Monday, September 14, 2015

Death Record : Alfred Haldeman, 1917, Morrow County, Ohio

"Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZVN-LZG : accessed 5 September 2015), Alfred Haldeman, 07 Mar 1917; citing Troy Twp., Morrow, Ohio, reference fn 20924; FHL microfilm 1,983,937.
Alfred Haldeman was my paternal 2nd-great granduncle by marriage, married to Susanna Jane Haley (1844-1899), the daughter of George J. and Rachel (Gary) Haley.  Working on updating Ohio death records at FamilySearch for my RootsMagic database, I realized that I didn't have his date of death.

Alfred was born March 15, 1844 in Ohio, according to his death certificate, the son of Christian and Susan (Brinkely) Haldeman.  He died March 7, 1917 in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio due to pulmonary tuberculosis.

The informant for the death certificate was his son, Harvey L. Haldeman, and Alfred was buried in the Haldeman Cemetery.  At the time of his death, he was listed as married, but I don't have a second marriage for him.

A search at FindAGrave located his memorial page, where it states that Alfred remarried to Mary Ann Stull on November 13, 1900 in Morrow County, Ohio.  Will have to search for this record as well.

Alfred and Susan (Haley) Haldeman were the parents of seven known children: Vera B., George Allen, Maude, Christian E., Vernon J., Frank J. and Harvey Levi.  I have not traced their descendants but need to do so as they might have photographs, etc. of the Haley side.

If you have any additional information or corrections or are related to this family, I would love to hear from you.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Geeking Out on Genetic Genealogy

Spent today combining my love of genealogy with interest in DNA by attending a great workshop put on by the Jay County Historical Society by Dr. Michael Lacopo.  Dr. Lacopo's presentation was split into two parts, with the introduction being hosted at the Jay County Public Library and the conclusion being held at the historical society.  Dad came with me, so I was able to spend some quality time with him as well and hear family history stories.

The fact that genetic genealogy has revolutionized genealogy research and brought about the marriage of science and family history is without dispute. Yet DNA testing is a tool that many have either not utilized or have been unsure of the science behind it.  You need not be "geeked out" on the science, but a basic understanding of the biology behind your chromosomes and genetic inheritance is essential to understanding how DNA testing can help with your research.

The presentation was well attended, with a diverse group of genealogists, some of whom had done DNA testing and others had not.  Dr. Lacopo did a good job of explaining the science behind DNA testing and what the various companies that provide the testing offer without losing the audience with the science.  Based on the question and answer period, he also did a good job of relating what types of genealogical problems that DNA test can and cannot solve.

Though I have already tested my DNA at two of the three major providers and was familiar with triangulation, I was able to glean some ideas from this presentation.

I was particularly interested to hear him describe his method's of using DNA testing to solve brick wall problems.  I was familiar with his blog, but it was nice to hear him in person.  I kept hoping I would recognize one of the family names he would mention.

The best quote I heard from him was the maxim that "human beings are not renewable resources" in relationship to the fact that we need to gather DNA from older living relatives now before they are gone.  Their DNA might hold the keys to unlocking family mysteries you are trying to solve.  Dr. Lacopo stressed that genetic genealogy is a numbers game, the more people with known relationships you have tested the better.

Key takeaways from the presentation were:

  • DNA testing is a numbers game; the higher the % of matching DNA, the more definitive the relationship
  • Size does matter; the larger the segment of DNA you share with a match, the more likely you received the segment from a common ancestor
  • More is better; the more people you test with a known relationship the better
  • Triangulate and map; once you identify your most recent common ancestor (MRCA) and confirm with another that match on a particular segment


Dr. Lacopo gave some tips regarding the numbers game of DNA testing - that any match over 0.3% is a big deal and that any matching segment longer than 10 cM (centimorgans) has a 99% change of being identical-by-descent, meaning a definite match.  He suggested that you focus on those matches rather than the smaller matches, even thought the DNA testing companies pull in results as low as 7 cM.

The presentation inspired me to work anew on my DNA genealogy, and strive to map out the research plan for the problems I want to solve and seek out cousins to have tested.  I have started compiling my own spreadsheets of DNA matches, and was impressed to see his color-coded DNA segments that he had identified as belonging to certain family names.

This was my first interaction with one of the "rock star" genealogists, and I must say that I was impressed.  I would highly recommend attending one of Dr. Lacopo's presentations if you have the opportunity, and this was a great program put on on by the historical society.

