backstorybloodhound

2026 Genealogy Education Activities

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 23:41:07 GMT

Make This Your Year!

Perhaps you would like to make 2026 the year to finally break through that annoying brick wall! With all the new technological and DNA tools now available to assist us, walls are crumbling every day. (I recently solved a mystery I had been working on since I was a teenager!) Yet it is hard to keep up with all the changes in the genealogy field. One of the keys is education. What are some of the educational opportunities available to us in 2026? Here are 10 – no, make that 11!

1) Pope County Historical Society – mark you calendars as our May 26 program will be on what resources are available for Pope County research including how to use the Pope County Historical Society website. Also included will be information on the Pope Pioneer program. Tuesday, May 26 ^th at 6 p.m. at the Museum in Golconda.

2) Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois – four events/dates to take note of – ilgssi.org

a) Saturday, March 14 – Darrel Dexter will be speaking on National Family Day at John A. Logan College. 10 a.m.

b) Saturday, April 25 – Rick Allen will be speaking at 10 a.m. on The One Word Key to Solving Most Brick Wall Problems

c) Saturday, June 27 – Lacy Thomas will be speaking at 10 a.m. on The Genealogical Holdings of the Metropolis Public Library

d) Saturday, August 15 – all day conference

3) Illinois State Genealogical Society Fall Conference will be Saturday, October 24 ^th in the St. Clair Co. area – watch the website www.ilgensoc.org for more details.

4) Ohio Genealogical Society Conference – April 29 – May 2 at the Sharonville (Ohio) Convention Center – this is a well-organized four-day event including workshops and presentations on a variety of topics. https://www.ogs.org/2026-conference/

5) National Genealogical Society Conference – May 27 to May 30 at Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Plan to go early or stay late to do research in the tremendous collection of the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library. (This is one I am planning on attending this year and taking advantage of the wonderful library as well!) https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/

6) Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy – www.slig.ugagenealogy.org – offers a variety of online courses throughout the year.

7) Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh – conducted by the National Genealogical Society. Offers intensive one-week courses on a variety of topics. Online courses are June 22 – 26 and in-person courses in Pittsburgh are July 12 – 17. I highly recommend this institute as I have attended both virtually and in-person and the quality of the education is tremendous. www.grip.ngsgenealogy.org

8) Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research – virtual courses July 26 – 31. Formerly known as the Sanford University Institute. Operated by the Georgia Genealogical Society.

High quality educational courses on a variety of topics. www.ighr.gagensociety.org

9) Rootstech – March 5 – 7 in person in Salt Lake City and available for free online – over 200 sessions to choose from. www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/registration

10) Legacy Family Tree Webinars – For a $49.99 subscription price per year, they offer live webinars and recorded genealogical educational presentations on a large variety of topics. www.familytreewebinars.com

11) And now for the ultimate – how about a genealogy cruise? In November 2026, Heritage Books owned by Craig Scott is offering a DNA Cruise – wow! The details are at:

https://heritagebooks.com/products/2026-cruise-conference-fee?srsltid=AfmBOop4Mz6rZgvQv3-20U4-AeR_b4nrf4RCzrm-nMrRAxV1456-3DH0 – I wish I was going on this one!

This merely scratches the surface of what is available. As someone once said, “If you always do what you always did, you will get what you always got!” So learn about new resources, develop new skills, use new tools and seek to break down your brick wall this year. If you have a question about educational opportunities, feel free to e-mail me at rick@backstorybloodhound.com . I hope to see you at a few of these events in 2026!

County Court Minutes

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:46:18 GMT

A Treasure Trove of Information on Our Ancestors

One of the most underused sources for genealogists doing 18 ^th , 19 ^th and 20 ^th century research are the county court minutes (sometimes called order books, journals, or commissioner’s records). These gems are usually unindexed or poorly indexed but they contain a world of information about our ancestors. They are the records of the county courts. (It is important to remember that cities/towns and municipalities kept these minutes as well). You will find them under various names. At each session of the court, every action taken by the court was recorded. Other books were also kept though not always extant – fee books, execution books, docket books, judgment books, etc.

What can you find in these books? A world of various details on your ancestors including:

1) Appointment of guardians for minor children

2) Orders to pay for the care of paupers who are named

3) Order to pay funeral expenses for paupers

4) References to individuals committed to mental institutions

5) Information on the establishment and maintenance of roads and bridges naming road supervisors/overseers and those required to work on the road in a specific area

6) Lists of jurors

7) Appointment of county officials and bonds for their offices

8) Lists of delinquent taxpayers often with notations such as “Indigent,” “Not found in county,” “Moved to Kentucky,” etc.

9) Licenses granted to professionals

10) Information on the establishment of school districts

11) Naturalizations

12) Information on slaves/freedmen

13) Records of adoption or formal apprenticeship

14) Registration of livestock brands/marks

15) Information on legal name changes

16) Information on individuals charged with crimes

In short, any business which the county or municipality conducted will be recorded here. It is important to note that these records are separate from the civil and criminal court records. These records typically pertain to the county/town courts regarding the collection and distribution of public funds.

With the recent experimental AI tool of FamilySearch, it has become easier to search these records for specific individuals if the records are on the FamilySearch website. ( www.familysearch.org ). I have also often been rewarded by searching page by page until I find something of interest which helps break through a brick wall while working in a particular county.

In Pope County, Illinois, the digitized original county court minutes through 1850 are available online on FamilySearch and as typed volumes on Pope County Historical Society website froom books published in the 1990s by Judy Foreman Lee and Carolyn Cromeenes Foss. Volunteers at the historical society are currently busy scanning the records after 1850 which contain a wealth of information about county residents. We need volunteers to transcribe these records!!!! If you’d like to volunteer, please reach out.

Ancestor Profiles

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 23:08:59 GMT

How They Helped Me Knock Down an Old Brick Wall

Sorry I haven’t blogged in a while. Recently I began putting together Ancestor Profiles for each of my ancestors. There are various templates for this out there but I decided to just make my own giving vital stats on each ancestor and listing burial, military information, parentage, children. The idea is to print these out and make an album of all of them eventually which can be left for future generations.

In the process, I am now back to my 4th great-grandparents and this has paid off big-time! It has been very helpful to revisit ancestors I haven’t looked at in many years and I am finding and doing fresh research on each as I go. What is really exciting - Just this week, I discovered a new set of 5th great-grandparents that had previously eluded me (a brick wall has crumbled!)

Mahula HOPSON ALLEN (1844 – 1875) was the 3rd wife of my Union Civil War ancestor William Neal ALLEN (1833 – 1917) of Marshall Co. KY. Their son William Franklin ALLEN was my 2nd great-grandfather. I knew Mahulda’s parents were Eldridge HOPSON (1822 – 1871) and Lavina KIRBY (ca. 1820 – after 1874) who were married on 6 April 1843 in Grainger Co. TN. Eldridge and Lavina made their home in Claiborne Co. TN, then moved to Lauderdale Co. AL, and finally Lyon Co. KY. I had researched Eldridge’s life somewhat and had even discovered his Bible record which had been passed down in the family. However, I had practically nothing on the KIRBY line. The bondman for their marriage was a James KIRBY but I had not found much on him other than he got in trouble with the law several times in Grainger Co.

But…..we have two more recent tools in our arsenal which helped me discover Lavina’s parentage and family. One is the Family Search Experimental Labs Full Text Search. This is a game-changer in the genealogical world. By using artificial intelligence, you can do an every word search on the millions of records in FamilySearch – deeds, wills, probates, court minutes, etc. Here is the link to it: https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text

By using this tool, I discovered that Eldridge HOPSON was consistently involved with a group of KIRBYs who were all children of John KIRBY and Elizabeth LEFFEW. By then using DNA analysis (including AncestryPro and Thrulines), it became very evident that I descend from this couple who have to be Lavina KIRBY HOPSON’s parents. I would have never solved this without these two tools.

Have you been using FamilySearch Text Search and DNA tools to solve your long-standing brick walls? If not, I suggest doing so. Backstory Bloodhound, LLC is always here to help. Shoot me an e-mail at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

If you are interested in the Ancestor Profile idea, shoot me an e-mail and I will send you a sample of one I put together.

Some Free Genealogy Events

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:20:22 GMT

Upcoming Dates to Keep in Mind

Who doesn't like free? Here are a few free genealogy events to keep in mind.

September 5 - Utah Genealogical Association Summit of Excellence - the first day (5th) is free - mostly for beginning genealogists. There are additional pay sessions on September 6th and 7th. Virtual event. More details at https://ugagenealogy.org/cpage.php?pt=586

September 10 - 13 - Willard Library Genealogy Quest - This is a wonderful free event (similar to Midnight Madness) offered in Evansville, Indiana. There is something for everyone including an entire day on German genealogy. Check it out at https://www.willardlib.org/genealogy-quest

Don't forget about the Illinois State Genealogical Society conference on October 26 in Joliet. The theme is "Boats, Trains, and Autos: All Roads Lead to Illinois." https://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=620

Also the National Genealogical Society conference which will be held May 23 - 26 in Louisville, Kentucky! Not too soon to begin making plans to attend that one.

I will occasionally try to update this blog with events of interest but one great way to keep up is to check the Genealogy Conference Keeper website or even subscribe to their weekly free e-mail system. https://conferencekeeper.org/

Rick Allen

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC

Loose Records in the Courthouse

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:20:10 GMT

Are You Missing the Mother Lode?

In todays’ world where we conduct research at 2 a.m. in our slippers on a personal computer, many genealogists are missing out on significant clues that are not online. There is a wealth of valuable genealogical data on our ancestors in libraries, archives, and courthouses that goes virtually unnoticed and unused.

The courthouses in the United States are valuable resources. Within them one often finds a variety of local records which are available nowhere else. These include wills, probate files, county court minutes, estray books, school records, professional registrations, military discharge books, tax records, voting registers, naturalizations, vital records, and land records, just to name some of them. However, one of the most significant and completely underutilized collections are those which are called “loose papers.” These are often housed in wooden or metal boxes. Many counties have these tucked away in vaults, basements, or even attics. Some have been transferred to state archives. Sometimes there is no index or a partial index to only the litigants themselves. Other times volunteers and local groups have labored to provide an index.

What is found within these loose papers can often be a gold mine. Imagine finding a court case in which your ancestor was an heir or in which he was sued or sued someone or was taken to trial for a criminal offense. The nature of court cases varied considerably but their value is undisputed. There are both civil and criminal cases in courts with a variety of names. Families often had disputes and details about these disputes and the family relationships can be found in court record loose papers.

Within these records are often subpoenas, trial testimony transcripts, judgments, and fascinating details about our ancestors’ lives. After all, our ancestors were more than just names and dates on a pedigree chart. They were living, breathing human beings with all the good qualities and foibles we all possess.

In addition to loose court case papers, there are loose probate files in many counties. These packets go far beyond what you find on the internet. Often what is online is merely the will or the estate administration information that was recorded in a book. The probate files contain receipts from people who owed money to the deceased or people to whom the deceased owed money. They contain inventories of the estate, often with an appraisal by men in the community. They contain sale bills. Much can often be gleaned by looking at who bought what in a sale. If your ancestor purchased a Family Bible or other type of personal item from someone, that can be very significant in extending a family. At the very least, an ancestor purchasing an item at a sale places him or her in a specific place in a specific time and tells you he or she likely knew the deceased and other buyers at the auction. One of the most valuable items in a loose probate file can be a listing of the heirs.

One very valuable resource on Courthouse Research is a book by Christine Rose. It is entitled Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures. The 2 ^nd edition was published in 2020 and is available on Amazon and many other bookstore vendors.

Do not miss out on a valuable piece of your ancestor’s life by not performing research at the local courthouse in the loose court packets and loose probate packets. If you need assistance in finding records in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, or southeast Missouri, please contact me at rick@backstorybloodhound.com . You can click on the Services tab at the top of this webpage for more information.

Writing a Proof Argument

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:33:02 GMT

What to Do When All Else Fails

Sometimes in our genealogical research, we reach a dead end. There is evidence indicating that a particular thing occurred or that a particular relationship existed but there is no specific document proving it. This can be very frustrating but it does not have to be the end of the story.

What can one do in this situation? One excellent option is to write a proof argument. Here are some steps I use to write a proof argument on a genealogical problem.

1) Make absolutely sure a proof argument is needed . Make sure no document you have found or could reasonably be expected to locate gives the answer you seek. Lack of access to the document is not a valid excuse here – if necessary, travel to the repository or hire a competent professional researcher to obtain the expected record. Only when specific documentary proof does NOT state what you believe to be the case should you write a proof argument.

2) Think about why you believe your conclusion is accurate. Is there anything that could lead one to another conclusion? You will need to explain that if so. You will want your reader to be convinced that your argument is the correct answer.

3) A proof argument is basically an analysis. I find it helpful to first put everything I know about the problem into a timeline. There are many ways to do this but arranging what you know in a timeline fashion can often help you see discrepancies that exist or things you may not have otherwise noted.

4 ) Then I write up the problem . What is my specific objective? Is it to prove lineage for a lineage society? Is it to prove parentage? Is it to separate men of the same name? The more specific you can be with your objective, the better. Tell the reader what you are proving. Be thorough, but also concise. Not everything that appears in your timeline for example, is relevant to resolving the problem or even arguing your case. Include only what is!

5) Then explain your hypothesis . What is it you believe the accumulation of evidence and the results of your analysis of prove?

6) Discuss the resources you believe are relevant. Why does a record not exist specifically proving your hypothesis? Did the courthouse burn, for example? What shortcomings do existing records have? Here you are ensuring your reader that you know the relevant record sources and have examined all that could potentially prove or even disprove your case.

7) Present the information you found, listing the strongest evidence first. Take the reader step-by-step through why you believe your hypothesis is correct . Explain why other explanations are not satisfactory. Present the information in a logical sequence. If necessary, break the proof argument into sections if there are multiple aspects of the problem. If you are disputing something already accepted as evidence by others, be very clear as to how and why. Where did that explanation err and why is your correct? As Elizabeth Shown Mills indicates, Explain, Explain, Explain. Separate fact from what is merely an opinion.

8) Cite your sources! Cite your sources? Did I mention you must cite your sources?

Evidence presented with source citations has no value. To be convincing you must cite your sources and clearly demonstrate how those sources lead one to the only logical conclusion – that which you are seeking to prove.

9) Summarize your findings again by mentioning the most significant and convincing evidence.

The Board for Certification of Genealogists defines proof arguments in this fashion:

“Proof arguments are extensive documented narratives that often include figures, tables, or other enhancements. Genealogists use proof arguments to explain challenging cases, especially those where thorough research reveals significant conflicts between evidence items or an absence of direct evidence.” Board for Certification of Genealogists, Genealogy Standards, Second Edition, (Washington, DC: Ancestry.com, 2019), page 35. graph

I have attached two proof arguments I have written in the past on my website. Go to the Services Tab on this site and click on "Simple Proof Argument" or "Complex Proof Argument" to see two different types of arguments. Many people desire to join a lineage society and a proof argument is a great way to do this when no specific document provides evidence of a specific relationship. The Simple argument here was used to document my wife's line to become a Pope Pioneer (Pope County Historical Society). The Complex Argument here was to assist a distant cousin in getting our common ancestor listed correctly in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) database. Prior applicants were accepted with faulty documentation - there were many John Allens in 1700s/1800s Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. This proof argument disambiguates them, establishes the correct identity for the Revolutionary War soldier John Allen, and also provides proof of the identity of his two wives.

Backstory Bloodhound would be happy to assist you with assembling the evidence and composing a proof argument.

Upcoming Genealogical Events

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 20:10:46 GMT

You Might Be Interested In

Some upcoming Events I will be involved in:

Saturday, September 23 - Pope County Historical Society Block Party, Golconda, IL

We are looking to raise money for a badly needed new roof for the Historical Society Museum which houses many treasures pertaining to Pope County's rich history. The Block Party is from 10 - 2 outside and inside the Museum area. I will be there to answer genealogy questions and help with brick walls in your research. There will be food and entertainment and information on the history of the county. Donations for the Roof Fund are greatly appreciated!

Sunday, October 15 - Johnson County Genealogical and Historical Society, Vienna, Carnegie Library, 2:30 p.m.

I will be presenting "Researching in Deepest Southern Illinois." Southern Illinois was the first region in the state to be settled. This session will explore a little of its unique history and discuss the records, resources and facilities available to assist researchers within the region. Time for Q&A will follow the presentation.

