Genealogy Do Over

What is a “Genealogy Do Over”?  Well, it is a learning program that I have been following.  A very well-known gentleman in the genealogy community has provided information on how to “do” genealogy correctly, such as citing your sources (which is the biggest failure that we have all done) to research strategies, organization, providing forms to help with your research, etc.  His name is Thomas McEntee and he has a group on Facebook specific to the Genealogy Do Over and can be found here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogydoover/.  You can also check out the following page on his blog where he further explains what this is about and why he started this group:  http://www.geneabloggers.com/tag/genealogy-do-over/.

On the Facebook page if you look under the "Files" tab, there are the weekly things to "do over" with your genealogy all listed in PDF format per week.  This is a 13 week plan that is now in its 4th Cycle for the year.  It is currently on Cycle 4, Week 1 so this is a great time to check out the information.  There are also free forms to download (submitted by both Thomas McEntee and the people that are following his “Do Over” plan).  The Group provides you a chance to ask questions about, as well as learn information about, the different aspects you are presented with for each week.

This is what Thomas McEntee put on his blog which kind of explains what the Genealogy Do Over is all about:

“Back on 15 December 2014, I made a big announcement: I was getting rid of 20+ years of past genealogy research and starting over. Some people said I was crazy. Some people said the idea was just “stupid” and wasteful.

But almost 10,000 genealogists and family historians have either been actively participating in this crazy project or have followed it over at the Genealogy Do-Over Facebook Group. Many have said that they finally have a methodology and format for research that they can live with AND that can bring them results.

Still more have taken the collaborative effort to heart and have shared their own work, their own templates as well as tips and tricks. The Genealogy Do-Over has been as close to a “genealogy hack-athon” and an exercise in group problem solving as I could want.

With all of the organization I have been doing as a result of this project, I can now find things instead of spending hours trying to locate information in different areas of my home.  I only have one (1) more family line to fill out Family Groups Sheets on in an effort to see what types of information I don’t have so I can more easily find that information  The family I have left  is the Scott side of my family (my mother’s ancestors).  I have located information on the Internet going back several generations, however, we all know not to take the Internet for granted.  I will need to prove the existence of each of those family members and try to locate their birth, marriage, and death information to try and prove that connection.

Please head on over to Thomas McEntee’s Blog or Facebook page and I highly suggest joining his group on Facebook if you want to learn how to do genealogy correctly the first time so you don’t end up like me.  I had information spread all over the place that contained no source citations and couldn’t find any documents I needed when I needed them (and of course couldn’t find the place where I got that information since the source citation wasn’t listed).  Source citations are used in an effort to allow others to find your information for themselves should they look at or copy your documentation.  Documents with source citations are considered “facts”.  Documents without source citations are considered “possible facts” which need to be explored further by a genealogist to find “facts” (and make sure you provide source citations to those documents when you find them).

Some documents and sources are considered “Primary” and others are considered “Secondary”.  Primary sources are those documents that were created by someone who was at the event when it happened (Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, diary pages, etc.) and Secondary sources are those documents where someone different supplied the information (such as Birth Date and Place of Birth on a Death Certificate).  Most likely, the person supplying that information was not there at their birth and only provided information they were “told”.  That documentation needs to be supported by other documentation (preferred Primary source) to be considered “fact”.

I digress, and I apologize.  I have learned so much from the genealogy community and I enjoy sharing my knowledge.  I wish you the best of luck in your search for ancestors!  I will continue “Searching for Ancestors” myself when the opportunity arises, and will post information as I locate it.

Growing Up in Hume, Missouri

Guy Calvin Scott and Cora Viola Main (my maternal grandparents) lived in Hume, Missouri both prior to and after they were married.  I am unsure when they moved away from Hume, however, I do know they lived in North Platte, Nebraska in 1958.  I had some general questions about growing up in Hume.  About a year ago, I had a chance to ask one of my living uncles some of those questions.

Me:  Do you remember how many acres of land you had?

Uncle:  We had 80 acres.

Me:  Did you remember what kind of livestock you had?

Uncle:  We had hogs, cows and chickens.

This discussion brought back other memories that my uncle shared with me so very few questions were asked after that.  The stories just started flowing, and I started writing.  When I refer to “my uncle” in the following stories, it is my living uncle who provided them.

My uncle said he rode a horse to school in the 1^st grade because they lived about 5 miles from the school.

My youngest uncle once traded a sick chicken for a bag of flour for his mom (Cora Viola Main).

