K is for Keough

My Father's Ethnicity Estimate from Ancestry.com

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was back in 2009. I had been doing a bit of genealogy as time allowed. I was just getting started and doing some online research on my Keough family which I knew had roots in Newfoundland. I didn't know anything about Newfoundland but I stumbled upon Newfoundland's Grand Banks website and read through all of the historical material and Bonavista South material. I had a copy of my grandfather's WWI draft registration from Ancestry.com and knew that he stated he was born in Plate Cove East.  I happened to see an advertisement for a research trip to Newfoundland put together by the New England Historic Genealogical Society. I don't know what possessed me but I decided (rather spur of the moment) to sign up for the trip. We were asked to put together a bit about what topics or families we wanted to research and that helped me focus on my basic research questions. I set about checking flights, accommodations, travel tips, and potential contacts in Newfoundland. A month later, I headed to St. John's and began a journey that would take me literally and figuratively on my own version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (Keep in mind that show did not air in the United States until a year later in 2010 - a bit ahead of my genealogy time - who knew?!) 

Although we had a few snafus during the research trip I enjoyed the lectures, the guided visits to the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL), the Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), and the Maritime History Archives at MUN, as well as the walking tour of St. John's and the conversations, meals and drinks with fellow researchers. Thankfully, I had planned my time so that I could remain in St. John's after the research trip ended and I continued my research at various facilities in St. John's and then rented a car to make the drive to the Bonavista region to visit the places I had only heard of - Bonavista, King's Cove, Knight's Cove, Open Hall, Tickle Cove, Keels, and Plate Cove (my grandfather was raised in Plate Cove East so I was going home in a sense). The most amazing thing  I found during the trip was the wealth of Keoughs (and variant spellings of Keogh, Kehoe & Kough). It is not a common surname in the United States (or most places). I had seen it in parts of Ireland, but in Newfoundland - and certainly in Plate Cove - Keough was common! In fact there were so many Keoughs that I wasn't sure if or how my Keoughs were related to any of the  many Keoughs.

And so I backed into what I didn't even know was a one-name study (I registered the Keough surname with the Guild of One-Name Studies in 2012). Since I had a limited time in Newfoundland, I could not spend hours or days trying to find my Keoughs - I had to gather all the Keoughs (and all the other people) from those small communities because I didn't know who married in (women who married into the Keough families) and who married out (Keough women who married into affiliated families). There were church registers that could be viewed and transcribed but could not be photographed, scanned, or photocopied - so I became a scrivener - arriving when PANL opened its doors and remaining until PANL closed its doors. I ventured to the Archives at the Basilica of St. John's to speak with the Archivist and view records from their vault (and get lots of questions answered). I contacted the Bonavista Archives and made arrangements for the Archivist to open the facility so I could photograph index cards that no one had checked out for years. I walked the cemeteries at King's Cove, Open Hall, and Plate Cove East with my camera in hand - and felt like I was walking among family. I had earlier checked out the Stonepics Project and had indexed all the Keough entries in those community cemeteries. Now it was time to walk the cemeteries and see where my people and those they spent their lives with (the FAN club - friends, acquaintances, and neighbors) were buried. I visited the churches where my people married, where their children were baptized, where they went to Sunday mass, and where, at some point, they were buried from.

The Bonavista Region
map courtesy of Google.com (satellite view) 

I met extended family in St. John's, Plate Cove East, and Plate Cove West. I spent all my time taking it all in and gathering every single piece of family information I could (I also backed into my one-place study of Plate Cove East as a result of my visit). I have spent the last ten years (on and off, as time allows) putting together the puzzle that is my Keough connection in Newfoundland. It is a good thing I enjoy puzzles and research because there is a wealth of information, both from my trip and from everything now digitized and available online, as well as at facilities in the United States. There is so much out there to help me with my personal family history, my Keough one-name study, and my Plate Cove East one-place study. 

So who are my Keoughs and how did I learn more about them? Thankfully Doctor John J. Mannion (Department of Geography, retired; Department of Folklore, current; one of Canada's leading cultural geographers and an expert on Newfoundland's settlement history, has written papers, articles, books, and taught generations of MUN students the importance of their cultural roots transplanted from Ireland to Newfoundland). Much of his work is in tracing early settlers to Newfoundland. For example his books Irish Settlement in Eastern Canada and The Peopling of Newfoundland, as well as the Mannion Papers - over 5,000 undergraduate and graduate student papers detailing community and family histories (available at the Maritime History Archive).

Andrew Keough/Kough is my Newfoundland connection. He was born in County Carlow, Ireland in 1784. In response to a request for information about Andrew Keough/Kough, Professor Mannion wrote

I think Andrew (1784) resided first in King's Cove, he was fishing there in 1815 with Henry Handcock, a shareman. In 1819, Andrew was supplied by the merchant company of James MacBraire & Company and was in debt for 94 pounds, a huge sum. Kough's property at King's Cove was seized. But he was still there in 1823 when MacBraire sued him for 42 pounds. Andrew denied the claim and travelled 3 times to St. John's to defend against it. MacBraire lost and had to pay Andrew's expenses. 7 pounds 10 pence. I think Andrew moved to Plate Cove around this time. James Heany of Plate Cove was godfather to James ( 1824), son of Andrew. I cannot account for John, Thomas or William in Lovell [Lovell's 1871 Directory of Newfoundland]. 

(with thanks to Vince Hunter and and Jeri Keough who did and continue to do Keough family research and share much of their information at Newfoundland's Grand Banks website. Just a reminder that we gratefully stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us with family history research.)

Additionally, Seary's Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland references my Andrew as follows: "Andrew Keough or Kehoe, of King's Cove, 1816, of Plate Cove, 1824, of Open Hole (now Open Hall), 1829 (Nfld. Archives KCRC) [Kings Cove Roman Catholic].