A bonus was that one of the members of the society brought their pedigree fan chart to the presentation and by glancing at it, I noticed we have several points of connection on my mother's side.  I handed him my business card and hope we can begin corresponding soon.

Surname Saturday : Generation Seven

For this edition of Surname Saturday, I'm going to list generation seven of my family tree in hopes of making a connection.  Many times people find my blog through Google searches, and I'm hoping to reach more cousins.  If you are related to any of these families, I'd love to hear from you.

Generations 1 through 6

Generation 7
64. JACOB LEMASTERS : born 21 Mar 1770 in Pennsylvania; married circa 1794; died 21 Sep 1852 in Shelby Co., Ohio.
65. HANNAH ________ : born 30 Sep 1778 in Pennsylvania; died 16 Jun 1849 in Shelby Co., Ohio.
66. PHILLIP YOUNG : born 11 Oct 1787 in Berkeley Co., Virginia (West Virginia); married circa 1806; died 29 May 1850 in Shelby Co., Ohio.
67. NANCY ANN McLANE : born circa 1790 in Berkely Co., Virginia (West Virginia); died May 1825 in Ohio.
68. NATHANIEL CHEW : born 10 Nov 1786 in Gloucester Co., New Jersey; married circa 1812 in New Jersey; died 24 January 1866 in Mahaska Co., Iowa.
69. MARY WEST : born 17 Jun 1795 in New Jersey; died 27 Feb 1848 in New Jersey.
70. ABEL B. WOOLSTON : born 1797 in Burlington Co., New Jersey; married 11 Sep 1819 in Burlington Co., New Jersey; died 12 Jan 1834 in Burlington Co., New Jersey.
71. RACHEL WOOLSTON : born 19 Apr 1800 in Burlington Co., New Jersey; died 11 Sep 1851 in Burlington Co., New Jersey.
72. HEINRICH "Henry" WHERLEY : born circa 1776 in York Co., Pennsylvania; died 15 Jan 1846 in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio.
73. CHRISTENA SAUBEL : born circa 1775 in Pennsylvania; died 19 Dec 1872 in Jefferson Twp., Tuscarawas Co., Ohio.
74. GEORGE PETRY : born 1 Aug 1762 in Strausberg, Germany; married circa 1785; died 1 Jun 1823 in York Co., Pennsylvania.
75. MARY CATHARINA KALTREIDER : born 13 Sep 1762; died 15 Apr 1815 in York Co., Pennsylvania.
76. JACOB SMITH : born circa 1792 in New Jersey; married circa 1812; died 18 Oct 1866 in Hardin Co., Iowa.
77. JANE ELLIOTT : born circa 1792 in George; died after 14 Jun 1860 in Hardin Co, Iowa.
78. JESSE MAXSON : born 8 Oct 1772 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., New Jersey; married 23 Feb 1797 in Harrison Co., Virginia (West Virginia); died 24 Mar 1851 in Clark Co., Ohio.
79. SARAH SUTTON : born 3 Jan 1779 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., New Jersey; died 18 Mar 1863 in Clark Co., Ohio.
84. DAVID SHERICK : born circa 1787 in Pennsylvania; married before 1823; died 22 Feb 1874 in Ashland Co., Ohio.
85. EVE ________ : born circa 1785 in Pennsylvania; died 31 Mar 1862 in Ashland Co., Ohio.
86. DAVID JACOBS : born 3 Oct 1796 in York Co., Pennsylvania; married circa 1817; died 20 Jun 1857 in Wayne Co., Ohio.
87. BARBARA BYERS : born 5 Jan 1798 in Warrington Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania; died 4 Dec 1874 in Congress Twp., Wayne Co., Ohio.
90. NICHOLAS YOUNG : born 1790 in France; married in 1813; died 1855 in Jay Co., Indiana.
91. SALOME ________ : born circa 1793 in France; died 3 Sep 1887 in Jay Co., Indiana.
92. SELAH MOULTON : born 28 Oct 1790 in Rutland Co., Vermont; married circa 1815 Vermont; died 24 Nov 1848 in Licking Co., Ohio.
93. LYDIA FINEL : born 21 Feb 1796 in Rutland Co., Vermont; died 3 Dec 1869 in Licking Co., Ohio.
