(Copyright (c) 2013 Cynthia Shenette) I don't do generally do Irish genealogy, or as I like to say to my two best friends (both of whom happen to be Irish), "There's no Irish in my family unless the boat from Poland stopped in Ireland somewhere along the way." Anyway, even though I don't have Irish blood flowing through my veins, I'd like to share a resource I stumbled across a while back for those who do.
Check out the Boston College University Libraries LibGuide for Irish Genealogy (Irish Studies). LibGuides are pathfinders/guides compiled by librarians to assist library patrons with their research. Boston College has an Irish studies program and the Irish Genealogy LibGuide supports one of the courses for that program. The LibGuide includes books and electronic resources. While many of the resources are specific to the BC library I am sure they can be located elsewhere. The LibGuide also has a link to a searchable database that lists the names that appeared in the "Missing Friends" column of the Boston Pilot.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Got Dissertations? - Tuesday's Tip
Fascinating Ladies
Presenter Interview: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogist
Cobh (Queensland), Ireland - Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts
MACRIS Database
(Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) Did your ancestors ever live in Massachusetts, and have you ever wanted to research their ancestral home, school, workplace, or other place of significance? I learned about a database that might be of use to you. The Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) of the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) is a great database that offers a wealth of information on historic properties and areas in Massachusetts. It doesn't include information on all historic properties, nor does it contain all the information on file with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, but still has an amazing amount of information and is well worth checking out.
You can narrow your search by town, neighborhood, street, etc. It includes residential properties, historical districts, as well as places of business. An example is the record for the Nelson Place Grade School I attended in Worcester. The MHC inventory sheet is available which offers a great deal of information about the structure. There is a photo and this particular record even included copies of the building permits.
Check it out!
Other Post You Might Like:
Photo Story: New In America
The Psychic Next Door (Part 1 of 2)
October is Polish-American Heritage Month! - Wordless Wednesday
Catechists, Our Lady of Czestochowa - Wordless Wednesday
You can narrow your search by town, neighborhood, street, etc. It includes residential properties, historical districts, as well as places of business. An example is the record for the Nelson Place Grade School I attended in Worcester. The MHC inventory sheet is available which offers a great deal of information about the structure. There is a photo and this particular record even included copies of the building permits.
Check it out!
Other Post You Might Like:
Photo Story: New In America
The Psychic Next Door (Part 1 of 2)
October is Polish-American Heritage Month! - Wordless Wednesday
Catechists, Our Lady of Czestochowa - Wordless Wednesday
Reflecting on NERGC One Week Later
(Copyright (c) 2011, Cynthia Shenette) Wow. All I can say is, wow. By the time I finished up at the conference on Saturday I was exhausted, inspired, and overwhelmed. All at the same time but in a good kind of way. NERGC was all I hoped for and more. I attended the opening session with D. Joshua Taylor, plus thirteen hour-long sessions on a variety of topics. Now that's a lot of genealogy!
I attended three sessions on Polish genealogy, a session on French-Canadian genealogy, and one on Native American genealogy. I also had the distinct pleasure of sitting and chatting with Lucie LeBlanc Consentino during one session on Thursday and hearing her speak on Acadian genealogy and history on Saturday. I met Lucie briefly at the "Ancestors Roadshow" at the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists Conference last November when she helped me with my Acadian research. She is lovely to talk with in person and an incredibly knowledgeable speaker. Let's just say after listening to Lucie, I feel like I could write a book about what I don't know about Acadian genealogy and history.
I also connected with one of the Native American researchers and received an offer of assistance regarding some Native American research that I've been interested in but have had difficulty pursuing for some time now. A Polish researcher helped me out by offering a solid lead. He suggested I write to the Polish military museum in Warsaw about identifying some Polish or Russian military medals in a photo of my grandfather's brother Wincenty Szerejko. If we can identify the medals it might lead to additional information on Wincenty.
I attended sessions on genealogy information in school records, poverty records, and records from the Civilian Conservation Corps. My dad spent some time in the CCCs before going into the military. I'm now interested to try to do a bit of research on my dad's time working on a dam back in the 1930s. The talk on the CCCs reminded me that I have my dad's scrapbook from the CCCs, so I may do a blog post with photos from my dad's scrapbook in the upcoming weeks. The sessions on school records and poverty records were insightful and valuable for assisting me with my ongoing research on the Naramore family. I also attended a talk on researching collateral lines as a way of gaining information on a direct line ancestor. This is something I already do, but it was interesting to hear the speaker's success story and relate her experience to my own.
John Philip Colletta spoke about the Erie Canal and the peopling of upstate New York. My husband's family still live on the old family homestead in the Mohawk River Valley where his ancestors settled in the late 1700s. I see remnants of the Erie Canal all along the roadways whenever we visit the area. It was interesting to hear how the construction and life along the Erie Canal may have impacted my husband's and in turn my son's ancestors living along the canal during the golden age of canal transportation. Maybe this year we will finally take that Erie Canal cruise that keep talking about.
Colleen Fitzpatrick's talk, "Genealogy and the Six Degrees of Separation: How to Find Anyone in the World," was an inspiration. Her talk was fascinating as she explained how she fearlessly goes about finding people and solving mysteries all over the world. I had a few minutes to chat with Colleen between sessions which was truly an honor. She inspired me to take action on a volunteer project she mentioned during her talk. I may or may not have luck with the project, but one way or another I will report back at some point on the success or lack there of on my search.
It was a pleasure meeting some of the other geneabloggers for the first time in person. I met Heather Rojo and her husband, Lucie LeBlanc Consentino of course, and Midge Frazel and her husband. It was also pleasure to finally run in to Marian Pierre-Louis at the very end of the conference. Marian was on the planning committee for the conference. Everything seemed to run so smoothly. I can only imagine the amount of work Marian and all of the other folks on the committee put into the conference to make it a success for the 800 people who attended.
My conference experience would not have been complete without a shopping trip to the exhibit hall. Yep. I dropped a bundle. Don't tell my husband. I purchased the following books written by speakers whose sessions I attended: The Journey Takers, by Leslie Albrecht Huber; Going Home: A Guide to Polish American Family History Research, by Jonathan D. Shea; and Forensic Genealogy and The Dead Horse Investigation: Forensic Photo Analysis for Everyone, by Colleen Fitzpatrick. I also purchased a copy of New England Court Records: A Research Guide for Genealogists and Historians, by Diane Rapaport. My final purchase was a very pretty fan chart which will look lovely in my den...once I clean my den. I was tempted, but did NOT buy the seriously cute tree earrings or the bumper-stickers that read, "I Break for Cemeteries" and "Genealogists Don't Grow Old, They Just Lose Their Census." I really didn't need yet another pair of earrings, and the bumper stickers would have set my husband over the edge.
I'd like to offer one tip of my own to future conference-goers. When I registered for the conference I initially did not intend to stay over at the conference hotel. I live within a reasonable commuting distance, however as the conference approached I thought it might be nice to stay at least one night. Of course I decided to do this four days before the start of the conference. In the pre-conference buzz somewhere, I had heard that all of the rooms at both hotels had been filled up for a while. On the Sunday before the conference I was lucky and managed to find a room at one of the conference hotels on Priceline for $40.00 less than the conference rate! While this was great, I would not recommend waiting until the last minute if you need to guarantee yourself a room for the entire length of a conference. You take a chance that you might not get a room. In my particular case I was able to take the risk, because I planned on commuting anyway. I had a back-up plan. I stayed only one night, Thursday, to avoid the worst of the weekday commute and so I could be at Colleen's 8:30 session on Friday bright and early.
