This week's recommendation in my sporadic Follow Friday series is almost too good to be true: Asheville and Buncombe County. When I first saw the website, I did a double take: "The purpose of this website is to explore, analyze and preserve the history of Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina."
Why was I so excited? Because that's where my Jones ancestors are from! At first, I was skeptical that the blog would be maintained since so many are started only to be abandoned. However, it is regularly updated with really good information. They provide links to books, highlight local history and news, and so much more. It's like a trip to a research library.
But wait, there's more! The blog also offers a search box and several helpful links on the side. It's clear, this blog was designed by a researcher.
Asheville and Buncombe County has so much information that I need to just take some time and read it from beginning to end. If you know of anyone doing genealogical research in North Carolina, do pass this resource along. Their links alone are worth the price of admission.
Thank you to the forces behind this blog. I know how much work it is to maintain a blog and keep it fresh, so your efforts are greatly appreciated by the genealogy community (and one Jones ancestor).
Showing posts with label North Carolina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina. Show all posts
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
A Peek into My FGS Shopping Bag
The danger in driving (as opposed to flying) to a full-scale genealogy conference is that when you make purchases, you're not limited by the space & weight of your airline luggage. I had a nice roomy car trunk and I did my best to fill it. Here's what I got at the FGS conference in Little Rock:
Getting the Most Out of Roots Magic 4 - by Bruce Buzbee
The introduction to this book says it's not an instruction manual. That's good because I'm not a fan of those page-filled sleeping pills. Based on what I've seen so far, this book will show me some of the deeper level bells and whistles of the Roots Magic 4 genealogy software.
North Carolina Research: Genealogy and Local History - edited by Helen F. M. Leary, C.G., F.A.S.G.
Both Craig Scott and J. Mark Lowe recommended this book. The title is a bit misleading (as Craig pointed out to me). This book is more than just North Carolina research. It also appears to be a stellar how-to book for genealogical research in general. It's a biggie. I can't wait to dig in.
The Genealogist's Guide to Researching Tax Records - by Carol Cooke Darrow, C.G., and Susan Winchester, Ph.D., C.P.A.
This book was recommended to me by Craig Scott. He is the mentor for my Pro Gen 3 group. I've also seen him speak, so I trust anything he says. I'd buy an old phone book if he told me to because I know he wouldn't steer me wrong. Besides, I can use the extra education on tax records.
Family Maps of Pope County, Arkansas - by Gregory A. Boyd, J.D.
Normally, I wouldn't buy this type of book. It's a map book that lists the locations of family farms and land held throughout Pope County, Arkansas. The reason I did buy it is due to my extensive family history in this area. Kinship theory is alive and well in this county's history. I am connected to many names and I need to see how their farms sat next to each other. I felt that having the book at my disposal was better than a few copied pages for reference.
Genealogical Resources of the Civil War Era - by William Dollarhide
I regretted not buying this book at the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, so I fixed that issue and bought it in Little Rock. I have some challenges with certain Civil War ancestors in my tree and I'm hoping this book will lead me down new research paths.
Census Substitutes and State Records: Volumes 1 and 2 - by William Dollarhide
These were a bit of an impulse buy. I am trying to build a little reference library of my own. I figure that if I am doing research for someone else, or in an unfamiliar area, these books will give me a quick education on the new states/counties. These books have lots of recommendations and information, so I'm betting they become great assets to my collection.
Well, that's my exhibition hall booty in a nutshell. Too many books to take on an airplane, but just the right amount for a road trip.
I'll start reading these soon and let you know what I think.
Getting the Most Out of Roots Magic 4 - by Bruce Buzbee
The introduction to this book says it's not an instruction manual. That's good because I'm not a fan of those page-filled sleeping pills. Based on what I've seen so far, this book will show me some of the deeper level bells and whistles of the Roots Magic 4 genealogy software.
North Carolina Research: Genealogy and Local History - edited by Helen F. M. Leary, C.G., F.A.S.G.
Both Craig Scott and J. Mark Lowe recommended this book. The title is a bit misleading (as Craig pointed out to me). This book is more than just North Carolina research. It also appears to be a stellar how-to book for genealogical research in general. It's a biggie. I can't wait to dig in.
The Genealogist's Guide to Researching Tax Records - by Carol Cooke Darrow, C.G., and Susan Winchester, Ph.D., C.P.A.