Saturday, October 28 - ALL DAY Conference of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, Heartland Community College, Bloomington, Illinois.

The theme is "Back in Business: Research in the Land of Lincoln." I will be presenting the session "Researching in Deepest Southern Illinois" at 2:15 p.m. Many sessions will be offered on Illinois Research and DNA. More details are here - click on 2023 Conference

https://ilgensoc.org/index.php

Thursday, November 2 - Bloodhound Blab - 7 p.m.

Every other month on the first Thursday evening, I host a free virtual discussion via ZOOM focusing on genealogical resources and methodology with an emphasis on southern Illinois. I'd love to have you join us next time - for the invite, just send me an e-mail at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

And don't forget:

Thursday, February 29 to Saturday, March 2, 2024 - RootsTech

Registration is now open for the largest genealogical event in world history - RootsTech - In-person or Virtual. Here is the link:

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/home

Online sessions are free.

I am in the process of developing genealogical presentations for audiences of genealogical and historical societies. If you would be interested in engaging me as a speaker for one of your events in southern Illinois or western Kentucky, send an e-mail to rick@backstorybloodhound.com

If you need a little help getting started on your genealogy or you are stuck on a brick wall, please click on my Services Tab on this website to see what the Backstory Bloodhound has to offer. It is usually best to start with a free phone consultation.

Family history draws families closer and makes a wonderful Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy for special person!

Rick Allen

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC

Two Cool New Genealogy Tools

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 21:01:38 GMT

FamilySearch Experimental Index and HistoryGeo

.As time marches on, technology is changing and bringing us closer to discovering the stories of our ancestors. Here are two exciting tools which do just that.

FamilySearch has millions and millions of pages that are digitized from the microfilm they created years ago. One of the most difficult problems with using these records online is that they are unindexed. A new tool has just been introduced to try to help researchers such as me who spend many hours combing through these records. It is called the “United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Research” Project. The technology used is handwriting and optical character recognition to try to read the old handwritten documents and index them. As the name implies, it is an experiment and therefore NOT perfect. Yet in using it, I have already found it helpful though I’m not sure it is a substitute for a more complete search. Despite the title, I have found records other than wills and deeds to be included. One neat thing is you can narrow down your search by state, county, and time to help zero in on an ancestor. Try it out and see what you think. You will need to have a free FamilySearch account. Here is the link: https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text - Kimberly Powell has an excellent page on using this new recently updated (March 2024) tool - go to https://learngenealogy.com/familysearch-experimental-full-text-search/?fbclid=IwAR3kNiDGlIYa5qzgMqBbORMoosOhj0Mg38C8EIeBO2EbrWhWqH89jEjqDNQ

Another pretty cool website I recently became better acquainted with is www.historygeo.com . For several years, Arphax Publishing Company published specific county books of many counties’ original land purchases from the federal government as represented on the Bureau of Land Management website (https://glorecords.blm.gov/). Not all counties were represented and they were expensive! But…..now they have taken ALL the records from public land states (which includes Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Texas, Ohio,and 22 other states!) and created maps showing the locations of all the original land purchases. There are over 12.3 million landowners!. The site can be searched by surname and narrowed down to a state and county. Essentially what you get is a map showing where the individual’s land was located. The great value of locating your ancestor on a specific place on a map cannot be overstated – think neighbors, other relatives, churches, schools, landmarks, etc.) You can then download and print out the maps (well, somewhat print them in sections). You can add notations and save the maps. There are many additional features as well. This is a subscription site. A 3-month subscription is $20; an annual subscription is $59. The site also features an Antique Maps collection. (The image pictured here is of my ancestor Christopher Columbus Cole’s land grants in Pope County, Illinois).

Backstory Bloodhound would be happy to help you use these and many other tools available to break through that brick wall. For more details, see the other tabs at the top of this website!

New Pope County Illinois Website

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:14:31 GMT

Great New Resource for Genealogists

I am proud to be a part of the effort to get the Pope County Historical Society a new website. Great news! It is live!!!!!

The Pope County Historical Society is excited to announce our new website. This will be a fantastic resource for those conducting genealogical research in Pope County Illinois or even looking into the county’s rich history.

Check out the website at: https://popecoilhs.org

Membership in the society is $25 per year and includes access to specific records on Pope County including census records, maps, marriage records, cemetery records, land records, church records, Bible records, obituaries, photographs, county court minutes, and historical articles. New records are being regularly added for members to access. There are forums where members can contribute information and discuss any topic related to Pope County history and families. You can advertise surnames you are researching and correspond with others on the families. Books and T-shirts offered by the Society are for sale on the website.

Please share this information with your family and friends so that we can continue to maintain a living history of Pope County, Illinois and the people who influenced its development in the past and will in the future. New and ongoing memberships, donations, and sales all help us to maintain our wonderful museum and preserve our history. We are currently in dire need of a new roof and all donations to that cause are sincerely appreciated and can be made through our website or by mailing a check to Pope County Historical Society, P.O. Box 837, Golconda, Illinois 62938. You can join the society on the website or by sending a check to the above address.

In addition to the new website, watch for upcoming information on how you can show pride in your Pope County roots by joining the Pope Pioneer program!

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Introducing the Bloodhound Blab

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 15:20:16 GMT

Free Open Problem-Solving Genealogical Discussions

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC is announcing the launch of open-problem solving discussions via Zoom. The sessions will be free, so bring your challenges, your questions, and your success stories. Learn more about southern Illinois. Learn new research techniques. Learn about record types. Assist others with their research. Develop a research plan to break through that brick wall!

To register for the sessions, send an e-mail with your name and contact information to rick@backstorybloodhound.com . You will then receive a link to the 1 ^st session which will be held on Thursday, March 2 ^nd at 7:00 p.m.

At the first session, we will discuss how we want to format subsequent sessions. Some ideas:

1) Continued open dialogue

2) A specific focus on a research topic each session

3) Focus on ideas to solve specific problems during each session – with submissions of questions ahead of time

4) Focus on specific county resources

5) Invite speakers from specific research centers to discuss their holdings

What ideas do you have for the sessions? They are meant to be interactive and helpful so come and share your suggestions.

While not restricted to exclusively discussing southern Illinois genealogical problems, the sessions are meant to focus on this region.

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC is a professional genealogical research and consulting business which provides online research and on-site research services in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. For more details, visit www.backstorybloodhound.com

Update on Illinois Death Records!

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 15:39:37 GMT

New Online Index, 1951 - 1971

In a highly anticipated announcement, the Illinois State Archives has now made available to family historians a searchable database of Illinois Death Certificates from 1951 to 1971.

Go to https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/databases/idphdeathindex5171.html

Though not yet fully completed, this new index adds to other very valuable state vital records indexes already available including:

Illinois Statewide Death Index Pre-1916 – An Ongoing Project of the Illinois State Archives

Illinois Statewide Death Index 1916 – 1950 – An index created by the Illinois Dept. of Health

Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1900 – An Ongoing Project of the Illinois State Archives and the Illinois State Genealogical Society

In the 1951 – 1971 index, you will find information on Name, Sex/Race, Age at Death, Certificate Number, Date of Death, City and County where the certificate was filed, and the Date Certificate was filed.

Remember ALL of these are just indexes to the records. They are NOT the actual records. You may use this information to obtain a copy of the actual record from the County Clerk in the County where the Certificate was filed. The death certificates typically contain MUCH more information than is shown in the index.

Death certificates from 1916 to 1947 can also be ordered for $10 from the Illinois State Genealogical Society at this link: https://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=122 . For members of the society, the rate is only $6.

If you are interested in Pope County, Illinois, a copy of my hardbound book Pope County, Illinois Death Records, 1877 – 1915, With Annotations, has information from all 2,297 pre-1916 Illinois death certificates. It can be purchased by clicking on the Services tab at the top of the screen or mailing a check for $65 to Backstory Bloodhound, LLC, P.O. Box 133, Metropolis, IL 62960.

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC makes every effort to stay up-to-date on access to new records in the region. Check out the Backstory Blog regularly for updates.

Why You Should Join a Genealogical Society

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 04:55:20 GMT

The Benefits Far Outweigh the Cost

In today’s digital age, many genealogists do not see the need for joining a genealogical society. Membership in most societies has fallen drastically in the past few years. COVID has made it worse. Sadly, some societies have closed their doors while others struggle to maintain viability. What should you join a genealogical society?

Here are my top 5 reasons:

1) Believe it or not, none of us know everything about genealogy research. We cannot be an expert on every record source or every type of research methodology. In a society, you have the chance to network with others who may already have the experience you need to resolve your problem.

2) Genealogical Societies have resources. Often they have libraries, archives, or other facilities which contain valuable information not available elsewhere. Yes, probably less than 10% of all records available have been digitized and (NEWS FLASH) they will not be digitized during our lifetimes. Genealogists collect things – who knows what the society might have available on your ancestor – a record that you never even thought of?

I cannot even count the number of things I have found on my ancestors over the years by belonging to a genealogical society!

3) Workshops, Conferences, and Meetings. These are not only fabulous ways to learn about new resources, new methods, new technologies and other things that help us research, but…when genealogists get together, they network! Some of these are now held virtually, but there is really no substitute for sitting down over lunch and discussing your brick wall problem with a new friend (or even an old one!). Why re-invent the wheel? Learn from others!

4) Publications. For decades, genealogical societies have been indexing and publishing records. Some of these are available for sale. Others are held in their facilities. Take advantage of what others have already done. Always check the original source, of course, but using transcribed records leads us to new clues we had no idea existed. Most societies have published journals and newsletters – there are mountains of records available. By the way, PERSI is a great resource for finding has previously been published by a genealogy society on a specific family or location.

5) A Chance to Give Back. Genealogists are giving people. We help each other. Most genealogical societies will have ongoing projects you can become involved in. Or perhaps you can volunteer to help by serving on a committee or in another type of leadership role. Societies thrive on volunteers.

In addition to several local societies, I am a member of the following societies and encourage you to check them out.

1) National Genealogical Society – www.ngs.org – Their publications are helpful and instructive. Case studies abound in their journals – you can learn how to trace your ancestry by studying how others solved similar problems. Their bi-monthly magazines are just full of how-to and other articles.

2) Illinois State Genealogical Society – https://ilgensoc.org/ - If you have ancestry in Illinois, you should be a member. In addition to the newsletter on Illinois, they publish a quarterly and hold an annual conference. One nice feature for members is the ability to obtain death certificates for Illinois ancestors from Springfield for only $6. A large number of previous webinars are available on their website. Check out their Prairie Pioneer Certificate Database and program. ISGS holds an annual conference as well.

3) Kentucky State Genealogical Society - https://kygs.org/ - I recently re-joined this society and have been very pleased with my membership benefits. They offer a series of webinars (sometimes two or three per month) on valuable topics related to research in Kentucky, DNA research, and other topics. The webinars alone are worth the price of membership as most members get to attend for no additional cost. In addition, they have a digitization grant program. In conjunction with FamilySearch, they are working with counties across the state to make records in courthouses, archives, and other facilities available in digital format. Their website also includes a series of databases available to members only.

4) Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois - https://ilgssi.org/ - Anyone with ancestry in any of the southern 28 counties in Illinois should join GSSI. The Saga of Southern Illinois quarterly going back nearly fifty years is a fantastic resource. The resources available on their website include a tremendous series of newspaper obituaries from Alexander, Pulaski, and Union Counties. They have many publications of interest. The GSSI library on the campus of John A. Logan College in Carterville is a fantastic place to research. Don’t forget to check out the GSSI Archives at Cambria where files from professional genealogists and other researchers from years past are housed. Another valuable source on the GSSI website is the Richison maps which I use quite often when working in a county in southern Illinois. At the present time, GSSI holds quarterly meetings, typically at John A. Logan College and also publishes its quarterly (The Saga of Southern Illinois) and regular newsletters.

I hope I have convinced you to join a genealogical society. Get involved and help us preserve our history for posterity. The benefits always far outweigh the small costs.

Focus on C. E. Brehm Memorial Library

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:50:12 GMT

Genealogy Collection

If you are doing genealogical research on a southern Illinois ancestor, you should be familiar with the C. E. Brehm Memorial Library Genealogy collection in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. In 1992 the library acquired the large collection of genealogy material from the Shawnee Library system and added this to its already sizable collection. The result is one of the best research collections in the southern part of the state.

Their collection focuses on states from which many southern Illinois ancestors came - places like Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North and South Carolina. In addition, they have several national resources. Lesser (but still significant) holdings are available for Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arkansas, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Louisiana.

They have 14,750 volumes as well as 3,900 microform resources. They maintain subscriptions to multiple online genealogical services.

Among the unique items in their collection:

- 2,600 items from Illinois State Organization of the Daughters of the American Revolution. These often include things such as Bible record transcriptions, long-forgotten family histories, etc.

- "Justice Collection" - unique local research on Jefferson County records - AN EXCELLENT resource if you have Jefferson County ancestors!

- Mt. Vernon, Illinois newspapers from the 1880s including an index of obituaries.

- Other local southern Illinois newspapers

- Microfilm/microfiche of many statewide Illinois sources such as Death certificate index (1916 - 1942), census records, and Civil War soldiers.

Illinois Library can request information from their collection for your use through the OCLC process. Loans of material is also available to out-of-state library patrons for a fee.

The friendly staff is always ready to help you with your questions.

So plan a day trip to Mt. Vernon and see what you can add to your knowledge of your southern Illinois ancestor or let Backstory Bloodhound make the trip for you. Check out the Services tab at the top for more information on what I offer.

Upcoming Lecture - Pope County Death Records

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 15:03:18 GMT

Historical Society Museum, Golconda, Illinois

Earlier this year I published the Death Records of Pope County from 1877 to 1915. Come to the Historical Society Museum in Golconda on Tuesday evening, October 25th at 6 p.m. to learn about the hidden gems of information I found while transcribing these valuable records.

At the meeting, you will learn new facts not only about the deaths of Pope Countians, but about their origins, about the lives they led, and about the county itself. If you have roots in Pope County, you will find the book extremely valuable. There are hints at family migrations and connections, information about the county's cemeteries, causes of death, names of family members, interesting tidbits about the county and its people, sad stories, and perhaps best of all, some mysteries just begging for further research!

The registration of birth and death records in Illinois officially began in 1878, though there are a few records from 1877. Though far from complete in the early years, the records that do exist are extremely valuable. An online index to these records exists at the Illinois Secretary of State website though it includes only a few categories of information and is far from comprehensive. The death registers are books in which deputies were supposed to record the information from the original certificates. (Spoiler Alert: Not everything made it in the books!)

In 2021 and 2022, I carefully transcribed the records from the death registers and then carefully compared those entries with the actual death certificates on file in the County Clerk's office. In many cases there was MUCH additional information on the certificates themselves. In the book, I noted all discrepancies between the two records. The project was an amazing experience and at the meeting, I will reveal many of the interesting facts I uncovered about the county and its people.

Come out and see what you might learn. The hardbound book which sells for $65 will be available for purchase at the meeting as well.

The image here is of the death certificate of my 3rd-great-grandfather William Wiley Brush, a veteran of the 6th Illinois Cavalry. You will note that the certificate provides his exact county of birth in Tennessee (Benton County). If you only look at the website or the death register book, you would only learn he was born in Tennessee. The website gives his age as "69." The death register states he was "69 years, 6 months" old. But with the actual death certificate information, you can calculate his precise date of birth - 29 September 1839! Which would you rather have? This is just an example of the information on the certificates themselves. In genealogy, always try to get the information from the original record. See my blog - "Is Your Source a Copy of a Copy?" - for more on this subject! https://www.backstorybloodhound.com/is-your-source-a-copy-of-a-copy

It is also fascinating to know that on foreign births (such as German provinces), an actual town of birth is often provided on the certificate itself. This was not carried over into the death register!

If you need help accessing original records in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, or southeast Missouri, click on the Services tab above to learn more about what Backstory Bloodhound can provide.

I hope to see you in Golconda on Tuesday, October 25th at 6 p.m.!

Was My Ancestor George Washington's Handyman?

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 21:53:59 GMT

Searching for the Backstory is Always Fun

Sometimes the records don't prove what we think but the search is always fun and often yields interesting results.

