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title: The Weekly Genealogist, September 28, 2023
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Weekly news about genealogy and history, databases, educational resources, and more from American Ancestors/NEHGS.

| View in browser     September 27, 2023   Read Past Issues   Feedback? Email Us Recently on Vita Brevis Forest Lawn Cemetery Burial Records   The online burials database created by Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York, holds a treasure trove of information. Find out how researcher Jennifer Shakshober used these records to untangle a knot of relationships—and uncovered an unexpected family secret in the process. Read More Upcoming Online Author Event Writing History with Celebrated NPR Host and Author Steve Inskeep   Steve Inskeep—popular historian-author and host of NPR’s Morning Edition and Up First—presents his new book, Differ We Must, a compelling exploration of Abraham Lincoln’s political strategy. Inskeep will engage in an extended conversation and Q&A about the hows and whys of writing about history. Register Now Upcoming Free Webinar from Old York Historical Society Suburbs of Hell: Jail Conditions During the 1692 Salem Witch Trials   Join historian Marilynne K. Roach on at 6 p.m. (ET) October 4 for an online talk about jail conditions during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Presented by the Old York Historical Society in York, Maine, this talk is free and open to the public. Register Now An article by Ms. Roach on the same topic was featured in the spring 2023 issue of American Ancestors magazine, available to members in our online archive. The Weekly Genealogist Survey This Week's Survey: House and Land Occupation Over Multiple Generations Take the Survey Now Share your thoughts about the survey! Please limit submissions to 150 words or fewer. Responses featured in a future newsletter may be edited for clarity and length.  Last Week's Survey: Family Information You Wish You Hadn't Discovered   Total: 2,789 Responses 7%, Yes, I found information about my parents and/or their siblings that I wish I hadn’t discovered. 9%, Yes, I found information about my grandparents and/or their siblings that I wish I hadn’t discovered. 8%, Yes, I found information about my great-grandparents and/or their siblings that I wish I hadn’t discovered. 11%, Yes, I found information about my earlier ancestors that I wish I hadn’t discovered. 7%, Yes, I found information about other relatives that I wish I hadn’t discovered. 5%, Yes, I found information about my spouse’s family history that I wish I hadn’t discovered. 3%, I found unwanted family information pertaining to a category not mentioned above. 67%, No, I haven’t found any information about my family that I wish I hadn’t discovered. Readers Respond   Dan Kraft, Boston, Massachusetts: In 1909 my great-great-grandfather Louis Rullman of Kansas was accused of attempting to poison his second wife, Nellie, by putting strychnine in her sugar bowl. Nellie had unsuccessfully sued for divorce two years earlier. Louis was acquitted in 1910 after a lengthy jury trial.   Meg Spring, Dresden, Tennessee: While researching my ancestors Justus Taylor and Patience (Pearce), I discovered a newspaper clipping about the couple. The article stated that Patience attempted—unsuccessfully—to kill Justus with an axe and then committed suicide. Definitely not the sort of information I was hoping to find!   Mary Clare, Laguna Vista, Texas: My great-grandmother lost a brother and a sister in the Holocaust—one a supposed suicide at age 80, and the other murdered at Auschwitz. While I wish I had never learned the haunting details of their deaths, it is vitally important to remember and keep bearing witness to this crime against humanity.   Mary Peters, Seattle, Washington: Seven years ago, I took a DNA test. The results revealed that the father who raised me was not my biological father. What a shock! Over the following years, I found a half-brother and a half-sister. My mother’s scrapbook contains several photos of people with surnames matching those of my newly discovered siblings. I have been in correspondence with my half-brother, and through this new family line I found several patriot ancestors and a potential Mayflower connection. Despite the pain caused by the DNA test results, I feel fortunate to have had a good outcome.   David Barnet, Delmar, New York: On Memorial Day a few years ago, my wife's uncle asked me if I could research his revered uncle, a doctor who served in World War II. Little did I know that I would discover a sensational story which made headline news at the time. The doctor was court martialed for writing false medical reports for a fee, to help soldiers avoid military service. Needless to say, this information was not well-received!   Bob Hall, Nantucket, Massachusetts: My great-uncle was rarely mentioned in my family, so I knew little about him until I started doing research on AmericanAncestors.org. Through online research and conversations with my cousins, I learned why he was ostracized from the family. After abandoning his wife and two sons, he gave up his successful barber shop school and engaged in several fraudulent schemes—one of which landed him in jail. His brother (my grandfather) was a kind, responsible, hardworking, honest, and respected gentleman. My grandmother and grandfather met through my great-uncle’s barbershop school. My grandmother chose the right brother to marry! What We’re Reading   Goodbye Linda, Hello Liam! How Do Names Go Extinct—and Get Reborn?  “‘One thing that makes a name go out of fashion is that it’s been in fashion for too long,’ says Pamela Redmond, whose books on baby names led to the creation of her site Nameberry.”    The Mystery of My Mother’s Prayer Book “It started with an email. The subject line: ‘Sylvia Kanner’s Siddur.’ Kanner was my late mother’s maiden name. Siddur is the Hebrew word for prayer book. I was, to say the least, intrigued.”    Two Ford’s Theatre Tickets for Night of Lincoln Murder to be Auctioned  “The two anonymous ticket holders had seats directly across the theater from Lincoln’s box and probably were present at his 1865 assassination.” (This post-auction story reports on the sale price.)   I Was Told My Parents Were Dead. 38 Years Later, I Got an Email That Changed Everything. Cat Powell-Hoffmann was born in South Korea and adopted by an American family when she was very young.   These Photos of War Reenactors Hope to “Challenge Our Understanding of War” Photographer Arne Piepke documented war reenactments in Europe and hopes the images “challenge our understanding of war, the way we remember it, and how we communicate history.”    Tx. Man's COVID Dream Led to Finding Brother He Never Knew He Had: “Spitting Image of My Dad” “‘My dream to have a big family finally came true,’ says Phuong Doan, who hit it off with brother Juan Lewis when they met in person for the first time.”   Spotlight: Newspapers at James Blackstone Memorial Library by Valerie Beaudrault   The town of Branford is located in New Haven County, Connecticut, on Long Island Sound. The James Blackstone Memorial Library has made a newspaper collection available in its digital archive. The database comprises more than 143,000 pages from 13 newspapers including Branford Review (1928-1980), New Haven Evening Register (1895-1975), Branford Review And East Haven News (1932-1952), Branford Opinion (1896-1913), Branford Opinion And Guilford Echo (1906-1912), and New Haven Journal and Courier (1935-1936). Search the database by keyword or browse individual newspapers. Search Now Upcoming Lectures, Courses, Tours, and More October 12–14 Online Research Tour: Fall Stay-At-Home   October 15 In-person Lecture: Jewish Neighborhood Voices Community Reception   October 24 Free Online Lecture: Self-Publish Your Genealogy: A Panel Discussion with Authors View All Upcoming Events Planning for the Future? Name Your Beneficiaries 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 non-probate assets. Learn More Educational events brought to you by Vol. 26, No. 39, Whole #1174 Copyright ©2023 New England Historic Genealogical Society. All Rights Reserved.. American Ancestors, 99-101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116, 1-888-296-3447 Unsubscribe Manage preferences Membership   \|   Database News   \|   Expert Help   \|   Give   \|   Live Chat |
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