What to do with your genealogy files: update: Our Fascinating Family!

If you take a look at the past post right there, below, you'll see that I'm busy writing my Christmas present to my siblings. Shh, don't tell them, but it's a report from our family tree!

After the chart and report had been generated in Family Tree Maker and printed, it looked, well, seriously boring! There was not one little trace of the excitement I felt when working on my tree! How could anyone be expected to get thrilled about our fascinating family looking at this document?

I wanted a document that equaled my own excitement at the discoveries that had hooked me from the start, and had kept Mom's attention starting in the 1970s and going hard at it until just a couple of years ago. But, how was that going to happen? Tell you what! I think I just stumbled into a way to get closer to what we all want: a document that your descendants will pick up, read, and get to know more about their family's heritage. I never thought I could write an easy 45 pages about just one family line, but once I started it was easy, relatively speaking. I simply stumbled into the answer about how to get this done and here's the story.

I started with the Workman line because I've been spending time on a project documenting who owned which lots in Western Maryland just before 1800 so that line seemed like the natural place to begin.  I had a lot of charts identifying who was where and owned what, and when. But I knew from experience that the only person it was going to excite was me... and definitely not even the husband;)

Started by opening a document and save it, of course. Took a moment to write down on the first page a couple of distinctive things about the ancestors in this line. Our Workman ancestors came from Holland to New Amsterdam in the 1600s so I began there. The immigrant ancestor owned the Brooklyn Ferry and much land in the area. His son Peter was one of the first settlers in New Jersey so I had to mention that. Then his son Isaac had a son Cornelius and they both ventured into the vast wilderness trapping furs. Others followed and that's how we come to those lots I mentioned up top, owned by the Workmen family. With that outlined, I began compiling the long story of the immigrant from Holland, his English father, and what happened after they landed in Manhattan and then moved to Brooklyn, some over 350 years ago.

Then I pulled in all of the interesting documents and photos resting in my files placing them in order. I was careful to cite sources in short form as I went along.

Next I opened my Ancestry tree and had both the document and the tree visible on the screen. In that way I was able to easily copy names, dates and locations for all individuals in each generation. And before moving on I checked each of the offspring (those not in our direct line) for fascinating facts or interesting documents, maps or photos. The generations practically built themselves.

Last I added anything I could remember from my childhood or told to me by Grandma. The icing on the cake was all of the photos Mom has been saving all of these years.

At this point I had a decent but very rough draft and after a fresh cup of coffee, I started editing it and building in smooth transitions from generation to generation. As a treat to myself I added a little speculation and personal conclusions with explanations by saying things like, "it might be concluded," or "perhaps."

Before I knew it, all 45 pages were finished. The very last page listed all of the things that still might be researched plus questions or doubts I had concerning this ancestral line. I wanted to leave clues for any family member who comes after.

Oh sure, there are other better more scholarly ways to approach this type of project. I could have made notes for years, use a fancy program to put the notes in order or whatever. But that's not what happened. What did happen is a Christmas present.

I had been feeling, especially after my last milestone birthday, that I better get going and start preparing all of the collected research and family biographies in such a way so as to tempt a future generation to jump in again. And we all know that I'll be long gone when that happens! All along I've been keeping things organized and tidy as well as backed up. Made sure the appropriate people have certain passwords and account info. Have scanned a lot and there are still some of Mom's binders that could be scanned too, but that's filler work for a rainy day. Now I feel that these family histories are just the thing I've wanted so that I can be sure the work is carried on.

These are the families.

I know the story about when Grandpa Kelly went to Florida and came back and announced to grandma that he was selling the house and moving to Florida. That's when she told him that the house was in her name! Too good not to pass on!

I know the story.

I know the story.

I know the story.

 

And now, so will they.

