SAGINAW GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
FROM SHARED KNOWLEDGE,
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ALL VISITORS AND NEW MEMBERS MUST PREREGISTER
FOR THE ZOOM MEETINGS TO REGISTER CLICK THE GREEN REGISTER BUTTON ABOVE |
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DID YOU KNOW:
NOVEMBER
PLEASE REMEMBER TO :
SIGN UP FOR SGS ZOOM MEETINGS IF YOU ARE NEW OR ARE NOT A MEMBER!
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MONTH: NOVEMBER
November is known for many things, including holidays, awareness months, and days that celebrate specific topics:
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SPEAKER INFOTUESDAY
12 NOV 2024 6 pm SIGN IN MEETING: 6:30 - 8PM HOW TO GET HELP ON FAMILYSEARCH Bob Szczypka 
Bob Szczypka (zip-ka)
WILL BE OUR SPEAKER THIS MONTH! Did you start a FREE TREE on FamilySearch and wondering
NOW, WHAT DO I DO? We can help! Come listen to the SGS podcast on Tuesday evening!!! NOTE: We normally wait for the following month to post this, but we had an overwhelming response from the audience last night... So here is the link to the NOV video found on FamilySearch.org |
SGS NEWSSGS MEETING RECAP:
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Safely stored 600 ft. underground. And also
duplicated inside YET another mountain. Yeah...We got you covered! FamilySearch.org is a non-profit and totally free!
duplicated inside YET another mountain. Yeah...We got you covered! FamilySearch.org is a non-profit and totally free!
MILITARY SERVICE: CIVIL WAR
Six Steps To Find Your Civil War Veterans and Their Regiments
To get the most out of Civil War Stories, you need to know who in your tree might have a story! We show you how in just 6 steps to find those people.
To get the most out of Civil War Stories, you need to know who in your tree might have a story! We show you how in just 6 steps to find those people.
MILITARY RECORDS:
MILITARY RECORDS-ANCESTRY.COM
CHECK THIS INFO OUT
YOU MAY FIND HELP
HERE FOR YOUR SEARCH!
YOU MAY FIND HELP
HERE FOR YOUR SEARCH!
YOUR GENEALOGY NEEDS MET AT YOUR LOCAL FSC!
WE are the FamilySearch Center, sponsored by the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, an international organization dedicated to helping ALL people worldwide discover their family story.
ARE you looking for help in YOUR Family tree?
HERE, you will be shown how to begin a FREE TREE that will be placed online for any of your family members to help share more information about your deceased ancestors. That will enable family around the world to easily retrieve and use this information in search of their family members.
FOR over twenty years FamilySearch.org has helped millions of families gather their ancestors. Since it's inception, on May 24, 1999. There are now over 7 million page views each day on www.FamilySearch.org
YOU can contribute towards finding your family by starting a FREE ONLINE TREE and gathering and documenting your family for your loved ones.
ALWAYS, at FamilySearch we believe connections to our family members past-present-and future can be a source of great joy that helps us to understand our own personal identity and may even help us overcome some of our own challenges in life.
WE WANT TO HELP YOU save and share your FAMILY MEMORIES before it’s too late, and they disappear, never to be found again.
IT'S FREE, IT'S EASY AS... 1,2,3 !
ARE you looking for help in YOUR Family tree?
HERE, you will be shown how to begin a FREE TREE that will be placed online for any of your family members to help share more information about your deceased ancestors. That will enable family around the world to easily retrieve and use this information in search of their family members.
FOR over twenty years FamilySearch.org has helped millions of families gather their ancestors. Since it's inception, on May 24, 1999. There are now over 7 million page views each day on www.FamilySearch.org
YOU can contribute towards finding your family by starting a FREE ONLINE TREE and gathering and documenting your family for your loved ones.
ALWAYS, at FamilySearch we believe connections to our family members past-present-and future can be a source of great joy that helps us to understand our own personal identity and may even help us overcome some of our own challenges in life.
WE WANT TO HELP YOU save and share your FAMILY MEMORIES before it’s too late, and they disappear, never to be found again.
IT'S FREE, IT'S EASY AS... 1,2,3 !
OR CALL FOR ONLINE HELP AT:
FamilySearch
open 24 hrs./7 days a week!
1-866-604-1830
FamilySearch
open 24 hrs./7 days a week!
1-866-604-1830
WHERE HISTORY HOLDS THE KEY!
This is a FREE website that promotes self learning. If you want to start a FREE Family
Tree on FamilySearch, OR begin family research on Ancestry, or learn how to index records, then...
THIS IS THE PLACE!
And we also keep track of all the Rootstech videos for you to find RIGHT here. SO COME ON...
Learn at HistoryKEY.org which also connects you to the 1950 census! Just click below.
FRESHLY UPDATED JUST FOR YOU!
WHAT'S ON THE TUBE?
Want to know more about INDEXING?
Check out this YOU TUBE VIDEO,
A SELF HELP TUTORIAL ... Enjoy :)
Check out this YOU TUBE VIDEO,
A SELF HELP TUTORIAL ... Enjoy :)
PRE-REGISTER PLEASE
ALL VISITORS OR NEW MEMBERS
MUST PRE-REGISTER
Please note: Invite
LINK is sent the day BEFORE the meetings.
SO REGISTER TODAY!
MUST PRE-REGISTER
Please note: Invite
LINK is sent the day BEFORE the meetings.
SO REGISTER TODAY!
SQUARE IS HERE FOR YOU
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Pay your SGS membership or donate,
with just a few clicks.
SQUARE is EASY, SAFE,
AND NO HASSLE!
(click the SQUARE icon above to pay)
with just a few clicks.
SQUARE is EASY, SAFE,
AND NO HASSLE!
(click the SQUARE icon above to pay)
MICHIGAN GENEALOGICAL COUNCIL
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ANNOUNCEMENT!!
We are now called the: FAMILYSEARCH CENTER!
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THE SAGINAW FSC IS OPEN!
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TIMBERTOWN LOG
Misplaced the last issue of the Timbertown Log?
CONTACT US AT: [email protected]
Not a member, and curious to see?
TO READ MORE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW
CONTACT US AT: [email protected]
Not a member, and curious to see?
TO READ MORE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW
MORE INTERESTING STUFF
NOW OPEN AND RARIN' TO GO!
CLICK ON PHOTO ABOVE
A PLACE TO ASK QUESTIONS
This guide shows you how to find BILLIONS of FREE birth, death, marriage and census records!
ANCESTRAL FINDINGS
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Oral histories are a valuable genealogical resource. This is what you need to know about the value of oral histories, where to find them, and how to do them yourself with your own relatives. Click below to learn.
MICHIGAN LIBRARY CARDS
FREE!
Are you a Michigan library card holder?
Did you know that you can now access HUNDREDS of Michigan’s state parks, historic sites, recreation areas and campgrounds for either
FREE
or discounted admission? You can even use it to visit any of the Seven National Park venues in this state!
FOR FREE
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE INFO
Are you a Michigan library card holder?
Did you know that you can now access HUNDREDS of Michigan’s state parks, historic sites, recreation areas and campgrounds for either
FREE
or discounted admission? You can even use it to visit any of the Seven National Park venues in this state!
FOR FREE
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE INFO
SAGINAW PUBLIC LIBRARIES
HOYT LIBRARY
...remembering the past
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< CLICK LIBRARY LOGO
to see the video |
FREE SAGINAW OBITUARIES
Saginaw Libraries have over
200,00+ OBITUARIES
for you to find.
Click on the link below:
200,00+ OBITUARIES
for you to find.
Click on the link below:
GET ANSWERS
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Brick wall? Stumped?
Lost?
WE ARE HERE,
AND READY
TO HELP YOU!
