Adam Pollicino

When doing family history research illness and death play a large part in understanding what happened to ancestors. The illness that an ancestor may have had is not always clear. This is this is due to the fact that many illnesses either do not exist today or their names have been changed through the years. It is often important to know what an illness was in order to trace the family tree; especially if it was an illness that could be passed from generation to generation. One way to decipher the illness or disease is through research, there are books that explain what these diseases were and what they might be called today. They could also be diseases that no longer exist due to medical advances.

These medical advances isolated some properties that caused the illness and then medications were made to treat them. However, for some illness such as pneumonia, it was not until the mid 1900’s that there was a treatment.

There are many illnesses that were clear to understand because of the name, the name often had to do with the symptoms of the disease. Then there are others that were named after the doctor or scientist that discovered the disease. Some diseases had names that had seemingly nothing whatsoever to do with the disease such as Brill’s disease, which was actually typhus. Another of these is chincough, this is what today is known as whooping cough.

There were also diseases known that had names which have long since been forgotten. One of one of the most familiar ones would be black death, which was used for bubonic plague.

Visitation of God, on a death certificate in most cases meant the person was elderly and died of natural causes. Viper’s Dance is another name that would not be heard today, along with St. Vitus Dance, which either would mean the patient had chorea.

To go along with the names both familiar and unfamiliar were the plagues that often killed hundreds in an area, and in some cases thousands. These plagues included yellow fever, smallpox, diphtheria, typhus, influenza, bubonic plague, whooping cough and measles. There were certain years in certain countries or states were the number of deaths made the disease a pandemic. Bubonic plague is one which struck the UK in 1630, 1631, 1636 and 1637 claiming large amounts of lives. Yellow fever struck the United States numerous times including 1647, 1668, 1690, 1699, 1706, 1732, 1741, and this lasted until 1743 in states such as New York.

Researching the family tree, this is one place where it is important to ensure to check mortality records for the area when a family member has disappeared from the census reports. Prior to census reports other town or city documents that were kept can give clues as to deaths in the area. Disease and illnesses did not distinguish ages, as many babies and children died of disease, along with older members of the family. During times of pandemics an entire family could have been wiped out from the disease.

http://www.ancestor.com/getting-started/how-to-decipher-illness-from-the-past/

Footnote has developed a new Civil War web experience. This page features all of our Civil War content in a most unique and engaging way. In the past month, Footnote has added thousands of new Civil War records to our collections. Some of the new collections that are found on the Civil War page include, but are not limited to, the following:

U.S. Civil War Union Service Records – various states
U.S. Civil War Confederate Service Records – various states
U.S. Civil War Battle Maps
U.S. Civil War Subversion Investigations

This site is now open to the public. Our Civil War content is one of the best on the internet.

http://www.ancestor.com/genealogy-resources/new-civil-war-web-experience/

Dating photographs is one of the things the family history researcher is able to use, but often have a problem when it involves the age of the photograph. One of the reasons for this is due to the different types of paper or even tin that was used for the photograph.

One of the things that can provide clues is the hair styles of the women in the picture, because just like today they changed hair styles. While their hair would not be short, the type of bun, bangs or no bangs can provide hints to the age of the photograph. Men’s hair styles and facial hair is not as easy to decipher the photos age. The clothing can also be an indicator in the age of a picture, women whether they lived in the country or the city for most photographs would be wearing the latest fashions. Men, on the other hand can be difficult as suits did not change from year to year.

The paper backing on the photograph can tell the age of some pictures; this includes pictures that have tin that the photograph was placed on. There are pictures that used daguerreotype, glass plate, cabinet card, and the thickness of the cabinet card can also tell the age of the picture.

Looking at a picture and dating it, takes noticing all of the clues possible. Another clue might be the background, and on many the photographers name will be on the bottom of the cabinet card or on the back of the picture.

Daguerreotype photographs were 8 ½ inches by 6 inches, and the first of these were used in 1839. The process for these pictures was done by using a plate, made of copper and using silver iodide to expose the picture, along with exposure to light.

Tin type pictures were introduced in 1853, and became extremely popular. The one thing that was odd about these photographs, was that the picture would appear opposite of how the person was standing or sitting, just as they would appear in a mirror. The material that was used for these photographs was not actually tin, but became referred to as tin because they were made out of cheaper metal, rather than silver. The material was Melainotype and to cut these pictures apart a pair of tin sheers would be used.

