10 Tips for using "The Ancestor Hunt"

Hello! It's Lauren Kuntzman, again, guest blogging once more for Kathy Petras. For this week's post, I'll be discussing one of my new favorite resources - The Ancestor Hunt!

Why would you want to use The Ancestor Hunt? Well, it has a lot to offer, including links to...

• 26,000+ Newspapers
• 1,700+ Obituaries/Obit Indexes
• 2,000+ Birth/Marriage/Death Record Databases
• 3,800 Yearbooks
• Collections of Historic Photos
• "How To" Articles & Videos

And, it's all free.

Because of its massive collection of newspapers and obituaries, The Ancestor Hunt is now my first stop for tracking down these essential documents. If you're also looking for these sources -- or if you want to find vital records, yearbooks, or old photos -- then you should definitely check out this website, too.

Here's a little bit more about the website and 10 tips for using it: 

Overview

The Ancestor Hunt is created and managed by Kenneth R. Marks. Though I've only discovered recently, the website has existed since around 2010. It reminds me of Cyndi's List, in that it points users to resources located elsewhere on the web.

10 Tips for Using The Ancestor Hunt

1. To find information, The Ancestor Hunt is first organized by resource type, and then by geography. Generally, it's divided by country, then by state/province, and then may get to a city/county level.

2. Speaking of geography... The Ancestor Hunt focuses on the United States and Canada. (Exception: there are a few "world" newspaper links.) 

3. You'll notice that there is a link for "Newspapers" and a link titled "Newspaper Links." "Newspapers" will teach you how to best search historic newspapers. "Newspaper Links," on the other hand, will take you to digitized newspapers. 

Options for resources are listed in the main menu. 
"Newspapers Links" will take you to the list of 26,000+ newspapers available online.

4. Some of the resource lists are a little long, so I recommend using the Find command on your web browser (Control+F for PCs or Command+F for Macs) and search for keywords.  By the way, your city or county make great keywords!

5. Most of the "Obituaries" category resources are indexes, however there are notes if the links include clippings or transcriptions. 

Here's a screencap of some of the Ohio Obituary/
Obituary Index links.  Some links include clippings and transcripts.

6. With the birth, marriage, and death (BMD) record links, many point to databases on FamilySearch or local library's webpages. Church records may be included, too. 

7. When using the "Photos" section, some links will include information about restrictions on rights for usage.  

8. Make sure you read the end of the lists as special collections, miscellaneous resources, and other information may be included there. 

Make sure you read the end of the resource lists, which may contain
miscellaneous collections, like this list of Ohio BMD Links.  

9. The "Yearbooks" are just for the United States, and are organized alphabetically by the name of the city, not the name of the school.

10. Be aware that the information on the site is periodically updated.  Until an update happens, however, some links may be dead and brand new resources might not yet be included. Following the Blog is a great way to learn about updates.



To get you started hunting for your ancestors, here are links to all of the Ohio resources on The Ancestor Hunt:

• Ohio Online Historical Newspapers Summary
• Ohio Obituaries and Obituary Index Links
• Ohio Birth, Marriage, and Death (BMD) Record Links
• Ohio Online Historical Photos Research
• Free Ohio High School and College Yearbooks Online

Happy Searching!

An Introduction: MCDL's Family History & Learning Center

Hello! My name is Lauren Kuntzman and I am guest blogging for Kathy Petras this week. I am new to MCDL and am the manager of the Family History & Learning Center. For my first blog post here, I thought I'd introduce myself and share some details about what you can expect from the Family History & Learning Center!

When it comes to genealogists, the first question everyone wants to know is how you got started. So, here's my genealogy "origin story..."

I've been researching my family history for nearly 20 years now. My mother and I always wanted to learn about our family's roots, and when FamilySearch came online in May 1999 it gave us the push to get started. 

I can tell you the exact moment I got "hooked" on genealogy: I was standing in Stark County District Library's genealogy department (back when it was on the first floor, surrounded by windows) with the sunlight streaming in, on a hot summer day, looking through a transcription of Columbiana County, Ohio on the 1860 Federal Census. In reviewing the household of John and Sidney Ruff (my 4th great-grandparents), I noticed an 73-year old woman named Nancy Woolf residing with them. I remember pointing Nancy out to my mother, and speculating that Nancy was Sidney's mother -- a fact which additional research later proved to be correct. 

1860 U.S. Federal Census, Knox Twp., Columbiana County, Ohio
Household of John Ruff.  Sidney (Woolf) Ruff and her mother Nancy were some of the
earliest genealogy "discoveries" I made -- and one of the reasons I got "hooked" on genealogy!

It was that moment -- the moment of re-discovering forgotten ancestors and adding a generation to my family tree -- that got me hooked and I've felt a special connection to Sidney and Nancy as they were the first ancestors I "found." Since that time, there have been many other discoveries, and I've come to specialize in researching in the Midwestern USA and France, tracking criminal ancestors, and using historic newspapers.