Lost?
WE ARE HERE,
AND READY
TO HELP YOU!
With the combined efforts of our
board-members
we try to find you an answer for
Saginaw County Ancestors.
Click above on the Miss Betty Icon.
OR GO TO: ASK MISS BETTY
and fill out the form.
We don't charge for the help
(but we DO take donations).
board-members
we try to find you an answer for
Saginaw County Ancestors.
Click above on the Miss Betty Icon.
OR GO TO: ASK MISS BETTY
and fill out the form.
We don't charge for the help
(but we DO take donations).
REMEMBRANCE FUND
PLEASE REMEMBER US,
SO WE CAN REMEMBER YOU!
FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH OR PRESERVATION
THE DONATION IS MADE
IN YOUR NAME. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL TO:
[email protected]
SO WE CAN REMEMBER YOU!
FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH OR PRESERVATION
THE DONATION IS MADE
IN YOUR NAME. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL TO:
[email protected]
MICHIGAN-STATE GENEALOGY
The website for all things pertaining to HISTORICAL RESEARCH
and documents for the
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
CHECK US OUT!
DID YOU KNOW?
NEWSBANK can be used for FREE with your public library card ID number. This website has newspapers to search thru for obituaries!
GIVE IT A TRY!
GIVE IT A TRY!
FREE HELPS
17 ALL FREE GREAT
WEBSITES FOR GENEALOGY!
1. CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT.
2. PACK A LUNCH. (JUST KIDDING)
3. SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO HERE!
WEBSITES FOR GENEALOGY!
1. CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT.
2. PACK A LUNCH. (JUST KIDDING)
3. SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO HERE!
FREE GENEALOGY SITES
LAND SAKES ALIVE! HERE'S 50 MORE!!
CHECK OUT OUR Fb SITE!
IT'S A HOOT!
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NEWS FOR RESEARCHERS!
FREE GENEALOGY WEBINARS!!!
Everything you ever wanted to know about USING FamilySearch and SO MUCH more! JUST CLICK BELOW!
Everything you ever wanted to know about USING FamilySearch and SO MUCH more! JUST CLICK BELOW!
SGS PIONEER CERTIFICATES
Give a
FOREVER GIFT...
your family will forever remember!
FOREVER GIFT...
your family will forever remember!
*Ancestor documentation is vetted by our Society.
*Your ancestor will be noted on our website
AND YOU RECEIVE:
*A handsome embossed certificate *
Suitable for framing, or documentation for your ancestors who lived in Saginaw County
along with their VETTED pedigree.
*Your ancestor will be noted on our website
AND YOU RECEIVE:
*A handsome embossed certificate *
Suitable for framing, or documentation for your ancestors who lived in Saginaw County
along with their VETTED pedigree.
MORE HELP
How SideView™ Technology Splits Your DNA Results by Parent
When YOU first read your DNA, ...you don’t know which parts of your DNA came from each parent. Ancestry® developed a technology called SideView™ to sort this out using DNA matches. Because a match is usually related to you through only one parent, your matches can help us “organize” the DNA you share with them.
SideView™ technology powers your ethnicity inheritance—the portions of each region you inherited from each parent. This enables us to provide your ethnicity inheritance without testing your parents (though we don’t know which parent is which).
SideView™ technology powers your ethnicity inheritance—the portions of each region you inherited from each parent. This enables us to provide your ethnicity inheritance without testing your parents (though we don’t know which parent is which).
NEED GENEALOGY GIFTS?
BEV PALMER used to live in Saginaw, she is a fellow genealogist and has started this business. Lots of cool stuff - from babies to bags, and from T-shirts to tags, she's got it all!
check it out below!
check it out below!
LINKS FOR OUR READERS
CLICK ON BLACK TITLES |
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GENEALOGY HELPS
What is ThruLines?
ThruLines shows identified descendants of a given ancestor who have tested with AncestryDNA, and share DNA with the tester whose results are being reviewed.
ThruLines replaces Shared Ancestor Hints, and greatly expands upon the data provided by those hints.
ThruLines provides the opportunity to view connections that would take a great deal of research to find manually.
ThruLines is accessible from “Your DNA Results Summary” under DNA in the top menu bar on Ancestry. To have access to ThruLines data, your family tree must be PUBLIC, and linked to your DNA test.
To check this, do these 3 steps:
1. Go to Your DNA Results Summary, and
2. Click on the Settings button (near the top right corner of the screen).
3. Follow the instructions in the Family Tree Linking section.
AncestryDNA® ThruLines®
ThruLines® shows you how you may be related to your DNA matches.
We use the ANCESTRY family tree linked to your test to find people who are in your tree and are also in your matches's linked trees. If your tree is private and not searchable, you won't be able to see ThruLines, and information from your matches' trees that are private and not searchable won't be available to you. DNA matches may appear in more than one of your ThruLines.
ThruLines are available for ancestors through 5th great-grandparents.
SORRY, ThruLines won't appear for 6th great-grandparents and beyond.
ThruLines shows identified descendants of a given ancestor who have tested with AncestryDNA, and share DNA with the tester whose results are being reviewed.
ThruLines replaces Shared Ancestor Hints, and greatly expands upon the data provided by those hints.
ThruLines provides the opportunity to view connections that would take a great deal of research to find manually.
ThruLines is accessible from “Your DNA Results Summary” under DNA in the top menu bar on Ancestry. To have access to ThruLines data, your family tree must be PUBLIC, and linked to your DNA test.
To check this, do these 3 steps:
1. Go to Your DNA Results Summary, and
2. Click on the Settings button (near the top right corner of the screen).
3. Follow the instructions in the Family Tree Linking section.
AncestryDNA® ThruLines®
ThruLines® shows you how you may be related to your DNA matches.
We use the ANCESTRY family tree linked to your test to find people who are in your tree and are also in your matches's linked trees. If your tree is private and not searchable, you won't be able to see ThruLines, and information from your matches' trees that are private and not searchable won't be available to you. DNA matches may appear in more than one of your ThruLines.
ThruLines are available for ancestors through 5th great-grandparents.
SORRY, ThruLines won't appear for 6th great-grandparents and beyond.
FREE WEBINARS
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FamilySearch - Family Search Library Free Online Webinars
2024 classes are now online!
No registration is required.
Class size for webinars is NOT limited.
See the table of webinars below for more details.
2024 classes are now online!
No registration is required.
Class size for webinars is NOT limited.
See the table of webinars below for more details.
If you cannot attend a LIVE EVENT, most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later at your convenience at the following link:
SEARCH TIPS
6 Ancestry Search Tips
1. Pinpoint your ancestor’s location from the census, on a MAP, and then look for churches, cemeteries, and other places where your ancestor may have left records.
2. Be sure to locate your ancestor’s ADULT SIBLINGS in census records. It was common for extended family to live in the same household or near other family members. You may find a parent, grandparent, or other family members living either with them or nearby.
3. If you’re having a difficult time locating your ancestor, try searching, using only GIVEN names and other details like birth year, residence, family members, place of birth, etc.
4. Occasionally, census takers only recorded initials in place of the given name. Using only a FIRST INITIAL will bring up these records.
5. Census takers didn’t always have the best penmanship, so if you’re having a hard time locating your ancestor, write out the NAME and try replacing some of the letters, with letters that look similar. (Try an O for an A, try an J for a P, try a F for an S.)
6. The U.S. federal censuses for the years 1900 TO THE 1930 include a DATE OF IMMIGRATION for immigrants. Use that date to narrow your search for your ancestor’s passenger arrival record in the Immigration Collection.
FMH TOOL KIT
click below How do I keep track of my Family Medical History?
