What's in a name?

Names, names, names.  What is in a name?  Lately, I have been spending quite a bit of time working on the descendants of Daniel Daugherty (b. 1798, SC) and Sarah Emily Ashurst (b. abt. 1795, TN). I'm trying to be as thorough as I can with regard to children, siblings, and spouses of all those descending from this couple. I have certainly noticed it with other family lines, but it really hit me how many Daugherty's have the same or similar names. I am not finished with all the descendants, as finding online records for the living is difficult' I can only come down six or seven generations on the tree (I am the 8th generation from Daniel and Sarah Daugherty).

I currently have just under 2,000 descendants (including spouses) of Daniel and Sarah Daugherty in my family tree.  Here is just a small sample of the names that were popular in the Daugherty line.

Daugherty, Amanda - 3
Daugherty, Andy/Andrew - 6
Daugherty, Arthur - 3
Daugherty, Byrd/Bird - 5
Daugherty, Charles - 9
Daugherty, Dan/Daniel - 12
Daugherty, Earl/Early - 3
Daugherty, Edward - 5
Daugherty, Ell/El - 5
Daugherty, English - 2
Daugherty, Fisher - 3
Daugherty, George - 4
Daugherty, James - 20
Daugherty, John - 23
Daugherty, Maggie/Margaret/Peggy - 6
Daugherty, Martha - 10
Daugherty, Mary - 17
Daugherty, Nancy - 8
Daugherty, Ramsey - 7
Daugherty, Sarah - 5
Daugherty, William - 16

This doesn't take into account the alternate spellings of Daugherty - Dougherty, Darity, Dority, Darty, Dorty, Daughtery, Daughrity, etc.  Additionally, there are 17 married couples that have the same surname, 14 of which are Daugherty.

I have also come to realize that there must have only been about 10 families that lived in this area of New River, TN.  There are many marriages to and between the Daugherty Byrge, Bunch, Burress, Carroll, Jones, Lowe/Marlow, Seiber and McGhee families.

I have found some interesting characters among this group of descendants of Daniel and Sarah.  I hope to share some soon.

Ciao for now!
Kim

Documentation - Who (Else) Needs It?

Sometimes I am totally bummed about how little information (documentation) is available on some of my ancestors.  Sometimes I can only find a name, mentioned in a solitary U.S. Census, never to be mentioned in any other documentation. I know that many of my kin lived way back in the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky and may not have been all that excited to see someone from the government knocking at their door. But really, how do people just disappear? Then there are other days, like yesterday, when I ran across several folks in the TVA Relocation Files.

A little background - I was vaguely aware of the Tennessee Valley Authority and their existence in the areas of my mother and father's families in and around the Campbell County, Tennessee area. We used to drive around a huge lake and power plant in Knoxville to visit my aunt Pauline, and when I was little, it seemed to take hours to drive around it. In reality, I'm sure it was only about 15 minutes. I really didn't know that much about it's history or even the purpose of the TVA.

The TVA was established in 1933 by The Tennessee Valley Authority Act.  Its purpose was to provide navigation, flood control, electricity, new agricultural technologies, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, an area that was particularly hard hit by the Great Depression. It was mainly an effort to provide electricity to the area so that the region could be modernized and therefore produce economic growth (electricity attracts manufacturing companies).

Here is where it gets personal. The avenue of electricity to be utilized was hydroelectric power. In order to have hydroelectric power, sometimes people, homes, animals, schools, groceries, banks, libraries, cemeteries, or even entire towns had to be relocated.  Can you imagine the paperwork? Me either, but guess what? I found just that, some paperwork.

There is a record group on Ancestry.com (subscription required) called "U.S., Tennessee Valley, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953."  Here is where I found several family members that were being interviewed for relocation.  I'd like to share just what kind of information was collected in this documentation.

It seems Irene Heatherly, fieldman for the TVA, visited Mrs. Sterling Bullock, living in Campbell County, Tennessee, on September 12, 1934. Report #0813 states the family lived in District 3, Schedule 14. Following is a list of what was contained in this seven page document. In the interest of space, I only included questions that were answered.  There were many others that were left blank or "-".  I have highlighted the information that is helpful to me when gathering genealogical data.)

