Baby Names–Traditional Names Continue Popularity in 2014

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Laura Johnston, Northeast Ohio Media Group, writes about given names selected for babies born during 2014 in Ohio and elsewhere in an article  Top baby names in Ohio in 2014 appearing on the website Cleveland.com (It also appeared in the 15 May 2015 Plain Dealer, but you have to have a subscription for access). She wrote:  “Liam and Emma are the top baby names in Ohio, for the second straight year.”

While the focus of Laura’s article is on the most popular names for Ohio newborns, she notes that the list of Ohio names is similar to the national list, compiled by the U.S. Social Security Administration of the most used 1,000 names each year. Go to: http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/#ht=2. The Social Security Administration can tally the name rankings because today parents are strongly urged to fill out an application for a Social Security account and number while the birth certificate is being created. A brochure, Social Security Numbers for Children, is available for download.

Laura concluded her article with this suggestion:

Want to have some fun with your name? Time.com has a widget that tells you what you would have been named in every decade, back to the 1890s, based on your name’s ranking.

I tried out the Time.com widget at http://time.com/3856405/baby-name-popularity/#, entering my given name, gender, and birth year. It reported that my given name of Wallace ranked No. 138 when I was born in 1938, and the name with the same ranking in America last year was Colin.

AncestryDNA Has Begun Processing Our Tests

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Just checked with my account on AncestryDNA.com and learned that the DNA tests submitted a couple weeks ago for my wife and myself were turned over to the lab for processing today, 14 May 2015.

AncestryDNA states:

Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. You will receive an email when your results are ready.

Watch this space for the next developments.

 

Our Testing with AncestryDNA is Underway

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On 27 Apr 2015, I took advantage of a special offer from AncestryDNA for autosomal DNA testing at $79, a reduction from the regular price of $99. AncestryDNA was offering the special price in conjunction with its celebration of DNA Day on April 25.

What is National DNA Day?  Here is how Wikipedia.org describes it.

DNA Day is a holiday celebrated on April 25. It commemorates the day in 1953 when James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin and colleagues published papers in the journal Nature on the structure of DNA. Furthermore, on that day in 2003 it was declared that the Human Genome Project was very close to complete, and “the remaining tiny gaps [we]re considered too costly to fill.”

In the United States, DNA Day was first celebrated on April 25, 2003 by proclamation of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. However, they only declared a one-time celebration, not an annual holiday. Every year from 2003 onward, annual DNA Day celebrations have been organized by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), starting as early as April 23 in 2010, April 15 in 2011 and April 20 in 2012. April 25 has since been declared “International DNA Day” and “World DNA Day” by several groups.

People actively involved with DNA testing for genealogical and family history purposes no doubt were well aware of this event, but I was not up to speed until I attended the Western Reserve Historical Society’s (www.wrhs.org) Spring Seminar presented by CeCe Moore, coincidentally on that very day, Saturday, Apr 25.

CeCe is a nationally known expert on the use of DNA testing for genealogical purposes. She provides information about DNA testing through a blog (http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/) and she has served as a consultant for television reality shows Who Do You Think You Are, Finding Your Roots, and Genealogy Roadshow.

I can’t say that I understood everything that CeCe presented at WRHS on Apr 25, but her four lectures, and especially the case studies she discussed, did inspire me to place the order for AncestryDNA test kits for me and my wife. FYI, the AncestryDNA sale closed at 11:59 pm on Apr 27, and I beat that deadline by just a few hours.

The kits arrived on Friday, May 1, and my wife and I provided the necessary spit samples in the enclosed vials over the weekend. On Monday, May 4, I hand-delivered the return packages to the local post office. Today, May 8, AncestryDNA confirmed on its website that our test kits had arrived yesterday.

I will be checking the website on a daily basis to learn when the test kits are checked in for lab processing. As for the results, the website provides the following:

Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. You will receive an email when your results are ready.

Watch this space for updates.

