Thursday, January 29, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 4



This is week 4 of the Genealogy Do-Over 2015. Our two topics this week are managing projects/tasks and tracking searches.

Managing Project/Tasks:

I watched Thomas MacEntee's project management video and I like the format he uses.  It's no secret that I don't like spreadsheets. The spreadsheet that Thomas has provide for us is setup very closely to my own blog calendar. In my other life I was a travel agent. I kept track of my clients itineraries, tickets (issuing & delivery), deadlines for deposits or final payments etc. using a daily calendar. With that in mind, I am going to apply Thomas's project management techniques onto my calendar. I already use green for completed assignments, yellow for projects that have been started but not finished. I use red for projects that have titles but that I have not started to write about and I use turquoise for projects that the writing is completed but that I need to add photos, sources and/or documents to that post. I believe that this will work quite well for me. 

Evernote:

It seems that everyone uses Evernote so I thought I would check into it. I went to the Windows app store on my computer and downloaded Evernote. Then I started the process to sign up for an account. That is when I discovered that I already have an Evernote account, since 2010! I actually had notes in it as well. Judging from the dates on the notes that was about the time my laptop died and when I purchased a new laptop I did not reestablished Evernote on the new laptop. My loss.

I have been familiarizing myself with Evernote for a couple of days now.  I hope to have a better handle on it in a week or two. I have also found some video's on www.Youtube.com on how to create a calendar in Evernote so that is my project for this weekend. In the mean time I have created notebooks for my maternal lines and my children's paternal lines. I also copied all the sources I have used in my blog into their own notebook so that I can find them in a hurry. I have also created a research notebook for each family to keep track of my searches, notes, questions, sources and/or comments. Hopefully, with Evernote, I may be able to do away with pen and/or pencil and paper but until then I will continue to use my trusty pen!

Tracking Searches:

If you were to look at certain profiles in my master tree at www.ancestry.com you will find that I use their weblink function, a lot! It is where I store whatever sites that pertain to that person from Google, Bing, FamilySearch, Findagrave and other search engines. Unfortunately, the weblink function is missing elements such as adding a dates, notes or even a reminder to try the search again at a later date. I have been setting up alarms on my cell phone to recheck searches every quarter. I wonder if Evernote has some way of flagging or setting up a recurrent flag?

This is where learning Evernote will come in very handy for me, I hope! The way I envision using a research notebook for each family in Evernote is that I can make notes for each individual that will have the date of the search, which search engine used (ie. www.Familysearch.org), name of database (Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1955), URL link, complete source citation (then I will only have to cut and paste later), parameters of my search, results of my search, comments, questions and notes. These are the type of things I keep in my composition notebooks that I work from on a day to day basis. I feel like this way would serve me better time wise. 

Next Week:

In week 5 will be discussing building a Research Toolbox and citing sources. Interestingly enough the very first Legacy Family Tree webinar I took was one by Thomas MacEntee entitled Google for Genealogist which gave me the foundation for my own research toolbox. I am looking forward to seeing what Thomas will share with us next week.

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

Sunday, January 25, 2015

52 Ancestors Week # 3 - Meet Henry Kitts

Meet Henry Kitts, my children's 3rd great paternal grandfather. He was born in August 1824 in Grainger County, Tennessee, his death certificate gave his age in years and months so I used a birth from death calculator such as this one at Ancestor Search (http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/birthday.html) to try and determine when he might have been born in August. He was probably born on or around August 14th.

Henry's First Marriage:

Henry married first to Frances Lucinda Strange on December 26th, 1844 in Rutledge, Grainger County, Tennessee. Frances is the daughter of Smith and Elizabeth "Betsy" (Dalton) Strange. She was born January 29th, 1829 in Grainger County, Tennessee. Frances Strange Kitts died on October 19th, 1882. Henry and Frances had three daughters and five sons. All of their children were born, married and died in Grainger County, Tennessee unless otherwise noted.

The Children of Henry and Frances: 

The eldest son of Henry and Frances is Simeon Acuff Kitts who was born September 27th, 1845. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Harrell on 31 January 1867. Elizabeth is the daughter of James Calvin Harrell and Rachel Bundren of Grainger County. Simeon and Betty did not have any children that I have been able to find. Elizabeth "Betty" Harrell Kitts died on April 14th, 1920. Simeon died on May 7th, 1926 in Knoxville, Tennessee and they are both buried in the Kitts Cemetery in Washburn, Tennessee.