Page I

• Name - Sterling Bullock
• Address - Caryville, Route 2
• Marital Status - Married
• Birthplace of Father - Campbell Cty, date - 1871; mother - Campbell Cty, date 1872
• Number of births - 7 boys, 6 girls
• Now living - 4 boys, 6 girls
• Living at home - 2 boys, 0 girls
• Living away - 2 boys, 6 girls
• Distance of  home from:
• Elem School - 2   Carryville Elem.
• High School - 2  Caryville High
• Church - 2  Caryville Baptist
• Stores - 2
• Doctor - 2
• Dentist - 8
• Hospital - 35
• Number of rooms in home - 6
• Wired for electricity - No
• Telephone - No
• Inside toilet - No
• Outside toilet - Yes
• Provision for bath - Washtub
• Source of water - Well and Spring 2 yards from house
• How is house heated - Grates
• Church preference - Baptist
• Years lived in this community - 6
• Years lived on this farm - 6
• Ages of children at home - boys - 25, 24
• Grade reached in school by father - 3, by mother - 2
• Newspapers read by family - Journal
• Magazines - None
• Books - Bible
• Insurance carried - No
• Does family have articles such as books, papers, heirlooms, etc. which require special attention - No
• Have there been any deaths in family while living in this community - No

TVA Relocation Files, Sterling Bullock, Page 1
(Cite - Ancestry.com. U.S., Tennessee Valley, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014., Bullock, Sterling)

Page II

• Land owned - Woodland - 12, Pasture - 10, Crops - 30, Total - 52
• Type of soil - Limestone
• Lay of soil - level - 40, gently rolling - 20
• Location of land - 2 mile s below Jacksboro 3/4 mile to right then S on 25W
• Land Rented - 11 acres, also limestone
• Location of land - 2 miles below Jacksboro at right of U.S. 25W
• Type of farming - General, Corn, Hay, Crops
• Liabilities - Mortgage $325
• What is your chief trade center - Caryville
• How often do you go there - 3 trips per week, 2 miles from home
• How heavy loads do you take - none or small
• Number of trips annually to Knoxville - 3
• Do you own a truck - No

Page III

• Livestock, number and value
• Mules - 2, $400
• Cattle - 3, $100
• Hogs - 2 $40
• Chickens - 23 hens, 15 friers, $16.75
• Machinery
• Wagon - $20
• Harness - $20
• Mower - 4, $20
• Hay Rake - 4, $10
• Turning Plow - $8
• Corn Planter - $1.50
• Small Tools - $10
• Personal Possessions
• Car - Ford 1 year, $500
• Floor Coverings - 4, $8
• What is the approximate value of furniture in:
• Kitchen - $75
• Bed Rooms - $150
• Dining Room - $25
• Comments - House clean and in good condition. Furniture good, but old, total $1,401

Page IV

• Expenditures - 1933
• Machinery Repairs and Replacement - $10
• Farm labor - $50
• Commercial Fertilizers, manures - $10
• Seeds, plants, trees, etc. - $40
• Taxes - $28
• Total for 1933 - $138
• Receipts - 1933
• Crops, hay, vegetables, fruits - $75
• Livestock and products - $49
• Poultry and products - $25
• Total for 1933 - $169

Family Living Expenses and Receipts for 1933, Page 4 (not included in transcription)
(Cite - Ancestry.com. U.S., Tennessee Valley, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, Bullock, Sterling)

Page V

• Cash on hand - None
• Other income - None
• Data on children living at home
• Alonzo Bullock, 26, Miner at Block, annual income abt. $300, part-time
• Earl Bullock, 24, Miner at Block, annual income abt. $300, part-time

Page VI

• Do you wish to own or rent in the new location - Own
• Size of house desired - 6 Rooms
• Barns for storage and stock needed - Small
• Acres wanted - Crops - 30, Pasture - 12
• Do you want electricity for general purpose - Doesn't matter
• What type of employment do you wish- Farm
• Do you expect to sell or move your:
• Household goods - Move
• Farm equipment - Move
• Livestock - Move
• Are you interested in the relocation services of the Extension Division of the University of Tennessee - Don't Know

Page VII - Report of Investigator on Relocation of Families

• How did the individual respond to the interview?  (Options were: Antagonistic, Suspicious, Indifferent, Interested, Gladly Cooperated)
• Suspicious, she didn't seem to care about answering the questions
• What is his attitude towards the TVA? (Options were: Antagonistic, Critical Neutral, Interested, Active Booster) 
• Critical, Mrs. Bullock doesn't want to move away from their farm.
• Do you feel there are any special problems in the moving of this family that need further study? 
• No, they do not seems to want outside help.
• Give gist of conversation with family:
• Mrs. Bullock said she didn't want to move away from the farm where they now live.  She likes the place and thinks she will not be satisfied any place else.

