The Darker Side of Genealogy
Mon Feb 13 2017 at 3:07:16
In early 2016 there was an advertisement for a genealogy website on American television which showed two nice-looking young black twins sitting in a room talking about genealogy. One of them says “I wish I could get into a time machine and just go back 100 years or 200 years and just meet these people.” I know I am not alone in thinking traveling to the past in America is really not a good idea for a black man or woman.
Many people take up the hobby of genealogy to learn who they are or where they came from. Reading the source documents of their ancestors lives, such as census records, wills, obituaries, pension claims, etc. often provides the genealogist with a sense of their relatives daily life and can evoke empathetic feelings in the researcher. However, sometimes the emotions can be a bit more equivocal.
It s Treasure Chest Thursday - a chance to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history and genealogy musings.
The treasure today is the 1678 birth entry for Ester Wheeler in the Concord, Massachusetts town vital records book:
The birth entry is the 9th from the top of the The County Records Again birth listings:
The birth record transcription is: Ester daughter of John Wheeler born 1.10.78
The source citation for this record is:
George Tolman (compiler), Concord, Massachusetts Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1635-1850 (Concord, Mass. : Committee on Printing, 1894), page 22, Esther Wheeler birth entry, 1.10.78 (1 December 1678).
Mon Feb 13 2017 at 3:07:16
In early 2016 there was an advertisement for a genealogy website on American television which showed two nice-looking young black twins sitting in a room talking about genealogy. One of them says “I wish I could get into a time machine and just go back 100 years or 200 years and just meet these people.” I know I am not alone in thinking traveling to the past in America is really not a good idea for a black man or woman.
Many people take up the hobby of genealogy to learn who they are or where they came from. Reading the source documents of their ancestors lives, such as census records, wills, obituaries, pension claims, etc. often provides the genealogist with a sense of their relatives daily life and can evoke empathetic feelings in the researcher. However, sometimes the emotions can be a bit more equivocal.
Montgomery County COVID-19 Statistics for Feb. 1
Since Friday, Jan.29, the Maryland Department of Health has reported 847 new cases of COVID-19 in Montgomery County 402 Saturday, 255 Sunday and 190 Monday. The county’s cumulative case count is 59,155.
Montgomery County recorded 12 new coronavirus-related fatalities since Friday, Jan. 29 two Saturday, four Sunday and six Monday bringing the death toll to 1,266.
The county reports 231 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Jan. 30.
The county has a rolling seven-day average of 4,97% for positive COVID-19 tests, which is a decrease of 0.22 from Sunday’s average rate of 4.97%. The county’s positivity rate is lower than in 20 of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions. This is the first day the rate dropped below 5% since Nov. 30.
Montgomery County COVID-19 Statistics for Jan. 27, 2021
The Maryland Department of Health reported 359 new COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County Wednesday morning. The county’s cumulative case count is 57,685.
Montgomery County recorded eight new coronavirus-related fatalities Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 1,248.
As of Wednesday, 26 schools in the state are reporting COVID-19 cases, five are located in Montgomery County. They include:
The Avalon School in Wheaton reports three cases.
Brookewood School located in Kensington reports three cases.
Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda reports four cases.
The Heights School located in Potomac has four cases.
The Primary Day School in Bethesda reports two cases.