George Henry Haskins - The start of his story..

George Henry Haskins was born Feb. 2, 1854 in New York as the third child of George W. Haskins and Mary E. McFarland. George is believed to have been born in Dutchess County in or near the town of Amenia, NY. In the decade of his birth his father began working as a shoemaker.

He had six siblings; Alma, Corley (Coralie), Frederick, Julia, Edward William, and Mary E.   His mother died when he was nine years old.  His father remarried a year later.  His new step-mother was actually his Aunt Sarah, his mother's sister.  Census reports indicate that George was able to read and write.

When he was 32, he married Sarah L. Drake; daughter of Charles W. Drake and Ann Augusta West.  Their wedding was on January 13, 1887 in Pawling, NY at the Central Baptist Church.

George Henry Haskins and Sarah L. Drake had the following children:

• Darwin Haskins was born on March 10,1888. He died on April 1,1951 in Rochester at home which was 29 Averill Ave..
• Julia Haskins was born on August 3, 1891 in Waterbury. She died on May 15, 1898 in Sodus, NY.
• Frederick Edward Haskins was born April 14, 1894 at 118 Thompson, Ward 9, Rochester, NY. He died on July 2, 1982 in Marion, NY at home. He married Katherine Van Lare on June 4, 1913.

George died from nephritis at the New Haven Hospital in Connecticut on September 14, 1925.  He was buried in the Fountain Hill Cemetery in Deep River, CT.  His burial plot was purchased in 1909 by his brother in law, Willis Foster.  He was estranged from his wife and children.

Saturday NIght Genealogy Fun - Your Maternal Grandfather's Paternal Line

The Challenge:

Find a living male person in your database from your maternal grandfather's patrilineal line who could take a Y-DNA test by answering the following questions.

The Questions:

1.  What was your mother's father's name?  My mother's father was Arthur Derks (1913-1999), born in Rochester, NY.  He was one of ten children; he had 5 brothers and 4 sisters.  He had 3 sons and 2 daughters.

2.  What is your mother's father's patrilineal line? That is, his father's father's father's...back to the most distant male ancestor in the line? 

• Arthur Derks' father was Peter Derks (1881-1960), born in Groede, Zeeland, Netherlands.  He came to the US in 1905.
• Peter Derks' father was Abraham Dierx (1834-1907), born and died in the Netherlands.
• Abraham Dierx's father was Jacobus Dierx (1782- ?), born and died in the Netherlands.
• Jacobus Dierx's father was Jan Dierx (1740-1818), born and died in the Netherlands.
• Jan Dierx's father is believed to be Klaas Dierx from the Netherlands.

3.  Can you identify male sibling(s) of your mother's father, and any living male descendants from those male sibling(s)?  If so, you have a candidate to do a Y-DNA test on that patrilineal line.  If not, you may have to find male siblings, and their descendants, of the next generation back, or even further.

My mother's father had 4 brothers.

• Abram Derks (1904-1985) He had two sons and one daughter.
• Peter Derks (1910-1985) He had one son and one daughter.
• Milton Derks (1914-1977).  He had one son.
• Eugene Derks (born after 1920 - still living).  He had three sons and one daughter.

All of the sons would be candidates for a Y-DNA test.  I am sure that many of these individuals have also had children that could be candidates.  I need to do more hunting to find out the specifics on each of their descendants.  I am looking forward to the 1940 census for some additional information and it gives me an incentive to have some conversations with aging Derks relatives to gather any and all information that they may have.

I haven't done a great deal of research on Y-DNA testing, and I'm not sure of the specifics on candidates.  Wouldn't my mother's brothers be candidates?  If anyone knows I'd love to have the answer.

This challenge can be found at: http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/01/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-your.html

Marriage of Anna Augusta Druitt and Joseph West

Joseph West and Anna Augusta Druitt are my fith great grandparents.  It appears that they were married on May 10th 1814 in the St. Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney near London, England.

London Metropolitan Archives, Saint Dunstan And All Saints, Register of marriages, P93/DUN, Item 054

Here is a picture of the church as it looks today.  This picture was found on the church's website.

http://www.stdunstanstepney.org/Welcome.html



52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy : Week 1 Blogs

Blogging is a great way for genealogists to share information with family members, potential cousins and each other. For which blog are you most thankful? Is it one of the earliest blogs you read, or a current one? What is special about the blog and why should others read it?