It was my love of genealogy that prompted me to become a librarian and, before coming to MCDL I worked as a intern and a substitute librarian at Stark County District Library, then as a Local & Family History Librarian at St. Joseph County Public Library (Indiana). Prior to obtaining my library science degree, I also earned an M.A. in Art History & Museum Studies, and was the Education & Technology Manager at the Canton Museum of Art for about a decade. In that job, I planned art classes, led museum tours, and developed partnerships with local teachers and artists -- among many other responsibilities! I like to think my past has made me a good match for MCDL's Family History & Learning Center, with my experiences in museums and libraries, and my love of genealogy, creativity, and teaching.

But that's enough about me... let me tell you a little bit about MCDL's upcoming Family History & Learning Center! Plans for the Center are nearly finalized and we hope construction will start in early 2019. When completed the Family History & Learning Center will include a digitization lab (where you can scan and preserve photos, slides, and home movies), a genealogy reading room (much like the current Franklin Sylvester room), and a makerspace (including all sorts of supplies to express your creativity), plus additional meeting and study rooms. We have Virginia Wheeler Martin (1928-2016) and her generosity to thank for making the Center possible. 

A snapshot of Jinny, c. 1951.

Virginia Wheeler Martin -- better known as "Jinny" -- grew up in Medina, before completing a BFA in painting and illustration from Miami University. She then became a stewardess for American Airlines (the first from Medina!) and, in 1954, married Capt. Barney Martin, U.S.N. (Ret.). Jinny and Barney traveled the world during Barney's naval service, eventually settling in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. But throughout her travels, Jinny maintained a strong connection to her roots in Medina County, and spent decades researching her family history. It was her love of genealogy that led to the development of MCDL's Family History & Learning Center. 

In addition to providing funding, Jinny also 

donated her personal

A unique item in Jinny's personal collection:
a postcard-sized watercolor by John Hickling.

collection of genealogy resources and research to MCDL. As we prepare for the Center, it has been my job to sort through and organize all of these materials. The collection has included hundreds of books, hundreds of photographs and negatives, dozens of research binders, and a few more "unique" artifacts. 

One of the most fascinating items that I've come across so far, has been with a postcard-sized watercolor painted by John Hickling. The inscription on back is what makes this item so charming: it was created by John for his brother Jesse, on the occasion of his birthday. I'm not yet sure how the Hicklings relate to Jinny, but I'm certain there's a familial connection there somewhere!

Back of the postcard, revealing that the watercolor was a gift from John, to his brother Jesse.  

Jinny's collection of resources will be available for research purposes once the Family History & Learning Center opens. It is my hope that the Center will help visitors discover and preserve their family's stories, while giving people the opportunity to express their own stories creatively.

Hopefully, that gives you a better idea about what to expect from the new MCDL Family History & Learning Center! I'm looking forward to meeting all of you, and helping you discover your family's stories.

In the meantime, since you now know a little bit about me, it's your turn to help me get to know you. Comment below and share your genealogy "origin story." How/why did you start researching your ancestors, and what's kept you coming back to it? What was the moment you got "hooked" on genealogy? 

A big thank you to Kathy for having me guest blog for her this week! 

-Lauren Kuntzman

New Columbus Settlement

Working with old newspaper microfilm, you come across the names of long forgotten places, like Risely, Ohio, which was, at one time, due west of the Village of Medina. Or Leroy, now known as Westfield Center.  Or Marysville, which was once part of Liverpool Township.

So I was surprised when I came across the name of an area of Medina County that I didn't recognize: the New Columbus Settlement.

I forget where I first stumbled across it, but I made a note to investigate it "when I have some spare time."

Well, I don't know that I will ever "have the spare time", but I did come across the note, and decided NOW was the time.

This is what is said in The History of Medina County and Ohio that was published in 1881:

Excerpt from the 1881 History of Medina, page 572. The "few years later"
refers to shortly after 1821, a date mentioned in the previous paragraph.

This information was repeated verbatim on pages 2-3 of The History of Chatham Township Medina County, Ohio Chatham Centiseptiquinarian 1818-1993 and Joann King repeats the story on page 51 of her Medina County Coming of Age 1810-1910 (2016), adding their "happy-go-easy style" must have "unnerved their neighbors of solid Massachusetts stock".

But the information was misquoted in the 1968 Chatham Sesquicentennial 1818-1968:

The text  reprinted from the 1881 History of Medina County has some serious typos!
What is "boppy-go-easy" style? Sounds like something a bunny rabbit would do!

So, just who were these people that the history spoke of so disparagingly? The oldest map that the Medina Library owns is dated 1857. There is no trace of "New Columbus" in Chatham Township. As the authors foretold, no other trace of the settlement can be found in other sources.