Here are some snapshots from my work-in-progress on Andrew Keough  and his descendants:

Andrew Keough & Catherine Aylward Family
10 children
[click on any images to enlarge]

James Keough - Margaret Dooley Family
14 children

Patrick Keough - Mary Driscoll Family
11 children

My Keoughs were/are Irish Catholic and much of my time in Newfoundland was spent with baptism, marriage, and burial registers for the Catholic churches in King's Cove, Open Hall, and Plate Cove. I have 443 individuals with the Keough surname in my Newfoundland Families database. The Keough family has affiliated (married in and married out) with the Aylward, Barker, Carew, Donahue, Driscoll, Dooley, Fitzgerald, Furlong, Gallahue, Heaney, Joy,  Lane, Lawton, Mahoney, Maloney, Melvin, Moss, Murphy, Philpot/Philpottt, Russell, Tracey, and Walsh families. Do you recognize any of these 3 generations of Keough families of Plate Cove East? Do any of your Keough lines intersect with mine? Do you have Keoughs in surrounding communities that we might be able to put together? Do you have Keough lines in other parts of Newfoundland that might connect up to County Carlow, Ireland? If you do, I would love to hear from you and put the various Keough pieces of the puzzle together!

As you can see from the first image (above), my father's DNA test results confirm my research - according to Ancestry, he has 100% Irish ethnicity and the connection is Southeast Ireland to Newfoundland on his paternal side. If it looks like we might have a Keough connection through the Keough line or any of the affiliated surnames, please comment below and let's start sharing!

F is for Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland

A family name (otherwise known as a surname) is, for most of us, our oldest possession. Most of us received it when we were born. It may have changed if we were adopted or took on a spouse's surname when we married. Our surname is found on our legal and church documents, we sign our name on contracts and letters, we introduce ourselves to others by telling them our name, and oftentimes, upon hearing a surname, we may make certain assumptions. If I see the surname Keough, or its variants of Kehoe, Keogh, Kough, I am pretty confident the holder claims Irish descent. If I see the surname Chevalier, I would assume the person has a French connection.

When we research our Newfoundland roots, we look to the surnames of those ancestors we are aware of and make connections with those we are related to who share the surname, those who married in, and those who married out. We wonder where the surname originated, when it arrived in Newfoundland, what the surname means, and whether there are others who share the surname (and whether they might be close or extended family). 

The really big book of Newfoundland surnames

To learn more about surnames found in Newfoundland, you really must consult Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland. It is a great big book that takes you on a tour of the almost 3,000 family names of Newfoundland. The introduction provides a brief discussion of the history and linguistic origins of surnames found in Newfoundland, which are primarily made up of English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, French, Syrian, Lebanese and Micmac (a First Nations people indigenous to Canada's Atlantic Provinces). The majority of the book is a dictionary of those 3,000 surnames in Newfoundland and is based on data collected from family records, government documents, voting lists, and newspaper reports from the earliest Newfoundland records. The entries include the variant spellings, records found, date of occurrence, countries from where the surname came, and the surname's meaning. For Newfoundland researchers, the most helpful section is the individual occurrences included (the person, the place, the date, and the original source document). If you are looking for early Newfoundland ancestors, this is definitely a book you will want to check out. You can also find a ranking of the most common surnames in Newfoundland (together with a frequency comparison of the most common surnames in England, Ireland and Scotland). The author's investigation of the various surnames and the bits of information he unearthed is fascinating and entertaining.

The book, originally published in 1976, was written by Edgar Ronald Seary, professor and head of Memorial University's English Department. The book was updated  in 1998 by William Kirwin and Shelia M.P. Lynch to include several additions and corrections. Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland can be found at most University libraries as well as many regional or central libraries. Be sure to check on Worldcat.org to find it in a library near you. Then check out the surnames of your Newfoundland ancestors and learn more about them. A bit of sleuthing with Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland might just help you make some connections to your past.

My direct line Newfoundland surnames are Aylward, Dooley, Driscoll, & Keough. Each of those surnames appear in Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland and my people are mentioned with places, dates, and sources. What are you waiting for? Find this book and check out your Newfoundland surnames. Just a mention that I conduct a one-name study of the surname Keough and my study is registered with the Guild of One-Name Studies. I'm interested in all my Newfoundland family names, but especially my Keough connection. If you have Keoughs (or Kehoes or Keoghs or Koughs) please get in touch!

Seary, E. R., W. J. Kirwin, and Sheila M. P. Lynch. Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland. St. John's, Nfld: J.R. Smallwood Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1998.

D is for Dooley

James Keough & Margaret Dooley Family
[click to enlarge]

As you can see my second great-grandfather is James Keough and he married Margaret Dooley on 31 October 1849 in King's Cove, Newfoundland. Their marriage was recorded in the King's Cove Roman Catholic church register and their witnesses were Michael Walsh and Ellen Fennell. Margaret and James had 14 children - 8 sons and 6 daughters. Although I have information on my direct line, I do need to fill in the blanks on several of their children.

James Dooley and Margaret Michan Family
[click to enlarge]

Margaret's parents, James Dooley and Margaret Michan had 11 children - 6 sons and 5 daughters. From the baptism records it appears the family moved around a bit in the Bonavista South region and this is borne out by the information contained in Seary's. With the exception of birth dates for the Dooley children, I have little information. 

Seary's Surnames of Newfoundland references as follows:  "James [Dooley], of Ragged Harbour (now Melrose), 1823, of King's Cove, 1826, of Plate Cove (Bonavista B.), 1828, of Tickle Cove (Bonavista B., 1830 (Nfld. Archives KCRC)." 

In addition, there are 15 references with the Dooley surname found at cemeteries in Melrose, Open Hall, and Plate Cove - are these individuals connected? 

So calling all Dooleys in the Bonavista South region - are any of these names familiar? Do you know anything about James Dooley or Margaret Michan (parents or siblings)? Can you help take the Dooleys back to Ireland (or elsewhere)? Can you shed light on any of the James Dooley's children? All information and corrections gratefully accepted!

B is for Barker

Samuel Barker - Catherine Keough Family
[click to enlarge]

Andrew and Catherine's eldest daughter (also a Catherine) was baptized on 2 Aug 1814 at St. John's Roman Catholic church. On 5 May 1846 Catherine Keough married Samuel Barker in Keels, their witnesses were Patrick Keough and Mary Keough (her brother and sister). The marriage was recorded in the King's Cove Roman Catholic church register. Samuel and Catherine had eight children, 4 daughters and 4 sons. (And yes I did notice that the marriage register follows after 3 of their children arrive.) 

As you can see my Barker family needs some attention. Does anyone know who Samuel Barker's parents or siblings were. Does anyone recognize these Barker children and can you help fill in the blanks on this family.

