ancestry user with multiple trees and not all of them are related to me. First, I have trees (15 to be exact) that are part of my volunteer research that I did for the upcoming Global Family Reunion in June. I am uncomfortable sharing this information because (1) it is not my family and (2) I feel that I should request permission to release this information from the coordinator of this project. Second, I have been helping several friends with their own personal trees and I do not release information without their consent. And finally I will not release any information regarding any living family members without consent of the person or persons involved.

Do's and Don'ts of Collaboration and Sharing

I agree always Be Nice! The genealogy community is a small world and with social media it maybe getting just a little bit larger. This means that how you answer queries from other researchers may be posted "everywhere" as a "beware of __________, they are _____.", I will let you fill in the blanks. Being kind and generous with those who  approach you and those you approach can make the world of difference to a new genealogist/researcher but also to the more experienced genealogist/researcher as well.

If you are going to share and/or collaborate with another researcher the work you have painstakingly done and vice versa, then Attribution should be given to all parties. I have not actively and/or directly collaborated with anyone in regards to my genealogy research in such a detailed endeavor, at least not that I am aware of anyway. I have however in the past received information that were given to me by other researchers which I used as a springboard to find other clues. None of the research I have been given had sources, only the name of the person who compiled the information. I have created source citations with the researchers name, the type of information shared & the family it pertains to, the date it was received and page number. When I share my research I usually do it in a report from Family Tree Maker which includes my name, contact information and sources.

My preferred way to get information is to reciprocate in kind, I don't just take it and run.  For example, when I ask someone to share information their research with me the first thing I do is to be sure that once I have finished with the said person and/or family I requested information on, I then forward a copy of an individual family report. This research will have all of my sources pertaining to the person and/or family I requested information about, my research notes regarding any information I disagree with if applicable, and if I have a picture then I include that as well. 

One thing I learned from Thomas MacEntee in a webinar titled, "Google for Genealogists" which he did for Legacy Family Tree in 2011 (year is from the CD I purchased) was to create an Alert using Google. However, until reading this I never thought to use it for my research or my blog. Thank you, Thomas, for the reminder and my new alerts have been set! I have two more things I would like to add to the Do's and Don'ts list. 

Provide Information When Asking for Help

When you are asking someone for help, Provide as much information as you can on the person or family you are seeking information on. For example if you are contacting me and you want information about William Williams please provide as much detail as you know. Here is what I want to know, since Williams is a popular name, I would want the person asking for the information to provided dates of birth and death, places of birth and death, parents if known and spouse(s) if known and any children that this person might have had. Finally, if you are contacting me through Ancestry.com I will need you to tell me what tree you saw this person because I have more than one tree. So why do I want to know this? (1) I have multiple William Williamses in my tree, six of them to be exact. (2) I have multiple trees, (15 and 7 of those belong to friends) and not all of them are directly related to me.

Don't be a Bully! 

Whether you are asking for help or you find that someone has incorrect or outdated information do not Bully them! An excellent example of this would be a researcher who contacted me directly via Ancestry about six years ago and I was a newbie to Ancestry. He very rudely told me that if I could not spell his surname correctly I had no business doing family history. I didn't have it misspelled for my particular branch but it was a surname with more than four variations. I politely informed him of this and he verbally threatened me that if I did not fix my tree to the correct spelling he would be contacting Ancestry. Was I intimidated by this man, Yes, but I knew Ancestry would not do anything to me. However I was afraid that this man could post negative comments about me via message boards or perhaps to other researchers. So, I went in and changed the surname and listed every variation possible for every person with that surname. 

My plan for do's and don'ts for and with my genealogy research is simple, I will keep sharing my research via my blog, Facebook and Ancestry.com. I will make sure that my sources are accurate, I will ensure that my proven and unproven research is clear and concise enough for anyone to understand. When I have finished my new and improved trees, I will follow Thomas's recommendation about adding an unsourced tree with a clear description and disclaimer that I will provide my evidence, research methodology and sources upon request.

Reviewing Research Travel Options

I am very fortunate that a lot of my research is done within an eight to ten hour drive from my home. When I go to visit my parents, I try to do get in as much genealogy as I can by talking with my parents, looking for gravesites of my husband's family and sharing information with my niece who is interested in genealogy. Whenever, whereever and however I can I will always find something genealogy related to do. 