Overall, it was a great conference and an inspiring three days. It was also nice to know that I was missed at home. My family was very happy to see me again after it was over. They all missed me--my husband, my son, and the dog. Not necessarily in that order. Right now, I have a lot to think about, review, digest, and follow up on. I learned so much, but given the collective knowledge of everyone at the conference it also makes me think about all that I still don't know. Let's just say, I'd call it a good start. Anyway, I'm already thinking ahead to the next NERGC in 2013, and I can't wait...
Other Posts You Might Like:
Presenter Interview: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogist
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
Tombstone Tuesday: Francois Chenette, Civil War Soldier
Books of Interest: The Life of Billy Yank
I attended three sessions on Polish genealogy, a session on French-Canadian genealogy, and one on Native American genealogy. I also had the distinct pleasure of sitting and chatting with Lucie LeBlanc Consentino during one session on Thursday and hearing her speak on Acadian genealogy and history on Saturday. I met Lucie briefly at the "Ancestors Roadshow" at the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists Conference last November when she helped me with my Acadian research. She is lovely to talk with in person and an incredibly knowledgeable speaker. Let's just say after listening to Lucie, I feel like I could write a book about what I don't know about Acadian genealogy and history.
I also connected with one of the Native American researchers and received an offer of assistance regarding some Native American research that I've been interested in but have had difficulty pursuing for some time now. A Polish researcher helped me out by offering a solid lead. He suggested I write to the Polish military museum in Warsaw about identifying some Polish or Russian military medals in a photo of my grandfather's brother Wincenty Szerejko. If we can identify the medals it might lead to additional information on Wincenty.
I attended sessions on genealogy information in school records, poverty records, and records from the Civilian Conservation Corps. My dad spent some time in the CCCs before going into the military. I'm now interested to try to do a bit of research on my dad's time working on a dam back in the 1930s. The talk on the CCCs reminded me that I have my dad's scrapbook from the CCCs, so I may do a blog post with photos from my dad's scrapbook in the upcoming weeks. The sessions on school records and poverty records were insightful and valuable for assisting me with my ongoing research on the Naramore family. I also attended a talk on researching collateral lines as a way of gaining information on a direct line ancestor. This is something I already do, but it was interesting to hear the speaker's success story and relate her experience to my own.
John Philip Colletta spoke about the Erie Canal and the peopling of upstate New York. My husband's family still live on the old family homestead in the Mohawk River Valley where his ancestors settled in the late 1700s. I see remnants of the Erie Canal all along the roadways whenever we visit the area. It was interesting to hear how the construction and life along the Erie Canal may have impacted my husband's and in turn my son's ancestors living along the canal during the golden age of canal transportation. Maybe this year we will finally take that Erie Canal cruise that keep talking about.
Colleen Fitzpatrick's talk, "Genealogy and the Six Degrees of Separation: How to Find Anyone in the World," was an inspiration. Her talk was fascinating as she explained how she fearlessly goes about finding people and solving mysteries all over the world. I had a few minutes to chat with Colleen between sessions which was truly an honor. She inspired me to take action on a volunteer project she mentioned during her talk. I may or may not have luck with the project, but one way or another I will report back at some point on the success or lack there of on my search.
It was a pleasure meeting some of the other geneabloggers for the first time in person. I met Heather Rojo and her husband, Lucie LeBlanc Consentino of course, and Midge Frazel and her husband. It was also pleasure to finally run in to Marian Pierre-Louis at the very end of the conference. Marian was on the planning committee for the conference. Everything seemed to run so smoothly. I can only imagine the amount of work Marian and all of the other folks on the committee put into the conference to make it a success for the 800 people who attended.
My conference experience would not have been complete without a shopping trip to the exhibit hall. Yep. I dropped a bundle. Don't tell my husband. I purchased the following books written by speakers whose sessions I attended: The Journey Takers, by Leslie Albrecht Huber; Going Home: A Guide to Polish American Family History Research, by Jonathan D. Shea; and Forensic Genealogy and The Dead Horse Investigation: Forensic Photo Analysis for Everyone, by Colleen Fitzpatrick. I also purchased a copy of New England Court Records: A Research Guide for Genealogists and Historians, by Diane Rapaport. My final purchase was a very pretty fan chart which will look lovely in my den...once I clean my den. I was tempted, but did NOT buy the seriously cute tree earrings or the bumper-stickers that read, "I Break for Cemeteries" and "Genealogists Don't Grow Old, They Just Lose Their Census." I really didn't need yet another pair of earrings, and the bumper stickers would have set my husband over the edge.
I'd like to offer one tip of my own to future conference-goers. When I registered for the conference I initially did not intend to stay over at the conference hotel. I live within a reasonable commuting distance, however as the conference approached I thought it might be nice to stay at least one night. Of course I decided to do this four days before the start of the conference. In the pre-conference buzz somewhere, I had heard that all of the rooms at both hotels had been filled up for a while. On the Sunday before the conference I was lucky and managed to find a room at one of the conference hotels on Priceline for $40.00 less than the conference rate! While this was great, I would not recommend waiting until the last minute if you need to guarantee yourself a room for the entire length of a conference. You take a chance that you might not get a room. In my particular case I was able to take the risk, because I planned on commuting anyway. I had a back-up plan. I stayed only one night, Thursday, to avoid the worst of the weekday commute and so I could be at Colleen's 8:30 session on Friday bright and early.
Overall, it was a great conference and an inspiring three days. It was also nice to know that I was missed at home. My family was very happy to see me again after it was over. They all missed me--my husband, my son, and the dog. Not necessarily in that order. Right now, I have a lot to think about, review, digest, and follow up on. I learned so much, but given the collective knowledge of everyone at the conference it also makes me think about all that I still don't know. Let's just say, I'd call it a good start. Anyway, I'm already thinking ahead to the next NERGC in 2013, and I can't wait...
Other Posts You Might Like:
Presenter Interview: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogist
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
Tombstone Tuesday: Francois Chenette, Civil War Soldier
Books of Interest: The Life of Billy Yank
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 2 of 3)
Now pay close attention to the 1920 census, because this is where things start to get complicated. Antoni Bulak/Tony Bolak/Anthony Bolack has now become Anthony Bullock for the 1920 census, enumerated on 12 Jan 1920. Anthony (52) is listed as living with his wife Ella (47), daughter Rose (12), son S[t]ephan (8), daughter Helen (25), and daughter Antoinette (22). Eva, whose name back in the old country would be spelled Ewa, is now Ella. Daughters Helena-Helen and Antonina-Anthony-Antoinette are still living with the family. Where did Rose and Stephan come from? I know Rose for sure, and I believe Stephan as well were adopted by my great-grandparents after their parents died during the 1918 influenza pandemic (For the back story on this please see my three part series, Flu 1918 (Part 1 of 3) - Amanuensis Monday.). The dates of immigration have changed yet again. Now Antoni-Tony-Anthony is listed at immigrating in 1896 and Ewa-Eva-Ella is listed as immigrating in 1899. What complicates matters even more is Helena-Helen and Antonina-Anthony-Antoinette are listed as immigrating in 1904.