Seary's Surnames of Newfoundland references Barker as follows: Samuel, of Open Hole (now Open Hall), 1829 (Nfld Archives KCRC); Samuel, of Plate Cove (Bonavista B.), 1859 (Nfld. Archives KCRC).  Modern status: especially at Open Hall. 

The following is the baptism information from The King's Cove Catholic church registers found at The Rooms in St. John's. I spent a few weeks transcribing and/or photographing various records at a number of research facilities. From these baptism entries, note the sponsors (godparents) for these children - Aylward, Barker, Keough & Murphy surnames. Also note the spelling variants for Keough (Kehoe, Keogh). A reminder that spelling was not a concern, spelling often depended on whomever filled out the register (clerks and priests), and family members rarely saw the registers.

[click to enlarge]

I have several more Barker entries in my Excel workbooks for baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials - information transcribed while researching in Newfoundland. So calling all Barkers, especially those originally from Open Hall - let's find our connections. Thanks.

See you back here tomorrow for the letter C!

A is for Aylward

Andrew Keough - Catherine Aylward Family
[click to enlarge]

Catherine Aylward is the matriarch of my original ancestor family on my paternal side (the Ireland to Newfoundland connection). Her husband was Andrew Keough. Andrew Keough & Catherine Aylward are my major brick-wall (going backward).  Andrew Keough (Kough) was originally from County Carlow, Ireland (as inscribed on his tombstone).  He arrived in Newfoundland in the early 1800s and lived and worked in St. John's. Andrew and Catherine met up in St. John's and had their first child baptized at St. John's Roman Catholic Church (now the Basilica). They moved from the Avalon region to the Bonavista region. They moved first to King's Cove and later settled in Plate Cove. They had nine more children, for a total of 5 sons and 5 daughters. I have not been able to find any information on Catherine (except the baptism register notations for their children, the marriage register for her marriage to Andrew, and instances of Aylward individuals being witnesses or sponsors at various family sacraments). 

Do you recognize any of these individuals and/or the family?  Do you have conflicting dates and want to to help tidy up my genealogy "work in progress."  Are there any Aylwards out there who may know who Catherine's parents and/or siblings were?  Please contact me and let's put our "genealogy" heads together and share information.

And please do come back tomorrow to meet another of my Newfoundland families.

This Week on My Family History Calendar

Murphy-Keough Calendar  June 22-June 28
Image made with wordle.net

It is a light week - only three birthdays!

June 22
Carolyn Dawn Shaughnessy [1108] (1928-1999), my second cousin once removed, was born on this date in 1928 in Hollister, San Benito, California. Carolyn's parents were Lawrence Edward Shaughnessy [497] and Zora Carolyn Quigg [1106]. In 1947 Carolyn married David Vernon Smith [2885] and they had two children. The couple divorced and in 1954 Carolyn married Michael Petrovich, Jr. [2722]. They made their home in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington and had two children.

June 26
Thomas Keough [2028] (1876-unknown), my great-granduncle, was born on this date in 1876 in Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Thomas' parents were James Keough [170] and Margaret Dooley [171]. To-date I have not been able to find more information on Thomas.

Andrew Joseph Keough [1406] (1932-2000), my second cousin twice removed, was born on this date in 1932 in Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Andrew's parents were Andrew Keough [952] and Mary Holloway [1398]. Andrew never married and did not have any children. 

Do any of these names or places sound familiar? Perhaps we share some extended family. If so I would love to hear from you, share information, and together we can grow our family tree. 

Father's Day 2014

To all the fathers in the Murphy-Keough Family Tree

Whether in Ireland (Counties Carlow, Cork & Kerry), Newfoundland, or the United States - and from 1750 onward, these men make up the branches of my family tree. I only wish we had pictures of more of them and we need to carry these lines back farther.

Andrew Francis Keough
Patrick Keough
James Keough
Dennis Driscoll
Andrew Keough
James Dooley
Lawrence Edward Murphy
James Joseph Murphy
Michael Daniel O'Murphy
Patrick Murphy
John Kiely
Michael Daniel John O'Murphy
Thomas Butler

And for my father Patrick Keough

Just a few photos that run the gamut from his childhood that included being a cowboy, to his high school and college education, to his stint in the Army, to his marriage and children (hence getting to celebrate Father's Day!), to his career with the Corps of Engineers, to his continuing stint as a grandfather. Whether it was building snowmen, celebrating holidays, taking us on family vacations, making sure we did our homework, coaching the Super Bs football team, taking us to our grandparents' homes for Sunday dinner, going to work every day and coming home to his second job as a parent - he has always been there. And now he gets to repeat that process (only the fun parts) with the grandchildren - checking out the garden, getting some help with his computer, reading and playing with them, and being one-half of the Grandparents' Disneyland Trip Team (eight trips with 2 grandchildren each visit to the Magic Kingdom!).

Most importantly and the reason I celebrate my father today is that he has always shown each of us with his actions as well as his words that it is important to have honor and integrity, be trustworthy, instill in your children the value of religion, education, volunteerism, and a love of whatever you choose to do in life. That it is important to respect and love your wife, love and encourage your children, have a sense of fun with your grandchildren, and always be there for siblings and nieces and nephews. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it!

Thanks to all the fathers out there who do it, day in and day out. They may not be perfect, but they show up each and every day and give it their best.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers, dads, das, grandfathers, poppas, gramps and daddies out there!  

This Week on My Family History Calendar

Murphy-Keough Family Calendar June 8 - June 14
Image made with Tagxedo

June 8

Frederick F. Walsh [N555] (1929-1997), my second cousin once removed, was born on this date in 1929. Frederick's parents were James Walsh [N553] and Lettice Philpott [N639]. At some point, Frederick married Dorothy Hollohan [N1028]. Dorothy's parents were James Hollohan [N4778] and Julia Snow [N4779]. Frederick and Dorothy made their home in Plate Cove East, Newfoundland. I am currently working my way through the research I gathered while on a trip to Newfoundland and hope to piece together the rest of the family connections and bring these families forward. In the meantime, if you recognize this couple and have additional information about the families, I would love to hear from you.