If possible, look at DEATH CERTIFICATES and FAMILY MEDICAL RECORDS. Collect information about your parents, sisters, brothers, half-sisters, half-brothers, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. How you make your request will depend on your provider's processes. You may be able to request your record through your provider's patient portal. You may have to fill out a form — called a health or medical record release form, or to request for access—send an email, or mail or fax a letter to your provider. For more info click below on:
https://www.healthit.gov/how-to-get-your-health-record/get-it/#:~:text=How%20you%20make%20your%20request,a%20letter%20to%20your%20provider.
Family members share genes, habits, lifestyles, and surroundings.
These things can affect health and the risk for illness. Most people have a relative with a chronic disease or a health condition such as high cholesterol. If you have a close family member with a chronic disease, you may be more likely to get that disease.
BE INFORMED!
How far back should I go for family medical history?
The CDC recommends taking a family health history that includes at least three generations. You should include your grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, and cousins on both sides of your family. If you have children, include them, too.
MAKE SURE TO RECORD THIS INFO!
What if I don't know my family's medical history?
If you have your birth parents' names, public records such as birth or death certificates may give you more insight into your family's background. Also ask your adoptive parents or the adoption agency whether they have any information that could give you more information about YOUR family medical history.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!
Your family health history plays an important role in your health.
Download FREE copies of our family health history toolkit to share with your family, friends, and colleagues. Take this important step for YOUR health. DO IT NOW!
If possible, look at DEATH CERTIFICATES and FAMILY MEDICAL RECORDS. Collect information about your parents, sisters, brothers, half-sisters, half-brothers, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. How you make your request will depend on your provider's processes. You may be able to request your record through your provider's patient portal. You may have to fill out a form — called a health or medical record release form, or to request for access—send an email, or mail or fax a letter to your provider. For more info click below on:
https://www.healthit.gov/how-to-get-your-health-record/get-it/#:~:text=How%20you%20make%20your%20request,a%20letter%20to%20your%20provider.
Family members share genes, habits, lifestyles, and surroundings.
These things can affect health and the risk for illness. Most people have a relative with a chronic disease or a health condition such as high cholesterol. If you have a close family member with a chronic disease, you may be more likely to get that disease.
BE INFORMED!
How far back should I go for family medical history?
The CDC recommends taking a family health history that includes at least three generations. You should include your grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, and cousins on both sides of your family. If you have children, include them, too.
MAKE SURE TO RECORD THIS INFO!
What if I don't know my family's medical history?
If you have your birth parents' names, public records such as birth or death certificates may give you more insight into your family's background. Also ask your adoptive parents or the adoption agency whether they have any information that could give you more information about YOUR family medical history.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!
Your family health history plays an important role in your health.
Download FREE copies of our family health history toolkit to share with your family, friends, and colleagues. Take this important step for YOUR health. DO IT NOW!
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
WHAT DID YOU SEE?
SO HOW OBSERVANT ARE YOU?
WHAT DID YOU SEE?
DID YOU NOTICE THE:
ELEVEN SQUIRRELS?
HOW MANY DID YOU FIND?
WHAT DID YOU SEE?
DID YOU NOTICE THE:
ELEVEN SQUIRRELS?
HOW MANY DID YOU FIND?
THIS IS SQUIRREL NO# 11
COMING UP:
DECEMBER SPEAKER:
"EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES, even genealogists"
PRESENTED BY DONNA CARLEVATO
SPEAKER: Gerald L Little
PRESENTED BY DONNA CARLEVATO
SPEAKER: Gerald L Little
Gerald L. Little: Current President of both the Flint and Huron County Genealogical Societies, Webmaster and news editor for both societies. (busy man) He has been doing Genealogy for nearly 40 years. (So he probably knows a thing or two! Come check him out!)
SGS NEWS
- SWARTHOUT/CAMMIN CEMETERY the oldest cemetery in Saginaw County, was raked, pruned, the headstones were cleaned and many were stood up against trees so they could be easily found. Three Headstones, (painted white), were placed at the head of 3 Native American girls graves as per John Cammin request before he passed. They had all been baptized in the Christian faith before they drowned in the Tittabawassee River about 1948.
- The cemetery is open to mindful visitors and is located on Hawthorne Road, north of Brockway Road, on the right side of the road. Please be mindful of the age of the cemetery.
- An AUDIT will take place in November for the SGS through the efforts of Bob Sheets and Ron Roggow. Thanks guys!
- 19 more Pioneer Certificates will be awarded this month!
FOOD & FAMILY
Did you know...family recipes are a tradition!?!
GO AHEAD...Make it with family!
GO AHEAD...Make it with family!
What FOOD is most popular in
NOVEMBER?
Well, that would be anything associated with SANDWICHES!
NOVEMBER?
Well, that would be anything associated with SANDWICHES!
YES. I SAID SANDWICHES!!
That's because this month of NOVEMBER is also sponsoring the...
National Sandwich Day!
(Held annually on....well in MY house IT'S EVERY DAY!)
Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Possibly one of the most popular forms of food, sandwiches are a staple amongst foodies. From blogs to podcasts – and even national holidays – dedicated to peoples’ love of sandwiches, their popularity is evident around the world.
November 3rd marks National Sandwich Day in North America, and we’re here to help you celebrate! So, if you’re a sandwich lover like us, you’ll definitely want to keep reading.
This blog breaks down our favourite iconic sandwiches that you can make on the barbecue and enjoy on National Sandwich Day. Make sure to tag us on social media to show off your creations!
CLICK BELOW TO SEE OUR FAVORITE 6 SANDWICHES
That's because this month of NOVEMBER is also sponsoring the...
National Sandwich Day!
(Held annually on....well in MY house IT'S EVERY DAY!)
Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Possibly one of the most popular forms of food, sandwiches are a staple amongst foodies. From blogs to podcasts – and even national holidays – dedicated to peoples’ love of sandwiches, their popularity is evident around the world.
November 3rd marks National Sandwich Day in North America, and we’re here to help you celebrate! So, if you’re a sandwich lover like us, you’ll definitely want to keep reading.
This blog breaks down our favourite iconic sandwiches that you can make on the barbecue and enjoy on National Sandwich Day. Make sure to tag us on social media to show off your creations!
CLICK BELOW TO SEE OUR FAVORITE 6 SANDWICHES
IN MEMORY OF:
NO ONE TODAY,
JUST REMEMBER YOUR FRIENDS
BE THEY TWO OR FOUR LEGGED!
JUST REMEMBER YOUR FRIENDS
BE THEY TWO OR FOUR LEGGED!
GENEALOGY PUNS
MY FAMILY TREE WAS FULL OF NUTS, AND THEN THE GENEALOGIST ARRIVED AND ORGANIZED EVERYTHING!
MILITARY
WAR STORIES : WWII
WWII - THE RICHIE BOYS
By Katherine Davis (From 60 minutes)
By Katherine Davis (From 60 minutes)
MILITARY SERVICE: WWII
10 STORIES OF INCREDIBLE BRAVERY
- from the Battle of Britain
- from the Battle of Britain
1. WHAT WOMEN DO...WE WORK THOUGH IT ALL!
In November 1940, three women of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) were awarded 50% of all the Military Medals (MM) received by members of that service during the Second World War. They were stationed at RAF Biggin Hill in Kent, which suffered some of the worst air raids during the Battle of Britain. In a devastating attack on 30 August, 39 people were killed.
The next morning, those who had survived reported for duty as usual, at the start of a day that would see further air aids. Sergeant Joan Mortimer, Flight Officer Elspeth Henderson and Sergeant Helen Turner (pictured above) were all WAAF teleprinter operators who stayed at their posts during the heavy Luftwaffe (German Air Force) attacks on 1 September. Elspeth Henderson continued her work keeping in contact with Fighter Command Headquarters, Uxbridge while the raid was on. She carried on even after she was knocked to the ground as the operations room where she was working took a direct hit.