A lesson learned about proof from the DAR AIR

DAR AIR? What's that, you might ask. When you submit an application for DAR membership you must prove your line from yourself back to your Revolutionary War Patriot. Every individual on the Lineage page of your application must have a date and place of birth, a date and place of death, and for the first three generations, must have the marriage date and place. Not only will you enter those items on the application form but you'll have to submit a supporting document proving each of them. It might sound all but impossible at first, but once you get looking in the right places, it's amazing how easy it is to find much of it... and how hard it can be to find the last few. Finding those last missing documents is the best part of this game, at least to me:)

Once your application is approved by the highly professional DAR Staff Genealogist, or Genie as we lovingly call them, you can then submit what's called a Supplemental Application for another Patriot. And you can keep on going and going. With each Patriot approved you earn the right to purchase a lovely little Ancestor Bar to pin on your DAR ribbon and insignia. The pin looks something like this, below.

Some of the ladies really enjoy the hunt for new ancestors! I know I do. I have just four so far with three more awaiting approval. But I've heard of ladies having 30, 40, or more! Here's a photo of a ribbon offered on eBay with a couple of ancestor bars, but not in the correct position. And yes, the order of the pins matters.

When you submit an application either to be a member or as an supplemental application after your original application, if you mess up and don't prove the name, date, or palace to the standards required, the Genie will send you an Additional Information Required letter, or AIR.

Recently I submitted two supplemental applications, one each for Isaac Workman and Peter Trautman. Each got an AIR. Bummer for me. But each one was an opportunity to learn and become a better genealogist. Read on!

When I got the AIR letter I must confess to being shocked. I knew this family cold. Knew them all because my Grandma Kelly talked about all of them as if they were still alive. Mom collected documentation on this line fore years and I've added to her treasure trove. So to have the Genie cast a shade of doubt on Elisha Workman as the son of John and to doubt John's date of death, well that was ... shocking.

How many times as genealogists do we have someone call us out on our conclusions? When was the last time someone called you out like that? And a high ranking professional genealogist at that! I had to take a moment to gather myself! Then I got to work:)

The problem with Isaac Workman's son John was that I found his probate file and worked off of that to determine that he died about 12 July 1859. The Genie writing the AIR pointed out that the previous application for Isaac through his son John used that date but exactly a year later: 12 July 1858. The AIR requested more information. I had no idea where the previous app got the date they did so I had to go look and try to determine what they used as a source. Luckily it was obviously the obituary of John's sister, Margaret, and I had that at hand. I tried to reconstruct the original source and had to contact an older researcher who had known Margaret of the obit. He said that it had been copied out of an old family bible. Well! It is no big stretch of the imagination to see where coping a date out of an old bible could go wrong.

What I used as the source for the death date was John's probate file. From the doctor's bill, it could be seen that the last visit to Isaac was July 11 of that year. The bill from the undertaker stated that he delivered a coffin on July 12th. Therefore, it could be concluded that he died on or about 12 July 1859. Hands down, the probate file was a better document that the missing bible record with the date passed down from generation to generation.

I knew I was solid on the probate file and the date of death so I started writing that up as I took time to think about the best way to prove that Elisha was the son of John. Of course the probate file contained a good number of documents that named John, but the Genie asked if there might be another John in the area: how did we know that this Elisha was the son of this John? I had to admit it: it was a good question.

The big red flag was the 1850 census that enumerated a John Workman in the dwelling place listed adjacent to John Workman in Allegany Co., MD. We can't say that they "lived next to each other" and that proved anything because we don't know if that was what happened. Maybe the dwelling were 10 miles apart and over the hill. Can't tell from this census record. What we can say is that the two were enumerated in the 1850 census, one after the other on the same page.

And that isn't even the worst of it!! Elisha Workman, the son, is listed as 29 years old. John is listed as 50. That makes him 21 years too young! Good grief!

The only thing to do, I felt, was to search all of the census records for Allegany County, MD for 1850 and 1860 to see if there was any other male named John who was the correct age for our John. And there wasn't. Whew.

It might be said that one of the biggest conundrums of the DAR Genealogy Consultant is the Multiple Men of the Same Name. I groan audibly every time I run into it, and it happens a lot back before 1850. The same set of names are handed down from generation to generation results in more John and Elijah combinations that you want to see. And why is there a Cuthbert in every generation? What you're going to need is a spreadsheet, or a chart at least. Names on one side and records on the other, or in whatever combination works for you.