HeritageQuest Online–Now improved and powered by Ancestry

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One month ago, ProQuest LLC, an Internet database provider based in Ann Arbor, MI, announced a new version of its popular HeritageQuest Online (HQ). The company makes the service available through public libraries that pay a subscription fee.

Since then, I have worked with HQ as it is offered by the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) system. With Internet access, you can research in HeritageQuest Online from home or other location outside of the library branches, but you must sign in with a library card. When you do this, you will get this page (click on image to make it larger).

HeritageQuest Online Home Page image

The offerings are quite impressive, particularly because you can access all the U.S. Federal Censuses from 1790 to 1940. A census search is fast and nicely presented, which you’d expect because of the involvement (“powered by”) Ancestry.com.

Here is the announcement as released by Proquest:

ProQuest is advancing the research experience for family history enthusiasts and genealogical experts with a new version of its popular HeritageQuest® Online, a treasury of high quality genealogical and historical information. This authoritative family history resource, which can be accessed from the library or remotely through the library portal, has a new interface powered by Ancestry, enriching the search experience and streamlining the research process.

The new HeritageQuest Online offers new capabilities and benefits to patrons:

  • The intuitive interface provides a fresh user experience that will be familiar to Ancestry.com users.
  • The U.S. Federal Census 1790-1940 – a highly valued resource that now includes complete every-name indexes and unique interactive maps.
  • Census data exceeding 700 million records that can now be discovered using Exact Match, Phonetic, Variant, Soundex, Wildcard and Keyword Searches.
  • Searching full-text of the expanded collection of more than 40,000 family and local history books – is now enhanced with thumbnail images and hit highlighting.
  • A new Image Viewer offers basic and advanced capabilities without any plug-in, making it easy to share images with family and friends.
  • Image resolution that is significantly improved with the addition of greyscale and color.

“The enhancements in HeritageQuest Online illustrate a commitment to transforming the research experience for the growing community of genealogists,” said Andon Baltakov, vice president, product management, ProQuest. “ProQuest’s comprehensive collection of family history resources and historical news delivers a winning combination to help library patrons discover their family history.”

The enhancements are a result of the expanded partnership and distribution agreement between ProQuest and Ancestry announced last June. Extensive training services and materials from both companies provide learning opportunities for library staff and patrons alike. For example, the new Research Aid will replace the Learning Center and include topics such as Getting Started, Census, Beyond the Basics, Military and Ethnic.

ProQuest also publishes LibGuides and 2-minute videos, and hosts complimentary full-day workshops and webinars for genealogy librarians.

The new version of HeritageQuest Online is available now to all subscribing libraries. ProQuest offers libraries a broad portfolio of quality genealogical products with breadth and depth in content that delivers a complete research solution for beginner and advanced family historians.

About ProQuest (www.proquest.com)

ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the company’s products are a gateway to the world’s knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create and manage information.

The company’s cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students and researchers through the ProQuest®, Bowker®, Dialog®, ebrary®, EBL® and Serials Solutions® businesses – and notable research tools such as the Summon® discovery service, the RefWorks® Flow™ collaboration platform, the Pivot™ research development tool and the Intota™ library services platform. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world.

Check it out by going to your favorite public library system website and signing it with your library account.

If you are new to family history research, find and check out the Research Aids. Here is a view (click to make larger) of what HQ is currently offering as Research Aids:

Heritage Quest Online Research Aids

What Happens to Your Genealogical Estate?

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I’m looking forward to the April meeting of the Cuyahoga Valley Genealogical Society, chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. At that meeting, Carla Cegielski, asks and answers the question, “What Happens to Your Genealogical Estate?” I’ve thought about this situation, but haven’t put anything definite into action. I hope to learn more about what my options are and what steps I can take to insure that the genealogical files, pictures, and mementos that I have accumulated for years will be preserved in the best way possible.

