FamilySearch Find Of The Day: The Birth Record of Alex Gombash in 1896

I was delighted the other day, to see that FamilySearch had updated the Hungary Civil Registrations database. The new update added records for the towns of Szentmihály and Tiszadob.. the two towns my great-great-grandparents came from! The civil registration records for these towns weren't previously available on microfilm, so I was instantly excited! I knew I would finally be able to find the birth record of my great-grandfather, Alex Gombash. Here is an extracted copy:

Page 292
Town: Szentmihály
Date: 10 Nov 1896
Who appeared before registrar: Schvartz Fáni
Occupation: Midwife
Residence: Szentmihály house number 561
The undersigned registerer

Father: Gombás Sándor
Religion: Evangelical Reformed
Occupation: Farmer
Residence: Szentmihály house number 1041
Birthplace: Szentmihály
Age: 24

Mother: Tóth Eszter
Religion: Evangelical Reformed
Occupation: Homemaker
Residence: Szentmihály house number 1041
Birthplace: Tiszadob, Szabolcs megye
Age: 22

Birth Place: Szentmihály house number 1041
Birth Date: 07 Nov 1896
Birth Time: 3 P.M.
Gender: Male
Religion: Evangelical Reformed
Name: Sándor

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Heritage Pie Chart

Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings has come up with the following challenge this week:

Your mission tonight, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) List your 16 great-great-grandparents with their birth, death and marriage data (dates and places).
2) Determine the countries (or states) that these ancestors lived in at their birth and at their death.
3) For extra credit, go make a “Heritage Pie” chart for the country of origin (birth place) for these 16 ancestors. [Hint: you could use the chart generator from Kid Zone for this.] [Note: Thank you to Sheri Fenley for the "Heritage Pie" chart idea.]
4) Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook or google+.

Here are the 14 I know (plus the states for the two that I do not know based on the information given by their daughter in the census).


1. Sándor Gombás, born 21 Feb 1872 in Büdszentmihály (today Tiszavasvári), Hungary. Died 02 May 1931 in Goff, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

2. Eszter Tóth, born 22 Sep 1874 in Tiszadob, Hungary. Died 04 Apr 1950 in Lore City, Guernsey County, Ohio.

3. Franciszek Grządziel, born 1872 in Barycz, Brzozów, Poland. Died 10 Jun 1927 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

4. Amelia Stec, born 29 Jun 1887/1888 in Barycz, Brzozów, Poland. Died April 1968 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

5. Joseph Adas, born 21 May 1882 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Died 20 Feb 1939 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

6. Josephine Domagalski, born 04 Sep 1886 in Medina, Orleans County, New York. Died 14 Nov 1958 in Manteno, Kankakee County, Illinois.

7. Wojciech Czarny, born 24 Apr 1888 in Osobnica, Jaslo, Poland. Died Oct 1961 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

8. Rozalia Sophia Wozniak, born 1887 in Osobnica, Jaslo, Poland. Died 22 Oct 1959 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

9. Allen Parks Rodgers, born 29 Jun 1873 in Carroll County, Mississippi. Died 14 Apr 1945 in Duck Hill, Montgomery County, Mississippi.

10. Minnie Josephine Vance, born 03 Aug 1872 in Montgomery County, Mississippi. Died 16 Jun 1919 in Montgomery County, Mississippi.

11. Samuel Christopher Columbus Martin, born 02 Feb 1850 in Gaston County, North Carolina. Died 16 Feb 1922 in Grenada or Montgomery County, Mississippi.

12. Samantha Aylene Costilow, born 02 Dec 1869 in Holmes County, Mississippi. Died 13 Aug 1908 in Carroll County, Mississippi.

13. Johann Philip Julius Stuempges, born 30 Nov 1860 in Newton, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Died 16 Feb 1951 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

14. Anna Weishaupt, born 06 May 1867 in Graber, Leitmeritz, Bohemia. Died 11 Jan 1951 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

15. Herman Wilhelm Gustav Martin, born 21 Jun 1882 in Gross Schönfeld, Kreis Greifenhagen, Pommern, Germany. Died 17 May 1968 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

16. Maria Summ, born 23 Jul 1883 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin. Died 06 Apr 1972 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin

