County, Township, Range

A township is a geographic area within a county.  A range is a group of townships.  I knew the township of the records I wanted to find in FamilySearch's collection, Ohio, Trumbull County, tax records, 1823-1931, but not the range.  I paged through the volumes for the year 1931 knowing I would eventually find the county of interest.  Had I known about ranges, I could have saved myself some time.  (To be fair to myself, I did a google search for "Trumbull County, Ohio, Township Ranges" and found nothing useful.)  At the end of this post I've included a few links about county/township/range for anyone who would like to know.

The Trumbull County volumes are organized by year, then by range (which is a "column" of townships from north to south within the county--see box below), then by township or other geographic area.  The property owners are listed alphabetically within each category.  As I paged through the volumes I noted the image numbers for the beginning and end of the townships, cities, villages, and towns.  I hope this information may be useful to others searching for Trumbull County ancestors.  Please note that while the years and volumes change, the townships in each range remain the same through the years. 

Below are Trumbull County, Ohio, ranges and image numbers (not page numbers) as found in the 1931 volumes for Trumbull County Tax Records at FamilySearch.

Note that the ranges are columns of townships,
with ranges numbered from east to west.

Range 1, Volume 1

• Hubbard Twp   3-102
• Hubbard Village   103-149

Range 1, Volume 2

• Brookfield Twp   4-139
• Hartford Twp   142-154
• Orangeville USD   156-158   (United School District?)
• Orangeville Village   160-165
• Vernon Twp   167-175
• Kinsman Twp   180-202

Range 2, Volume 1

• Liberty Twp   3-122
• Vienna Twp   123-146
• Fowler Twp   148-160
• Johnston Twp   162-176
• Gustavus Twp   178-190

Range 2, Volume 2

• Girard City   3-118
• Girard JDW   123
• Girard CSD   124-134  (City School District?)

Range 3 Volume 1

• Weathersfield Twp   3-33
• Weathersfield - Girard CSD   34-49
• McDonald VSD   50-136  (Village School District?)
• Niles CSD   137-228

Range 3 Volume 2

• Niles City   3-155
• McDonald Village   156-189

Range 3 Volume 3

• Howland Twp   3-123
• Howland CSD   126-127
• Howland JSD Bazetta   129-141
• Bazetta Twp   143-160
• Bazetta JSD Champion   161
• Cortland VSD   162-173 
• Cortland Village   175-187

Range 3 Volume 4

• Warren City (Howland Twp)   3-195

Range 4 Volume 1

• Warren City-Warren Twp   3-200

Range 4 Volume 2

• Warren Twp   3-159
• Warren JSD Bazetta   160-183
• Warren CSD   184-270

Range 4 Volume 3

• Lordstown Twp   3-49
• Champion Twp   52-116
• Bristol Twp   118-134
• Bloomfield Twp   136-150

Range 5 Volume 1

• Newton Twp   3-209
• Newton SSD   210-212
• Newton Falls Village   214-274

Range 5 Volume 2

• Braceville Twp   3-57
• Southington Twp   59-71
• Farmington Twp   73-85
• West Farmington Village   86-93
• Mesopotamia Twp   95-110

One interesting thing about these records is that there was no introduction in any of volumes explaining abbreviations.  I'm left wondering what JDW and SSD stand for and assuming that CSD is City School District; VSD may be Village School District; and JSD may be Joint School District.  Or maybe not.

Since working on this research I've tried to learn more about ranges, townships, and counties and found a helpful general resource at USGS's The National Map Small Scale website which explains the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) and it's origin, history, and organization.

I think Wikipedia's article, Public Land Survey System, gives an even more in-depth history and explanation.  It also has notes about the states with arrangements different than the 36, six-miles-on-each-side townships.  I learned that northern Ohio counties have 25 townships (arranged five by five) per county because

Ohio's Virginia Military District was surveyed using the metes and bounds system.  Areas in northern Ohio (the Connecticut Western Reserve and United States Military District) were surveyed with another standard, sometimes referred to as Congressional Survey townships, which are just five miles (8 km) on each side instead of six.  Hence, there are 25 sections per township there, rather than 36.

Trumbull County was originally part of the Connecticut Western Reserve.

Knowing about ranges in counties should make research easier the next time I look for property information for my ancestors.