Andrew Gordon Keough [6] (1926-1972), my uncle, and Colleen June Wilcox [7] (1928-1982) were married on this date in 1946 in Seattle, Washington. Gordon's parents were Andrew Francis Keough [30] and Dora Josephine Murphy [31] (my grandparents). Connie's parents were Seley Alvin Wilcox [37] and Neva Delores Rood [38]. Gordon and Connie made their home in Washington and had eight children. Sadly, their first child was born premature and died just hours after his birth. 

June 14

John Murphy [468] (1863-1863), my great-granduncle, was born on this date in 1863 in New York City, New York. John's parents were Michael Daniel O'Murphy [354] and Honora Agnes Butler [355]. Michael and Honora were both originally from Ireland - they met and married in New York City, New York and John was their second child. He lived one day and must be buried somewhere in New York. Michael and Honora went on to have 13 more children and their 7th child was also named John (a rather common Irish tradition). In 1870 the family moved first to Missouri and later to Nebraska. I have always thought it must have been sad to have lost a child so soon and to have moved so far away from where he was buried. 

David Francis Murphy [476] (1880-1952), my great-granduncle, was born on this date in Rock Port, Atchison, Missouri. David's parents were Michael Daniel O'Murphy [354] and Honora Agnes Butler [355]. David was Michael and Honora's 11th child. The family (who started out in New York and then moved to Missouri) settled in Johnson County, Nebraska in 1882 when David was 2 years old. In 1906 in Tecumseh, Nebraska David married Mary Loretto Kelley [1640] (1882-1966). Mary's parents were William Arthur Kelley [1630] and Julia Agnes Kelly [1631]. David and Mary made their home in Johnson County, Nebraska where they farmed and raised stock. They were life-long members of St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska. David and Mary had two daughters.

Bernard Keough [178] (1866-unknown) , my great granduncle, and Bridget Heaney [185] (1878-unknown) were married on this date in 1901 at Open Hall (recorded at King's Cove), Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Their witnesses were John Kehoe and Elizabeth Heaney. Bernard's parents were James Keough [N58] and Margaret Dooley [N208]. I have not placed Bridget's parents yet (and I am guessing that the marriage witnesses were probably siblings of both Bernard and Bridget - so perhaps Elizabeth was a sister and Bernard's closest in age brother was John. An archivist told me that the spelling of surnames in Newfoundland had more to do with the parish priest or government clerks than with how the individual spelled their name). If this couple is in your extended family and/or the names Keough or Heaney with Plate Cove sound familiar, we need to get together and share information!

John Edward Murphy [860] (1917-1979), my first cousin once removed, was born on this date in 1917 in Everett, Washington. John's parents were James Joseph Murphy [205] and Catherine Maud Allen [858]. In 1939 John married Phyllis C. Toby [5887] (1916-1981) in Seattle, Washington. This first marriage must have ended in divorce because in 1956 John married Mary Jane Webber [6466] (1915-1974). At this point I don't know if he had children with either spouse and this is another one of those extended family members who I need to do a bit of research on when I am in the Pacific Northwest. My to-do list is getting quite long with this Family History Calendar theme!

Do any of these names or places sound familiar? Perhaps we share some extended family. If so I would love to hear from you, share information, and together we can grow our family tree. 

As far as numbers inside the brackets that you may have noticed [xxx] or [Nxxx], I have two separate Legacy database files and those numbers are record identification numbers for the individuals. The file without a letter is for my family and the file with the letter N is for all the Plate Cove East (and surrounding communities) Newfoundland families that I am working on piecing together for my one-place study. If you have families from these communities, please contact me so we can share information. Thanks. 

This Week on My Family History Calendar

Murphy-Keough Family Calendar June 1 - June 7
image made with wordle.net

This week two weddings and six births - a busy week in my family history calendar!

June 1
Martin Keough [248] (1890-1989), my first cousin twice removed, was born on this date in 1890 in Plate Cove East, Newfoundland. Martin's parents were Andrew Keough [172] and Mary Furlong [184]. Martin served in the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit, service number 1736. Members of the Newfoundland Unit served during WWII by assisting with logging operations in Great Britain.

June 2
Earl Joseph McMillan [877] (1925-1982), my first cousin once removed, was born on this date in Seattle, Washington. His parents were Ronald J. McMillan [875] and Margaret Cecelia Murphy [208]. This is another extended family member that I need to do more research on - so if you are a McMillan with Murphy roots - I want to hear from you.

June 3
Michael Paul Sullivan [499] (1875-1945) and Ellen Jane Murphy [475] (1878-1962) were married on this date in 1912 in O'Neill, Holt, Nebraska. Michael's parents were Paul Sullivan [1896] and Johanna Kelly [1897]. Ellen is my great grandaunt and her parents were Michael Daniel O'Murphy [354] and Honora Agnes Butler [355]. Michael and Ellen made their home and farmed in O'Neill, Nebraska and had four children.

Patricia Walker [486] (1924-1988) was born on this date in 1924 in Los Angeles, California. I do not have any information on her family. Patricia married Joseph Michael Murphy [485] (1919-1954), my first cousin twice removed, in 1951 in Coronado, California. Patricia and Joseph made their home in San Diego, California and had two children.

June 6
Lawrence Shaughnessy [492] (1864-1933) was born on this date in 1864 in Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois. Lawrence married Margaret Elizabeth Murphy [1081] (1868-1957), my great-grandaunt in September 1892 in Puyallup, Washington (both the Shaughnessy and Murphy families started out in Ireland and immigrated to the USA - the Shaughnessy family moved from New York to Illinois to Nebraska and settled in Washington; the Murphy family moved from New York to Missouri and settled in Nebraska - some of the Murphy children moved on and settled in Washington). Lawrence and Maggie made their home in Pierce County, Washington and had six children.

Peter William Walsh [3926] was baptized on this date in 1873 in Kings Cove, Bonavista, Newfoundland (I have not found his birth record yet and do not have any information on his family). In 1900 in Open Hall, Newfoundland, Peter married Anne Keough [179] (1869-unknown), my great grandaunt. Peter and Anne made their home in Plate Cove East, Newfoundland and had four children. (If you are a Walsh with Plate Cove East roots - I want to hear from you.)

