Central New York Genealogical Society

Thursday, July 9, 2015

We Are All Connected: Genealogy as a Way of Life

by Nancy Maliwesky

Today I am in awe of the symmetry and beauty of the Universe. If you asked me what religion I am, I would probably say “Genealogist”! Let me share with you this stranger-than-fiction true genealogy story and share some tips on the wonder of doing family research.

Several years ago, in my position as Director of the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association, I visited the small town of Pembroke, Maine. My boss, Bill Pomeroy, had purchased a set of prescription books off e-Bay that were part of Dr. Thomas W. Pomroy’s medical practice. Dr. Pomroy was the self proclaimed “Clairvoyant Herbalist”, who practiced in New York City but maintained a summer home in Pembroke, where he grew up. His practice revolved around touching a patient, going into a trance and reciting an herbal remedy to resolve the patient’s complaint or ailment. The more I researched Dr. Pomroy, the more fascinated I became by his story, and I lobbied to have a Pomeroy Anvil Monument erected in his honor in his home town of Pembroke. This was quite a departure from our existing monuments, as Thomas descended from Richard Pomeroy, who settled on the Isles of Shoals, Maine, and was not directly related to Bill’s emigrant ancestor, Eltweed Pomeroy. Bill loved Thomas’ story as much as I did and agreed that we should try to make this monument a reality. I contacted Gail Menzel at the Pembroke Historical Society and we started to work out the details.

My husband Jerry and I drove to Pembroke, Maine from Syracuse, New York, to meet with Gail and others in the town, and to scope out possible locations for the Monument. We both fell in love with the town and its kind inhabitants. For an urban girl like me (born in Brooklyn, raised on Long Island) this small town embodied all that was good about rural life. The slower pace, the connection that the residents had to each other and the land, the unspoiled landscape, the cedar and pine scented air and the ocean, oh, the ocean, how I had missed the ocean.

While there, Jerry and I visited the Reversing Falls on Mahar’s Point. (We purchased a map to the falls out of a box nailed to a utility pole, placing the “honor system” payment of a quarter in the box, and extracting the map.) While at Mahar’s Point I couldn’t help but notice a small cemetery, and being a genealogist, I had to explore and photograph it.

When we got back to Syracuse I continued my research on this Pomroy/Pomeroy family and found an interesting connection. Thomas was the son of David Madison Pomeroy and Hannah McCollar (or McCullough). David and Hannah also had a son named Benjamin L. Pomeroy. In looking for Pomeroys in Washington County, Maine, I was surprised to find an older Benjamin L. Pomeroy living in Charlotte, Washington County, according to the 1830 U.S. Federal Census and in Dover, Piscataquis County, Maine according to the 1840 U.S. Federal Census. I also found a marriage record for Benjamin L. Pomeroy and Lucretia H. Morgan in the book "Marriages in Dennysville 1787-1830", which states that the couple were married 22 Jun 1827. (Pembroke was set off from Dennsyville in 1832). Lucretia was born 24 Feb 1808 in Dexter, Piscataquis County to Theophilus B. Morgan and Sarah Call. Benjamin, Lucretia and their children were found in Bangor, Penobscot County in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, where Benjamin’s profession was listed as physician. I also found an article in the Bangor Whig and Courier, dated 24 Jun 1853, entitled “State v. Benj. L. Pomroy – Selling Intoxicating Liquors ”. The notice reads: “Knowles for Dft. The verdict was against evidence, I shall move for a new trial. Court. I find the 26th Rule of the Court requires all such motions to be filed within two days after the verdict. Peters. The Court will recollect cases where the practice has been different. Knowles. The practice has been otherwise – The Court will not, at this late day enforce an old rule, particularly when it is against law. If they d I shall except. Court. I see the result will be the same – delay. I shall entertain the motion this time, but it must not be considered a precedent for future practice. Knowles. Dr. Pomroy was convicted without sufficient evidence. I shall not have Dr. Pomroy go to jail on this thing, and prosecutions of those offences against the Doctor must be put a stop to when he is not guilty.” An additional search on Dr. Pomroy unearthed an advertisement for Hunter’s Pulmonary Balsam in the Jamesville Gazette (Jamesville, Wisconsin) published 13 Mar 1851 penned by Benjamin L. Pomroy. Benjamin and family would later move to Providence, Rhode Island, where he and his children were very successful.