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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The Meinzen Cousins, The Bickerstaff Cousins

The Meinzen Cousins in Steubenville, Ohio, about 1927:
Back row: Gladys Hashman, Sid Harris, Audrey Meinzen (my mom)
Front row: Betty Harris, Doris Meinzen, Geraldine Meinzen, Bertha Harris

Above are some of the Meinzen cousins who lived in Steubenville.  Despite living nearly a day's drive from Mineral Ridge,  the cousins seemed to be good friends who enjoyed each others' company when together.  Audrey, Doris, and Geraldine are sisters and Betty and Bertha are sisters.  Dresses were worn for play during my mother's childhood but with the girls wearing all white, they were probably dressed for some occasion, perhaps church or Sunday School.  Sid, in the back row, was always a tease, even as an adult.  Good chance he'd made a joke or comment a moment before the camera snapped the photo.  He does not seem to be dressed up with his flat cap and his sleeves rolled up.  Could the girls have attended a Saturday birthday party?

Most of the Bickerstaff cousins lived in or around Mineral Ridge.

The Bickerstaff Cousins in Mineral Ridge, Ohio, about 1925.
Most of these children I cannot identify but may be able to with a little research.  In the middle row,
second and third from left are Emma Bickerstaff and Audrey Meinzen, my mom.

I chuckle when I look at the photo above.  It was a great attempt to get cousins of a wide age range together for a photo but six of the little ones in the first row seem more interested in other things than facing the camera.  Still, there they are.  I know whoever was around when the photo was taken was able to identify those little ones but sadly, the information was not passed along with the photo.

Bickerstaff Cousins in Mineral Ridge, Ohio, about 1929.
The child front row, second from the left is Pauline Meinzen, my mom's youngest sister.
In the middle row, the girl on the right may be Doris Meinzen, Mom's 2nd  youngest sister.

Above are more Bickerstaff cousins.  I think they may have been a rowdy bunch when more than two or three were together.  The little ones in the front are attentive, as are the children in the middle row, but those kids at the back....  They look like they're ready to make their mark in the world.  The boy in the center, with a smile on his face, seems to be ready to take a punch at someone, perhaps joking with the photographer.  And the mark on the face of the girl, standing on the right, is not a mark but is, indeed, something hanging from her mouth.  Could it be a hand-rolled cigarette or a small cigar.  Take a look for yourself by clicking on the photo to enlarge it.

In my own family, there were eight of us cousins.  Sadly, I don't believe there's a single photo with all of us together.  It would have lots of cousins living nearby.

This post was written for Amy Johnson Crow's 2019 version of 52 Ancestors.  The post topic for the week was "Cousins."

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved.
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.
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When It Seems Easy You May Be Making a Mistake

When I was in the early stages of family history research, my great-great-grandfather John Froman had been a source of interest for a few years.  My line to him goes through my father's father's maternal line.  There were few family records other than his name, his wife's name, and the names of some of their children.  Prior to the 1860 U.S. Census and after the 1870 U.S. Census, the trail went cold.

And then I found a passenger list!

Eureka!  Not only had I found John/Johannes, I'd also found his siblings, Maria, Anna, Elisabeth, Heinrich, Caspar, and Christiane, AND his father, Werner Frommann!  There they were all listed together on a passenger list, all coming from the same place, all headed to the same place.

What luck, on a single passenger list!  I was thrilled.

Just as I was about to enter these individuals in my genealogy program I had the sudden impression that just maybe Werner Frommann was not Johannes's father, and that maybe the other individuals were not Johannes's siblings, and possibly this might not be my John Froman.  I made a split-second decision that it would be wise to do more research on these individuals and, thereby, avoid the possibility of a sad mistake based on assumptions.

I haven't worked on this line for a number of years but when I last researched, I was unable to find any other information about Werner Frommann in the U.S. or most of the others in this group (other than John/Johannes).  When I return to the family in the future I'll search for them in U.S. records to try to document a relationship.

These days, when I find a record for an ancestor, especially if it has other family members on it and little other information, I remember this ship's passenger list and my readiness to assign family relationship where none are indicated.  I caution myself that one document is probably not be enough and that when it seems quick and easy, I may be making a mistake by assuming too much.

This post was written for Amy Johnson Crow's 2019 version of 52 Ancestors.  The post topic for the week was "Mistake."

