The Impact of the China Trade on New England Architecture
Take a virtual tour of a special group of houses built between 1780 and 1850 in Providence, Newport, and Boston. Learn how trade relationships with China influenced local merchants and their houses. November 5 at 4 p.m. ET. Register Now
Free Virtual American Inspiration Author Event
Robert A. Gross with The Transcendentalists and Their World
Join author Robert A. Gross for an exploration of the Transcendentalists, a group of celebrated authors, poets, and philosophers who made Concord, MA, their home in the early 19th century. Don't miss this intimate journey into the life of a community of major American writers who pursued spiritual truths. November 9 at 6 p.m. ET. Register Now
Online Conversation Course
Discussing Adoption: Driving Positive Outcomes in the Search for Knowledge, Past and Present
Featuring lawyer Gregory Luce, genealogist Melanie McComb, author Gabrielle Glaser, and TV host and author Bill Griffeth, this course will examine the shifting dynamics of adoption, look at access to critical records, and inspire you with personal stories about the search for biological family. Join us November 15 at 6 p.m. ET. Register Now
Spotlight: Luginbuel Funeral Home Website, Arkansas
by Valerie Beaudrault
The Luginbuel Funeral Home is located in Prairie Grove in western Washington County, Arkansas, near the Oklahoma border. The Luginbuel family has run businesses related to the funeral industry for over 100 years (click 'About Us' to learn more). Click 'Records' to perform a search of the database, which includes name, age, dates of birth and death, and burial location. A collection of family genealogies and a county history interactive map are also available. Select a location on the map or from the dropdown list above it to view documents related to that location’s history. Search Now
Free Webinar
Find out how the National Trust for Scotland Properties is addressing the links between their properties and historic enslavement. November 12 at 1 p.m. ET
“DNA extracted from the hair, which had been stored at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, confirmed the familial relationship between Sitting Bull, who died in 1890, and Ernie LaPointe, 73, of Lead, South Dakota.”
Want to share your thoughts on the survey with us? We are always happy to hear from our readers. Email us at weeklygenealogist@nehgs.org. Responses may be edited for clarity and length and featured in a future newsletter.
Readers Respond: Changed Identities
By Lynn Betlock, Editor
Last week's survey asked about changing or embellishing identities. Thank you to everyone who replied. Below is a selection of reader responses.
Mary Rendleman Gilchrist, Iowa City, Iowa: One of my ancestors told his family that he had left home in North Carolina to mine gold in Georgia and never went back. He omitted the fact that he had abandoned a wife and a son who was born shortly after the marriage. He married again in Georgia, and the son of this marriage was my great-grandfather. While doing genealogy a century after his death, I learned about the deception and realized that my genealogy "penpal" who shared my name was a descendant of the son from the first marriage.
Jo Chamberlin, Lenexa, Kansas: In the early 1850s, my great-great-grandfather, James Goodwin (born McGuigan), deserted the British Army in Ireland, came to America, enlisted in the U.S. Army, and served during the American Civil War. According to a 1901 letter written by his first cousin John Delany, James served in the 16th Kansas Calvary using the name James Delaney. “I served five years in the 1st Dragoons, Capt. Sumners Regt. In my company there was . . . six English Deserters Serving under their Mothers maiden name. It was customary to do so.” My ancestor remained James Delaney until his death in 1867.
John L. Morrison, Indianapolis, Indiana: My Polish grandfather, Stephen Julian (Wojciechowski) Miller, who worked in a coal mine in eastern Pennsylvania, was told by his foreman "I cannot pronounce your name, so I am changing it to Miller." As a result, my mother's maiden name was Miller, and this allowed her to hide her Polish origin. For some reason, she was ashamed to admit she was Polish.
Kathryn Lockhard, Bridgewater, Massachusetts: Elenora Roesch, my ancestor’s sister, lived in Germany with her parents and siblings. When her parents decided to come to America in 1858, they worried about 16-year-old Elenora. They had heard stories of young girls being preyed upon by sailors. Elenora's mother cut her daughter’s long blonde hair and handed her clothes that belonged to her brother. Her father, a master craftsman of leather clothing, gave her a leather cap and vest he made for her. Elenora boarded the ship William Nelson masquerading as a male named Leopold.
Database News
New Sketches: Western Massachusetts Families in 1790
This study project profiles heads of families enumerated in the 1790 census in historic Berkshire and Hampshire Counties, an area which includes modern Franklin and Hampden Counties. Recently we've added two new sketches featuring Ebenezer and Stephen Payne of Partridgefield. Search Now
