Genealogy Pointers

Genealogy Pointers
March 31, 2015
In This Issue
Last Day to Save on March Bargain Books
2015 Ultimate Search Book Displays Author's Mastery for Finding Missing Persons
Keeping Tabs on Dr. David Dobson (Scottish and Irish Ancestors)
Last Day to Save on March Bargain Books
If you don't receive our monthly snail-mailings, you still have today to take
advantage of the discounted prices from our March flyers. We have reduced each
of the titles summarized below by 25% or more through 11:59 EDT tonight. Did
your ancestors ever live in Massachusetts, New York, Delaware, Virginia, or
Tennessee? Did they emigrate from Russia, or could they have served in the
Revolutionary War or the Merchant Marine? If so, you will want to peruse the
following nine books carefully. (By the way, to be added to our snail mail list, send
your mailing address to info@genealogical.com.)
The New North Church, Boston [1714-1799]
Based upon an unpublished 19th-century manuscript, this book takes on even greater importance
inasmuch as the actual New North Church records upon which that transcription was based are no
longer extant. The authors have arranged the church's vital records alphabetically by surname and
thereunder by record category--admission and covenanter, and then baptism, marriage, and death.
The baptisms yield the names of the infant and parents and the date of baptism; the marriages
contain the names of the bride and groom and the date of the marriage; and the deaths (which are
vastly in the minority) include the name of the deceased, his/her age at death, and the date.
Was $17.50
Now $12.95
Migration from the Russian Empire: Lists of Passengers Arriving at the Port of New York, Volume
1: January 1875-September 1882
and
Volume 2: October 1882-April 1886
Between 1871 and 1910 more than 2.3 million Russian immigrants arrived in the United States;
some 600,000 arrived between 1871 and 1898 and 1.7 million between 1899 and 1910. Of the 1.7
million Russian emigrants who arrived in the U.S. between 1899 and 1910, 43 percent were Jews,
27 percent Poles, 9 percent Lithuanians, 8 percent Finns, 5 percent Germans, and 4 percent
indigenous Russians. The first two volumes of Migration from the Russian Empire cover the
periods 1875-1882 and 1882-1886, respectively, of this remarkable exodus. Information in the first
two volumes corresponds to the content of the passenger lists--name of passenger and his age,
sex, occupation, country of origin, place of residence, and destination. Additionally, each
passenger list is headed by the name of the ship, the port of embarkation, the port of arrival, and
the date of arrival.
Vol. 1: Was $65.00
Now $47.50
Vol. 2: Was $65.00
Now $47.50
Duke of York Record, 1646-1679. Original Land Titles in Delaware . . . Comprising Letters Patent,
Permits, Commissions, Surveys, Plats and Confirmations by the Duke of York . . . 1646 to 1679
This is a collection of hundreds of the earliest official land records in existence for Delaware. The
letters patent, permits, confirmations, surveys, and drawings herein go back to 1646, when Holland
still controlled Delaware. Transcribed and copied from an original document found in the office of
the Recorder of Deeds for Kent County, this work is guaranteed to intrigue anyone having a
genealogical or historical interest in 17th-century Delaware.
Was $22.50
Now $16.50
7,000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley [NY] Vital Records, 1808-1850
In the towns and cities of New York, official records of marriage and death were rarely filed prior to
1880. The compilers of this book have joined forces to produce a list of 7,000 marriages and
deaths--naming 20,000 persons in all--from 15 newspapers of the Hudson-Mohawk Valley area.
Typically the marriage notices give such information as the names of the bride and groom, date
and place of the marriage, names of parents, and the name of the officiating minister. Death
notices provide the date and place of death, age at death, sometimes cause of death, occupation,
and names of survivors.
Was $38.50
Now $27.50
The Marriage License Bonds of Lancaster County, Virginia from 1701 to 1848
This collection of the oldest recorded Lancaster County marriage bonds furnishes the name of
each groom, maiden name of the bride, and name of the surety (often a relative). The bonds are
arranged alphabetically according to the surname of the groom, followed by a bride's index at the
back of the volume.
Was $38.50
Now $27.50
Charles Parish, York County, Virginia. History and Registers: Births, 1648-1789 and Deaths, 16651787
The lion's share of this volume consists of a transcription of the Register of Charles Parish, York
County, Virginia, which contains the earliest entries of any Virginia church record book in
existence. The contents are arranged in two separate alphabetical lists, one for births and the
other for deaths. Each of the 3,500 entries of births gives the child's name, the names of the
parents, the date of birth and, sometimes, the date of baptism. The 2,000 death records indicate
the decedent's full name and date of death, and, sometimes, the given name of a spouse or
parent.
Was $29.50
Now $21.50
Twenty-Four Hundred Tennessee Pensioners: Revolution and War of 1812
This alphabetical list of Tennessee pensioners was compiled from published government pension
lists and the U.S. Census of 1840. Included are name, age, service, residence, and the source.