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved.
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.
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Jacob Meinzen's WWI Draft Registration Card

My grand-uncle, Jacob I. Meinzen, and my grandfather, Robert Meinzen, both filed World War I Registration Cards in two different cities in Ohio on the same day, though possibly not in the same year.  The year is not noted on Jacob's card.  I probably shouldn't assume it was filed in 1917 but I believe it was based on the fact that the other cards in the "34-4-7 A" group in Steubenville were dated 1917.

Less than a year before he filed this draft registration, Jacob married Sudie Coss, and less than four months after this registration he died in an accident at work.

The image of this document comes from FamilySearch's collection of World War I Draft Registration Cards.  Below the image is a transcription.

[Illegible words]  [Handwritten] 240     REGISTRATION CARD     No. 1509
 1  Name in Full   Jacob I. Meinzen      Age, in yrs.   23
 2  Home address   312 S. Lake Erie Ave  Steubenville  Ohio
 3  Date of Birth   Dec 15 1893
 4  Are you (1) a natural-born citizen   Natural born
 5  Where were you born?   Steubenville, Ohio  U.S.A.
 6  If not a citizen...
 7  What is your present trade, occupation, or office?   Pipe Fitter
 8  By whom employed?   La Belle Iron Works      Where employed?   Steubenville Ohio
 9 Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or brother under 12, solely dependent on you for support? (specify which)?    Wife and Child
10  Married or single (which)?   Married    Race (specify which)   [blank]
11  What military service have you had?   none
12  Do you claim exemption from draft (specify grounds)?   [blank]
I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.
[Signature]   Jacob I. Meinzen

REGISTRAR'S REPORT        34-4-7 A  [stamped at top]
1  Tall, medium, or short (specify which)?   Medium      Slender, medium, or stout (which)?   Medium
2  Color of eyes?   Blue      Color of hair?   Brown      Bald?  No
3  Has person lost arm, leg, hand, foot, or both eyes, or is he otherwise disabled (specify)?   No
I certify that my answers are true, that the person registered has read his own answers, that I have witnessed his signature, and that all of his answers of which I have knowledge are true, except as follows:  [blank]

Fred R Shuratt  (Signature of registrar)
Precinct   1st A. [?]
City or County   Steubenville
State   Ohio.      (Date of registration)   June 5 [1917?]

This document came to my attention as the result of a FamilySearch campaign for World War I draft registrants.  They suggested another dozen or so, some not as closely related as my grandfather and his brother.  Thank you, FamilySearch, for helping me find more low-hanging fruit on the family history tree. 

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved.
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.
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Low-Hanging Genealogy "Fruit"

I've picked a little low-hanging genealogy fruit this week.  World War I draft registration cards were not available online when I was searching for information about my grandfather and his siblings 10 or 12 years ago and I hadn't thought of looking for them until FamilySearch sent me an email with hints.  This record turned up in one of the hints and I was pleased to see it. 

The card gives Grampa's name as Robert Meinzen, the name he most commonly used during his lifetime, but his full name is William Carl Robert Meinzen.  As a child I remember thinking Grampa was tall -- he was probably one of the taller men I knew when I was little at perhaps 6' tall.  I don't believe I ever noticed that his eyes were grey.  The only other information that's new to me is his address and the name of his employer.  June 5th, the day he registered, happens to be his oldest daughter Audrey's birthday.  Grampa did not serve in World War I.

This is his draft registration card with a transcription below.

Form 1   [Stamped] 2531     REGISTRATION CARD     No. 141    1663 [circled at top of card]
 1  Name in Full   Robert Meinzen      Age, in yrs.   25
 2  Home address   123 E. Mkt  Warren  Ohio
 3  Date of Birth   Feb. 8 1892
 4  Are you (1) a natural-born citizen   Natural born
 5  Where were you born?   Steubenville, Ohio  U.S.A.
 6  If not a citizen...   Citizen
 7  What is your present trade, occupation, or office?   Barber
 8  By whom employed?   David Herlinger      Where employed?   31 Main Street  Warren  O
 9  Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or brother under 12, solely dependent on you for support? (specify which)?    Wife & Child
10  Married or single (which)?   Married    Race (specify which)   Caucasian
11  What military service have you had?   None
12  Do you claim exemption from draft (specify grounds)?   Yes  Married Have Children
I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.
[Signature]   Robert Meinzen