Short story long, the Thomas W. Pomroy Pomeroy Anvil Monument was dedicated on the 4th of July, 2010 and is located on the property of the Cobscook Post Number 59 American Legion Hall on Front Street in Pembroke. Jerry and I, Bill and his wife Sandra, and their niece Laura were in attendance. We had a wonderful time watching the parade, participating in the dedication ceremony, touring the town and visiting with the townspeople.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when a dear friend and I were spending time together and we started to look into her genealogy on her dad’s side. She told me that her father was born in Calais, Maine. A preliminary search did indeed find a large Mahar family (sound familiar? Hint: Mahar’s Point.) in Washington County. A few days later, as I did additional research, I found the Mahars and their kin in Pembroke and Dennysville and Charlotte at the same time that the Pomeroys lived in those places…

We found my friend’s grandfather, Harry Vinal Mahar, (born 4 Jan 1878 in Charlotte, Washington County, Maine) and his wife Eva Bell Daggett (born 6 Oct 1885 in Robbinston, Washington County) living in Calais according to the 1910 U.S. Federal Census. Based on additional research, we were able to determine that Eva Belle’s parents were Leonard Hillman Daggett (1834-1921) and Susan Ellen Morgan (1859-1924). Additional research identified Susan Ellen Morgan as the daughter of Isaac C. Morgan and Margaret H. Smith.

A search of Isaac C. Morgan found him and his presumed family living in Charlotte, Washington County, Maine according to the 1830 U.S. Federal Census. I always like to look at the image of the original record to see who lived near the person I am researching, as I can often find additional relatives that way. Didn’t my jaw drop when I found that Benjamin L. Pomroy was enumerated one line above Isaac C. Morgan! What?!? Now I had to wonder, was the Morgan family related to the Pomeroy family?

And the clouds parted and the sun shone and all was strangely right with the world when additional research into the Morgan family identified Isaac C. Morgan’s sister, Lucretia Morgan as the wife of Benjamin L. Pomeroy.

This kind of “coincidence” has occurred way too many times in my research for me to pass it off as mere coincidence, and it makes me wonder what kind of energy we transmit when we do genealogical research that allows us to find these connections. Are our ancestors calling and guiding us? Is the DNA coursing through our beings helping us to find these connections? Are we truly looking through our ancestors’ eyes? And why do I have such an affinity for these blasted Pomeroys and the places where they lived? Where does my family fit in? Whose family am I channeling anyway?

So, how does this help you, especially when you’ve hit a roadblock in your research? Such platitudes as “All the answers are there, just waiting for you to find them” aren’t really helpful, are they? My suggestion, from years of researching, is to widen your search from your specific ancestor. Get to know their in-laws, neighbors, and the community they lived in. Become an expert in the history of the area in which your ancestor lived. Read about place names, read the newspapers and court records, do some extra digging when records for your direct relatives thin out – take some time to look at that neighbor. Who knows, they could be your ancestor’s wife’s relatives!

Nancy Maliwesky, one time Central New York Genealogical Society Board Member and Chair of the New York State Family History Conference worked as a professional genealogist with the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Society for ten years. Recently retired, she continues to pursue her passion for genealogical research and writing. She is also a singer/songwriter (the self proclaimed "Singing Genealogist") and an artist.

Friday, June 26, 2015

The Telephone Call from Neiffer

by Barbara Leiger Granato

Note: This blog is a continuation of my earlier one entitled “Excuse Me, Can You Tell Me Where Neiffer Is?” If you are confused, please re-read that blog and that will explain it all.

It was one of those beautiful sunny summer days in 1992 in Whitesboro, New York. Anyone who resides in this area and who works the typical Monday-Friday daytime job can truly appreciate how rare those sunny summer days on a weekend can be! To heck with the housework – my husband and I opted to lounge on our deck, bask in the sun, and play a few games of Backgammon while the children were playing with friends.

1992 was a time when we didn’t have cell phones; we didn’t have computers. We still pretty much relied on the good old U.S. Postal Service to send and receive letters, and we had to deal with long-distance telephone calls and pay for each one we made.