Carla is a family history researcher specializing in Ohio and West Virginia resources. She is the webmaster for the Ohio Genealogical Society, the Association of Professional Genealogists and the APG Great Lakes Chapter.

The meeting will be held Monday, Apr 6, 2015, from 7:00 to 9:30 pm at the Independence Civic Center – Willow Room – Independence OH 44131.

Clues to Identifying an Unknown Vehicle

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Family historians often are faced with the issue of trying to identify an automobile depicted in a snapshot in a family photo album. Today, I attended a workshop presented at Western Reserve Historical Society by the Genealogical Committee, an auxiliary of WRHS. The presenter was Derrick Moore, curator of the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum at WRHS.

Derrick gave a nice overview of the auto industry in NEOhio, noting that at one time in the early 1900s, there were more manufacturers of autos in Cleveland than any where else in America.

He then shared tips for identifying those mystery automobiles depicted in family photos. He summarized those in a one-page handout, which I am reproducing below:

The biggest clues to identifying unknown vehicles typically lie in trademark logos or components that are visible on the automobile. These trademarks are often the first clues and cues to use in beginning your search for the Marque of the vehicle. Below are general suggestions of clues that may appear on an unknown vehicle:

Look for a Marque logo/emblem on the vehicle. On early vehicles, pre-WWII, radiator emblems and mascots are the easiest way to identify a vehicle. On modern vehicles, post-WWII, emblems still exist but have become mounted on the front fascia of the automobile, and often emblems of a model name are on the sides of the vehicle mounted on the front fenders.

Look at the radiator shape. This is typically only a good clue on pre-WWII era vehicles. Many times early automobile companies would use uniquely shaped, and sometime uniquely painted, radiators on vehicles. One of the most notable examples of a uniquely shaped radiator is Packard. One of the most notable examples of a uniquely painted radiator is Stearns.

Look at the wheels of the vehicle. The wheels on a pre-WWII vehicle can tell you a lot about a vehicle. The first piece of the wheel to look at is the dust cap. The dust cap is the center cap of the wheel and often has the company logo on it; if it is visible it will be a definitive answer to the Marque. The second clue can come from the size and style of the wheel, some companies used unique spoke designs that help to narrow down what Marque the vehicle might be. Wheels on post-WWII vehicles often have full size hubcaps or center caps on the rims, which typically have the Marque logo at the center. This is a quick way to identify post-WWII vehicles.

Look at the style and size of body. The style of a body on pre-WWII vehicles can often be a major clue to what price range the vehicle was in. If it is a large, luxurious looking body, odds are that it is not a “common” automobile like a Ford Model T. The style of body can also help you identify the year range of the automobile. Open bodies, or touring cars, were more common in the early days of the automobile industry. Closed bodies, or sedans, became more common after the early 1920s, as more people began to own automobiles and use them year round.

FYI, the term “marque” in this context refers to the brand of automobile. It is commonly used by auto collectors and is primarily associated with “quality” automobiles. WRHS has an extensive collection of literature and information about nearly all brands of automobiles, both old and newer, luxury and ordinary. This WRHS collection is known as the Marque Files. It is available for use in the Research Library by family historians.

Identify a Mystery Car in Your Family Photo Collection at Workshop at WRHS

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Coming up on Saturday, April 4, 2015, the Genealogical Committee of Western Reserve Historical Society is hosting an event for people to learn about family automobiles and the automotive industry in Northeastern Ohio. Derek E Moore will be presenting information in a session titled “Love Those Cars–Automotive History & Our Family Cars.” The workshop session will be from noon to 3 pm in the WRHS Research Library.

This is an opportunity to gain insight into the experiences of your ancestors relative to automobiles in Cleveland and beyond, to learn about the automotive industry in the NEOhio area, and to explore the Marque Files in the Research Library.

Derek is the Frederick C and Kathleen S Crawford Curator of Transportation at WRHS. You will be impressed with his extensive knowledge of automotive industry history, and of historic automobiles and their preservation. He previously worked at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, where he gained valuable experience in automobile preservation. He recently attended a meeting of the National Association of Automobile Museums, where he exchanged ideas and networked with other automotive museum professionals.