Sponsored Research Trips, Genealogy Cruises and More

• Genealogy Society Trips
• Individual or Vendor-Sponsored Trips
• Individually Tailored Trips
• Genealogy Cruises

Organized trips such as those sponsored by genealogical societies, vendor-sponsored, individual sponsors and genealogy cruises are great. Some of these trips may include transportation to and from the airport to the host hotel, a couple of breakfast and lunch seminars/meetings and there may be a dinner event sponsored by a genealogical society and/or vendor (or two) depending on the type and/or length of the event. One perk to consider is that you may be able to have a consultation with a professional genealogist who may have very specific areas of research which you do not. Genealogy cruises also have the perk of a vacation within the conference you are attending. Another perk to consider is that you may find a genealogy based trip that may take you close to an ancestral country and you might be able to book a few extra days at the beginning or end of your trip depending upon the vendor. The part of these types of trips are the connections you make whether they are personal or professional or perhaps both and it can all be a fabulous adventure.

Do-It-Yourself Research Trips

I consider myself to be a good traveler especially since I am a former travel agent with experience in traveling abroad. These are great things to consider when planning any trip.

• What type of traveler are you?
• Preparation & Packing
• Preferred Mode of Transportation
• Accomodations
• Expenses
• Emergencies and Last Minute Changes

What type of traveler are you?

I am a relaxed and easy traveler. I always bring a good book or two, magazines. I prefer to be at the airport at least 90 minutes early to determine if there are any delays or changes such a new gate assignment.

Preparation & Packing

It depends on where I am going, how long I will be gone and what I will be doing as to when I start my packing. As I travel agent I learned the secret of how to maximize my packing space! Regardless of how long the trip maybe, my packing starts as I do any necessary laundry. I start pulling together my genealogy materials at least a week before my scheduled trip so that I have the latest updated information at my fingertips. 

Preferred Mode of Transportation

Planes

I like traveling by plane. I find it relaxing and enjoyable. In my carry-on bag I keep a few things that I consider "must haves" if I am flying. My "must haves" are ear plugs (for crying babies and snoring passengers), lip balm and a pair of sandals or flip flops. Why sandals or flip flops? On long flights my feet sometimes swell so I keep these handy just in case because they are easy to slip on and off.

Have you had any surgeries that required "medical metal" as I call it, such as rods, plates and screws? I have and I tend to set off the scanning machines at the airport. If you are like me then you might want to see this link (http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/disability_notification_cards.pdf). It does not exempt you from a search or screening by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) but it allows you to let them know without the entire area knowing your personal issues. I also recommend checking TSA's website (http://www.tsa.gov/) for any recent changes before leaving home.

For me, traveling overseas means acclimating myself to the time difference before I leave so that the jet lag doesn't interfere too badly. The best piece of advice I ever received from a fellow travel agent is this, If you are going to being crossing the international date line, you may want to consider consulting your medical care provider for a short term prescription of sleeping medication (or if you prefer, use an over the counter product) to help you sleep on the plane in both directions. You will wake up much more refreshed!

Trains

I have always wanted to travel by train! However, living in the Carolina's are options are limited. Train travel in the south is not as prevalent as it is in other parts of the country. My sons traveled by train from Charlotte, NC to Greensboro, NC after moving in with their Dad and until they had obtained their driver's license. 

Automobiles

I also enjoy traveling by car and I have to be in the front seat for any trip over 2 or 3 hours otherwise I get quite car sick. I love the freedom that driving provides such as creating my own schedule, stopping when I want, the scenery and GPS. The only drawback is that I tend to pack much more than is really necessary. However, it does allow me to take more in terms of genealogy related items such as a large portable scanner, my cemetery kit and more files.

Accomodations

Now this is where I am picky!  

If I am lucky enough to be researching in area where I have family and/or friends living and it is not an inposition for them during those dates I plan to be in the area, then I prefer to stay with them because it will allow us to catch up. Hopefully, I will get a few family interviews in too. 

I don't need to stay at the most luxourious hotel with all the bells and whistles. What I do need is a hotel where I will feel comfortable, safe (doors accessible and no rooms with outside doors, I prefer hotels where all the doors are accessible from inside the hotel. No matter what chain of hotels you are staying at, they are not all equal. In some areas a Days Inn can be a 4 star property and in others you wouldn't even think of considering it. My wish list for a hotel room is a sitting area, desk, mini-fridge, a pool (indoor or outdoor), room service and/or at least have good eateries close by.

Expenses

As noted abouve, if I can stay with family that is by far first preference. It will also help my budget too. Keeping expenses down while traveling is hard even with a budget because you never know what might happen. 