Oral tradition passed down through the Herod family indicates my ancestor William Herod, a Revolutionary War veteran, was George Washington's handyman. While I have never been able to prove this, it is certain he lived in the right area and could certainly have encountered the Father of Our Country. The same oral tradition states his son Peter Herod (born 1787) was Washington's godson. Another tradition was that William's father served with Washington in the French and Indian War.

I have researched high and low and never been able to confirm the traditions with documentary evidence, but I have uncovered a lot on the family and community.

Recently, I had a chance to travel to where William Herod was born in Stafford County, Virginia. He grew up along Aquia Creek. Born on 25 December 1748, the son of John Herod and Mary Ellis, he was baptized in Overwharton Parish.

The HEROD family has been described as Episcopalians (Church of England) by descendants and this would correspond with the parish records of Overwharton Parish and the existing churches of Stafford County in the mid-1700s. The first major church in Stafford County was Potomac Church build in the mid-seventeenth century. In 1751, the vestry of Overwharton Parish determined to build a large 3000 square foot brick church and named it Aquia Church as it was at the head of Aquia Creek. It was destroyed by fire in 1754 but rebuilt in 1757. Both Potomac and Aquia Churches operated simultaneously for a while, but Aquia Church survives to this day. It is likely William HEROD was baptized in Potomac Church. (See the picture of the beautiful Aquia Church I took in summer 2022 attached to the blog).

As a soldier of the Revolution, details about William HEROD’s military service are found in his pension application. William was drafted in May 1776 and served three months as a private in Captain John COOK's Virginia Company. In July 1777, he enlisted and served three months as a private in the same company. He was involved in a skirmish with the British on the Potomac River. In August 1781, he enlisted and served three months as a private in Captain John JAMES' Virginia Company.

William was a member of the Virginia militia and one would think his service was somewhat routine, however, there were periods of intense excitement as the area near the Potomac where he lived in Stafford County was strategically important to the British. On Tuesday, 23 July 1776, the British burned Richland, the home of William BRENT, Esquire on the Potomac. It would seem quite likely that William HEROD was one of the 300 militia members camped out at Richland when Lord DUNMORE and Captain Andrew HAMOND arrived with their small fleet. HAMMOND related how he landed at noon that day with only 100 men, beat the enemy off and set fire to the house and all its buildings. The British returned after the incident to their ships without losing a single man and only one office and five men were wounded.

George WASHINGTON’s stepson- John Parke CUSTIS – wrote his father a letter dated 8 August 1776 about the incident.

“You have no doubt heard of the Men of War coming up Potwmack as far Mr. BRENT”s whose House they burnt with several outhouses and some Stacks of Wheat. A Capt. JAMES with the Militia was stationed there who all got drunk, and kept challenging the Men of War to come ashore, and upbraiding Them with Cowardice. HAMMOND sent 150 men who landed about 10 oclock Under cover of a Gondola Tender, the Militia were asleep after their drinking Frolick and did not discover the Enemy until they landed and their vessels began to Fire. Capt. JAMES desired his men to shift for Themselves and ran off without firing a Gun. A Young Man Name COMBS stayd until he killd three of the Enemy. Col. GRAYSON appearing with 30 Prince William Volunteers, the Enemy though it proper to retire to their ships. Capt. JAMES is to be held for Cowardice – The Fleet after performing this Exploit, returned down the River to George’s Island, from whence they have been drove off by Major PRICE with some losses. They are gone down the Bay in a most sickly Condition. I have not heard where they have stopt, before they left the Island they burnt several Vessels, and I hear that two Sloops belonging to them have fallen into Capt. BOUCHER’s hands.”

The Virginia Gazette issue of 22 August 1776 provides even more detail.

“Since our last, we have certain advice that lord DUNMORE, with his motley band of pirates and renegades, have burnt the elegant brick house of William BRENT, esq. at the mouth of Aquia creek in Stafford county, as also two other houses lower down Potowmack river, the property of widow ladies, with several ferry boats; that on Tuesday fe’nnight he relanded on St George’s island, but was beat off by 1200 Marylanders; that he had burnt eight of his vessels, and was seen standing down the bay the Thursday after with all his fleet.”

William BRENT, a large landholder, was captain of the Prince William County militia. Though Captain John JAMES was not William HEROD’s commander at that time, it would seem probable that HEROD was among the 300 militia men there that day charged with protecting their home turf.

Captain John JAMES was court-martialed on 20 September 1776. At his Stafford court house trial, the court justices found he was “not deficient in spirit as has been frequently alledged.” Witnesses testified that he held his ground until all but about 15 men had fled, despite his attempts to rally them. The justices concluded the destruction was “owing to the militia’s not being better armed and disciplined.” Lack of arms and poor discipline was indeed a problem, especially early in the Revolutionary War.

There is MUCH more I have been able to learn about William HEROD's life. The research is ongoing. He moved to Spotsylvania County in 1792 and then to Smith County Tennessee where he died in 1836.

These are the types of historical and genealogical records that can be blended together to discover and "flesh out" the backstories of our ancestors. If interested in having Backstory Bloodhound get to work on your family backstory, click on the Services tab above or e-mail me at rick@backstorybloodhound.com.

Is Your Source a Copy of a Copy?

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:02:20 GMT

Check That Source and Get as Close to the Original as You Can

As genealogists, we rely on records. We have to have them. The more the better to prove our ancestry. Records give breadth and depth to the bare bones of an ancestor’s life. We try to squeeze every drop from the precious few that we have.

But what are these records? Can we trust them? Are they reliable? Are they the best available? In many situations, the records we use and rely on are not the originals. Many are transcriptions or copies. And yes, some are even copies of copies.

In today’s digital age, genealogists are often too dependent on online sources. Ancestry, FamilySearch, Findmypast, and other subscriptions are great. Many contain “original” records and some are even indexed. But do you as a researcher take the time to actually go to the original record? The indexes we have are wonderful but imperfect – humans are doing the indexing. No matter what that online tree says or what the index says, find the original record. For example, the website of the Illinois Secretary of State - www.cyberdriveillinois.com - contains death records of Illinoisans from the beginning of the recording of vital statistics in 1877. However, this is merely an index of the death register books typically found in the local county clerk’s office. And, what’s more, the register books are also not the originals. A physician or local official actually completed a death certificate – that is the original record. When they have survived the whims of local officials, these death certificates are typically in vaults at the local courthouses. So here is a case of the online version being a copy of a copy or at twice removed from the original. It has been my experience that the original death certificate typically contains much more information. Often the person copying the information into the register omitted much vital information. For example, the death register book might indicate a birthplace of Tennessee for the deceased, yet, if one takes the time to find the original death certificate, it will say born in Rhea County, Tennessee. Now which would you rather have? A county will certainly narrow down your focus.

The above principle is also true for birth and marriage records. You will find the register books in the courthouse but these are not the original records. Take the time to get the birth certificate, the marriage license, the marriage bond, and the marriage return if available. I can’t even count the number of times I have found that when pulling the original marriage record a parent signed a consent form. The consents are not usually in the marriage registers. The online indexes certainly do not bother providing that information but it is so rewarding to extend a line by another generation. Original birth certificates provide much more detail – often giving the county of parents’ births, a parent’s middle name, the birth order of a child (which helps you discover unknown children), and much other valuable information.

Vital records are not alone in being copies of copies. Wills are one of the most valuable and sought-after genealogical records. Of course, the will in the courthouse is a copy of the original. If there was a court case devolving from the will, another copy was typically made. Transcription errors can and did occur. This is also true for deeds. They are copies which were transcribed by a local clerk. Finding an original will or deed is indeed difficult unless they have been passed down within the family. Most, unfortunately, do not survive, so as genealogists we have to be satisfied with the copies.

Almost all records in the county courthouse are copies of the originals. Naturalization certificates are not the originals. Neither are military discharge certificates. The originals were kept by the owners.

What about Bible records? What a goldmine these can be! Yet, when looking at the source, it is important to examine it closely. Is it an original or a copy? Look at the handwriting. Is it all the same? Did the person who wrote it down have actual first-hand knowledge of the event? Entries in a Bible which has births in the 1700s and the late 1800s was likely written by different individuals or by a person later entering what he had been told or simply recopying it from another source. Remember I could go out and buy a Bible today and enter a date of birth for my grandmother in it – that doesn’t make it the correct date.

Have you ever found a listing of births and deaths within a probate record or a pension file? The nature of these vary widely. Sometimes they are originals. Sadly, individuals seeking to obtain a federal pension would send in their Bible records to prove their ages or widows would seek in this manner to prove a date of marriage. These Bible records were typically kept by the federal government and not returned to the applicant. In other cases, one can tell that an attorney or copyist merely copied the information from a family Bible to which they had access. Typically, in probate or guardianship files, the records which appear to be from a family Bible are merely copies made when the original was brought to the courthouse.

Census records are among the most widely used by genealogists. These decade-by-decade accountings of the whereabouts of our ancestors and their households are a true treasure trove. Yet in many cases, the records we rely on are third or even fourth-hand derivatives of the original records.

During the first four federal census enumerations from 1790 to 1820, assistant marshals were required to make only one set of their records. However, many made copies of their works and arranged them (unhelpfully, I might add) in alphabetical order. These copies were sent to Washington and the originals were often discarded. Thus, you get the situation such as in Smith County, Tennessee in which an ancestor whose surname begins with an “H” is listed with all other people whose surnames begin with the same letter. While we are grateful to have these records, how much better would it be to have the original where neighborhoods were preserved intact? (Note: Not all of these early census records were re-arranged in this manner.)

By 1830, federal law required two copies of the census schedules to be prepared. One was to be retained by the district court and one was to be sent to Washington. The one we now have available and microfilmed by the National Archives is generally a copy and not the original. The wherabouts of the originals is an unsolved mystery. How can you tell if you are looking at the original or merely a copy? Look at the handwriting on the document. Does it change from district to district? If not, it is likely a copy made by a clerk.

We all love that 1850 census schedule where we get every member of a household’s name for the first time. But chances are we are looking at copies here as well. After each census was taken in the years 1850, 1860, and 1870, the original was to be displayed at the county courthouse and then retained by the county. The supervising assistant federal marshal made a copy to send to the state’s or territory’s secretary of state. Then the state or territory secretary of state was to make a federal copy to send to Washington. Of course, these copies of copies are what we are now looking at on microfilm, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and other websites.

What effect did this copying have? I will give you one example. The 1860 Marshall County, Kentucky census copist must have been either lazy or quite neglectful. Almost every single person is identified by initials – thus, Fanny Ellen Mathis, age 18, is merely F. E. Mathis. Did you ever notice that a lot of people have rounded ages in the census? 40? 50? rather than 41 or 53. I suspect some copyists just rounded to the nearest number. Every wonder why stepchildren or others with different surnames are listed in the census with the head or household’s surname? In many cases, it is because the copyist failed to copy their surname from the original. The use of ditto marks was too easy for a tired copyist.

So what happened to the originals in these cases? County officials often used them for scrap paper or even burned them. The state copies were sometimes given out to local politicians to use for mailing lists. If you are researching in Wisconin, the Wisconsin State Historical Society does have the original state copies for that state from 1850 to 1870.

A diligent researcher can occasionally find the originals if the local county officials were careful to preserve them. For example, the original 1870 Pope County, Illinois census is still in the county clerk’s office. A comparison of this original to the National Archives microfilm copy indicates many discrepancies – differences in names, differences in ages, differences in birthplaces, etc. Omissions of a few individuals altogether was discovered. An entire section in northeast Pope County is missing from the 1860 schedule sent to the National Archives. I suspect the enumerators did not neglect to count everyone who lived in this section – my suspicion is that the copy available at the National Archives somehow did not retain that part of the enumeration.

The 1880 census was the first one in which the Census Office took over the enumeration from the U.S. marshals. In this census, each district had a supervisor who managed the copying. The originals were retained by the county. We all are aware of the almost complete record loss of the 1890 census. Beginning with the 1890 census and continuing thereafter, Congress made a decision to finance only one copy of each census. Any additional copies were to be paid for by the counties – most did not have the funds to take advantage of this option. Therefore, the National Archives copies we have for 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 (and any surviving 1890 schedules) are the originals.

For more detail on census records, refer to William Dollarhide, The Census Book: A Genealogist’s Guide to Federal Census, Facts, Schedules, and Indexes, (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 2000).

One of my personal favorite records to work with are the tax lists. It is certainly not because they are so exciting but rather because they can help sort out individuals with the same name and also help prove relationships (believe it or not). They are wonderful in placing in individual in a specific place as well. Yet the tax records we are usually viewing are copies. Typically, a county official made the rounds within his jurisdiction, carefully listing names and items to be taxed. He then turned his records over to the county tax official where a copyist transcribed them into a tax book. These were usually placed in semi-alphabetical order (all surnames beginning with “B” listed together, for example), therefore again losing the layout of neighborhoods. However, sometimes the date the tax official visited the individual is listed and from these, a diligent researcher can reconstruct neighborhoods to some degree. All individuals taxed on the same date by the same official likely lived closely together.

When working with records, researchers should always search out the original record whenever possible. It takes effort but most often is rewarded with good results. It is true that we often have to be satisfied with copies, but we should always be aware that what we are examining is merely a copy and, in that case, we must understand the record’s limitations.

Busting Brick Walls Using Local History and Jurisdictional Research

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:14:22 GMT

Sometimes You Can't Just Click a Leaf

A careful genealogist knows that not only must he or she carefully trace and document the pedigree of his or her ancestors, but it is also important to research local history and follow county and state boundary changes. Yes, not only did our ancestors move across oceans, across continents, and within nations, they pushed the boundaries of unsettled and unexplored territories. Tracking an ancestor requires knowledge of not only genealogical methodology, but in order to solve the really tough brick wall problems encountered, the prudent genealogist must be well versed in local history and jurisdictional changes.

Having a knowledge of local history is often so critical in researching a family. For example, who were the “movers and shakers,” those with influence, within the ancestor’s community? Where did your ancestor worship? Where did people gather? What organizations were in the community? Was there a military battle or native American attack that occurred in the region? Just like our lives, our ancestors' lives were shaped by the community in which they lived (even more so). In addition, they were affected by the historical events of the day in their nation, in their state, and in their community.

To solve brick wall problems, get off the internet for a while and begin seeking out local records on the community in which your ancestor resided! Local libraries and archives are full of detail on what happened in counties and cities. And guess what? Your ancestor may be mentioned in these records!!! For example, did you know most local libraries have vertical files about historical events and families in their region? Many have manuscripts and unpublished histories. Someone long ago may have preserved that bit of family information which you are seeking and put it in the library hoping you would find it one day! (It never made it on the Internet!) Of course, it is not always possible to travel to all these facilities yourself but you can e-mail or write to them. Librarians are helpful people. And you can always find a professional genealogist who will help you access these treasure troves of information! When I visit these facilities and work for hours at a time, I often find I am the only patron! Very sad!

Not only must we track our ancestral pedigrees but the pedigrees of the jurisdictions in which an ancestor lived. Your ancestor may have never moved off his farm but still lived in three or more counties in his or her lifetime! New counties were created from existing ones, often when a group of local people petitioned the state government (By the way, these petitions can be wonderful resources in themselves!).

I am presently working on a client project which involves serious brick wall research into the family of one of George Rogers Clark’s men. The area of present-day Kentucky into which he moved about 1779/1780 was at first Jefferson County, Virginia, then Nelson County, then Hardin County, then when Kentucky was created in 1792, it became a part of Kentucky. So here we have two states and three counties in which this individual resided in the span of twelve years, all while remaining in the same place! And some of his family were in nearby counties which themselves had their own share of boundary changes.

In addition, the project involves research in a region of Virginia (Monongalia and Yohogania Counties and West Augusta District) which was also claimed by Pennsylvania (Bedford County, Westmoreland County, then Washington County and Allegheny County) in the 1770s. Research therefore needs to be conducted in at least seven counties within two states there.

Fortunately, there is a wonderful tool at the Newberry Library website to help us keep track of all these boundary and jurisdictional changes. The Newberry Library tool is at https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/index.html My favorite part of this website is the Interactive Map tool where you can choose a state and the select a date to see what the boundaries looked like at that given time. This can help you track where you need to direct your research. The Individual County Chronology page is also one I find helpful.

I hope this has encouraged you to consider and pursue some new avenues in your research. Backstory Bloodhound is always ready to help if you are stuck. I have significant knowledge and experience in breaking down brick walls and do offer free no-obligation consultations. See the Services and FAQs tabs on this website for more details or shoot me an e-mail at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

A Genealogical Mystery

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 21:10:20 GMT

What Does It Mean?