My uncle would shoot rabbits because he could sell them for .25cents and a box of shells was .35cents, so if he shot two (2) rabbits, the extra money was “gravy”.

My uncle would trade a chicken for a bologna roll.

There was no running water in Hume.  They had a well that they would pump water from.  Their well would go dry every year, but would seep enough water at night to water the animals the next day.

Guy’s father (Thomas Green Scott, my great grandfather) would sit on the porch while the rest of the family tended to the farm.  My uncle said he had heard stories from him about how good he was at farming and how fast he could get things done, but never saw him help out any.  He was disappointed that when help was needed, Thomas would not pitch in and provide any.

One day, Thomas and my uncle were talking outside when a bird flying overhead decided to poop.  The poop fell straight into Thomas’ shirt pocket where he kept his chew.  Thomas calmly went inside the house, got a rifle, came outside and started shooting birds out the sky.  This story caused great laughter from both of us!

These are the type of family stories I enjoy listening to.  I can only hope that I am able to get more stories like this in the future.  I have no older family members on my paternal side still living, however, I am happy I am able to learn things like this from my maternal side of the family.

Memorial Service For Dad

Jerry Eneau Modrell was born April 27, 1928 and left this life on December 25, 1999.  He lived in Pharr, Texas at the time and I drove over 900 miles to be with him when his Doctor said it was time to come down as he was deteriorating quickly.

There was a funeral in Texas, but the only person I knew there was my stepmother.  It was very impersonal for me and I was in shock and don’t remember much.  She had him cremated, which is not what I wanted, however, it worked out for the best as his ashes are now with me and I don’t have to go over 900 miles to “visit” him or lay flowers.  He is right here with me at all times, which has provided me with comfort over the years.

I decided to hold a Memorial Service for my dad on April 27, 2000, which would have been his 72^nd birthday.  I wanted something a little more personal that would provide me a chance to say some good things about the man who raised me.  I had been struggling in a bad way since his passing.  At that service (which was very small and informal), I decided to speak about my dad.  The following words were spoken at the service:

  

“When my dad laughed, his whole face would light up.  When he was mad, the whole world could see it.  His face would curl up and that finger would start pointing.

My dad was also my mom during my growing up years.  I think he did a great job.  He was the #1 man in my life.

His favorite story to tell was one dealing with his childhood.  He wanted one of those red pull wagons real bad.  Grandma and Grandpa Modrell couldn’t afford a red one, but they did buy him a blue wagon for Christmas.  He was really disappointed but promised himself that someday, he would have a little red wagon.  He kept that promise and in 1971 he bought a brand new Ford Stationwagon.  Red.  He told everyone that he finally got his little red wagon.  To expand on the story, in July of last year I started driving him around to look for a car.  We went everywhere, but nothing was just right.  The big truck he had was getting to be too much to handle for him and too hard to get in and out of.  One day I called him from work to make plans for dinner.  He told me he bought a new car today.  I asked what he got.  For about the next 20 minutes, all he could say was, “I bought a little red wagon”.  “A Stationwagon?” I asked.  “Nope, I bought a little red wagon”.  “A Navigator?” I asked.  (That is what he really wanted).  “Nope, I bought a little red wagon”.  I guessed everything, or so I thought.  Finally he said, “Does a Sedan Deville mean anything to you?”  I said, “You bought a Cadillac?”  He said, “I got my little red wagon”.  It was a beautiful car and he was so very proud of it.  When he passed away, he was still the proud owner of a “little red wagon”.

My dad loved to read.  He read every day.  When I was growing up in the early to mid 70’s, we got a new set of encyclopedias.  I remember my dad reading them.  He read the whole set from A Page 1 to the last page in Z.  He read all the time.  He loved learning and he learned by reading.

My dad loved to travel and we went on vacations often as I was growing up.  When he retired, he went on the road for good.  He would always say, “In 1986, I got married, retired, threw up my hands and ran away from home”.

My dad knew everything.  He could also fix anything.  Okay, there were two (2) exceptions.  He let me borrow his 35mm camera the summer before I started photography at Vo-Tech, just to get used to it.  It had to have been the first one out on the market.  It was ancient.  One day it just quit working in the middle of a roll of film.  He said he’d fix it.  He took it apart.  He had the little parts neatly arranged on paper towels lining the top of this desk.  The problem?  With 10 billion parts, he couldn’t get it back together.  The other exception was a lawn mower that also had to have been the first motorized one on the market.  One spring it rained like crazy and the grass grew and grew and grew.  I tried to cut it before he came back for the summer.  I blew the engine, but only half way.  When he “fixed” it, it completely blew.