The eldest daughter of Henry and Frances is Delilah Calvin Kitts who was born June 9th, 1850. She married Isaac Kitts in October of 1865. Isaac is the son of David Kitts and Annis Innece Willis also of Grainger County. They had the following children: Millard Smith Kitts (1867-1940), Alexander Kitts (1869-before 1880), E. Kitts (1871-????), Maggie A. Kitts (1875-1955), Charlotte "Lockie" Kitts (1877-1916), Frances M. Kitts (1879-????), Sally J (1882-????), Ora B. Kitts (1884-1912), Henry C. Kitts (1887-1913), Laura Bell Kitts (1891-????) and David Lee (1893-1950). Delilah died on October 26th 1909 and Isaac died May 4th, 1918 both are buried in the Kitts Cemetery in Washburn, Tennessee. 

The third son of Henry and Frances is Orvel Lee Kitts. Orvel is the 2nd great grandfather of children. He was born July 2nd, 1853. He married Susan Mary Williams on October 14th, 1877. She is the daughter of David Beeler Williams and Matilda Clark also of Grainger County. Orvel and Susan had twelve children. I will be discussing Orvel and his family in great detail in a future post.


Laura Emaline Kitts is the second daughter of Henry and Frances. Laura was born on April She married first Rector Devine Arnwine on September 23rd, 1880. Rector is the son of William Chesley Arnwine and Elizabeth Lewis. He was born in 1851 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Laura and Rector had four children. Frederick Fernando (1881-1899), Elsie Estelle (1883-1900), Ruby Cecil (1885-1906) and Lula Ethel (1888-1906). 

Laura out lived both Rector and their children. Ruby and Lula died three weeks apart in February of 1906. All of Laura and Rector's children were born and died in Knox County, Tennessee. All four children died of tuberculosis and are buried in the old Mayes Chapel Cemetery. In the photo to the left are the children of Laura and Rector, standing (L-R) are Estelle and Ruby and sitting in front (L-R) are Frederick and Lula.

On November 23rd, 1893 Laura married John Brewer Jackson Brickey in Knox County,
Tennessee. John was born on April 16th, 1845 in Blount County,Tennessee. He is the son of John Brewer Brickey and Nancy Ann King. Both Laura and John were widowed and between them had 14 children. They also had four children of their own. Their children are Frances Harriet (1895-1982), Leonard Herman (1896-1952), Maurice Lillard (1899-1980) and Audrey Susan May (1901-1982).

John B. J. Brickey died on 24 January 1905 in Knox County. Laura died on October 31st, 1952 in Knox County, just ten months after son Leonard. Frances and Audrey died seven weeks apart in 1982. In the photo to the right are the children of Laura and John, standing is Leonard and from L-R are Lillard, Frances and Audrey. Both this photo and the photo of Laura and Rector's children are courtesy of Doug Akins.

The youngest daughter of Henry and Frances is Harriet Angeline "Hattie" Kitts. She was born on May 22nd, 1868. She married first Rufus M Gentry on June 24th, 1886 in Union County, Tennessee. Rufus was the son Isaac Gentry, Jr and Mary E. Miller. Rufus was born about 1870 in Tennessee and died before 1896 in Tennessee. The records of his birth and death have been very hard to find. "Hattie" and Rufus had the following children: Simeon C. Gentry (1887-1891), Jesse Gaines Gentry (1889-1940) and Trula Kathleen (1893-1894). 

On January 1st, 1896 in Knox County, Tennessee to D. Oscar Mynatt. "Hattie" and Oscar had four children and they are Bonnie Lee (1896-1966), Frederick Jewell "Red" (1899-1994), Ross H. (1904-1978) and Ralph (1904-1907). Oscar died on December 18th, 1928 and "Hattie" died on November 16th, 1961, both died in Knoxville, Tennessee.

I am still researching the following children of Henry and Frances: Asa Joel Kitts (1847-????), Corum Clay (1865-1886), and James Alexander (1871-????). My theory for Asa Joel and James Alexander is that they died in childhood and that finding death records will be next to impossible because the state of Tennessee only has them for 1909-1912 and 1914-1955 which are available on www.ancestry.com or on www.familysearch.org. I believe Corum Clay married between the 1880 Census and his death in 1886. I have 2 possible candidates and unfortunately they have similar names. The marriage bonds list the groom as "C.C." Kitts. One of the problems I have had in researching the Kitts family is the same naming practice that went on for several generations.

Henry's Civil War Service:

According to Ancestry.com there were 107 men with the surname of Kitts in the Civil War, 60 served in the Union armies and 47 served in the Confederate States Army. Henry served in the 1st Tennessee Regiment Infantry, Company D as a Private in the Union Army during the Civil War. 