Thought it would be fun to throw in a visual genealogical mystery!

My 3rd great-grandparents William M. Capps and his wife Martha Jane Adams are buried in Old Home Cemetery south of Eddyville in Pope County, Illinois. Their markers are rocks which appear to have been hand-carved with inscriptions. In the 1980s when I enumerated this cemetery, they were much more legible - unfortunately I didn't get pictures of them at that time. Recently I re-visited the cemetery.

I could plainly read the name and date of death on William's stone in the 1980s but it is practically illegible now. The date given was 16 March 1895 which coincides precisely with the date of death given in his probate at the courthouse in Golconda.

But his wife Martha's stone pictured here is the mystery. The top of the stone reads "Caps" with the "S" backward and the face of the stone appears to give her date of death (hence the letter "D") but to me the date looks like "1199". What is the meaning?

Martha Jane Capps was living with her widowed daughter Elizabeth Rector in the 1900 census of Jefferson County, Illinois. A family story given to me indicated she died in Livingston County, Kentucky (where the family had been found in the 1860s and 1870s before coming to Pope County). She had Adams relatives there. Her body was brought across the river at Golconda for burial in Pope County beside her husband. She is NOT in the 1910 census and has no death certificate in Illinois or Kentucky (they were quite incomplete at that time).

My guess is that the interpretation of "1199" is either January 19th, 1909 or November 9th, 1909.

Any thoughts??? These are the mysteries that can drive us crazy as genealogists!

Upcoming Local Genealogy Events in Southern Illinois

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 20:43:27 GMT

Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois (GSSI)

Upcoming Events for the Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois

All events are at the John A. Logan College Library in Carterville

Saturday, August 6th – Open Research Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Come by and use the collection. I will be there from 10:00 – 12:00 to help anyone one-on-one with research questions so if you have a brick wall or need help on where to go next, I will be glad to assist you.

Saturday, September 10th – Open Research Day – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 8th – 10 a.m. - Presenter will be Autumn Simmons, an archaeologist

Saturday, November 5th - 10 a.m. - Presenter will be David Jones of the Illinois State Archives

For more details on the society, go to https://ilgssi.org/

Come out and enjoy these research days and local programs. Backstory Bloodhound will be posting about additional events in Illinois and Kentucky soon.

Be Careful of Assumptions in Genealogy

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 19:49:21 GMT

O r How I Learned the Hard Way!

Often in our pursuit of our ancestry, we encounter situations that do not seem plausible. We see our ancestor as pursuing the life we imagine for him or her by growing up, marrying in their teens or early twenties, and then settling down to fruitful lives in a community. We place their names on a pedigree chart with their dates of birth, marriage, and death, and convention tells us we should then look to find their parents so we can do the same for them.

Sometimes, however, our ancestors do NOT conform to the patterns we have established for them in our minds. Sometimes they live their lives their own way – on their own terms. Finding the truth about these ancestors often lies at the heart of solving our genealogical brick walls and shattering our myths about the past.

Tracing my maternal Hall line back several generations was not difficult. My grandfather told me about his great-grandfather William Carroll Hall who came to Pope County, Illinois on the even of the Civil War. My grandfather had an old tintype of his wife Mollie Duvall (see an earlier blog about this fascinating lady). He told me that his brother who resided in Michigan had been given the picture of William Carroll they had in his military uniform. (the one attached here).

The story was related by descendants that William Carroll had left Tennessee to escape the war because he had not wanted to fight against his relatives. I found that he did wind up enlisting in Company A of the 120 ^th Illinois infantry in August 1862. Some descendants indicated his family in Tennessee was displeased with this action on his part.

I quickly located the family in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 census records in which William Carroll was listed as 40, 50, and 70 years old respectively. Research at the Pope County courthouse led me to information on his land purchases in the county. Interviews with other relatives gave me oral traditions that I could research about the Duvall family but no one seemed to know anything about William Carroll’s parents. My grandfather told me that he had a faint recollection of hearing the name Matilda Hall but he had no idea if or how she was related to the family.

William Carroll’s death record indicates he died on 9 October 1908 and was 78 years and 6 days old at his death. This calculated to a birth date of 3 October 1829. All seemed to be in harmony.

All census records indicated he was born in Tennessee. Furthermore, William Carroll Hall’s Civil War discharge record indicated a birthplace of Smith County, Tennessee. In the pre-Internet age, we did not have immediate access to census records so I relied on Byron Sistler’s published census indexes of Tennessee. Reading line by line, I came across the following interesting entry.

HALL, Claiborne, 61, VA; Elizabeth, 60 VA; William 17 TN; John 14 TN; Susan 33 TN; Usibius 12 TN; Sarah 10 TN; Martha 7 TN. They are listed in exactly this order. As Dolly (rather than Mollie) was also found living with her father in Smith County in 1850, I concluded this had to be my William Carroll and he appeared to be the son of Claiborne Hall. Conventional research in existing published and unpublished record sources led me to find Claiborne Hall had married Elizabeth Herod, daughter of Revolutionary War soldier William Herod of Smith County.

I followed the family through to the 1860 census and located William with wife Dolly and two children living next door to Claiborne and Elizabeth Hall in Smith County. Aha! Further evidence of his parentage, I concluded. On a trip to the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville, I located information about a partition suit instituted by the heirs after Claiborne Hall’s death in 1874. There was no son named William listed but I concluded that was probably because he had disinherited his son for fighting for the Union Army in Illinois.

About this time, the local Pope County Historical Society was publishing a book on the county’s families and I submitted an article about the Halls listing William Carroll as the son of Claiborne Hall and Elizabeth Herod.

In my genealogical naivete, I felt this was the right answer but boy, was I wrong! I could not reconcile in my mind how William could be left out of his father’s estate so easily. The 1850 census entry for Claiborne Hall looked to me like William, John, and Susan were probably children of Claiborne and Usibius, Sarah, and Martha must have been Susan’s children. But who was Susan? She was mentioned in the estate of Claiborne Hall as an heir. Not only that, why was John not listed in the estate? I found out he had died during the Civil War in a northern prison camp while serving as a Confederate soldier. I found that Usibius Hall was actually Eusibius P. Hall and he served in the same Illinois Union company as William Carroll during the Civil War. Seemed odd to me – things were now not adding up! (Red flags!)

And who was the Matilda Hall my grandfather had heard of? My great aunt who had lived in William Carroll’s daughter Sarah Ellen Hall’s house after her marriage in 1931 indicated Sarah Ellen had a letter address to a Matilda Hall – of course, the letter did not survive, but the fact it existed at one time proved there was a Matilda Hall.

All of these inconsistencies began to creep into my thinking and analysis and I thought maybe I was wrong. It all began to fall into place in 1989 when I made a trip to the Carthage Public Library in Smith County, Tennessee. One afternoon, I ran into the county historian, Mr. Carmack Key. He asked me who I was researching and when I replied Claiborne Hall, he began to tell me off the top of his head what he knew about the family. He told me exactly where Claiborne Hall lived (so I went and found what is still known as Hall’s Hill). He also talked about Claiborne’s children – all of whom matched the names found in Claiborne’s estate. When he talked of Susan Hall, though, he made one comment that hit me upside the head! He said Susan had five children and never married. Five? I could account for three from the 1850 census. But he said there were five! And he insisted it was true!

I decided then and there that I had better research Susan Hall a little more. She was in the 1860 census with her daughter Martha who had just married William N. Gregory. Following the Gregorys through to the 1870 census, I hit pay dirt! Rather than the name Susan Hall, I now found a Matilda Hall, age 50, living with them in Randolph County, Arkansas. There, at last, was the name Matilda! And the census gave the place of birth of some of the children of the Gregory’s as Illinois in the 1860s. Could it be that Susan and Matilda were one and the same and that she had even lived in Illinois at one point? Later on, I found a receipt in the record books of Smith County in which Susan Hall of Randolph County, Arkansas signed her name to get what was due her from the estate of “Claiborne Hall, who was my father.”

Now I knew that Susan Hall had to be the same person as Matilda Hall and that she was likely the mother of William Carroll as well as John Hall, in addition to the other three children! This was later confirmed when I located a descendant who had the trunk of William Carroll Hall. Among the many treasures inside was a fragmented portion of a letter signed by Susan Hall and addressed to William Hall. Most of the writing has been torn away but you can clearly read the words “A fine son!”

So there at last was the answer! I now know that Susan Matilda Hall was William Carroll Hall’s mother and Claiborne Hall and Elizabeth Herod were his grandparents. She had five children and never married. The receipt I mentioned dated 8 January 1880 is the last reference I have found to her. Oddly enough, she was not found in the 1880 census. As William Carroll’s wife Mollie Duvall died on 7 February 1880, I have wondered if she perhaps came up to Illinois to help care for the young children left without a mother. This would explain how a letter addressed to her found its way into her granddaughter’s things in the 1930s. Did she remain in Pope County and die there? (No death record found, but those are incomplete). Is she buried in an unmarked grave with the other family at Mount Olive Cemetery near Renshaw in Pope County?

I may never find the answers to those questions but DNA may one day help me to reveal who William Carroll’s father was. I have a few clues to work with on this. What is fascinating is that there was a young man in the neighborhood in the late 1830s where Susan Matilda lived in Smith County named Eusibius Payne. Did she name her son Eusibius P. Hall, born ca. 1838, after his father? If so, that tells me a lot about the spunkiness of Susan Matilda Hall!

I should have known that unless there was a will, a child is not disinherited. But I was naive and didn't think that through well. I should have been suspicious all along as there were red flags here and there.

So I learned the hard way – do thorough and exhaustive research. Watch out for assumptions. People did not live their lives in patterns we lay out for them.

Unfortunately, once something is in print, it is hard to undo. To this day, I am sad to say that researchers find my article, accept it as gospel, and put William Carroll’s incorrect parentage on Ancestry.com and other sites. (Another reason I always preach – do your own research with the original sources! Mistakes occur – assumptions can be wrong!).

Genealogical research is always evolving and we must be open to the possibilities that we are wrong. New clues can always come forward and change our conclusions. Be ready for it!

I hope this story is useful in getting you to challenge assumptions you have made in your research. I know it certainly taught me a lot!

DNA - Where Do I Begin?

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 17:33:32 GMT

A Very Basic Overview

A lot of researchers ask about DNA testing. What exactly is it? Where do I do it? What will it tell me?

A relatively new addition to our arsenal as genealogists, DNA can open many doors and bring exciting discoveries, yet it can be difficult to know how to get started. The information here represents my opinion only and I’m sure there are others who have other opinions. If you were like me science was never your favorite subject in school. Yet ignoring the use of DNA is really not an option anymore for us if we are serious about researching our ancestry.

DNA testing is fantastic and has opened many brick walls for me as a researcher, however, it is NOT a magic bullet. It must be combined with traditional documentary evidence to come to a valid conclusion.

There are three basic types of DNA tests available to us as genealogists.

1) Y-DNA is inherited by males from their fathers. While there are mutations, it is possible to use Y-DNA with documentary evidence to go back as far as recorded information exists to confirm a man’s paternal ancestry. The key word here is possible. The only company doing Y-DNA testing to any significant degree at present is Family Tree DNA – ftdna.com – I have used it to confirm documentary results and it has, in a few cases, led me to new avenues of research. While there are many tests available all the way up to the Big Y-700, I recommend beginning with a 37 or 67 marker test. Depending on what is found (number of matches and the genetic distance), you can then upgrade the test from there.

2) mt-DNA – Mitochondrial DNA is passed by female ancestors to both their sons and daughters, however, it does not pass on through the sons to the next generation. It is used to trace maternal lines straight back whenever there are no intervening male ancestors – mother’s mother’s mother’s mother, etc. Family Tree DNA – ftdna.com – also conducts this type of testing.

3) Autosomal DNA – probably by far the most popular and useful of DNA testing. Autosomal DNA can be used to help trace ANY line. We inherit roughly 50% of our DNA from each parent, 25% from each grandparent, etc. Finding shared matches with others on your 22 chromosomes and analyzing the results is the key here to solving many brick wall genealogical problems. All relationships up to 2 ^nd cousin level can be discerned by testing, however, you also randomly will match with others related to you with more distant relationships as well. Targeted testing of specific family members can yield great results. In general, the higher the number of centimorgans you share with a match, the closer the genealogical connection.

Where should I get an autosomal test? There are many companies offering this test but due to the sheer volume of individuals who test at Ancestry, I recommend beginning there. Be aware, though, that Ancestry’s tools for analysis are among the least effective because they do not provide the specific segment data you will want when you get to conducting an analysis of distant relationships. For that, I recommend transferring your results to other sites such as Family Tree DNA, My Heritage, and GEDMatch where there are tools to assist with this. Mastering these tools has a learning curve but it can be done.

Of course, sites such as Ancestry and 23 and Me also provide medical information and ethnicity estimates and while these are interesting, they do not help you to trace specific ancestral lines.

This is but a brief summary of what DNA testing can do for us as genealogists. It is a large, ever-growing field of knowledge and one which changes rapidly. If you not using this tool at your disposal to break through your brick walls, you are potentially missing out on what could be the most significant clue!

I will be adding to my DNA knowledge this summer by taking the Advanced DNA course offered by Blaine Bettinger at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (virtual this year). Bettinger is considered one of the premier genetic genealogists and I’m excited to add more to my knowledge on how to bust through those brick walls!

I am glad to help answer your questions about the use of DNA for genealogy – rick@backstorybloodhound.com

NEW PUBLICATION - POPE COUNTY ILLINOIS DEATH RECORDS, 1877 - 1915 WITH ANNOTATIONS

Wed, 25 May 2022 18:59:25 GMT

New Title

A massive project, this book contains all deaths recorded in Pope County Death Register #1 and #2. It compares the entries in the Registers with the death certificates themselves on file at the courthouse. Many times there is additional information there! This is MUCH MORE DETAIL THAN WHAT IS ONLINE!

Information includes name of deceased, age, sometimes date of birth, marital status, place of birth, how long a resident of the state, place of death, cause of death, complication, duration of disease, place of burial, undertaker, physician, informant (when given), names of parents (when given) including maiden name of mother. Any discrepancy between the register and the certificate is noted. The transcription is supplemented by additional annotations from extensive research conducted.

This book provides the researcher with all the information available from the two Death Register books as well as the actual death certificates. Each death certification on file in the County Clerk's office was meticulously compared to what is in the Register. For example, sometimes the Register records a birthplace as Germany, but the actual death certificate provides the town of birth! Sometimes the death register records only the state of birth while the certificate records the precise county of birth!

Separate Index for Deceased Person, Undertaker, Physicians, and All Others Mentioned (including Parents and Informants). The book is 398 pages plus Preface, Hardbound, and sells for $65 postpaid. Libraries may be billed.

Copies of the book may be ordered online (via Paypal) by clicking on the Services tab on this website or by sending a check to: Backstory Bloodhound, LLC, P.O. Box 133, Metropolis, IL 62960

If you have a question about the book, please e-mail me at rick@backstorybloodhound.com - I WILL NOT DO SPECIFIC LOOKUPS in the book, however.

This project involved many hours of work and is dedicated to the Memory of Mary Ellen HEMPHILL YOUNG who gave me her copies of the death registers MANY years ago and asked me to publish them. Unfortunately this pioneer of the Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois passed in 2019. I am very glad to have it now completed and hope it is beneficial to researchers with Pope County ancestry.

UPDATE - Pope County, Illinois Survey Book Now Digitized!

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Thu, 19 May 2022 15:29:46 GMT

Great Resource Now Available Online

In my March 1st Backstory Blog, I referenced a set of Pope County, Illinois survey records available at the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections at the University of Illinois Library in Urbana. These were the records of J.E.Y. Hanna and his father Geo. H. Hanna and stretch from the 1830s to the 1890s. They are not necessarily for all tracts in the county but only for those individuals who hired the Hannas to complete survey work. Nevertheless, they are quite extensive and help researchers to place individuals in a specific place geographically in the county, In addition, they show nearby landowners, helping in neighborhood reconstruction. These are so important in genealogical research!

While at the library earlier this year, I discussed the importance of these records to Pope County historians and genealogists. The archivists committed to digitizing them and making them available online. GREAT NEWS - THAT HAS NOW HAPPENED!