94. JOEL PHILBRICK : born 24 Apr 1784 in Dracut, Massachusetts; married in 1808; died 1 March 1846 in Licking Co., Ohio.
95. SALLY FOX : born 27 Aug 1788 in Centre Harbor, New Hampshire; died 1868 in Johnstown, Licking Co., Ohio.
96. JOHN WRIGHT : born 4 Nov 1814 in Pleasant Twp., Clermont Co (now Brown Co.), Ohio; married 9 Sep 1834 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 10 Jun 1890 in Brown Co., Ohio.
97. ANNA WARDLOW : born 23 Apr 1816 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 4 Oct 1893 in Brown Co., Ohio.
98. JAMES R. HEATON : born 1 Apr 1805 in Ohio; married 2 Jul 1829 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 9 Apr 1885 in Schuyler Co., Missouri.
99. ELIZABETH JACOBS : born 30 Jun 1811 in Adams Co., Ohio; died 29 Jun 1889 in Schuyler Co., Missouri.
100. WILLIAM KING : born circa 1790 in North Carolina; married before 1816; died 7 May 1869 in Wabash Co., Indiana.
101. SARAH SULLIVAN : born 19 May 1777 in Taneytown, Carroll Co., Maryland; died 14 Jan 1872 in Madison Co., Indiana.
102. WILLIAM SHAW : born 28 Jan 1800 in Pennsylvania; married 29 Aug 1822 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 25 Sep 1849 in Madison Co., Indiana.
103. MARY HECK : born 13 Mar 1803 in Ohio; died 12 Aug 1890 in Madison Co., Indiana.
104. FRANCIS S. PIERCE : born 8 Jun 1806 in Vermont; married 25 Oct 1831 in Wayne Co., Indiana; died 5 Aug 1881 in Wayne Co., Indiana.
105. REBECCA PAGE : born 18 Aug 1806 in New Jersey; died 26 Jun 1893 in Wayne Co., Indiana.
106. ELIAS GROENENDYKE : born 20 May 1818 in Fayette Co., Indiana; married 28 Jul 1839 in Fayette Co., Indiana; died 23 May 1906 in Darke Co., Ohio.
107. NANCY JENKINS : born 1817 in North Carolina; died 11 May 1856 in Madison Co., Indiana.
108. GEORGE WASHINGTON PENISTEN : born 1813 in Pike Co., Ohio; died before 1860 in Madison Co., Indiana.
109. SARAH MUSTARD : born circa 1816 in Ohio.
110. RICHARD ALDERMAN : born 1810 in Kentucky; married circa 1840; died after 1870 in Madison Co., Indiana.
111. ELIZA ________ : born between 1820-1825.
112. JOHN LAMBERTSON : born circa 1800 in New Jersey; married 6 Jul 1822 in Belvidere, Sussex Co. (now Warren Co.), New Jersey; died Oct 1875 in Farmersville, Montgomery Co., Ohio.
113. SARAH A. WILLSON : born circa 1804 in New Jersey; died 21 Dec 1881 in Ohio.
114. JAMES COOK : born circa 1813 in Virginia.
115. MARY ________ : born circa 1814 in Virginia.
116. JOHN T. BEALS : born 25 Jun 1827 in Clinton Co., Ohio; married 19 Apr 1848 in Westfield, Hamilton Co., Indiana; died 18 Sep 1917 in Sheridan, Hamilton Co., Indiana.
117. MARY DAVIS : born 9 Sep 1825 in North Carolina; died 18 Jul 1909 in Cicero, Hamilton Co., Indiana.
118. ISAAC S. POE : born 20 Aug 1830 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; married 11 Aug 1855 in Monrovia, Morgan Co., Indiana; died 20 Nov 1909 in Norton, Norton Co., Kansas.
119. HANNAH MILLS : born 9 Jan 1833 in Morgan Co., Indiana; died 9 Mar 1914 in Norton, Norton Co., Kansas.
124. AUSTIN DAVIS : born circa 1824 in Indiana; married 9 Feb 1850 in Monroe Co., Indiana; died bet. Nov 1850 and Aug 1851 in Monroe Co., Indiana.
125. FANNY REYNOLDS : born circa 1830 in Indiana; died 2 Feb 1883 in Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana.
126. PETER KIRKPATRICK SWAFFORD : born 12 Jun 1827 in Mississippi; married 3 Apr 1853 in Owen Co., Indiana; died 1885 in Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana.
127. MARY ANN CROCKETT : born 1835 in Owen Co., Indiana; died 1865.

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.