Duncan Johnston [862] (1879-1962) and Honora Agnes Butler Murphy [206] (1888-1967) were married on this date in 1910 in Vancouver City, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Duncan's parents were Donald Johnston [4334] and Mary Campbell [4335] of South Uist, Hebrides, Scotland. Honora's (always called Nan and named after her maternal grandmother Honora Agnes Butler) parents were Lawrence Edward Murphy and Catherine Matilda Murphy. Duncan and Nan made their home in British Columbia, Canada and had three daughters.

June 7
Bernard L. Murphy [1158] (1910-1951), my first cousin twice removed, was born on this date in 1910 in Crab Orchard, Johnson, Nebraska. Bernard's parents were Pierce J. Murphy [1000] and Mary Agnes Kavanaugh [1151].

This Week on My Family History Calendar

Murphy-Keough Family
Image made with wordle.net - thanks

May 18
Anna Claire Shaughnessy [1008] (1920-2009) my second cousin once removed, was born on this date in 1920 in The Dalles, Wasco, Oregon. Her parents were Simon Shaughnessy [495] and Edna Melvina Shaw [838]. Anna was married first to Calvin L. Crill [5664] (1918-1967) and they had two children. She later married Anthony Zemaitis [1105] (1919-1973).

May 19
Gerald Keough [268] (1916- 2003) my second cousin once removed, was born on this date in 1916 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His parents were James Keough [236] and Elizabeth Heaney [238]. Gerald married Ethel Bernadette O'Neil [269] (1925-1997) and they had five children.

May 21
Patrick Keough [239] (1880-unknown) my first cousin once removed, was born on this date in 1880 in Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. His parents were Andrew Keough [172] and Mary Furlong [184]. Patrick served in the military and left Newfoundland, settling in the United States. Patrick is one of those Keoughs I need to find out more about - where in the United States did he live, did he marry and have a family, and where did he end up, are just some of my questions. I need to add Patrick to my to-do list (which keeps getting longer!).

Colleen June Wilcox [7] (1928-1982) my aunt by marriage, was born on this date in 1928 in Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota. Her parents were Seley Alvin Wilcox [37] and Neva Delores Rood [38]. Connie together with her two sisters were always referred to as "the Wilcox girls." She married my uncle Andrew Gordon Keough [6] (1926-1972) in 1946 in Seattle, King, Washington. Connie and Gordon had eight children, one of whom died within hours of his birth. Our Aunt Connie was beautiful, funny, clever and quite talented. She was an excellent seamstress/tailoress with an eye for high fashion and the ability to recreate those clothes on a budget. She was a terrific dancer, and had an energetic personality. It was always a treat to visit and play with our cousins and when we all went to my grandfather's home for birthdays or holidays - it was a very full and noisy house.

May 23
Mary Loretto Kelley [1640] (1882-1966) my great-great aunt by marriage, was born on this date in 1882 in Tecumseh, Johnson, Nebraska. Her parents were William Arthur Kelley [1630] and Julia Agnes Kelly [1631]. She and my great-great uncle David Francis Murphy [476] (1880-1952) were married in 1906 in Tecumseh, Johnson, Nebraska. Mary and David had two daughters. They farmed first in O'Neill and later in Tecumseh.  I have one of their daughters to thank for an assist with my family history as she worked on a collection of pedigrees, memories and photos of the various branches of the Murphy family that was given to family members including my father in the 1980s.

May 24 
Bridget Tracey [1387] (1895-1968) my second cousin twice removed, was born on this date in 1895 in Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Her parents were James Tracey [1222] and Agnes Walsh [1223]. She married Bernard Keough [246] (1888-1957) (my first cousin twice removed - it's a small world) in 1916 in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Bernard and Bridget has eleven children.

This Week on My Family History Calendar

Keough Corner Anniversaries & Birthdays
Week of May 4 - 10

May 5
Joy Lafern Yount/Smith [1114] (1935-1991), was born on this day in 1935 in Elma, Grays Harbor, Washington. Joy was married to my second cousin once removed Daniel James Shaughnessy [1113] (1933-2000), the son of Charles Michael Shaughnessy [498] and Myrtle Maybelle Quigg [1109]. Daniel and Joy had four children. This was the week for finding that, for some extended family members, I need to spend some serious time doing research. There is conflicting information about Joy's surname and I have added a to-do to contact family members who can help fill in those blanks and recheck the 1940 US census.

May 8
Stanley Keith Bartlett [1183] (1914-1994) was born on this day in 1914 in British Columbia, Canada. Stanley was married to my first cousin once removed, Johnnee Marguerite Johnston [864] (1914-2004), the daughter of Duncan Johnston [862] and Honora Agnes Butler Murphy [206]. Stanley and Johnnee had two children.

May 9
Michael Joseph Davey [3059] (1899-1918), my first cousin twice removed, was born on this day in 1899. He graduated from high school in 1916 and listed his occupation as bank clerk on his draft registration form. Less than two months later in November 1918, he died at the age of nineteen. The gravestone lists him as a veteran and the son of Peter H. Davey [2989] and Katherine K. Murphy [995]. This is an area of research (my Nebraska Murphy-affiliated families) that I need to get back to and top on my list is to find out more about Michael's story (where and how he died is now a to-do on my research list).

May 10
My great grandparents Patrick Keough [159] (1859-1924) and Mary Driscoll [160] (1864-1915) were married on this day in 1887 in Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Patrick's parents were James Keough [170] and Margaret Dooley [171]. Mary's parents were Dennis Driscoll [1564] and Ellen Kenny [1565]. Patrick and Mary had ten children, including my grandfather Andrew Francis Keough [30] (1892-1963).

Robert Anthony McMillan [876] (1923-2014), my first cousin once removed, was born on this day in 1923 in Seattle, King, Washington. His parents were Ronald J. McMillan [875] and Margaret Cecelia Murphy [208]. Robert is another one of those extended family members that I need to learn more about. This weekly meme is certainly giving me all sorts of to-dos to add to my research list.

How are you doing with your family history research? This calendar meme is showing me that I need to get back to my research - my extended family members are calling out for some attention!

If any of these names and/or places sound familiar, perhaps we share some common ancestors. Let's pool our knowledge and share our stories. I would enjoy hearing from you.

Counting Cousins in SNGF

If it is Saturday, then Randy Seaver is at it again and here is our mission:

Murphy-Keough Cousins' Surnames
made with wordle.net - thanks

1)  Take both sets of your grandparents and figure out how many first cousins you have, and how many first cousins removed (a child or grandchild of a first cousin) you have.

