Esther Jane Ferris born in 1869 to Thomas and Sarah Ferris in Cambridge, MA, was married in 1869 to George Richard Crocker of ME and had 4 known children, George R. and Frederick both born in Cambridge, MA and Annie and Dorothy both born in ME.
Today I scanned all their Vital Records and Census Records from the Ferris Family Book into Ferris/Documents on my hard drive. I entered all the relevant information into the FTM Software Database and made plans to further research their children and enter all the relevant information into Ancestry.
Tomorrow I will continue work on tightening up the data, media and research of Thomas and Sarah M Ferris's children, Edward, the two Georges, Mary, Charles, Annie and finally Robert.
Today was a good day and very productive. I am getting better organized. Keeping separate records on two different computer using different operating systems and software plus trying to keep the two on line data bases going on Ancestry.com and Goodirishstock.com can be a challenge. I need an assistant ! Thanks for looking in.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Descendants of Charles A Ferris
I received an email from Ann Ferris who turns out to be the widow of one of the Descendants of Charles A Ferris and Margaret L Dearmond. I was most curious about one of Charles and Margaret's sons named John ( like me ) who also shares my October 13 birthday. John it runs out married a woman named Dorothy and had three boys, two of which have children alive today. I am so excited by this communication as it represents the first "touch: from the descendants of Robert James Ferris's brothers or sisters carrying the Ferris name. And it appears that there could be other children alive today descended from Charles and Margaret as they had four children.
I worked briefly on updating the information Ann so generously supplied so that my data would reflect the changes in case any of her family wanted an updated Family Tree. It is just these types of encounters that take the research of history and genealogy away from trying to bring to life ancestors through fact, data, stories and pictures to actually talking to a live cousin who is part of your large extended family tree. I am grateful today that all my research paid off on this one branch and look forward to further communication with them. AND.... I still have more letters out there that have not been responded to !
I worked briefly on updating the information Ann so generously supplied so that my data would reflect the changes in case any of her family wanted an updated Family Tree. It is just these types of encounters that take the research of history and genealogy away from trying to bring to life ancestors through fact, data, stories and pictures to actually talking to a live cousin who is part of your large extended family tree. I am grateful today that all my research paid off on this one branch and look forward to further communication with them. AND.... I still have more letters out there that have not been responded to !
Monday, April 26, 2010
Ferris Family Media
I received my first response from the letters sent to Canada in search of descendants for Charles A Ferris and Margaret Dearmond. Unfortunately this eliminated one as they were from Sydney NS and not of our branch. At least I know that the letters are being received.
Worked this morning of moving Media Files (Vital, Census and Misc) from my Genealogy/Documents Folder on the Hard Drive to the Family Tree Maker Media file under the correct persons file. Today I did most of Thomas Ferris 1 children including him and his grandchild Thomas 2.
Researched the Ferris information found on RootsWeb from The Sweet and Dacey Project. Always a load of well researched information. Also using the planner of FTM I wrote out a plan for adding additional media needed for that same group listed above.
Finally I began initial ( FINALLY ! ) work on writing the new code needed for uploading the new Good Irish Stock Web Site. Right now I am starting to review and begin transfer of the CSS to create the templates that will carry through each page. I also updated the data being transferred to that page so that as the pages are completed I can drag the data in. Lots of work to do before the summer arrives and I am happy to have finally begun the process.
Worked this morning of moving Media Files (Vital, Census and Misc) from my Genealogy/Documents Folder on the Hard Drive to the Family Tree Maker Media file under the correct persons file. Today I did most of Thomas Ferris 1 children including him and his grandchild Thomas 2.
Researched the Ferris information found on RootsWeb from The Sweet and Dacey Project. Always a load of well researched information. Also using the planner of FTM I wrote out a plan for adding additional media needed for that same group listed above.