Was $17.50
Now $12.50
Indexes to Seamen's Protection Certificate Applications and Proofs of Citizenship, Ports of New
Orleans, LA; New Haven, CT: and Bath, ME. Additional Ports of Alabama, Connecticut, District of
Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island
This index covers a dozen ports, with the records ranging from 4,400 applications for the Port of
New Orleans to 18 such proofs for New London, Connecticut. The port-by-port indexes in the book
give the name of each seaman, date of application, age, race, and state or country of birth. The
SPC applications themselves contain references to each seaman's place of birth, physical
features, and, where applicable, place of naturalization or facts concerning manumission.
Was $22.50
Now $16.50
2015 Ultimate Search Book Displays Author's Mastery for Finding Missing
Persons
A few weeks ago we announced publication of The Ultimate Search Book. U.S.
Adoption, Genealogy & Other Search Secrets. 2015 Edition, by search expert
Lori Carangelo, the first new edition since 2011.
We want to take this opportunity to illustrate Carangelo's prowess as a finder of
birth parents, missing persons, and runaway children, and other contemporary
individuals by reprinting sample pages from the 2015 Edition. The following
illustration comes from Chapter 2: "With or Without a Name." For more information about The
Ultimate Search Book, please visit this URL:
www.genealogical.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&item_number=8813
ADOPTION SEARCH TIPS (which may also apply to stepparent adoptions):
1. READ CHAPTER 1: SEARCH BASICS.
2. DETERMINE THE STATE in which your adoption was finalized because the court in that
state, and possibly an agency, holds your adoption file(s).
3. DETERMINE LAW in that state on disclosure of adoption information and access to
records, particularly access to your original birth certificate.
4. LOCATE YOUR ADOPTION FILE(S). Your best bet is to ask your adopters which agency
and court facilitated your adoption if you don't already know and if your adopters do not
have records to provide you. If you cannot obtain this information from your adopters, the
central office of Social Services at the state's capital city can tell you if it was a public
Social Services agency and which branch. If no record, chances are it was a private
agency or attorney that they would not have record of. Since the agency and court that
finalized the adoption is usually in the county where the adopter resided at the time of
placement, it would not be too hard to find the court and agency that has your adoption
files by looking up the court and all adoption agencies in that county, and if no luck then
look up adoption attorneys in that county.
5. REQUEST YOUR NON-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION from both the Court of jurisdiction
and the agency that holds your adoption file, by asking ALL of the questions listed in this
chapter.
6. PROVIDE YOUR WAIVER OF CONFIDENTIALITY and your request for identifying
information to both the agency and court at the same time you request your NonIdentifying Information. Request the Petition To Adopt and Final Decree of Adoption from
the Court.
7. BROWSE THE COURT DOCKETS for the dates you were relinquished for adoption and
also when the adoption was finalized (generally automatically, without necessity for
hearing, one year from date of Relinquishment of Parental Rights and placement in your
adoptive home, but there will still be a docket notation). Court dockets are publicly
viewable records in Probate, Circuit, and Family Courts or similar named courts, not
sealed, and even though your biological parents are most likely not in court, their names
may appear on the earlier docket while your adopter's name appears on the latter docket.
Fortunately they can be cross-referenced by same Case Number, so that if you find the
Final Decree case number by the date, you can check one year prior for the
Relinquishment and Petition to Adopt using the same Case Number.
8. REQUEST THE PETITION and FINAL DECREE OF ADOPTION. Years ago, Court Clerks
were instructed to "block" names on these documents with an indelible black ink marker
before providing the document to the adult adoptee. Unless the blackened information has
also been photocopied after blackened, first try photocopying the BACK side of the
document on a very dark setting to see if typewritten impressions appear. Or, the
impressions left by older typewriters can be revealed by penciling the back of the
document where the names would be and thereby revealing the names (just backwards).
Try removing the black marker ink with a dab of hairspray or cologne (alcohol based) on a
q-tip. Since this will wet and possibly smudge, it's tried last.
9. DECEASED PARENT OR ADOPTEE. If denied records on the grounds that the person is
deceased, cite the following: "Davin v. U.S. Department of Justice, 60F.3d1043 (3rd Circuit
1995): Persons who are deceased have no privacy interest in non-disclosure of their
identities."
Keeping Tabs on Dr. David Dobson (Scottish and Irish Ancestors)
Dr. David Dobson is a leading authority on Scottish and Irish genealogical records,
and he is the foremost expert on Scottish immigration to the Americas. With well
over 100 titles bearing either the Genealogical Publishing Company or Clearfield
Company imprint to his credit, Dobson's publications range from ship passenger
lists, Scottish surnames, and inhabitants of the Scottish Highlands to 18th-century
Irish and Scots-Irish emigrants, citizens of various Scottish burghs, and Scottish
Lowlanders. Dr. Dobson is now working on several new projects for 2015.
