the spousal unit and I are interested in genealogy. She has a collection of cool books full of letters and stories from actual ancestors. It's interesting and fun to read of these folks and then actually visit where they lived. On my mothers side the hunt for info was an easy matter of just plugging grandma's name in google and go to a well documented family tree web site. My dads side of things has always been foggy and the trail just dead ends in 1910 chicago, I'd sure like to know more about grandpa Bertel's family. I've mined all I can from the popular web sites and found nothing. Are there folks that hunt this info down for a reasonable fee? where do I go from here? anybody in the C-Brat family into genealogy?
any genealogy wizzes
- Thread starter B~C
- Start date
Idk much about genealogy but wouldn't it be something if you found out we were like 18th cousins and you owed me a whole bunch of money and I actually already owed half of the TomCat you're going to buy plus you owned the stupid dogs I have and had to take them to your house?
Here are a couple of sites I've found helpful, in case you have not seen them.
1) This used to be called "Footnote," although it looks like they may have changed the name. You can find (and see actual images of) census records and a lot more. It's pretty neat to not only find the info, but be able to see the actual handwriting of the census taker at the time. Plus, in those images you can read many more columns of data than are usually digitized (where it's often just the basics).
http://www.fold3.com/
2) Family Search. Some pretty neat stuff here. For some of my "popular" (i.e. prolific) ancestors, where others have done research and uploaded it, I've found full copies of wills, and more. As you've probably figured out from your other searching, it helps to delve from a few different angles to find things.
www.familysearch.org
It's amazing what you can find on the web now. My main lament is that just before it was possible to find so much information, a generation basically died out. It's still amazing though, compared to years ago having to drive to numerous places and dig through plat books, etc. (of course that's fun too).
1) This used to be called "Footnote," although it looks like they may have changed the name. You can find (and see actual images of) census records and a lot more. It's pretty neat to not only find the info, but be able to see the actual handwriting of the census taker at the time. Plus, in those images you can read many more columns of data than are usually digitized (where it's often just the basics).
http://www.fold3.com/
2) Family Search. Some pretty neat stuff here. For some of my "popular" (i.e. prolific) ancestors, where others have done research and uploaded it, I've found full copies of wills, and more. As you've probably figured out from your other searching, it helps to delve from a few different angles to find things.
www.familysearch.org
It's amazing what you can find on the web now. My main lament is that just before it was possible to find so much information, a generation basically died out. It's still amazing though, compared to years ago having to drive to numerous places and dig through plat books, etc. (of course that's fun too).
Patti, Barry, you are so correct. Where I was stuck at a dead end in 1910 Chicago, Ruth not only knocked down the barricade, she paved me up a superhighway of info. A million thanks to her. I had always wondered about my Great grandmother and grandpas brother, I now know much more. The really cool thing that I found MOST rewarding was that I'm not Mikes 18th cousin 
thanks again Ruth
thanks again Ruth
MY parents always told me that we had no relatives...at all...and I believed them...I did have 4 cousins that I knew about but other than that they said....no others...
Then one day at a motorcycle rally a fellow came up to me an said...hey did you know we are related ? Sure enough ....he has my name..we are both J D Rapose.... and he is 10 years older than I.... he rides the same brand of motorcycle... WE BOTH RIDE WITH A SIDECAR... we subscribe to the same magazines and belong to the same groups...amazing ..it's like the brother that I thought I should have....
I really do have a brother...and he lives up in Stanwood Wa. but if I never see him again it will be too soon.... he was an undertaker in Renton... I always...even as a kid called him "Whats-his-name "
he does not look or act like me at all....he is tall, and quiet..just like what you would think when you think of an undertaker...always gave me the creeps even as a kid... he also beat me and tortured me...not a nice person.
But having a cousin, now that is great...wish I had met him years earlier...great guy...lives just above redding..also a mechanic
Joel
SEA3PO
Then one day at a motorcycle rally a fellow came up to me an said...hey did you know we are related ? Sure enough ....he has my name..we are both J D Rapose.... and he is 10 years older than I.... he rides the same brand of motorcycle... WE BOTH RIDE WITH A SIDECAR... we subscribe to the same magazines and belong to the same groups...amazing ..it's like the brother that I thought I should have....
I really do have a brother...and he lives up in Stanwood Wa. but if I never see him again it will be too soon.... he was an undertaker in Renton... I always...even as a kid called him "Whats-his-name "
he does not look or act like me at all....he is tall, and quiet..just like what you would think when you think of an undertaker...always gave me the creeps even as a kid... he also beat me and tortured me...not a nice person.
But having a cousin, now that is great...wish I had met him years earlier...great guy...lives just above redding..also a mechanic
Joel
SEA3PO
Captains Cat
New member
My sisters had a brother, but I never did. 
I really envied them... :roll:
Charlie
I really envied them... :roll: Charlie