The photo to the left is from his company  descriptive book. According to the description, Henry was 35 years old, his height was recorded as 5 feet and 8 inches with a fair complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. It confirms that he was born in Grainger County, Tennessee and lists his occupation as a farmer.

Henry enlisted on July 26th, 1862 in Coumbd Gap, Kentucky.  I believe this abbreviation is actually for Cumberland Gap, Kentucky. He was enlisted by Captain James W. Branson, also of the 1st Tennessee Regiment, Company D. The term he agreed to was for three years.

What I found interesting about this particular page in Henry's record was the remarks section. It reads, "Deserted Oct 20 1864, while of furlough. Returned Dec 30, 1864 and restored to by order from HeadQrs. 4, Div 23 A.C., without loss of pay or time having bee improperly reported a Deserter. Discharged at Knoxville, June 21, 1865. (over) in accordance with instructions received from War Dept., A. G. O."

The last page in Henry Kitts records at www.fold3.com was a letter (image to the right) addressed to Captain W.P. Ammen. The letter is from Captain T. J. Rogers. In the letter he explains that Henry Kitts was improperly reported as a deserter in the monthly return for the month of November 1864. Captain Rogers explains that Henry was in fact detached for recruiting service without his knowledge. 

In April of 1913, Henry Civil War service would again come into question. I believe this may have been in regards to his pension application. It lists a claim number 582218. This same number appears as a certificate number on his Civil War Pension Index card. I see a trip to NARA in Washington in my future.

Henry's Second Marriage:

On  April 8th, 1883 Henry married Harriet Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bates in Union County, Tennessee. "Lizzie" is the daughter of Ambrose Bates and Susan Mynatt. She was born February 25th, 1851 in Knox County. Henry and "Lizzie" had four children and they are: Rector Tipton (1885-1956), Leland Ambrose (1886-1968), Susan Melissa (1888-1940) and Dr. Henry Lofton (1891-1954).
The photo above is courtesy of Martha Sue Nicely. Standing left to right are Susan, Leland and Henry and sitting left to right are Henry, "Lizzie" and Rector. This photo was taken about 1900 in front of the Kitts home. Harriet Elizabeth Bates Kitts died on April 13th, 1935 and Henry died on April 14th, 1916 both in Corryton, Tennessee.

Henry's Death Certificate and who is his mother?: 

According to his death certificate, Henry is the son of Peter Kitts, Jr and Amy Dyer Beard Adkins. Amy and Peter were married on May 11th, 1812 in Grainger County, Tennessee. I have seen multiple online trees that state Amy died before March of 1821. Henry's father, Peter Kitts, Jr married his second wife, Elizabeth Nicely in March of 1821. This date comes from Peter's War of 1812 pension papers.

From the forty plus documents I saved and read there is no marriage record or affidavit from anyone who attended the wedding or could confirm that it actually took place. I have other pension papers in my possession for various other relatives and there is some type of document that corroborates this marriage to Elizabeth. I have tried to find a marriage bond or license for Peter and Elizabeth in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky but but to no avail. 


I don't know if Elizabeth died prior to 1860 or if perhaps she left never to be heard from again. I know because she is not listed in the 1860 or the 1870 US Census records for Peter. I am missing the 1850 and 1880 US Census records for Peter, again the same name practice is getting the best of me!

My first goal with Henry is to prove whether Amy Anna Dyer Adkins is or is not Henry's mother as his death certificate indicates. Performing a yDNA test would confirm the link to Henry and  Peter but mtDNA tests will not help as it appears that Peter and Elizabeth did not have any female children that I have been able to find.

My second goal with Henry is to exhaust every possibility and to determine what happened to his sons, Asa Joel, Corum Clay and James Alexander. In an effort to do that I am reaching out to another researcher of the Kitts family whom I have heard a lot about but have not met. Hopefully he can shed some light on the lives of these three sons.