REGISTRAR'S REPORT        34-1-17-A  [stamped at top]
1  Tall, medium, or short (specify which)?   Tall      Slender, medium, or stout (which)?   Medium
2  Color of eyes?   Grey      Color of hair?   Lt Brown      Bald?  No
3  Has person lost arm, leg, hand, foot, or both eyes, or is he otherwise disabled (specify)?   No
I certify that my answers are true, that the person registered has read his own answers, that I have witnessed his signature, and that all of his answers of which I have knowledge are true, except as follows: 
[rubber stamped] 37-3-27 A
S. H. Perkins (Signature of registrar)
Precinct   4A
City or County   Warren
State   Ohio      (Date of registration)   6 / 5 –1917
[Typed or Rubber Stamped:] 
Local Board for Div.
No. 1 for the
County of Trumbull
State of Ohio
Warren, Ohio

The only uncertainty about this record is whether the address shown in #2 is "123," "423," or "923."   There's a shadow on the left of the 1 which  makes me wonder.  (If you want to look closely, click the photo to enlarge it.)

Though the information on this card isn't critical to my family history research I'm pleased to add it to my grandfather's other records to make a more complete picture of him.  Low-hanging fruit is such fun to find now, after having researched for a decade. 

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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A Family History Conversation with My Granddaughter

I love this conversation I had with Little O almost a year ago when she was not yet five.  We were headed somewhere in the car with her in her car seat in the back and me at the steering wheel.

We were just chatting about this and that when she turned the conversation to families and family relationships.  Her mom had just had a baby a few weeks earlier.  She told me there were six people in her family now:  her mom and dad, her three brothers, and herself.  Little O continued, saying that "Papa" and I were her mom's mom and dad and that her other grandparents were her Dad's mom and dad. 

I asked her who else she knew in our family.  She said, "Aunt BeBe."

I asked, "How is Aunt BeBe related to you?"

I glanced in the rear view mirror and saw her little index finger pointing skyward for emphasis as she said, "Well, I do know that Aunt BeBe is my mom's aunt."

I told her, "Well, actually, Aunt BeBe is your mom's sister."

"Nooooo" she said with absolute disbelief.

"Yes," I said, "your mom is Aunt BeBe's older sister."

She was quiet for a minute as if processing this new information, trying to fit all the pieces together yet still doubting it could be correct.  Then she asked, "Who was Aunt BeBe born of?" 

"Aunt BeBe was born to me, just like your mom was born to me.  They are both my daughters, and your mom and Aunt BeBe are sisters."

Again, her response was one of disbelief.  She was quiet for a while -- a weighty topic for a girl of four -- and then moved the conversation away from family relationships.  Later that day I started to make her a little family tree chart but decided she was probably just a bit too young for it to make much sense. 

How I love that girl!  I still chuckle when I think of her confident statement, "I do know that Aunt BeBe is Mom's sister" and her mature and old-fashioned question, "Who was Aunt BeBe born of?"  What four-year-old uses that phrase these days?!  Who of any of us uses that phrase these days?!

I'm not quite sure that she has the relationship sorted out in her mind yet -- or believes it -- but she'll understand it one of these days.  Perhaps Little O will become our next family history buff.

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Happy Labor Day

My father taking a well-deserved, late afternoon break.
I believe he was the hardest-working man I have ever known!

There was a time in America when laborers worked long hours with little time for rest and less time for recreation.  They were often at the mercy of their employers concerning their wages and hours of employment.  Thank goodness things began to change when, in 1894, Labor Day became a federal holiday.

My ancestors, both men and women, worked long, hard hours, each with his and her own role in the family, each contributing to keep the family afloat and successful.

Most of the males among my ancestors were what would be called blue collar workers today, though the phrase didn't exist during their times.  They worked in coal mines, steel mills, and on farms.  They were carpenters, carriage builders, coal miners, farmers, and a barber and electrician, among other occupations.  Some earlier ancestors were self-employed and not dependent on others for wages, but on the work they did and the character they built as honest workmen providing quality goods.  