And the key, most of the time, is location. Where were they when that happened? The same man can not, luckily, be in two different residences at the same time. Just go ahead and plug it all in that spread sheet or chart and have faith that it will work out. And it will. Give it time to breathe, and make sure that you haven't overlooked any records. The check tax records, and land records and any other local records you can dig up. Go local!! Use Excel if you're comfortable, or a chart or table. Or just spread them all out on the floor. But get them out there so you can see them all. Then give it time. Don't be in too much of a rush with this.

That worked for me on the Isaac Workman AIR. Between the probate file and a thorough examination of the census records for all Elijah and John Workman in that location at that time, it all made sense and the puzzle was solved.

I was so happy when I got official word that my supplemental application had been verified. The in the blink of an eye, I ordered my ancestor bar for Isaac Workman!

Another time I'll share what happened with the Peter Trautman and his granddaughter. That would be the wife of Elisha Workman, Nancy Ann Trautman. It's another case where the census helped, along with a probate file.

The Workman Settlement land, Zhilman, Allegany Co., MD.

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Quick note on Isaac Workman

I've been in contact by email with a descendant of Isaac Workman, DAR and SAR Patriot, and of his grandson Elisha Workman. My great grandmother was sister to his ancestor and they both were children of Elisha. We've been going back and forth about a number of things, and our conversations reminded me of something, a finer point, about Isaac.

I've posted here previously about the Workman Military Lots in Allegany County, Maryland, and you can read that post here. And you can see how many of these lots the Workman family owned in the map below.

A section of the Frostburg State University military lot maps in Western Maryland.

There has been speculation that these lots were earned through military service, but they were not. I was hoping that they were and that the entire male side of the family had gone to war, united as one. What a good family story that would have made! But that was not at all what the records show. I checked everywhere, in Fold3, The National Archive, the DAR records and listing of their Patriots, FamilySearch and Ancestry. He was not in any of them.

What I did find is that Isaac Workman has been verified as a DAR Patriot based on an Oath of Allegiance he swore.

Here's what the Maryland Historical Society had to say about that particular Oath of Allegiance.

Oath of Fidelity:

Abstract                        The Oath of Fidelity was instituted by Laws of Maryland 1777, Chapter 20, An Act for the Better Security of Government.  Every free male 18 years and older was required to subscribe to an oath renouncing the King of England and to pledge allegiance to the revolutionary government of Maryland.  Those already engaged in military service were assumed to be loyal.  Quakers, Mennonites, and Dunkards were permitted to affirm.  There were several penalties associated with failure to obey the instructions of the ACT.  Magistrates neglecting to keep books and transmit them to the Governor were to be fined 500 pounds.  Persons expected to take the oath who did not do so were required, for the rest of their lives, to pay triple the ordinary tax on real and personal property.  They were forbidden to exercise and practice the trade of merchandise or to practice the law, physic or surgery, or the art of an apothecary, or to preach or teach the gospel, or to teach in public or private schools, or to hold or exercise within this state, any office of profit or trust, civil or military, or to vote at any election of electors or senators, or of delegates to the house of delegates.  Oaths were to be administered by the magistrates of each county before March 1, 1778.  One list of those who subscribed to the oath was to be kept at the county court and another sent to the governor and Council in Annapolis. 

Retrieved online January 18, 2013 at Maryland Historical Society, http://www.mdhs.org/findingaid/oaths-fidelity-or-oaths-allegiance-1775-1778-ms-3088

That's quite descriptive and informative. Men over 18 were required "subscribe" to an oath renouncing England and everything she had to offer. There was no going back now! The punishment for not doing so: for the rest of their lives they were to pay triple the ordinary tax on real and personal property. Yikes! This was serious. And look at that, they were from then forward forbidden from being a merchant, doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, preacher, or teacher. They couldn't hold office or vote either. This was serious stuff.