Sources:
Dodd, Jordan R. Tennessee, Marriages, 1851-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. [Marriage of Henry Kitts and Harriet Elizabeth Bates Clark]
Kitts, Frances M Strange  Find A Grave. Find A Grave, 2012. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi: accessed 25 January 2013. Memorial # 5257826
Kitts, Henry, Pvt., Company D,  1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment, pages 1-31, http://www.fold3.com/image/266773096/:accessed 31 December 2014 Complied Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee. Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the Civil War, compiled 1890-1912, documenting the period 1861-1864, Publication Number: M395, National Archives Catalog ID: 300398 RG 94
Kitts Family History, http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=kitts
“Private Member Trees,” database, Ancestry.com (http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/11830863/person/-383707242:accessed 20 January 2015), “David Kenny Kitts” family tree by DawnKogutkiewicz, profile for Henry Kitts  (1824 Grainger Co, TN-1916 Corryton, TN) documented data updated November 2014.
“Private Member Trees,” database, Ancestry.com (http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/11830863/person/-383707241:accessed 20 January 2015), “David Kenny Kitts” family tree by DawnKogutkiewicz, profile for Frances M Strange  (1824 Grainger Co, TN-1882 TN) documented data updated November 2014.
“Private Member Trees,” database, Ancestry.com (http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/11830863/person/-383707242:accessed 20 January 2015), “David Kenny Kitts” family tree by DawnKogutkiewicz, profile for Peter Kitts, Jr (1790 Wythe Co, VA-1881 Grainger Co, TN) documented data updated November 2014. 
"Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955." index and images. FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org): accessed 9 February 2012). entry for Henry Kitts, died 14 April 1916; citing Death Records, FHL microfilm 1,876,623; Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. “Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955,” 
"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZW1-X3F : accessed 24 July 2012), Henry Kitts and Frances Strange, 26 Dec 1844; citing Grainger, Tennessee, United States, county courthouses, Tennessee; FHL microfilm 1,465,168. [Bond]"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZW1-X3K : accessed 24 July 2012), Henry Kitts and Frances Strange, 26 Dec 1844; citing Grainger, Tennessee, United States, county courthouses, Tennessee; FHL microfilm 1,465,168. [License]

Note: I have multiple sources and can furnish them upon request.




 

 

Friday, January 23, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week # 3





We are into week three of the Genealogy Do-Over and are topics this week are (1) tracking research and (2) conducting research. Taking notes and conducting research isn't my problem, it is tracking my research (where I have searched, the results etc.) I have the most problem with. I know the reasons for using a spreadsheet. I have been trying to use them for about the last four years now with no success. Part of the problem is that I see a spreadsheet as math, and I have had a hate/hate relationship with math since kindergarten. That being said, I will eventually find a way to track my research in some form of electronic record keeping but until then I will keep going the way I have for last 35 years with pen and paper.

Tracking my research:

I have used a document log for years now to help keep up with what documents I have for an individual and what I need to find. My main goal is to gather all legal papers that pertain to me, my husband, my children and scan them into a file for the computer and assign them to a file in I-Drive and my genealogy software. I have set up separate files for each of my husbands and my children will be included in both my file and their father's. My son David and his family will have their own file. I have decided that since my oldest son Kenny, is deceased and he has no descendants that his information will be retained in my personal file and his Dad's. I have set my files up by surname with subsequent sub-files for each individual with pedigrees, family group records,  birth, marriage & death certificates, land records, wills/probate records, divorce records, church records and so on.

I have most of the documents I need for myself and I have ordered copies of the ones I can longer find or that need to be replaced due to wear and tear. These include my original adoption decree and my amended birth certificate. I also have all three of my marriage certificates and the divorce records for two of my marriages. I have ordered the certificates from the various Catholic churches I was raised in for baptismal, communion and confirmation certificates.

The first census record that I would appear on will be the 1970 US Census. I believe that it will be released about the year 2042 and hopefully I will be alive to see it! I have never served in the military nor have I owned and property, so no documents there. Thankfully, I am not dead yet so that is a category I cannot complete. However, thinking about death records made me realize that I need to do the following: (1) update my living will; (2) update my healthcare power of attorney and (3) update my will to include my grandson and any future grandchildren. 

I am feeling good about the documents I have in my possession. I am waiting on snail mail for the documents I have ordered and will scan and catalog them when they arrive.  

Conducting my research:

My research plan for research me, Dawn Marie Williams:

Known Facts About Me:
  • Born 21 July 1962 at Baptist Hospital, in Miami, Miami-Dade (formerly Dade County), Florida.
  •  Adopted - Private adoption, arranged by the OB-GYN who delivered me and treated both my birth and adoptive mother's.
  • Adoption was finalized 13 November 1962, Chancery Court, Miami-Dade County, Florida.
  • Adoptive parents are Bill and Nina.
  • Siblings: 3 sisters, 1 brother.
  • 1st Marriage to M.H. March 1980 with 2 children born in this marriage.
  • Divorced from M.H. June 1984.
  • 2nd Marriage to L.W. July 1987 no children from this marriage.
  • Divorced from L.W. November 1989.
  • 3rd Marriage to T.K. March 1998 no children from this marriage.
  • Raised in the Catholic faith

