Genealogy
Connie Sychowski
Editor Genealogy Corner
When growing up all holidays were special ones. The family would always gather at our home, all of dad’s children present and accounted for. It was just a special time for him to take a break from his busy schedule and make time for his family. BBQs and watermelon, I can almost remember the smell of my dad cooking London broil on the grill.
This holiday though for me is bittersweet. My dad, Charles Henry Cassell, born March 04, 1910 died on September 06, 1976, Labor Day. He had been very ill for over a year, trying to recover from a major stroke. He was in out of the hospital that entire year. My mother was tirelessly by his side day and night. I, being only 12 years old at the time was not allowed to visit with him during his hospital stays. He went back into the hospital for the last time in the middle of August and was not improving. That first week of September the doctors told my mom to get away for the weekend. So, my mother and I flew to the Bahamas for a retreat from the stress of my daddy’s illness. It stormed terribly while we were there and unbeknown to us, the family had started to page us almost immediately after our arrival to return to Florida as daddy had taken a turn for the worse and was not expected to make it.
We returned to Florida on Monday, Labor Day. My brother George and my Aunt met us at the plane, before others had even disembarked. George grabbed my mom’s hand and said, “Come on dad has been waiting for you. “ It wasn’t until that time did we know they had been trying to reach us all along. We arrived at the hospital, I said good-bye to the only man I had ever known as my father and left the room so mom could be with him he had indeed waited for her to return and passed on only minuets after my mother told him it was alright, that she would see him in the morning on the other side.
Every year when this holiday approaches I greet it with joy and sorrow, joy for all of the wonderful memories of childhood family gatherings and great sorrow for losing the most important man in my life at that time.
I shall miss you always daddy!
Genealogy How To
Where to go to do research?
Library:
A good place to begin is at your local library. Most libraries have a genealogy or family history section. If you are not sure ask the librarian they will assist you in finding that area of the library.
When you have found this section, walk around and make yourself familiar with what books are available. These books are kept at the library so you will have to do your research while at the library. See if they have books that other people have written on the surname you are researching. Also ask the librarian where and if they have information they keep that other researchers have donated to the library. These would be called vertical files. Also ask them if they have a list they keep of surnames that others are researching that have visited the library. The majority of libraries will allow you to make copies from books. The price to make copies averages between .15 to .25 cents per page.
Then you will want to go from the books to microfiche or to microfilm. If you haven’t used a microfiche or microfilm reader/printer you might want to get the librarian to assist you. The average price range for copies that you will make of documents on these machines is between .25 & .50 cents.
Archives:
While at the library ask if your county has an archive. This will be a location where all and most actual documents will be kept and preserved for future generations. In some archives you will be able to hold the actual documents of your ancestors. Also the people who work in the archives are very knowledgeable about the history of the area. They are sometimes knowledgeable of others in your communities that are working on different families in your area. Normally getting copies of actual documents is more expenses than getting them off of microfiche or microfilm. You will need to ask because the cost varies greatly from one archive to the next. Ask if they keep the deed records in the archives or are they kept in the Court House. Here you will find the records of property. This will be helpful in knowing what lands your ancestors owned, where they were located and their neighbors.
6 Ps of Success: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Author Unknown.
Court County/Court Clerk:
Here you will find deeds, marriage records, divorce records, tax lists and voter polls. In some counties you will still find wills and probate records in the court house.
Cemetery:
Yes, you can do research at a cemetery. Well sorta... What you can do at a cemetery is take photographs of headstones of your ancestors. This will assist in keeping records of them for later years and preserving a record of them. Most counties will have a book that is on the cemeteries, so you can refer to this book for your ancestors.
The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. W. M. Lewis
Those who do not know how to weep with their whole heart don’t know how to laugh either. - Golda Meir
Attitude is everything. It motivates action, which increases productivity and improves morale, which perpetuates a positive attitude. - Robert Urich, actor, 1946-2002
As I grow older I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do. - Andrew Carnegie
Surname Requests, Comments and Photographs
Cassell
In the November 2002 issue of U S Legacies there was a request for Eliza Cassell (Seeking information on Eliza Cassell who was married to John Miller in Dauphin County, PA. She was married in 1828, gave birth to John Cassell Miller, 5 August 1831 and died 4 April 1833. Any help would be appreciated. D.J. L.) At the time this was posted I was just becoming familiar with the website but not the magazine. This request may have ties to my own family. I was adopted by Charles H Cassell (1910 1976) of New York He had two sisters; Mary and Muddy (I am sure that was not her real name) and two brothers; Ronnie and James all of whom are deceased. I do not know much about my dads family line, I do know that there was some type of connection to PA. The only relatives of my dad that I can recall from my childhood are Great Aunt Nettie ( Not her real name), Uncle Charlie and his wife (cannot recall the name) and some relatives who had branched off to Massachusetts . This would have been in the very early 70s that I would have seen any of them. Great Aunt Nettie was in her 80s or 90s at the time
So, whomever sent in the request for information on the Cassell name please contact me through the magazine or website and lets see if the lines are the same. My dad had 3 daughters (other then myself) and 2 sons. I have loads of information I can share on the Florida line of the family.