If all was right with the world and the planets were in perfect alignment we would be done with the 1920 census right here. Unfortunately that's not the case. Somehow, my grandmother's sister Helena-Helen is listed in the census twice. She was enumerated as Helen Bullock living at home with her parents on 12 Jan 1920 AND was also enumerated on January 2nd and 3rd as Helen Bulak living as a boarder at the St. Agnes Guild in Worcester. Her age is still listed as 25, however her year of immigration is 1897. She is not listed as having an occupation in the Bullock family listing, however she is listed as the proprietor of a millinery store in the St. Agnes Guild census record. For the record, she did have a millinery store at this time on Millbury St. in Worcester.
~ Act IV: 1930 Oxford and Worcester, Massachusetts ~
On 25 Apr 1930 Antoni Bulak/Tony Bolak/Anthony Bolack/Anthony Bullock was enumerated as Athony Bulak (62) living in Oxford, Massachusetts. He is living with his wife Eva (51), son Edward (18), and daughter Helen Pawloski (15). After spending years in the city of Worcester, my great-grandfather moved to Oxford, MA about 1921. My grandmother told me he longed to have a farm, so he moved to the town of Oxford about 10 miles south of Worcester to start up farming. He is listed as a dairyman in the census. I honestly have no idea who Edward and Helen Pawloski are. My guess is Edward could be another child adopted after the 1918 flu pandemic or Edward and/or Helen could have been hired to help my great-grandfather around the farm. Clearly more research is needed. Antoni-Tony-Anthony-Athony is 62 which would make him the right age. My great-grandmother Ewa-Eva-Ella is listed as 51. She was 47 in 1920 so there's no way she would be 51 in 1930. Here's the kicker--my great-grandmother Ewa-Eva-Ella died in 1924.
Why do I still think this is the right record? Eva was 51 when she died. Is there a possibility this might not be my family? You bet, but I haven't been able to find another census record for them up to this point. I still need to verify the information in another source to be sure. My best guess is my great-grandfather was asked if he was married, and he said yes leaving out the details about his wife dying or simply not understanding or hearing correctly what was asked of him.
What about Helena-Helen and Antonina-Anthony-Antoinette? Where are they? By 1930 my Aunt Helen was living in Worcester as a boarder with Rose and her new husband, and my grandmother, now Anna Szerejko, was married and living with her husband and young children, also in Worcester.
~ FINIS ~
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 1 of 3)
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 3 of 3)
Other Posts You Might Like:
What's in a Name? (An Ongoing Series): Kowalewski
Tombstone Tuesday: Wladislaw Kowalewski, The Mystery Continues
Does Your Public Library Have a Vertical File? - Tuesday's Tip
Ewa (Kowalewska) Bulak - Wordless Wednesday
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 1 of 3)
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 3 of 3)
Other Posts You Might Like:
What's in a Name? (An Ongoing Series): Kowalewski
Tombstone Tuesday: Wladislaw Kowalewski, The Mystery Continues
Does Your Public Library Have a Vertical File? - Tuesday's Tip
Ewa (Kowalewska) Bulak - Wordless Wednesday
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 1 of 3)
 |
| Antoni Bulak, August 1938 |
My Apologies to Shakespeare
I love the U.S. Census. I love other sources too, but whenever I look at a census record I feel like I'm looking through a window back in time, one that offers a glimpse of life on one particular day in my ancestors' lives. You know what's really cool? I even know which day! The census tells me. I can see who was living in my ancestors' home, who their neighbors were, where they were living, where they worked, how many children were still at home, and so on. I'm also amazed at how much information is, for lack of a better word, wrong.
My Bulak family is a perfect case study on errors in the census. My grandmother and her family lived together as a family unit in the U.S. by 1897. I have found them in all of the census records in which they should appear--1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930. I also know the basics of my grandmother's family so I can discriminate what's right, what's wrong, and speculate as to why some of the information was recorded incorrectly. I pity the researcher who finds a census record without knowing, "the rest of the story" as veteran newsman Paul Harvey use to say. Context is everything. So with apologies to William Shakespeare, I'd like to present my version of...
"A Comedy of Errors: A Play in Four Acts"
"A Comedy of Errors: A Play in Four Acts"
~ Act I: 1900 Joliet, Illinois ~
Overall, the 1900 census was the most difficult census in which to locate my Bulak family. It took me a couple of years of searching on and off before I finally found them. Why? Nineteen hundred was a transitional year for my family. The Bulak family was supposedly living in Chicago in 1900 but moved to Worcester, MA the same year after being displaced by a fire. The family could have been enumerated in Chicago or Worcester, or missed the census altogether if they were in transit and somewhere in between. Another reason, my great-grandfather's name, Antoni Bulak, was seriously misspelled by the census taker. I found him listed as Tony Bolak. I also discovered the family was living in Joliet, IL not Chicago.
The 1900 census lists Tony Bolak (33), his wife Eva (27) and daughters Helena (5), and Antonina (4). Antonina was my grandmother. The family had two boarders living with them--Adam Bolak (Adam Bulak), my great-grandfather's brother and another boarder. The census was enumerated on 05 Jun 1900. Despite the spelling of the name, the rest of the information seems accurate. How did Antoni Bulak end up as Tony Bolak? My great-grandfather was never called Tony. My best guess is when the census taker asked his name, he no doubt responded in a heavy Polish accent with an emphasis on the second syllable.
~ Act II: 1910 Worcester, Massachusetts ~
Let's fast-forward in time. Antoni Bulak, who was Tony Bolak in 1900 Joliet, has now become Anthony Bolack in 1910 Worcester, MA. Are you still with me? You might want to take notes as there will be a quiz at the end. According to the census enumerator on 11 May 1910, Anthony Bolack (43) was living in Worcester with his wife Eva (38), daughter Helen (15), son Anthony (14), and four boarders. You noticed it too, didn't you? My grandmother Antonina has now become a son, Anthony. The years of immigration have changed for the family as well. In the 1900 census my great-grandfather is listed as immigrating in 1895 and my great-grandmother and her two daughters as immigrating in 1897. In 1910 Antoni-Tony-Anthony is listed as immigrating in 1896 and the women in 1898.
~ INTERMISSION ~
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 2 of 3)
~ INTERMISSION ~
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 2 of 3)
Got Dissertations? - Tuesday's Tip
(Copyright (c) 2011 Cynthia Shenette) Have you considered using PhD dissertations and master's theses to aid your research? I will admit, I hadn't really thought about them either until recently. If you have an institution of higher learning in your area that offers PhD and/or master's degree programs check out their online library catalog for dissertation or thesis titles that might relate to your topic or add historical context to your research. Schools with degree programs in women's studies, geography, economics, sociology, and especially history all may have something to offer the family history researcher.
Students in master's and PhD programs often research and write about topics where original source material is close at hand. In my case I found two publications particularly useful. They provide context and historical background for my family history research previously undiscovered elsewhere. One thesis I found was "Polish Groups in Worcester County, Their Adjustments to American Life and Environment," by Agrippina A. Macewicz, completed in 1948. A dissertation, "A History of the Worcester War Price and Rationing Board," written by Edith Rose Kaufman in 1951 was also of interest. My mom worked for the Worcester Ration Board during World War II. Dissertations and theses usually contain fairly extensive bibliographies which you will also want to review for additional source material.
