Query: Terry; Foster; Brown

Query:

 

I’m very interested in reading more in the blog and would like to add information about my family link.

My g-g-g-grandfather is Ansel Terry married to g-g-g-grandmother Elizabeth Foster and as a widower to Lydia Brown.

One of his sons, David Nelson Terry (my great-great-grandfather) married his second wife Ruth Blackburn Scott and are the parents of My great-grandfather Rev. Lewis (Lute) Sherman Terry who married my great-grandmother Harriet “Hattie” Elizabeth Curtis

And they are parents of my grandfather Jesse Wall Terry who married my grandmother Ruth Adell Nesmith.

I’m new to genealogy research and am excited to find any family links.

Thank you,
Cathy Lowe Clark

cathyleeclark@gmail.com

NARA Field Trip and Land Records

While at NARA today, I thought I would see what Land Records looked like and what they were about. From a Webinar or discussion in 2nd Life, I had already identified 4 Land Records to look at, when ever I would have a chance to do so. Today was that day. I handed in my 4 requests and got 4 boxes in return. One was not what I requested and it was too late to get it pulled in time. Maybe “next time”.

This blog post won’t be on the specific details of what I found, as I still need to look at all that I received. All are on my camera, and need time to spend with them. However, there was a lesson learned, for me at least.

I remember in the Second Life discussion on Inferential Genealogy, that we need to know the Records that we were looking at. These land records were one such lesson. My land records were AFTER 1909. But what had happened was that around 1907 (I think that was the date), the way that the Bureau of Land Management changed how these transactions were handled. This translates to how you request a Land Record to be pulled. I had, almost, the right information, in fact too much information, but the helpful gentlemen reviewed my form and corrected it.

All this to say, that it’s helpful to look at this or any record group and understand that group of records before going to NARA. That is helpful, but as I learned, the staff were really helpful to me. I’ll do better the next time.

While reading one of the records, the family farm, where my Grandfather was born was described. The Land holder was one of his brothers, but as I read the description of the farm, this is what I saw described.

Were my grandfather was born

In fact, the person in front of this building, is my Great-Grandmother. The detail in this record described this farm. It wasn’t this farm, but the description fit.

Another of these files, was another great-uncle’s fight and plea to keep his Land, as he had not been able to fulfill the requirements for the first two years of property ownership.

It will take some time to really digest all that was included in these three file, but I need to do some more research ABOUT these documents and what was behind the plea to keep the land. What were the “rules”? Or as I recall from Inferential Genealogy, Know the records that you are looking through.

Visit to NARA

After a short nap, following a very busy day, I thought I would share some of my first Visit to NARA, National Archives and Records Administration. Having and experienced NARA visitor as guide was awesome.

Lessons Learned:

• Go with another experienced researcher
• Good Preparation
• Expect some “down time”
• Don’t get overwhelmed

Prior to our trip to Washington, D.C., I spent some time on the NARA website. http://www.archives.gov – It was helpful to read as much about the visit as possible, like the link for Genealogist http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/ or Planning your visit http://www.archives.gov/research/start/plan-visit.html, signing up for a Researcher Card, orientation were helpful.

There are many other helpful links on those pages in preparation for the visit.

The next thing, for me at least, was to have what exactly I was looking for. (a short list)

Determine how you are going to record what you are going to be looking at and what you want to capture from the material that you will find. If you look at the “allowed” list of things you can take “into Room 203″ is long on Electronic / Digital devices.

Check out what records or record groups that you want to look at. Remembering that you can’t just walk up to a shelf a pick something out. For me, I wanted ONE thing, but had 4 other items to look at. My goal was to pull my Great-Grandfather’s pension file. Thanks to Dear MYRTLE, I had the one number I needed for that record. Not seeing much in the past, about any pension files from other family genealogist, my expectations for material was low. So, I did have a short list of Land Records to look at, from the Bureau of Land Management. My Great-Grandfather’s children showed up on 4 BLM records, so I wanted to see what was included in them. I hadn’t looked at any of those records.

I did spend a number of hours, in preparation for the trip, I had information on what I wanted to put, but kept the list small. That was my way of trying not to be overwhelmed and for the preparation for the trip.