I am a change thief!! When my husband comes home from work he deposits his loose change on the bar. He also leaves it in the car too. My philosphy is once he goes to bed, it is mine! I also collect the change from pocketbook and wallet at the same time and keep it in a old cosmetics bag and carry it with me when I am researching in the respositories that I go to for making copies as well as feeding the parking meter. In a few months time I usually $30.00 to $50.00. I save my credit card for spurleges.

Emergencies and Last Minute Changes

I am a relatively calm person and react well in emergencies. I do have some first aid training, I know how to perform CPR, the Heimlech Manuever and I can tie a tourniquet if need be. Along with being a travel agent I was also a certified nursing assistant. 

As someone with a "colorful" medical history that includes multiple food and drug allergies I am always prepared for the worst. I never leave home without my medical history form that I prepared about 10 years ago and modify as needed. It includes my name, address, home and cell phone numbers, my insurance information, my emergency contacts, my blood type, a list of my medications both prescriptions and over the counter meds, a list of my medical issues, a list of all surgeries, and a list of any type of medical devices (like pins, rods, plates and screws) and where they are located. Here is a sample of what a demo of my medical history form looks like https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iu7lBwNf36EcKPiTT-B6ZNQzIqVRcWvXCCnl5LH97yI/edit?usp=sharing. I would also include the hospitals, urgent care facilities and pharmacies near my hotel in whatever city I am visiting.

I never leave home without making sure that my family knows where I am going. As a young kid I started doing this and I made sure that my kids did it too. When Tommy and I traveling together I send our itinerary to our son David and my Mom that way there at least two people who know the details. When I am traveling by myself I leave my itinerary with Tommy, David and Mom. Some habits, whether good or bad never leave you!

Sources: Thomas MacEntee, "Google for Genealogists" recorded webinar for Legacy Family Tree and Millenia Corporation, 2011 "No Bully Zone", www.bing.com (http://www.bing.com/images/search?&q=images+of+a+bully&qft=+filterui:license-L2_L3_L4_L5_L6_L7&FORM=R5IR39#view=detail&id=B98C3A00470426305A71C2A64DAEC6B5514A310C&selectedIndex=19 : accessed 26 March 2015) Original Source: Inquisition: The Debate Continues, blog (https://sheokhanda.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/bullies-and-psychology/ : accessed 25 March 2015).
Copyright © Dawning Genealogy/Dawn M Kogutkiewicz 2014-2015, All rights reserved. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks -Week 11 - My Mormon Pioneers - Charles Coulson Rich & Emeline Grover Part 7

Emeline Grover Rich Source: Charles C. Rich and His Six Wives

Charles Coulson Rich and his first wife Sarah DeArmon Pea chose Emeline Grover to be his fifth wife. Emeline was born on July 30th, 1831. She was the second daughter of Thomas Grover, III and Caroline Whiting Grover in Freedom, New York. Her parents converted to the newly formed Mormon church sometime between 1830-1834. As a child, Emeline felt and witnessed first hand the uprisings, violence and persecution that were directed at her Mormon community for their religious beliefs. Emeline's father, Thomas, was a personal bodyguard for the Prophet, Joseph Smith. Because of Thomas Grover's position with the Prophet, the Smith and Grover families were very close.

In 1835 the family moved to Kirtland, Ohio where he helped build the temple. From Ohio, the family moved to Far West, Missouri, where they endured religious persecution. The family fled from Missouri in 1839, went to Quincy and the Nauvoo (formerly Commerce), Illinois, where her mother Caroline and her sister Emma both died in October 1840. This left Thomas alone with six little girls under the age of twelve to care for on his own. How terrified young Emeline must have been during these turbulent times.

By late 1845 or early 1846 Emeline found herself working in the home Charles Coulson Rich. As it became clear to the Rich family that they would be heading out west Charles and his first wife, Sarah DeArmon Pea Rich decided that Emeline should become the fifth wife of Charles. After speaking with Emeline and her father, Thomas Grover and obtaining their consent to marriage, Charles and Emeline went to the Nauvoo Temple where they were married on February 2nd, 1846 by Heber C. Kimball. Emeline was 15 years old when she married Charles Coulson Rich.