Ozotope was another method that was used beginning in 1898, this was a process that used gelatin silver bromide, which transferred by contact with pigment paper.

Each of these different types of processes were used for many photographs, and just knowing which type of paper, glass or metal was used can give a range of years when they were the popular choice for photographers to use. The material along with, fashions, backgrounds and even photographers names can all indicate when the picture was taken.

Using clues to date photographs, along with family history research can often lead to the discovery of who the people or person was in the picture. One of the other things that help to distinguish when a photo was taken are clues in the setting; it was not unusual for doctors to have pictures with a skull in the setting. This can help to tell more about the person that might be in the picture and what they did for a living.

http://www.ancestor.com/skills/how-to-date-old-photographs/

When doing family history research illness and death play a large part in understanding what happened to ancestors. The illness that an ancestor may have had is not always clear. This is this is due to the fact that many illnesses either do not exist today or their names have been changed through the years. It is often important to know what an illness was in order to trace the family tree; especially if it was an illness that could be passed from generation to generation. One way to decipher the illness or disease is through research, there are books that explain what these diseases were and what they might be called today. They could also be diseases that no longer exist due to medical advances.

These medical advances isolated some properties that caused the illness and then medications were made to treat them. However, for some illness such as pneumonia, it was not until the mid 1900’s that there was a treatment.

There are many illnesses that were clear to understand because of the name, the name often had to do with the symptoms of the disease. Then there are others that were named after the doctor or scientist that discovered the disease. Some diseases had names that had seemingly nothing whatsoever to do with the disease such as Brill’s disease, which was actually typhus. Another of these is chincough, this is what today is known as whooping cough.

There were also diseases known that had names which have long since been forgotten. One of one of the most familiar ones would be black death, which was used for bubonic plague.

Visitation of God, on a death certificate in most cases meant the person was elderly and died of natural causes. Viper’s Dance is another name that would not be heard today, along with St. Vitus Dance, which either would mean the patient had chorea.

To go along with the names both familiar and unfamiliar were the plagues that often killed hundreds in an area, and in some cases thousands. These plagues included yellow fever, smallpox, diphtheria, typhus, influenza, bubonic plague, whooping cough and measles. There were certain years in certain countries or states were the number of deaths made the disease a pandemic. Bubonic plague is one which struck the UK in 1630, 1631, 1636 and 1637 claiming large amounts of lives. Yellow fever struck the United States numerous times including 1647, 1668, 1690, 1699, 1706, 1732, 1741, and this lasted until 1743 in states such as New York.

Researching the family tree, this is one place where it is important to ensure to check mortality records for the area when a family member has disappeared from the census reports. Prior to census reports other town or city documents that were kept can give clues as to deaths in the area. Disease and illnesses did not distinguish ages, as many babies and children died of disease, along with older members of the family. During times of pandemics an entire family could have been wiped out from the disease.

http://www.ancestor.com/getting-started/how-to-decipher-illness-from-the-past/

Tracing ancestors can be difficult and one of the ways to find many of the male and some female ancestors is by their occupation. These occupations had different names other than the names of the same occupations as today. There were also other occupations that no longer exist. There are many old occupations and lists of these can be found in books in the library and on Internet websites that have genealogy information.

These occupations, along with census reports can often help in locating the right ancestor even when they have a common name; this is because along with the names of family members the occupation was also listed on census reports.

The names for many have not changed to a point where they cannot be figured out today, such as the accomptant, which is the present day accountant or the book keeper, which the name has not changed through the years. There was also the alchemist which was the medieval chemist and today is known as the chemist or pharmacist.

The professions or names that no longer exist such as the alewife, and this was a woman that owned a tavern or during the past known as an alehouse. There were many of these professions, which ceased to exist due to the changes of daily life due to technology. One of these would be the “axel tree maker” who was the maker of axels for coaches and wagons and this person might also be referred to an axel tree turner.

Even after retirement men would be referred to on census reports as gentlemen, or a retired farmer would be referred to as a gentleman farmer. There were also names that were used for the wives of some professions, like the “coster wife” this was the wife of a fruit seller or a female fruit seller. The male fruit seller was called a costermonger.