2)  Extra Credit:  Take all four sets of your great-grandparents and figure out how many second cousins you have, and how many second cousins removed you have.

HINT:  Make a Descendants Chart with your genealogy software program!

3)  Tell us the grandparents and great-grandparents names, but don't give the name of living cousins unless you want to.  

4)  Are there any of those lines that you don't know all of the cousins names?  Do you care?  

5)  Tell us about them in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post, or in a Facebook or Google+ post of your own.  Be sure to drop a comment to this post to link to your work. 

I have lots of cousins but I had not really stopped to think about how many until tonight. Having tooled around in Legacy Family Tree (my genealogy database software of choice) I was familiar with something in the miscellaneous report section called Relationships. Running the report shows me how I am related to everyone in my database (because let's fact it, it is all about me!). Of course you can change the person of interest and run the Relationships report for them but that is not the mission - stay focused.

For this mission and this blog, I choose the Murphy-Keough direct line (my permanent tag 1). I printed the report to a csv file, then saved it as a Microsoft Excel workbook. Finally I filtered the data in my workbook - yes, you guessed it, Excel will let you filter your first cousins, your first cousins once removed, your first cousins twice removed, and so on and so on. Now I am ready if next week's mission is second cousins, third cousins and fourth cousins (or any other relationship).

So who are my people and what are my stats - well I'm glad you asked.

My grandparents Andrew Francis Keough and Dora Josephine Murphy had three sons and three daughters, one of whom is my father.  I have seven (7) siblings and twenty-one (21) first cousins. Oh yes my aunts and uncles had children and we grew up visiting at my grandfather's home on a regular basis and we took summer vacations together when we were young. We still get together for family reunions and had one just last summer.

Thanks to the Legacy Relationships report (in my handy dandy Excel workbook) which was crosschecked for quality control purposes - I have eighty-three (83) first cousins once removed, seventy-three (73) first cousins twice removed and thirty-three (33) first cousins thrice (is that a word?) removed. I am sure that I don't have all our family members included, but this mission definitely tells me that I have some cousins I need to get in touch with and get more information from.

I want that extra credit Randy mentioned (and Legacy did all the hard work). My paternal great grandparents Patrick Keough and Mary Driscoll had ten (10) children and my maternal great grandparents Lawrence Edward Murphy and Catherine Matilda Murphy (those who follow my LVUG Community Tuesday's Tips will recognize this couple and no, they were not related) had twelve (12) children (what can I say - I am sure the names gave it away but we are 100% Irish Catholic on this line).

I have two hundred twenty-seven (227) second cousins - fifty-three (53) are second cousins, one hundred fifty (150) are second cousins once removed, and twenty-four (24) are second cousins twice removed. I also have one hundred eighty-eight (188) third cousins of all stripes, and fifty-seven (57) fourth cousins of all stripes (that means I added together the standard issue and the removeds for each of these classes of cousins).

I am sure I don't have everyone and that is part of the reason I blog. In answer to Randy's question, I do care about those missing cousins as I want our family history to be inclusive. So, if any of these names are familiar, we might be related - so contact me! 

There you have it, Saturday Night Genealogy Fun, part one. Now I have to do this same mission again for the non-Irish side of my family (otherwise known as my mother's side of the family). 

Mission Accomplished!

This Week on My Family History Calendar

April 28
My second great grandparents, James Joseph Murphy [352] (1819-1882) and Ellen Kiley [353] (1834-1913), were married on this day in 1860 in Nebraska City, Otoe, Nebraska. James' parents were Patrick Murphy [891] and Mary McCabe [892]. Ellen's parents were John Kiely [5717] and Catherine Driscoll [5804]. Both James and Ellen were originally from Ireland and each arrived in the USA in the 1850s. James and Ellen made their home in Vesta, Johnson, Nebraska and their homestead farm, acquired in 1867, remains in the family today. James and Ellen had seven children.

April 29
Charles Oliver Tucker [211] (1880-1963), my great great uncle by marriage, was born on this day in Johnson, Nemaha, Nebraska. His parents were James Riley Tucker [1142] and Mary Elizabeth Phelan [1143]. Charles was married to my great great aunt Johannah M. Murphy [478] (1884-1926), the daughter of Michael Daniel Murphy [354] and Honora Agnes Butler [355]. Charles and Hannah had three children. 

April 30
Bridget Keough [2001] (1894-1967), my second cousin twice removed, was born in on this day in Boyds Cove, Newfoundland. Her parents were Andrew Keough [945] and Charlotte Mary Keats [1501]. Bridget was married to Peter Donahue [2027] (1891-1961).

Richard Michael Tracey [357] (1922-2002), my first cousin once removed, and Dorothy May Brown [1044] (1922-2004) were married on this day in 1945 in Houston, Harris, Texas. His parents were Richard Tracey [215] and Kathleen Theresa Murphy [209]. Her parents were Edwin Brown [1227] and Mary Ivison [1228]. Dick and Dorothy had two children.

May 3
My great great uncle Daniel Paul Murphy [471] (1871-1899) was born on this day in Rock Port, Atchison, Missouri. His parents were Michael Daniel Murphy [354] and Honora Agnes Butler [355]. Daniel contracted tuberculosis as a teenager. He married Minnie C. Sanford [479] (1878-unknown) in 1897 but sadly, Daniel died about eighteen months after the marriage.

Clarence V. Donohoe [2210] (1912-1956) was born on this day in O'Neill, Holt, Nebraska. His parents were Thomas Francis Donohoe [2211] and Elizabeth McNichols [2212]. In 1938 he married my first cousin twice removed Dorothy Lois Sullivan [501] (1914-1998). Her parents were Michael Paul Sullivan [499] and Ellen Jane Murphy [475]. Clarence and Lois had ten children.

Do we share any family members? If so, I would enjoy hearing from you and sharing information. Until next week ...

This Week on My Family History Calendar

This Week on my Keough-Murphy Family History Calendar (or I need an idea to help me blog at least once a week!)

A few of the surnames and places to look for in this calendar
Image made at Wordle.net - thanks 

When trying to figure out how I could work on my family history while keeping up with my blogging, I happened to see Cheri Hudson Passey's weekly blogpost with her family history calendar. I asked how she put it together and she graciously gave me some tips. She also gave a shout out to Linda McCauley who had this idea last year and ran with it. Thanks to both of you and hopefully this project will keep me on track to post at least once a week.

