Nutbush and Middleburg townships are now combined in present day Vance County, NC. Somewhere in the water lies the lands of my ancestors and many others of this region who were affected by the 1950s Kerr Lake/Buggs Island Dam Project.
I was thrilled to meet Mr. Bernie Gracy at the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expos. I learned so much from the three sessions he conducted on Location Based Genealogy. Prior to the conference, I had begun applying some of the concepts I learned from him though his YouTube videos that I discovered this past summer. (Read more about this discovery.) I also had an opportunity to let him know on Friday of the conference that I had blogged about his work earlier that month.
For those of us who will be attending the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expos next week, I’m sure we’re all busy this week finalizing our travel plans, deciding what to pack, and browsing the syllabi for the conference to determine what classes we will be attending. And for us presenters, even possibly doing last minute tweaks of our presentations.
One thing I do when preparing for a major genealogy conference trip to type planning lists in Microsoft Excel because it enables me to categorize and sort the list so I can make such decisions as what things to pack, what workshops I’d like to attend, or what things I’d like to do such as research or visiting family, friends, or tourist sites in conference area. This same list can also be typed using the Tables feature of a word processing software package in which you can also sort and type in columnar format.
Here are tips from two other bloggers who give invaluable tips about preparing to attend a genealogy conference. Enjoy!
A few months ago, I became interested in geography and geographic information science (GIS) so I enrolled in a GIS class at a local community college. Later I wanted to learn more about how geography and GIS could be used with genealogy so I typed in the keywords "geography and genealogy" in YouTube. Through this search, I discovered the work of Mr. Bernie Gracy who specializes in located-based genealogy.
Location is a huge part of a genealogists' quest; afterall we spend numerous hours trying to locate an ancestor's whereabouts and movements. Sometimes if we examine an ancestor's surroundings and location, we may discover numerous bits of new information. For example, I took Mr. Gracy's advice about focusing on location from his interview with Lisa Louise Cooke (see below) and scanned through an 1870 census in the Matoca townshop of Chesterfield County, VA focusing on the occupations of residents of that county. This census was used only because that was my research focus at the time I discovered the videos by Bernie Gracy. I was researching Charles Lundy, the alleged second husband of my slave ancestor Ellen Moore of Greensville County, VA when I discovered the videos below. During my scanning, I noticed a large number of people in Charles Lundy's community with the occupation labeled "works in cotton factory." Charles' occupations, however, was listed as Farm Laborer on this census. Further research validated my assumption that there a cotton factory in the community where Charles Lundy was living in 1870. I also learned through my research that there were several cotton factories in Chesterfield County, VA during this time.
I was thrilled to learn recently that Mr. Gracy will be presenting three workshops at the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expos. I look forward to attending these workshops as well as meeting him. The three workshops are:
Below are several videos of Mr. Bernie Gracy in which he explains location based genealogy.
The First Law of Geography
Interview of Bernie Gracy by Lisa Louise Cooke, Part 1
Interview of Bernie Gracy by Lisa Louise Cooke, Part 2
ALL ROADS LEAD TO ATLANTA on November 12-13, 2010 for the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expos. I've been busy finalizing my travel plans and preparing for the upcoming expo and I am so thoroughly excited about attending this conference and meeting so many genealogists from around the country.
Conference Workshops. Part of my preparation has been examining the conference program to plan for the workshops I'd like to attend. This has been a challenging task with so many choices of workshops, and so little time. There will be only ten workshop sessions (nine room each session,) but since I will be conducting one during one of these time slots, that leaves me with only nine possibilities. So now my task is to PRIORITIZE and determine which nine workshops I need the most. Ah, Decisions, Decisions. I'm sure that other conference attendees are having this same dilemna.
My Workshop. I'm glad that I examined the conference program again because I see that my workshop, Let Your Voice Be Heard in the Digital Conversation, has been moved up to the Friday, 11:30 a.m. slot instead of Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The focus of this workshop is on adding audio or voice messages to spice up text‐based communications in documents, emails, and Internet sites. This workshop will help participants discover free audio recording tools on their computers and guide them in understanding the added benefits of enhancing digital documents with audio and voice messages.