The early years of her marriage to Charles could not have been easy for Emeline. She had no sooner wed him, then they were fleeing from Nauvoo and starting the trek to the Great Salt Lake Basin. I can imagine that sleeping in tents or in wagons were not exactly conducive to encouraging this young woman in the intimate and private ways of a husband and wife. This was a journey of hardship for all who traveled in the company. They dealt with the weather, from wind and rain to snow, ice and bitter cold. There were food shortages, illnesses, injuries and death to overcome. The company traveled by wagon, handcarts and of course walking. Due to the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) many of the young men joined the Mormon Battalion, when the federal government came calling for volunteers. This meant that the women of the company had to drive the wagons and pull the handcarts or they would be left behind. 

However, through it all Emeline persevered and accepted the challenges that she faced. When they finally arrived in Salt Lake in October of 1847, there was much to do to prepare for the coming winter. Emeline lived with her father Thomas during that first winter in Salt Lake. She also attended the school which was taught by Alvira Cole Holmes. Then in 1848, her father moved to Centerville, Utah and she was left to manage her father's newly built log cabin home. It was in this home that Emeline began teaching school herself.

By the fall of 1849, Emeline was pregnant with their first child and Charles was called to go on a mission to California. Their son, Thomas Grover Rich was born in December 1849 while Charles was in California. Charles returned in November of 1850 from California. By the spring of 1851, Charles was called to go once again to California. This time he was called upon to  begin the Mormon settlement of San Bernadino, California. Emeline along with two of Charles's other wives, Mary Ann Phelps and Harriet Sargent would make the trek to California. They left Salt Lake in March of 1851, with just over 400 men, women and children.

The trek from Salt Lake to San Bernadino was just as grueling and maybe more so than the journey from Nauvoo. They endured the some of the same hardships as they had previously experienced but now they also faced new ones as well. Within Utah they had had to deal with blizzards, mud and Indian attacks. During this trip they had to cross two deserts, one in Nevada and the other in California and they were long hot, dry, and dusty miles. They had to carry water not only for themselves but for the animals that traveled with them. Once they emerged from the Sierra-Nevada Mountain into the valley of San Bernadino the company halted. For three months they stayed here making repairs to wagons and carts, purchasing food for hundreds with less than $1,000 dollars, and making preparations for the remainder of their journey including the purchase of land for their settlement.

Emeline was thrilled to finally have a home after spending so much time out in the open country. She relished taking care of her home and her son Thomas. After more than a year in San Bernadino, Emeline gave birth to her first daughter in January of 1852. The child was named Caroline Whiting after her maternal grandmother who died twelve years before. During the first few years of the settlement of San Bernadino, Charles would become the second mayor of the community. She and Charles would have another daughter, Nancy Emeline who was born in February of 1854. During the year of 1854, as the community was prospered there were also signs new challenges and old rumblings from the past that were bringing flashes of Far West and Independence, Missouri; Kirtland, Ohio and Nauvoo, Illinois. 

 Caroline Whiting Rich Humpherys Source: Charles C. Rich - Mormon General and Western Frontiersman

In the fall of 1854, Emeline and her children headed back to the Salt Lake Valley in the company of her husband as he was called to return for a general conference. They traveled in a small group with ten other people. Why did Emeline leave San Bernadino at this time while Mary Ann and Harriet stayed? It is said that she no longer felt her services were required there in San Bernadino and Charles must have agreed. However, Emeline was happy to be back and living now in Centerville, Utah. Over the course of the next ten years she would give birth to three more sons, Landon Jedediah who was born in March of 1858, Samuel Joseph who was born in May 1860 and Heber Charles Chase who was born in August of 1863. On the day that Samuel was born, Charles left for his mission to Europe and it would be two years before he ever met Samuel. 

 Nancy Emeline Rich Pugmire Source: Charles C. Rich - Mormon General and Western Frontiersman

With Charles on his mission to Europe his families were left with little means to support themselves. Like Sarah D., Eliza, Mary Ann, and Sarah Jane, Emeline supported her family with her skills as a seamstress making not only her own clothes but her daughters clothes as well. She was always learning some new skill for her needlework. She learned needle skills from the best of her fellow pioneering women and from Native American women she learned the art of sewing buckskin gloves, a skill she shared with other women in her community. 

By June of 1864, the Rich family were moving from Utah, north to the area Bear Lake, Idaho where Charles was once again called upon for a mission to start yet another settlement. At this point, Emeline Grover Rich was thirty-three years old and had six children. The last two children of Charles and Emeline Rich were born in Bear Lake, Idaho, Joel Hezekiah and George Quayle, in March of 1865 and George in March of 1869, respectively. 