The next piece what a briefing from an experienced NARA Researcher, my cousin, Dear MYTLE.

What was very helpful, was what really happens from the time you walk in the door until you see the first item that you went to NARA to see. What to expect or the details behind the links that I mentioned earlier. For example, what you go through when walking in the front door (or is that the back door — Oh yeah, the researcher door). Think airport security, but with very nice, helpful, no pat down, folks.

The next piece that Myrt told us about was the Researcher Card (see link above) and it’s orientation. I read it online before I left home and Patti read it on the way to DC. It wasn’t the same that you when through to get your Researcher Card, but the review made the required orientation go a little quicker.

Here is where the fine points of the visit came in handy. We almost had the timing down, but I missed it by about 5 minutes.

While you are in the area to get the Researcher Card, for first timers, you can have all of your paper work with you, your notes, etc, BUT there is a “pull time” schedule to be aware of. We were, we arrived but didn’t quite make the first Pull Time. Myrt did, but I just missed it. The Orientation and waiting for the Photo Researcher Card to be processed messed me up. But, in reality that was good news.

Card in hand, the filling out of a Pull Request form had to be filled out. I had that data in hand, not to much time to fill out, but just missed it. Patti followed in a few minutes, and not the “wait” begins. Since we had time, I used it to see if I could get these 4 Land Records. We had to go to a different part of the area where we were. Had some help filling out the right form for those records. There was always someone around to help. Very nice folk.

Forms filled out and turned in, we put our “stuff” (everything) into a locker. Camera’s in hand, we were ready for Room 203. But, since we had about 45 minutes before anything would be ready for us, we visited the Library in the same area. I am not sure that “library” was the right term for that area, but there were books. I wondered through to see what was there. The best example was a book that I found, that was probably the source for the information I found on Ancestry, on the Civil War Unit that my Great-Grandfather was in. Some books for Maryland and Pennsylvania, that I had seen referred to at some point in time, some City Directories, to name a few. Of interest to me, was that we were the only 3 people in the room. Guess that is not where the “good stuff” is.

The first “Pull” was about ready to be in Room 203, so we headed in that direction. I had a chance to meet, in person, someone from the Archives, that I had “met” in one of the 1940 Census Webinars that we did that first week. What an honor to meet Rebecca.

ROOM 203 – wow. It was about what I expected. We found a table for the 3 of us to get comfortable and ready to work. “Hurry up and wait” was the key word for Patti and I, but that was OK. Myrt picked up her “first” pull package. I watched what she did, for when my turn came. She reviewed (quickly) what she was looking at, then signed up for a ‘camera position’, where she could take pictures that is well lite and a way to mount the camera. Really cool.

To help speed things along, I helped turn the pages, while she operated the camera.

The second pull arrived …. now it’s time to get to work. I picked up my Samuel pension file. It was thicker then what I had expected. Patti got hers, opened it, and right on top was a Marriage Certificate. Dear MYRTLE turned ‘green’.

As my mentor did, I quickly looked through what was in the package and since the camera position was open, I started to take pictures. Probably took 100 photos. We get the details from those photos when I get home and have the time to really digest what I had in front of me.

Glancing at the pages that I helped Myrt with, and my own, and later when I took the pictures for Patti, the FAN concept came to mind. Many of the documents we looked at had Family, Acquaintances, and Neighbors names listed. More to follow up on later.

We took a lunch break, on a lower level of the building. Then back to work. My Land Records had arrived before lunch, and I went through one of them, and finished them after lunch. One of the 4 records was not the record that I wanted, but that was OK.

Observation: why were these folks, official looking, non-visitor badges walking around? Besides being very friendly, and helpful, were making sure that “we” were doing what we were to be doing. Of course, this was covered in the orientation. What wasn’t in the orientation was how nice they were, helpful, would answer any question. Added to the nice experience.

Another observation, was the number of younger folk in the room working on the records that are available at NARA. I’ll leave that as a mystery, but perhaps they were college folk doing research. Certainly there were other genealogist in the room, but I was curious as to who these other folk were.

I guess we were exhausted by now, camera’s full of new “stuff”, it was time to go home. The process was reversed, locker, then the door. Unlike an airport, we existed through security. Again, very nice folks, making the entire experience very pleasant.