Helen Turner was the switchboard operator and also kept working as the building was hit and bombs fell nearby. It was only when a fire broke out and they were ordered to leave that the two women finally abandoned their posts. Sergeant Mortimer was in the armory when the air raid started. Although surrounded by several tons of high explosive, she remained at her telephone switchboard relaying messages to the defense posts around the airfield.
Mortimer then picked up a bundle of red flags and hurried out to mark the numerous unexploded bombs scattered around the area. Even when one went off close by, she carried on. For the bravery all three WAAFs displayed in their determination to carry out their duties during such danger, each was awarded a Military Medal in November 1940.
2. PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES
On 15 September 1940, Flight Sergeant John Hannah was the wireless operator and air gunner in a Hampden bomber that was carrying out a raid on German invasion barges at Antwerp, Belgium. After releasing its bombs, the Hampden quickly came under attack from anti-aircraft guns. It took a direct hit, which started a fierce fire that soon engulfed the whole fuselage.
Gunner George James bailed out after the floor melted beneath him in the intense heat. Surrounded by flames, Hannah would have been justified in following him. But instead he began trying to put out the fire with the aircraft’s two fire extinguishers. When those were empty, he used his log book and then his own hands to stop the spread of the blaze.
He worked for ten minutes in the blistering heat, as ammunition exploded around him and another member of the crew bailed out of the stricken aircraft. Sgt. Hannah managed to stop the fire, but suffered burns to his eyes and face in the process. He then crawled through to the pilot, Connor, to tell him the inferno was out. On discovering they were the only two left on board, Hannah took over the navigation while Connor flew the badly-damaged bomber back to their base.
Hannah was taken to hospital for emergency treatment where he learned on 1 October that he had been awarded a Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry, for his incredible bravery. He was just 18 years old at the time. Hannah recovered and remained in the RAF, but contracted tuberculosis and was discharged in 1942. He died just five years later and is buried in Leicester, England.
In November 1940, three women of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) were awarded 50% of all the Military Medals (MM) received by members of that service during the Second World War. They were stationed at RAF Biggin Hill in Kent, which suffered some of the worst air raids during the Battle of Britain. In a devastating attack on 30 August, 39 people were killed.
The next morning, those who had survived reported for duty as usual, at the start of a day that would see further air aids. Sergeant Joan Mortimer, Flight Officer Elspeth Henderson and Sergeant Helen Turner (pictured above) were all WAAF teleprinter operators who stayed at their posts during the heavy Luftwaffe (German Air Force) attacks on 1 September. Elspeth Henderson continued her work keeping in contact with Fighter Command Headquarters, Uxbridge while the raid was on. She carried on even after she was knocked to the ground as the operations room where she was working took a direct hit.
Helen Turner was the switchboard operator and also kept working as the building was hit and bombs fell nearby. It was only when a fire broke out and they were ordered to leave that the two women finally abandoned their posts. Sergeant Mortimer was in the armory when the air raid started. Although surrounded by several tons of high explosive, she remained at her telephone switchboard relaying messages to the defense posts around the airfield.
Mortimer then picked up a bundle of red flags and hurried out to mark the numerous unexploded bombs scattered around the area. Even when one went off close by, she carried on. For the bravery all three WAAFs displayed in their determination to carry out their duties during such danger, each was awarded a Military Medal in November 1940.
2. PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES
On 15 September 1940, Flight Sergeant John Hannah was the wireless operator and air gunner in a Hampden bomber that was carrying out a raid on German invasion barges at Antwerp, Belgium. After releasing its bombs, the Hampden quickly came under attack from anti-aircraft guns. It took a direct hit, which started a fierce fire that soon engulfed the whole fuselage.
Gunner George James bailed out after the floor melted beneath him in the intense heat. Surrounded by flames, Hannah would have been justified in following him. But instead he began trying to put out the fire with the aircraft’s two fire extinguishers. When those were empty, he used his log book and then his own hands to stop the spread of the blaze.
He worked for ten minutes in the blistering heat, as ammunition exploded around him and another member of the crew bailed out of the stricken aircraft. Sgt. Hannah managed to stop the fire, but suffered burns to his eyes and face in the process. He then crawled through to the pilot, Connor, to tell him the inferno was out. On discovering they were the only two left on board, Hannah took over the navigation while Connor flew the badly-damaged bomber back to their base.
Hannah was taken to hospital for emergency treatment where he learned on 1 October that he had been awarded a Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry, for his incredible bravery. He was just 18 years old at the time. Hannah recovered and remained in the RAF, but contracted tuberculosis and was discharged in 1942. He died just five years later and is buried in Leicester, England.
3. FAMOUS FLYING ACE
While on patrol over the Dover area in September 1940, Pilot Officer Eric Lock (pictured here on the left) of 41 Squadron RAF took on three Heinkel He 111s of the Luftwaffe and shot one down into the sea. He then attacked another German aircraft immediately afterwards, using cool determination and great skill to destroy it.
He was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for this daring act of flying in October 1940. The details of this award also stated that he had ‘displayed great courage in the face of heavy odds’ and had destroyed ‘fifteen enemy aircraft within a period of nineteen days. Eric Lock was one of the most famous aces of the Battle of Britain, officially recorded as having shot down 21 enemy aircraft. He was nicknamed ‘Sawn Off Lockie’ by his fellow pilots for his short stature and became popular in the British press for his flying successes. Lock went on to earn a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and joined 611 Squadron in June 1941. He was shot down during a mission near Boulogne, France, on 3 August 1941 and was never seen again.
4. SAVING A VILLAGE
Pilot Officer Bill Millington was flying as part of a section on aerodrome guard patrol over Kent on 31 August 1940. A large number of German Dornier and Messerschmitt aircraft were sighted and the RAF pilots went into the attack. Millington managed to cause damage to one of the Dornier bombers but he soon found himself under fire from three Messerschmitts. He quickly put one out of action and shook off the other two.
Pilot Millington was now outnumbered by the Luftwaffe aircraft but he didn’t leave the fight, and instead fired on the bombers. Now the Messerschmitt fighters began to target him, and he drew on all his flying skills to evade one and shoot another down. But as he did so, one more fired a cannon shell into the engine of his Hurricane, which also wounded him in the thigh. With his aircraft ablaze and his leg in agony, Millington knew he would have to abandon the battle. His immediate thought was to bail out and parachute to safety – but he noticed that, if he did so, his aircraft would almost certainly crash into a small village.
Despite his injuries, the intense danger of remaining in his rapidly burning aircraft and the difficulties of controlling it, Millington stayed in the cockpit. He managed to crash-land his Hurricane clear of the village and escape from it before it exploded. For his determination to avoid causing harm to others, whilst placing himself at risk, Millington was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in October 1940.
Bill Millington was born in Britain but emigrated with his family to Australia in 1926. With the Second World War imminent, he joined the RAF in 1939 and served with 79 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. Following his crash-landing on 31 August, he was treated for severe burns in hospital. After recovering, he continued to fly successful missions until he was shot down over the Channel on 30 October 1940.
5. TAKING ON 100 BOMBERS
Whilst (its England ok?) on a patrol in August 1940, Acting Flight Lieutenant Peter Brothers’ flight of eight aircraft came into contact with around 100 Luftwaffe bombers. Despite being so heavily outnumbered, Brothers did not hesitate in immediately leading in his flight against the enemy. But before he could attack, he was fired at by a number of Messerschmitts. Brothers kept his cool and turned to face them. But he found himself in a stalled position and had to use all his skill to spin out of it and recover. He then sighted a Dornier 215 bomber, quickly targeting his plane and shot it down. Later on, during the same day, he also destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Peter Brothers was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for these actions on 13 September 1940. By the time of the Battle of Britain, Brothers was an experienced RAF pilot. His outstanding leadership skills were a huge asset during those intense months. He led by example and did all he could to boost the morale of his men and, in particular, new pilots. Later in the war he was awarded a DSO for his 'courage and brilliant leadership'.
