John - Currach

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Mar30

3 Comments

A Needle in a Paystack

Posted in: Ireland

I have been quite excited that the Irish Family History Foundation’s Advanced Search is now Available on All Ireland searches. Since I do not yet definitively know where my Tierneys or McDonalds came from in Ireland, that will allow me to search across almost all of the counties to try and narrow my focus. (Limerick and Sligo are not participating in advanced search.)

Trying to take advantage of this capability, I thought I would look around for my great-grandfather Michael Tierney. We have a fair amount on him over here in New York City, including his exact birth date from his NY Municipal Police records and his death certificate. (Which also has his parent’s names.)

So, I search for Michael Tierney (and surname variants) on the year exact 1858, which returned 4 possible records. Adding his parent’s names, John Tierney and Margaret Murphy to the search in various combinations discounted all of those records. But, being optimistic I thought perhaps one of them could still be valid if the names were mis-transcribed and so purchased all of the records.

An added good thing about the advanced search is that you can purchase groups of records at a discounted rate – rather the the standard cost of €5 per record, I got all 4 of them for €12.

But, sadly, I have not done very well with any of my record purchases on the site yet. My prior purchases have been in search of my great-grandparents John Egan and Maria Farrell’s marriage and birth records. So far I have a likely marriage record and a single birth record that is a “maybe.” Slightly disappointing since I know exactly where they lived (near Creggan, Moyclare, Endrim, & Ferbane) in Kings County.

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Mar25

4 Comments

Maternal Haplogroup Matches

Posted in: 23andme, DNA

Last year when 23andme had a $99 sale for DNA Day I jumped on the deal (a $400 savings!) and ordered a test kit. Since my results came in I’ve found that while they eventually may present some clear answers, for now the results have mainly provided a path to follow. And the path takes a LOT of reading.

With the help of others in the 23andme community and some user-run projects I’ve learned quite a bit, but I’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to understanding all of the science and history.

As of now I’ve got about 350 genetic matches on their Relative Finder, (mostly 5th cousins and higher) and am sharing genomes with several dozen. But it is not always obvious which side of my tree those cousins are from – I’m half Czech and half Irish and I have matches in quite a few countries, with some small clusters toward Germany, Ukraine, Russia and Scandinavia.

I’m guessing these matches are from further back in the tree my Czech side, but that’s all they are for now – guesses. (It is possible the Scandinavian goes back through my Irish side with all of the Vikings that came down for a visit.)

So, as any good techno-geek would do, I’ve tried to put crunch the data in various ways to look for patterns that might offer further clues. My first run at this was a simple chart of the Haplogroups of my matches in 23andme’s Relative Finder. My own maternal haplogroup is U5b1 and my paternal haplogroup is R1b1b2a1a2f.

Interestingly, in my maternal haplogroup matches I do not have any matches in my own U5b1 haplogroup and only 3 out of 195 in nearby U subclades.

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Mar8

10 Comments

Ancestry FamilySearch Chrome Extension

Posted in: Technology

Have you built up your family tree on Ancestry.com and are looking to enhance your experience? Then I’ve got the tool for you! (No, no webcams are involved.)

The Ancestry Family Search Extension for Google Chrome looks up information on Familysearch.org using the vital info from your Ancestry tree. The initial release was a nice addition on its own, but wasn’t able to look up maiden names for women in your tree, so was limited in its value.

However, version 2.1 was released a few weeks ago has added that functionality and some other nifty tweaks making it a <cue the echo> Must Have Tool </echo>.

For those not familiar with Google Chrome, it is a free web browser that can be used as an alternative to Internet Explorer, Firefox, and binoculars strong enough to peer into your neighbor’s window to see what they are surfing on the Internets. (For shame, Mr. Stanislaus, for SHAME!)

An Extension (sometimes known as an “add-on”) is a tool that adds some sort of functionality to the browser. There are many kinds of extensions. For example, I use password database program to keep track of my passwords and have installed a Firefox extension that allows that software to insert my passwords into forms with a simple keystroke combination. Thus saving me the burden of remembering the password 1yoPUhpTVU@:q(GEk. (Note to self: change password.) Read More | Comments
Mar4

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An Olive Branch is Offered

Posted in: Photo

Updated: I had to add a few more favorite entries taken from my Flickr stream.

Found while volunteering to transcribe marriage records – My new favorite bride’s name:

Olive Branch offers herself in marriage
Another favorite name from the 1900 census:

Horny Baxter Rides Again!

Finally, I’ve forgotten where I first saw this census page mentioned – it may have been at Randy Seaver’s Geneamusings Blog(?) but don’t quote me on that. See if you can figure out the what the girls’ occupation was at house number 90 on this page from the 1870 census in Kansas…

Hint: Click on the image to see it full size.
Out of guesses? There’s an extra clue written along the left column – or just see the table below.

Libby Thompson   – “Diddles”
Harriet Pamentis   – “Does Horizontal Work”
Ettie Baldwin         – “Squirms” in the dark
Lizzie Harris         – “Ogles” fools (and I assume, takes care of 4 year old John Edward.)
Mar2

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With Him Lives An Insane Indian.

Posted in: History, New York

I spend many of my lunch hours reading the papers. In 1880. or thereabouts. Don’t you?

I’ve been seeing if I can find references to my great-grandfather who was a NYC Policeman from 1885 to 1913, as well try to find connections to other Tierneys in the area since we are not sure if he had any family over here as well.

As I systematically search for “Tierney” in the NY Times year by year, I find I end up learning more about New York City history than my family, but that’s almost as good to me.

Yesterday I found an article in the June 15, 1880 edition of the Times entitled Life in Baxter-Street – A Census Enumerator in an Unsavory Neighborhood. Read More | Comments