As you can see, documentation can be where you least expect it. On with the hunt!

Ciao for now!

Kim

Here is a link to the history page of the TVA's website - Tennessee Valley Authority - Our History
Link to Ancestry.com Relocation Record for Sterling Bullock, page 1 (subscription required) - Ancestry.com - Sterling Bullock Relocation File, 1934

Family History Center, More Questions than Answers

I have been wanting to go to the local LDS Family History Center, but was nervous about going alone. An opportunity arose yesterday when the genealogy specialist at my county library invited me to attend a tour with her genealogy club from another county library. I wish I could say that I was overwhelmed with all the information and family history that there was to be had.  However, it wasn't as glorious as I had hoped.

First, I must say that the volunteers that were there were very eager to help and were extremely nice. I was expecting to go in, tour the facilities, sit down at a computer terminal and all the hidden records would come rushing at me like a river overflowing its banks. I know, I need to better manage my expectations.

But, wouldn't you know, the person who knows all the answers to all the questions I had wasn't there that day. That's OK, I'll just check out a few things. Guess what, you need your Family Search user name and password to sign in. Well, I didn't have that with me because I use a password keeper on my home computer so I don't have to remember 92 passwords. This brings me to the big question that no one there could answer. If I use my own user name and password to sign into Family Search at the Family History Center, am I going to see the same information that I would see if I was logged on at home? How can I access all the online databases the Family History Center has access to (Ancestry, Fold3, Historic Map Works, Kinpoint, My Heritage, Newspaper Archive, Paper Trail, ProQuest Obituary Listings, Puzzilla.org, World Vital Rcords), if I must sign on to each site using my own user name and password for the free, and usually limited, account?

So, just a few unanswered questions. I will definitely be going back. Hopefully, the person with all the answers will be there! Anyone want to come with?

Ciao for now!
Kim

An Introduction Is In Order

OK, so who am I?  Over the years the answer to that question has changed.  First, I was a daughter and little sister.  Then I was a student learning the ins and outs, the ups and downs, of business.  Then I was a young adult learning how to navigate life independent from my parents.  Then, and this was a good one, I was young and in love, and on the brink of a new life with the love of my life. Then a few years down the road I was mommy, then mom, then "oh mom" (said with the appropriate whine).

I've worked in many different industries - addiction services, environmental enforcement, youth sports, preschool education, and construction.  I've volunteered in just about every organization my children have ever been involved with, from boy scouts to the PTA.  I have organized enough fund raisers to buy a Lamborghini.

In the 20 years we have been married, our family has lived in six states and seen the most beautiful country here in the United States and abroad.  I've finally come to realize that home really is where your heart is.  And where your heart is, your passion will live also.

A few years ago, a family member gave me a binder with some family tree information in it.  There wasn't any documentation to prove whether any of it was true or not, it was just a list of names, and a few birth and death dates here and there.  At some point, I packed it up with a lot of other stuff in preparation for one of our cross-country moves.  Then last year, I found the box and opened the binder.  At the time, those Ancestry commercials were on several times a day, so I gave it a try.  Now I'm hooked.

One other thing that has shaped me and made me who I am is something that, until recently, I never really considered all that important.  When I was just a baby, I was placed for adoption.  I have always known that I was adopted and it was never a negative thing.  As a young adult I thought I might like to try to find out who my biological mother and father were.  My parents were very supportive outwardly, but looking back I'm sure on the inside they worried about where this might lead.  As it turned out, at that time it led nowhere.

Fast forward to 2014, my dad calls to tell me that he just heard the adoption law in Ohio was being changed and I would most likely be able to learn the names of my biological family.  I had recently been bitten by the genealogy bug and it was all starting to come together for me.  On March 20, 2015 I sent in my application for a copy of my original birth certificate, and waited.  I didn't have to wait long because in only 2 weeks it arrived.  I could barely breathe, and, there was no one at home for me to tell!

Since then I have connected with a half-sister that lives all the way in Germany and other half-sisters here in the U.S.. Joe, my biological father, and Janet, my biological mother.

So that is why I call this blog, A Family Forest.  My family has grown exponentially in 2015.  When once it was just me, a tiny baby in a foster home, now I have one brother, seven half-sisters, a step-sister and step-brother, a mom, a dad, a step-mother, Joe and Janet, and innumerable aunts, uncles, and cousins that make up my family forest.

It is my goal to use this blog to share with you my journey as I learn about some of the trees in our forest, for our roots grow deep and wide.

