Happy Easter from TSGS!

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After all of the rainy days in the tri-state area, at the time of posting this... the sun is shining brightly. I hope it will be a nice day for most everyone to enjoy Easter with family & friends for at least part of the day. We hope to go to the Evansville Zoo later this afternoon. Earlier this morning I sent info via email to a newly discovered cousin from my Haynes/Huff line of the area around Breckinridge County, KY. The Haynes & Huff families came from Virginia about 1800 into Mercer County, KY and then into Breckinridge, Ohio & Grayson Counties before going to Owensboro, Evansville and many other areas in the United States. My "new" cousin's ancestors went to the Texas area in the 1830's or so.

Tombstone Thursday - Grimm

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Christof Grimm

(1843-1906)

Cemetery located near St. Paul's United Church of Christ within German Township three-miles outside of Evansville on Big Cynthiana Highway

- Photo taken & submitted by Don Counts

Don Counts also submitted these tombstone links:

Woodmen Grave Markers: http://www.woodmen.org/inside.cfm?sub2_menu_id=6&sub_menu_id=3&main_menu_id=1&page_id=9

Woodmen History: http://www.woodmen.org/inside.cfm?sub_menu_id=3&main_menu_id=1&page_id=126

Gravestone symbalism: http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html

Woodmen symbols: http://genealogy.about.com/od/cemetery_records/ig/tombstone_symbols/woodmen_of_the_world.htm

Woodmen Of The World (& Tree Grave Markers): http://www.flickr.com/groups/tree_gravestones/

All of us all the time tale of the tomb: http://www.allusallthetime.com/tombs.html

Woodmen of the World Photo Gallery: http://bloggingadeadhorse-dmt.blogspot.com/2009/11/woodmen-of-world-unite-photo-gallery-i.html

Woodmen of the World: http://cemeteries.wordpress.com/2006/09/01/woodmen-of-the-world/

Unusual tombstones: http://www.josephinesjournal.com/tombstones.html

Here is a large list of links concerning markers & tombstones: http://www.cyndislist.com/cemetery.htm#Monuments

[Tombstone Thursday is dedicated in memory of Donald G. West 1952-2000]

TSGS Meeting Report For Those Not In Attendance

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TSGS Annual Dinner Meeting 2011

I did not take an actual count, but I estimate about 30 people made it to the dinner last night. About 7:00 as President, I called the meeting to order announcing that the deadline for the next issue of the Tri-State Packet (our quarterly membership journal) is this Friday, 15 April. We recognized three individuals for significant contributions to our society and to the genealogical community. These awards, created over 30 years ago, may go to members or non-members and generally not given to TSGS officers for doing the job they have been elected to do. The first "TSGS Certificate of Appreciation" award announced was to Pastor John F. Schroeder for is work with Zion UCC records which resulted in the publication of these German church records in four volumes to date. The second award was presented to Don Counts for stepping up this year to fill any position that needed someone to get things done, including to agree serving as TSGS President for next year. The last one went to Becky West for also stepping up to serve (actually drafted) as TSGS Program Chair when we had no one and, then, agreeing to do it again next year! Becky is not a genealogist researcher but is a "spouse tag-a-long" or better "drag-a-long" to our meetings & events over the past 30 years. She has done a lot of typing and other routine chores for the 10 terms that her husband (me) has served as President.

This year, I felt that we needed saying a special "thanks" to those that present programs at our monthly meetings. I created a Certificate of Appreciation for these great programs we enjoy at each meeting. Those present to be recognized were Robert Hall: "The Legend of Washington Irving" - John G. West: "1871 Murder Confession" - Larry & Rena Goss: "Old Family Love Letters." Don Counts surprised me by presenting me a special gift in recognition of my long service to TSGS. Don gave me a DVD of a book he compiled "America's Godly Heritage."

Lyn Martin gave her Willard Library report. The President recognized the library staff that were present from the genealogical department, in addition to Lyn were: Peggy Newton, Vannetta McDowell, Pat Sides and John Scheer.

Becky West, TSGS Program Chair, introduced the program presented by Connie Conrad "Tombstone Art" a slide presentation. The slides were really interesting. I thanked Connie for her program and presented her with a TSGS Certificate for her entertaining program.

John G. West, TSGS President

TSGS Annual Dinner Meeting

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TSGS Annual Dinner Meeting Notice!

When: 12 Apr 2011 Tuesday Night
Time: Program begins about 7:00 PM (Dine & fellowship 6:00 PM)
Where: Sirloin Stockade, 4610 Bellemeade Ave. (West of Green River Road)
What: Annual Dinner Meeting
Program: Tombstone Slideshow presented by Connie Conrad

All are welcome, you do not need to be a member to attend!