FamilySearch Find Of The Day: Joseph Weishaupt's Baptism

I was going through FamilySearch today, reviewing all the databases they've added lately and I stumbled upon some new Czech Republic databases. None of them related to my family, but it got me thinking about the previous database that DOES relate to my family. I have found most of everything that I possibly can with what's available, so I was reviewing some of the records I had previously found. I thought I'd share one of those records and show how thorough the Bohemian's were with their records! There are three generations listed in this single baptism record: the child, the parents and the grandparents.. maiden names and all! :)

Extract:

Born & Baptized: 29 Nov 1827, Graber
House Number: 64
Name: Joseph
Religion: Catholic
Gender: blank
Legitimate or Illegitimate: Legitimate
Father: Franz Weishaupt schneidermeister, son of Franz Weishaupt händler from Graber No. 64 and Dorothea born Tieze from Graber No. 84
Mother: Anna Maria, daughter of Joseph Müller händler from Johnsdorf No. 28 and Anna Maria born Grundmann from Johnsdorf No. 38.
Sponsor: Joseph Müller, schumacher aus Johnsdorf
Sponsor: Benedikt Weishaupt, schneider from Graber
Sponsor: Theresia Müller, häusler's daughter from Graber
Sponsor: Rosalia Lehmann, häusler's daughter from Hermsdorf
Performer of Baptism: Ignatius Münzberg, Decanus

My Connection To President Andrew Jackson

With the addition of today's new database on FamilySearch called "Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927", I've been scouring through the counties and records trying to find documents for my ancestors. I struck gold tonight! In the documents listing the sale of the personal estate of my 6th-great-grandfather, Samuel Hays, it lists that the future president Andrew Jackson had been made the legal guardian for Samuel Hays' children! How cool is that?

After reading through the entire document though, I found it a bit strange that the children were sent to live with Andrew Jackson and the entire personal estate of Samuel Hays sold... when his wife was still alive. Very weird. It makes no mentions of the sale of real estate, so I assume Samuel Hays' widow, Elizabeth, remained on the property. Did she remarry and when was the land sold?

Here is the extract of the typed record: 

SAMUEL HAY'S Estate Divided & C. May 29th 1795. Pursuant to an Order of Court made last January Term 1795 Authorizing and Impowering John Bosley Michael Glaves and Samuel Donelson to Divide the monies Arising from the Sale of the personal Estate of Samuel Hay's Deceased Amongst the Legattees and heirs of the Afsd. Saml. Hays. And We the aforementioned John Bosley Michael Glaves & Samuel Donelson do Certify that We have placed in the possession of Andrew Esquire Special Guardian for sd. Legattees The Sum of four hundred And Seventeen Dollars and three Shillings in Notes, but that One hundred and forty one Dollars and five Shillings of the Afsd. Notes are yet due but that the Remainder of the NOtes Two hundred and Seventy five Dollars Six Shillings have been long due W. do further Certify that each Childs Propertionable part is Eighty three Dollars Three Shillings and Eight pence; We further Say that Mrs Hays Widow is indebted to the Children One hundred fifty Dollars Six Shillings and Ten pence and that She has not given in her Note for the Same or any part thereof and that no more Notes Than mentioned Above, nor any money, have come to our hands Certificed this 11th day of April 1795. Errors and Mistakes Excepted. Signed John Bosley, Michael Glaves & Samuel Donelson

If I Could Speak To My Ancestors...

Earlier today, I was analyzing all the information in my family tree (no surprise there!). I was looking at my dead-ends and trying to figure out which records I needed to persue to crack the brick-walls. I then, again, began to dream and wish that I had some way to communicate with my ancestors and ask them questions. Thinking about it all more and more, I thought if it WERE a possibility, what three questions would I ask to any of my ancestors?

Rules:
1. You may ask any three questions to any ancestors from any period in time.
2. Not all questions have to be directed to one specific ancestor, you can have a single question for three different ancestors.
3. You can't repeat a question, they have to be three unique questions. Asking three different ancestors what their mother's surname was is far too easy!
4. Before each question, you must identify which ancestor you're asking the question to.
5. After identifying the answer and the question, give a little information about this ancestor that's related to your question. You never know who will stumble upon this information and contact you!

My Three Questions:
#1 Ancestor: Hiram Howell (b. about 1790, SC; d. 1853, Tippah Co, MS)
#1 Question: What complications lead to your murder?
Fact: Hiram Howell was murdered in 1853 (exact date unknown) by Lindsey Slaughter, his probable son-in-law. I believe that Lindsey Slaughter's wife, Bathsheba, is the daughter of Hiram Howell. Lindsey and Bathsheba Slaughter had a daughter named Temperance, a name extremely unique to the Howell family (the name of Hiram's daughter whom I descend from, and the name of Hiram's sister-in-law).