While it is impossible for us to publicize all of David Dobson's titles, we thought it would be useful
to cite his most recent (2014-15) releases, so our readers can consider the body David's work
when they are pursuing elusive ancestors. Here they are:
The People of Lowland Perthshire, 1600-1799
Perthshire, the subject of this new work, lies in the center of Scotland and is intersected by a
geological fault known as the Highland Line, which divides the Highlands from the Lowlands. The
Lowlands' genealogical records are generally more comprehensive than those of the Highlands,
especially the parish records, the backbone of Scottish genealogical research. In general, Lowland
persons found in this publication are identified by name, locality, date, and source, and in the
majority of cases by at least one relation (spouse, parent, child) and/or occupation. In all, The
People of Lowland Perthshire, 1600-1799 lists over 2,000 inhabitants of the county, thereby
rounding out the coverage in two of Dr. Dobson's earlier books, Scottish Highlanders on the Eve of
the Great Migration, 1725-1775: The People of Perthshire and The People of the Scottish Burghs:
Perth, 1600-1799.
Irish Emigrants in North America, Part Eight [1670-1830]
Emigration from Ireland to the Americas started in earnest during the early 18th century. In 1718
the first successful emigration from Ireland to New England occurred, laying the foundation for the
large-scale settlement of colonial America by the "Scots-Irish." The scale of emigration, particularly
from the north of Ireland, grew from a trickle in 1718 to a torrent by the mid-19th century. This work
is the eighth installment (and the fifth volume) in a series compiled by David Dobson that
documents the departure of thousands of individuals who left Ireland for the promise of the New
World between roughly 1670 and 1830. As many as half of the immigrants referred to here
disembarked at Canadian ports or the Caribbean, while most of the rest entered North America
through the Mid-Atlantic.
The People of Ireland, 1600-1699. Part Four
People of Irish origin face a challenging task when they attempt to trace their early roots. For
example, church records in Ireland such as registers of baptism, marriage, and burial--which are so
essential to research elsewhere in the British Isles--are not comprehensive. The aim of this series,
therefore, is to provide information on ordinary people throughout 17th-century Ireland. For Part
Four, Dr. Dobson provides sketches of about 1,500 additional inhabitants of Ireland, bringing the
grand total so far uncovered in the series to just under 5,000. For this volume, the author has
drawn heavily upon the Calendar of Patent Rolls, Ireland and various collections of documents in
private hands published by the Historical Manuscript Commission.
The People of Arbroath, 1660-1799
The latest volume in David Dobson's series devoted to the inhabitants of Scottish burghs concerns
the town of Arbroath. Arbroath lies on the east coast of Scotland and dates from 1178 when
Arbroath Abbey was constructed by Tironsian monks. The book is based overwhelmingly on
primary sources, such as the Customs and Excise Records, Exchequer Records, the Register of
Deeds of the Court of Session, Burgh Records, and monumental inscriptions. Typically, the entries
found here identify inhabitants by their full name, occupation, a date, and the source. In some
cases we are also given the names of spouses and other relatives, and, in the case of seamen, the
names of their vessels and their destinations in the New World. In all, Dr. Dobson cites over 1,500
persons based in Arbroath between 1660 and 1799.
People of Montrose, 1600-1799
Montrose in the 17th and 18th centuries was a major Scottish port and market town. As a Royal
Burgh it was authorized to conduct overseas trade and had developed important economic links
with Scandinavia and the Baltic lands, as well as with the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal,
Italy, and America. This publication is an aid to local historians and genealogists wishing to find
information on residents of Montrose during the17th and 18th centuries. Among the many sources
studied for this compilation were the Montrose Burgh records themselves, port books from 1742,
the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, and the Tayside Regional Archives in Dundee. Dr.
Dobson identifies each inhabitant of Montrose named in this book by occupation, date, and source,
and oftentimes by one or more of the following attributes: name(s) of family member(s), places
visited, university attended, and ships traveled upon.
Scottish Highlanders on the Eve of the Great Migration, 1725-1775: The People of Highland
Perthshire. Vol. 2
A number of emigrants from Perthshire were soldiers recruited for regiments, particularly the Black
Watch, that fought in the French and Indian Wars, some of whom settled in the colonies in the
aftermath. Others emigrated from Greenock to New York in 1775 to settle on the frontier. Most of
them tended to be Loyalists at the outbreak of the American Revolution, and they consequently
moved to Canada. This book pulls together references on about 2,000 additional 18th-century
inhabitants not referenced in Volume 1. In all cases Dr. Dobson gives each Highlander's name, a
place within Perthshire (birth, residence, employment, etc.), a date, and the source. In many cases
we also learn other details, such as date of death, the identities of relatives, the individual's
employment, vessel traveled on, later whereabouts, etc.
For more titles by David Dobson, please click on this URL:
www.genealogical.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1
&criteria=Author&keyword=Dobson&sort=20a&page=all