My dad loved life.  He also loved his family, antique vehicles, the trucks he owned, and the Colorado Mountains.  He also loved sweets.  His favorites were tootsie rolls, Oreo cookies, 3 Musketeers bars, Hershey Kisses, pinwheel cookies, hostess cupcakes, and banana cream pie.

My dad was diagnosed with cancer in July 1998.  He had several surgeries, but they couldn’t get it all.  He went through radiation and we were hopeful.  He thought he could beat this thing.  He fought the good fight for a year and a half.  He never complained of pain, he would just say he was uncomfortable.  In the end, the cancer won.

My dad was everything to me and I miss him terribly.  Happy Birthday Dad, I Love You.”

The "Good Old Days"?

I found this interesting article on the Internet today.  I always wondered what life was like in the “good old days”, but after reading this, was it really the “good old days”?  You have to wonder.  I hope enjoy this article, it can found here:  http://historyhappenshere.org/archives/7698.

Missouri Listory: 10 Reasons the Gilded Age Wasn’t So Gilded

19, June 2015

Missouri Listories

We are introducing a new column called "Missouri Listory," which explores our vast historical collections and features them in lists of wide-ranging topics. Our first post in this column was inspired by our current exhibit, A Walk in 1875 St. Louis. Although the era was known as the Gilded Age, we bring you 10 reasons why living in 1875 wasn't so wonderful.

1. 72-hour work weeks
Not only was it common to have such a demanding schedule, but also you would have been grateful to have it! The average work week for a laborer in 1875 consisted of six 12-hour days, with Sundays off. Most unskilled or semi-skilled workers toiled for about 20 cents an hour (about $4.45 today), and 9 out of 10 Americans died without any substantial property to pass on to family.

Meat for sale on a counter in St. Louis, early 1900s. Missouri History Museum.

2. “Fresh” was a loose term.
In 1875, St. Louis police seized more than 57,000 pounds of meat that was moldy, diseased, or rotting from market vendors who were still trying to sell it. One in 20 pieces of meat for sale in St. Louis markets had a living parasitic worm infestation. Without refrigeration, meat rotted just hours after an animal was butchered. St. Louis Ladies Magazine recommended immediately searing the outside of any purchased meat to make it last a day or so longer.

Three-story outhouse shared by 12 families. Missouri History Museum.

3. Fewer than 1 in 5 homes had indoor toilets.
When nature called for the other unfortunate folks, they trudged out to their rickety backyard outhouse, which was sometimes shared with other families. These outhouses were often mere feet away from the family’s backyard well, which served as their source of drinking water. St. Louis health officer Arthur Barrett referred to backyard outhouses as “temples of indecency.”

4. In the late 1800s it was estimated that 10% to 15% of the American population had syphilis.
Need we say more?

5. The wafting aromas of Schaeffer’s Soap and Candle Works…
If you’re thinking of the pleasant scents wafting from a cozy candle store, think again. Schaeffer’s Soap and Candle Works at Washington Avenue and 20th Street was such a powerful punch in the nose that 1875-ers refused to build their homes within blocks of the company. The plant took in dead animals, bones, leftover food from hotels, and spoiled meat from butcher shops, then boiled it all together to extract tallow—hardened fat that is solid at room temperature—for candle making. Schaeffer’s was just one of many factories contributing to the unfathomable stench drifting over 1875 St. Louis.

6. Hurt on the job? Tough noogies, pal.
1875 St. Louis was a world with no Social Security, Medicare, health insurance, workers’ comp, or retirement plans. Dangerous low-wage labor jobs came and went daily and getting injured likely meant you were out of a job with nothing more than a kick out the door. Many a family fallen on hard luck wound up in a single-room tenement.  It may have been the most terrifying time in their lives.

Men standing in front of a saloon at Gravois Avenue and Kingshighway. Photograph in 1897. Missouri History Museum.

7. Walking into the wrong saloon could quickly cost you more than a drink.
The 1875 St. Louis City Directory lists nearly 1,200 saloons (one per 100 drinking-age men), and some were certainly not for the faint of heart. They attracted a rough cast of characters that included thieves, gamblers, prostitutes, fortune tellers, and drunkards, and they were known to be a great place to go if you wanted to get in a fight or have your pockets lightened. An 1875 contemporary said of the riverfront saloons on Almond Street: “The luckless stranger that falls into these social pits may consider himself quite fortunate if he gets out without broken bones.”