Questions to Prove About Me:
  • What is my date of birth?
  • Proof of adoption?
  • Who are my parents? - Adoptive? Biological?
  • Who are my siblings? - Adoptive? Biological?
  • How many marriages? - Divorces? Names of Spouses?
  • Schools attended? Secondary Education?
  • Jobs held?
  • Places lived?
  • Sacraments received in the Catholic faith? 
    • Baptism
    • 1st Communtion
    • Confirmation
    • Holy Matrimony 
    •  Catholic Church Annulment's? 
      • When?
      • Which marriage?
Evidence and Analysis for research about me: 

At this point I have processed, scanned, and chronologically listed all evidence in my possession. This evidence includes my birth certificate, adoption decree, church records, marriage certificates and divorce decrees. I will write a source summary, a descriptive summary and a personal narrative of myself. I have completed a pedigree chart for myself. I have done family group sheets for myself with my parents & siblings, and one for each of my marriages.

To do list for research about me:
  • Update my living will
  • Update my healthcare power of attorney
  • Update my will to include my grandson and any future grandchildren
  • Write up my source summary and a descriptive summary of the evidence
  • Get out my baby book and scrapbook for any additional evidence
  • Conduct personal interviews with my parents about my adoption
    • The phone call
    • First Visit at the hospital
    • Bringing me home

That brings me to the close of week three in the great Genealogy Do-Over of 2015. We all know that as genealogist our research never stops and we are always adding the next piece of evidence to our story. Time to get ready for week four, bring it on!

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









Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Tombstone Tuesday - Conrad and Katherine (Wilke) Orth


This is the head stone for my 2nd great grandparents, Conrad and Katherine (Wilke) Orth. They are buried at Cavalry Cemetery, in Louisville, Kentucky. The flower carved on the left appears to be a daffodil. This same flower is also carved on their daughter, Anna May Orth Hoskins stone and Anna's children, Marjorie and William C. Hoskins, Jr. as well. Not only are Conrad and Katherine, Anna and her children but so are my great uncle, Henry C. Orth and my great grandparents, Dr. Raymond A and Pauline M (Orth) Behrle.

I did a search for the meaning of flowers carved into a tombstone and found at the  website (http://www.gravesecrets.net/headstone-meanings.html), a flower with its stem carved into a tombstone represents a Shortened Life or a Fragility of Life. However, I found a better description of the overall meaning of flowers on tombstones at the blog, A Grave Interest (http://agraveinterest.blogspot.com/2011/09/symbols-flowers-and-frailty-of-life.html), by Joy Neighbors I found that daffodils, a member of the lily family carved into the stone indicates grace, beauty and a deep regard. I find that very fitting for my Orth family members.

Friday, January 16, 2015

52 Ancestors Week # 2 - Meet Friedrich (Fredrick) Orth

Friedrich (Fredrick) Orth is my 3rd great grandfather. He was born about 1825 in the County of Bergzabern in the Kingdom of Germany.

He married his wife, Margaret Roller, on November 15th, 1854 in the County of Bergzabern in the Kingdom of Germany. He left from Le Harve, France with his wife Margaret and their two daughters, Catherine and Margaretha aboard the ship Bethiah Thayer. They arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 18th, 1858. Friedrich and his family made their way from New Orleans to Louisville, Kentucky but unfortunately I have been unable to locate Friedrich and his family on the 1860 US Census. 

 New Orleans, Passenger Lists 1813-1945 for Friedrich Orth and his family

Friedrich and Margaret daughter's, Catherine and Margaretha were born in 1855 and 1858, respectively. I have found no documentation for Margaretha other than the passenger list. Margaretha was just three or four months old when when the family arrived in New Orleans. I have long suspected that she may have died either shortly after the family's arrival in New Orleans or while they were traveling from Louisiana to Louisville, Kentucky. 

Friedrich and Margaret would have two more children after settling in Louisville. The third child and only son, Conrad Orth was born December 25th, 1858. The fourth and last child was Charlotte who was born July 24th, 1861 in Louisville.