#2 Ancestor: Eszter Tóth (b. 1874, Tiszadob, Hungary; d. 1950, Lore City, OH)
#2 Question: What was the family information in the paperwork that you brought with you, when you immigrated to America?
Fact: Family stories from cousins all recollect that my great-great-grandmother had brought with her when she immigrated, papers about her family tree and ancestors. My cousin in Arizona (whom inherited the papers, yet won't share a single piece of information) has stated she DOES have these papers and it has a full family tree and also includes information about a King that we supposedly descend from. Hearing of this claim years ago, I knew it was at least more plausible than family stories of others.. Eszter was of nobility! A noblewoman is more likely to descend from a King than a peasant. Just in the past two years, I have researched enough to the point that I have proven that we DO descend from a King of Hungary. To be precise, we descend from the early "true" Magyar Kings of Hungary from the Árpád Dynasty. I just want those documents my great-great-grandma brought over from Hungary!!

#3 Ancestor: Martha A. Miller (b. 1836, AL?; d. 1877, Holmes or Yazoo Co, MS)
#3 Question: Who are your parents?!
Fact: According to a family bible (that no one seems to know where it is, or who had it), Martha A. Miller was born on 18 Nov 1836, married to James Andrew J. Costilow on 25 Jul 1855 and died 19 Dec 1877. No places for any of these dates were provided in this supposed family bible. There have also been claims that Martha has Native American roots. Martha truly is a brick-wall. I haven't been able to locate her in the 1850 census anywhere. Any possible matches have been disproven, so I always end up right at the brick-wall again.

What are your questions? :)

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Two Truths & A Lie

It's Saturday again, and it's time for some genealogy fun! I really like this week's theme!

1)  Play "two truths and a lie."  Tell us three facts about your family history -- two have to be true and one has to be a lie.

2)  Put them on your own blog post, in a Facebook status or in a comment on this blog.  Ask readers to guess which one is a lie.

3)  After one day, be sure to put the right answer as a comment to your blog. or Facebook status.

Here are mine:

* My 5th-great-grandfather was murdered.

* I have an ancestor with a mixed-racial background: White, Native American and African American.

* King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary is my 2nd cousin.

Which one do you think is a lie?  Please comment!

My Wish List For FamilySearch

With the massive undertaking of the digitization project by FamilySearch, researchers have been able to conduct more and more research at home with less need for the "big-box" genealogy websites, such as Ancestry.com. It was only back in March of last year that FamilySearch really began adding substantial amounts of new databases to their new website.. and a lot of them having indexes, as well.

FamilySearch has been adding new databases almost daily, and I'm constantly checking back (almost daily!) to see what new databases they have uploaded. I thought it would be fun to create a post containing my wish list of what records I would like to appear on FamilySearch. I know in due time that (most of) these records will appear online, whether it be days, months or even years from now.. but it's still fun to talk and think about.

Doing this wish list Genie style (you only get three wishes!), here is my wish list of records I'm hoping for on FamilySearch!

*1. Hungarian Church records
FamilySearch has done an amazing job with uploading two seperate databases for Slovakian Church records (areas that had previous belonged to Hungary, prior to the Treaty of Trianon). I was told by FamilySearch that they eventually plan on combining these two databases after they fix a few bugs. Although I haven't been able to find anything for my direct line in these records, I have actually found information pertaining to distant cousins.

*2. Polish Church records
Looking at my family tree, I'm mostly Polish. My father being 3/4 Polish! I have high hopes for this database, very very high hopes. They're high hopes, because nearly half of the areas that my Polish ancestors came from, do not have church records preserved on microfilm. I doubt these records will be preserved on microfilm or digitized and put online at FamilySearch.. but I can hope! The priests at these towns are very notorious for being extremely uncooperative with researchers. Even researchers who come in person.

*3. Land Deeds
It would be fantastic for the land deeds we all need for research, to become available online in one location. These records are what we use to track down where our family lived and moved to. They're essential to our research!

What kind of databases or specific records are on your Wish List for FamilySearch? And remember.. only three! Make sure to leave a comment on this post with a link to yours, I'd love to see what your Wish List contains!