If you do decide to look for dissertations at your local university library, I strongly suggest you call or e-mail the library before your visit to enquire as to their specific policies on loaning or accessing materials to patrons outside of the university community. Theses and dissertations do not circulate at some institutions or may be part of a special collection. If they are part of a special collection, you will want to ask what hours the special collections area is open and accessible to the public.
Tuesday's Tip: Check for theses and dissertations at your local university library. Don't forget to review the publication's footnotes and bibliography for additional or related source material.
References:
Kaufman, Edith Rose. "A History of the Worcester War Price and Rationing Board," 1951, Dissertation, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Macewitz, Agrippina A. "Polish Groups in Worcester County, Their Adjustments to American Life and Environment," 1948, Master's Thesis, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Madness Monday: The Stuff We Throw Away, and...
Does Your Public Library Have a Vertical File? - Tuesday's Tip
Tombstone Tuesday: Jacob Riis, Riverside Cemetery, Barre, MA
Treasure Chest Thursday: Travel Diary, Poland 1937
Students in master's and PhD programs often research and write about topics where original source material is close at hand. In my case I found two publications particularly useful. They provide context and historical background for my family history research previously undiscovered elsewhere. One thesis I found was "Polish Groups in Worcester County, Their Adjustments to American Life and Environment," by Agrippina A. Macewicz, completed in 1948. A dissertation, "A History of the Worcester War Price and Rationing Board," written by Edith Rose Kaufman in 1951 was also of interest. My mom worked for the Worcester Ration Board during World War II. Dissertations and theses usually contain fairly extensive bibliographies which you will also want to review for additional source material.
If you do decide to look for dissertations at your local university library, I strongly suggest you call or e-mail the library before your visit to enquire as to their specific policies on loaning or accessing materials to patrons outside of the university community. Theses and dissertations do not circulate at some institutions or may be part of a special collection. If they are part of a special collection, you will want to ask what hours the special collections area is open and accessible to the public.
Tuesday's Tip: Check for theses and dissertations at your local university library. Don't forget to review the publication's footnotes and bibliography for additional or related source material.
References:
Kaufman, Edith Rose. "A History of the Worcester War Price and Rationing Board," 1951, Dissertation, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Macewitz, Agrippina A. "Polish Groups in Worcester County, Their Adjustments to American Life and Environment," 1948, Master's Thesis, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Madness Monday: The Stuff We Throw Away, and...
Does Your Public Library Have a Vertical File? - Tuesday's Tip
Tombstone Tuesday: Jacob Riis, Riverside Cemetery, Barre, MA
Treasure Chest Thursday: Travel Diary, Poland 1937
Tuesday's Tip: "Ask a Librarian" Service at Your Public Library
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) Have you used the "Ask a Librarian" service at your public library? It's a wonderful service offered by many public libraries around the country. If you haven't used it I suggest you try it out, and if you have I'd love to hear about your experience. I used it recently when I was looking for some statistics on the population of Katowice, Poland for my post Trip to Poland, 1937 (An Ongoing Series): Katowice.
I'm a librarian myself, and B.C. (Before Child) spent 11 years in reference. Believe me, reference librarians live for this stuff. I usually do my own research, because I love doing it, but one night was at home and knew because of scheduling issues I wasn't going to be able to get down to the library for several days. I had a brilliant thought. Why not check out the "Ask a Librarian" service at the public library? I filled out their online form around 10:00 p.m., and bada bing bada boom, the next morning there was my answer in an e-mail response. I followed it up with another question and promptly got a second reply. I love those people.
Here are my tips for using your "Ask a Librarian" service successfully:
~ read and follow the directions for an e-mail query
~ provide as much information as you can to give the librarian a real idea of what you are looking for, but also try to be as precise and succinct as possible
~ tell the librarian what resources you've already checked for information
~ be patient as sometimes it may take a day or two or even a week or two to receive your answer
~ be polite, and a follow-up thank you e-mail is always nice
Be aware that some questions lend themselves to e-mail queries more readily than others. My population question was pretty straightforward. Librarians may not, or in some cases will not, do extensive research for you, at least free of charge. If you provide an exact citation for an obit they will probably be able to help you out. If you say, "I think my John Smith died sometime in 1902," but you're not sure of the particulars and there isn't an easily accessible index to the newspaper where the obit might have appeared, they may not be able to help you. Believe it or not, not all old newspapers are indexed or online. Take some of my local Worcester, MA papers for example. Librarians simply don't have time to do extensive research for every patron. That being said, "Ask a Librarian" is a wonderful service. Try it out.
Now I'm off to do research. I live for this stuff...
Other Posts You Might Like:
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
What's In A Name (An Ongoing Series): Chenette
Tombstone Tuesday: Francois Chenette, Civil War Soldier
What's In A Name (An Ongoing Series): Radziewicz
I'm a librarian myself, and B.C. (Before Child) spent 11 years in reference. Believe me, reference librarians live for this stuff. I usually do my own research, because I love doing it, but one night was at home and knew because of scheduling issues I wasn't going to be able to get down to the library for several days. I had a brilliant thought. Why not check out the "Ask a Librarian" service at the public library? I filled out their online form around 10:00 p.m., and bada bing bada boom, the next morning there was my answer in an e-mail response. I followed it up with another question and promptly got a second reply. I love those people.
Here are my tips for using your "Ask a Librarian" service successfully:
~ read and follow the directions for an e-mail query
~ provide as much information as you can to give the librarian a real idea of what you are looking for, but also try to be as precise and succinct as possible
~ tell the librarian what resources you've already checked for information
~ be patient as sometimes it may take a day or two or even a week or two to receive your answer
~ be polite, and a follow-up thank you e-mail is always nice
Be aware that some questions lend themselves to e-mail queries more readily than others. My population question was pretty straightforward. Librarians may not, or in some cases will not, do extensive research for you, at least free of charge. If you provide an exact citation for an obit they will probably be able to help you out. If you say, "I think my John Smith died sometime in 1902," but you're not sure of the particulars and there isn't an easily accessible index to the newspaper where the obit might have appeared, they may not be able to help you. Believe it or not, not all old newspapers are indexed or online. Take some of my local Worcester, MA papers for example. Librarians simply don't have time to do extensive research for every patron. That being said, "Ask a Librarian" is a wonderful service. Try it out.
Now I'm off to do research. I live for this stuff...
Other Posts You Might Like:
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
What's In A Name (An Ongoing Series): Chenette
Tombstone Tuesday: Francois Chenette, Civil War Soldier
What's In A Name (An Ongoing Series): Radziewicz
Where They Lived: Every Address Tells a Story
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) Back in June I started blogging about my aunt Helen Bulak's 1937 trip to Poland. Unfortunately, due to an unexpected and extended trip of my own, my plan to write regular posts about her trip using photos, memorabilia, and entries from her travel diary was waylaid. Our document analysis assignment for the 98th COG provides the perfect opportunity to get back on track and re-immerse myself in my research. It also offers the opportunity to take a look at a "document" that frankly doesn't look like much, but despite its appearance provides a significant amount of information. I'd also like to briefly mention three of my favorite resources for locating information on people and places in Warsaw, Poland. I would not consider one to be a "traditional" genealogy resource, yet it provides a unique source of information not found elsewhere.When I started researching my family history about seven or eight years ago I knew little about my grandfather Adolf Szerejko's family in Poland. I knew that my grandfather came from Warsaw, that some of his family were killed during World War II, and that family still lived in Warsaw at least up until the 1960's or 1970's.