Isaac lived in Washington County when he took the oath. It was a county that was formed out of Frederick County to the east in 1776 and named for George Washington. (How patriotic is that?) Allegany County where the Workman family lived was formed out of Washington County in 1789 so it's quite possible that he lived in what's now Allegany County when he took the oath.

By the way, nice piece of trivia, the descendants of men who paid the 1783 tax assessment are eligible for the SAR and the DAR because a part of it went supply the Revolutionary War effort. Here's a link to the an index of that tax roll. If you want to look for an ancestor you'll be best served by looking at all of the entries.



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Treasure Chest Thursday: Military Lot Map, Allegany County MD

Because I have so many ancestors in Allegany and Garrett Counties in Western Maryland, I'm always interested in new-to-me resources for that area. The Maryland State Archives is increasingly important as they add and refine the resources there.

The latest precious find goes right in my "Treasure Chest of wonderful things I can not now imagine living without." It's a map made in 1787 that identifies the Revolutionary War Military Lots for these two counties. I keep a list of ancestors given Military Lots by the Maryland Legislature and so far I've identified the lot numbers belonging to the Workman and Eckhart families. Although I need to back-track and see exactly how these folks came by the land assignments and follow the paper trail, it's helpful to have set in my mind where the lots are and compare that to what I know about where the families lived. So let's take a look at the lots and I'll tell you what I know right at the moment about each family and how they came by the lots... and what I don't yet know.

Isaac Workman

Which Isaac Workman? That's the big question. Father Isaac Workman 1710 - 1827, or son Isaac Workman 1742 - 1827? Just looking at the dates, it seems that the father, Isaac Sr., would have been too old to serve in the militia. That said, perhaps he served in some other role and that's why he was awarded lot # 3536. The most often used source for this line is Thelma Anderson's book  Workman Family History, which she put together in the 1950s. In it she identifies the father as the person awarded the lot. My genea-sense (newly blossoming) tells me there's got to be more to this story.

I find lot 3536 directly across from Indian Purchase and am really curious as to what that was. Indian Purchase was between Sugar Bottom and Rosse's Mistake. Need to ask around my local sources and find out if these are still landmarks. Walnut Bottom is located down river on the Potomac and it's still there and called by the same name. And I notice that the Potomac River is called by it's old name, "Potowmack." Also notice that the town of Frostburg, where Mom lives, is called Mount Pleasant in the old way, on this map. Am hoping that with a little luck the location of this Workman property won't be too hard to find now. And, I must add, this is not where the Workman Farm of old is located!

 

 

Eckhart

 

It is generally believed that George Adam Eckhart purchased his Military Lots # 3644, 3645, 3646 as well as lot # 3694. I find these lots just about where I thought they might be. There is one surprise: the location of lot # 3694. Looks like that one is not contiguous and might be now located across present Route 40 in the stretch near Eckhart Mines. Again, have to walk the land and see what's what.

 

George Adam Eckhart's son-in-law, Jacob Loar, also had something to do with this land and he reportedly was awarded a lot or lots for his service in the Revolutionary War. Could that be the explanation for the non-contiguous lot #3694?

 

As you can plainly see there are too many loose ends here. Those go on the list of stuff to find out about.

 

 

 

See, that's the thing with jumping into all the fine work Mom has done building the family tree since the 1970s: stuff is missing here and there and begs being expanded upon because it actually has half a chance to be found now. I'll find a new resource like this one, take a cursory glance, dig a bit deeper, make a to-do list for it, and try to get back to what I was doing before the beautiful distraction happened. I'm learning as I go and trying to keep the actual work orderly. Yeah, Diane, good luck with that!


You can see the map in its entity here.

Map of Military Lots, Tracts in Allegany and Garrett Counties, Maryland, Copy of 1787 map
Developer/Owner: Deakins, Francis. Accessed 19 FEB, 2013 at: http://plato.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/stagser/s1500/s1529/cfm/dsp_unit.cfm?county=al&qualifier=S&series=0451&unit=3



Treasure Chest Thursday is a blogging prompt of GeneaBloggers.


