First Timer - Part 3

Yesterday was exhausting, but good. I totally enjoyed the conference. I picked up a few tips that I plan on trying out. Best of all I got meeting information for the New York chapter of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society. I am planning on attending the next meeting and joining the organization. This experience is just what I needed to move my research forward.


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Location:71st Ave,New York,United States

First Timer - Part 2

So I'm here at The Genealogy Event. There's a nice crowd, but not too crowded. I can't yet say that I've had a genealogical epiphany but I have learned a few tidbits, including how to access African American specific records on Ancestry.

The sessions on African American heritage are still to come. Maybe too that epiphany.


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Location:W 18th St,New York,United States

First Timer

It's 8 o'clock on Saturday morning and I'm on my way to my first genealogy conference! Actually it's more like a mini-conference. Billed as "The Genealogy Event", it started with a half day yesterday afternoon and concludes with a full day today. I couldn't get off work to go yesterday, but there was no way I was missing today.

According to the event website there will be 2 speakers every half hour, exhibitors, and experts available for consultation. All this for only $20. I can't wait to get there. I'm hoping to get into the sessions on African American Heritage, DNA Testing, Researching Federal Records, and using technology.

My own research has been on a bit of a hiatus these past few months and I think spending the day with other genealogists will get me back on track.

More later.

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Location:Queens Blvd,New York,United States

Surprise Phone Call

I got a surprise phone call on Thursday.  My first cousin was visiting with my mom and she told him about her recent trip to North Carolina.  She also told him about the genealogy research I've been doing and the binder that I had put together for her (and that she had left behind).  It seems my cousin has been trying to put together a family tree showing all the familial relations.  He asked me to send him some of the reports and charts I included in my mom's book.   Who knew that so many people would be interested in my research.

My cousin specifically asked about the Stokes, our grandfather's family.  I haven't really found much as I've been concentrating on the Crouch/Attaway lines.  What I do know is his name was George Stokes and he was from Orangeburg, South Carolina.
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Back to Work

I didn't intend to go almost 4 months without posting, it just worked out that way.  Life has been very busy lately and I just haven't had time to work on my genealogy research.  I expected things to slow down for the summer, giving me more time to do research, but it hasn't worked out that way.

On thing that I was able to accomplish was to put my research findings in a binder for my mother.  She went down to Greensboro, North Carolina last month to visit some of her cousins and wanted to share my findings with them.  From what she said, they were all excited about it.  She ended up leaving the binder down there, so I'll have to put together another one.

Since my schedule seems to be leveling off, I hope to get back to the business of research.  That's the plan anyway.

Progress?

I spent quite a bit of time (probably more than I should have) doing research today. I did discover why there are some records that I just can't find -- they don't exist. I've been trying to find birth and marriage records for my great grandparents. Turns out South Carolina didn't require marriage certificates until 1911 and birth certificates until 1915. I also found a book on the history of Edgefield. It was availble as a free download from the Library of Congress website. While I wasn't able to identify any definite ancestors, I did find my surnames among the listing of soldiers who served in Edgefield regiments during the Civil War. Since they were all listed among the enlisted men I have to conclude that the families were from the poorer class.

I did find something interesting, a death certificate for an Eldred Padgett who was born in Saluda and died in Greensboro, just like my great- great-grandmother Allie Padgett Crouch. And just like gggrandmother Allie, his father was identified as Charlie Padgett.  Unlike Allie, whose mother was unknown according to her death certificate, Eldred's mother is listed as Savannah Shaver.

I found Savannah in the 1880 Census living in Pine Grove, Edgefield, South Carolina.  Included in the household were her three children - sons Wesley and Eldred, and daughter Arafa (according to the index).  Savannah is identified as white, her children as mulatto.  Is Arafa really Allie misidentified?  When I look at the actual record, the ink has run in places and the name of Savannah's daughter is not at all clear except for the fact that it begins with an "A".  Could this really be Allie?

1880 Census

I'll keep searching.

Ancestry

It's been a while since I've had time to work on my research, but I've finally gotten back to it.  Ancestry had a special deal for a six month subscription, so I bit the bullet and joined.  I found a 1930 census record that I hadn't seen before.

I was hoping to find a marriage record for my grandparents, but can't find anything.  I don't have any information on where or when it took place.

I should probably spend some time learning how to navigate Ancestry.  I went in cold to do this search.