Most people know Warsaw and Poland suffered significant losses during World War II. After the Warsaw Uprising in August and September of 1944 the city was systematically destroyed by its Nazi occupiers and the surviving population was relocated to camps of one sort or another for the remainder of the war. The human, cultural, and historical losses suffered by the people of Warsaw was immense. Because of these losses research into the lives of 20th century Warsaw ancestors presents its own unique set of challenges. Records and repositories were destroyed. Churches and church records were destroyed. Until recent years churches, if they survived, were not required to retain records. Family records were destroyed. What's a genealogist to do?
Using a variety of sources--photos, the Ellis Island database, vital records, family letters, and e-mail correspondence with a long-lost cousin--I've managed to discover quite a bit of information about the family in Poland. My Aunt Helen stayed with my grandfather's brother, Feliks Szerejko, and his family when she visited Warsaw in 1937. I know from her travel diary that she visited other family members as well. When I first found my Aunt Helen's diary I also found a folded piece of paper with family addresses tucked inside. The address list and the travel diary, together, provide a significant amount of information about my grandfather's family in Warsaw.
At first glance, what does the address list tell me? There are four addresses from Warsaw. Three are for my grandfather's brothers--Feliks, Jan, and Henryk. This tells me the three brothers are still alive as of August of 1937. When I compare the names with what is in the diary and the names on the backs of my photos, I can put a name and and identity to a face. The final address is for my grandfather's aunt, Julja Bileska. I have photos of a Julja Bielska, and I know my great-grandmother's name was Jozefa Bielska, so my guess is Julja and Jozefa were sisters. In parentheses is the word Ciocia, Polish for aunt. That pretty much confirms it for me. Feliks' address is listed as ul. (ulica or street) Dzialdowska 8-37. I learned from my cousin Marek, who grew up in the greater Warsaw area, that ul. Dzialdowska is in the Wola district of the city. Henryk's address is listed Grochow (the district) and Omulewska (the street) and Warszawa (the city). Julja Bielska is listed as living at ul. Kopernika 31-7.
When doing research in World War II Warsaw, knowing the district where someone lived can be very important. My mom told me Feliks' wife Leokadia was killed during World War II--the Germans shot her and everyone else in their apartment building. I have no idea when and why this happened. Since Feliks and Leokadia lived in the Wola district, I suspect this may have happened as part of the Wola Massacre during the Warsaw Uprising. After doing some research, I have discovered there were barricades, fighting, and mass executions in the area of ul. Dzialdowska. In this case knowing the district where a street is located also provides significant background information about the inhabitants of the street.
If I want to locate one of these addresses on a map what would I do? So much of Warsaw was destroyed during the war. How do I know where these places are or use to be? A couple of years ago I found a unique source, Fotoplan '35. Fotoplan '35 is part of larger resource, Warszawa 1939. The fotoplan contains fragments of an aerial photograph of Warsaw taken in 1935. The folks at Warszawa 1939 are using the fotoplan to document pre-war architecture in Warsaw. If you click on a section you can look at architecture for that area. Red indicates buildings that are no longer there. Green indicates buildings which still exist.
Fotoplan '35 is in Polish. When I use it I pop it into Google Translate which does a pretty decent job translating what I need to know. Unfortunately not all of the addresses I need are available on the fotoplan, however I did locate Julja Bielska's home. I found ul. Kopernika on Google Maps, then I checked the fotoplan for that part of the city. When you hover over a building, the building number appears. With a little persistence and patience I found number 31! One of the photos of ul. Kopernika 31 was taken in 1941. It amazes me to think that Julja may have been in the building the day the photo was taken. I have not yet, but plan to use it to try to locate churches near ancestral homes, to try to figure out which churches family members may have attended. I can then check to see if the churches and/or church records still exist.
Another resource I have found helpful is the 1938/39 Warsaw Telephone Directory. It's an incredibly interesting resource. It's also incredibly sad. I look at the lists of names, particularly the all the Jewish names, and wonder about the fate of all of those people. What happened to them? As a whole, the telephone directory provides snapshot in time, a picture of Warsaw society as it existed on the eve of World War II. Unfortunately I did not find my specific family members in the telephone directory. It is reasonable to think that not everyone had a telephone at that time. I did, however, find some of the surnames I'm looking for. I can follow up on the names listed, do a surname study, and try to make a connection between the people in the phone book and my known relatives.
One other resource I have found helpful is the Polish version of Wikipedia. I do offer a word of caution when using either Wikipedia or the Polish version of Wikipedia. Wikis by nature are compiled by people like you and me. Some people do careful research and cite their sources. Some people don't. When I use Wikipedia I usually look to see if the person who wrote the entry cites their sources and provides external links. Do I notice any glaring errors? That said, why do I like the Polish version of Wikipedia? The Polish version often provides more information on topics relating to Poland. Here is the English version of the entry for the Wola district, and here is the Polish version for the the entry. The Polish version has more information and related links which is often the case.
One final tip when looking for family in Warsaw, or Poland for that matter. If you have an old address, consider sending a letter to the to the address, even if it's a pre-war address. My experience has been that if people returned to Warsaw, they often returned to the same area or even the same address once they were able to.
When it comes to research, I believe in documenting and verifying as much as I possibly can. Unfortunately research in Warsaw presents some unique challenges. I may never find the records I'm looking for. I may never be able to document my research or have sources to cite. It's something that I have to accept. It doesn't mean I won't keep trying though. Sometimes the information is there. We just need to be creative to find it.
Note: I have deliberately obscured the second address on the list to maintain the privacy of the family.
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 4 of 4)
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)
Epilogue
On August 4, 2002 a granite memorial marker was placed and dedicated to the six Naramore children in the Riverside Cemetery in Barre, Massachusetts. The ceremony was attended by approximately three dozen people including the town historian, members of the Barre Historical Society, local politicians, and the Massachusetts Secretary of State. The group gathered to remember the six slain children and mark in a dignified way their previously unmarked paupers' graves. Two musicians played a flute duet for the occasion.
As one of the T&G articles said, nothing can excuse Lizzie Naramore's actions. Yet what does the "Coldbrook Tragedy" say about society in 1901--the lack of a "social safety net," the place of women in society, mental illness, the court system, the child welfare system? What does it say about society today? How much have things really changed?
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 2 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
Epilogue
On August 4, 2002 a granite memorial marker was placed and dedicated to the six Naramore children in the Riverside Cemetery in Barre, Massachusetts. The ceremony was attended by approximately three dozen people including the town historian, members of the Barre Historical Society, local politicians, and the Massachusetts Secretary of State. The group gathered to remember the six slain children and mark in a dignified way their previously unmarked paupers' graves. Two musicians played a flute duet for the occasion.
As one of the T&G articles said, nothing can excuse Lizzie Naramore's actions. Yet what does the "Coldbrook Tragedy" say about society in 1901--the lack of a "social safety net," the place of women in society, mental illness, the court system, the child welfare system? What does it say about society today? How much have things really changed?
