I was looking through some old emails and found a set from 4 or so years ago. I had corresponded with a man who had a newspaper account of casualties from the Battle of Honey Springs/Elk Horn Tavern. The article listed Confederate casualties only. The majority were for men of the 20th and 29th Texas Cavalries.
It amazed that 63 deaths (if I counted correctly) in east central Indian Territory were reported in a Texas newspaper. And along with the deaths were included names of those injured mortally, severely, and slightly. The list was by Regiment and then by company within the regiment. Within the company, casualties were divided by rank.
This just goes to show that sometimes you have to look elsewhere for records from "here". I doubt that ANY Indian Territory newspaper listed deaths from the battle. And the list in this newspaper article is more complete than I have seen in the Official Records.
And even better, my correspondent in a separate email included in brackets the full name of the soldiers as listed in Broadstreet's Index of Confederate Soldiers from Texas. Nearly all names in the newspaper article are initials only. So to have the full names is especially pleasing.
24 May 2010
15 May 2010
132,557 entries
My Oklahoma Death Index is now up to 132,557 entries. I have added many more cemetery records, some probate records, a few funeral home records and some obits. My current plans are to continue entering records as available with the hope of adding 1000 per week. Initially my goal was for 150,000 by the end of 2010. And it looks like I'm on schedule!
My goal with this blog is now to post an article regarding records (availability, problems with, inferences when using, etc.) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. At the end of each month I'll post a running total for number of entries.
Until Wednesday....
My goal with this blog is now to post an article regarding records (availability, problems with, inferences when using, etc.) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. At the end of each month I'll post a running total for number of entries.
Until Wednesday....
07 February 2010
114,000 Entries
The total number of entries in my Oklahoma Death Index to 1920 is now at 114,135. For all the work I've put in the past 18 months, that sure doesn't sound like much. But it far exceeds my goal of 1000 entries per week!
I took a break during the month of January 2010 to catch up on a graves registration project for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). But am now back at entering data. I have entered deaths from my Payne County OK Cemetery Index for pages 265 through 604. Just 264 pages more to go! At lunch at the office I've been entering deaths from Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory and Oklahoma from the Civil War pension index. Oddly enough, I've found several men who served in the Indian Wars, Spanish American War, Mexican War, and in peace time; all in the Civil War Pension Index. I've worked my way through the first 600 of about 16,500 records. Slow going....
I will try to post twice a week. One post will be an "article" about a specific record type or record location. The other post will be an update on where I am in the database creation process: number of entries, sources working on, etc.
Next post will be next weekend. I'll be in Houston TX on business til then.
I took a break during the month of January 2010 to catch up on a graves registration project for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). But am now back at entering data. I have entered deaths from my Payne County OK Cemetery Index for pages 265 through 604. Just 264 pages more to go! At lunch at the office I've been entering deaths from Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory and Oklahoma from the Civil War pension index. Oddly enough, I've found several men who served in the Indian Wars, Spanish American War, Mexican War, and in peace time; all in the Civil War Pension Index. I've worked my way through the first 600 of about 16,500 records. Slow going....
I will try to post twice a week. One post will be an "article" about a specific record type or record location. The other post will be an update on where I am in the database creation process: number of entries, sources working on, etc.
Next post will be next weekend. I'll be in Houston TX on business til then.
30 January 2010
Logan County Record of Poor Persons
I just finished entering records from the Logan County Commissioners Record of Poor Persons. This is a single volume of records of poor people whose care was under the auspices of the Logan County Commissioners. From this book I extracted information on individuals for whom Logan County paid for coffins, burial services, cemetery lots, etc. In all there are 125 entries. Not a "major" source of pre-1920 burials, but an important one none the less.
The oldest record is for Edward Taylor who died 11 Jan 1892. John Cheatham was paid for providing a coffin. The last record is for Mrs. Dan Daniels age 74 who died 11 Mar 1903. Mr. West was paid for providing a pauper's grave. Unfortunately, there are gaps in the records from 1896 to 1900 and from 1900 to 1903. Most of the entries are for Blacks. And many of these were buried at the Cimarron River Bridge Cemetery (north of Guthrie). Others were buried in the Winsor/Windsor Graveyard. From what I've been able to determine, neither of these cemeteries are still in existence.
So here we have 125 entries for people who died in early Oklahoma Territory, but for whom it is unlikely there is any other record of their deaths. Nor is it likely that there is a marker for their grave anywhere. How many other county court houses have records like this sitting on a top shelf, in a corner, or in the basement, and no one knows about them?
I am always on the look out for burials of Civil War veterans. As a member of the Nation Graves Registration Committee for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), I enter information on any Civil War veterans graves that I come across. From this record of Logan County Poor Persons I found Andrew Hendricks, male, age 62, Black, died 2 Oct 1894; his coffin was provided by Mr. Porter. A subsequent check of the Civil War Pension Index resulted in finding Andrew Hendricks whose wife filed an application for pension dated 12 Nov 1894. His service was as Private in Company H 3rd US Colored Troops Heavy Artillery. His pension was #64142 and his widow's was #411840. Although the cemetery of burial is unknown, it is likely it was in the Cimarron River Bridge graveyard, along with many of the other Blacks identified in this Poor Persons book.