Connie S. Editor Genealogy Corner
Flowers and Pierce{deed.jpg}
For and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and twenty five ($125) dollars, seventy five ($75) dollars paid in cash the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged and a note of this date for the sum of fifty ($50) dollars due twelve months from this date, said note retaining a lien on the land until paid for in full, we, Taylor Flowers and his wife Cassie Flowers, have this day bargained and sold and quit claimed to S. J. Pierce a certain tract or parcel of land lying in the 6th district of Pickett County, Tennessee on the waters of the World? Rivers and bounded as follows:
Jacobs, Harold H.
Looking for any information on a Harold H. Jacobs who served in the Korean War, stationed at Pusan. Possibly an army captain. Hometown Brooklyn, NY? Response:Thanks for posting your message! At this time I do not have any information to share. I will research the name though any additional information you can share would be of great help. I will also post this in the September Issue of our magazine; hopefully we can come up with a hit for you.
Lowell Births as recorded in Lowell, Maine:
Buck, Chase, Coffin, Ewing, Fernald, Fisk, Hatahway, Lamb, Lord, McLaughlin, Miles, Stickney, Treadwell
Nellie Frances Buck daughter of James H and Eliza J Buck July 26 1857
Joseph F. Chase was born July 10 1809, Lydia wife of Joseph F. Chase was born Dec 3 1815, Daniel L. Chase son of Joseph and Lydia Chase was born Jan 24 1833, Alma B Chase daughter of Joseph and Lydia Chase was born Mar 23 1834, Gerogina Chase daughter of Joseph and Lydia Chase was born Oct 11 1839, Lewall Chase son of Joseph and Lydia Chase was born Oct 14 1841, Sarah A. Chase daughter of Joseph and Lydia was born Aug 9 1843
Stephen Coffin was born Oct 8 1806, Susan Coffin wife of Stephen Coffin was born Feb 1 1808, Sarah Ann Coffin daughter of Stephen and Susan Coffin was born Mar 30 1831, Charles M. Coffin son of Stephen and Susan Coffin was born Dec 2 1833, Amanda M. Coffin daughter of Stephen and Susan Coffin was born April 16 1839, Mary L. Coffin daughter of Stephen and Susan Coffin was born Mar 22 1843
David Ewing was born May 21 1815, Hannah L. wife of David Ewing was born July 20 1818, Mary Ewing daughter of David and Hannah Ewing was born Oct 19 1837, Bethany Ewing daughter of David and Hannah Ewing was born April 18 1840, John Ewing son of David and Hannah Ewing was born June 17 1843
Thomas Ewing was born July 8 1811, Bethany wife of Thomas Ewing was born April 25 1814, Seth W. Ewings son of Thomas and Bethany was born April 25 1836, Margaret Ann Ewing daughter of Thomas and Bethany was born May 15 1842
Naomi Fernald was born Sept 20 1858 Daughter of Benjamin and Mary A. Fernald, Leona Fernald was born July 9 1861 daughter of Benjamin Ward and Mary A. Fernald
John W. Fisk was born Nov 4 1810 born in Portland, Maine, Sophronia wife of John W. Fiske was born Aug 25 1820, Elizabeth C Fisk daughter of John W. and Sophronia Fisk was born March 9 1839, Julia Ann Fisk daughter of John W and Sophronia Fisk was born June 3 1841
Franklin C. Hatahway born in Lowell June 12 1853 son of James A. and Susan J. Hathaway. Samuel Hatahway was born Jan 7 1860 son of James and Susan Hathaway
Columbas Lamb was born Mar 23 1810, Temperence his wife was born Feb 7 1818, Belinda daughter of Columbus and Temperence was born Feb 13 1835, Columbus son of Columbus and Mary was born Nov 1 1838, Elvia daughter of Columbus and Temperence was born Jan 26 1842
Jeremiah Lord was born July 26 1812, Hannah wife of Jeremiah Lord was born Feb 2 1821, Susanna Lord was born Feb 1 1808, Jane Lord was born Jan 15 1810, Jeremiah Lord was born July 26 1812, Lydia Lord was born Dec 3 1814, Maria Dean Lord was born Sept 2 1819
Daniel Lord son of Jermiah Lord was born April 4 1817, Mary D wife of Daniel Lord was born June 20 1820, Avoline A. Lord daughter of Daniel and Mary D. Lord was born Oct 17 1843, Emily Lord was born Aug 9th 1842, William M. Lord was born March 16 1822
John McLaughlin was born Aug 18 1794, Mary wife of John McLaughlin was born July 4 1802, Alfred McLaughlin son of John and Mary was born April 19 1831, Adeline daughter of John and Mary was born Mar 12 1836, Lydia daughter of John and Mary was born Mar 21 1840, John son of John and Mary was born Sept 23 1843
Geroge A. Miles was born Mar 13 1854 son of Josiah and Lois Miles, Jason C Miles was born Jan 20 1857 son of Josiah and Lois Miles, Alvin Miles was born May 16 1859 son of Josiah and Lois Miles, Bisthall Miles was born April 10 1861 son of Josiah and Lois Miles
Joseph Stickney was born April 20 1797 Mary wife of Joseph Stickney was born May 12 1784
Nathaniel E. Treadwell son of James and Hannah Treadwell born April 10 1847
Published U. S. Legacies September 2003
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