The ringing of the telephone interrupted our Backgammon game, and my husband Joe went in the house to answer the phone. And then, he called out to me – “Hey Barbie (he’s the only one I allow to call me that name), there’s a man on the phone who wants to speak to you. He said his name is Fred Neiffer.”

WHAT???? I made it to the telephone in record time. When I returned from our trip to find Neiffer, Pennsylvania, I wrote letters to all of the Neiffer families whose names I had found in the telephone book in that area. But – I never included my telephone number; I had only included an SASE (for those who may not remember that term – a “self-addressed-stamped-envelope”). I was hoping to get a reply from at least one of the Neiffer families.

I picked up the phone and nervously said, “Hello?” Was this person calling to yell at me for sending him a letter? And I never even gave him my telephone number! He had to call directory assistance to look it up. Yup – that’s another thing we could do back in the early 1990’s.

“Is this Barbara Granato?” the man asked.

“Yes, it is,” I replied.

“Barbara, this is Fred Neiffer. I just received a letter from you regarding information for your great-grandmother, Sarah Neiffer.”

“Um…I hope you don’t mind me sending you that letter,” I replied. “I really don’t know very much about her, and I was wondering if you might have some information.”

Not only did Fred have information – but the next thing I knew, we were talking like old friends. Well, after all, we were related! Fred told me that Sarah was the oldest of 11 children. Fred was a descendant of one of Sarah’s siblings. It seems that Fred was quite the family historian, and I hit the jackpot! He was able to tell me the names of Sarah’s parents, and even more information about the family. Before our telephone call ended, I got my calendar, and the next thing I knew, we were invited back down to the Neiffer area to meet the Neiffer family in person!

I not only received a telephone call from Fred, but I also received one from George Neiffer shortly after that! And so, just two weeks later, we returned to the area of Neiffer and met both families.

I have the George Neiffer family to thank for making copies of family photographs for me, which I placed in a beautiful collage. Among their family possessions of honor is a 50th Anniversary of the Civil War banner which had belonged to my great-grandmother Sarah’s father – Augustus Neiffer. I learned about the Civil War stories for Augustus – but that’s a whole other blog to be written.

I have the Fred Neiffer family to thank for inviting us to share a fabulous dinner with them, and then for a spectacular car ride through Neiffer territory and surrounding areas – and then learning exactly how far back some of our family went in that area (but again – that’s another blog to be written).

There was just one thing that was still unanswered, though. Is, or was, there ever a town called Neiffer? And what happened to it???

Well, the story about that is that my great grandmother Sarah Neiffer’s father was Augustus Neiffer. He had a brother named Samuel Neiffer. They lived in a very rural area. While Augustus was a carpenter and was well-known for making wooden pumps in the area, his brother Samuel owned a General Store on the four corners in a very rural area on Neiffer Road. That general store also served as a post office. When the U.S. Postal Service began to use zip codes, the Town of Neiffer was given the zip code of 19468. Today, the General Store is no longer there, but as far as I know, the zip code still remains.

I learned so much information about that branch (and other branches of those branches) from this trip. I remained in touch with the Neiffer family for several years, and one year attended a Neiffer family reunion. Although the years have gone by and we have lost touch with each other, I have many fond memories of that trip. I look at the photos that were given to me that I carefully placed into the framed collage, and it brings a smile to myself. One of those photos is priceless. It is a picture of my 2nd great-grandfather Augustus (the Civil War soldier) petting a cow. But this wasn’t just any cow – this was Rosie the cow! Yes – the Neiffer family even knew the name of the cow in the photograph!

And to think this wealth of information all began with a letter and a phone call!

Lessons Learned –

Sometimes a good old-fashioned letter can lead to new family discoveries.
Sometimes it is good to remember that people who are alive can give you more information than the ones we find in the cemeteries.
Write down questions that you are trying to answer; sometimes the people you meet have information and family artifacts that have been passed down through the generations…information that could never be found elsewhere.