John G. West, TSGS President

"Darrah's Genealogical Seminar at Willard Library"

' Yesterday, I attended a genealogical seminar at Willard Library where a fellow Indiana Society SAR member, Ron Darrah, presented two programs on immigration routes into the Midwest & Indiana. He mentioned "National Roads" that made migration easier. He suggested reading William Dollarhide's "Map Guide to American Routes, 1735-1815" (published in 1997). Afterwards, I decided to check out this book of Dollarhide's (I have his U.S. Census book for 1790 to 1920 showing county changes). This is what I learned about one road that clearly links a strong probability of how my WEST family came to Granville Co., NC. During the decade of the 1740's, the water transportation routes were no longer adequate to gain access to new farming areas. The upgrading of trading trails to full-fledged roads for wagon traffic was necessary. Filling this need was the Upper Road which began at Fredericksburg, VA (on the King's Highway that continued along the coast line) and continued across Virginia to North Carolina, but lying west of the Fall Line Road. In the mid-1740's, the propriety governor of the Granville District began issuing land grants to Quakers, Scotch-Irish and others from the tidewater counties of NC & VA. From Fredericksburg, the general route of the Upper Road was west of present day Interstate 85... and then at the state line the road followed closely to Interstate 85 southwesterly to Charlotte, NC & into Spartanburg & Greenville, SC. In VA this road went through current counties of Caroline, Louisa, Amelia, Lunenburg & others right into Granville County, NC. For those of us who claim Thomas West, Sr. to be their ancestor (or apparent ancestor), all of the above just might be extremely important. Thomas West, Sr. born before 1718 and died in Chatham Co., NC in 1808 can first be found in Granville Co., NC in 1750 when his son, Ignatius, claims to be born there in 1750. There is no earlier record of Thomas prior to this date. There exists tax lists & deed records that establish Thomas in Granville Co. during the 1750's with several of his sons. At least some of this line of the WEST have connections to Quakers. Migration routes from VA would bring many farmers from the Louisa Co. area directly to Granville Co. Three children of William Meacham from VA. married offspring of Thomas West, Sr. including Ignatius and two daughters of Thomas West, Jr. Another family inter-marrying West family members was the Buckners who also migrated from Caroline Co., VA where the Meachams were from. Caroline County was south of Fredericksburg adjoining Hanover County which adjoins Louisa Co., VA. This all suggests that (possibly) Thomas West, Sr. migrated along the Upper Road from the Caroline/Hanover/Louisa County area of VA to Granville Co., NC between the 1740's to just before 1750! From y-DNA, we have learned that we have West family connections to Hanover & Louisa County areas. Further, it would seem that Thomas West, Sr. should be found in this Caroline/Hanover/Louisa County area of VA in the time frame of the 1730's thru 1740's. Sometime before 1739, Thomas became an adult; and, we know he was in Granville Co., NC by 1750 making a window of time of about 10 to 20 years! This information may be very helpful to many who might read this since this is how many that ended in Kentucky, Tennessee or Georgia migrated from Maryland,Virginia & the Carolinas. - Compiled by JGWest

"We Can Not Be Related - Our Name Has 2 "p's"

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Genealogy is such a fascinating hobby to pursue. We are interested in learning all sorts of things about our ancestors and where we came from. As we start researching some basic truths soon stand out, like: the last names (surnames) are not always spelled the same in records and sometimes the name has been shortened or otherwise changed. Names like "Woodis" might be spelled ~ Woodas, Woodus, Woudes, Wooddis or Woodiss... you can fill in the other 30 or 40 variations! Then you have simple names like Phipps spelled "Fips!" Names that are "Anglicized" makes up a lot of these name changes. One of my ancestors is John Kimble that I finally learned was Anglicized in Virginia in Colonial days from Johann Kimmel. Simpler changes are dropping extra repeated letters: Hermann becomes Herman. Another example might be Westmoreland becomes simply West. Many American families of German descent during the World Wars decided to change their traditional German names to a common English name to avoid others having mixed opinions concerning their home country. Schmidt became Smith, Kliene became Cline, Kasper became Casper, etc.


Besides all of these name problems, you also have people who can not spell: Weatlee = Wheatley; Night = Knight; Mathney = Mattingly. Then, of course, you have "typo" or careless errors in copying names for indexes or transcriptions of documents.


You would think that would be the end of it, but not yet... one of the worst problems is having common names to research like Brown, Smith, Jones, Wood/Woods, or even West. Just think of researching the family of John Smith who married a Mary or Elizabeth (last name unknown) in a county saturated with Smiths! When I was a kid, Dad took me to Christian County, Kentucky and as we were traveling he asked me to count the mail boxes with the name John West (my name)... in about 30 minutes of going down this one road, I counted 12 with my name and saw at least 20 more boxes with the surname of WEST!!!


Bear in mind that location and time might alter how common some names might be. My cousin sent me this message yesterday (that prompted this blog) concerning a reservation for a party room at a local restaurant for us to have an informal LONG family get-together:


"I did put the reservations in my name. I should have used a less common one. We have been in restaurants with reservations that were given to another Jones party. So, we started using our oldest daughter's married name, Elpers. (Our youngest daughter's married name is Smith. Yes, it really is. And, then, of course, our son's name is Jones). The lady at the Log Inn laughed when we said Elpers. That's as common as Jones up that way. The owners are actually named Elpers." - Beverly Justus Jones


The above quote is an excellent example of location affecting how common names might surprise you when you are researching!


Genealogy can be a great hobby, but to avoid some unnecessary headaches try to remember that our family's surnames are not carved in stone (and even if it is, like in a tombstone... it may not be correct or the same). One branch of the family may spell the name one way with the brother's line spelling it differently. If your family "always" spelled it "Woodis" and some other family "always" spelled it "Woodduss" ~ suspect that the two families are probably related!

- Written by JGWest

"TSGS Meeting Tonight"

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Invitation to hear...

Larry & Rena Goss present

"Old Family Love Letters!"

TSGS Meeting Notice!

When: 08 Mar 2011 Tuesday Night

Time: 7:00 PM

Where: Willard Library - 2nd. Floor

What: Monthly Meeting

A drawing for an attendance prize

will be awarded at close of meeting...

you must be present to win.

The Tri-State Genealogical Society

will have a brief business meeting

followed by the program.