Do you have a photo of an ancestor with a car that you would like to identify? Or maybe just the model and year? During the session, members of the Genealogical Committee will be on hand to help you organize what you know about the mystery vehicle and you then will have an opportunity to consult with Derek to identify the vehicle and learn details about it.

With the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum just steps away from the Research Library, it is natural that the Society would collect information about automobiles. The  Automotive Marque Files offer a treasure trove of automobilia including dealer brochures, owner’s manuals, customer mailings, and employee publications. In many instances, period photographs and postcards augment the factory literature, while contemporary articles and pamphlet histories supplement the primary materials. More information is available online about the Marque Files. Volunteers will be available to assist with “hands on” time to explore the Marque Files and other resources in the library.

Please register for the family history automotive workshop by going to the online registration page for this event. There is a $15 fee for this event to cover the cost of handout materials.

Before and following the workshop, you will be free to tour the Crawford Auto Aviation Collection.

If you are interested in seeing a brief intro into Derek’s knowledge about automotive preservation, go to this online resource: “Mechanical Preservation of Historic Motorized Vehicles.”

 

Global Family Reunion to be celebrated at Western Reserve Historical Society

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The Global Family Reunion is coming to the Western Reserve Historical Society <www.wrhs.org> on 6 Jun 2015.

Ann Sindelar of the Society received notice yesterday (25 Mar 2015) that the organization has been accepted as a remote site for the Global Family Reunion, GFR for short. The main event, which is expected to draw thousands, will be celebrated in New York City at the Science Pavilion on the grounds of the legendary 1964 World Fair. For details about GFR, go to http://globalfamilyreunion.com/.

A number of sites around the country and the world associated with family history and genealogy are signed up for remote GFR renions on the same day. Notable among them are:

Family History Library
Salt Lake City, Utah
https://familysearch.org/locations/saltlakecity-library

Allen County Public Library
Ft Wayne, Indiana
http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/

Midwest Genealogy Center
Independence, Missouri
http://www.mymcpl.org/genealogy

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research / Houston Public Library (Free of charge)
Houston, Texas
http://houstonlibrary.org/location/clayton-library-center-genealogical-research

WRHS will provide family history-oriented activities for visitors with the assistance of the Genealogical Committee, an auxiliary of the Society <http://www.wrhs.org/research/library/genealogy/genealogical-committee/>. Among the highlights for families attending will be riding the recently restored Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel <http://www.wrhs.org/explore/exhibits/euclid-beach-park-grand-carousel/> and touring the World in Motion displays of antique cars <http://www.wrhs.org/research/crawford/>of Cleveland and beyond.

We’re Almost Halfway Thru WDYTYA 2015 Season

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Can you believe it? With the broadcast last Sunday night, we’re almost halfway through the 2015 season of “Who Do You Think You Are.” To date, the celebrity-based genealogy reality show has featured the following guests:  On Mar 8 Julie Chen, on location in Los Angeles, California; Singapore; Penglai, Shandong, China; on Mar 15 Josh Groban, in Los Angeles, California; Stuttgart, Germany; and on Mar 22 Angie Harmon, in Charlotte, North Carolina; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

While I like Julie Chen as a television personality, I think it was curious that the series started with her segment, with its focus on Chinese genealogy. I would have expected somebody like Angie Harmon, with her more American-based family history to lead off the series.

The upcoming episodes will feature Sean Hayes on Mar 29,  Tony Goldwyn on Apr 5, America Ferrera on Apr 12, Bill Paxton on 7 Apr 19, and Melissa Etheridge on Apr 26. Locations to be visited with these episodes have not been announced. The broadcast time on TLC is 10 pm Eastern Daylight Time, 9 pm Central.

FYI, some of the episodes and extra videos are available at http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/who-do-you-think-you-are/