Not long after their arrival in the United States, the Civil War began. Friedrich enlisted on November 6th, 1861 at Camp Sigel, into the 6th Kentucky Infantry, Company I as a private. On November 28th, 1863 Friedrich was shot in both thighs at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. He died at General Hospital # 4 at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

U.S., Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865 for Fraderick Orth

Margaret began the proceedings to collect her Widow's pension (application number 46,238; Widow's Certificate Number 21856) for herself and her three small children on December 29th, 1863. She would have to provide witness affidavits to her marriage, birth and baptismal records for her children, all to collect $8.00 per month and $2.00 per month for each child. After closely inspecting Margaret's application I noticed some irregularities in the dates provided by both Margaret and the Army. For instance, that U.S. Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, lists Friedrich's date of death as November 28th, 1863 while the Widow's Application lists Friedrich's death date "as on or about November 29, 1863". Since these documents are written by hand and probably several times depending on how many copies were required I can see how a mistake could be made. Below is a copy of her application.



In the Civil War Widows Pension records for Friedrich I found this,  "Parole Proof Of Marriage" it is page 7 of the images. In order to claim benefits for their three young children, Margaret had to prove her marriage to Friedrich. There are two witnesses on the affidavit. One is a Phillip Roller and the other is a Mr _____ Dahl. I suspect that Phillip Roller is a relation to Margaret but I am not sure what that relation is at this point. I am thinking possibly a brother or cousin. I have added this to my new Genealogy Do-Over list. Below is the Parole Proof of Marriage that Margaret provided.


Among the pages of Margaret's Widow's pension application I found a Transcript for Baptismal Register from the Rev. Theodore Dresel, pastor of St. John's German Evangelical Church. This record not only provides the dates of baptism's for both Conrad and Charlotte but there dates of birth as well. Another bonus is that Conrad's godfather is listed as Conrad Kistler while Charlotte's godparents are listed as Jacob and Charlotte Eiler.

Baptismal Register at St. John's German Evangelical Church as transcribed by Rev. Theodore Dresel for Conrad and Charlotte Orth.

Between 1854 and 1863, Margaret was married and immigrated with her husband and two small daughters, Catherine and Margaretha to the United States. Then she lost her daughter Margaretha between arriving in New Orleans and traveling to Louisville. Between 1858 and 1861 she would have two more children, Conrad and Charlotte. Then in 1863 she becomes the widow of Friedrich.  I can only imagine what life was like for Margaret and her children at this time. 

There is a handwritten document from a Jack Conn, Clerk of Court for Jefferson County, Kentucky which states that Margaret married on October 11th, 1864 to Jacob Schneitzler. In a document dated February 23rd, 1865 from the Department of the Interior it states that Jacob Schneitzler is the guardian of Friedrich Orth's minor children. Why would Jacob be given guardianship of Friedrich's three minor children? I can only conclude that it given the time frame of the middle 1860's that it was simply because he was their step-father.

Letter from Jack Conn, Clerk of Court for Jefferson County, Kentucky proof of marriage between Margaret Orth and Jacob Schneitzler.

In December of 1864, Margaret and Jacob apparently had to provide additional evidence that Catherine, Conrad and Charlotte were the minor children of Friedrich Orth. I would think that this would be considered an affidavit. There are two gentleman who give their oath that the said minor children are in fact the heirs of Friedrich Orth. One of the gentlemen is Conrad's godfather, Conrad Kistler. The document gives the following information: they are acquainted with Jacob Schneitzler, they are residents of Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky and the date of Margaret's marriage to Jacob. It further states that Friedrich was commanded by Captain August Stein in the 6th Kentucky Infantry Volunteers commanded by General George T. Shackelford.

Addition Evidence - Minor Children's Army Pension, Proof of Heirship--Time, Place and Cause of Soldier's Death

Margaret Roller Orth Schneitzler died on April 4th, 1909 at age 78 in Louisville, Kentucky. Friedrich and Margaret's daughter Catherine married Adolph Franz Ort in October 1875. They had two sons, Adolph Franz Ort, Jr. (1876-1960) and Friedrich Anselmus Ort (1878-1962). Catherine and Adolph divorced after twenty years of marriage. I have not been able to locate any further marriage records or a death record for Catherine. 

Charlotte the youngest child of Friedrich and Margaret married John Arthur Rehm in 1881. Charlotte and John had three children, Lottie Caroline Rehm (1882-1946), Flora M. born in 1885 but I have been unable to locate any further records for her.  Their youngest child, John Henry Rehm (1887-1964). John Henry Rehm served in World War I. I have not been able to locate any marriage record for John Henry.

The only son of Friedrich and Margaret is my 2nd great great grandfather, Conrad Orth. Conrad was born on Christmas Day in 1858, Louisville, Kentucky. Conrad married Katherine "Kate" Wilke on August 31st, 1882 at St. Paul's Evangelical Church in Louisville. Katherine was born November 1st, 1858 in Hannover, Germany. She immigrated to the United States about 1876-1877. Katherine died October 24th, 1929 in Louisville at the age of 70. Conrad died on September 12th, 1930, also in Louisville. Conrad and Katherine had three children. 