Here is the LINK to the collection: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/5b270c50-90cf-013a-c312-02d0d7bfd6e4-c

And here is the LINK to the updated description of the collection: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/collections/fd83e850-70b1-013a-c274-02d0d7bfd6e4-2

INDEX - After my visit earlier this year, I captured images of each of the pages. As part of my genealogical research business Backstory Bloodhound, LLC, I made an index to these records and made it available free of charge to researchers. Here is the link to the index: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11YZNuNz7a3KXBEWvHSFbE97e34C80jPMIEkUygmtSN8/edit?usp=sharing

I hope this valuable but neglected resource can now be more widely utilized. At some point in the future, I may add the image numbers to my index so researchers can go right to the exact page on the website rather than relying on the legal description.

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC conducts genealogical research in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. If you have a brick wall genealogy problem, consider a free no-obligation consultation. More details about me and my services are available by clicking on "About" and "Services" at the top of this webpage.

Resource Sheet for Beginning Genealogists

Tue, 17 May 2022 16:25:19 GMT

Feel Free to Print this Off

I have assembled a list of basic resources for those beginning their family history journey. This one includes some resources specific to Illinois. I will work on a sheet for other states soon as well. Feel free to print this off and use it. If you have a question on how to get started, I can be reached at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

RESOURCES FOR BEGINNING GENEALOGISTS

by Backstory Bloodhound, LLC

www.backstorybloodhound.com

There are literally thousands of genealogy websites, books and other genealogical resources so it is difficult to narrow down but I would recommend these for those interested in beginning family history research.

Book: Val D. Greenwood: The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 4 ^th Edition,

(Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2017) - This is a good basic introductory textbook to genealogy, its methodology and resources.

Book: Board for Certification of Genealogists, Genealogy Standards, Second Edition, (Washington, DC: 2019) - Covers standards for good research.

www.ancestry.com – A subscription website found in most libraries and available at home. It has over 11 billion records including census records, vital records, probate records, military records and other types of genealogical resources. The site also allows anyone to submit a family tree and is a good way to keep track of your pedigree but beware that no sources are required to be submitted so always double-check anything found in a family tree. Ancestry offers DNA testing and has tools to assist with this.

www.familysearch.org – The website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, they have a large number of records from across the world which they have digitized. Some are indexed by volunteers but many remain unindexed as well. This is a great resource – search their catalog by state-county to see what is available. You may submit your family tree but be aware that it is open to being altered by others as their purpose is to create a collaborative tree. Their research wikis are helpful in building genealogical skills.

www.myheritage.com – a subscription site which is strongest on overseas records for those with more recent immigrant origins. They also have a tree building function as well as DNA.

www.familytreedna.com – Offers not only autosomal DNA testing but also Y-DNA and mitochondrial testing. Some analysis tools allow you to examine at the centimorgan/segment level.

www.fold3.com – A subscription site strongest in military records. This is a fantastic place to research Revolutionary and War of 1812 pension records but their scope goes far beyond this and even includes 20 ^th century military records.

www.cyndislist.com – For more than 25 years, genealogists have relied on this as a sort of index to genealogy websites.

www.chroniclingamerica.com – The Library of Congress’ website provides information on all known newspapers in the United States and houses digitized images of many.

www.findagrave.com – Millions of free images of tombstones with pictures taken by volunteers across the United States. You can search by name or by cemetery.

www.newspapers.com – Over 566 million digitized newspaper images from more than 16,000 newspapers dating back to the 1700s. This is a subscription site.

www.newspaperarchive.com – A subscription site with over 120 digitized newspaper images.

www.genealogybank.com – More than 11,000 big city and small town newspapers.

https://books.google.com – A great resources for digitized copies of out-of-print books.

https://glorecords.blm.gov/ - The Bureau of Land Management database of original land patents from the federal government along with digital images. Searchable by name.

https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/index.html - In genealogy it is important to track not only your family’s genealogy but the genealogy of the county as boundaries and political divisions changed. This wonderful resource by the Newberry Library allows you to do that.

www.linkpendium.com - A valuable resource with links to other websites containing family histories and information on the state and county level.

ILLINOIS SPECIFIC RESOURCES

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/databases/idphdeathindex.html - Illinois Death Certificates, 1916 – 1950. This is ONLY an index. You can order the original records from the Illinois State Genealogical Society

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/databases/death.html - An Index to Illinois Death Records Pre-1916. Remember this is ONLY an index. You can obtain the original death certificate from County Clerk’s office.

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/databases/marriage.html - Illinois Marriage Index, 1763 – 1900. Again, only an index. You can obtain the original record from the County Clerk’s office in most cases.

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/databases/data_lan.html - Illinois Public Domain Land Sales. This is searchable by purchaser and by legal description. Very helpful if your ancestor was an original owner of a tract purchased from the federal government in the state.

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/databases/datcivil.html - The Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls database. A fantastic resource of all Illinois Civil War Union soldiers with physical descriptions, enlistment and discharge information, and most of the time it includes the place of birth.

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/IRAD/iradholdings.html - Illinois has an Illinois Regional Archives Depository system at university across the state. You can search the database here to see what is available for each county.

https://www.library.illinois.edu/illinoisnewspaperproject/ - An Illinois newspaper project – images are free

New Publication - Postcards of Roy Hall and Lura Cole and Other Family Correspondence, 1908 - 1948

Wed, 11 May 2022 21:49:54 GMT

Pope County, Illinois

I have always known about this wonderful collection of the postcards of my great-grandparents during their courtship in 1908 - 1909. During the downtime of COVID, I decided to finally transcribe them and get them ready for publication. They are now available for family members, libraries, and anyone interested in the history of early Pope County. Roy and Lura were married on 22 January 1909 and made their home at Roy's store/post office in Renshaw. They subsequently raised nine children there before Lura's untimely death in 1939.. More information below.

Complete transcription of the extant postcards of this young couple in 1908-1909 before their marriage. Correspondence with other family members (COLE, REAMS, GOSSAGE, BLANCHARD, HYTEN, WIENEKE) in the early 1900s. Mention of those in community at times

Fascinating glimpse into the lives of a rural Pope County family in the early 20 ^th century

Roy Hall was postmaster of the Illinois Central Railroad community of Renshaw and operated a store there. Lura resided in Glendale, Eddyville area. Other places mentioned included Reevesville, McNoel, Harrisburg, Stonefort

Many photographs are included

$25 postpaid, 78 pages, softcover, every name index, Libraries may be billed

Send Payment to: Rick Allen, Backstory Bloodhound, LLC. P.O. Box 133, Metropolis, IL 62960 or send via Paypal to rick@backstorybloodhound.com

Four Events Next Weekend in Southern Illinois

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Thu, 05 May 2022 23:10:00 GMT

Looking for Something History/Genealogy Related to Do?

Looking for something to do next weekend? Look no further! The weekend is jam packed with historical events.

Backstory Bloodhound tries to publicize local historical/genealogical events. If you are aware of one in our region, please e-mail rick@backstorybloodhound.com

Here are some coming up!

Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Life on the Illinois Frontier at the Saline County History Museum in Harrisburg. Vendors, Food, Demonstrations, Tours, Reenactors, and History! Bring the family!

Saturday, May 14th at 10 a.m. - The Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois Presents Mound City National Cemetery at Hancock Conference Center, John A. Logan College. the Board of the Mound City National Cemetery Preservation Commission will discuss current and future projects at the cemetery as well as the Memorial Day activities later this month. There will be an open panel discussion about the cemetery where so many who gave their lives for our country are buried.

Saturday, May 14th at 1 p.m. - Golconda Public Library presents "The Migration of the Necked Discoid Gravemarker by Michael McNerney. He will be describing the migration and origin of the necked discoid markers. These unique grave markers are located in states from North Carolina to Arkansas. In Pope County they can be found in cemeteries scattered the length of the county. Refreshments will be served! I have heard him speak on this before and you will NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!

Sunday, May 15th at 2:30 p.m. - Vienna Public Library. The Johnson County Genealogical and Historical Society presents Ed Annable speaking on "Johnson County Went to War, 1861 - 1865." I have heard Ed present on this topic and he has a vast knowledge of the Civil War and the participation of southern Illinoisans in it. His most recent book "Some Came Marching Home Again" will be available for purchase. You will want to hear this one. Refreshments are typically served. For more information, contact the Society at 618-771-6877.

I am afraid I will have to miss the weekend's events as it is our anniversary and we have made plans to be in St. Louis that weekend!

But please take advantage of the opportunity to support these organizations and learn a lot about our region! You cannot go wrong with any of these!!!!

Busting Down Brick Walls with Tax Records

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 17:18:01 GMT

Dig Into this Neglected Resource

Taxes – something everyone complains about and hates to deal with. Benjamin Franklin said it best – “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.”

This maxim applied to our ancestors too and that is a fortunate thing for us! An ancestor’s death produced probate records and these can be valuable resources but we should not overlook tax records as they sometimes hold the key to busting down that brick wall.

This blog will explain a few ways in which tax records can be used to crumble your brick wall!

Over time, Americans have been taxed on everything from real estate to livestock. When they have survived, these records can give us an inside look into our ancestor’s lives. What did they own? Land? Slaves? Horses? Cattle? Carriages? Dogs? These are just a few of the things that have been taxed over the years.

And even if your male ancestor owned NONE of these things, he typically had to pay a poll tax, just for existing. This was also called a “head” tax. These records can be used as a substitute census to see who was living in a specific area at a given time. Adult females may not have paid a poll tax but they did pay taxes on personal property and real estate.

At various times, before the institution of the federal income tax in 1913, the federal government has levied taxes of various kinds. However, we will focus here on state/local taxes as being the most valuable for genealogists. If you have ancestry in Virginia or Kentucky, you are most fortunate in that their tax records have (mostly) been preserved since 1782 (for Virginia) and 1792 (for Kentucky). Remember Kentucky was once a part of Virginia as well. Tennessee has scattered tax records. Illinois and Missouri also have records often located in county courthouses or various archives. Be sure to also check FamilySearch.org to see what they might have on a particular locality you are interested in. For Illinois, check IRAD as well.

So how can you use a tax record to bust down a brick wall? Several ways...

Here is a problem I was working on in Livingston County, Kentucky – I was seeking to learn the parents of James A. Williams who married there in 1857. The 1850 census showed a promising candidate with a James Williams, age 20, heading a household consisting of only one other person – Mahala Williams, age 45. Was this a young man and his mother? Was it the James A. Williams who married in 1857? How could we learn more?

Beginning in 1857, I followed the tax records of Livingston County year by year backward in time. The middle initial “A” helped to keep him separate from other James Williams’ in the county but I could also tell it was him each year by what he owned – generally, taxpayers did not gain or lose much livestock each year. For example, a man with only 1 horse will not suddenly have 8 horses unless there was an inheritance. In 1851, James A . Williams was listed as paying a poll tax and was taxed on 2 horses and 1 cow. The only other James in the county that year had a middle initial of “Y.” The 1850 tax list (the year in which the census listed James A. as age 20) did not have an entry for James A. Williams. It only contained an entry for James Y. Williams who was obviously an older man listed a white male over 21 years old and having 3 children between 5 and 16 years old. However, the 1850 tax list of Livingston County does have an entry for Mahala Williams, the 45-year-old living with a James in the census that year. Mahala paid no was taxed on 3 horses and 3 cattle. She did not pay a poll tax for a male over 21. Mahala is not found in any tax roll from 1851 to 1857. So in the very year in which James A. Williams turns 21 years old, he appears on the tax rolls and is taxed on livestock and Mahala Williams is no longer taxed on any property. Conclusion: James A. Williams is the son of Mahala Williams and he began to be listed on the tax rolls in 1851, since he turned 21 that year. James A. Williams’ tombstone gives his date of birth as 9 December 1829 so that also correlates with the tax lists and census record.

Another example: I was seeking to determine the relationship of Andrew Reed to John Reed. The 1796, 1797, 1798, and 1799 tax lists of Hardin County, Kentucky indicates Andrew Reed with 1 white male over 16 and under 21 in addition to 1 white male above 21. The 1800 tax list of Hardin County shows Andrew Reed with only a white male above 21 and NO white males from 16 to 21. However, a new entry that year for John Reed indicates he paid a poll tax for 1 white male above 21. No other Reeds in the county lose a male between 16 and 21 in 1800. Conclusion: John Reed was probably the son of Andrew Reed. Of course, other records should be used to confirm or refute this hypothesis as John could be a nephew or other relation.

Tax records provide us with information on an ancestor’s migration to and migration from an area. When reviewing tax lists, it is my recommendation to note the date taxed whenever given. This can help you to reconstruct a neighborhood and tell who lived nearby. In addition, be sure to check the end of each tax list and often tax collectors will include additional information such as those who were delinquent in paying with notations such as “Gone to Texas” (often abbreviated GTT) or “left the county.”

If an ancestor does not appear in a particular year, be sure to check the county court order books as he may have been exempted for some reason. Also check the laws of the state you are working with to make sure you understand who and what was taxable. For example, ministers were often exempted from taxation.

This just represents a very brief overview of how tax records can aid you in your research. Seek them out as there are many other ways they can help you. For example, Virginia has both land and personal property taxes on separate rolls. Other states such as Kentucky combined them.

For more details on tax records, see Carol Cooke Darrow, CG and Susan Winchester, PH.D., CPA, The Genealogist’s Guide to Researching Tax Records, (Westminster, Maryland: Heritage Books, 2007).

Backstory Bloodhound can assist you in breaking through that brick wall using tax records and other often neglected local resources. See the Services page for more information on this.

Featuring the McCarroll Genealogy Collection

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 14:01:58 GMT

At the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library

Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct client research in the McCarroll Genealogy Collection at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library. I was reminded what a fantastic facility it is!

Established by his brothers as a perpetual memorial to Joe McCarroll, it is located in downtown Hopkinsville, Kentucky. If you have ancestors who lived or passed through Christian County, it is a major resource for you but its scope goes far beyond that of one county. They have a large collection of resources covering at least 79 of Kentucky's 120 counties with over 5,000 books and periodicals. Within the collection are deed books, tax lists, census records, cemetery transcriptions, funeral records, court order books, family histories, will books, vital statistics, marriage records, and a host of other types of genealogical resources.

For Christian County, they have a lot of original records including land grants and original court minute books dating back to the foundation of the county in 1797. They have obituaries going back to the 1880s. They maintain a collection of newspapers including that of Kentucky New Era (1872-1983), and Hopkinsville Kentuckian (1892-1919). In many situations, a trip to the Christian County courthouse is not needed as the records are held in this collection, particularly if you are dealing with the early years of the 1800s. It is important to note that part of Muhlenberg County was formed from a part of Christian County in 1798 and Trigg and Todd Counties were formed from a part of Christian County in 1820. Remember you need to follow a county's genealogy when doing research!

The McCarroll Collection has the advantage of having a genealogy reference librarian who can assist patrons. She regularly conducts genealogy educational programs.

What I found particularly helpful is they have quite a bit of resources for Virginia research, especially on Louisa, Orange, and Albemarle Counties where I am presently working on a very tough brick wall problem. I will be heading back to Hopkinsville in the near future to do some research.

Take advantage of a beautiful spring day soon and head to Hopkinsville to do some research in the McCarroll Genealogy Collection.

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC can assist you with your research needs in many counties in western Kentucky, including Christian County.

Featuring The Randolph County Genealogical Society

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 02:18:06 GMT

One of Illinois' Oldest Counties

From time to time, The Backstory Blog will feature regional research facilities and organizations. The Randolph County Genealogical Society was founded in 1990. Their research library in Steeleville, Illinois is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and by special appointment. The library is open to the public and its usage is free of charge. No appointment is needed.

Randolph County, Illinois was organized in 1795 from St. Clair County and the Northwest Territory. Its history is rich and full with the first European settlement at Kaskaskia occurring in 1703. Americans began arriving in the region in the 1770s when it was part of Virginia. The region became part of the Northwest Territory in 1779. By the county’s formation in 1795, it encompassed most of what later became southwestern Illinois. By 1809, Randolph County encompassed most of what is now deep southern Illinois. In 1812, Gallatin and Johnson Counties were formed from Randolph and enveloped much larger regions than their current boundaries would indicate. From Gallatin and Johnson, additional counties were formed. So - if you have an ancestor who lived in Illinois before statehood in 1818, it is very possible they were in Randolph County at one time! Please remember that when doing genealogical research, one must do consider the evolution of county and state boundaries in order to properly locate appropriate sources.