Finally I began initial ( FINALLY ! ) work on writing the new code needed for uploading the new Good Irish Stock Web Site. Right now I am starting to review and begin transfer of the CSS to create the templates that will carry through each page. I also updated the data being transferred to that page so that as the pages are completed I can drag the data in. Lots of work to do before the summer arrives and I am happy to have finally begun the process.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Continued Organization
Letters to the Ferris branch residing in Nova Scotia sent and now it's the waiting to hear if any of the letters yield another cousin to be added to the tree!
I see Tammi and Pete continue to add new content to our MacDonald line. How nice is it to see work being done to further our research and history after twenty years of feeling alone in the project. Having several people researching the same family surely lightens the load and allows time to spent in other areas not usually worked
So my organization of media continues. Reorganizing the files in which documents, data, pictures and other genealogical information has been my focus. Renaming file in a consistent manner is finally happening and the moving of files to properly tagged and in the RIGHT file is underway.
Bringing the data base contained in Family Tree Maker and GRAMPS together continues also. This is an important piece of work so that the new summer 2010 version of the Web Site will reflect the latest additions of research found.
Finally continuing with the release of this new version the biographies tab is being changed. The previous written biographies of Thomas Ferris 1 and Thomas Ferris 2 have been reformatted and are in the process of a rewrite. A draft for biographies for Robert James Ferris 1 and Donald Aeneus MacDonald are complete. I plan on more biography of Albert Thomas Ferris Sr for Summer release.
It's been a very productive last two days and I look to continue to get this version rolling and released by the first day of summer. I need to catch up on my PEI newsletters and also the New England Historical and Genealogy Society newsletters. Jeanne on vacation this week and with her mother in the hospital I think my project might slow down a bit. But these life's events are what make up genealogy and living in them and through them are a big part of life. While I truly believe understanding your past can help who you are today, it is very important to not miss what is going on in your present life. After all, it is the one you are living and each day is a gift.
For those of you reading this thanks for your time. Drop me an email, a telephone call or even a letter. Each of you are the lifeline to all the branches of the various families I am researching.
I see Tammi and Pete continue to add new content to our MacDonald line. How nice is it to see work being done to further our research and history after twenty years of feeling alone in the project. Having several people researching the same family surely lightens the load and allows time to spent in other areas not usually worked
So my organization of media continues. Reorganizing the files in which documents, data, pictures and other genealogical information has been my focus. Renaming file in a consistent manner is finally happening and the moving of files to properly tagged and in the RIGHT file is underway.
Bringing the data base contained in Family Tree Maker and GRAMPS together continues also. This is an important piece of work so that the new summer 2010 version of the Web Site will reflect the latest additions of research found.
Finally continuing with the release of this new version the biographies tab is being changed. The previous written biographies of Thomas Ferris 1 and Thomas Ferris 2 have been reformatted and are in the process of a rewrite. A draft for biographies for Robert James Ferris 1 and Donald Aeneus MacDonald are complete. I plan on more biography of Albert Thomas Ferris Sr for Summer release.
It's been a very productive last two days and I look to continue to get this version rolling and released by the first day of summer. I need to catch up on my PEI newsletters and also the New England Historical and Genealogy Society newsletters. Jeanne on vacation this week and with her mother in the hospital I think my project might slow down a bit. But these life's events are what make up genealogy and living in them and through them are a big part of life. While I truly believe understanding your past can help who you are today, it is very important to not miss what is going on in your present life. After all, it is the one you are living and each day is a gift.
For those of you reading this thanks for your time. Drop me an email, a telephone call or even a letter. Each of you are the lifeline to all the branches of the various families I am researching.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Getting Organized
Six letters to Ferris Family in Halifax and the surrounding area being sent out today to attempt to locate and communicate with the descendants of Charles A Ferris, brother of my great-grandfather Robert J Ferris.
Also worked a little on my MacDonald--MacEcheran -MacPhee branch thanks to Tammi and Pete who continue to add new content to our family tree. Added documents from my cousin Lorraine pertaining to our Nickerson branch.