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 2 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) After all that time on the Internet, and with eight pages of notes what did I learn and what do I really know? Let me break it down.
What I'm sure of (or at least reasonably sure of):
~ Coldbrook Springs no longer exists as a town and is now part of watershed land for the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC).
~ Baldwinville is part of Templeton.
~ Frank and Lizzie's wedding date
~ Ethel Marion's birth date
~ Chester Irving's birth date
~ Lena Blanche's birth date
~ The children's death date
~ The children's burial place - Riverside Cemetery, Barre, MA
~ Name spellings are flexible (e.g. Naramore/Narramore, Lena/Lina).
~ Lucius Naramore's real estate was worth $8,000 and his personal estate was worth $5,000 in 1870, and his real estate was worth $4,000 and personal estate was worth $2,500 in 1860 (U.S. Census).
What I think I know, but I need to verify (or get more details):
~ Frank's birth date and birthplace
~ Frank's death date is after 1930, and he is probably buried in either Worcester or Winchester, NH.
~ Lizzie's birth date and birthplace
~ Birth dates and birthplaces for Charles Edward, Walter Craig, and daughter Elizabeth
~ Lizzie gave birth to seven children, six of whom were still living when the 1900 census was taken.
~ Josiah Craig's approximate birth date and wedding date
~ Craig family descendants still live in St. Andrew's, New Brunswick.
~ Lizzie worked in a boarding house in Baldwinville, MA.
~ Frank's father Lucius was married twice, and Minerva Warren was his second wife.
~ Frank's family in Winchester, NH were farmers and in the lumber business.
~ Lizzie was committed to the insane hospital in Worcester (There were two facilities, but I believe she was committed to what is now Worcester State Hospital.).
~ Templeton, MA paid for the funerals of the children.
Good to know, here say, or gossip, but might be worth following up on:
~ Lizzie worked as a domestic in Baldwinville, MA, Manchester, NH, and Eastport, ME.
~ Lizzie worked as a dressmaker.
~ Governor Curtis Guild, Jr. visited Lizzie at the insane hospital before pardoning her.
~ Lizzie had Frank arrested.
~ Frank was arrested for assaulting another man and fined $10.
Interesting to know:
~ Lizzie had to leave her family home in New Brunswick at an early age. Why?
~ Lizzie worked as a dressmaker until her eyes gave out.
~ Frank had not seen his half-brother for 13 years up until the time of the murders. Again, why?
~ Frank earned $12 a week, but was out of work for two months the winter before the murders.
~ The murders happened in March after a cold winter with little food for the family.
~ According to one newspaper report Lizzie was described as a large, handsome woman.
~ Frank and Lizzie's daughter Elizabeth was called Bessie.
In general, my standard operating procedure is believe nothing and verify everything. Over the years I've found errors in death certificates, marriage records, burial records, and census records. I try to double check everything or find multiple sources when I can. Also, as you can tell, I am interested in the details of people's lives beyond names and dates. What makes people tick? What were their day to day lives like? So where do I go from here?
The first thing I would do is go to the Worcester Public Library to verify what I already have with the Ancestry Library Edition and the NEHGS database. I would check the print version of the Worcester City Directories for information for Frank Naramore to track where he was living before and after 1930. The directories also (sometimes) provide death dates and removal dates and locations. If I find Frank's death date I could check the local paper for obituaries to discover additional information and his burial place. I could check the Worcester City Hall Clerk's Office for a death certificate. I'd review the microfilm for local newspaper articles about the crime. I'd check the border crossing lists between the United States and Canada to see if I could discover if Lizzie returned to New Brunswick after she was released from the insane hospital. Are hospital records available? My guess is no, but it couldn't hurt to check. Other potential sources of information include records for the towns of Templeton and Barre, MA and Winchester, NH. A library or historical society in St. Andrews, New Brunswick might have some information as well. Court records might be available and accessible. That just a start...
I discovered a lot of information. What I didn't discover is what happened to Lizzie Naramore after 1906 or 1907. I believe she worked for meager earnings in the Boston area and returned once to visit the graves of her children. One of the newspaper articles I read suggested she may have moved to a larger city such as Boston or New York to escape notoriety by disappearing into the crowd. She may have changed her name or returned to Canada.
The mystery continues...
Update 9/6/10: To see a transcription of Frank Naramore's obituary see my blog post Amanuensis Monday: Frank L. Naramore Obituary.
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 2 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 4 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 2 of 4)
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) The assignment for the 97th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy was to spend between three and five hours researching someone's genealogy from scratch. I will admit I did spend a bit more time, about six hours, researching the Naramore family. I also wrote some of my notes by hand rather than printing everything off, so the note-taking process involved some extra time. I typed up my notes after I completed my research.
For my research I only used sources that I was able to access online from home. Its also worth mentioning that I do not have a subscription to Ancestry. Shocking I know. When I need to use Ancestry for my ongoing family research I use the Ancestry Library Edition at the Worcester Public Library, but the Library Edition is not available for home use. I do have a subscription to Footnote.com. All of the other sources I used are free and available online either through the Worcester Public Library (WPL), the Boston Public Library (BPL), or the Internet. In general, when I'm working on my genealogy, I do as much research as I can from home, so I can make the best use of my time when I do go to the library.
Let me say I am surprised at how much I was able to discover working from home. I want to add the disclaimer that the resources I used are just the start of my research. The Internet provides lots of information, but most of the information needs to be verified elsewhere. In general I prefer original documents or copies of original documents, rather than transcriptions. Human error with transcriptions is always a factor. In part three of my series I will outline what my next steps will be as far as researching and accessing original material and records to support and further my research.
My main goal was to find out what happened to Lizzie Naramore after she was released from the state mental hospital. What became of her? Where did she go? My secondary goal was to trace the Naramore and Craig families as far as I could within the limited research time frame allowed by the COG guidelines and to learn a little about Frank Naramore and Lizzie Naramore to put crime into context.
I started my research with the Family Search Pilot database, because I knew I would probably find birth, death, and marriage information for Massachusetts for the time period I was researching. According to Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910 Frank Lucius Naramore (born 1864, age 26) married Elizabeth Ann Craig (age 25) on 25 Oct 1890 in Templeton, MA. The groom's father was Lucius Naramore and his mother was Minerva Warren. The bride's father was listed as Josiah Craig and her mother was Hannah E. Clark.
I easily found three of the Naramore children listed in Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915. Ethel Mario[n] Naramore was born 29 Jun 1891 in Templeton, MA. Interestingly, Ethel was born eight months after her parents' marriage. I also found birth records for Chester Irving Naramore (born 14 Jun 1896 in Oakham, MA) and Lina [Lena] Blanche Narramore [Naramore] (born 27 Mar 1900). My guess is another search trying alternate spellings would reveal results for the other three Naramore children.