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Surname Saturday: The Workman Family

Off we go on another Surname Saturday, a dandy blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers! This week we're looking back to follow the Workman family to when they spelled their name in the Dutch way, Woeterman. We'll see another of my four Revolutionary War ancestors and follow along as this line makes its way to Western Maryland and to Military lots, and plops down comfortably on the Workman Farm, as well as near and in the town of Frostburg, just as all my other ancestors did. So here we go!

1. Diane Kelly Weintraub

2. Francis Patrick " Pat" Kelly (1916 - 2007)
3. Virginia Williams, living and loving it

4. John Lee "Lee" Kelly (1892 - 1969)
5. Helen Gertrude Zeller Kelly ( 1894 - 1985)

10. Gustav William "Gus" Zeller (1858 - 1927)
11. Moretta Workman Zeller (1859 - 1946)

22. Elijah Workman 1816 - 1864
23. Nancy Ann Troutman 1826 - 1882
Elijah was born and died in Zihlman, Allegany County, MD, which is really hard to find on the map. The Workman Farm, mentioned below, is located near here. Zihlman is located near Mt. Savage and Frostburg, Maryland. You can just about see Zihlman from where Mom now lives, especially when the leaves are off the trees.
Nancy Ann Troutman was born in Wellersburg, Somerset County, PA.
Here are their children:
Amanda Workman 1848 - 1865
Caspar Workman 1849 - 1949. He married Margaret Holtzman Merrill. They both died in Frostburg.
Benjamin Workman 1851 - 1869
John Franklin Workman 1857 - 1930. He married Mary Anne Mealing. They both died in Frostburg.
11. Moretta Workman Zeller 1859 - 1946
Mary Ann Workman 1861 - 1939. She married Peter Pressman. They both died in Frostburg.
Joseph Workman 1863 - 1894. He died in Frostburg.

44. John Workman 1779 - 1859
45. Amelia Combs about 1789 - ????
John was also born in Zihlman but died just up the hill in Frostburg. Presumable, Amelia Combs was born close by Zihlman and also died in Frostburg, but proof remains elusive. Very recently - like yesterday - a Combs family history has come into my possession, so this might get updated real soon:)
John was a farmer and in the 1840 US Census owned one slave. This was the first record of him owning slaves.
They had these children:
Rebecca Workman 1809 - before 1908. She married Solomon Hansel. They both died in Frostburg.
Kate Workman 1810 - ????. She married Noah Trimble from Wellersburg PA.
Joseph Workman 1812 - 1879. He married Louisa Knabenshue from Keyser, Mineral County, WVa.
Isaac Workman 1814 - 1897
22. Elijah Workman 1816 - 1864
Margaret Workman 1819 - 1908. She married James P. Hannah and then Harry Stevens.
John L. Workman 1821 - 11873. He married Druzilla Workman.
Stephen Workman 1823 - ????.
Cuthbert Workman 1825 - 1882. He married Nancy Conkle. He died in Danville, Knox, County, OH.
Nimrod Workman 1828 - 1870.
William Combs Workman 1831 - 1894. He married Clara Sophia Winebrenner and then Rebecca Sheffiff.

88. Isaac Workman (Jr.) 1742 - 1827
First wife unknown, mother of John, above
Second wife, Lydia Merrill 1743 - ????
Isaac was born in Somerset County, NJ and after his second wife, Lydia Merrill died, and he moved to Danville, Knox County, OH to be with his sons and daughter. He died there.
It is generally believed that it is this Isaac Workman who on 28 Aug 1776, joined the Revolutionary War in the state of Maryland, Washington County, serving under Andrew Bruce and also from Washington County. Much needs to be done by me to investigate his service further.
And notice how many started moving to Knox County, Ohio! Need to investigate what was so enticing to attract them. They settled well there and there's even a Workman Cemetery, screen shot below.
These are their known children:
Stephen Workman 1767 - 1865. Born in Zihlman and died in Union Township, Knox County, OH. He married Jane Graham who was born in Ireland.
William Workman 1769 - ????
Rebecca Workman 1773 - 1835. Born in Zihlman and died in Union Township, Knox County, OH. Married Solomon Robinson.
44. John Workman 1779 - 1859
Lydia Workman 1782 - ????
Joseph C. Workman 1782 - 1852. He was born in Frostburg and died in Danville, Knox County, OH. He married Sarah Conner.