Focused on my great grandfather Robert J Ferris and his family for a couple of days tightening up time lines for him using census, city directories, and other records to attempt to follow the places he lived from birth to death. There are some strange events that happened there.
Going to try and concentrate on organizing all the various documents I have both as hard copies and as electronic media into files organized by Family Surname and then owner of document in the windows computer. In the Linux computer my goal is to do the same as above and additionally attach all the media to that specific person in GRAMPS so that on the next WebSite version each person will have all the proper documents and media attached to them.
Also worked a little on my MacDonald--MacEcheran -MacPhee branch thanks to Tammi and Pete who continue to add new content to our family tree. Added documents from my cousin Lorraine pertaining to our Nickerson branch.
Focused on my great grandfather Robert J Ferris and his family for a couple of days tightening up time lines for him using census, city directories, and other records to attempt to follow the places he lived from birth to death. There are some strange events that happened there.
Going to try and concentrate on organizing all the various documents I have both as hard copies and as electronic media into files organized by Family Surname and then owner of document in the windows computer. In the Linux computer my goal is to do the same as above and additionally attach all the media to that specific person in GRAMPS so that on the next WebSite version each person will have all the proper documents and media attached to them.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Summer Revision
I worked this morning on the Welcome Page of the planned revision. Also I finalized the letter I plan to send to the Halifax area of Canada searching for descendants of Charles A Ferris. I need to get a book of stamps to get these letters mailed out before weeks end. This revision will once again be written in HTML, CSS and PERL using UBUNTU and KDEs editor KATE. My continuing search for better programming skills has brought me to RUBY and RAILS as a future possibility for code but I am a long way from understanding and using this platform. Pete and Tammi MacDonald continue to do great work on their MacDonald research adding new content weekly and I have linked my Ancestry account with theirs so that we may share our work. Finally I am hoping that Pete, Jean and I can meet soon to organize the MacDonald research we now separately conduct into a team effort that will yield great results without duplication of effort and the sharing of the vast resources, skills and knowledge we each presently have. Again, if you are reading this and think you have something to add I invite you to contact me and join the team !
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Updating Data
This morning I created a GEDCOM file from Family Tree Maker on my desktop running Windows 7 to import and merge into my GRAMPS software on my laptop running Linux KUbuntu. What this does is allows me to begin the process of updating my Web Site Data files which run on the GRAMPS software. I will update the CSS and also change all the dates to reflect the next version I am putting out which I believe I will call the Summer Version.
I found a list of Ferris's living in the Halifax area of Nova Scotia and finalized a cover letter to send them and see if any are indeed descendants of my great great uncle Charles A Ferris. One of his children named John has my exact birthday October 13 though his was in 1894. I know the family moved back to Nova Scotia to Margaret L Dearmonds family home since I found them in the 1911 census. And I know at least two of her children married and had children so the possibility is pretty good that at least one branch is still alive up there carrying the Ferris name
There won't be any BLOG post from Friday (tomorrow ) until Monday. I am leaving for Vermont tomorrow morning to attend ceremonies that will honor and celebrate my youngest son Daniel's making both the Dean's List and his induction into Phi Beta Kappa at St Micheal's College. He will be moving on this year after graduation having already been accepted at the University of Chicago for his masters graduate work.
I also did some research into my Father's Mother's side of the family on Ancestry tracing Thomas Maloney and wife Bridget Donnelly through the census records. Born in Carbonear, Newfoundland both lived here in Charlestown, MA, Thomas working as a longshoreman. Both are pictured in the Photobucket widget attached to this BLOG in a color picture of them sitting together.
Well, that's all for now. I have a lot to do to prepare for my trip to Vermont. Hope to continue work on Web Site revision on Monday as well as mail out the cover letters bound for Halifax and the surrounding area. It's been a good productive week. See you next week.