Those first several winters in Idaho were as difficult as the other journey's that Emeline had been through thus far. Their home had three rooms with only a fireplace in the front room, the floors were made of dirt while the windows were covered in muslin until glass could be installed. The roof of their home was made from willows, straw and then covered with a heavy layering of dirt. The winters here would have been very long and severe in Idaho which resulted in the loss of cattle and food that was not prepared properly for storage under such conditions. 

Women in these early days of pioneering did not like for male doctors to attend them during childbirth. Doctors were scarce in these early days and matters were not helped when leaders of the Mormon church spoke of their bias against them. For these reasons a midwife system was put in place. Emeline was part of this network of midwives who carried out the role of midwife but also the roles of nurse, physician and pharmacist. In these roles her services were in high demand and while she treated illnesses such as pneumonia, diptheria, typhoid and scarlet fever, small pox and cholera she also set broken bones and on ocassion extracted bad teeth but it was her duties as midwife that made up the majority of her practice.

The Sons of Emeline Grover Rich & Charles C. Rich Source: Charles C. Rich - Mormon General and Western Frontiersman

Charles and Emeline's daughter Nancy Emeline married Vincent McKay Pugmire in 1873 and Caroline married Hyrum Thomas Humphreys in 1874. Their eldest son, Thomas Grover was killed accidently in July 1878 and in 1880, Charles suffered a stroke. In June of 1889, Eliza Ann Graves Rich, second wife of Charles passed away. As the fall of 1881 began, Emeline decided that she would return to Provo, Utah with her five remaining children, Landon, Samuel, Heber, Joel and George. She rented a large house, took in boarders, continued her work as a nurse and would accompany doctors on house calls. She also enrolled the boys at Brigham Young Academy (now known as Brigham Young University). Emeline and the boys returned to Provo again in the fall of 1882 so that they could continued with their education.

At some point Emeline enrolled at The Medical College of Utah, in Morgan, Utah. The college was founded in January of 1880 by Dr. Frederick S. Kohler and after two years was forced to close its doors. The fee for students was $80.00 per term (what a baragin!) and students were taught the latest medical techniques. In 1882 the college announced six graduates, one of whom was listed as Mrs. E. Rich of Idaho. Of the four graduates there is only information on two of them, the first being Benjamin Rush Kohler of Pennsylvania and son of the dean, Dr. F. S. Kohler. Emeline Grover Rich by all accounts a brillant student who had been a practicing midwife for many years prior to attending the medical college. Upon graduation she received her diploma and was listed as a member of the faculty specializing in obstetrics, unfortunately she never never had the opportunity to teach.

In February of 1886, Emeline's father Thomas Grover passed away in Centerville, Utah. After his death, she felt a calling to do Temple work in honor of her family who had died. As the fall of 1890 began, Emeline put her house in order and locked it up, made arrangements for the care of livestock and went to Logan, Utah. She lived with her sons, George and Heber while she pursued her Temple work. The records indicate she did work for her mother, whom she lost at such a tender age, and is credited with obtaining a rare, valuable book on her maternal line of Spauldings. Emeline continued her Temple work until about 1898 at which time she returned to her home in Idaho.

 Emeline Grover Rich Source: Charles C. Rich and His Six Wives

Emeline Grove Rich spent her remaining years practicing medicine, taking care of her home and being active in her community. She was very proud of her children and their accomplishments in life. Emeline learned at an early age that life could be hard and she overcame those hardships to be a woman with grit and determination, self-confident, and a source of strength and hope to her family and her community. Emeline passed away at home on May 4th, 1917 in Paris, Idaho.

Copyright © Dawn M Kogutkiewicz 2014-2015, All rights reserved. 

Sources: 
Ancestry.com. Heart Throbs of the West [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1998. Original data: Kate Carter. Heart Throbs of the West. Vol. I-XII. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, 1947.
Ancestry.com. Idaho History [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2003.p. 680; Original data: French, Hiram T.. History of Idaho. Vol. I-III. Chicago and New York, USA: Lewis Publishing, 1914.
Ancestry.com. Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1848 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013 citing Susan Easton Black, compiler. Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830–1848. 50 vols. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center, 1989. Private Donor.  
Ancestry.com. LDS Pioneer and Handcart Companies, 1847-1856 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com, 2013, citing Susan E.  Black Pioneers of 1847: A Sesquicentennial Remembrance. Provo, Utah: © 1980. Private donor. Members of the Ellsworth and McArthur Handcart Companies of 1856 © 1982. Private donor., Members of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies of 1856: A Sesquicentennial Rememberance. Provo, Utah:  © 1980.
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