This week, the life story of a long-mythologized ancestor who died in the Civil War is thrown into question when a DNA match reveals a related ancestor who carried the same name, but who survived the war. Read More
The Bookstore at NEHGS
Pre-order Biographies of Original Members and Qualifying Officers - Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut
This book contains 715 fully cited genealogical and biographical sketches of all qualified propositi of the Society Of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut, including Capt. Nathan Hale, Gen. Jedediah Huntington, Gen. Samuel Holden Parsons, Gen. Israel Putnam Sr., Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge, and Gen. David Wooster. It includes all Original Members and all who qualify under some other basis of the original or amended Institution. Pre-order Now
Upcoming Online Research Tour
Spring Stay-At-Home
Make real headway in your research! This three-day online experience will give you the necessary skills and knowledge to advance your family history research from home. June 8–10. Register Now
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Are You Planning Any Genealogical Travel this Summer?
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 Royal Coronations
Total: 3,119 Responses
3%, I (or a relative of mine) was in London when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2, 1953.
21%, I watched the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on television.
4%, I have some other connection to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
<1%, I plan to be in London when King Charles III is crowned on May 6, 2023.
48%, I plan to watch the coronation of King Charles III on television.
27%, I do not plan to watch the coronation of King Charles III on television.
2%, I have some other connection to the coronation of King Charles III.
8%, I have a family connection to the coronation of a different monarch (of any country).
43%, I have no connection to the coronation of any monarch.
Readers Respond
Cynthia Russell, Logan, Utah: My great-great-great-grandfather, John Eli Bennett, was an English master carpenter. He was asked to repair the coronation chair for Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838. It was said that in a moment of whimsy, he placed his wife, Elizabeth, in the chair. He and his wife were invited to the coronation. John was paid well for the chair and the family was able to immigrate to the United States a few years later.
Liz Brown, Stratford, Ontario: My great-uncle, Mel Woodin, a member of the local militia in his small Ontario town, was one of two men chosen from their area to ride with the Canadian contingent in the coronation parade of King Edward VII in 1902. Uncle Mel’s friend wrote a short account of their voyage and of the places they visited and the events in which they participated, noting “the English are great eaters!”
Mary Herzog, Napa, California: When I was in sixth grade, a friend invited me and several others to her house to watch the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. We all dressed up complete with hats and gloves, and her mother served tea and finger sandwiches. We were very excited but couldn’t actually see much, as the TV screen was small and the reception was terrible.
Carol Folawn Johnson, Arvada, Colorado: My ancestral family has been the Champion of the Monarch since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Historically, the champion rode into Westminster Abbey on horseback in full armor to defend against any who challenged the validity of the coronation. My 14th cousin, Francis Dymoke, is the current champion. It is now a ceremonial duty and he will be carrying the Royal Standard in the coronation procession.
Julie Gardner, Perry, Utah: My mom, Jill (Bleakley) Goedel, was ten years old at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Mom lived in Bangor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland; her family owned a business with the main operation in Belfast and offices in London along the parade route. Mom, along with her brother and parents, flew in a little old Pionair 40-seater plane to London for the coronation. They watched the coronation on television and watched the parade from the office balcony.
Shirley Pray Boone, Moore, South Carolina: I was seven years old when Queen Elizabeth was crowned. I was given View-Master reels of the coronation, and I still have them. I loved looking at the pictures, especially the gold carriage. I felt like a princess when viewing them!
Editors’ Note: Last week’s e-newsletter included a reference to Thomas Rogers of the Mayflower being a Courtenay descendant. Unfortunately, this link has been disproved, and we apologize for the error. For more on the topic, see this fall 1989 article by Clifford Stott in The Genealogist.
The Bookstore at NEHGS
Save 20% on All Great Migration Titles
Add a genealogical classic to your library! The Great Migration series has helped countless family historians discover ancestral connections to some of the earliest settlers in our country’s history. These books are essential resources for any genealogist, historian, or descendant with early New England interests and connections. Now you cansave 20% on all Great Migration titles through the end of May with discount code GMMAY23. Discount applied at checkout. Shop Now
1n 1958, 16-year-old Leslie Arnold killed his parents. Nearly ten years later he escaped from the Nebraska State Penitentiary and vanished. A DNA breakthrough provided answers. A lengthy companion piece on the case is available here.
Spotlight: Newspaper Database: Minot Public Library, North Dakota
by Valerie Beaudrault
The north-central North Dakota city of Minot is the seat of Ward County. The Minot Public Library has made a newspaper database available in its Community Archive. The collection comprises more than 280,000 pages from 19 newspapers including, The Minot Daily News And Daily Optic Reporter (1926-1966), The Minot Daily News (1966-1970), The Minot Daily News And Minot Daily Optic Reporter (1916-1926), The Minot Daily Optic (1904-1914), and Ward County Reporter (1896-1914). Two high school yearbook databases are also part of the collection. The database is keyword searchable. Search all titles at the same time or select a single newspaper; limit your search by date range. Individual newspapers can also be browsed. Search Now
We've added four new sketches and updated one sketch in Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784. Additions include the Brattleboro and Fort Dummer families of Nathan Gould, Ebenezer Knapp, Ephraim Knapp, Jacob Spaulding and Col. Josiah Willard. Search Now
Free Video from American Ancestors
“Overlook the Ignorance”: Jewish Americans, Antisemitism, and the Second World War
Dr. Miriam Mora explores American Jewish encounters with antisemitism during World War II on both the battlefield and on the home front. Watch 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