Ciao for now!
Kim

Bon Bons and Passengers Lists

My husband has a fairly uncommon surname, or so I thought.  In the last 20 years, we have lived in many parts of the country, and have only run across one other Krautheim that was not known family. So, I was perusing Genealogybank.com the other day and I plug in KRAUTHEIM to the appropriate search field, just for kicks, just to see what might pop up. Low and behold there are many Krautheim's that live in the northeast.  Not wanting to wade through them all at that moment, I thought about another surname in my husband's tree that I know next-to-nothing about, and is even more uncommon.  DELLE VENNERI.  You can imagine how many spellings there could be for this surname.

As you may already know, when searching for records in GenealogyBank.com you have to have a pretty good idea of how to spell whatever it is you are searching. GenealogyBank.com is not like Ancestry.com in that it will not offer you suggestions based on the sound of the word you input [soundex]. Here are just a few that I tried - DELLVENNERY, DELVENNERY, DEL VENNERY, DELEVENNERY, DEL VENNERI, DELL VENNERI, DELL VENERI, DELL VENERY, and so on.

Very few records were returned. However, there was one that caught my eye. Right there, on page 3 of the Trenton Evening Times (NJ), 2 Aug 1932. I actually sat straight up in my seat and I'm pretty sure I held my breath while I read the article. It was titled "BOMB IMBEDDED IN BOX OF CANDY".  Wait, what?  It goes on "Dynamite for Jersey Woman in Bon Bons - Daughter's Suspicions Foil Plot".

The gist of the story is that one Mrs. Mary Dell Vennery received a package at her home from the postal delivery man that seemed to be a box of Bon Bons. Mrs. Dell Vennery's daughter, Rose, grew suspicious of the package and opened it herself. There was a bomb of "three balls of dynamite and five small batteries" hidden among the candy. Rose threw the package out the window and a nearby policeman doused the package with a hose. My favorite line is that "Mrs. Vennery ventured a guess the box was sent by an enemy she may have made in the sale of some Paterson property."

Wow, what a find! But, I do not have Mrs. Mary Dell Vennery, nor her daughter Rose, in my family tree.

That same day I was listening to a recording of DearMyrtle's Tracing Immigrant Origins Study Group-Session 1, and she mentioned Stephen P. Morse's One-Step Web Pages.  This site helps find immigration records, as well as other records. (DearMyrtle recommends that we read the "About this Website and how to use it" tab before using the site.  But, you know, I just jumped right in there.)

Some time ago, I had found a passenger list index for Giuseppe Delle Venneri, traveling from Naples, Italy, to New York City, in 1910 when he was 28 years old.  He was apparently traveling with his wife, 21 year old Candida.  This is who I believe to be my husband's great grandfather and great grandmother.  Using Stephen P. Morse's One-Step Web Pages, I found a link to the digitized passenger list.

Passenger Manifest, SS Virginia, Sailing from Naples to New York, 20, Sep 1910,
page 1 (lines 1 & 2) Images from Ancestry.com

Passenger Manifest, SS Virginia sailing from Naples to New York, 20 Sep 1910,
page 2 (lines 1 & 2) Images from Ancestry.com

This is where seeing the actual record instead of just an index is helpful.  The passenger list indicated that this was not his first trip to the U.S. and he had traveled to New York City from Naples in 1899. Off I go to find that record, and according to that passenger list, Giuseppe, age 17, traveled to the U.S. with his older brother Antonio in 1899.

Passenger Manifest, SS Bolivia, sailing from Naples to New York, 11 Nov 1899, (lines 3 & 4)
Images from Ancestry.com 

Now I've got a real online bread trail to follow. Using Ancestry.com I search for Antonio Delle Venneri and find him in the 1910 U.S. Census, married to Innocenzia with daughters named Maria, Isabella, and Rosina.  That is helpful, but then I check the 1920 U.S. Census.  Anthony Del Vennery is married to Mary Del Vennery and they have three daughters, Mary, Isabel, and Rose.  While not a lot of online information (birth, marriage, death) is available for New Jersey, there are many city directories available online for that area.  Using the U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989 record group, I am fairly certain that Mrs. Mary Dell Vennery could be the wife of my husband's great grand uncle Anthony Dell Vennery, and her daughter Rose could be his 1st cousin, twice removed.

As a beginner family historian, I am very excited to continue to find out more information about this part of my husband's family tree and add it to our family forest.

Ciao for now!
Kim