6. FLYING BLIND
Flying Officer Gordon Cleaver was defending his base, RAF Tangmere, from intense Luftwaffe air raids on 15 August 1940. Cleaver was an experienced fighter pilot who had already destroyed a number of enemy aircraft in operations over France.
During the raid, he led his section with courage and determination against the German bombers. Cleaver went into the attack and destroyed one of the German aircraft. But his Hurricane was hit – a cannon shell smashed into it, shattering the cockpit’s hood and sending Perspex splinters into Cleaver’s eyes.
With his aircraft damaged and his sight severely impaired, the obvious choice would have been to bail out. But he refused to abandon his aircraft and instead, with great difficulty, made a successful landing. Cleaver was rushed to hospital where his sight was partially saved, but he was unable to continue his flying career in the RAF. In September 1940, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bold bravery in attacking the enemy bombers and in saving his aircraft despite such painful, impairing injuries.
While on patrol over the Dover area in September 1940, Pilot Officer Eric Lock (pictured here on the left) of 41 Squadron RAF took on three Heinkel He 111s of the Luftwaffe and shot one down into the sea. He then attacked another German aircraft immediately afterwards, using cool determination and great skill to destroy it.
He was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for this daring act of flying in October 1940. The details of this award also stated that he had ‘displayed great courage in the face of heavy odds’ and had destroyed ‘fifteen enemy aircraft within a period of nineteen days. Eric Lock was one of the most famous aces of the Battle of Britain, officially recorded as having shot down 21 enemy aircraft. He was nicknamed ‘Sawn Off Lockie’ by his fellow pilots for his short stature and became popular in the British press for his flying successes. Lock went on to earn a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and joined 611 Squadron in June 1941. He was shot down during a mission near Boulogne, France, on 3 August 1941 and was never seen again.
4. SAVING A VILLAGE
Pilot Officer Bill Millington was flying as part of a section on aerodrome guard patrol over Kent on 31 August 1940. A large number of German Dornier and Messerschmitt aircraft were sighted and the RAF pilots went into the attack. Millington managed to cause damage to one of the Dornier bombers but he soon found himself under fire from three Messerschmitts. He quickly put one out of action and shook off the other two.
Pilot Millington was now outnumbered by the Luftwaffe aircraft but he didn’t leave the fight, and instead fired on the bombers. Now the Messerschmitt fighters began to target him, and he drew on all his flying skills to evade one and shoot another down. But as he did so, one more fired a cannon shell into the engine of his Hurricane, which also wounded him in the thigh. With his aircraft ablaze and his leg in agony, Millington knew he would have to abandon the battle. His immediate thought was to bail out and parachute to safety – but he noticed that, if he did so, his aircraft would almost certainly crash into a small village.
Despite his injuries, the intense danger of remaining in his rapidly burning aircraft and the difficulties of controlling it, Millington stayed in the cockpit. He managed to crash-land his Hurricane clear of the village and escape from it before it exploded. For his determination to avoid causing harm to others, whilst placing himself at risk, Millington was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in October 1940.
Bill Millington was born in Britain but emigrated with his family to Australia in 1926. With the Second World War imminent, he joined the RAF in 1939 and served with 79 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. Following his crash-landing on 31 August, he was treated for severe burns in hospital. After recovering, he continued to fly successful missions until he was shot down over the Channel on 30 October 1940.
5. TAKING ON 100 BOMBERS
Whilst (its England ok?) on a patrol in August 1940, Acting Flight Lieutenant Peter Brothers’ flight of eight aircraft came into contact with around 100 Luftwaffe bombers. Despite being so heavily outnumbered, Brothers did not hesitate in immediately leading in his flight against the enemy. But before he could attack, he was fired at by a number of Messerschmitts. Brothers kept his cool and turned to face them. But he found himself in a stalled position and had to use all his skill to spin out of it and recover. He then sighted a Dornier 215 bomber, quickly targeting his plane and shot it down. Later on, during the same day, he also destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Peter Brothers was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for these actions on 13 September 1940. By the time of the Battle of Britain, Brothers was an experienced RAF pilot. His outstanding leadership skills were a huge asset during those intense months. He led by example and did all he could to boost the morale of his men and, in particular, new pilots. Later in the war he was awarded a DSO for his 'courage and brilliant leadership'.
6. FLYING BLIND
Flying Officer Gordon Cleaver was defending his base, RAF Tangmere, from intense Luftwaffe air raids on 15 August 1940. Cleaver was an experienced fighter pilot who had already destroyed a number of enemy aircraft in operations over France.
During the raid, he led his section with courage and determination against the German bombers. Cleaver went into the attack and destroyed one of the German aircraft. But his Hurricane was hit – a cannon shell smashed into it, shattering the cockpit’s hood and sending Perspex splinters into Cleaver’s eyes.
With his aircraft damaged and his sight severely impaired, the obvious choice would have been to bail out. But he refused to abandon his aircraft and instead, with great difficulty, made a successful landing. Cleaver was rushed to hospital where his sight was partially saved, but he was unable to continue his flying career in the RAF. In September 1940, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bold bravery in attacking the enemy bombers and in saving his aircraft despite such painful, impairing injuries.
7. NOT GIVING UP-EVER!
Flight Lieutenant James Nicolson (pictured here, centre) was on patrol near Southampton on 16 August 1940, when his Hawker Hurricane was fired on by a German fighter aircraft. Making the ‘loudest noises [he] had ever heard’, four cannon shells thudded into his cockpit, damaging his machine, setting his petrol tank alight and wounding him in the eye, leg and heel.
Surrounded by flames and with blood pouring down him from his injuries, Nicolson prepared to bail out. But just as he did so, he spotted a Messerschmitt Bf 110 ahead. Despite being in severe pain, he put down his parachute and reached instead for his gun controls on his plane. He poured fire into the German aircraft, keeping up his assault even as it tried to turn and twist away from him. As he attacked, Nicolson noticed that the intense heat of the cockpit was burning his flesh. Only then did he abandon his Hurricane. After giving the Messerschmitt one last burst, he struggled free of his blazing cockpit and tumbled out into the sky.
Nicolson deployed his parachute and, as he fell, he took stock of his extensive injuries, noticing that he could see the bones of his left hand showing through the knuckles. He managed to land in a field and was rushed to hospital, where his life hung in the balance. After several weeks, he had recovered enough to make it out of danger, but the burns he had received took much longer to heal. Nicolson was awarded the Victoria Cross, which he received from King George VI at Buckingham Palace in November 1940.
8. UNTRAINED PILOT
Among the many airfields targeted in raids on 15 August 1940 was RAF Driffield in Yorkshire. As part of 219 Squadron, which was stationed nearby, Sergeant Oswald Dupee and Sergeant Thomas Banister were scrambled to intercept the incoming Luftwaffe force. Dupee was the pilot and Banister the air gunner of their Blenheim bomber. They engaged a German aircraft off the Yorkshire coast, but it soon stopped returning fire on them. Dupee closed in and was about to continue to attack the German aircraft when it opened its guns on them once more. The Blenheim’s front windscreen was smashed and Dupee was severely injured in his arm.