What an interesting question?  There are so many different blogs that I enjoy reading.  I read most of my blogs on my ipad using my Flipboard app which is a wonderful way to read and enjoy different posts.  I'm not sure I can narrow it down to just one so....I am going to list a few of my favorites in no particular order.

Genealogy Tip of the Day
I am thankful for all of the little words of wisdom that Michael John Neill provides.  Each day there is something new to think about that can help guide your genealogy and family history research.  I can always take something away to help me be better.

Climbing My Family Tree
I am thankful for this blog because it is enjoyable to read and to get ideas.  The photos are beautiful and her design in creative.  I get ideas and use this as a tool for linking to other great blogs.

The We Tree Genealogy Blog
I love Amy Coffin's blog.  I get a lot of great ideas and advice.  I recently purchased her e-book entitled The Big Genealogy Blog Book which I have incorporated into my 2012 genealogy goals.  I hope her tips will help me improve my blog.  It was one of the first blogs that I read and still enjoy.

Geneabloggers
This is my go to website to find new blogs, blogging ideas and general information about genealogy and family  history blogs.  If it wasn't for this site my blog probably wouldn't exists. 

Genea-Musings
I am thankful for this blog especially for its Saturday Night Genealogy Fun events.  Every Saturday a new challenge is posted related to an activity related to genealogy and family history.  These tasks have helped me to work on my own family research.  One of my favorite posts that pushed my research was The Ancestor's Geneameme.

A Year in Review With a Plan For 2012

So... At the beginning of 2011, I said that my goals included writing a book to which my family told me "you're crazy" and to blog on a more regular basis.
Well, as of yesterday, I did publish a book.  It was not what I had in mind when I made the goal, but none the less I used Blurb to publish my family genealogy posts from 2011, so it technically means I reached my goal. 

In terms of blogging on a more regular basis I feel I did okay.  Life happens and gets in the way but I was able to post 20 times, this will be 21.  That means I averaged about 1.75 posts per month.  Blogging helped with my research but I feel I still have a long way to go with both.

My goals for 2012:

Research Goal:

• Explore and source the DRAKE line of my family tree.

Education Goal:

• Investigate and possibly begin the NGS Home Study Course.

Writing Goal:

• Write research reports on the HASKINS family line.
• Finish reading You Can Write Your Family History by Sharon DeBarolo Carmack and actually begin writing my family history.

Blogging Goal:

• Double my number of posts, so that means I need to post at least 42 times.
• Increase my number of followers by 25% ( I have 24, so that means I need to have 30 by the end of 2012)
• Read and apply some of the tips from The Big Genealogy Blog Book by Amy Coffin.

November A Month to be Thankful

We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies. ~Shirley Abbott

Which ancestor are you the most thankful for? Why?

Well that is a very waited and difficult question! Before I can answer this I wonder, what is the "technical" definition of an ancestor?

Ancestor:  A person from whom one is descended, especially if more remote than a grandparent; a forebear. (As defined in the American Heritage Dictionary)

Based on this I guess I would say that I'm most thankful for my great grandfather; Fred Haskins.  Why?  Well I could say many different people but I am thinking of this in the context of my genealogy research.  For whatever reason, Fred didn't tell us much about our family, especially the Haskins side.   This has made my genealogy detective work challenging, fun and exhilerating. 

Because of Fred...

1. I have better genealogy skills.
2. I have spent eight years looking for his father and finally found him.  What a rush that was!
3. I have quested to learn all I can about his ancestors.  I have tracked the family line in the US back to 1630 and learned that my ancestors were founding fathers of Windsor, CT
4. I have learned how to request military records; I was able to get Semour Haskins, my 4th great grandfather's records from the War of 1812.
5. I have learned a great deal about Dutchess county, NY especially the town of Amenia.  I have been there three times and LOVE to eat at Three Brother's Pizza.
6. I have learned how to track down and request primary documents to use as sources. One being his birth certificate which revealed he spent most of his life saying he was a different age than he actually was.
7. I have learned how to use city directories as a great resource for learning about your family tree.  Fred was born in Rochester, NY @ 118 Thompson, Ward 9.
8. I ended up taking a wonderful family vaction to the Conneticut shore.  I would never have gone there if I wasn't looking for his father's (George Henry Haskins) grave.
9. I have become the family genealogy expert, which has included being passed down all of the old family photos.  What an honor -  Thanks Aunt Es.
10. I have met many very helpful kind people in the world of genealogy whom I wouldn't know as much about my family without them.

This is a picture of Fred, myself, my brother and a cousin at a backyard picnic.

Wordless Wednesday - Charles W. Drake