John
I found a list of Ferris's living in the Halifax area of Nova Scotia and finalized a cover letter to send them and see if any are indeed descendants of my great great uncle Charles A Ferris. One of his children named John has my exact birthday October 13 though his was in 1894. I know the family moved back to Nova Scotia to Margaret L Dearmonds family home since I found them in the 1911 census. And I know at least two of her children married and had children so the possibility is pretty good that at least one branch is still alive up there carrying the Ferris name
There won't be any BLOG post from Friday (tomorrow ) until Monday. I am leaving for Vermont tomorrow morning to attend ceremonies that will honor and celebrate my youngest son Daniel's making both the Dean's List and his induction into Phi Beta Kappa at St Micheal's College. He will be moving on this year after graduation having already been accepted at the University of Chicago for his masters graduate work.
I also did some research into my Father's Mother's side of the family on Ancestry tracing Thomas Maloney and wife Bridget Donnelly through the census records. Born in Carbonear, Newfoundland both lived here in Charlestown, MA, Thomas working as a longshoreman. Both are pictured in the Photobucket widget attached to this BLOG in a color picture of them sitting together.
Well, that's all for now. I have a lot to do to prepare for my trip to Vermont. Hope to continue work on Web Site revision on Monday as well as mail out the cover letters bound for Halifax and the surrounding area. It's been a good productive week. See you next week.
John
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
I'm Back !!!
Not that you missed me .. but.. After a much needed computer rebuild I am back. Joseph and I basically stripped the old Antec case of the power supply, mother board, processor, memory and hard drives. That left me with just the DVD And CD drives. A new Intel dual-core processor on a Gigabyte MB, 4 GB of RAM and a terabyte of Hard Drive space added to the already existing 2oo gigs plus new windows 7 OS has me back and running and running quicker then ever. I also upgraded my Family tree Maker Software to 2010. With my Ancestry, NHGS, Dotster and Netfirms Subscriptions all paid I am finally ready to put some serious time into some much needed changes in both web site design and content.
Partnership with cousin's Jean and Pete to help make the MacDonald family research going forward will be a tremendous improvement. Pete and wife, Tammie have already contributed much content through their Ancestry page and we have linked our pages for the future. Jean's ties with Prince Edward Island and her data on her branch will be gratefully taken. Most important though will be the expertise each brings to the research from their own experiences and skills. A future meeting to bring it all together is in the works and I am very excited to meet both and have them as part of my research. How lucky can you be to find two members of the same family with such skills and passion for genealogy working on the same thing you are?
Finally work continues of tracking down long lost cousins of the Ferris branch. I am still looking for someone in the Ferris family to work with me to help me sort out the data that continues to be found and to help search for descendants of our ancestors still out there who don't know about this research project.
Please once again feel free to comment, compliment, correct or celebrate this project with me. Your data, pictures, stories, and comments help to drive this project more then anything I do at the computer. Write, call or email me with what's on your mind. Till the next post.... keep searching.. sometimes.. the past is the key to your future.
John
Partnership with cousin's Jean and Pete to help make the MacDonald family research going forward will be a tremendous improvement. Pete and wife, Tammie have already contributed much content through their Ancestry page and we have linked our pages for the future. Jean's ties with Prince Edward Island and her data on her branch will be gratefully taken. Most important though will be the expertise each brings to the research from their own experiences and skills. A future meeting to bring it all together is in the works and I am very excited to meet both and have them as part of my research. How lucky can you be to find two members of the same family with such skills and passion for genealogy working on the same thing you are?
Finally work continues of tracking down long lost cousins of the Ferris branch. I am still looking for someone in the Ferris family to work with me to help me sort out the data that continues to be found and to help search for descendants of our ancestors still out there who don't know about this research project.
Please once again feel free to comment, compliment, correct or celebrate this project with me. Your data, pictures, stories, and comments help to drive this project more then anything I do at the computer. Write, call or email me with what's on your mind. Till the next post.... keep searching.. sometimes.. the past is the key to your future.
John
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