Not surprisingly I found all six of the children's death records in Massachusetts Deaths & Burials, 1795-1910. The correct death date is listed for all of the children--21 Mar 1901. The death records list the place of death (Barre, MA), Frank Naramore's birthplace (Winchester, NH), and Elizabeth Ann Craig's birthplace (Eastport, ME). The birth dates for the children do not correspond with the dates listed on the birth records I found. The burial place for all the children is listed as Canada which is incorrect. All of the children were interred in the Riverside Cemetery in Barre, MA. Also, while Lizzie spent some time in Eastport, ME I believe she was born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
Using a combination of sources--Family Search Pilot, Heritage Quest, and Footnote.com--I found U.S. Census information from the years 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1930. I found the record for Frank, Elizabeth, and all of the children for 1900. I also found U.S. Census information for Frank L. Naramore and siblings in Winchester, NH for 1880. I also found census information for Frank L. Naramore, siblings, and parents in the 1870 U.S. Census and in the 1860 U.S. Census. Lizzie was listed as Elizabeth Craig (age 16, approximate birth date 1865), along with her father Josiah (age 54, approximate birth date 1827), and sister Hannah Craig (approximate birth date 1864) in the 1881 Canadian Census in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Most interestingly I found Frank L. Naramore living as a boarder with another family in Worcester, MA in the 1930 census. I was not able to find any mention of Lizzie in the census after 1900 or any mention of her at all after 1906.
I found two articles in PERSI (Heritage Quest) regarding the Craig family of New Brunswick listed in the references below. I also found a listing for Frank Naramore's brothers' sawmill in the Gazetteer of Cheshire County, Town of Winchester, NH, 1736-1885.
I also found some family tree information on RootsWeb, and a message on the message board from a woman who is also doing research on the Naramore family. I contacted the woman on the message board and we exchanged research information.
Given the sensational nature of the case I found numerous newspaper articles from across the country using Chronicling America and Footnote.com, as well as the Boston Globe (1872-1922) via the Access Newspaper Archive available through the BPL online. I discovered a lot of information from the newspaper articles, some of it conflicting, and much of it hear-say. One article from the Boston Daily Globe published a reporter's interview with Frank Naramore the day after the murders. Frank's interview paints a less than flattering portrait of Elizabeth, and mentions she had him arrested once. He also implies that Elizabeth accused him running around with women and spending money on rum.
Overall I have eight pages of typed research notes. Besides the children and Frank and Elizabeth I was able to find some information for a total 19 additional family members, as well as nine other people involved in the case in some capacity.
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 4 of 4)
References:
Craig Family, 1785-1985, New Brunswick. Loyalist Gazette. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Dec 1985. Vol. 23, issue 2.
Joel & Sara Craig's Colony, New Brunswick. Beaver: Canada's History Magazine. August 1998. Vol. 78, issue 4.
For my research I only used sources that I was able to access online from home. Its also worth mentioning that I do not have a subscription to Ancestry. Shocking I know. When I need to use Ancestry for my ongoing family research I use the Ancestry Library Edition at the Worcester Public Library, but the Library Edition is not available for home use. I do have a subscription to Footnote.com. All of the other sources I used are free and available online either through the Worcester Public Library (WPL), the Boston Public Library (BPL), or the Internet. In general, when I'm working on my genealogy, I do as much research as I can from home, so I can make the best use of my time when I do go to the library.
Let me say I am surprised at how much I was able to discover working from home. I want to add the disclaimer that the resources I used are just the start of my research. The Internet provides lots of information, but most of the information needs to be verified elsewhere. In general I prefer original documents or copies of original documents, rather than transcriptions. Human error with transcriptions is always a factor. In part three of my series I will outline what my next steps will be as far as researching and accessing original material and records to support and further my research.
My main goal was to find out what happened to Lizzie Naramore after she was released from the state mental hospital. What became of her? Where did she go? My secondary goal was to trace the Naramore and Craig families as far as I could within the limited research time frame allowed by the COG guidelines and to learn a little about Frank Naramore and Lizzie Naramore to put crime into context.
I started my research with the Family Search Pilot database, because I knew I would probably find birth, death, and marriage information for Massachusetts for the time period I was researching. According to Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910 Frank Lucius Naramore (born 1864, age 26) married Elizabeth Ann Craig (age 25) on 25 Oct 1890 in Templeton, MA. The groom's father was Lucius Naramore and his mother was Minerva Warren. The bride's father was listed as Josiah Craig and her mother was Hannah E. Clark.
I easily found three of the Naramore children listed in Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915. Ethel Mario[n] Naramore was born 29 Jun 1891 in Templeton, MA. Interestingly, Ethel was born eight months after her parents' marriage. I also found birth records for Chester Irving Naramore (born 14 Jun 1896 in Oakham, MA) and Lina [Lena] Blanche Narramore [Naramore] (born 27 Mar 1900). My guess is another search trying alternate spellings would reveal results for the other three Naramore children.
Not surprisingly I found all six of the children's death records in Massachusetts Deaths & Burials, 1795-1910. The correct death date is listed for all of the children--21 Mar 1901. The death records list the place of death (Barre, MA), Frank Naramore's birthplace (Winchester, NH), and Elizabeth Ann Craig's birthplace (Eastport, ME). The birth dates for the children do not correspond with the dates listed on the birth records I found. The burial place for all the children is listed as Canada which is incorrect. All of the children were interred in the Riverside Cemetery in Barre, MA. Also, while Lizzie spent some time in Eastport, ME I believe she was born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
Using a combination of sources--Family Search Pilot, Heritage Quest, and Footnote.com--I found U.S. Census information from the years 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1930. I found the record for Frank, Elizabeth, and all of the children for 1900. I also found U.S. Census information for Frank L. Naramore and siblings in Winchester, NH for 1880. I also found census information for Frank L. Naramore, siblings, and parents in the 1870 U.S. Census and in the 1860 U.S. Census. Lizzie was listed as Elizabeth Craig (age 16, approximate birth date 1865), along with her father Josiah (age 54, approximate birth date 1827), and sister Hannah Craig (approximate birth date 1864) in the 1881 Canadian Census in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Most interestingly I found Frank L. Naramore living as a boarder with another family in Worcester, MA in the 1930 census. I was not able to find any mention of Lizzie in the census after 1900 or any mention of her at all after 1906.
I found two articles in PERSI (Heritage Quest) regarding the Craig family of New Brunswick listed in the references below. I also found a listing for Frank Naramore's brothers' sawmill in the Gazetteer of Cheshire County, Town of Winchester, NH, 1736-1885.
I also found some family tree information on RootsWeb, and a message on the message board from a woman who is also doing research on the Naramore family. I contacted the woman on the message board and we exchanged research information.
Given the sensational nature of the case I found numerous newspaper articles from across the country using Chronicling America and Footnote.com, as well as the Boston Globe (1872-1922) via the Access Newspaper Archive available through the BPL online. I discovered a lot of information from the newspaper articles, some of it conflicting, and much of it hear-say. One article from the Boston Daily Globe published a reporter's interview with Frank Naramore the day after the murders. Frank's interview paints a less than flattering portrait of Elizabeth, and mentions she had him arrested once. He also implies that Elizabeth accused him running around with women and spending money on rum.
Overall I have eight pages of typed research notes. Besides the children and Frank and Elizabeth I was able to find some information for a total 19 additional family members, as well as nine other people involved in the case in some capacity.
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 4 of 4)
References:
Craig Family, 1785-1985, New Brunswick. Loyalist Gazette. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Dec 1985. Vol. 23, issue 2.
Joel & Sara Craig's Colony, New Brunswick. Beaver: Canada's History Magazine. August 1998. Vol. 78, issue 4.