After retiring from her job as a secretary at Mohawk Valley Community College, Barbara Granato had more time to pursue her love of genealogy. She is a member of the Oneida Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, currently serving as the chapter Registrar and Vice-Chair of NYS Lineage Research for DAR. In addition to teaching Beginning Genealogy classes, she is a Board member of the Central New York Genealogical Society, as well as a Board Member for the Oneida County Historical Society. She also is a member of the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica and serves as a tour docent to the mansions on Rutger Street in Utica, and writes murder mysteries which are performed at one of the historic mansions once a year. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists as well as the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Who Are Your Genealogy Facebook Friends?

by Nancy Maliwesky

I like to spend a few minutes in the morning reading, drinking coffee, and checking my e-mail and Facebook page. I got to thinking about all the ways we now have to communicate that our grandparents and their grandparents couldn't even imagine. What with the internet, social networking, cable television and satellite radio, the world has truly become a smaller place, and as I scroll down the shared posts and videos on my Facebook page the enormity of this global impact astounds me. It is not unusual anymore to see a video with over 1.5 million views. Can you imagine sending out a post looking for family information that has the potential of reaching 1.5 million people?

I follow a number of genealogical society and professional genealogists' Facebook pages. I have also started a few genealogy groups and pages on Facebook. It is always nice to see genealogy posts scattered throughout my morning read and I love the ones that get my mind working in ways I hadn't previously considered. Blaine Bettinger, The Genetic Genealogist, just posted a chart where he is tracking his DNA matches and their minimum, medium, average and maximum shared DNA by relationship (cousin, sibling, grandparent, first cousin and the requisite "removed"s). When I first looked at it, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but upon second viewing, and reading the comments, it started to make more sense, and may be an idea I should think about exploring. Thanks Blaine!

I've also been very impressed by the activity on the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association's group page. Oftentimes, when you start a group, you feel like you're the only person posting on it, and you wonder how successful it is. This group has really taken off, and the shared knowledge of the many participants makes for exciting dialog and a treasure trove of information. It's exciting to see what lines people are working on, what genealogy vacations they are planning and having a place to share photos of relatives and shared ancestral locations is quite compelling. It really gives me a sense of community, and I'm not even a Pomeroy (OK, I stand corrected, but it's through marriage only!)

So, how do you grow your genealogy friend and family base? Well, starting with like-minded family members is probably the easiest way. Next, you might like the page of a genealogical society you belong to or that is in an area you are researching. Many times people post genealogical finds on these pages, including family bibles, photographs, their own research or links to their blogs. If you have been to a conference and were impressed by the speakers there, you might want to look them up to see if they have a page on Facebook. Many businesses and entrepreneurs use Facebook as a marketing tool and will post interesting information on their pages which will be added to your newsfeed if you "like" their page. You may also wish to see if the surname(s) you are researching has a Facebook group. If one exists, ask to join it, if one doesn't, consider creating a group. All you need are a few appropriate pictures to give the page interest, and the ability to post frequently about topics that would be of interest to your target audience.

Well, my coffee is getting cold, and I've got a New York State Family History Conference call in a few hours, so I guess I'll wrap up my latest rant. Enjoy your day and give a thought to increasing your genealogy presence on Facebook! I hope to "see" you in my Facebook newsfeed tomorrow morning!

Friday, May 15, 2015

Where is Neiffer?

by Barbara Leiger Granato

My previous two blogs on this site were about discovering the true story of my 2nd great-grandfather, Sylvester Spare. During our trip to the area northeast of Pennsylvania in 1992, I not only discovered the story of Sylvester’s life and demise, but I also discovered a little more about another branch of my family from that area.

My mother’s father was named Amos Milton Spare. His father was John Spare, and John was married to a woman named Sarah Neiffer. Nobody in my family seemed to know too much about Sarah’s family history, but my mother and her sisters did tell me a lot of stories about her. She and John had a farm in a tiny town named Royersford, Pennsylvania, and together they had four children – my grandfather Amos being the third child born to them.

Sarah was remembered as being a very strict, stern woman who loved to instill fear into others. Quite by contrast, she also was a mid-wife and delivered several of the babies in that small town. She had to do something to raise money; her husband John had a silo fall on him when the children were young, and he had to be institutionalized after that for the rest of his life.