Moral of this story: Don't overlook the "unlikely" records. Check out your local court house for unusual records. Record information they contain. Publish on your own, on the internet, or in a genealogical journal! So many records are overlooked. So many records are unused because no one is aware they exist!
The oldest record is for Edward Taylor who died 11 Jan 1892. John Cheatham was paid for providing a coffin. The last record is for Mrs. Dan Daniels age 74 who died 11 Mar 1903. Mr. West was paid for providing a pauper's grave. Unfortunately, there are gaps in the records from 1896 to 1900 and from 1900 to 1903. Most of the entries are for Blacks. And many of these were buried at the Cimarron River Bridge Cemetery (north of Guthrie). Others were buried in the Winsor/Windsor Graveyard. From what I've been able to determine, neither of these cemeteries are still in existence.
So here we have 125 entries for people who died in early Oklahoma Territory, but for whom it is unlikely there is any other record of their deaths. Nor is it likely that there is a marker for their grave anywhere. How many other county court houses have records like this sitting on a top shelf, in a corner, or in the basement, and no one knows about them?
I am always on the look out for burials of Civil War veterans. As a member of the Nation Graves Registration Committee for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), I enter information on any Civil War veterans graves that I come across. From this record of Logan County Poor Persons I found Andrew Hendricks, male, age 62, Black, died 2 Oct 1894; his coffin was provided by Mr. Porter. A subsequent check of the Civil War Pension Index resulted in finding Andrew Hendricks whose wife filed an application for pension dated 12 Nov 1894. His service was as Private in Company H 3rd US Colored Troops Heavy Artillery. His pension was #64142 and his widow's was #411840. Although the cemetery of burial is unknown, it is likely it was in the Cimarron River Bridge graveyard, along with many of the other Blacks identified in this Poor Persons book.
Moral of this story: Don't overlook the "unlikely" records. Check out your local court house for unusual records. Record information they contain. Publish on your own, on the internet, or in a genealogical journal! So many records are overlooked. So many records are unused because no one is aware they exist!
10 January 2010
Problems With Indexes
Overheard at the Oklahoma Genealogical Society meeting last summer:
" I just can't find my ancestor in the census anywhere!"
"Did you try the soundex listing?"
" yes, and it didn't turn him up either!"
" Did you try any other variations of the name?"
"I tried a couple and didn't find anything...besides, he ALWAYS spelled his name the same way. I've given up on finding him in that census!"
When I heard this I just had to shake my head. Too many of us research as if we were the ones who created the records. Just think of one of your ancestors' more unusual surnames. If you heard that name how would you have spelled it? Did the family move into the area from a different area with a different accent? What kind of education did your ancestor have? What kind of education did the census taker have? Did other families of the same surname live in the area but spell the name differently? Did your ancestor speak with a lisp? Or with a guttural voice? Or did he mumble/garble his words?
There are so many reasons a surname may NOT show up in an initial census search. For nearly 20 years I published the "Beckwith Newsletter". I would spend hours abstracting Beckwith families from census and other records. Some of the variations of the name Beckwith showed up on the census as: Beckwith, Beckwirth, Beckworth, Buckwith, Becketh, Beckett, Brickwith, Brickworth, Bockwith, Bockweth, Peckwith, Deckwith, Beckurth, etc.
Notice that some of the Beckwith variations based on typos. Others are simple spelling errors. Others are transcription errors (the loop at the end of a cursive "B" looking like an "r", for example). An yet others are regional variations based on accent (try saying Beckwith with a southern accent- the soft with coming out as worth).
My point here is that you have to think outside the box when you get stumped. I spent an hour yesterday checking my Oklahoma Death index of over 100,000 entries for certain spelling variations:
cemetery: cemetry, cemeterey, cemertery, cemetey, cemetety.
buried: bruied
grace: grce
ordered: orderd
Thomas: Thoams
As you can see, most of the mistakes that I catch myself making are typographical errors. That's what happens when you get someone who "hunts and pecks". Imagine yourself as a menially paid indexer. How careful would you be? How diligent would you be? How tired would you get reading and typing hour after hour.
Think outside the box. Try typing your ancestor's last name but intentionally type a wrong letter (the same letter you often "miss" when typing). Try a search in THAT name and see what turns up.
PLEASE....remember that indexes are research aides ONLY...ALWAYS check out the sources your self to verify. As my football coach taught in Jr. High...never ASSUME...It just makes an ASS out of U and ME. In real estate they talk about Location, Location, Location. I guess in genealogy we need to talk about Verify, Verify, Verify!
Until next time.....
" I just can't find my ancestor in the census anywhere!"
"Did you try the soundex listing?"
" yes, and it didn't turn him up either!"