8. Tricksters prowled the city looking for naïve “greenies.”
1875 St. Louis had no shortage of swindlers trying to fool “greenies,” as rural folks new to the big city were known. In May 1875 a trickster made more than $5,500 by selling fake property in an imaginary town called Vineland, Illinois. He claimed the town needed residents and if St. Louisans just paid a $2.25 notary fee, a lot in Vineland would be theirs. He sold 2,500 phony lots over three days and then vanished, never to be seen again.

Dr. Hezekiah E. Depp's dental extraction kit containing picks and pliers. Missouri History Museum.

9. Dr. Hezekiah E. Depp’s Dental Kit
If a trip to the dentist strikes fear in your heart today, be glad you were not alive in 1875. Without electric tools, sterilization, numbing agents, or anesthesia, the dentist’s office was the definition of dread. Preventative dentistry was almost nonexistent, and the cure-all for any tooth problem was extraction. This dental kit displays 145 picks, pokers, and pliers used by St. Louis dentist Hezekiah E. Depp. Many of the tools feature exotic materials like ivory and mother of pearl, which would have been much harder to sterilize than metal and may have led to further infections.

10. Committed a crime? Say hello to the County Workhouse.
Besides the city jail, criminals in 1875 were also sent to the St. Louis Workhouse at Broadway and Meramec streets. The workhouse’s main function was supplying crushed limestone for city streets. All day long, inmates toiled “making little stones out of big ones.” Women were sentenced to the workhouse right beside men, and in 1875 alone more than 1,100 women picked up their hammers and headed to the rock yards.

2015 isn’t looking so bad now, is it?

A Walk in 1875 St. Louis is open through February 14, 2016.

The Internet Does Not Have Everything (Yet)!

Genealogists are told that the Internet does not have all the information we may need for our family history.  I had always thought it had more to do with specific records and not just general information.  I was so wrong!

I have read lots of information on how to get the most out of my searches, how to conduct search parameters to locate information I may need, and how to use wild cards to expand my search.  I tried hundreds of searches over the last two (2) weeks to try and find some information.  I have had absolutely no luck at all.  Let me explain what I was looking for.

Leona Frances Scott (my mother) graduated from Tunas High School in Tunas, Missouri on April 30, 1953.  I wanted to find out more about the High School, see an image of it, and learn the history of the school so I could provide information in this blog post, and not just an image of the diploma my mother received.  Unfortunately, since I found nothing about the school, I have no information of any value to add.

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census is the last one available to the public.  It shows Leona’s family located in Howard County, Missouri (which later became Bates County), which includes the town of Hume, which is where they lived.  I always wondered why she went to Tunas High School in Tunas, Missouri since it is located about 20 miles northeast of Butler, Missouri which is 31 miles northeast of Hume.  Seems like a long way to go just to get to school.  I called a living uncle last weekend to see if he remembered why she went to a school that was almost 60 miles away from home, and I learned some enlightening information.

At some point after the 1940 U.S. Federal Census was taken, they moved to Brighton, Colorado.  Then, at some point prior to her graduation in 1953, they moved to Butler, Missouri (he thought they lived there a couple of years prior to her graduation).  This makes a lot more sense since Tunas is only about 20 miles away!  I just assumed (and we all know what that means), that they still lived in Hume!

Since there was no information on the school to be found on the World Wide Web, I will need to go to the local library or historical society to see if they have any information that can be gleaned from local records.  When I find additional information, I will be sure to pass on the information, which will hopefully also include a photo of the school, in a later post that will link back to this one.  Below is a photo of the diploma she received.

Leona Frances Scott
High School Diploma
April 30, 1953

Guy Calvin Scott/Cora Viola Main-1930 US Federal Census

The 1930 Census tells us whether or not each family had a radio.  Can you imagine life without a radio these days?  Radio = Music and music plays an important role in most of our lives.  Stay tuned to see if Guy and Viola Scott had a radio (see column #9).

This census also tells us whether each person is able to read and write (see column #17).

This census is very interesting in that it also provides whether or not the person was a veteran of the US Military or Naval Forces mobilized for any war or expedition and which war or expedition (see columns #30/31).  Guy Calvin Scott was in WWI, however, the information provided to the Census Taker states he was not a veteran.  We can't always rely on information to be correct.  In the case of the census - it all depends on who provided the information.  Did that person not know he was in WWI or did they just opt to not provide that information?  We will never know.