This book was recommended to me by Craig Scott. He is the mentor for my Pro Gen 3 group. I've also seen him speak, so I trust anything he says. I'd buy an old phone book if he told me to because I know he wouldn't steer me wrong. Besides, I can use the extra education on tax records.
Family Maps of Pope County, Arkansas - by Gregory A. Boyd, J.D.
Normally, I wouldn't buy this type of book. It's a map book that lists the locations of family farms and land held throughout Pope County, Arkansas. The reason I did buy it is due to my extensive family history in this area. Kinship theory is alive and well in this county's history. I am connected to many names and I need to see how their farms sat next to each other. I felt that having the book at my disposal was better than a few copied pages for reference.
Genealogical Resources of the Civil War Era - by William Dollarhide
I regretted not buying this book at the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, so I fixed that issue and bought it in Little Rock. I have some challenges with certain Civil War ancestors in my tree and I'm hoping this book will lead me down new research paths.
Census Substitutes and State Records: Volumes 1 and 2 - by William Dollarhide
These were a bit of an impulse buy. I am trying to build a little reference library of my own. I figure that if I am doing research for someone else, or in an unfamiliar area, these books will give me a quick education on the new states/counties. These books have lots of recommendations and information, so I'm betting they become great assets to my collection.
Well, that's my exhibition hall booty in a nutshell. Too many books to take on an airplane, but just the right amount for a road trip.
I'll start reading these soon and let you know what I think.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Keeping Up With The Joneses
I played around with my Jones line last night and made some decent progress. That family had been a brick wall for some time. I couldn't get past my great-grandfather Frank Wiley Jones. Then someone contacted me and shared that Frank's father had been killed in the Civil War. That prompted me to go to the scene of the battle and find the memorial at the courthouse. I wrote about that discovery here.
So for a while, I knew Richard Jones' death date, but that is all. I assumed he was born in North Carolina like everyone else in his family. When I went to the NGS conference in Raleigh, I joked at all the genealogy booths "I'm looking for a Jones in North Carolina. Have you seen one?" I suspected Richard Jones was from Buncombe County, since his son Frank was born there. However, there was no record of Richard. There were lots of other Joneses in Buncombe County, but without a name I was out of luck.
Two weeks after the NGS conference, I got a name. I was researching Frank Wiley Jones and I found a book that listed his grandfather as Wiley Jones. Bingo. Richard's father was Wiley Jones. I had to research the grandson to find the grandfather. Once I looked up Wiley, research got easier from there.
Wiley's parents are Ebed Jones and Mary Wells. Last night, I found their cemetery photos on Find-a-Grave. These are my 5th great grandparents and their photos are just sitting there on the Internet. How crazy and cool is that?
The rest of last night I spent learning more about Wiley Jones and his children. Wiley and wife Anna Duckett are supposedly buried in Jones Cemetery in Leo, Texas. Since there isn't much to Leo, Texas, I'm wondering if the cemetery is overgrown and forgotten. I live 5-6 hours away, so I probably won't have my answer until I can plan a trip to get it.
Also, last night I learned that Wiley's son, my great-great-great grandfather Richard Jones was the oldest son. He had many brothers and sisters. The Jones family have quite a history in north Texas. And here I thought I was the first in my family to move to the state. We've been here for ages.
So for a while, I knew Richard Jones' death date, but that is all. I assumed he was born in North Carolina like everyone else in his family. When I went to the NGS conference in Raleigh, I joked at all the genealogy booths "I'm looking for a Jones in North Carolina. Have you seen one?" I suspected Richard Jones was from Buncombe County, since his son Frank was born there. However, there was no record of Richard. There were lots of other Joneses in Buncombe County, but without a name I was out of luck.
Two weeks after the NGS conference, I got a name. I was researching Frank Wiley Jones and I found a book that listed his grandfather as Wiley Jones. Bingo. Richard's father was Wiley Jones. I had to research the grandson to find the grandfather. Once I looked up Wiley, research got easier from there.
Wiley's parents are Ebed Jones and Mary Wells. Last night, I found their cemetery photos on Find-a-Grave. These are my 5th great grandparents and their photos are just sitting there on the Internet. How crazy and cool is that?