All in all, a great day.

I am repeating:

Lessons Learned:

• Go with another experiened researcher
• Good Preparation
• Expect some “down time”
• Don’t get overwhelmed

Samuel Worthington on this day122 Years ago

Well, yesterday.

Dear MYRTLE found a Civil War Pension Record for Samuel Worthington, my Great-Grandfather. (1843-1897).

This is a card created when he file this Invalid Application on May 21, 1889. The application number is 705.908, Certificate 699.194. I hope to actually see the documents that this is referring to next week.

“Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934″, digital image, The National Archives (www.ancestry.com), accessed: 22 May 2012; citing  General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T288, 546 rolls. index for Samuel Worthington.

Follow Up on the Favor

This is a follow up to Returning a Favor

I was curious about information in the 1850 Census Record for Lewis Terry. Who was Ansel Terry (52)? I could guess that he was the father of Lewis, but I can’t work on guessing, need proof.

I found him in the 1880 Census as the father of the head of household, David N Terry. Could this be a brother of Lewis?

One hint for me, so far, is that this household didn’t move around much. At least from 1850 to 1800, so far. So, I took a leap to my next research space, Find-A-Grave, and did a search for Anesl (not a common first name, for me at least).

Ansel Terry, born Aug 10, 1797, died Jan 3, 1884 would work. The 1850 and 1880 birth dates are within reason. I found him buried at the McClary Cemetery, Coffey, Daviess County, Missouri. I found that Ansel was married to Elizabeth Foster Terry (1798-1845). That helped confirm, for me, as to Why Ansel was with Lewis in 1850 and Widowed as seen in the 1880 census.

Listed on this website, were Children Enos A Terry (1819 – 1897), Thomas F Terry (1821 – 1845) and David Nelson Terry (1825 – 1908). This is the household that Ansel was in, in the 1880 Census. The birth dates between the first two sons, has enough room for our Lewis to fit in, so we are still, in my mind, within reasonable parameters. There is also room for other children for Ansel and Elizabeth.

Looking at Elizabeth Foster Terry, another Child is Added, Robert Jackson Terry (1832 – 1897). That might be the SAME Robert J Terry we saw in the 43rd MIssouri. What I didn’t see on his memorial, was mention of he being in the Civil War.

Notes from Elizabeth’s memorial “Elizabeth Foster(May 25,1798-Feb.22,1845), married Ansel Terry on Aug.30,1815 in Hamilton Co.,OH. They had 6 children; some in Hamilton Co.,OH, some in Franklin”

This confirms that Ansel was born in Ohio, which the Census has indicated. And 6 Children. I have Enos, Thomas, David, Robert Jackson, and Lewis L Terry. Missing one.

Returning to the Cemetery Listing, there was Sgt Lewis L Terry and his wife Cynthia.

The notes for Sgt Lewis L Terry say “Note: Co. F, 43rd Missouri Infantry. Information courtesy: McClary Cemetery, Washington Twp., Daviess Co., Missouri, By S. Terry, 2006” and “Lewis 1st married Cynthia Hall on Dec.1,1836 in Dacatur Co.,IN. Married 2nd to America J.Kelly in 1885.” and “Lewis Louis Terry b,October 02, 1818 Hamilton,

Butler Co; Ohio [S/O Ansel Terry & Elizabeth Foster.]d.January 03, 1884 Davies Co, Missouri”

This helps confirm his two marriages and puts America J Terry into the picture as his 2nd wife. The dates are consistent with previously posted information.

Looking at  Cynthia (yet another spelling) memorial page I found “Note: W/o Lewis L. Terry. Information courtesy: McClary Cemetery, Washington Twp., Daviess Co., Missouri, By S. Terry, 2009”. Oh, and Dear MYRTLE has posted a memorial on this page.

The above memorials were:

Created by: One from many
Record added: Feb 20, 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 24775886 for Cynthia Terry

Find A Grave Memorial# 24775897 for Sgt Lewis L Terry

Find A Grave Memorial# 24775921 for Ansel Terry

So Cuz, Dear MYRTLE, a few more bread crumbs to help put this family together. Dates, places, and some consistent information may help.