The research facility of the Randolph County Genealogical Society includes many types of records, including birth, marriage and death certificates, church records, census records from 1807 to 1930 (1940 is being worked on) and a large variety of pictures. They not only feature Randolph County but they have a room of "other counties in Illinois" and a room of "other states.” The Society will answer research requests and sells publications as well. They have almost 100 publications on their publication list currently with two books that will be ready for publication later this year. I noted several with early court records, divorces, and county commissioner’s records which would be helpful to someone with very early Illinois ancestry. The Society meets on the second Monday of each month at 2:00 for the board meeting and the regular meeting follows

The society library is at 13 Westwood Drive in Steelville. Phone number is 618-965-3705. Information:

E-mail – rcgs1990@frontier.com

Website: https://www.rcgsillinois.org – new website with information being added

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcgsil.org/

Featuring the Pope County Historical Society

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 15:07:50 GMT

Golconda, Illinois

Occasionally the Backstory Blog will feature local societies who are working to preserve our local and family history. I will begin this feature with the society from Pope County, Illinois. I am a lifetime member. All of my mother’s ancestral lines have roots in Pope County – Hall, Brush, Cole, Saylors, Capps, Boston, Kelly.

The Pope County Historical Society was founded in 1966 by about 40 citizens. It purchased the Rondeau House in Golconda, also called the Madge Trovillion Home, in the winter of 1967 and established a fine museum there. A number of devoted women established the “Not-So-New” Store to support the efforts of the society and this successful store in Golconda has been part of the ongoing support up until the present day. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1987 when the museum burned. But they did not give up, today’s museum is larger and better than ever, one of the best for a small community in Illinois.

The Society’s mission is to preserve the unique history of this county. Pope County was founded in 1816, fully two years before Illinois became a state. Many families established themselves in the county in the early days, some staying, some passing on to other regions. The natural beauty of Pope County and southern Illinois is unsurpassed.

The following is from the Society Facebook page:

The Historical Society Museum opens for the season on Saturday, April 2 ^nd . It will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. until November. Most of its treasures were given by patrons who are local or who have families here. Many of the county families are generations old. The gifts show family history, the ways they lived, worked, dressed and played in the two centuries of Pope County.

Displays of various fraternal orders shows the social societies who worked for the good of all communities; Odd Fellows, Masons, Rotary (both of which are still active here today) and others you may not have heard of.

We have a military room that goes back to the Civil War and a reading room filled with scrapbooks.

A real mammoth tusk found buried in the mud when the river shore was being excavated for the building of Dam 51.

And that is just the north half of the museum. As you enter the main door you will be greeted, first by the cheery face of a volunteer, then walk through areas of furniture set up in displays, also display cases set up as if it was in a store of the period.

The building that houses the museum was built in 1906 to replace the original Watson Hardware that was lost by fire. When the young Watson sons who served in WWII returned home, the Watson Hardware business was moved to where the Kunath Hardware is now.

We are very excited to be able to share two of our newest acquisitions; the Lincoln Coin and Memorabilia Collection loaned to us by Ronald Wilson, and a window shade Platt of the IOOF Cemetery, showing original owners of the plots. This valuable piece of history was donated by Carol Crisp who received it from the Rottmann Estate.

I will add that you can literally spend hours just looking at all the fascinating material that has been donated to the Museum! Viewing the mammoth tusk itself is worth the trip!

Over the years, the Society has published two histories of the county as well as a pictorial history book. It has programs discussing the history and genealogy of Pope County and its families several times per year. Meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Museum.

The Society also sponsors a Driving Tour which features the unique history of the small river town of Golconda. This can be accessed free of charge within the city by dialing 618-221-5168 or Golconda.Onecell.com

While in Golconda, have a bite to eat at one of the local establishments – “Diver Down, Tanny’s, the Dari Barr, or the Mansion of Golconda. See the historic courthouse which contains records dating back to the founding of the county in 1816. Stop by the library with its section on local history and genealogy. Take a tour of the old Golconda City Cemetery. See a fantastic view of the Ohio River. Make plans to attend one of the local festivals.

Consider joining the society to support its ongoing efforts. Membership is only $10 per year or $100 for a lifetime membership. Pope County Historical Society, P.O. Box 837, Golconda, IL 62938.

Make the drive to beautiful historic Golconda this spring or summer and check it out!

Busting Down Brick Walls with Newspapers

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:28:14 GMT

How I Found my 5th Great-Grandfather with a Newspaper Notice

There are many tools at our disposal to demolish those brick walls in our research. One of those becoming increasingly more common is newspaper research. These wonderful resources have always existed but as more and more of them are digitized and made available widely, they are much more accessible.

This blog will feature a tough brick wall in which a find in a 1839 newspaper cracked the case.

Josiah Allen was my fourth great-grandfather. I had carefully documented my paternal line back to him. His name (listed as “Josire Allen”) was on William Neal Allen’s death certificate in 1917 in Marshall County, Kentucky, William Neal being my 3 ^rd great-grandfather, a Civil War soldier in Co. C., 15 ^th Kentucky (Union) Cavalry.

Josiah Allen and family can be documented in Marshall County records as early as 1843, one year after the county was formed. The 1850 census provides a birthplace of North Carolina for both Josiah, age 54, and his wife Elizabeth. One of the children listed was William, age 17, born Tennessee. Tracing Josiah backward, he was located in the 1840 census of Marion County, Tennessee and in the 1830 census of Lincoln County, Tennessee. The birthplace of Josiah’s oldest child Margaret Eliza Allen Rodden who was born about 1820 can give us a clue as to where they were at that time. In census records, Margaret Eliza’s place of birth was consistently recorded as North Carolina. So I was looking for a Josiah Allen in the 1820 census of North Carolina. There were only two – one in Anson County (age 45 and upward) and one in Mecklenburg County (age 16 and under 26). The one in Mecklenburg is of the correct age to be mine – furthermore, that one has a wife age 16 and under 26 and a female child under 10 in the household. Seems to fit perfectly!

Research in the Mecklenburg County, North Carolina records provided a marriage for Josiah on 18 May 1818 (Date of Bond) to Elizabeth Baker – this is the same first name as his wife in the 1850 census and the young female could certainly be Margaret Eliza.

A Rachel Baker was living in the household enumerated before Josiah Allen in the 1820 census and online trees, born out by other primary source documentation which I verified, indicated Elizabeth was the daughter of George Baker and Rachel Cazair Mulwee. But who were Josiah’s parents? No one seemed to have any idea of that!

Since I have a location to search, it was time to dig into the published records of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina at a major research facility (the North Carolina State Archives). I’m sorry to say this turned up very little other than a few references to debts Josiah contracted in the 1820s which threatened to send him to debtor’s prison! Possibly this was why he left North Carolina for Tennessee.

So what to do next? I was stumped for a while. Careful combing of Mecklenburg County estate records made no mention of Josiah. Then I noted that newspaper records had been digitized for the region. Checking out the “Josiah Allen” entries was where I hit pay dirt! The 8 August 1839 issue of The Charlotte Journal provided a legal notice with the name Josiah Allen in it. Josiah Allen and several others were listed as non-resident heirs at law of John Allen, Jun. at the July Term of the Mecklenburg County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions.

When someone dies intestate (without a will), their legal heirs must be identified. Claims are filed against the estate for debts. If any heir is a non-resident of the state, publication is generally made in the local newspapers that action will be taken in the case. That is precisely what happened here – Two men named William Cook and David Parks were suing the estate. Here is a transcript from The Charlotte Journal, Thursday, 8 August 1839, page 3.

State of North Carolina: Mecklenburg County

Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, July Term 1839

William Cook vs. The Heirs at Law of John Allen, jun., dec’d.

It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, that James Cook and Sarah his wife, William Allen, Thos. Allen, Josiah Allen, Margaret Cook, Josiah Wilson and Mary, his wife, Eli Morrow and Mary, his wife, and the heirs at law of John Allen, Sen., dec’d are not inhabitants of this State, Ordered, therefore, that publication be made six weeks in the Charlotte Journal, that unless the above named heirs at law of John Allen, jun., appear at the next Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, to be held for the County of Mecklenburg at the Court House in Charlotte, on the 4 ^th Monday in October next, and plead, answer or demur, judgment by default will be entered against them.

Witness, Braley Oates, Clerk of our said Court, at office, the 4 ^th Monday in July 1839.

B. OATES, C.C.C.

(A similar notice with the name David Parks as plaintiff appeared immediately after this one in the newspaper).

So now we know not only that Josiah Allen was an heir of John Allen, Junr. but that he was also an heir of John Allen, Senr.!!! And a list of heirs was provided. (Can we say GOLD MINE!)

Going back to the estate records which I had already examined, NONE of these names was present in the actual estate records of either John Allen, Jr. or John Allen, Senr. However, neither estate actually contained a list of heirs so that information had obviously not been preserved in the loose estate records.

In examining the list of heirs presented in this newspaper record (from an unindexed court record which I could now examine), I found another connection. You will note Austin Cook as the bondsman for the 1818 marriage of Josiah Allen to Elizabeth Baker. Austin Cook was the husband of the Margaret Cook listed as an heir. He had died in 1831 and his widow had removed to Tennessee by the date of the newspaper publication. Always pay attention to anyone who signed a bond for your ancestor – he is someone of importance to your research!

In looking back at the records, John Allen, Jr. who died in 1836 had been the administrator for John Allen, Sr. who died in 1827. John Allen, Jr. left a young wife named Melinda but no children. As the widow, Melinda was only entitled to a dower interest in the property of John, Jr. Since both his parents were deceased and he had no children, John, Jr.’s heirs would be his siblings. Obviously, this is a listing of the children and thus heirs also of John Allen, Sr. who died in 1827. Josiah Allen was therefore the son of John Allen, Sr.! And then I found this nugget in the newspaper!

Died - In this county, very suddenly, on the 24th ult. Mr. JOHN ALLEN, in the 88th year of his age. He was a soldier of the revolution; and throughout his long life, sustained the character of an upright, worthy citizen, a kind husband and tender parent. He enjoyed almost uninterrupted health, having never, as he stated but a short time before his death, taken medicine to the value of 25 cents.

Source: Catawba Journal, (Charlotte, N.C.), 8 May 1827, page 3, North Carolina Newspapers, Digital North Carolina. https://www.digitalnc.org/newspapers/catawba-journal-charlotte-nc/\

So I now I even know more information about my 5 ^th great-grandfather – John Allen, Sr. He was 87 years old when he died on 24 April 1827. He was a worthy citizen and served in the Revolutionary War. And not only that – he enjoyed almost uninterrupted health until shortly before his death – a feat I hope to emulate although I have taken more than 25 cents worth of medicine!

It was time to make another trip to North Carolina. And several years ago, I did just that – going to Mecklenburg County as well as the State Archives in Raleigh. I uncovered a treasure trove of information there on the life of my John Allen – there were others of that name in the county so that had to be sorted out! It seems my John was a shoemaker by trade and had been twice married – first to Sarah McDowell who died in 1779 and is buried in Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery and then to Eleanor Brown. All the family seem to be Scots-Irish probably coming down to North Carolina in the 1750s and 1760s from Pennsylvania, possibly with a stop-off in the Valley of Virginia. Research is ongoing to identify the parents of my John Allen – he appears in an estate record for a James Allen who died in 1781 in Mecklenburg County, though at this time it is unclear if John is James’ son or brother.

My own autosomal DNA test results have also now proven the link to other descendants of John Allen, Sr. including those of Austin Cook and wife Margaret Allen. But the true breakthrough was the newspaper legal notice!

I hope I have convinced you that you must spend the time to search out old newspapers for the region in which your ancestor lived. Many do not survive but when they do, they can not only help to scale brick walls but can help us to add “flesh to the bone” and get past mere names and dates.

Not all newspapers have been digitized but if the ones you need have not, take the time to go through the microfilm when they survived. It can pay off in a major way!

Need help busting through a brick wall in your family tree? Consider letting Backstory Bloodhound, LLC assist you by signing up for a Free no-obligation consultation. Click on the "Services" link above.

What Was Your Family Doing in 1950?

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:02:06 GMT

Backstory Bloodhound is Doing Census Lookups starting April 1st

Have you wondered what your family was doing in 1950? You can soon find out! We have waited the required 72 years! On April 1 ^st of this year, the National Archives will release the 1950 census. Every man, woman, and child living in the United States should have been counted in the census enumeration on April 1 ^st , 1950. This will be a massive and extraordinary event for those who are interested in learning about their family history. Indexing will begin immediately, however, it will take about six months to get a reliable index. Don’t want to wait another six months on an index? - there are specialized tools available to help locate individuals and families in the census. .

The 1950 census was the last one in which enumerators personally visited every household. Beginning in 1960, mail-in forms were sent out.

So what can you learn from the 1950 census about your relatives (or even yourself if you were living in 1950)?

1) Information on the house number and street or road on which the person/family resided

2) Whether it was a farm or ranch and consisted of three or more acres

3) Name of each person in the household and their relationship to the head

4) Race for each person

5) Sex for each person

6) Marital Status for each person

7) State of Country of birth for each person

8) Naturalization status if foreign born

9) For all persons age 14 or over, details are provided about their employment status, their occupation, and the industry in which they worked.

In addition to this, the person listed on every 6 ^th line was asked “Sample” Questions.

These include:

1) Whether living in same house and same county a year before?

2) Country of birth of each parent

3) Highest grade of school attended

4) Additional information on employment including how much money earned from working and other sources in 1949.

5) Additional information on how much his or her relatives living in the same household earned from various sources in 1949.

6) If male, whether he served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I, World War II, or any other time?

In addition to this, one person on each page was asked additional questions about previous jobs, previous marriages, number of years since last married, widowed, divorced, or separated, and if female, the number of children ever born, not counting stillbirths.

As you can see, this census release will reveal a LOT of detail.

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC is offering a lookup service to help you find your family in the 1950 census. If interested, please submit the following information or as much as is known to me at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

What Do You Need to Send?

1) The full name of the specific individual you would like to find in the 1950 census, including any nicknames.

2) His or her date of birth or at minimum, an approximate age on April 1, 1950. The state where he or she was born.

3) As much detail as you have on where he or she was living on April 1, 1950. If a rural area, please give the county and either the township/precinct or at least the closest town. (This is a must!) If an urban area, the exact address is most helpful. If the exact address is not known, a street or another nearby landmark is helpful. (I may be able to find them in a city directory also so don’t let this hinder the search if you do not know the exact address or street).

4) Whom do you believe this person was living with in 1950?

5) Your name and e-mail address where you would like the information sent. I may need to contact you if additional information is needed before/during the search.

Note: The individual must have been living in the United States.

What will you receive?

A scan of a handwritten transcription on a template form providing you with every piece of information recorded in the 1950 census about that individual and every member of the household in which he or she was living. Exception: If the individual lived in a group facility such as a retirement home, prison, rooming house, dormitory, etc., only information on the specific individual will be provided.

What will this cost?

$20 payable in advance via Paypal or a physical check can be mailed to Backstory Bloodhound, LLC, P.O. Box 133, Metropolis, IL 62960. You can pay with Paypal by going to the Services Tab and scrolling to the section on 1950 Census.

NOTE:

Searching will begin in April 2022. If I cannot find the individual you specify, a refund of $19 will be issued (The $1 is for Paypal fees).

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC can also search and provide information on any other census – 1940, 1930, 1920, 1910, etc. for $10 per household per census year. You will receive a handwritten transcription on a template form with every piece of information recorded for their household from that census.

Backstory Bloodhound, LLC is a full research business offering on-site historical and genealogical research in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. We offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation as well and can help you with online research (including a plan for beginning genealogists) or the development of research plans. Check out the options by clicking on the Services tab above. Contact me today at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

Index to J.E.Y. Hanna Survey Records, 1830s - 1890s from Pope County, Illinois Now Available

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 02:50:37 GMT

This is a full-name index prepared exclusively in 2022 by Backstory Bloodhound, LLC (a genealogical research and consulting business of Rick Allen) to the Survey Records of J.E.Y. Hanna in Pope County, Illinois. These were people whom he or his father Geo. H. Hanna did survey work for in the county. The original records are at the University of Illinois in the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections. They will be scanning the original records with free online access very soon. Until that time, please feel free to email rick@backstorybloodhound.com and request a scan of the specific record in which you are interested.