The rest of last night I spent learning more about Wiley Jones and his children. Wiley and wife Anna Duckett are supposedly buried in Jones Cemetery in Leo, Texas. Since there isn't much to Leo, Texas, I'm wondering if the cemetery is overgrown and forgotten. I live 5-6 hours away, so I probably won't have my answer until I can plan a trip to get it.
Also, last night I learned that Wiley's son, my great-great-great grandfather Richard Jones was the oldest son. He had many brothers and sisters. The Jones family have quite a history in north Texas. And here I thought I was the first in my family to move to the state. We've been here for ages.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Welcome to the Family, Wiley Jones
Yesterday, my Jones line was a brick wall. I knew they were from North Carolina, but couldn't make the connection. Have you ever tried to look for a Jones without a birth date? Doesn't work too well.
Today I no longer have a Jones brick wall. In fact, not only did I knock a hole out, I drove a path back 100 years in North Carolina. Here's what happened:
I was putting together a little profile for Frank Wiley Jones. He's one of my favorite ancestors: part cowboy, part businessman, all gentleman. I Googled his name to see what I could find about his days in Duncan, Oklahoma and Indian Territory before that.
Up pops this chapter from "A History of the State of Oklahoma: 1908" (scroll down 1/4 page to see the entry for Frank Wiley Jones.) I knew most of the information on the page, but at the bottom it lists his grandfather as Wiley Jones. I know Frank's father was Richard Manson/Monson Jones, but I never knew the next link up. Now I do. It's Wiley Jones.
I found Wiley in the 1860 census in Cooke County, TX, just where he was supposed to be according to the book. Two doors up from him is Josiah Jones. I know these people came from Buncombe County, North Carolina, so I started digging for a records online that may have a Wiley and Josiah Jones in the same family. I found one led by Ebed Jones. Then it goes back another generation from there.
Just like that. No big discoveries. Just a simple mention of a man's grandfather in a 100-year-old history book.
I've started gathering censuses and various records to verify all this information. So far, it's looking good. I've now pushed far enough back in this line that there is a great deal of documentation.
The sad part of this is that last week I spent about 30 minutes in the western North Carolina genealogical societies booth at the NGS conference in Raleigh. I whined to the booth staffer how I knew my Jones' were from Buncombe County, I just didn't know enough to act on it. I sat there and looked at all the great books they had. I saw many Jones entries, but didn't know which if any were mine. A week later, I know so much more and no longer have access to those books.
For my family, just know you have at least 100 years of Jones history in North Carolina (1750-1850), then 40 years in Texas before the move to Indian Territory / Oklahoma.
Today I no longer have a Jones brick wall. In fact, not only did I knock a hole out, I drove a path back 100 years in North Carolina. Here's what happened:
I was putting together a little profile for Frank Wiley Jones. He's one of my favorite ancestors: part cowboy, part businessman, all gentleman. I Googled his name to see what I could find about his days in Duncan, Oklahoma and Indian Territory before that.
Up pops this chapter from "A History of the State of Oklahoma: 1908" (scroll down 1/4 page to see the entry for Frank Wiley Jones.) I knew most of the information on the page, but at the bottom it lists his grandfather as Wiley Jones. I know Frank's father was Richard Manson/Monson Jones, but I never knew the next link up. Now I do. It's Wiley Jones.
I found Wiley in the 1860 census in Cooke County, TX, just where he was supposed to be according to the book. Two doors up from him is Josiah Jones. I know these people came from Buncombe County, North Carolina, so I started digging for a records online that may have a Wiley and Josiah Jones in the same family. I found one led by Ebed Jones. Then it goes back another generation from there.
Just like that. No big discoveries. Just a simple mention of a man's grandfather in a 100-year-old history book.
I've started gathering censuses and various records to verify all this information. So far, it's looking good. I've now pushed far enough back in this line that there is a great deal of documentation.
The sad part of this is that last week I spent about 30 minutes in the western North Carolina genealogical societies booth at the NGS conference in Raleigh. I whined to the booth staffer how I knew my Jones' were from Buncombe County, I just didn't know enough to act on it. I sat there and looked at all the great books they had. I saw many Jones entries, but didn't know which if any were mine. A week later, I know so much more and no longer have access to those books.
For my family, just know you have at least 100 years of Jones history in North Carolina (1750-1850), then 40 years in Texas before the move to Indian Territory / Oklahoma.
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