Most of the women among my ancestors labored keeping a home, raising children, making sure there was healthy food on the table and plenty preserved in the larder; tending sick children; and doing a myriad of activities to make a safe and comfortable home for their families.  A few of my female ancestors worked outside the home.  One grandmother was a midwife, on call as needed; another worked in a bakery to earn tuition for her daughter to attend college; one worked as a milliner before she married; and my mom worked as a nurse before children came.  Few records exist that tell me occupations of my foremothers other than "keeping home." 

By example my parents taught us children a good, solid work ethic.  They also taught us to work by practice:  there was plenty of work we were required to do, and do it well.  No ne'er-do-wells in our home!

Happy Labor Day!

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Falling Off the [Genealogy] Wagon, Climbing Back On

Every few years I seem to fall of the genealogy wagon, fall away from my ancestors, away from searching for them and researching their lives.  Am I the only one with this problem?  When this happens I'm usually disappointed with myself, then discouraged that I didn't prevent it, and feel worse that I don't get back on the wagon sooner.

Why We May Fall Off the Wagon

• Illness.   Family history research requires a good amount of mental energy and the ability to focus.  When we feel miserable it's hard to think about much other than ourselves or our pain.  A major illness or surgery can require rest or sleep, and pain medication can keep us out of the loop mentally for a week or two.  Keeping up with our own essential needs may be all we can handle.  Ancestors?  Heck, I can hardly stay awake, let alone think beyond the next few hours!  When we're caring for someone else who is ill it may be even more taxing on our energy, both mental and physical.  Family history can wait a bit -- and then a little longer, until a year goes by....
• Time Limitations.  There are seasons in our lives when there really may not be time to do research.  Temporary responsibilities may require our attention and time; employment may make demands on our time; or living family members may need our time and attention.  We may have the mental energy to think about our ancestors while driving from one place to the other but may truly not have time to sit and research.  When that happens too long, we can forget to think about ancestors.
• Loss of Interest.  Perhaps you have another hobby that captures your attention and takes you away from family history for a while.  
• Mired in a Family History Mess.  Maybe you've done lots of research but you haven't sorted and organized the research or added the information to your genealogy program.  You have all these papers, all these digital images, all these leads for where to search next, you have a mess!  You think, I'll take a break for a week or two, give myself some breathing room.  And a week turns into a year.
• A Brick Wall.  You were going along great, finding one ancestor, then the spouse, then the children, back each previous generation.  Suddenly you can't find another piece of information for that ancestor.  You were so focused on him or her that you don't want to switch to another family line.  You say to yourself, I'm done for now.  
• Not Knowing the Next Steps.  We learn how to research for our ancestors as we go along but sometimes we reach the point where we don't know what the next step should be.  That, especially in combination with any of the above challenges, may cause us to quit working on family history.

How to Climb Back on the Wagon

• Remember your ancestors, or even just one ancestor -- a birthday, an anniversary, a death date, or the anniversary of a major event.  You could keep a calendar of birthdays and anniversaries. 
• If you read blogs, continue to read, even if you aren't researching.  At least family history will be somewhere in your consciousness.
• Keep up with, or at least occasionally view, blogs such as Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings, Linda's Empty Branches on the Family Tree, or John Michael Neill's Genealogy Search Tip of the Day.  One of their favorites of the week lists, or a list of new online databases, or a search tip may be just the spark you need to help toward the genealogy wagon.
• Occasionally look through your previous research results or blog posts (if you blog).  Stay familiar with the work you've already done.
• Consider taking a free, online genealogy course.  I've heard good recommendations for  "Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree" at FutureLearn.   BYU also offers a few free online genealogy courses. 
• A webinar requires less time than a course.  Legacy Family Tree Webinars are free during the first week after they're recorded.  Maybe one of them will pique your interest. 
• If you can find a few minutes a day, the suggestions at 20 Ways to Do Family History in 5 Minutes a Day offers some suggestions.
• If nothing else, use photos of ancestors as the background on your computer monitor or hang a few photos of ancestors on a wall in your home or office where you see them every day and wave as your walk past. 

I firmly believe that our ancestors want to be found, want us to remember them and their names, and tell their stories when we find them.  And if we don't remember them and tell their stories and history, who will?  Which means I need to climb back on the genealogy wagon myself!

Please share your suggestions and experiences if you've fallen off the genealogy wagon and climbed back on.

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Missing Our Tenth Anniversary

Missing my blog's 10th anniversary is akin to missing a child's birthday, but without a child's hurt feelings.  Our blogs are our little brainchildren, aren't they?  We devote time and attention researching our ancestors, then more time and attention writing interesting posts to publish on our blogs.  Brainchildren, for sure!