Below is the link to Index in a Google Docs spreadsheet. The index includes the name of the owner, the section, township, and range of the property, the quarter section with a more precise location, the date of the survey when given, and any notes or observations.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11YZNuNz7a3KXBEWvHSFbE97e34C80jPMIEkUygmtSN8/edit?usp=sharing

Happy Hunting! Be sure to check this blog regularly for additional information on this and many other genealogy/local history topics and announcements.

Introducing the Beginning Backstory Bloodhound Hunt

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 15:16:35 GMT

Start Your Own Family History Journey

Have you ever wanted to trace your family history but were unsure how or even where to begin? Then the Beginning Backstory Hunt may be for you!

Send an e-mail to rick@backstorybloodhound.com with what you already know on your ancestors – name of parents and grandparents, any dates and places of birth, marriage, and death you know, and specify if you want me to work on all the lines or just one or two.

I have access to many databases online and will spend a minimum of 5 hours researching what can be found regarding your ancestry. This could include census records, vital records, obituaries, interment records, military records, yearbooks, passenger lists, city directories, draft records, and/or newspaper records. In other words, as much as I can find in the time allotted depending on the availability of records. For most lines in the United States, I should be able to find a good amount of information and provide you with a good starting family tree which you can continue working on.

At the end of my research period, you will receive a pedigree chart outlining basic information about the ancestors as well as copies of relevant documents found in the search. (sent via e-mail).

The cost of $150 includes at least 5 hours spent with online research and a free phone consultation, if desired, to explain what was found in the search. The idea is to give you a basic framework of your most immediate ancestry. Who knows what stories await you? The Beginning Backstory Bloodhound Hunt can be anywhere in the United States as all research will be conducted online. Contact me at rick@backstorybloodhound.com to get started today!

P.S. I have added a new Paypal tab under Services on the website for this product or you can send a check to Backstory Bloodhound, LLC, P.O. Box 133, Metropolis, IL 62960

Get started today on your personal family history journey!

A New Discovery - An 1800s Pope County, Illinois Survey Book and Maps

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 18:36:25 GMT

A Discovery from the Illinois History and Lincoln Collection at University of Illinois

One of the purposes of this blog is to highlight specific resources in the region which are available to genealogists, particularly those which are not as well known. In December 2021, I discovered that the Illinois History and Lincoln Collection at the University of Illinois housed a book which is very significant to the history of Pope County. Being from the county myself and having a large number of ancestors there, I determined to examine and access this material at the earliest opportunity.

In the collection are original survey maps of each section of each township in Pope County. The dates in the book range from the 1830s to the 1890s. They seem to be the records of J. E. Y. Hanna (1821 – 1909) as well as some entries surveyed by his father Rev. George Hamilton Hanna (1787 – 1868). The father surveyed the original line between Pope and Massac Counties at the time Massac was formed in 1843. The University of Illinois acquired this valuable material in 1971 from a bookstore.

It is a tremendous find! I recently traveled to Urbana and have made digital copies of each page. I am in the process of preparing an index to the material and will make it as well as physical copies of the maps available to local libraries free of charge when completed.

Please be advised the material does not contain every landowner in the county but appears to be only those for whom the Hannas were hired to conduct survey work. Most entries plot the name of each landowner, the location on the map, as well as detailed physical locations used as survey markers such as trees or stones. Most entries also have the date of the survey. Note that some sections do not contain any names because the Hannas may not have surveyed in that particular section. The records are helpful in reconstructing neighborhoods and determining where ancestors resided within the county.

The index I am preparing will include the landowners, the exact location of the land, the date of the survey, and any other notes present.

The archivists at the University of Illinois indicated they may soon digitize this publication and make it available online for free access on their website. That would certainly make this material more widely available and I will be sure to post the news here if that occurs.

In addition to these maps, the J.E.Y. Hanna papers also contain original plat maps of the villages of Bay City, Glendale, Eddyville, Hamletsburg, and some maps of Golconda which I also captured and will make available. The Map Library at U of I also has original Sanborn maps of the City of Golconda. Some of these are online already at the Library of Congress – 1894, 1902, and 1907 – see https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn-maps/?q=golconda

I was able to make a digital copy of the 1928 Golconda Sanborn map which is still under copyright. If you are not familiar with Sanborn maps, they can be wonderful to locate landmarks and other items within cities in an historical setting. They were originally created for fire insurance purposes but can provide a lot of great detail to us as historians and genealogists.

As a courtesy until the index and images are available, Backstory Bloodhound, LLC will be happy to do a lookup in the J.E.Y. Hanna survey records if you can provide me with a specific section, township, and range within Pope County. For example, Section 21, Township 12S, Range 6E. Send an e-mail containing the specific section, township, and range you are interested in to rick@backstorybloodhound.com and I will provide you with a copy of that map. (See image here for a sample of what the survey maps look like). Once the index is completed, I will also be happy to look up specific names. If you want to send me names at this time, I will be happy to look for those in the records as I am indexing and will send you a copy of the page if I do encounter it.

Please be patient as I do have several research projects I am working on but I promise I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Are You Doing Research or Collecting Names?

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:27:20 GMT

Exploring the Differences

Hopefully the title of this blog article caught your attention! I do not mean to offend anyone but within the genealogical community, there are essentially two types of researchers – those who do the research and those who collect names.

What are some signs you could be a name collector?

- Do you copy what others have put together, perhaps on the internet, without source citations?

- Do you know how to properly distinguish between individuals of the same name?

- Do you accept information you find in a book or on the internet without source citations?

- Do you go to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, My Heritage, or some other website which allows anyone to submit a family tree and copy that information into your own tree without verification and sources?

- When you encounter a new piece of information, do you accept it without question?

- Do you accept everything Aunt Sally or Cousin Bob sent to you, even without appropriate source citations?

If you are doing any or all of the above, I would suggest you are merely collecting names and not performing genealogical research. True research requires us to meet the Genealogical Proof Standard. Its five elements are: (specifically notice #2 and #3)

1) reasonably exhaustive research;

2)complete and accurate source citations;

3) analysis and correlation of the collected information;

·4)resolution of any conflicting evidence; and.

·5) a soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion.

All of these are significant and must be followed to establish proof from a genealogically accurate perspective. Failure to do so is merely collecting information and passing it on unchecked.

I certainly understand that time and a lack of access to resources can hinder us in doing this and I will admit that I have, on occasion, succumbed to the urge. Yet we should not do so!

Is it okay to speculate and hypothesize in genealogy? Absolutely! That helps us to find the answers but always clearly mark any speculation as that - do not state it as a fact until it has been proven.

After years of working on various problems, it is my considered estimation that considerably more than half of the family trees on Ancestry.com are incorrect. And remember that the trees on FamilySearch.org can be altered by anyone at any time – no proof or source citation is required. . Now, don’t get me wrong – the original source records provided on these websites are wonderful and a godsend to the genealogical community. But remember that the trees on these sites can be submitted by anyone and no documentation is required. For example, there are thousands of trees on Ancestry which only cite Ancestry.com itself as a source (in other words, they merely took information from the tree of another researcher).

Should you forget about using these resources then? No, certainly not! Use them, but use them cautiously as potential clues. Then hunt out the original records to prove or disprove each statement of fact.

To drive home my point, please check out the Sample Research Report on John Jackson Dixon on the Backstory Bloodhound website. In this research, I used courthouse records to prove that John Jackson Dixon who died in 1863 was an heir and likely the son of John Dixon of Pope County, Illinois. You will note that all three trees which mention a name for his father on Ancestry.com were wrong – they all referenced a Thomas Dixon who lived in a completely different section of the county – geography matters in genealogy! In addition, all 92 trees on Ancestry.com which give information on this John Dixon who died in 1854 in Pope County state he married an Elizabeth Catherine Ward in 1814 in Fleming County, Kentucky. The John Dixon of Fleming County did marry an Elizabeth Ward there but a little further research into his War of 1812 pension file on Fold3 indicates that John Dixon died in Milford, Kentucky in 1883 – in other words, he never came to Pope County, Illinois! We are dealing with are two different men! So, all 92 trees online are incorrect! Likely someone found a man with the same name, decided perhaps Elizabeth’s middle name might be Catherine to match the Catherine, wife of the John Dixon in Pope County, Illinois, and proceeded to attach the information to the wrong person. Then others copied and pasted the same information over and over. This is why research in original records is SO IMPORTANT!

Genealogists think critically. Genealogists realize that any conclusion can be changed by new evidence. Genealogists are open to what the sources tell them. I hope something in the blog encourages you to look through your pedigree chart and evaluate whether each ancestor is there by careful research with source citations or because it was a name that seemed to fit the bill.

So to sum it up, don’t be a name collector. Be a genealogist!!! Do the research required in the original records to prove generation by generation each ancestor and each statement of fact. If you cannot get to those records yourself or do not have the time or expertise, professionals are available to help.

Stumped by a problem with conflicting or suspicious information on the internet? Backstory Bloodhound, LLC offers a free no-obligation consultation. Send an e-mail to rick@backstorybloodhound.com to schedule.

Busting Common Genealogical Myths

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 18:33:56 GMT

Looking at Things that Derail True Research

1) Myth: My (fill in the number here) great-grandmother was a Cherokee Indian princess.

Reality: I cannot count the number of stories I have heard repeated about some distant ancestor whom someone’s grandmother or aunt or other relative told about being descended from a Cherokee Indian princess. The fact is that there was NO such thing as a Cherokee Indian princess, nor a king nor a queen nor a prince. There were indeed chiefs, though they were not kings. Their daughters were revered but were not called princesses. Here is a great link that explains this in further detail. http://www.native-languages.org/princess.htm I have at least 3 stories in various parts of my family about Cherokee Indian princesses yet my DNA results with several testing companies reveal absolutely NO native American ancestry. There were white men who married native American women but it was far more rare than portrayed in the media and family lore. Research into native American ancestry is very specialized and requires considerable skill using the appropriate resources.

2) Myth: My great-grandfather’s name was changed at Ellis Island.

Reality: There are passenger lists which were kept by employees of the steamships on which ancestors arrived. These lists were prepared at the point of departure and dutifully recorded the names and other vital information about the passengers. If a name was changed, it was done by the immigrant himself who often sought to “fit in” to American society by “Anglicanizing” the name. The officials at Ellis Island were there to record what was provided to them by the steamship companies, test the immigrant to ensure he/she did not bring a contagious disease, and make sure “undesirables” did not come into the country.

3) Myth: Aunt Sally or Grandma Betty traced all our family tree and published it so I don’t need to retrace that.

Reality: Kudos go to Aunt Sally or Grandma Betty! Having access to the research of others is fantastic! But you need to verify each statement of fact with sources. Did she cite her sources? Where did she get her information? There is MUCH more information readily available to trace our ancestry today than there was even ten years ago. Did Aunt Sally rely on stories/memories or did she actually chase down the records and cite them? A true genealogist will always verify and cite.

4) Myth: Everything I need to trace my genealogy is online.

Reality: It is likely that during the lifetime of every person living on the planet right now, all records we have in existence on our ancestors will still not be digitized. To do real genealogical research, you have to expand beyond the internet to look at records at archives, courthouses, libraries, and other facilities. Have you actually obtained that Civil War pension? Did you check the loose probate file? Did you actually pull the marriage bond/license or just accept what little information it provided in the index online? Did you ever think your ancestor might be in a court record that is at the local courthouse? Have you obtained great-grandpa’s homestead application file? Very little of these types of records are online!

5) Myth: Ancestry popped up a leaf so I accepted it.

Reality: OK, Ancestry is a great tool and their hints can be wonderful. BUT you have to verify this. A leaf is a hint. If you have ever watched a mystery movie or read a mystery novel, not all hints lead to the truth! Is it really the same individual? Do you know how to properly evaluate a source and fit it in with the other evidence to determine its validity? Blindly accepting hints leads to cases of mistaken identity and in today’s world gets picked up by others and blindly accepted as fact. To prove this point, I have sometimes marked an ancestor as speculative on Ancestry only to, unfortunately, have others blindly put that person in their tree as the father/mother when it is unproven.

6) Myth: 139 trees on Ancestry say Robert was the father of Thomas so it must be correct. Surely 139 people can’t be wrong.

Reality: This is one of the worst myths I have seen. See the Sample Report on my Backstory Bloodhound website for an example of how every single tree online gave the wrong ancestor in two different situations. It is obvious someone used only online resources, found someone who looked like a viable candidate, and ran with it. Then others blindly accepted it as fact (See #5 above).

7) Myth: The Courthouse burned so all the records are gone!

Reality: While courthouse record loss is a tragedy and can hamper our research, a successful genealogist knows there are ways to work around it. Not all records pertaining to an individual were kept at the courthouse. Could there have been duplicates filed? Have you tried records at the state and federal levels? What about records in private hands?

8) Myth: I have a Jackson in my family tree and am descended from Andrew Jackson!

Reality: Andrew Jackson had no biological children. His brothers both died young with no issue either. I cannot count the number of times these types of stories of being descended from a famous relative have been disproven. You, of course, can be descended from a famous person, but you must have sources to prove it. What is possible is being related to someone famous: For example, Abraham Lincoln’s uncle Mordeai Lincoln was married to the sister of my great-grandmother Elizabeth Mudd Cassidy – yes, this is the same famous family at the Dr. Samuel Mudd who set John Wilkes Booth’s leg (distant connection). I am also distantly related to Zachary Taylor and James Madison – we share an ancestor in the 1600s! This is not that uncommon!

I proved this by methodically documenting each generation of my own line as well as that of the famous person.

9) Myth: I have three sources that say something is a fact but only one that says something different so the three must be correct!

Reality: It is NOT the quantity of the source that matters but the quality. For example, did all three sources come from the same derivative source? For example, when someone dies, perhaps the funeral home record, obituary, and death certificate all give the same parent’s name. These were all possibly given by the same informant. However, I would put much more reliance on a marriage certificate in which the ancestor himself provided the name of his own parents. This is just an example – each source must be evaluated on its own merit and within the totality of the evidence itself.

10) Myth: Three brothers came to America......(blah blah blah)

Reality: This is a common story told. While it is POSSIBLE this story is true, more than likely it is not. The only way to learn the truth is to do the research in the primary sources. Most immigrants to the New World in the 17 ^th and 18 ^th centuries came either 1) with their families; 2) as indentured servants (generally individually), or 3) in a forced migration from their native land, generally Africa. What often happened in the course of our history was chain migration – one individual or family came, then told their relatives about the great opportunities afforded them in the new land, and others made the journey.

So, in summary, get into those records and do the actual research. Don’t settle for what is easily available. If you can’t get to the local facility, order the records by mail or hire a professional genealogist to help.

Have you encountered one of these or another family history myth? Please reply and share!

What Are You Missing?

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:24:49 GMT

A Quick Guide to Courthouse Research

In today’s digital environment, it is my experience that the vast majority of genealogists use online sources almost exclusively. Yes, Ancestry is an excellent resource for things like census records and even at times state level records. FamilySearch.org has a wonderful collection of primary source records, though almost all of them are unindexed and cumbersome to use. You can occasionally find transcriptions of local records from a courthouse online. Yet, as great as they are, these collections only scratch the surface still as to what is available.

One of the most underused resources are those available at the local county courthouse. Here is a brief overview of the types of things you might find at the local courthouse where you ancestor resided.

1) Births/Deaths – In some states (such as Illinois), births and deaths were recorded at the county level. While copies of the records may be sent to the Vital Statistics offices at the state capital, the originals were often kept at the county level. In Kentucky and Missouri, many are available online. In Illinois, all you get online is an index. The originals are usually still held at the county level. I am presently transcribing the death records for Pope County, Illinois from the death register which is available up to 1914 on FamilySearch. However, FamilySearch only has the register. I will be supplementing my transcription by examining the original death records found ONLY at the local courthouse. There are differences! Example – in the death register and the online index, it may state the ancestor was born in Tennessee, BUT on the original death certificate, it might state he was born in Monroe County, Tennessee. Which of these would you prefer to know?

2) Marriage Records – Marriages were generally recorded at the county level. Sometimes indexes are available online BUT the indexes do not tell the whole story. When examining the original records, you can often find items such as the consent of a parent to the marriage, get the original signature of an ancestor, and even learn the name of the witnesses and bondsmen (often relatives). I have many times even been able to use the name of the local official who performed the ceremony to lead me to more records – such as what church they were affiliated with or where in the county they resided.