They were now in a dangerous position – Dupee was unable to keep control of the aircraft and they were still vulnerable to enemy attack. Banister crawled forward, helped Dupee from his seat and took charge of the Blenheim. Banister was untrained as a pilot and the aircraft he was flying was badly damaged. Dupee’s strength was failing through loss of blood, but he managed to give enough help and directions to Banister to enable him to get them back. Banister made a forced landing at RAF Driffield, with only minor damage to the aircraft despite doing so with the wheels up. Both Dupee and Banister were awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for their actions.
9. RUNNING ON EMPTY
Acting Flight Lieutenant Jack Adams of 29 Squadron RAF was on a night patrol on 20 August 1940 when he saw a German aircraft around a mile in front of him. He had spotted a light in the rear gunner position, making it possible for him to follow it, in his Blenheim bomber, for 50 minutes. During this time, he lost communication with his base, RAF Digby, but carried on in spite of this, determined to destroy the German aircraft. Finally, he made contact with it off the south coast, near the Isle of Wight.
Adams went in for the attack, skillfully shooting at the aircraft over the sea and destroying it. He then returned to his base. When he landed, it was discovered that both of his petrol gauges were at nil – he'd been running on empty!
On 24 September 1940, it was announced that Adams had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery. The official report for this also stated that Adams had been ‘continuously employed on night flying duties’ since the start of the war and had always shown ‘conspicuous devotion to duty’. Adams had joined the RAF in 1936 and had a successful career in the service, retiring in 1958 as a Wing Commander.
10. A CLOSE ESCAPE
As well as the danger that pilots faced in aerial combat, there were also risks involved in taking off and landing aircraft at their bases. As the Battle of Britain reached its peak, one pilot took off from RAF Biggin Hill, but lost control of his aircraft, which crash-landed and turned over in the garden of the house next door to Sergeant Arthur Cole of the Kent Special Constabulary.
The pilot was trapped in the stricken aircraft, hanging upside down and kept in place by his harness. Despite the chance that the plane could catch fire and explode at any moment, Cole immediately rushed to help. Working quickly and calmly, he freed the pilot and dragged him away to safety. Cole’s swift actions undoubtedly saved the pilot’s life – just minutes after he rescued him, the aircraft’s petrol tank ignited and there was a huge explosion. For his bravery, Sergeant Cole was awarded the British Empire Medal.
TICKLE YOUR FUNNY BONE
AMAZING STORIES
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Every Wednesday The Weekly Genealogist provides readers with news and information about NEHGS and the genealogical community. Features include a description of the latest database
on AmericanAncestors.org, a spotlight, an editor’s column, a survey question, stories of interest, and announcements about bookstore items, educational opportunities, and special offers. READ ON AND ENJOY!
on AmericanAncestors.org, a spotlight, an editor’s column, a survey question, stories of interest, and announcements about bookstore items, educational opportunities, and special offers. READ ON AND ENJOY!
MONTH BY MONTH:
MONTH: NOVEMBER
WHAT DAYS ARE YOUR FAVORITES?
As the days grow shorter and the air becomes crisper, those celebrating their birthdays in November embody a blend of resilience and warmth. This time of year brings introspection and gratitude, perfectly aligning with the unique qualities of November-born individuals.
November is best known for Thanksgiving and Veterans Day, but it's packed with an abundance of special days of awareness and observances to celebrate. Two Christian holidays, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, fall within early November, and the Advent calendar begins at the end of the month to countdown until Christmas, as well. Daylight savings time ends in November, (though the date varies).
Here's a list of all the official and unofficial celebrations for the month of November. ENJOY!
November is best known for Thanksgiving and Veterans Day, but it's packed with an abundance of special days of awareness and observances to celebrate. Two Christian holidays, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, fall within early November, and the Advent calendar begins at the end of the month to countdown until Christmas, as well. Daylight savings time ends in November, (though the date varies).
Here's a list of all the official and unofficial celebrations for the month of November. ENJOY!
GENEALOGY GEMS
THE BOOK NOOK
HISTORICAL, GENEALOGICAL & RESEARCH BOOKS
The Lost Ancestor
(The Forensic Genealogist Series)
by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
(The Forensic Genealogist Series)
by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
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When Morton Farrier, the formidable forensic genealogist, is called upon to uncover the mysterious disappearance of a housemaid working in a large Edwardian country house in 1911, he embarks on a perilous journey into the past. Uncovering surprising secrets and facing dangerous adversaries, Morton must use his comprehensive genealogical skills to solve the case. Will he be able to put the pieces together before it's too late?
This is the second book in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series, although it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story. If you enjoy a novel with a keen eye for historical detail, solid writing, believable settings and a sturdy protagonist, The Lost Ancestor is a safe bet. Here British author Nathan Dylan Goodwin spins a riveting genealogical crime mystery with a pulsing, realistic storyline’
Your Family Tree magazine
‘…an extremely well-constructed plot, with plenty of intrigue and genealogical detail - but all the loose ends are neatly tied up by the end…The Lost Ancestor is highly recommended’
Lost Cousins
‘Finely paced and full of realistic genealogical terms and tricks, this is an enjoyable whodunit with engaging research twists that keep you guessing until the end. If you enjoy genealogical fiction and Ruth Rendell mysteries, you’ll find this a pleasing page-turner’
Family Tree magazine
This is the second book in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series, although it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story. If you enjoy a novel with a keen eye for historical detail, solid writing, believable settings and a sturdy protagonist, The Lost Ancestor is a safe bet. Here British author Nathan Dylan Goodwin spins a riveting genealogical crime mystery with a pulsing, realistic storyline’
Your Family Tree magazine
‘…an extremely well-constructed plot, with plenty of intrigue and genealogical detail - but all the loose ends are neatly tied up by the end…The Lost Ancestor is highly recommended’
Lost Cousins
‘Finely paced and full of realistic genealogical terms and tricks, this is an enjoyable whodunit with engaging research twists that keep you guessing until the end. If you enjoy genealogical fiction and Ruth Rendell mysteries, you’ll find this a pleasing page-turner’
Family Tree magazine
LAUGH A MINUTE
SCHTUUPID NUT WON'T CUT!
JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS
....FOR OTHERS OR FOR A TREAT FOR YOURSELF! ENJOY!!!
....FOR OTHERS OR FOR A TREAT FOR YOURSELF! ENJOY!!!
If you love genealogy and tracing your family tree, don’t miss these genealogy fiction books! Looking for something new to read and need a break from genealogy how-to books? Kick up your feet and relax with one of these works of genealogy fiction.
In this article, I’m sharing a list of terrific fiction books with a genealogy theme for all the family historians out there. Add these to your reading list today!
Here are 16 great genealogy-themed fiction books for your reading pleasure! The list includes a couple of genealogy mysteries as well. Some of these family history novels are part of a series. In those cases, I’ve often linked ONLY to the first book to give you a place to start.
In this article, I’m sharing a list of terrific fiction books with a genealogy theme for all the family historians out there. Add these to your reading list today!
Here are 16 great genealogy-themed fiction books for your reading pleasure! The list includes a couple of genealogy mysteries as well. Some of these family history novels are part of a series. In those cases, I’ve often linked ONLY to the first book to give you a place to start.
IN THE PAST...
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LEARN MORE TO KNOW MORE
GENEAOLOGY 101
Frustrated by dead ends in your research?
Want actionable tips to help you uncover your family’s stories and get past research roadblocks? Grab my free private podcast, From Roadblocks to Roots, and get started today!
Want actionable tips to help you uncover your family’s stories and get past research roadblocks? Grab my free private podcast, From Roadblocks to Roots, and get started today!
NO MORE VISITS!
NO MORE RELATIVES!
I can't afford the acorns!
NO MORE RELATIVES!
I can't afford the acorns!
