Now is the time to check off that reading list! Save 20% at the Bookstore at NEHGS on our handpicked collection of genealogical classics, sure to be of interest to researchers from beginner to pro. Act fast—this offer only runs through March! Use promo code ExpertChoice323. Save Now
Recently on Vita Brevis
Why Was Lower Canada Above Upper Canada?
Researching Canadian ancestors? Before the 20th century, the shifting of provincial and territorial borders was a near-annual occurrence, posing unique challenges for genealogical research. Read More
Upcoming Online Seminar
Researching Ulster Scots Ancestors
Join our experts for an online conference about Scots-Irish migrations to the U.S. and Canada, and the challenges of researching your Ulster Scots ancestors. Live Q&A with experts on March 18 at 2 p.m. (ET). Members Save 10%. Register Now
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Has Visiting Museums or Historic Sites Helped You Understand Your Ancestors’ Lives?
Share your thoughts about the survey at weeklygenealogist@nehgs.org. Responses may be edited for clarity and length and featured in a future newsletter.
Last Week's Survey:
Connections to the Southern Hemisphere
Total: 3,491 Responses
7%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors was born in the Southern Hemisphere.
13%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors lived in the Southern Hemisphere.
8%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors was stationed in the military in the Southern Hemisphere.
16%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors traveled to the Southern Hemisphere on a sea voyage.
9%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors traveled to the Southern Hemisphere on a visit.
4%, Yes, my ancestor had a connection to the Southern Hemisphere not mentioned above.
1%, I was born in the Southern Hemisphere.
3%, I live or have lived in the Southern Hemisphere, or was stationed there in the military.
17%, I have traveled to the Southern Hemisphere on a visit.
11%, I don’t know if I have a connection to the Southern Hemisphere.
51%, No, I have no connection to the Southern Hemisphere.
Readers Respond
Mary Ellen Waterhouse Rogan, East Brunswick, New Jersey: My great-grandfather, Charles Waterhouse, was a sea captain in the China trade. He and his brothers, also sea captains, commanded vessels that sailed to South America and ports in Africa and Australia. Charles took his family, including my great-grandmother and my grandfather, on his voyages. In 1883, Charles died at port in Melbourne, Australia. His brother Asa, who was first mate, took over the rest of the voyage, but was washed overboard in a storm on the way to South America. Their stories are documented in Searsport Sea captains, published by Penobscot Marine Museum.
Nancy Stauffer Johnson, Northwood, New Hampshire: I served as a teacher in the Peace Corps in the village Ubiaja, Nigeria, from 1966 to 1967. By the summer of 1967, the Biafran War had drawn close to our area and we were told we would be evacuated. We woke one morning to discover that the Biafran army had passed through our village in the night, and we were now in territory under their control. We were in no danger from the Biafrans, who appreciated our work, but we were in the middle of a war zone. Eventually we were able to make safe passage to the coast, where we were evacuated by cargo ship to Lagos.
Erica Bodden, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts: My third-great-grandfather, Simon Peel (1805-1866), was born in England, but moved to Scotland where he married twice. He had eight children with his first wife, Ann Robertson. Two of the three who survived to adulthood immigrated to Australia. Of the ten children born to his second wife, my third great-grandmother Catharine Alexander (1828-1907), three of those five who survived immigrated to the United States, as did Catharine, although not all at the same time. As such, the family was effectively split in half. Several of us are in touch with our Australian cousins, having found each other through our collective passion for genealogy.
Irene Winterburn, Yachats, Oregon: My ancestor Samuel Gordge emigrated in the 1800s from Wales to Australia, finding work as a ship’s cook. According to family lore, Samuel drowned on Christmas Day, 1850. In researching his death, I learned the truth about Samuel’s final voyage. The J. Lovett, on which Samuel was employed, ran aground during a storm on September 19, 1852. Captain Broadfoot remained with the ship while three passengers and several crew members walked towards Portland in search of assistance. Samuel and a handful of crewmates remained with the captain. However, the crewmates hatched a new plan; they loaded a lifeboat with wine and spirits and sailed away, presumably with the intent of selling the stolen goods. The would-be thieves didn’t make it very far; their bodies were found near an overturned lifeboat on the beach near Salt Creek in November of 1852.
Spotlight: Community History, Azalea Regional Library System
by Valerie Beaudrault
The Azalea Regional Library System, serving the residents of Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Morgan, Putnam, and Walton Counties in Georgia, has made a newspaper archive available on its website. The collection comprises nearly 350,000 pages from 58 local newspapers, including Walton Tribune (1903-2008), Eatonton Messenger (1874-2010), Madisonian (1879-1999), The Sparta Ishmaelite (1899-1963), Sparta Ishmaelite (1963-2008), Morgan County Citizen (2003-2006), Georgia Journal (1822-1840), Ishmaelite (1883-1899), Morgan County News (1947-1954), and Jasper County News (1882-1900). Search by keyword across all titles at the same time or within a single newspaper, and limit your results by date range. Individual newspapers can also be browsed. Search Now
Ireland has a unique and rather confusing system of land divisions, which needs to be known and understood to effectively and accurately look for ancestors. This lecture provides an overview of land divisions and how to search for records in each one. Watch Now
Database News
Volume 50 of The Connecticut Nutmegger
We have added Volume 50 (2017) to The Connecticut Nutmegger database. This update adds over 240 pages and more than 1,800 searchable names. This database is released in collaboration with the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. Search Now
Your Legacy. Your Peace of Mind. Your Free Will.
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
