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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Old Photo: Mrs. Jessie McQUAY family ca 1834 Ripley, NY |
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Back to Top1. What does New York Ancestry cover?While there are excellent websites cranking out information for just about every county in New York via the US GenWeb Project, I believe there's "always room for one more." The information presented on this website costs nothing to those who visit with us. It is strictly informational and presented in an unique, yet simple way. The format of New York Ancestry helps to further the researcher's quest for personal history on their kindred. The sources of my information are old and rare books relating to New York history and genealogy which either do not have an index or have an index that is less than comprehensive. For instance, wouldn't it be thrilling to find a reference to (your) ancestor in The Memoirs of the Rev. Christopher Healy? By finding an ancestor in the Name Search, which gives the book the name was sourced from, a genealogist is additionally helped by being informed of which library has the pertinent work. As some of these works are found in libraries few and far between, a list of companies selling the works is also provided. As a last resort for most family historians, there are references to professional researchers. As our database expands, old and rare books from all over New York will be included in our Name Search. For now, the genealogist has the best chance of coming up with a hit if the person he searches came from the North Country ... Jefferson, Oneida, St. Lawrence, Herkimer, Oswego, Lewis, Onondaga, Cayuga, Wayne and Monroe counties.
2. How did you become involved in genealogy?As a young girl, raised in a family atmosphere of strong and long traditions, I can say that knowing and loving them gave me a sure and secure knowledge that 'family' is most important: it is because of them (the family you grew up in and the family of your future) that you look to in order to share your joy of loving and living. I especially enjoyed hearing the stories of my grandfather (albeit they went through changes in translation - via my mother - because Nonu and I spoke different languages). In school, I learned of the historical events of the people of my maternal heritage, the Italians and thrilled to know of their notable achievements in so many areas: artists, writers, and saints among a few. As a teenager, we lived across from a cemetery. In the autumn of my sixteenth year, I walked up and down the narrow roads so infrequently traveled in that quiet and tranquil setting. The brilliant maple and elm trees of a New England Indian Summer solemnly watched over their charges while gently welcoming visitors to the sacred ground. I would leave the path and walk down a grassy knoll to read the etched epitaphs. The brevity of their engravings all too often dramatically told a tragic story. Introspectively, I would read of the death of a young woman just a few years older than myself and think how sad it was that she never knew in this life the joy of falling in love, marrying and having her own children. Such were my only brushes with 'genealogy' as I grew up. The storms of life that come to all of us sooner or later clouded and crowded my next few years. In short order, my parents divorced, I married and had two children and also divorced. When barely 23 years old, I decided to move west - to Oklahoma. There I dated a man who shared his faith with me. I accepted it also and through it, I gained hope that life could yet be filled with happiness. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and in obedience to one of its tenets, I began to search out my ancestors. Though the basic requirement is to learn of your heritage only until your greatgrandparents' generation, I became immersed -- obsessed -- to go far beyond and to primarily explore my paternal lineages (English and French Canadian.) The focus of my 'thirst to know' settled on my GOTHAM lineage especially the branch from New York's northern border county of Jefferson. Back to Top3. How did you get started in publishing?You'll be able to relate to this: as an adult, you wistfully wish you'd listened to your grandparents' stories or had been interested in genealogy when younger. My personal genealogical research began in earnest only after I'd moved from the area where my ancestors lived and opportunities to return became few and far between! In 1987, my main research sources became the Family History Branch of the Salt Lake Library and the Denver Public Library. While in the DPL, I found Franklin B. HOUGH's 1854 "History of Jefferson County, New York." A genealogist will immediately turn to the index of such a hopeful source. After a short evaluation, it became unquestionably apparent that the original index contained very few names. Paging next through the thick volume, I observed that literally thousands of people's names were not covered in it. Perhaps, I reasoned, only those of the contemporarily most notable were among the chosen. Had I a famous (or infamous!) ancestor, I'm sure he would have been in that original index and the history of New York Pedigrees would have been written very differently! However, what was of consequence in that moment was that resting in my hands was a record which would prove to be either an untapped treasure or another wild goose chase. There was only one way to find out and that was to patiently spend the time to get to know this book. Had my ancestors taken the time to record a brief personal history or kept a diary or write letters to loved ones, I would not then be making such diligent searches to learn more of them. On the one hand, I can understand why they would think that their lives made little difference or were mundane. How many of us keep a journal?! On the other hand, because they did not, I have gained a knowledge of history unequaled in any high school course! Also of different cultures, of different times, of different faiths. More than anything else, I would not have come to know you! For you see, deep in the hidden recesses of Hough's history, I found my ancestor. It was an indescribable thrill - and that's when I thought of you. How much would be your joy, also, if you could but as easily find your ancestor's name in a newly compiled, comprehensive index! So, for the next year, I patiently gathered all the names in Hough's. Upon completion, I offered the compilation through an advertisement in The Genealogical Helper in 1988... That's the long of the 'long and short' of how I got started in publishing!