I am also excited that I will be a Blogger of Honor at this conference.
REMEMBER THAT ALL ROADS LEAD TO ATLANTA on November 12-13, 2010. Hope to see you at the conference.
The focus of this workshop is on adding audio or voice messages to spice up text‐based communications in documents, emails, and Internet sites. This workshop will help participants discover free audio recording tools on their computers and guide them in understanding the added benefits of enhancing digital documents with audio and voice messages.
The focus of this workshop is on adding audio or voice messages to spice up text‐based communications in documents, emails, and Internet sites. This workshop will help participants discover free audio recording tools on their computers and guide them in understanding the added benefits of enhancing digital documents with audio and voice messages.
Happy Birthday to me on this day, September 27th. Another year has passed and I plan to enjoy the day! Thank God for blessing me to see another birthday, just three years shy of the big 5-0.
Spending the day off from work, relaxing, doing house stuff, and watching the Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial conference online. I love the power of the Internet and to be able to attend a conference virtually and not have to fight traffic or get dressed. Conference is being held at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA.
I was very excited to learn on Facebook this morning that CDs from recent conferences are available for purchase through Jamb-Inc.com - Genealogy. Two of them which I missed are the:
Taste of Suffolk Downtown Street Festival in Suffolk, VA. 
From left to right, Barbara Hamm Lee, Host; Lisa Godley, Reporter;
In my first posting on May 30th in this series, I established several goals related to researching my Uncle Andy B. I had no idea of how many postings I would write on this topic, but I felt the need to get my analysis down in writing. I did not think that I had a lot of information on my Uncle Andy B., but, what I discovered through my writing was that I knew more than I thought I did. As a result of my endeavor, writing out an analysis on each source of information helped me to see a clearer picture of the life of Uncle Andy B. I did not see the same picture by just reading or studying the individual documents.
Analysis of Goals
I set several goals when I began this endeavor. Below is my analysis of my achievement or progress towards reaching these goals.
Goal #1 was to complete a timeline and analysis of documents and facts that I had already collected. I achieved his goal by writing and analyzing each document collected.
Goal #2 was to help other researchers learn about the document analysis process. Based on the numerous comments through my blog, Twitter, Facebook, emails, and Myfamily website, I believe that my writings helped other researchers to think about the document analysis process.
Goal #3 was to learn more about New York genealogical resources. I discovered that I had emails from 2006 and 2008 buried in my Inbox from the Queen’s New York library which provided me with information about what genealogical resources were available for Queens. I also discovered various resources from the New York Public Library which included a marriage record index in which Uncle Andy B. was listed as having married Margaret Morse on May 28, 1924. Another library source I discovered was a service provided by the NYPL library where you can request a three year look up of one name in New York City directories. An Andrew Bullock was listed to directories from 1931 to 1934 living in New York City. A name of spouse was not listed in these city directories, therefore I am not positive if any of the “Andrew Bullocks” listed in these directories, were my uncle.
Additionally, I also discovered various microfilm for New York City which can be ordered through the Family History Center. Another option is for me to travel to Washington, DC (about a 3.5 hour drive) to look at city directories on microfilm at the Library of Congress.
Goal #4 was to discover new documents related to life of Uncle Andy B. During this writing process, I discovered two additional documents (a marriage date from a marriage index of his first marriage, and a 1942 military draft card for Uncle Andy B.)
Avenues for Further Research
I also discovered that there are several avenues for further research on Uncle Andy B’s life. In my quest, I discovered two additional records on Uncle Andy B. and also discovered that I already had information in my e-mail from four years ago about the availability of records and Queens, New York.
As a result of my document analysis, I am planning to focus on the following research areas by:
For now, I will put the researching of Uncle Andy B. on hold. Perhaps, at a later time, I will do this exercise on other ancestors and family members. I’m sure that I will pick up the Uncle Andy B. research again, but at least for a little while, I’ll concentrate on researching other family lines.
By the time of his death in March 1972, Uncle Andy B. had another wife who was named "Carolyn." Many years after I began researching, I re-examined the 1982 funeral program of my great-great grandmother, Bell Bullock Johnson. In the list of her survivors was noted "one sister-in-law, Carolyn Bullock, of St. Albans, NY." I learned from family members that "Carolyn Bullock" was the wife of Uncle Andy B. who was a brother of my great-grandmother.