Excerpt of the northwest corner of Chatham Township from the 1857 Map of Medina County.
The dark border on the left shows the boundary with Spencer Township to the west.

When the place named cannot be traced, then we look at the individuals who are listed:

1. William Foltz 
2. Orrin Parmeter
3. Phineas Davis 
4. Truman Davis 
5. Isaac Vandeventer

1.William Foltz is not listed anywhere else in the 1881 History of Medina County, nor in any of the Chatham Township histories. His name does not show up in the Medina County Land Records of the period, nor in the 1810, 1820 or 1830 census records for either Medina County, Ohio, or the State of Virginia. So he is not easily traced.
Note: the name was searched using Foltz and Fultz.  Also, there is a Wm. FULKS in the 1840 Census for Chatham Township. Same man? Possibly.

2. Orrin Parmeter - all the same sources were searched and and Orrin was not found. A Civil War veteran with the name Orris Parmeter  is listed in the 1890 Census for Portage County, Wisconsin. But a man settling in Medina in the 1820's would be too old to serve in the Civil War. There were other Parmeter's listed in some of the sources.

So, two of the five men listed cannot be traced. Maybe they were "boppy-go-easy".

But that is not the case for the other three men.

3. Phineas Davis is presented in the best light in the sketch from the 1881 History. He "put up a little 'pocket' grist mill, to which he shortly added a distillery." But that is not all the History has to say about Phineas. He is mentioned 6 different times on the section on Spencer, not Chatham, Township:

     a."In the fall of 1823, Phineas Davis and family came and occupied the unused house  of Rising", p. 556.

     b. "Each man had his particular mark*, which was recorded thus: May 4, 1832, Phineas Davis made returns of his ear-mark for cattle, hogs and sheep (viz) 'a crop on the left ear and a slit in the right.'" p.559.

     c. "On another occasion, Phineas Davis and his daughter were coming through the forests... It grew very dark, and they became lost...they listened to the howl of the gathering wolves.", p. 560.

     d. "Phineas Davis kept an accommodation for travelers, not exactly a tavern, at the River Corners, at an early date.

     e. Phineas Davis built the first grist-mill in Spencer in 1825. It was a log mill, run by water-power, and the bolter was run by hand. The mill-stones were made from hard bowlders (sic), the building being logs, and two stories high, and, when grinding, it shook as though it had the palsy. The water power of this mill was destroyed when Spencer built his dam, which was a few hundred rods below.", p 561.

     f. The first literary society was organized at the river mills. They came according to appointment to the schoolhouse, but forgot to bring candles, and adjourned to the house of Phineas Davis...", pp.568-569.

In The History of Spencer Township and Village, Phineas Davis is described as "the township's second settler"  and he "was an active man."

That doesn't sound "happy-go-easy" style to me!? That seems quite industrious. But there's more...

Phineas is found in the 1820 Census in Wayne County, the 1830 Census in Lorain County,  and the 1840 Census in Chatham, Medina County. He disappears after that. It is possible that he died in 1845. There is a Findagrave listing for  Phineas Davis who was born in 1790 and died in 1845 in Champaign County (west of Columbus.) The ages given in the census records would agree with this tombstone.

Tombstone for Phineas Davis in Champaign County, Ohio. The dates, 1794-1845
 make him the right age to be Spencer Township's Phineas Davis.

AND... he is listed among the War of 1812 soldiers on Fold3 as part of the New York Militia! So he is not even from Virginia!

4. Truman Davis might be related to Phineas or he might not. The records are not as plentiful on him. But the Land Records of Medina County do show him buying and selling land in the 1830's.

5. Isaac Vandeventer has even more surprises for us. He is in the 1810 Census in Dansville, New York. But by the 1820 Census he is in Wayne County Ohio, as was Phineas Davis. After that, it becomes difficult to find him because of misspellings of his name. In the 1830 Census he is Lorain County, under Vanderventer and by the 1840 Census, he is under Vardeventer in Medina County. He hasn't been located in the 1850 census. but by the 1860 census he is Chatham, Medina County under "B" Vanderventer. He died in 1860 and is listed in the Mortality Census schedule as "J" Vandervander. He appears in Terry and Marcia Hart's Veterans Buried in Medina County, Ohio. Volume 2, War of 1812 book. He is buried in Chatham Cemetery and served in the New York Militia!

Isaac Vandeventer's tombstone from Findagrave.

And take a closer look at that 1857 Map of Medina County:

J.A. Davis could  be a descendant of either Truman or Phineas Davis. But take a look at the name to the left of the vertical line - I. Vanderventer!

So now we have a hint of where New Columbus might have been. And we can dispel part of the myth:

We now know that at least 3 of the men mentioned were from New York and several of them were quite
hardworking and productive!

Mystery debunked!

* A mark was a way of branding farm animals so that the owners could be identified.