I thought this week would be an easy one as I only have three birthdays on the calendar. Of course since we have lots of Murphys in our family (hence many opportunities for Murphy's Law to show up), I immediately noticed that I did not have some basic information for one of my people- I was missing the surname of the wife. I spent a pleasant couple of hours finding out about James Murphy's wife and her family (and got to take a trip through the online research guides for Danish research and some newspaper archives).

Without further ado, here is my first entry in the Keough-Murphy Family History Calendar.

April 14 –

James Allen Murphy [861] (1926-2001), my first cousin once removed was born in Seattle, Washington in April 1926. He was the son of James Joseph Murphy [205] (1888-1950) and Catherine Maud Allen [858] (1891-1968) and the husband of Julia Ann Fredericksen [1218] (1928-unknown). Jim and Julia had two children.

April 15 –

Bernard Keough [246] (1888-1957), my first cousin twice removed was born in Plate Cove East, Newfoundland and baptized in King’s Cove on 15 Apr 1888. He was the son of Andrew Keough [172] (1850-1934) and Mary Furlong [184] (1846-1913) and the husband of Bridget Tracey [1387] (1895-1968). Bernard and Bridget had eleven children. He is buried in Open Hall.

April 16 -

Catherine Mary Johnston [863] (1911-1964), my first cousin once removed was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in April 1911. She was the daughter of Duncan Johnston [862] (1879-1962) and Honora Agnes Butler Murphy [206] (1888-1967) and the wife of Hugh Anthony Hamilton [1215] (1912-1976). Kay and Hugh had two children.

Do we share any family members? If so, I would enjoy hearing from you and sharing information. Until next week ...

SNGF - Ancestral Homes 150 Years Ago

It has definitely been awhile! Although I have posted on Google+ and been active in the Guild of One-Name Studies and the Legacy Virtual Users' Group, I am afraid I have let my blogging slide. Well it's time to get back in the saddle and why not start with some of Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.

The mission that I accepted (and yes you are hearing the Mission Impossible theme music) was as follows:

1) Determine where your ancestral families were on 1 June 1863 - 150 years ago.
2) List them, their family members, their birth years, and their residence location (as close as possible). Do you have a photograph of their residence from about that time, and does the residence still exist?
3) Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a Facebook Status or Google+ Stream post.

Here is mine for the Irish side of my family:

My second great-grandparents, James Keough (1824-unknown ) and Margaret Dooley (1832–1919), resided in  Plate Cove East, , Bonavista Bay, NEWFOUNDLAND.  I do not have a photograph of their residence, but I do know it no longer exists. I visited the community and have met extended family members and have many pictures of the community. The household included my great-grandfather Patrick Keough (1859–1924), who would have been 4 at the time, as well as 6 siblings. They had a total of 14 children between the years 1850 -1878.

My second great-grandparents, Dennis Driscoll (1824 - unknown) and Ellen Kenny (1832–unknown), resided in Plate Cove East, , Bonavista Bay, NEWFOUNDLAND. I do not have a photograph of their residence, but I do know it no longer exists. I visited the community and have met extended family members and have many pictures of the community. Their daughter, my great-grandmother Mary Driscoll (1864–1915) had not arrived on the scene yet.

My second great-grandparents, James Joseph Murphy (1819-882) and Ellen Kiley (1834–1913), resided in Vesta, Johnson, Nebraska, USA.  Each had emigrated from Ireland to the USA in the 1850s.

I have mapped the location of their town, but I do not have a photograph of their residence, and believe it no longer exists. In 1867 James and Ellen homesteaded and built their home and farm (I reviewed the original paperwork at NARA Washington, DC), and the farm remains in the family today. In 1863, the household included my great-grandfather Lawrence Edward Murphy (1862–1918) and his sister Katherine K. Murphy (1863–1946). Five additional siblings would follow.

My second great-grandparents, Michael Daniel O’Murphy (1836-1926) and Honora Agnes Butler (1842–1925), resided in New York City, New York, New York, USA.  Each had emigrated from Ireland to the USA in the 1850s. I have mapped the location of their neighborhood, but I do not have a photograph of their residence, and believe it no longer exists. In 1863, the household included my great-grandaunt Mary Murphy (1861–1893). Thirteen additional siblings would follow, including my great grandmother, Catherine Matilda Murphy (1864–1907).

Thanks Randy for getting me back to my blogs - oh, and check out my answers for the Swedish, Norwegian & Slovenian side of my family on Scandia Musings.

Motivation Monday ~ A Recap for March & April

February and March were crazy busy as far as my genealogy research went. After watching a Legacy-hosted webinar on newspaper research with Thomas Kemp of GenealogyBank, I decided to check it out. I had really good luck and was able to back my way into solving one of my Irish family's brickwalls. On a second research front, a terrific Irish records site came on-line and was mentioned in a blog post that directed me to church records for Counties Cork and Kerry. A bit of reverse sleuthing and comparisons with previously found but unproven census records and another of my Irish family's brickwalls finally came down. Both finds need some more work, but I am light years ahead of where I was two months ago. A nice bonus is that I now have additional family members (siblings of my direct ancestors who are “new to me”) to research and connect with. Both of those finds will be the subject of their own posts in the near future. All I can say in my own defense (for my February and March blogging slump) is that I was so busy researching and working through the connections that I just let my blogging slide.

Spring has sprung, Easter brought with it that reminder of new life and rebirth so ~ I am wiping the slate clean, jumping back into the monthly genealogy goal meme, and posting my March Accomplishments & April Goals (thanks to Stephanie at Corn & Cotton for keeping me and many others motivated).