GENEALOGY NEWS
FINDING FAMILY: a story of resilience
A New Museum Specializes in Black Genealogy. Here’s What I Found Out About Myself. Charleston’s International African American Museum helps visitors fill in the blanks of their family’s pasts.
By Jonathan Abrams
Jonathan Abrams reported from Charleston, S.C., where approximately 150,000 enslaved Africans entered the U.S.
through Charleston Harbor.
Published July 18, 2024
Updated July 21, 2024
A New Museum Specializes in Black Genealogy. Here’s What I Found Out About Myself. Charleston’s International African American Museum helps visitors fill in the blanks of their family’s pasts.
By Jonathan Abrams
Jonathan Abrams reported from Charleston, S.C., where approximately 150,000 enslaved Africans entered the U.S.
through Charleston Harbor.
Published July 18, 2024
Updated July 21, 2024
“NOW WE'RE COOKING.”
Names whisked by, as Brian Sheffey excitedly scrolled through the 1870 U.S. census on a large projector to find what he was looking for: a 13-year-old boy living in Alabama named Daniel, whose family included his father, Chance, his mother, Viney, and four brothers and sisters. Chance occupation: he farmed. Neither parent, the census noted, could read or write. “He didn’t own his land,” Sheffey said of Chance. “He was more than likely a sharecropper. The chances were high he was living on his last enslaver’s land.”
They were new names to me, even though we share blood. Chance, who had been unemployed for six months and had $170 worth of personal belongings, was Chance Abrams, my great-great-great grandfather. My knowledge of my own family history had previously ended a few generations after him, with the names of my grandparents. I was unaware of the rest of my family history and wanted to learn more.
In that regard, I’m like plenty of other Black people who are curious about their ancestral roots and encounter substantial roadblocks. Official records concerning enslaved African Americans can be scant and unreliable. Stories and names are lost through time and distance. That’s where someone like Brian Sheffey comes in. Sheffey heads the Center for Family History at Charleston’s International African American Museum. He was born in the United States, but grew up in England, knowing little about his heritage. Sheffey researched his father’s genealogy more than 35 years ago and has been hooked ever since, hosting the online genealogy website and program, Genealogy Adventures.
The museum in Charleston illuminates the tortuous path seized Black people took from Africa to America and the repercussions it has wrought. Exhibits aim to split the difference between joy and sorrow, hope and despair. One of the museum’s distinguishing features is the Center for Family History, which functions as a beating heart of the institution in helping Black people trace their family roots. Anyone who wants to learn about their lineage can schedule an appointment and use the center’s resources.
I FIRST MET SHEFFEY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM, where visitors are greeted by a reflecting pool that juts up against the original boundary of Gadsden’s Wharf, where tens of thousands of enslaved Africans first entered the United States. It’s there that Sheffey introduced himself as family.
Anticipating a punchline, I smiled. We’re both Black, brothers from another mother or something. Sheffey didn’t return my grin. He had unearthed a distant link between our ancestors several generations back. That’s how this journey into my family’s past started. He told me that many view tracing Black lineage as a lost cause, with slavery serving as a permanent disruption of family history and links. That wasn’t necessarily true, Sheffey said, promising to explain how he tracks ancestry beyond the 1870 census.
He started by working backward through public records like newspapers and ancestry.com. He found the obituary of my paternal grandmother, who died in 2013. It listed the names of my father, uncles and aunts and where they lived at the time of her death. Next, Sheffey looked into the 1950 census to find out where my father, Paul, was living at the time. Daniel Abram, missing the “s” at the end of his last name, my paternal grandfather, was 33 years old and listed as the head of the house. He was born in Alabama, married and working as a bricklayer. A listed lodger likely helped them make ends meet.
“For a genealogist, it’s just really easy to go back in time,” Sheffey said. The trail led Sheffey to the 1940 census for Fox Mills Township in Wilcox County, Alabama. A vivid vision of the kind grandfather I only knew in the last years of his life started to formulate. His draft registration card listed him as a lanky 6 feet 3 inches tall and a scrawny 151 pounds. Brown eyes. Brown hair. A light brown complexion. He was born on July 12, 1915, the same day my youngest son would be born nearly a century later.
The 1930 census revealed my paternal grandfather as a 15-year-old who lived in Alabama with his father, Dan Sr. My great-great grandfather was 60 at the time of the 1930 census, Sheffey explained. He rented his house on a farm — strong indications that he was a sharecropper. He was 21 when he married Ella Stallworth, who was 15 at the time. Both could read and write, according to the census.
“The first generation of children of people freed out of slavery would go to school and the kids would come home and teach their parents how to read and write, as they’re learning how to read and write,” Sheffey said. “So, I think that’s what happened here.”
The U.S. Select Marriage Indexes for Alabama showed that Dan and Ella married on Oct. 17, 1889, the same year that the Eiffel Tower opened and The Wall Street Journal first published.
The 1900 census showed a 31-year-old Daniel Abrams living in Fox Mills with Ella. Daniel was unsure if his mother was born in Alabama or Georgia, according to the census.
NOTE: A January 1921 fire at the U.S. Department of Commerce destroyed most of the 1890 census. (It was severely water-damaged)
Soon, Sheffey had arrived at the 1870 census with Chance, Viney and Daniel. Chance Abrams, my great-great-great grandfather, was born around 1829 in the town of Edgefield in South Carolina. He listed his parents born in Virginia. Viney was born in about 1838 Alabama, according to the census. Her parents were born in South Carolina. Both parents, Sheffey said, were likely enslaved together.
“Slavery was a business,” he said. “Plantation owners, even if they were illiterate, they were in it to make money. And what do you do when you run a business? You keep track of your assets and you keep track of your debits.”
CHARLESTON ISN’T THE ONLY MUSEUM with a focus on genealogy. Museums like Ohio’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Washington D.C.’s National Museum of African American History and Culture host family research centers, as well. The International African American Museum offers consultations and seminars in addition to the more than 1,300 resource books housed in its Genealogy Research Area and Reference Library. Visitors can use iPad stations to search dozens of genealogy websites. The museum is also collecting stories of octogenarians and older generations through video interviews to ensure their imprint is preserved.
As we reached the portion of my journey that went into the period when slavery was still a reality, Sheffey showed me how he navigated this era. Probate records, wills, dowry agreements and estate inventories all help him climb beyond the 1870 census wall. Freedmen’s Bureau records, established in 1865 to provide documentation of marriages, labor contracts and other contracts agreed to during slavery, are becoming more widely available through organizations like FamilySearch, a historical record site provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which donated $2 million to the family center.
Sheffey focused on one name on my tree, my great-grandmother, Ella Stallworth. This name would help fill in the gaps in my story — and many others. Sheffey had spent years researching Edgefield County, where Chance Abrams was born. It was also the home of Sheffey’s four times great-grandfather, Moses Williams, who lived from 1769 to 1885, dying at 115 years old. Williams married two women, sharing 45 children between them, Sheffey said. His second wife was Mariah Stallworth; this is how Sheffey and I were distantly related.“How does a man like that get lost in history?” Sheffey said of Williams. “I love talking about him because he really encapsulates a large part of this country’s history. He wasn’t just among South Carolina’s last living links to the Revolutionary War, he was among America’s last links.”
The Stallworths have deep roots in Alabama and South Carolina, Sheffey said. “Those Alabama Stallworths show that they are also descendants of Moses Williams, or they have Williams DNA,” he said. “They connect to him in some way, shape, or form. If you have 45 kids, that’s not inconceivable.” Sheffey then walked me through my mother’s lineage, tracing how an enslaver brought my ancestors from South Carolina to Alabama. An Alabama courthouse that would have contained relevant information on my family had invaluable records destroyed in several fires, Sheffey said.