My Ancestors and Me completed ten years -- a decade! -- of blogging on August 1, 2019.  It's hard to believe I started this little blog so many years ago with one photo and 34 words.

I didn't know what I was doing:  I was new to blogging (What exactly is html and why do I need to know about it?  What is a tag and what does it do?), still young in the genealogy department, and, in addition, I didn't have a specific goal for this blog other than family history.  Heck, I hadn't done enough research to write more than a few blog posts.  As soon as I tap the publish button, I knew I needed to scramble to keep things going.

I remember how hard it was.  Research took so much time to begin with, then writing a worthwhile post about the research took so long.  It seemed like there wasn't enough time to do both.  I wondered if I'd made a mistake beginning a blog.

Finding GeneaBloggers was exciting and I was happy to know there was an online community devoted to family history and genealogy blogging.  I was surprised and grateful to other bloggers who visited My Ancestors and Me and decided to follow the blog with Google FriendConnect.  I think there were fewer family history blogs ten years ago than there are now, though I notice that as the number of genealogy blogs has increased, fewer remain active over the long term.  Blogging requires time and a commitment.

Somewhere along the way I learned that I should put a copyright notice on each post; that including my name at the end helped readers know who was writing; and that adding information to "Properties" for each photo helped search engines find my photos and posts about specific ancestors.  I know there's plenty more to learn, and sometimes relearn, as technology changes and improves.

Events, memes, and changes through the years include

• Carnival of Genealogy which had a monthly theme (no longer active); Family History Through the Alphabet; Book of Me; 52 Ancestors....
• Publication and indexing of the 1940 U.S. Census for FamilySearch
• RootsTech began
• Facebook became popular
• Google Blogger platform changed several times, including the addition of Pages and the demise of Google Reader
• Google+ came and went

I won't note the number of ancestors and deceased relatives I've found through research during the past ten years.  I haven't taken a count.  Nor have I counted the number of living cousins who have contacted me or who I've contacted and they've responded.  I'm grateful for all of them.  (I need to make a list with their names, email addresses, relationships, etc.)

This blog that began with one follower on Google FriendConnect, my daughter, has increased to 226, with more followers via Feedly, Feedburner, and Bloglovin', plus followers on Facebook (though I suspect there are many fewer actual readers).  The number of published posts is now about 1300.  Early readers and commenters gave me incentive to keep writing and publishing, which required more research, and it all kept going.  Some months and years have had more posts, some less research and fewer posts, and there have been times of nearly no research.  Living life takes time, too.  Children marry, grandchildren arrive, illness hits....  Life goes on and I hope this blog goes on for a good many years, too.

These are a few of my favorite posts (though not necessarily the most read or most commented on) from the past 10 years.
> My Father's Desk
> Student Nurse, Registered Nurse
> Like Mother, Like Daughter
> Coal Miners in My Family
> Beautiful Emma and Her Lovely Waist
> The Bartley's Golden Wedding, 1888
> Why I Search for My Ancestors:  "Be a blessing to your family"
> Sharing the Sun
> Old Homestead, New Photo, Street Address
> Second-Hand Memories
> and too many others to list

Many thanks to all of you who visit,  who leave comments.  I'm grateful for the support.

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Surely You Know about Randy Majors and His Search Sites?

By his own admission, Randy Majors is a map and geography geek.  Aren't we lucky that he has the talent to make these useful tools  and is willing to share them with us family historians and genealogists?  Thank you, Randy.

You can visit Randy's blog to read explanatory posts about some of these tools and how they can be useful to you.

Try these to see if you think they may be useful.

• AncestorSearch: Google Custom Search 
• City Limits on Google Maps 
• Climate Info on Google Maps 
• County Lines on Google Maps  (These maps currently include U.S., U.K., Ireland, and Australia.  It looks like more countries may be added in the future.) 
• Historical U.S. County Boundary Maps 
• Historical World Boundary Maps  With this tool you can see the county boundaries of any historical date for any U.S. location on a Google map. 
• Location Explorer on Google Maps 
• Time Zones on Google Maps 
• Township Range on Google Maps 
• ZIP Codes on Google Maps 
• Area Codes on Google Maps   

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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