" Did you try any other variations of the name?"
"I tried a couple and didn't find anything...besides, he ALWAYS spelled his name the same way. I've given up on finding him in that census!"
When I heard this I just had to shake my head. Too many of us research as if we were the ones who created the records. Just think of one of your ancestors' more unusual surnames. If you heard that name how would you have spelled it? Did the family move into the area from a different area with a different accent? What kind of education did your ancestor have? What kind of education did the census taker have? Did other families of the same surname live in the area but spell the name differently? Did your ancestor speak with a lisp? Or with a guttural voice? Or did he mumble/garble his words?
There are so many reasons a surname may NOT show up in an initial census search. For nearly 20 years I published the "Beckwith Newsletter". I would spend hours abstracting Beckwith families from census and other records. Some of the variations of the name Beckwith showed up on the census as: Beckwith, Beckwirth, Beckworth, Buckwith, Becketh, Beckett, Brickwith, Brickworth, Bockwith, Bockweth, Peckwith, Deckwith, Beckurth, etc.
Notice that some of the Beckwith variations based on typos. Others are simple spelling errors. Others are transcription errors (the loop at the end of a cursive "B" looking like an "r", for example). An yet others are regional variations based on accent (try saying Beckwith with a southern accent- the soft with coming out as worth).
My point here is that you have to think outside the box when you get stumped. I spent an hour yesterday checking my Oklahoma Death index of over 100,000 entries for certain spelling variations:
cemetery: cemetry, cemeterey, cemertery, cemetey, cemetety.
buried: bruied
grace: grce
ordered: orderd
Thomas: Thoams
As you can see, most of the mistakes that I catch myself making are typographical errors. That's what happens when you get someone who "hunts and pecks". Imagine yourself as a menially paid indexer. How careful would you be? How diligent would you be? How tired would you get reading and typing hour after hour.
Think outside the box. Try typing your ancestor's last name but intentionally type a wrong letter (the same letter you often "miss" when typing). Try a search in THAT name and see what turns up.
PLEASE....remember that indexes are research aides ONLY...ALWAYS check out the sources your self to verify. As my football coach taught in Jr. High...never ASSUME...It just makes an ASS out of U and ME. In real estate they talk about Location, Location, Location. I guess in genealogy we need to talk about Verify, Verify, Verify!
Until next time.....
20 December 2009
Introduction
For over 25 years I have been collecting information on people who lived in the Payne County and North Central Oklahoma area. Most of the information I have gathered centers around cemeteries, obituaries, probate records, etc. In other words, I find out about dead people!
If you have done genealogical research in Oklahoma for any length of time, you recognize the tremendous lack of official State of Oklahoma Death Records. "Officially" they started by law in 1908. But various sources states that "regular" reporting didn't start until 1912 or 1918 or 1936 (or pick any other year after 1908). This dearth of official death records in Oklahoma causes problems for genealogists. Added to that, the State of Oklahoma refuses to release an index to the records they DO have. So we as genealogists and family historians are screwed!
Therefore....I have decided to compile my very own Oklahoma Death Index. It will cover all of time up through 31 Dec 1919. I have no idea how big/extensive this will be, but I would guess that the "final" total will near the 1 million mark.
The purpose of this blog will be multifold:
• To keep readers up to date on my Oklahoma Death Index progress;
• To provide information on records that are available;
• To provide my perspective on genealogy in Oklahoma;
• To identify mistakes genealogists make when checking records;
• To identify unusual records and repositories of death information;
• To provide insight on why you, as a genealogist, are unable to find the records you seek;
If you would like a search of the index for a specific name, the cost (at least initially) is one dollar per name. Please e-mail me at paynecounty@hotmail.com with the name/date/location and I will send you information on how to pay for the service and obtain information.
If you have done genealogical research in Oklahoma for any length of time, you recognize the tremendous lack of official State of Oklahoma Death Records. "Officially" they started by law in 1908. But various sources states that "regular" reporting didn't start until 1912 or 1918 or 1936 (or pick any other year after 1908). This dearth of official death records in Oklahoma causes problems for genealogists. Added to that, the State of Oklahoma refuses to release an index to the records they DO have. So we as genealogists and family historians are screwed!
Therefore....I have decided to compile my very own Oklahoma Death Index. It will cover all of time up through 31 Dec 1919. I have no idea how big/extensive this will be, but I would guess that the "final" total will near the 1 million mark.
The purpose of this blog will be multifold:
• To keep readers up to date on my Oklahoma Death Index progress;
• To provide information on records that are available;
• To provide my perspective on genealogy in Oklahoma;
• To identify mistakes genealogists make when checking records;
• To identify unusual records and repositories of death information;
• To provide insight on why you, as a genealogist, are unable to find the records you seek;
If you would like a search of the index for a specific name, the cost (at least initially) is one dollar per name. Please e-mail me at paynecounty@hotmail.com with the name/date/location and I will send you information on how to pay for the service and obtain information.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)