The professions that are similar to some types of employment today are the “dog-whipper,” which was the person that chased dogs away from the village and is similar to the dog catcher of today. Then there was also the “dairyman” who either worked or owned a dairy farm.

The currier of today was referred to as “cuhreur or cunreur” and the journalist today was called a “couranteer.” The “delver” is the ditch digger of today, and the “dog leach” of yesterday is the veterinarian today.

These are only a few of the hundreds of professions and are a way of helping to locate the ancestor that would appear on a census report or found through other means to know what their profession was. This can give clues to the type of life they had and the one they made for their family.

http://www.ancestor.com/getting-started/how-to-research-old-occupations/

Military records are able to help in family research by giving clues to where a soldier or sailor resided, what they did while in the service and when in combat whether they survived or not. There are military records that can tell if the ancestor was discharged from the military and when, this can lead to other clues about where they lived and what they might have done.

Unlike today’s military the soldier might have been a wagoneer, which means they drove wagons with supplies, they might have been a drummer, which means they marched with the troops while playing a drum that was worn on a strap. There were soldier’s that were blacksmiths, shoeing the troop’s horses, and most of all the regiments were from certain areas.

Many books have been written about the regiments of the Revolutionary War and about the Civil War, by men that were with the troops or those that have done extensive research. One such book was the History of the One Hundred Forty-First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers by Rev. David Craft. This book like others that were written was published in 1885 and gave detailed accounts of the battles the regiment was involved in, the soldiers who were enlisted, whether they were killed in battle or survived and returned home.

Researching the military person can lead to other clues, in the event the soldier was killed in battle, the wife or parents may have filed a paper to receive a monthly benefit. For the United States soldier the records are kept in Washington D.C. at the National Archives. Locally there might be records found at the Historical Society, even searching local histories of an area can have clues about the soldier and it is possible to find some military records from the Revolutionary War and the Civil War online. The proper way to document a military record in family genealogy is to order a copy of the record from the National Archives, however if it is not a direct descendant then a copy of what is found on line or in a book will do for most researchers.

The important thing about this type of research is that the movements of the ancestor during their time in the military can be learned and their fate. This can lead to learning what might have happened to someone that disappears from a census during the years of 1861 through 1864, even if they lived in a small backwoods community.

What occurred was that they recruited farm boys and men from the small backwoods towns; usually a tent was set up for the men to come and enlist to protect their country. The problem with the Civil War is that this war for the men was personal. Some brothers fought against brother, there were men from the north that had no idea about owning slaves or the other reasons for the war, and yet they joined the regiments that recruited in their towns.

http://www.ancestor.com/getting-started/how-military-records-can-help-family-research/

GeneTree (www.genetree.com) is a whole new kind of family site that will give you valuable new insights about where you came from, and where you fit in on the overall scheme of things in the story of humanity.

GeneTrees DNA testing can give you the answers you’ve been waiting decades to get about the family, your ethnicity and where you actually came from.The GeneTree web site offers you the chance to learn more about your own heritage, and just maybe to get back in touch with relatives who are still living and learn a lot more about your common ancestry. GeneTree permits you to expand your horizons, to interact with family members who may be living in other countries and to explore your own unique family and preserve it.

With its state of the art DNA testing you will learn more about your family history in a single test than you could by scanning the worlds information for your entire lifetime. While learning more and more about each family member is always pleasant, learning that your great grandmother is Irish and not Italian as you thought will offer you valued insights and new places to look.

http://www.ancestor.com/dna/genetree-web-site-offers-new-ways-to-reconnect/

Another site I’ve found that works well with searching for family history!

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

Found a new website, check it out!

MyHeritage.com was founded by a team of people with a passion for genealogy and a strong grasp of Internet technology. Our vision has been to make it easier for people around the world to use the power of the Internet to discover their heritage and strengthen their bonds with family and friends.

We are based in the beautiful village of Bnei Atarot, near Tel Aviv, Israel, founded by German Templers in 1902 under the name of Wilhelma.

Inspired by the surrounding fields and orchards and the lovely renovated Templer villas, one of which serves as our headquarters, we strive to use the tools of tomorrow for researching the family history of yesterday. If you are passionate like us about researching what made you the way you are, and sharing your experiences with family members and friends, then MyHeritage.com is the place for you.

http://www.myheritage.com/

Do a quick search for your ancestors here!

http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/