November 2, 2013

A Belated MGC Event Recap

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I really intended it to be out… oh, at least last month (preferably Monday), but the week got away from me. 

Notes Snapshot MGC 2013This past Saturday I attended the Michigan Genealogical Council’s annual Fall Seminar featuring Lou Szucs from Ancestry.com. I enjoyed the day and (as I have said many times) I always get something out of the presentations no matter how often I’ve heard a subject discussed or a particular speaker—it’s  always worthwhile. Szucs offered informative programs on “Hidden Treasures in Ancstery.com” and Midwestern Collections researchers should be aware of. In each I came away with collections ether I hadn’t been aware of or hadn’t, at the time, known a relative they might shed light on. For example to my Holden family… Did you know there was a Directory of Deceased American Physicians in Ancestry.com? It’s not something I’d happened upon yet. (Mind you, I did’t find Horatio or Charles in it, but still…).

For my breakout sessions I attended a presentation on The Clarke Historical Library on Central Michigan’s campus—I’m particularly interested in looking into their collections on the Timber industry given our Shea family’s involvement in in. I went to Richard Hill’s presentation on DNA research which was fascinating and now I really want to read his book—Finding Family. And I finished up the day in Don Hinkle’s presentation on FamilySearch.org. Other talks included researching in archives, New York research, Border Crossings, and Civil War Resources among others.

The short of it… Take time out to go and continually educate yourself—it will eventually help you over your brick walls.

And mark your calendars! The Abram’s Foundation Annual Seminar will be July 18th and 19th and feature Michael LeClerc, Chief Genealogist at Mocavo.com.

Happy hunting!

Jess

 

October 30, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

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Halloween 1984

Tis the season… My brother and I on Halloween in 1984. Shots from the period fascinate me as I look at his children and see the resemblances. Also, given where we live I probably went out in that costume and a winter coat… kind of defeats the purpose but that’s fairly normal for a Michigan Halloween.

Happy hunting,

Jess

 

October 23, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

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A housekeeping note: I don’t manage to get in a post for everyone’s birthday and not everyone wants me too. But I do try… life just happens to interfere… often. That said… 

Johnson BrothersOne of these two is celebrating a birthday this month. This is not a good picture, but it makes me laugh—Grandpa in his sombrero on the phone and Uncle paying no attention. This was taken at Uncle’s house—decades before my Gran redecorated it—in Rockford, Michigan.

Happy hunting,

Jess

 

October 20, 2013

Family History Month Roadtrips

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Family history month for the avid genealogist is a great reminder that we have to keep learning and there are workshops aplenty to keep us busy. Looking for some around you? Michigan researchers keep an eye on the Michigan Genealogical Council’s Community Calendar. You might also check out ConferenceKeeper.net.

Roadtripping through Michigan 2012Last weekend I tripped down to my home away from home for Western Michigan Genealogical Society‘s Annual Seminar Got Ancestors?! in Grand Rapids, Michigan and had a lot of fun… playing right into their theme for the year, “Are You Having Fun Yet?!”

This year’s featured speaker was genealogy ninja and technology curator, Thomas McEntee (of High-Definition Genealogy, GeneaBloggers.com, Hack Genealogy, among others). He offered five presentations—sessions on changing technology, cluster research, an introduction to blogging, a great look at the concept of mind mapping, and 10 ways to jumpstart your genealogy. I came away with a great list of new-to-me sites to play with—both for organizing my research and connecting with fellow researchers, more blogs than I will ever be able to keep track of (but I want to read them all!), and strategies for organizing a research problem and identifying the possible resources that may help you in solving it. And, as always, it was fabulous to see all my WMGS friends and hang out for a couple of days. It was definitely worth the trip!

Don’t forget to put the next seminar on your calendar—October 10-11, 2014! WMGS will be celebrating 60 years with a seminar featuring Dick Eastman!

Happy hunting,

Jess

 

October 16, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

Posted by JessLibrarian under Family Almanac, Photographs | Tags: , , |
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First Library JobI’m running a little behind in my planned posts but this Family Almanac post was inspired by the comments of WMGS’s featured speaker Thomas McEntee this past weekend. He rightly pointed out that family history researchers often forget to preserve their own story in the hunt to find the out about their ancestors.

So, this week’s post marks a milestone for me… This week marks the 11th anniversary of starting my first job as a public librarian.  I started my career at the Krause Memorial Library in Rockford, Michigan which was the perfect place for me at the time both for my genealogy research and my development as a librarian.

The photo is probably from that Halloween when I decided to dress up as a hockey fan for the holiday.

Happy hunting!

Jess

 

October 12, 2013

Something That Made Me Think

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I recently came upon this blogpost from The Art of Manliness on a trend the writer noticed on the ease and intimacy of men in the past in photographs. It made me think of these photos from our family collection. The following are both shots of my Great Grandfather Robert Shea and his friends. The first (which I’ve posted before) is with his fellow patients at the Michigan State Sanatorium. The other is with a friend I do not recognize (though I think I have other pictures of) and I’m not sure where the photo was taken.

Happy hunting,

Jess

Robert James Shea (2nd from right) at Howell Tubercular Sanatorium c. 1920Robert Shea (Left) and Friend

 

October 9, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

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Grandma Trotter, 1979.Time has gotten a little away from me but I don’t want to miss a note in memory of my Grandma Trotter who would have been 87 this month. This photograph is from just after my brother was born when she came to stay with my parents while I was in the hospital with a broken leg. We miss you, Grandma!

Happy hunting,

Jess

 

October 2, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

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And now for a musical interlude…

Sibs, a guitar, & a bottle.I love this shot! That’s my brother in the foreground with a bottle and the acoustic guitar. That’s me in the background… playing with socks???

Happy hunting!

Jessica

 

September 27, 2013

Family (and Michigan) Almanac

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Robert Shea at the MichiganState Sanatorium for Tuberculosis, Howell, Michigan c.1919It’s the 95th Anniversary of the day my Great Grandfather Robert James Shea entered the Michigan State Sanatorium for Tuberculosis upon the completion of quarters by the War Preparedness Board of Michigan for rejected or discharged tuberculosis soldiers. In the picture he is the second from the left with a smile.

For people seeking more information about the Michigan State Sanatorium —the Archives of Michigan and Howell Carnegie Library are two fabulous resources. Additionally, many of the Biennial Reports of the Board of Trustees of the Michigan State Sanatorium are available full text in Google Books.

Happy hunting!

Jess

 

September 25, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

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Grandpa & Aunt, c.1976Not for any other reason than I love the smile on Grandpa’s face. Levie Trotter and my youngest aunt at home in Detroit, Michigan around 1976.

Happy hunting,

Jess

 

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