Also, if you notice, my mother (Leona Frances Modrell) is not listed in this census as she was not born yet.

I enjoy looking at the census information.  Sometimes you learn a little something about your ancestors and sometimes you see erroneous information (as in the veteran status).  Stay tuned to find out more about my Grandpa and Grandma Scott.

1930 US Federal Census
Guy Calvin Scott and Cora Viola Main

State - Missouri; County - Bates; Township - Howard; Incorporated Place – Blank; Ward of City – Blank; Block No. - Blank; Unincorporated Place - Blank; Institution - Blank; Supervisor's District No. - 10; Enumeration District No. – 7-13; Enumerated By Me On – April 29, 1930; Sheet – 4A; Enumerator – Mrs. Bertha Riley.

Line No. 27

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – 85; 4 - 85; 5 - Scott, Guy E.; 6 - Head; 7 – Rented; 8 - Blank; 9 - Radio; 10 - Yes; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 37; 14 - M; 15 – 27; 16 - No; 17 - Yes; 18 - Kansas; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Kansas; 21 - Blank; Code - 70, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Yes; 25 - Farmer; 26 - Farming; Code - Blank; 27 - O; 28 – Yes; 29 – Blank; 30 - No; 31 - Blank; 32 - 84

Line No. 28

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, Viola.; 6 - Wife; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - F; 12 - W; 13 - 32; 14 - M; 15 – 22; 16 - No; 17 - Yes; 18 - Missouri; 19 - Missouri; 20 - Kansas; 21 - Blank; Code - 66, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Yes; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Line No. 29

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, Thomas.; 6 - Son; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 8; 14 - S; 15 – Blank; 16 - Yes; 17 - Yes; 18 - Kansas; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Missouri; 21 - Blank; Code - 70, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Yes; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Line No. 30

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, William.; 6 - Son; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 3; 14 - S; 15 – Blank; 16 - No; 17 - No; 18 - Missouri; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Missouri; 21 - Blank; Code - 66, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Line No. 31

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, Jason.; 6 - Son; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 1; 14 - S; 15 – Blank; 16 - No; 17 - No; 18 - Missouri; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Missouri; 21 - Blank; Code - 66, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Grandpa Modrell Fails School?!?! But Wait - There's More...

I was researching at the Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society Library in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.  They have some great records and I highly encourage anyone who is researching their roots from Northwest Missouri to go and see the very nice and extremely helpful staff of this small library – but don’t let the size fool you because they have records on three levels, however, you need to ask assistance for the records on the top and bottom levels.

I happened to inquire about old school records since both my grandparents on my father’s side went to school in the area.  I didn’t know which school my grandpa attended, but I had discovered that my grandma attended Lafayette High School, but didn’t know where she went prior to that.

The Librarian went to the basement and came back with a very large book that says School Record 1921 (written in marker on side), and she informed me it was located on the east side of the basement (in case I want to look at it again).  I thumbed through that massive, moldy smelling and fragile old book until I located a page that provided the following information:

School is Ebenezer

Harry Modrell

Age 15

Address is Saxton

Spelling - 57

Reading - 25

Writing - 80

Arithmetic - 55

Grammar - 75

Physiology - 64

Geography - 68

US History - 53

Average - 59 5/8

Remarks - F (Failed)

I was so shocked!!  We are taught that our elders know everything – right?  I was so intrigued that I had to keep turning the pages to see if he quit school at that point.  So, I finally found the following information which answered my question:

School is Ebenezer

Harry Modrell

Age is 16

Address is Saxton

Teacher is Ruth Dyer

Spelling - 75

Reading - 80

Writing - 87

Arithmetic - 89

Grammar - 75

Geography - 83

US History - 80

Agriculture - 81

Average - 81

Remarks – Passed

How awesome is that?!?!  He not only continued with his school, but his grades improved immensely (look closely at the reading and arithmetic scores for both years)!  I also found a photo in the 1923 Wakitan (the Central High School Yearbook for his Junior Year) of the Mathematics Club - and he is in it!!  And that is not all - according to the 1940 US Federal Census, after graduating from Central High School in 1924, he completed two (2) years of college!!  I am so excited for him – I only wish he was around to ask which college he went to and what he was studying.  Just another record I need to try and find in my quest of Searching For Ancestors…

1924 Central High School Yearbook
Harry House Modrell, Senior

1923 Central High School Yearbook
Harry House Modrell, Junior