Category Archives: Statutes

Philippina’s choice

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Sensible or silly? When Frederick Kicherer of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, wrote his will on the 6th of June, 1896, he made only one bequest to his wife Philippina: “I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Phillippina Kicherer the sum … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Cases, Legal definitions, Statutes | 4 Comments

The Recorder Judge

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

The language of the law. Part Latin, part Anglo-Saxon, all confusing. Reader Joanne Shackford Parkes has a somewhat unsavory black sheep in her family who was involved in a court case in New York City in 1854. Allegations of abduction … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitutions, Legal definitions, Statutes | 6 Comments

The majesty of the magistrate

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Records of a J.P. Reader Patrick Jones is a fourth great grandson of Manuel Lamon, a War of 1812 veteran, and came across a reference to his ancestor in a biography of one of Lamon’s sons: Elbert S. Lamon was … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal definitions, Resources, Statutes | 4 Comments

O death! Thy name is woman

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Gotta check those sources So yesterday one of The Legal Genealogist‘s favorite websites, History.com, was running a cool interactive feature called “Bet You Didn’t Know,” a set of 552 facts about history that the website bet we didn’t know. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Methodology, Statutes | 21 Comments

The drafty Ohioan

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

When Johnny didn’t go for a soldier In genealogy, as in law, it’s awfully hard to prove a negative. It’s even harder when you’re trying to figure out why someone didn’t do something you think perhaps he should have done. … Continue reading →

Posted in Resources, Statutes | 26 Comments

The curious case of the curator

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

The language of the law. Part Latin, part Anglo-Saxon, all confusing. The orders both appear on the very first page of Letters of Administration Book A of Volusia County, Florida. Both are captioned “In the Matter of the Estate of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal definitions, Statutes | 1 Comment

A Prince of a sheriff

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Prince William County, Virginia, 1904-1911 Reader Allissa Smith was particularly interested in The Legal Genealogist‘s webinar earlier this week on criminal court records because of one ancestor: her second great grandfather Francis C. “Frank” Rorabaugh was the sheriff of Prince … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitutions, General, Legal definitions, Methodology, Statutes | 6 Comments

A matter of inquiry

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Special investigative reports It was the worst man-made explosion ever until the Atomic Bomb was dropped. In the blink of an eye, some 1,500 people died. Hundreds more perished afterwards, of injuries or trapped in the flames that spread. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Resources, Statutes | 11 Comments

To the rescue

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Elisha Kane and the Arctic expeditions It’s just one small paragraph, tucked way at the back of an old book of federal statutes in which The Legal Genealogist was poking around. “Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Statutes | 2 Comments

Voting and the law

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

The value of records If you’re a member of the National Genealogical Society — and you should be — then you should be reading the NGS blog, UpFront with NGS. (You don’t have to be an NGS member to read … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Methodology, Statutes | 6 Comments