But this blog is not supposed to be about John – it is supposed to be about Sarah. Nobody in my mother’s family seemed to agree on the spelling of her maiden name. Everyone knew how to pronounce it, but was it “Knifer?” Or was it “Nifer?” Or was it “Neiffer?”

When I was studying a map (yes – in 1992 they did not have GPS systems!), I focused in on an enlarged detailed image of the area in which the Spare family lived. And then, I did a double-take! I suddenly knew how to spell Sarah’s maiden name. There was a little dot on the map that said “Neiffer.” OH MY GOSH!!!! Well, Sarah’s family must have been important if there was a town named after her family! Upon closer examination of the map, there was not only a “dot” named Neiffer, but there was also a “Neiffer Road!”

And so, after we had learned all we did about Sarah’s father-in-law, Sylvester, we decided to pursue learning more about Sarah Neiffer. My 10 & 12 year-old children were suddenly interested again. It was almost like exploring a map to find buried treasure (no pun intended!).

We drove down the “main” road until we saw a street sign that said “Neiffer Road.” “Take a left,” I told my husband, and then I told him to stop so I could get out of the car and take a picture of the road sign. After that we drove up the road until we reached the end, and we were in town called “Obelisk.” Somehow, we missed the little dot on the map that said there was a town named “Neiffer.”

But, at the end of that road when we got into Obelisk, there was a church on the right-hand corner with a large cemetery next to it. And right there, very visible to passersby on the road, stood some very large tombstones with NEIFFER on them. I took photos and tried to make notes about the writing on the tombstones, but it was difficult because they were written in German.

We not only found several tombstones with the name of Neiffer on them, but we also found Sarah (Neiffer) Spare buried next to her husband, John Spare. Thankfully, their tombstones were written in English. After making note of exactly where their graves were located and photographing them, we returned to the car. We drove back down Neiffer Road again, but this time we were a bit more cautious. We came to a small intersection, but there really wasn’t anything of significance there. We were so confused.

There just HAD to be a town somewhere. After discovering Neiffer on the map, I also learned that Neiffer even had its own zip code – 19468! We had apparently gone right through that zip-coded area without realizing it!

It was such a hot, humid day that we decided to return to the hotel so that the kids could go swimming in the pool. I had to contemplate this puzzle a bit more to find out if my great grandmother Sarah was connected somehow to the 19468 area and Neiffer Road. It was 1992 – we did not have the Internet.

So, I did the next best thing – I consulted the telephone directory in the hotel room. I looked for the name “Neiffer” and sure enough, there were about eight families listed with that name. I wrote down every name, address, and phone number, and when we returned home, I wrote a letter to every single one of them, explaining who I was and that my great-grandmother was Sarah Neiffer. Did they know anything about this woman? I also included a self-addressed stamped envelope in each letter that I mailed.

And then my wait for a response began….

To be continued…..

Lessons Learned:

Never discount the value of a good old-fashioned map.

Don't assume that tombstones in this country are written in English.

Phone books can be very good resources.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

The Early Bird Gets the Discount

by Nancy Maliwesky

It looks like we may finally be able to trade in our census forms and family trees for gardening gloves and rakes. At least I am hoping that the snow has ended for the season. If you live in Central New York, I bet you are hoping for the same! As I can’t even mention the word “winter” anymore without visibly shuddering, I have decided to rename it “genealogy season”. And although some of us Vitamin D deprived hearty souls have turned our thoughts from “How many times did great, great Uncle Joe marry?” to “How do I get this Bishop’s Weed out of my garden?” it’s important to take a moment and get a little genealogy housekeeping done before we head outside.

Have you registered for the 2015 New York State Family History Conference yet? It will be held September 17-19 at the Liverpool Holiday Inn, right off the New York State Thruway. This year we are proud to say that we have been chosen by the Federation of Genealogical Societies as an FGS Regional Conference. Thursday’s programming will be geared towards society management and Friday and Saturday’s programming will include New York State research and general genealogy lectures and will also include a DNA tract.