3) Land Records – All sorts of land records are found at the local courthouse. Deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, and real estate tax records, to name a few. Never underestimate the value of land records in your research! For an example of how I found unknown parentage using deeds, see The Sample Research Report on John Jackson DIXON on the Backstory Bloodhound webpage. Land records can not only help you reconstruct neighborhoods and analyze migration patterns but often can directly provide relationships and name heirs. The ways they can help are tremendous.

4) Probate Records – Sometimes you can find wills online and a few states have begun to place probate books online. However, the really good stuff is in the loose probate packets often found in the county courthouse. When someone died intestate, an administrator was named by the court and was responsible for determining the assets of the estate (usually an inventory), collecting any monies owed, paying the debts of the deceased (usually listed) and paying out proceeds to the heirs, often named. Often a sale was held and a list of the sale items and who bought what can be revealing. For example, who got the family Bible? Who bought personal items? Often these would be relatives. I have found sometimes an individual who died had some sort of financial relationship with someone in their previous place of residence – BINGO! – you have just learned where they came from! I cannot count the number of times this has helped me track migration patterns.

5) County Court Minutes – Each county court kept a journal of the minutes of its proceedings. Within these one may discover one’s ancestor being appointed to a jury, overseeing or working on a road, getting contracted to work on a public facility such as the courthouse or jail, or even petitioning the court about a specific matter. Perhaps he was a justice of the peace. These are the kinds of records that put “flesh on the bones” of our ancestors. Road lists also help reconstruct neighborhoods.

6) Court Records – Each state established various types of courts at the county level. Each court kept records of its decisions but what are more revealing when they survive are the loose records of the cases. How would you like to find an affidavit from your ancestor who testified in a court case? Or perhaps your ancestor was the plaintiff or defendant? This is where the good stuff is!

7) Tax Lists – These sound BORING but when they exist, they offer tremendous potential. They place people at a specific place at a specific time which is what we need to do as genealogists. In addition, they can help sort out people with the same name. Tax lists give you an idea of the relative wealth (or lack thereof) of your ancestor. They even can name relationships. Many brick walls have been shattered with the use of tax records. In Kentucky and Virginia, these are kept year by year and many can be found on FamilySearch.org – though they are unindexed. In other locations (such as Illinois), many are at IRAD facilities or at the local courthouses when they survive.

8) Guardianships – What a gold mine these can be! When someone with assets died, usually a guardian had to be appointed by the court. These records often give valuable information about not only the deceased but about the minor children left behind. Imagine finding the exact date of birth of your ancestor in 1832 in a guardianship file! Often these exist as loose records in the courthouse.

The list of potential records in the local courthouse goes on and on! Divorce records (which are after all, court proceedings), Coroner’s Records, Insanity Files, Voter lists, Naturalization records, Soldier Discharge records, criminal cases, and more! I even once found an account book belonging to an ancestor who was a doctor in a local courthouse – before finding that, I had NO IDEA he was a doctor!

A source (though dated) I highly recommend for Courthouse Research is Christine Rose’s Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures, published in 2004.

So I hope I have convinced you not to overlook the valuable courthouse records which can add so much to your family history.

I f you can’t make it to the local courthouse, I am available to do courthouse research for you in the southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri counties listed on my website – Backstory Bloodhound. I can be contacted at rick@backstorybloodhound.com

FYI - The image here is of the historic Johnson County courthouse in Vienna, Illinois built 1869-1871. Plans are now underway to construct a new courthouse.

The Backstory to My Interest in Family History

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:43:48 GMT

The Story of Mollie Duvall

The picture of the young girl here is of Mollie Y. Duvall Hall. Mollie was the ancestor who first peaked my interest in family history from this tintype photo which my grandfather possessed. I wanted to know: Who was she? What can I find out about her? This tintype may have been taken about the time of her marriage or sooner. My grandfather knew little about her other than she was his great-grandmother and his grandmother spoke of her mother often and with great reverence. I had to know more. He also said that there was a tintype of her husband William C. Hall and that it had been given years ago to his brother Coy because they believed he was named after him. On a visit to Michigan, I visited Uncle Coy and he had the picture of William C. Hall in his Civil War uniform. Guess what? – when I took William C. Hall’s picture out of its gold-plated frame, there was another tintype of Mollie. What a find! I recognized her immediately from the picture my grandfather had. The picture of William C. is on the Backstory Bloodhound website with me holding it and the caption “Connect With Your Roots.”

Anyway, my grandfather said his grandmother (Sarah Ellen Hall) often spoke of her mother and how difficult it was for her during the war. She would take her young children down to Sugar Creek in Pope County and draw water and carry it on top of her head (as in the style of Indian women) back to their house. They picked up sticks in the woods to keep from freezing to death while her husband was away at war. I had to know more! Well, here is a synopsis of what I learned in my research about Mollie.

William C. Hall crossed the river at Shawneetown, coming into Illinois on the date that Abraham Lincoln was elected president. Tensions had risen to a level in the United States that a civil war seemed to loom and he knew he had to get away from it. By August 1862, however, he would join Company A, 120 ^th Illinois Infantry formed in Pope and surrounding counties on the Union side.

William C. Hall’s old trunk is in the possession of a descendant. A Family Bible and other papers are found within. the Bible states that Mollie was born on 21 January 1835. Other papers within the trunk listed her father as “Billy DUVALL” and her mother as “Patsy.” It provided a second wife’s name for “Billy” as “Hannah” and a third wife as “Martha.” It also listed names of some siblings and half-siblings of Mollie’s.

My research found that Mollie was the first child of her parents to be born in Tennessee, they having recently emigrated there from Newberry County, South Carolina. She was the daughter of William D. DUVALL and Mary Ann OWENS who married about 1829 and who had had two older daughters. Mollie died of tuberculosis on 7 February 1880 in Pope County at the age of 45.

In my quest for Mollie’s backstory, I found Bonnie Jaco Johnson. Bonnie’s grandmother Tennessee, with whom she lived as a child at times, told her a lot of stories about her family which she relayed to me. Bonnie indicated that William (“Billy”) Duvall has been the one about whom some in the family told fanciful tales and indeed he was a colorful character. Stories in the family indicate that Mollie was actually an Indian baby brought home with her Indian mother on one of Billy’s excursions. This story appears to have originated with Josephine Cooper Turner, a granddaughter of Mollie’s. She told it to cousins on the Fisher/Helm side and the story has been passed down. They said Mollie’s grandfather was a Cherokee Indian chief named Orjil Bowl. It was also told that he came to Tennessee and lived with the family right up until the time of Mollie’s marriage Indeed, a descendant named Edna Adams once showed me a letter written by Josephine Cooper Turner in which the name Orjil Bowl appears. However, actually, in the letter, it would appear that Orjil Bowl was merely listed as an Indian agent. No record has been located of this Indian grandfather living with the DUVALL family.

However, Smith County, Tennessee chancery court records do indicate William DUVALL filed for divorce from his wife Mary Ann in 1841, stating that about seven years earlier, she had abandoned her three little daughters “of very tender age, the oldest being about 4 and the youngest about 9 months.” From the list found in the HALL family trunk and other sources, I can identify the three daughters as Sarah, Mary, and Mollie. The record is off about a year for an 1835 birthdate for Mollie, however, it could be that she was either born in 1834 or DUVALL’s recollections of when Mary Ann left was off by a year. This type of conflicting evidence is common in genealogical research.

I have often pondered why a mother in the 1830s would just abandon her three young daughters. My conclusion is that she perhaps was treated poorly and perhaps Billy indeed did bring home an Indian woman.

So was Mollie the Indian baby or not?

Fortunately, we live in an era in which DNA tests can prove or disprove ancestral lines. A mitochrondrial DNA test can prove whether two females are descended from the same female ancestor in a recent genealogical time frame. The test only measures a straight female line all the way back (in other words, no intervening males in the line).

Another descendant and I commissioned a DNA test of his mother (who descends in a straight female line back to Mollie) to compare the results with a proven female descendant of Sarah (“Sally”) Duvall Skelton, William Duvall’s eldest daughter who was born in 1830 in South Carolina. The results indicate the two women definitively shared a common female ancestor and furthermore were of European ancestry (not native American). This is proof that Mary Ann was indeed the mother of Mollie Y. Duvall Hall and that the Indian baby story was not correct. It still seems possible that “Billy” brought home an Indian baby and Mary Ann either left on her own without her children (seems unlikely) or “Billy” ran off his wife (more probable). What a sad story for Mollie’s mother whom I later found back in Newberry County, South Carolina in 1843. Her life must have been very miserable indeed. Further research in South Carolina has proven Mary Ann was an Owens.

Mollie grew to adulthood mostly in Smith County, Tennessee where her father had located by 1841. Family stories relate that Mollie fondly remembered her childhood days to her younger children, recalling a leisurely childhood spent with a kindly stepmother (whom I identified as Martha Reasonover) and trips to a local spa. This would be in sharp contrast to the poverty and hard times she would be hit with during and after the Civil War.

In about 1856, Mollie married William Carroll Hall. Where they met is unknown but family tradition indicates that Mollie’s father ran a still in Smith County and taught her future husband to drink. William Carroll Hall may have indeed worked for “Billy” Duvall as a farmhand at one time. The date and place of their marriage is unknown. In 1857, “Billy” Duvall left for Arkansas with a “sock full of gold” and was never hear from again. (I subsequently found him in Nevada County, Arkansas where he died in October 1875).

Mollie lived with her husband on his grandfather Claiborne Hall’s land in District 1 of Smith County, near Tanglewood in Smith County, Tennessee. They are there in the 1860 census. William C. and Mollie had two children born in Tennessee before they migrated to Pope County, Illinois. Family stories hold they crossed the Ohio River on Election Day 1860. Tensions had risen to a level where a civil war seemed inevitable and they wanted to get away from it. It is likely William and Mollie came with other families to Pope County where William C.’s brother, an aunt Mary Ann COX, and several cousins, were already living. When William C. enlisted in Co. A, 120 ^th Illinois Infantry, times became hard for Mollie. She was left with small children and no real means of support. Winters were especially difficult.

In all, Mollie had eight children, one dying in infancy and one in early childhood. She developed tuberculosis for which there was no known cure at that time. Her condition worsened until it caused her death on 7 February 1880. She was buried in Mount Olive Cemetery in Webster Precinct, Pope County, Illinois. Her death record indicates an age of 45 years. She is listed in the 1880 mortality schedule as Mollie Y. Hall, age 42. (This is the only place I have found her listed with the middle initial and it would be interesting to know what it stood for!). The mortality schedule indicates Mollie had lived in Illinois for 19 years and died of consumption.

This author believes (with no proof other than the fact she was buried there) that Mollie attended and may have been a member of the Mount Olive Church which was located at the cemetery in which she was buried. The church was also called the Campbellite Church and I believe it was likely affiliated with the Disciples of Christ who were also called Campbellites. I have been unable to learn more about this church, though it is not for lack of trying! My grandfather remembered it as a small child and said it was full of hay and not used as a church any longer when it burned in the 1920s. One of the few references I have found to it in any record to date is a mention of Mollie’s daughter Minnie Bell’s funeral being held them in 1921. As some of Mollie’s children later attended the Christian Church in Dixon Springs, it is possible this church may have been split off or in some way connection with the church at Mount Olive earlier.

Mount Olive Church was located in Section 32, Township 13 South, Range 5 East in Pope County on land that appears to have been owned by Joshua Slankard who was buried in the cemetery there. Slankard owned a mill in the area at his death in 1868. The cemetery at Mount Olive is one of the most beautiful spots in southern Illinois and indeed one can see for miles in either direction on top of that hill.

In an old trunk which belonged to William C. HALL and is in the possession of a descendant today, I found a letter addressed to Mollie from her husband during the Civil War. Here is just a little of it:

I want to See you Very much and talk a while with you. It would Satisfie

me Much better than Writing and I shall hope Soon to be With you as

you tne the children is the chiefe of my Study.

Molley, you don’t know how bad I miss you when I am sick. It is anough

to be absent while in good health but much worse in Sickness and now

that I am nearly Well again I hop to remain so til I return to you and the

children.

William and Mollie must have loved each other immensely. The February 1863 muster roll of his unit indicates he was a deserter but the March/April 1863 roll indicates he was “last mustered as deserter in error. Captured by guerillas Feb. 19, 1863.” As his daughter Sarah Ellen was born exactly nine months later (November 1863), it is not difficult to imagine where he was – William had deserted and come home for a while to Mollie. This was not that uncommon during the Civil War. On 10 June 1864, William is captured at the Battle of Guntown, Mississippi and sent to Andersonville Prison though later paroled.

Within the trunk, I also found a quilt piece which indicated it was made by Mollie, in addition to the Bible pages and other family heirlooms. William C. HALL survived Mollie by 27 years, passing away in 1907, having never remarried.

Mollie’s grandfather was Caesar DUVALL who came with LAFAYETTE to America from France to fight in the American Revolutionary War. He returned to France after the war but later immigrated back to the United States, settling in Newberry County, South Carolina in 1796.

Mollie’s family history is rich and full and, as is common in genealogy, I am still learning new things.

And so that is how my now 40+ years of genealogical experience began in high school with a desire to know about the girl in the tintype. It is the backstory!

Do you have an ancestor who piques your curiosity? Would you like to know more about that person? Our ancestors are so much more than names and dates on a chart! Consider letting Backstory Bloodhound, LLC help you discover your own backstory!

Welcome to Backstory Bloodhound!!!

rick1547@gmail.com (Rick Allen) — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:40:12 GMT

A Brief Introduction

Please give me an opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Rick Allen. I have always lived in southern Illinois and recently moved to Metropolis (The Home of Superman!). My father’s family is from Marshall County, Kentucky and my mother’s family is from Pope County, Illinois.

After many years of thinking about it, I have finally launched my own historical and genealogical business initiative. I have chosen the name Backstory Bloodhound because I think the bloodhound most accurately represents what I seek to do. Each of us individually and collectively has a backstory – it is our history. What and who came before us! What makes us who we are? Whose blood flows through our veins and whose DNA have we inherited? Learning and knowing about this is only a natural part of our makeup. As stated on the website, the bloodhound relentlessly pursues his prey and in order to accurately and objectively determine the backstory of anything (your family, your community, an event, etc.), it is necessary to relentless sift through the fragments of information that have survived and been passed down to us. Finding them and analyzing them takes time and skill.

I bring a lot of experience to this task. I have actually been researching my own family history since I was a teenager. (See blog on Mollie Duvall Hall) I have learned a LOT along the way. When I first started, you had to spend hours scrolling through microfilm at a library just to access something so basic as a census record. In today’s world, we have the internet which has helped us to digitize and preserve valuable genealogical records. We also have new ways of sharing information which can be good or bad I suppose, depending on the quality of information being shared. Yet, the principles of solid genealogical research are still the same. I strongly adhere to the Genealogical Proof Standard whose five elements are:

1) reasonably exhaustive research

2) complete and accurate source citations

3) analysis and correlation of the collected information

4) resolution of any conflicting evidence

5) a soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion

Over the years, I have continued to update my skills. You will see specifics of this on my website. I continue to do this by attending conferences and courses regularly. I conducted client research from 1997 to 2007 until a personal situation changed my priorities. I worked in the health insurance industry for nearly 33 years, retiring in 2016 to pursue my dream of obtaining a Master of Arts degree in History. I completed that degree in 2017 and have been teaching American History since then for Southeast Missouri State University.

How can I help with your genealogical research? Like the bloodhound, I will relentlessly pursue your family research and focus on your objective. I am intimately familiar with the kinds of resources available to solve various problems, particularly those in the Midwestern and Southern United States. I am familiar with and subscribe to a myriad of genealogical sources online. I am familiar with and can access on-site resources in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri (for more details on specific counties, see website). I can help you analyze your DNA results and determine what type of testing may be beneficial to meet your objective. But I think most of all, I have success in analyzing problems and solving brick-wall problems. I will present a few of them to you in upcoming blogs.

My research is not limited exclusively to genealogical research. I will also conduct historical research within the region. This might be something such as a house history, the history of a community or a church, or even an event or historical person. Our region’s history is fascinating and there are treasure troves of unpublished materials available to those who diligently search. I have several ideas about making these types of records more available so keep watching my blog for updates on this as well.

Finally, let me encourage you to check back here regularly. I will be posting new information all the time.