Back to Top4. What are some of the other family history things you've done?In 1985, with the children now grown and experiencing their teenage years in the mid-1980's, I had the chance to expend more time and effort during the day on some of my own projects. My attentions turned to family history and I began to seek others who also researched the Gotham family. Before long, I began to put out a family newsletter called The Gotham Ties. The six issues per year ran for approximately eight years. It primarily focused on genealogical research of any bearing this surname who resided in the United States, past and present. I discontinued this newsletter in 1992. In 1986, I began a family newsletter for my maternal side, called The Puliafico Family Newsletter. Unlike The Gotham Ties, the objective of the PFN strove to keep the close-knitness of a rapidly expanding and distantly-spreading large Italian family in tact. Discontinued also in 1992. In 1987, my first truly 'public' work was published: Index to Hough's 1854 "History of Jefferson County, New York. " (See FAQ #3.) In 1989, after having queried purchasers of Hough's Index and concluded that a newsletter devoted specifically to Jefferson County was a feasible endeavor, the first issue of The Genealogical Journal of Jefferson County, New York was printed. It is still an on-going publication. In 1990, New York Pedigrees came into being. I have my husband, Rex, to thank for this. While I narrowly envisioned publishing charts solely for Jefferson County, he asked, "Why not for all of New York?" After some exploratory examination, I determined that his was a viable suggestion. Had it not been for his insightful thinking, New York Pedigrees and this resulting website would not exist today. In 1991, I published Upstate New York Researcher. By this time, I'd been fortunate enough to travel to Jefferson County a couple of times. Whatever the expense entailed, the thirst and search for on-site, personal acquaintance of the ancestral home was worth it! The results were that I'd collected knowledge of a few unusual, unique and/or little realized sources. And, of course, I wanted to share that with you! In 1993, I compiled Index to the DAR Bible Records of Jefferson County, New York. In developing this compilation, I decided to include a list of unusual given names, such as Dimick (Huntington). I conceptualized that such a name might well be Dimick's mother's maiden name. If the name, as a surname, did not occur in the comprehensive index, what an opportunity would be lost to certain researchers! This feature, which I believe is unique to my publications, is called 'Surname-Sounding Given Names' and is a regular feature. In 1995, having made some much valued friendships with like-minded researchers
in Jefferson County, I set advocating the establishment of a genealogical society among
them. A 'one-man show' such as my Jefferson County newsletter is - may someday
cease, depending on my circumstances. A group of people who have ready access to
original records reasonably stands a much better chance of being a permanent
organization. How we of distant land need their help! So, I entreated,
encouraged, cajoled and did my best to inspire them one summer evening and the Jefferson
County Genealogical Society was 'born.' If you are a Jefferson County researcher,
know that we all owe an invaluable debt of gratitude to those who took the
challenge. In 1997, having had measurable - miraculous - success in discovering the history of my Gotham family through the networking of researchers via the Genealogical Journal of Jefferson County, New York, I hazarded to think that I might be able to repeat my success again through the pages of a new New York county Journal. Seeking to find out more about my end-of-line KING ancestry as the reason for the selection and publication of The Genealogical Journal of Oneida County, New York. It is an annual, not quarterly, issued newsletter, published annually. In 1999, this website opens after many intense months spent by Rex learning how to create web pages. After 11 years, I published my last (annual) issue of The Genealogical Journal of Jefferson County, New York. The genealogical society established in 1994 is a thriving, growing organization. They have a good newsletter to which I will contribute from time to time. In October I compiled The Jefferson County Researcher which is basically an A-to-Z of what's in Jefferson County and where to find it. It was a very rewarding project for me personally. In 2002, renewed The Genealogical Journal of Jefferson
County, New York as a shaved-down, no-frills version of its former
self. The reason was that I saw there was still 'room' to, in essence,
augment the Jefferson County information for researchers that was being
published by the genealogy society of Jefferson County.
Back to Top5. Do you do research for individuals? My personal motto is, "Do Your Best." So, the
long and short of my answer then is: No, I do not do research for individuals.
I reason is that because I live in Idaho - not particularly close to the Salt Lake Library
and not at all close to New York - I am not able to 'do my best' for any potential client.
Through my compilations, I believe I serve in the best capacity possible for all
interested parties. Back to Top6. What are your future projects?The following are some ideas developing in the 'R&D lab' of my mind. Your thoughts and comments would be much appreciated! 1. Murder, Mystery and Mayhem in the 1800's of New York: a compilation of short, non-fiction stories or reports that are highly unusual, spectacular, or mischievous. For example, have you ever heard of how "The Witch of Plum Hollow" helped divine the whereabouts of a murderer? Or, have you ever heard of a case of 'internal combustion'? There was a case in 1873 in St. Lawrence County... If you have a segment - a portion of you ancestor's history or something you've just happened to run across and you believe it would naturally fit in with this theme, send it to us! We'd like to look at it. 2. Index to the 3 volumes of the Black River Conference Memorial: Eulogies of Methodist Itinerant Ministers along New York's northern border in the 1800's. Over a thousand pages of published material, with thousands of names! Actually, this work is about two-thirds finished. However, the compiler has tired of the work. Perhaps your encouragement is needed to see it through to publication! 3. Migration Trails West. This quarterly newsletter would make available, in relatively short order, the pertinent titles of the features of quarterly genealogical society newsletters along the northern border states of the U.S. such as MN, MI, IA, and WI; WA and OR. It's a 'Research in Reverse' resource. For instance, suppose your greatgrandfather's brother left New York and 'went West' - never to be heard from again. You, unfortunately, have not been able to establish who their father was. So, you seek to find the descendants of this brother. First, though, you must discover exactly where in Wisconsin the brother settled. Hopefully, some genealogical society will publish records relative to your search. Since you can't begin to subscribe to all of them, you buy Migration Trails West and scan for possibilities. Back to Top7. How can I help?Here are some ways in which you can help. 1. If you belong to a genealogical society, tell them about us. At your request, informational flyers from us will be sent. You are invited to lay these out at your meetings, seminars, and/or conferences. 2. If you are interested in helping on projects, you are invited to submit
articles for publication in Anything you do to help is considered invaluable to the whole community of New York researchers! In recompense for your contribution to any major work in process (see #3 above), we reciprocate by sending you a complimentary copy of that work. If you would like to help contact us. Published by RLJWebs.
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