Our world-class speakers include D. Joshua Taylor, Curt Witcher, Judy Russell, Thomas W. Jones, Dick Eastman, Henry B. Hoff, Blaine Bettinger, David E. Rencher, James D. Folts, Ed Donakey, Eric G. Grundset, Jim Ison, Matt Knutzen, Jen Baldwin, Laura Murphy DeGrazia, Karen Mauer Jones, Terry Koch-Bostic and Jane E. Wilcox.

We will have a Society Fair on Thursday night and our Vendor and Exhibitor Hall will be open throughout the conference.

This is a great opportunity for the Central New York community to experience a first-rate genealogy conference in the CNY area. Discounts are available to members of the Central New York Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Early bird rates are in effect through the end of May, so take off those gardening gloves and register now!

Click here for a link to the NYSFHC website.

Nancy Maliwesky, Central New York Genealogical Society Board Member and Chair of the New York State Family History Conference worked as a professional genealogist with the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Society for ten years. Recently retired, she continues to pursue her passion for genealogical research and writing. She is also a singer/songwriter (the self proclaimed "Singing Genealogist") and an artist.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Learning the Truth

by Barbara Leiger Granato

NOTE: This is a continuation of my previous post entitled "We Must Be Famous!" In this blog entry, I learn the truth about our family "hero" - Sylvester Spare.

We had traveled from Whitesboro, New York to Montgomery County, Pennsylvania to try to learn more about the life of my second great-grandfather, Sylvester Spare. It was the summer of 1992, and I thought this would be a great learning opportunity for our family. My husband Joe was a schoolteacher and our two children were 12 and 10. Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is full of history – and just to think that our family was a part of that history was pretty darned exciting to me.

We had found Sylvester’s grave at Augustus Lutheran Church in Trappe, Pennsylvania, and from that we learned that he was born on June 10, 1828 and died on February 14, 1867. Wow… Valentine’s Day! How strange. Maybe there was a story behind that???

Today was the day we would learn the truth.

We proudly walked into the Historical Society of Montgomery County in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and were immediately greeted by a very knowledgeable staff member. When she asked how she could be of assistance, I proudly told her about the family story of Sylvester. I knew his birth date and I knew his death date and I knew where he was buried.

“I want to find out more about my second great-grandfather,” I told the staff member. “My family told me that he supposedly was a bodyguard for Abraham Lincoln. I’m also thinking that he may have been in the Civil War.”

The kind woman brought us into a room full of books with the names of Civil War soldiers from the area. Ta-da! We searched, and we searched some more…but Sylvester was not among those listed. Not only that, we couldn’t find any substantiation that Sylvester ever had anything to do with Abraham Lincoln!

Hmmmm…. Well, maybe if we found his obituary we could learn more about him. So, the staff member took us to a microfilm machine and brought us the microfilm for the time period during which he died. But…there was no obituary listed for him around the time period of February 14, 1867.

I was beginning to get frustrated and my family was bored to tears. The staff member told me she wanted to look one more place, and then she would be back.

When she returned, there was a big smile on her face. “I think I found something that may be of interest to you,” she said. She handed me an Inquest that was done on the 20th day of April 1867. I could not believe the words I was reading:

“An Inquisition indented and taken at Perkiomen Bridge in the county of Montgomery, on the 20th day of April A.D. 1867 before J.C. Beyer, Esq., Coroner of the county aforesaid, upon the view of the body of Sylvester Spare then and there lying dead, upon the oaths and affirmations of Jackson Bevan, John J. Dettra, W. H. Gumbes, Henry Snider, Isaac Weaver, Jehu Munshower…

“Six good and lawful men of the county aforesaid being sworn and affirmed, and charged to inquire on the part of the Commonwealth, when, where, how, and after what manner the said Sylvester Spare came to his death, do say, upon their oaths and affirmations aforesaid, that the said Sylvester Spare came to his death by…

“drowning by accidentally falling from a boat while engaged in setting his traps while under the influence of liquor received at the Hotel of Davis Longnecker.”

Oh my… this was definitely not the truth I was seeking. This is the man who was our family hero??? Seriously??? But all of a sudden, the scandal of a family member who met his demise because he was intoxicated made this somehow pretty interesting.

The staff member then took us to a big map of the Perkiomen River and actually showed us the path that Sylvester’s body had traveled before it was found two months after that fateful Valentine’s Day. Wow.

