Monthly Archives: February 2012

DNA, Family and the 1940 Census

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Here I go again. The DNA junkie with another family mystery. What do DNA, my family and the 1940 census have in common? I can only hope that what they end up having in common is help in solving a … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 14 Comments

Rules of my road

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

The rules of my road. Saturdays are usually my day for chatting about my family and the issues I’m having in my own research. But it occurs to me that I’ve been remiss in explaining some of the limits on … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 2 Comments

To Leland, for natural love and affection

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Was he or wasn’t he…? The curious case of the Fraziers of Virginia. Reader Wendy Mathias has an intriguing ancestor who poses an interesting question. This particular character — and character he was!1 — was known at times as Leland … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal definitions | 3 Comments

The Legal Genealogist on Geneabloggers Radio

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Tune in to tonight’s program! Tonight’s Geneabloggers Radio program, guest hosted by Myrt of DearMyrtle, is a terrific presentation: Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor: 19th Century US Immigration. Guests include Marian Smith, Chief of the Historical Research Branch of … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Leave a comment

SSDI: Genealogy’s Public Enemy No. 1

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Say hello to the genealogical community’s Public Enemy No. 1. The man pictured to the left is Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. And he’s out to get us. More specifically, he’s out to get our access to the … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Records Access, SSDI | 41 Comments

Too many district courts!

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Which district court is the right district court? While we’re on the subject of Philadelphia and its records (yesterday’s mysterious Abraham Shechter settled in the City of Brotherly Love), reader Joan Peake ran into a snag recently with too many … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal definitions, Resources | Leave a comment

The mysteries of immigrant Abraham Shechter

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Two mysteries for immigrant Abraham Shechter Reader Martha Forsyth is puzzled by two mysteries in the immigration and naturalization records for her grandfather, Abraham Shechter, who emigrated to the United States in 1905. First, Abraham’s entry in the manifest of … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Methodology | 27 Comments

Not all legal lingo is Latin

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Sometimes legal lingo is another language altogether In a comment to Friday’s post about legislative petitions, reader Barbara Schenck asked about a petition her ancestor Seth Hazel might have filed that resulted in an 1856 Texas statute authorizing a land … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal definitions | 5 Comments

Oh, mama… a use for mtDNA

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Oh, mama… mtDNA can be useful after all! I’ll admit it: I’m a DNA junkie. Throw out a test that I can take (or con, uh, convince a cousin to take), and I’m there — I’ve done as much testing … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 6 Comments

Happy early Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

An early Valentine’s Day card to the grandparents I never knew. Tuesday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. And it was on that day, 94 years ago, that my German grandparents tied the knot. Hugo Ernst Geissler and Marie Margarethe Nuckel … Continue reading →

Posted in My family | 12 Comments