After this discovery, I searched for Carolyn Bullock 0n the social security death index. The results of this search gave me her date of birth (June 9, 1901) and the month and year of her death (January 1995). The social security death index also indicated that her middle initial was "J."
Another Internet search on http://www.ancestry.com/ directed me to the above cemetery record for her which indicated that she was "the wife of Andrew Bullock" and was buried in the Long Island National Cemetery next to her husband.
Front Side of Uncle Andy B's WWII Military Draft Registration Card
Side Two of Uncle Andy B's WWII Military Draft Registration Card
=====
Stay tuned. . . Coming Up! – Professor Dru Learns About Uncle Andy B’s Two Wives.
Thus far, I have two records which provide me with information on Uncle Andy B’s death in 1972. Both records were obtained from the Internet. The first is from the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and the second is from the U. S. Veterans Gravesites database on www.ancestry.com.
I discovered Uncle Andy B’s social security death index record early on in my research along with SSDI records on four of his sisters, Bell (my great grandmother), Channie, Bessie, and Mima. Uncle Andy B’s SSDI record provided me with four pieces of information and one discrepancy.
Information Provided from SSDI Record
Discrepancy on SSDI Record
The discrepancy on Uncle Andy B’s SSDI record is that his birthday is indicated as the 31st of July rather than the 4th which is the day listed on other records.
Cemetery Record
Later on in my research I discovered a cemetery record on Uncle Andy B. from the U.S. Veterans Gravesites database, 1775-2006m on www.ancestry.com. This provided me with five pieces of information and one discrepancy.
Information Provided from Cemetery Record
Discrepancies on Cemetery Record
Other Death Records on Uncle Andy B.
Stay tuned. . . Coming Up! – Professor Dru Discovers Another Military Record for Uncle Andy B.
Stay tuned. . . Coming Up! – Professor Dru learns about Uncle Andy B. from Family Property Deed .
Household of Andrew and Luvenia Bullock*Note: My memory is fuzzy with regard to who said what about Uncle Andy B. having stepchildren. I think that both Informants #2 and #3 mentioned that Uncle Andy B. had stepchildren. Since both of them visited him during his lifetime, they both would have probably known about the stepchildren. I am not sure which informant (#2 or #3) gave me details on the gender of the stepchildren and the names of some of them. The recollection is that Uncle Andy B. did not have biological children, but had one stepson and two stepdaughters. The informant thought that the stepson’s name was Johnny; and that one of he stepdaughter’s name was Winny. Informant did not remember the name of the second stepdaughter.
*****
Informant #4
First Cousin who may have interacted with him when both lived in NY. Informant still living. This first cousin who is in his early 80s possibly has Alzheimers, but I am not sure how severe. This informant did not tell me directly, but reportedly told another Bullock family researcher that Andy B. left home during his teenage years and moved to NY to live with relatives. He and Uncle Andy B. were first cousins and it is likely that their paths crossed in NY. I have met and had several conversations with this informant and probably brought up Uncle Andy B’s name during our conversation after I learned that informant lived in NY during his adult years. If this conversation took place, I do not remember anything in particular that this informant said.
Other Oral History Conversations
I am positive that I asked others about Uncle Andy B. during times when I have inquired about memories of the children Uncle Andy B’s parents, Andrew and Luvenia Bullock. Nothing significant is remembered from these inquiries other than Uncle Andy B. was the son who lived in New York.
More Possible Informants
There are still a few living relatives whom I have not talked to yet, who likely remember Uncle Andy B. or remember hearing about him. Uncle Andy B. has several first cousins still living, one in particular who moved from NC to New York during her early adult life. Last time I saw her, she was 95 years old, very spry, and walking better than I was. I can’t remember what year I last saw her and for some reason I don’t have her date of birth recorded in my family tree file. Yesterday I posted a message on our Bullock family website to ask about this cousin’s well being as well as contact information for her. If this cousin is not well enough to talk, then there are other possible persons such as her son who might be in his 70s or 80s or other living cousins or nieces and nephews of Uncle Andy B.
