Genealogical Gems

I am so excited! The Lancaster Family History Conference is being held today, Friday 24 April and Saturday, 25 April in Lancaster County … and I am finally able to go!   Today I am attending an afternoon session: Behind the Scenes at the Genealogy Roadshow with D. Joshua Taylor. When the show came to Philly, I actually applied (yes, you have to apply to be on the show) but never heard from them. Of the various shows on television at the moment, I prefer this one because it is every day people, not stars who can manipulate the findings.   The two hour session, held at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, will cover the methodology used to verify or disprove family stories and claims. If I had been chosen, I had asked for help with my Still line.    My 4 th great grandmother, Margaret Still, has always been difficult. I was fortunate enough to become addicted to genealogy while my great Aunt Helen was still alive. She was – at that time –...

On This Day (19 December) in 1798 the Columbia docked in Philadelphia . This is according to a list titled Palatine German Immigrant Ships to Philadelphia 1796-1808 on RootsWeb. For more information on Palatine Germans and their immigration to America , visit Palatines to America online at https://www.palam.org/ .      On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events. I will make every effort to keep events localized to that of my research or research I am conducting for others. However, from time to time, it will simply be a subject that captured my attention. Some posts will be brief while others may be more detailed.

One organization trick I learned early on is that if I file it when I find/acquire it, then I stand a much better chance of it staying with the right family unit. I have my husband's ECKMAN line traced back to just before 1687 when Johannes Eckman was born in Germany. Since I trace not only the direct lineal line but also all the branches, you can imagine how many file folders I have used over the years! When I come across something that looks potentially keep-able but I just do not have time at the moment to deal with it, it then goes in the general surname folder. I have a folder for each and every direct lineal surname. Post it notes are my next best friend. If I do not write the thought when I have it, I may not get it back for months or even years. So today ... I am sifting through the Eckman folder. Most of the info in the folder is documentation that I just did not get put away yet. For example, I had some info on John Charles Eckman (hubby's grandfather) in there ...