The oldest child of Conrad and Katherine Orth is Henry Conrad Orth who was born January 3rd, 1886 in Louisville. Henry was from all accounts a sickly child which carried over into adulthood. He worked on and off for different railroad companies. He married Eleanor Mannix. I know nothing of Eleanor other than her name which I got from court documents (another story entirely). Henry spent the last years of his life living in a hotel in Louisville and contesting his father's will. Henry and Eleanor never had children.

Conrad and Katherine's youngest child is Anna May "Mory" Orth. She was born on July 2nd, 1890 in Louisville. This was the only great aunt that was still living as I was growing up. I was fortunate enough to know her and her husband. Aunt Mory married William Cromy Hoskins on December 29th, 1917 in Marion County, Indiana. Aunt Mory and Uncle Cromy had two children. Their daughter Marjorie was born February 28th 1919 in Louisville. Marjorie died at age 15 from and died from a brain tumor on September 19th, 1934. Their son William Cromy "Billy" Hoskins, Jr. was born on March 18th, 1921 in Louisville. Billy died from pneumococcal meningitis on January 25th, 1928 at age six. See my post (at http://dawninggenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/07/wednesdays-child.html) for more about my Aunt Mory and her family.

The oldest daughter of Conrad and Katherine is my great grandmother, Pauline M. "Lena" Orth. She was born February 1888 in Louisville. She married Dr. Raymond Alexander "Papa Ray" Behrle on October 26, 1910 at St. Francis of Rome Catholic Church, Louisville, Kentucky. See my previous post (at http://dawninggenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/10/happy-104th-anniversary-to-my-great.html), marking their 104th wedding anniversary.

Lena and Papa Ray had one child, my grandmother, Mary Myrtle Behrle. Myrtle was born on May 2nd, 1913 in Louisville. Myrtle married George Kenneth Rueff on September 26th, 1936 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville. You can see my previous post about Myrtle (at http://dawninggenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/06/matrilineal-monday-mary-myrtle-behrle_30.html). My grandparents had three children, my Mom, Nina Ann; George Kenneth, Jr and Bonnie Sue. All of whom were born in Louisville.

Sources: 
Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Birth Index, 1911-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006 for [Birth Record for Mary Myrtle Behrle]
Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1953 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.  [Death Record for Margaret Schnitzler]
Ancestry.com. Indiana, Select Marriages, 1780-1992 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014 [Marriage record for Anna May Orth]
Ancestry.com. New Orleans, Passenger Lists, 1813-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006. accessed 21 July 2010
Ancestry.com. U.S., Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.  accessed 1 January 2013
Find-A-Grave.com, FAG Memorial #71968784 [John Henry Rehm]
Fold3.com. Civil War Widows Records http://www.fold3.com/image/#1|236387537 accessed on 2 July 2012 Friederich/Frederick Orth image number 7
Fold3.com. Civil War Records http://www.fold3.com/image//#1|236387553 accessed on 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth image number 9 
Fold3.com. Widow's Application for Army Pension, Civil War http://www.fold3.com/image/236387515/ accessed on 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth Image 4
Fold3.com. Civil War Records http://www.fold3.com/image/236387573/ accessed 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth image 12
Fold3.com Civil War Records http://www.fold3.com/image/236387601/ accessed 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth Image 16
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Pauline Behrle]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Raymond A Behrle]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Anna May Hoskins]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Marjorie Hoskins]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for William C. Hoskins]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for William C. Hoskins]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621  [Death Certificate for Conrad Orth]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Henry Conrad Orth]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Katherine Orth]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Charlotte Rehm]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Mary M. Rueff]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Marriage Record for Pauline Orth & Raymond Behrle]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Marriage for Mary M. Behrle and George K. Rueff]

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week - 2: Research Goals, Self Interviews & Family Interviews

Our goals for the second week of the Genealogy Do-Over are to set research goals, conduct a self interview and conduct family interviews. Genealogy has been a part of me since was old enough to listen to my parents, aunts and uncles playing cards in my Grandma's kitchen. I am self taught and never took a class or webinar until 2010.

Research Goals:

I've been thinking a lot about my research goals. However, I am feeling overwhelmed at all the information being discussed on the Genealogy Do-Over Facebook page. All the discussions of filing systems, software, paper vs. paperless and even hashtags has my head spinning! I know just enough about computers to be dangerous and I am not nearly as tech savvy as most of our group seems to be. Last night I saw that Thomas had re-posted his article about slowing down which I re-read. What I realized is that I don't have to keep up with "the Joneses". Whatever filing system, software, and method I choose is what will be best for me.