Ultimately, Sheffey found no famous ancestors like Frederick Douglass or Harriet Tubman, as sometimes happens when he digs into people’s family trees. But to Sheffey — and to me — he had uncloaked a story of resilience. “They worked and they provided and they made sure that their kids got an education,” he said. “The fact that they got up every day, pulling up their trousers, facing what they had to face back in their lifetimes, lynching and racism, Hey, they get my salute.”
Names whisked by, as Brian Sheffey excitedly scrolled through the 1870 U.S. census on a large projector to find what he was looking for: a 13-year-old boy living in Alabama named Daniel, whose family included his father, Chance, his mother, Viney, and four brothers and sisters. Chance occupation: he farmed. Neither parent, the census noted, could read or write. “He didn’t own his land,” Sheffey said of Chance. “He was more than likely a sharecropper. The chances were high he was living on his last enslaver’s land.”
They were new names to me, even though we share blood. Chance, who had been unemployed for six months and had $170 worth of personal belongings, was Chance Abrams, my great-great-great grandfather. My knowledge of my own family history had previously ended a few generations after him, with the names of my grandparents. I was unaware of the rest of my family history and wanted to learn more.
In that regard, I’m like plenty of other Black people who are curious about their ancestral roots and encounter substantial roadblocks. Official records concerning enslaved African Americans can be scant and unreliable. Stories and names are lost through time and distance. That’s where someone like Brian Sheffey comes in. Sheffey heads the Center for Family History at Charleston’s International African American Museum. He was born in the United States, but grew up in England, knowing little about his heritage. Sheffey researched his father’s genealogy more than 35 years ago and has been hooked ever since, hosting the online genealogy website and program, Genealogy Adventures.
The museum in Charleston illuminates the tortuous path seized Black people took from Africa to America and the repercussions it has wrought. Exhibits aim to split the difference between joy and sorrow, hope and despair. One of the museum’s distinguishing features is the Center for Family History, which functions as a beating heart of the institution in helping Black people trace their family roots. Anyone who wants to learn about their lineage can schedule an appointment and use the center’s resources.
I FIRST MET SHEFFEY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM, where visitors are greeted by a reflecting pool that juts up against the original boundary of Gadsden’s Wharf, where tens of thousands of enslaved Africans first entered the United States. It’s there that Sheffey introduced himself as family.
Anticipating a punchline, I smiled. We’re both Black, brothers from another mother or something. Sheffey didn’t return my grin. He had unearthed a distant link between our ancestors several generations back. That’s how this journey into my family’s past started. He told me that many view tracing Black lineage as a lost cause, with slavery serving as a permanent disruption of family history and links. That wasn’t necessarily true, Sheffey said, promising to explain how he tracks ancestry beyond the 1870 census.
He started by working backward through public records like newspapers and ancestry.com. He found the obituary of my paternal grandmother, who died in 2013. It listed the names of my father, uncles and aunts and where they lived at the time of her death. Next, Sheffey looked into the 1950 census to find out where my father, Paul, was living at the time. Daniel Abram, missing the “s” at the end of his last name, my paternal grandfather, was 33 years old and listed as the head of the house. He was born in Alabama, married and working as a bricklayer. A listed lodger likely helped them make ends meet.
“For a genealogist, it’s just really easy to go back in time,” Sheffey said. The trail led Sheffey to the 1940 census for Fox Mills Township in Wilcox County, Alabama. A vivid vision of the kind grandfather I only knew in the last years of his life started to formulate. His draft registration card listed him as a lanky 6 feet 3 inches tall and a scrawny 151 pounds. Brown eyes. Brown hair. A light brown complexion. He was born on July 12, 1915, the same day my youngest son would be born nearly a century later.
The 1930 census revealed my paternal grandfather as a 15-year-old who lived in Alabama with his father, Dan Sr. My great-great grandfather was 60 at the time of the 1930 census, Sheffey explained. He rented his house on a farm — strong indications that he was a sharecropper. He was 21 when he married Ella Stallworth, who was 15 at the time. Both could read and write, according to the census.
“The first generation of children of people freed out of slavery would go to school and the kids would come home and teach their parents how to read and write, as they’re learning how to read and write,” Sheffey said. “So, I think that’s what happened here.”
The U.S. Select Marriage Indexes for Alabama showed that Dan and Ella married on Oct. 17, 1889, the same year that the Eiffel Tower opened and The Wall Street Journal first published.
The 1900 census showed a 31-year-old Daniel Abrams living in Fox Mills with Ella. Daniel was unsure if his mother was born in Alabama or Georgia, according to the census.
NOTE: A January 1921 fire at the U.S. Department of Commerce destroyed most of the 1890 census. (It was severely water-damaged)
Soon, Sheffey had arrived at the 1870 census with Chance, Viney and Daniel. Chance Abrams, my great-great-great grandfather, was born around 1829 in the town of Edgefield in South Carolina. He listed his parents born in Virginia. Viney was born in about 1838 Alabama, according to the census. Her parents were born in South Carolina. Both parents, Sheffey said, were likely enslaved together.
“Slavery was a business,” he said. “Plantation owners, even if they were illiterate, they were in it to make money. And what do you do when you run a business? You keep track of your assets and you keep track of your debits.”
CHARLESTON ISN’T THE ONLY MUSEUM with a focus on genealogy. Museums like Ohio’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Washington D.C.’s National Museum of African American History and Culture host family research centers, as well. The International African American Museum offers consultations and seminars in addition to the more than 1,300 resource books housed in its Genealogy Research Area and Reference Library. Visitors can use iPad stations to search dozens of genealogy websites. The museum is also collecting stories of octogenarians and older generations through video interviews to ensure their imprint is preserved.
As we reached the portion of my journey that went into the period when slavery was still a reality, Sheffey showed me how he navigated this era. Probate records, wills, dowry agreements and estate inventories all help him climb beyond the 1870 census wall. Freedmen’s Bureau records, established in 1865 to provide documentation of marriages, labor contracts and other contracts agreed to during slavery, are becoming more widely available through organizations like FamilySearch, a historical record site provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which donated $2 million to the family center.
Sheffey focused on one name on my tree, my great-grandmother, Ella Stallworth. This name would help fill in the gaps in my story — and many others. Sheffey had spent years researching Edgefield County, where Chance Abrams was born. It was also the home of Sheffey’s four times great-grandfather, Moses Williams, who lived from 1769 to 1885, dying at 115 years old. Williams married two women, sharing 45 children between them, Sheffey said. His second wife was Mariah Stallworth; this is how Sheffey and I were distantly related.“How does a man like that get lost in history?” Sheffey said of Williams. “I love talking about him because he really encapsulates a large part of this country’s history. He wasn’t just among South Carolina’s last living links to the Revolutionary War, he was among America’s last links.”
The Stallworths have deep roots in Alabama and South Carolina, Sheffey said. “Those Alabama Stallworths show that they are also descendants of Moses Williams, or they have Williams DNA,” he said. “They connect to him in some way, shape, or form. If you have 45 kids, that’s not inconceivable.” Sheffey then walked me through my mother’s lineage, tracing how an enslaver brought my ancestors from South Carolina to Alabama. An Alabama courthouse that would have contained relevant information on my family had invaluable records destroyed in several fires, Sheffey said.
Ultimately, Sheffey found no famous ancestors like Frederick Douglass or Harriet Tubman, as sometimes happens when he digs into people’s family trees. But to Sheffey — and to me — he had uncloaked a story of resilience. “They worked and they provided and they made sure that their kids got an education,” he said. “The fact that they got up every day, pulling up their trousers, facing what they had to face back in their lifetimes, lynching and racism, Hey, they get my salute.”
LIFE IS FULL OF ...MEMORIES
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