Research

• The 1940 Census
• March ~ I prepared my 1940 Census To-Do Lists using the Legacy Census Tool. I broke down the to-do lists by county and state. Knowing that some of my family remained in the same towns and counties in Nebraska and Illinois I decided to focus on these areas as well as my grandparents (both located in Seattle, Washington and for whom I had their 1940 addresses).
• April ~ I found and downloaded the various census pages and as of today I have found 105 members of my extended family on the 1940 Census. I could not have done this without the following:
• I cleaned up my Legacy database and standardized all my census entries so I had 1930 census information for my extended family. This was an excellent exercise to prepare for the 1940 Census and also to review my earlier census entries and clean up my sources.
• Steve Morse, Joel Weintraub and the volunteers who worked on the OneStep 1940 Census program – thank you for such great programs and tutorials – I learned so much from using these programs and was able to drill down to the correct enumeration districts. You are all The Best!
• The various websites that uploaded the digital images of the 1940 Census – it was an embarrassment of riches ~ The National Archives, FamilySearch, Archives, MyHeritage, and Ancestry  ~ all worked hard to make so much available from day 1 ~ just brilliant! I used several of the sites and was able to noodle my way to finding the census pages.
• DearMyrtle ~ every evening Monday through Friday she hosted a webinar roundup that entertained, explained, shared stories, answered questions and kept the genealogy community involved in the hoopla that was the 1940 Census release. I was thrilled to listen to and watch the presentations by Joel Weintraub, the representatives from Archives, the National Archives, and Ancestry, the examples provided by Russ Worthington, the finds shared by attendees, and the discussion among the attendees on Twitter. There was a lot going on and it was clearly a labor of love ~ thanks DearMyrtle and RootsMagic for hosting the webinars.
• Kiley Family
• March ~ In response to my request and a small fee, I received my great great grandmother’s obituary from Obits of Nebraska. Ellen's obituary mentioned two sisters who attended her funeral as well as two nephews who officiated. I found the priests in the federal censuses and worked my way back to their families with Ancestry.com and GenalogyBank.com.  The nephews’ surname was Cannell and I found the Cannell family in Rockford and Burritt, Illinois.  From a combination of newspaper articles and obituaries, I determined that my great great grandmother Ellen Kiley came to America from Ireland with her widowed mother and (at least) two siblings, Jane Kiley (who married John Cannell, settled in Burritt, had seven sons, and later died and was buried in Rockford) and Catherine Kiley (who remained single, moved to, and later died and was buried in St. Louis). Of course the surname is spelled Kiley, Kiely, Kieley, and Keeley depending on the article or document!
• April ~ I need to follow up on the Kiley and Cannell families and transcribe and source all the material I found in March. I am in the process of adding it (with appropriate sources) to my Legacy database. I am also contacting current Cannells to hopefully find out more information about both the Kiley and Cannell families. 
• Murphy Family
• I need to follow up with extended family members in Nebraska and Washington both for family records and 1940 Census research. To any Murphys in Johnson County, Nebraska ~ let’s work on filling in some blanks. My email is over at the right so please get in touch. John ~ thanks for your comment I emailed you directly and would love to hear from you!

Organization

• March & April ~ I am continuing to organize my digital materials (photographs, census images, images saved in my Ancestry Shoebox, images saved from Genline of Sweden, images from DigitalArchives of Norway, and county and town research and images downloaded from Irish websites as well as all my Newfoundland research). Now that I have a system in place it is a process of working on this a bit each day ~ this is an ongoing project but I do see light at the end of the organization tunnel!

Blogging

• April ~ I need to get back on board with Amy Coffin’s 52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy. I need to finish my blog post about my grandfather Ernest William Lidman. I need to blog on a weekly basis ~ remember the Nike mantra ~ just do it!

Education

• March ~ There were lots of webinars to choose from in March and I attended the following:
• Introduction to Irish American Catholic Records with Michael Brophy on March 3 ~ This was a interesting presentation, with lots of insights and some tips to help me get farther with my Irish American research.
• 1940 Census with Thomas MacEntee on March 7 ~ A nice preparation webinar and he answered many questions to help us prepare for the census release.
• Using the Census Tool in Legacy with Geoff Rasmussen on March 9 ~ Thank you for this great tool and for the quick and responsive updates, you made my preparation so much easier!
• Using US Federal Records to Locate the Towns of Your Irish Ancestors with Donna Moughty on March 12 ~ An excellent presentation and I got lots of helpful tips to help me dig a little deeper with my brickwall Irish families.
• How to Use a Blog for a Research Log with Drew Smith on Mar 19 ~ This was a disappointing webinar from a usually reliable presenter. Drew discussed blogs in detail but it was clearly for beginners. There was no serious discussion of the research log aspect listed in the webinar title and which is why I (and others) attended the webinar. 
• Tips & Tricks for Webinar Presenters with Thomas MacEntee on Mar 21 ~ Thomas does a good job and this webinar was helpful to understanding how the process works (or rather should work) and is a real must watch for anyone planning on giving presentations.
• Digital Writing & Genealogy with Lisa Alzo on March 30 ~ Lisa always does a great job and this webinar was no exception. Some really helpful tips and plenty of great examples.
• April ~ It has all been about the 1940 Census Release but there are also some additional subjects out there for webinars.
• I attended 4 of 5 days of DearMyrtle’s roundup of all things Census (missed Thursday’s webinar but listened to it after the fact).  These were all-around great and very useful. We received some terrific best practices tips from all the major players.
• I plan to attend the following webinars during the remainder of April:
• Going Digital with Josh Taylor on April 10
• Genealogy on the Go – the Families App with Malcolm Green on April 11 (through Legacy)
• Using Legacy Family Tree to Support Family Groups/Associations with Geoff Rasmussen on April 14 (through Legacy)
• Reverse Genealogy: Finding the Living with Megan Smolenyak (through Legacy)

Giving Back

• I signed up as a 1940 Ambassador.
• March ~ I signed up to index the 1940 census when available, indexed the practice census sheet and watched the FamilySearch presentations so I would be ready to go when the census pages were uploaded and available.
• April ~ During the past week, I indexed census pages from Delaware, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota and Oregon (I have indexed 1120 names and have a 98% accuracy rating ~ thanks to those enumerators who printed or had good penmanship). It is interesting and fun. More importantly, if we all volunteer we will have an index up and available for researchers and genealogists. It is a nice way to give back and thank those who indexed the previous censuses I have relied upon to find my families! I plan to index 3 batches each day (120 names) first thing in the morning. Are you signed up and indexing? If not, why not give it a try.

Onward and upward ~ I need to stay on track to reach my 2012 goals. If the first week is any indication, April is going to be a big and busy genealogy month!  What have you been up to? Any great finds? If you recognize any of the surnames and/or locations mentioned here, please contact me. Cheers!