But there was one more surprise in store for us as we got up to leave. “The hotel where Sylvester had his last drink and fell from his boat is still standing today and is located just down the road in Collegeville. It is now called The Perkiomen Bridge Hotel and it has recently reopened.”

My family just stood there and looked at each other. We were all thinking the same thing. And a few minutes later, there we were, sitting at The Perkiomen Bridge Hotel, enjoying our beverages as we made a toast to Sylvester.

Lessons learned –

Visit Historical Societies in the area where your ancestors lived.

Learn to use microfilm machines.

Don’t give up if you cannot find an obituary.

Try to find maps of the area during the time period your ancestors lived there.

Don’t believe everything your family members tell you about your ancestors.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Tell Me A Story, or My Latest Genealogy Obsession... Podcasts!

by Nancy Maliwesky

I'm ten years old, in the back seat of our family car with my older sister, and we're returning home from a long day in the City. The scenery isn't terribly compelling, and it's getting dark. I'm bored. My dad has the radio set to WOR, an early news/talk radio format whose target market is definitely NOT children! Then Jean Sheppard comes on (of Christmas Story fame) and I am enthralled. In a soft, slow, compelling voice, he unfolds a gentle story, and I am suddenly in that story, not in my parents’ car, and I am hooked. That hour is pure magic.

Fast forward six years to another trip home from the City, in my parents' car. I'm still in the backseat, now with my older sister and younger brother. The scenery hasn't gotten any prettier. I'm bored. My dad is, as usual, in charge of the radio. Then Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion" comes on, and my dad doesn't change the station. Consider my teenaged mind blown. I am again transported and enthralled. As my grandnieces and nephews say, "Good times."

I am now considerably older. I have a computer, wifi in my house, a Kindle, an iPad, I manage a website and a few Facebook pages, I even have a ReverbNation site. I have a dumb phone. My cellular phone contract does not include a data plan. I can text, but I don't. I have a Twitter account, which I don't use. I consider myself tech savvy, but not tech centric. I had heard of podcasts, but considered them just another way to suck up my time, while connected to an electronic appliance. Hey, I'm middle aged! Then my cousin sends me a link to his podcast “Taking the Leap!” My cousin, Sean Howard, is a photographer with a great big heart, and he has been writing a book and has started this podcast to help others follow their creative callings. He has a wonderfully compelling voice, and you can hear his enthusiasm and love as he interviews fellow artists about their experiences. He also has great taste in music and I look forward to hearing the musicians he features on each podcast. I have now officially put my big toe in the podcast pool.

As with so many obsessions, my podcast obsession started innocently enough. I had just finished listening to the latest episode of “Taking the Leap!” and I wanted more, so I started poking around iTunes for something else to listen to. My first search was NPR (National Public Radio). NPR had turned a long drive from Key West to Syracuse into a treasured get away for my husband and me about a year ago. After listening and subscribing to a few of their podcasts (I highly recommend “Invisibilia”), I got to wondering whether there were any genealogy podcasts available.

My first find was “Fieldstone Commons, Northeast History and Genealogy Radio” by Marian Pierre-Louis. Each episode is about an hour long and focuses on Marian interviewing an author or expert on New England and New York history and/or genealogy. I have already downloaded and read three of the books she features on her podcast, and they were fantastic!

I then started listening to “The Forget-Me-Not Hour” by Jane E. Wilcox, which focuses on New York State history and genealogy. Jane interviews some top-notch genealogists and authors and is also a genealogy lecturer. In fact, she will be featured at the 2015 New York State Family History Conference this September in Syracuse, NY.

One note of warning, podcasts can vary widely in length. For instance, my latest podcast obsessions, “Stuff You Missed in History Class” brought to you by Holly and Tracy of HowStuffWorks.com, is a comfortable 30 minutes or so, while Dan Carlin’s “Hardcore History” is a three to four hour commitment. So, if you like to listen while doing household chores, you may want to do some cleaning calisthenics before embarking on a “Hardcore History” housecleaning session!

I certainly hope you give one or more of these podcasts a listen and that you branch out and find others that interest you. The options are endless… kind of like our winter we’ve been having!