Inferential Genealogy Study Group in 2nd Life–Naming Conventions

One thing that has always interested me, is “Where did THAT name come from?”

As one of those who has always been known by my middle name, I try to find out the answer to that question.

It took me a while to find my grandfather in the 1900 Census, as I knew where he was, but couldn’t find him. I knew he was living with his grandparents, and I knew where. Not there.

BUT, then I remembered that his grandmother remarried. As soon as I did a search for her 2nd marriage surname, I found her and my grandfather AND where my middle name came from, as it hadn’t been used up until this point.

The same thing happened when I started to look for Ridgely Howard, as that is the only name I knew. But, both Ridgely and Howard were “my” surnames.

The piece that I learned in the past several days was a little about Southern Traditions of the use of First and Middle Names. Apparently, those in the ‘south’ interchanged First and Middle Names at will. Sometimes call by their middle name and sometimes called by their first name.

In this study, I have also found this to be true, or at least I thought so. In my my review of some of the mid 1800 census records, I saw a James McHenry Howard and a McHenry Howard. Both with the same birth year, which for census records, that may be a 3 year time span, and in the same town (Baltimore, Maryland).

The good news, in my genealogy database, I recorded them separately, but kept in the back of my mind, and made note about this that they may be the same person.

For a while, I thought that James McHenry just reported McHenry, as he might have been going by his middle name, like I do.

Early on, Dr. Jones reminded us (in my words) “don’t jump to conclusions”.

Understanding, or being aware of Naming “conventions” for a specific area or tradition, is something to keep in mind when trying to break down a brick wall.

When I come to a new “name”, one that is appearing for the first time, I ask myself that question: “Where did THAT name come from?”

Inferential Genealogy Study Group in 2nd Life–Why Read Wills

Here is another example of Expanding your research. I have, sort-a, read Wills in the past. They were interesting, but don’t normally read and record what I find in them.

This project reminded me of why I should read wills.

Doing a generic Google search for Charles Ridgely, believed to be a brother of David Ridgely OR the father of another Ridgely, I came across a link to the Maryland State Archives for “a” Charles Ridgely. The search results were “in the ball park” for what I was looking for. But, check the wording in the Will:

Quote:

Charles Ridgely of Hampton (1760-1829)
MSA SC 3520-1446

Governor of Maryland, 1816-1819 (Federalist)

December 6, 1760 in Baltimore as Charles Ridgely Carnan.  His uncle, Captain Charles Ridgely, willed his estate to him on the condition that he assume the name Charles Ridgely; he did so legally in 1790.  He was also known as Charles Ridgely of Hampton.

End Quote:

[ This information resource of the Maryland State Archives is presented here for fair use in the public domain. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: Rights assessment for associated source material is the responsibility of the user. ]

© Copyright March 31, 2011Maryland State Archives

It turned out that Carnan surname shows up in this line, so now I know “where that name came from”.

Learning: Read Wills

Inferential Genealogy Study Group in 2nd Life–Attend Webinars

Expanding our research is one of the ways we can find information to help us ready our goal in the process.

I attend Webinars frequently especially those that are presented or have Genea-Bloggers presenting about the topic of Genealogy. You never know what you might find while attending a webinar.

This evening I attended “DearMYRTLE’s A FEW GOOD SITES Workshop Webinar”. She was showing the participants various websites where we can do research.

She showed about 70 listeners a number of websites that she uses to pint out what you might find on each.

When Ancestry.com was brought up, she shared no only what you might find on this website, but then she opened up her Ancestry Member Tree. Please understand that she and I already have hints that we are related but haven’t spent a lot of time talking about it. We have done shared Webinars and other presentations, online, but her example, right there online, in the Webinar, the exact family line that I had been working on, figuring out relationships, the previous night. Just on her screen, in the webinar, were probably 10 of the same names that I was working on.

As she was presenting, I emailed her several pictures of the Church where that group of people attended.

We will continue to put the pieces together and it may be that in her records, SHE holds the key to help me reach the secondary goal of finding out who David Ridgely Howards grandfather was. I think his name was on that screen that she shared.

Here is a link to her Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com

Thanks DearMYRTLE and don’t forget to check into see what are up coming Webinars on this website: http://blog.geneawebinars.com/

 

Inferential Genealogy Study Group in 2nd Life–A New Resource

It has been apparent that there were Two Howard families in Baltimore. Better stated, I thought there were two, but hadn’t found anything to prove or disprove this. Some might call this Conflict Resolution. There may be a third, but I am not ready to go there yet.

I heard Thomas Jay Kemp say in a Webinar, “Don’t forget the Newspapers”. Oh yeah, I have said that here as well, but after listing to what GenealogyBank.com can provide us. Besides, I needed to look at some new records.

I was reminded that one of the Howards was in the Garrison Forrest section of Baltimore County, when I found a newspaper article about General John Eager Howard. He is one of the Revolutionary War people that I have found using the Revolutionary War records.

I have visited St. Thomas Episcopal Church Garrison Forrest a couple of years ago while doing some Worthington research. Later I have a talk for the Maryland Historical Society about a house “just down the road” in Worthington Valley. I have also Blogged about that house here, Montmorenci.

When I visited St. Thomas, I picked up the history of that Church, and low and behold  General Howard was listed in that book, as was the Worthington’s I had been researching.

The “conflict” was this Howard family from England in the mid to late 1600’s, being Anglican, or the Quaker Howards that came to the colonies much earlier.

From the information that I have on hand, and the information I have from this History book, I can but This Howard line aside for a while, because if may not be the same Howard Line that David Ridgely Howard is in.

Many of the names that I added to my database today are also mentioned in this book from St. Thomas Garrison Forrest. But that’s another story (for now)

If only I could find David R. Howard’s grandparents.

Maybe I need to look at some of my other Maryland books that are on my bookshelf.

Inferential Genealogy Study Group in 2nd Life–We’re Getting Close

Not connected all of the dot’s, but we are getting close. Remembering the David Ridgely Howard has two of my family surnames, Ridgely and Howard. Working my way back to the Revolutionary War ancestor of “Ridgely” I found the connection between the Howards and the Ridgely with a Ridgely, Col Henry Ridgely, Jr (1635 – 1710) buried in the same burial ground of my ancestor, Capt John Worthington (1607 – 1701). It is in the Saint Anne’s Burial Ground in Annapolis, Maryland.

I am not looking into my own family file, yet, but I think I am going to find at least one connection between David Ridgely Howard and Sarah Howard, Capt John’s wife.

But, I think there are other connections, as there are several other Surnames that I have found, along the way, that also link into my family file.