Screen Shot of FindAGrave for the Workman Cemetery in Danville, Knox County, Ohio.

176. Isaac Workman (Sr.) 1710 - 1827
177. Femmentie (Pheobe) Rangel 1712 - ????
Isaac (Sr.) was born in Brooklyn. The couple both moved together to Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey. Isaac also might have served in the Revolutionary War because when Military Lots were apportioned he was given title to Lot # 3656. Later he transferred title to his son, Isaac (Jr.).
Their children were:
88. Isaac Workman (Jr.) 1742 - 1827
Fannie Workman ???? - ????
Sarah Workman 1734 - ????
Rebecca Workman ???? - ????

Click to enlarge and see the Military Lot Map for Allegany County, Maryland and find the Workman Lot #3536.

 

352. Peter Derick Woerterman christened 1688 - ????
Married: Unknown. ???? - sometime between 1727 to 1735.
It is thought that Peter was born in Brooklyn, as was his wife. It is believed that Peter's wife died before he moved to Allegany County, MD.
Their children, known, are:
176. Isaac Workman (Sr.) 1710 - 1827
Cornelius Workman (Woeterman) 1715 - ????. Most likely candidate for the the one who started the Workman Farm in Allegany County, MD.
Peter Workman 1720 - ????. Probably born in New Jersey.
Margaret Workman 1720 - ????. Also probably born in New Jersey.

705. Richard John (Dirk Jan) Woeterman about 1630 - after 1694
706. Marrietje Teunis Denyse ???? - before 1647
Richard was born in Holland and immigrated to America in 1647, unmarried at that time. The date is figured because in 1687 he took the oath of allegiance at Brooklyn stating he had been there for 40 years. On 10 April 1661 he and his wife Marrietje Teunis Denyse were admitted to the Brooklyn Dutch Church. At that time he owned property in Brooklyn and operated the Brooklyn Ferry. He was made town officer in 1673.
Their 17 children were:
Haramita Woeterman, Femmetje Woeterman, Jan Derick Woterman, Geertruy Woeterman, Teunis Derick Woeterman, Paulis Woeterman, Catrherine Woeterman, Dennis Woeterman, Lysbeth Woeterman, Annetje Woeterman, Marretje Woeterman, 352. Peter Derick Woerterman christened 1688 - ????, and Lorewyck Derick Woeterman.

1408. John William Workman (Jans William Woeterman) 1598 - before 1637
1409. Hanna (Harmetie) ???? - after 1685
It is generally believed that John William Workman came from England to Holland because of religious persecution at the time of the Putitan upheavals. In Holland he blended in to life and culture taking the Dutch version of his name: Jans William Woeterman.
They had these children and possibly more:
Elizabeth Jans Woeterman born by about 1630 - ????. She married Pieter Jansen Noorman, born in Norway. Pieter and Elizabeth were some of the first settlers of Bushwick and owned 130 acres there along the East River in what is now Brooklyn. When Pieter died she married Joost Jansen Cocquit.
705. Richard John (Dirk Jan) Woeterman about 1630 - after 1694
Annatje ????- ????


The line back beyond this point is unclear. Looking to my main resource for the Workman family, Workman Family History, by Thelma Chidister Workman, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Publishers Press, 1962) as well as the resources for the above line from Isaac Workman (Jr.) back, there is every indication that John William or his father came to Holland because of religious persecution. This theory has been part of the US Workman family lore, and is still spoken of even today. The natural conclusion, thought not proven in documentation as of my knowledge, is that they came from the Workman family in Gloucester, England.

WOW! This is a long one. Thanks for looking:)

Moretta Workman Zeller 1859 - 1964 my GGM.

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