We're excited to announce the release of Cambridge, MA: Wyeth Funeral Service Records, 1904-1964, containing over 17,000 records and 45,000 names. Indexed information includes the names of the deceased, vital dates and locations, names of parents and spouses, occupation, cemetery, and age at death. Search Now
Recently on Vita Brevis
Tracing the Ancestry of Donald Duck
Have you ever wondered exactly how Scrooge McDuck is related to Donald Duck? Or where Huey, Dewey, and Louie fit into the equation? And what of Donald’s second cousin, the little-known Gus Goose? Read More
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Pre-1850s Ancestral Buildings Still Standing Today
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:
Ancestors or Relatives Named for Notable Figures
Total: 3,571 Responses
68%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors or relatives was named for a notable figure.
3%, I was named for a notable figure.
31%, No, I don’t think any of my ancestors or relatives were named for a notable figure.
Readers Respond:
Martha Rheaume, Franklin New Hampshire: My maternal grandfather, Estle Kennedy (1890–1972), lived in the mountains of southwest Virginia, where reading materials were highly valued and notable people served to inspire. Estle named one of my uncles Kermit Kipling, for explorer and writer Kermit Roosevelt and author Rudyard Kipling. Another uncle was named O'Hara Hudson, for author John O'Hara and one of a few notable Hudsons of the time. My mother was named Elsie Janis for a singer and poet of the same name.
Pamela Briggs, Mystic, Connecticut: I rather admire my great-great-grandmother for naming her daughter Ada Byron, after poet Lord Byron's daughter—a famous mathematician and computing pioneer.
Shirley Brady, Orcutt, California: I was supposed to be named Henrietta after my dad, Henry. But my sister had a Shirley Temple doll, and I ended up being named Shirley instead. My family thinks it was the better choice.
Karen Weston, Whitewater, Wisconsin: My great-grandmother, Eugenie Victoria (Weldin) Langworthy (1861-1951) was named, respectively, for the Empress of Mexico and the Queen of England. Eugenie was born and married in Bureau County, Illinois. She raised five children in Illinois and Iowa and retired to sunny California in the 1920s. She shared the Queen's lack of height.
Melanie McGrath, Orcutt, Rhode Island: My mom and maternal aunt went to see the movie The Birds shortly before I was born, and mom decided to name me after Tippi Hedren’s character, Melanie Daniels. Rumor has it that Hedren asked her character be named Melanie after her daughter, Melanie Griffith. So I am named for two notable figures, one fictional and one real.
Charlie Adler, Attleboro, Massachusetts: My ancestor, Charles Burleigh Carr, was born in North Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in 1855. His son is named for him, but the name Burleigh does not appear anywhere else in my family tree. While researching this unusual middle name, I learned of Charles Calistus Burleigh (1810–1878), an abolitionist, women’s rights activist, and journalist who lectured widely. Burleigh spoke in Mansfield, Massachusetts, in 1836, and participated in the National Women's Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts, 1850. I believe that my ancestor was named for this notable figure.
Our thanks to Charlie Adler for suggesting this survey topic!
In 1944, as Steven Fenves, his mother, and sister were forced from their apartment in Subotica, now part of Serbia, their former cook, Maris, was waiting to rescue the family recipe book.
A new book by historian Malcolm Gaskill tells the story of Hugh and Mary Parsons, and how they came to be accused of witchcraft in Springfield, Massachusetts, in June 1651.
Spotlight: County Clerk’s Office, San Juan County, NM
by Valerie Beaudrault
San Juan County, seated in Aztec, is located in the northwest corner of New Mexico. The office of the county clerk has provided a number of online historical records indexes, including marriage records from 1887, probate records from 1887, and plats & surveys (land records) from 1890. To access, choose Login as Guest and accept the terms, then click Search Public Records. Images are not available online, but copies can be requested. Search Now
Celebrate the Thanksgiving season with a 20% discount on all Great Migration and Mayflower titles! The Great Migration Study Project has helped thousands of family historians find connections to some of America's earliest settlers. Use code GMMAYFLOWER22 by November 21 to save. Shop Now
Free Video from American Ancestors
New England Town Records
Town records from New England include births, marriages, burials, mortgages, name changes, and other major life events which can fill in the details of your ancestors' lives. In this webinar, Genealogist Ann Lawthers demonstrates how you can get the most out of these records in your own research. Watch Now
Planning for the Future?
Name Beneficiaries for Your Non-Probate Assets Today
Non-probate assets such as an IRA, 401(k), or life-insurance policy are not covered in your will or trust—you must name beneficiaries separately. Our friends at FreeWill.com have provided a free and secure online tool to guide you through naming beneficiaries for your assets in one easy place. Preserve your legacy, make sure your loved ones are provided for, and support the causes most important to you—get started today! Learn More