All of that being said, I am not exactly sure what my goals are for any specific family or individual. Since I am "all in" for this Genealogy Do-Over, I am building new trees  from the documents I already had on hand. Another thought crossed my mind, how do I keep track of all the documents, what are my specific goals and what is my plan to reach those goals? That is when I realized that perhaps I missed something and that old habits never truly go away! 

In another life I was a corporate travel agent. Along with booking business trips I also had to plan meetings, luncheons, dinners, retreats and activities for the spouses. To be able to coordinate all of these activities I used a research planner that allowed me to plan, set immediate and long term goals as well execute these goals. What I need for my genealogy research was a planner! 

The purpose of research logs is to help you narrow down what information you have, where you found it, when you found it, citing the source, abstracting the information, the type of source and/or the type of evidence and our analysis of this information. What steps did you take? and how did you get this point? You had to have a plan right? 

The purpose of a research planner is to help me determine what steps I've taken, what steps I still need to take and to keep me focused on the topic at hand. It will help me to analyze the information I have and what information I still need to find. Here are some things I need to keep in mind as I form a plan for further research:
  • Separate the truth from fiction (what is real and what is family lore)
  • Don't bounce from one generation to the next - You might miss something important
  • Documentation, documentation, documentation! Gather as much as I can within reason
  • Keep a list of all the sources that you have searched - record the good and the bad
  • Plan my next steps using a research planner
By analyzing the records I have for each individual, I can then determine what my goals are. For each new goal, I will use a separate research planner so that I do not lose focus or get side tracked and fall down the rabbit hole. Once I have completed each goal I will review the information and determine what action or goal should be next. 

I am detail oriented person. I need to be able to see what I have and what I don't. I prefer paper over spreadsheets, sorry Thomas MacEntee!  Here is an example of the research log I have been working on. It is simple and will likely need additional revisions as I go along.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tkZAkIlg1w1EllQmjpWFZgaQjb1hD57LBwXX3weAraU/edit?usp=sharing.


Page 1


Page 2

 Page 3

I have combined my favorite elements from different free forms I have found on the internet and incorporated them into the pages above. It probably seems too  long but by printing on both sides of the paper it is only two pages. It can be attached to the subject's file and used to tell you "at a glance" what documents you have and don't have.

My Self-Interview:

I have never considered interviewing myself. I guess because I have been a witness to my own life with the exception of my birth and early childhood. I can see that it will be necessary to do but I am not sure how I want to proceed. So for now I am just going to bullet point the highlights. 
  • Name: Dawn Marie Williams
  • Date Of Birth: 21 July 1962 
  • Place Of Birth: Miami, FL
  • Baptism: August 1962 at
  • 1st Holy Communion: St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, Miramar, FL
  • Confirmation: 1976 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Greensboro, NC
  • 1st Marriage: 
    • Married on 21 March 1980 to Marc Kitts in Greensboro, NC
    • Children: 
      • Kenneth G Kitts (10 October 1980 AL- 9 February 2000 NC)
      • David N Kitts (1 November 1981 - )
    • Separated: May 1984 in Greensboro, NC
    • Divorced: 11 June 1984 in Greensboro, NC

  •  2nd Marriage: 
    • Married on 4 July 1987 to L.W. Lovings, Jr in Greensboro, NC
    • No Children
    • Separated April 1988 in Greensboro, NC
    • Divorced: 13 November 1989 in High Point, NC
  •  3rd Marriage:
    • Married on 27 March 1998 to Thomas K Kogutkiewicz 

    • What documents am I missing for myself?
      • Order a copy of Baptismal, Holy Communion and Confirmation certificates
      • Find my divorce records which are currently packed up in the garage
    • What documents are in my possession for me?
      • Birth Certificate
      • Marriage Certificates - all 3
    Conducting Family Interviews:

    When I set aside my research I also set aside my family interviews. I wanted to start from scratch. In hope of getting my cousins more involved, I am using the 52 Questions in 52 Weeks originally posted by Steve Anderson in the FamilySearch blog on August 26, 2013. You can find it at https://familysearch.org/blog/en/52-questions-52-weeks/. I have set up Facebook pages for both my maternal and paternal cousins.

    I plan to do family interviews over the summer. I will use the standard genealogy questions and I want to develop specific questions based on who I will be interviewing. The websites listed below have some great questions. 

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