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) A hundred years before the Andrea Yates and Susan Smith cases made national news, a similar but mostly forgotten tragedy occurred in the sleepy little town of Coldbrook Springs, Massachusetts. In 1901 "The Coldbrook Tragedy," as was it was called also made national news. I became intrigued by the story a number of years ago after reading an article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about the case. I decided to research some of the people involved in the case for the 97th Carnival of Genealogy and for a writing project I hope to work on later this year. "The Coldbrook Tragedy" is not related to my personal genealogical research in any way.
A Brief Overview of the Case
On March 21, 1901 in Coldbrook Springs, sometime in the early afternoon, a Mrs. Elizabeth A. Naramore killed her six children one by one, oldest to youngest, with a club and an ax in the kitchen of the family home. She then, unsuccessfully attempted suicide. Elizabeth, also known as Lizzie, later plead guilty in Worcester Superior Court to the murder of one child, daughter Ethel Marion Naramore, age 9. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Mrs. Naramore was sentenced to life in the state hospital in Worcester. On November 30, 1906, after spending five years at the mental hospital, she was judged to be sane and released.
Some Details Concerning the Case
First some background on the case as told in the Telegram & Gazette (T&G). I accessed the articles listed below from the ProQuest database, Massachusetts Newsstand via the Worcester Public Library (WPL) website. I used the articles in the T&G for basic information on the case and as a starting place for my research.
According to the T&G Elizabeth Craig Naramore was a native of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. At the age of 19 she met and married Frank Naramore of Baldwinville, Massachusetts even though her friends and family were opposed to the match. The couple moved to Coldbrook Springs, near the town of Barre in central Massachusetts. Mrs. Naramore was described as a hard worker and a loving mother. Husband Frank Naramore, who worked at the nearby Parker Lumber Company, was a well paid worker but also an undependable wastrel, abusive, and a womanizer. While Frank wasted the money he earned, Lizzie and their six children lived in poverty. The children were: Ethel Marion, age 9; Charles Edward, age 7; Walter Craig, age 5; Chester Irving, age 4; Elizabeth, age 3; and Lena Blanche, age 12 months.
Shortly before the tragedy occurred, Lizzie reached out to the Overseers of the Poor in Baldwinville for assistance. When the overseers visited the Naramore home they determined that the Naramores situation was so dire, due to the dilapidated condition of the home and the lack of food for the family, the decision was made to take the children away. Five of the children were to be placed with foster families and the youngest, an infant, would be sheltered at a poorhouse in Holden, Massachusetts.
Before the authorities were able to take her children away, in an act of desperation, Lizzie killed them one by one and then tried to kill herself. She survived the suicide attempt, was tried and plead guilty to the murder of her oldest child Ethel Marion Naramore. She was never tried for the murders of the other children. Elizabeth Naramore was committed to the state mental hospital. After her release she left central Massachusetts to work as a clerk in a Boston department store, returning once in 1907 to visit the graves of her children. Frank Naramore left Barre after the children's funeral and the subsequent trial of his wife and was never heard from again. At the funeral for the children, the Reverend Charles Talmage, pastor of the Barre Congregational Church, gave an impassioned speech which placed the blame for the situation squarely on Frank Naramore as an abusive father and the community at large for turning a blind eye to the what was known to be a situation of abuse and neglect.
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 2 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 4 or 4)
References:
Bradford L. Miner. (2002, July 31). Barre plans dedication of Naramore memorial :[RT. 9 WEST Edition]. Telegram & Gazette,p. B4. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Massachusetts Newsstand. (Document ID: 144296651).
Bradford L. Miner. (2002, June 30). A final tribute ; Six slain children will be forgotten no longer :[ALL Edition]. Telegram & Gazette,p. A1. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Massachusetts Newsstand. (Document ID: 130795151).
Bradford L. Miner. (2002, August 5). A town bears witness ; Barre memorial honors six slain children :[ALL Edition]. Telegram & Gazette,p. B1. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Massachusetts Newsstand. (Document ID: 146878981).
A Brief Overview of the Case
On March 21, 1901 in Coldbrook Springs, sometime in the early afternoon, a Mrs. Elizabeth A. Naramore killed her six children one by one, oldest to youngest, with a club and an ax in the kitchen of the family home. She then, unsuccessfully attempted suicide. Elizabeth, also known as Lizzie, later plead guilty in Worcester Superior Court to the murder of one child, daughter Ethel Marion Naramore, age 9. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Mrs. Naramore was sentenced to life in the state hospital in Worcester. On November 30, 1906, after spending five years at the mental hospital, she was judged to be sane and released.
Some Details Concerning the Case
First some background on the case as told in the Telegram & Gazette (T&G). I accessed the articles listed below from the ProQuest database, Massachusetts Newsstand via the Worcester Public Library (WPL) website. I used the articles in the T&G for basic information on the case and as a starting place for my research.
According to the T&G Elizabeth Craig Naramore was a native of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. At the age of 19 she met and married Frank Naramore of Baldwinville, Massachusetts even though her friends and family were opposed to the match. The couple moved to Coldbrook Springs, near the town of Barre in central Massachusetts. Mrs. Naramore was described as a hard worker and a loving mother. Husband Frank Naramore, who worked at the nearby Parker Lumber Company, was a well paid worker but also an undependable wastrel, abusive, and a womanizer. While Frank wasted the money he earned, Lizzie and their six children lived in poverty. The children were: Ethel Marion, age 9; Charles Edward, age 7; Walter Craig, age 5; Chester Irving, age 4; Elizabeth, age 3; and Lena Blanche, age 12 months.
Shortly before the tragedy occurred, Lizzie reached out to the Overseers of the Poor in Baldwinville for assistance. When the overseers visited the Naramore home they determined that the Naramores situation was so dire, due to the dilapidated condition of the home and the lack of food for the family, the decision was made to take the children away. Five of the children were to be placed with foster families and the youngest, an infant, would be sheltered at a poorhouse in Holden, Massachusetts.
Before the authorities were able to take her children away, in an act of desperation, Lizzie killed them one by one and then tried to kill herself. She survived the suicide attempt, was tried and plead guilty to the murder of her oldest child Ethel Marion Naramore. She was never tried for the murders of the other children. Elizabeth Naramore was committed to the state mental hospital. After her release she left central Massachusetts to work as a clerk in a Boston department store, returning once in 1907 to visit the graves of her children. Frank Naramore left Barre after the children's funeral and the subsequent trial of his wife and was never heard from again. At the funeral for the children, the Reverend Charles Talmage, pastor of the Barre Congregational Church, gave an impassioned speech which placed the blame for the situation squarely on Frank Naramore as an abusive father and the community at large for turning a blind eye to the what was known to be a situation of abuse and neglect.
See Also:
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 2 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 3 of 4)
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 4 or 4)
References:
Bradford L. Miner. (2002, July 31). Barre plans dedication of Naramore memorial :[RT. 9 WEST Edition]. Telegram & Gazette,p. B4. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Massachusetts Newsstand. (Document ID: 144296651).
Bradford L. Miner. (2002, June 30). A final tribute ; Six slain children will be forgotten no longer :[ALL Edition]. Telegram & Gazette,p. A1. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Massachusetts Newsstand. (Document ID: 130795151).
Bradford L. Miner. (2002, August 5). A town bears witness ; Barre memorial honors six slain children :[ALL Edition]. Telegram & Gazette,p. B1. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Massachusetts Newsstand. (Document ID: 146878981).
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