Roberts Roots & Branches

Saturday, 14 January 2012 9:00 am Starting Your Family History 10:00 am How to Guess Where to Start 11:00 am Family History on the Internet 1:15 pm Research Logs--A Tool for Organizing Seating is limited. Register & click here for more information PS--stop in and say hello, I'll be there that day!

Stretched out at the IOOF hall at Kemmerer were the dead.  They were laid out in two rows, their bodies covered only by a sheet.  In another room the miners were being stripped of their work clothes and the bodies washed and a third row of the dead was being added to  as fast as the workers could accomplish their awful task. (Click here to view the blog page where this photograph is.) Within a short time all roads and paths from town to the mine were filled with wives, children, and friends of the imprisoned men. (Click here to view the blog page where this photograph is.) I finally found the two photographs I was looking for about the Frontier Mine No. 1 disaster.  Go check them out at the above links.

Kemmerer Camera, 21 December 1907 Kemmerer Camera, 14 December 1921   Kemmerer Republican, 22 December 1916   Kemmerer Camera, December 1920  

The test of a good critic is whether he knows when and how to believe on insufficient evidence.                                                                                                      - Samuel Butler

I have completed the a short biography for Margaret Roberts Roberts(2). You can click here to view. Also completed a short biography for Samuel Caulton(5), second husband of Margaret(2) You can view it by clicking here I am still looking to add a photograph to this post, but I cannot find the picture.  I will post when I find it and add it to the site. I am looking for feedback.  If you see something incorrect, or that you know about that I did not write, please contact me.  It is easy to change and add information--that is why I am blogging instead of printing!!! Also, if you notice I have added some pages to the blog.  You can view them by clicking on the tab under the header of the blog.  I believe that this will be easier than scrolling through the whole blog for things.

Can't seem to find Margaret Roberts in the 1910 census living in Rock Springs, Wyoming? Look at how Ancestry.com has transcribed this family: Margherito Cohlton 73 [Margherite Coblton] G Marry Jons 38 [I Marry Jons] [Marry G. Jons] G Thomas Jons 17 [Thomas G. Jons] note: names in brackets are a second attempt at getting the transcription correct. The correct names are: Margaret Colton 73, Mary E. Jones 38, Thomas G. Jones 17 Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Rock Springs, Sweetwater, Wyoming; Roll: T624_1746; Page: 20A; Enumeration District: 0120; Image: 570; FHL Number: 1375759.

The following are updates that have been added to the various blogs: Hugh(1) & Margaret(2):  Transcribed census records (finished).  Click here John Richard Roberts(8) & Selina Parker(162): Added a history of John Richard click here Added a history of Selina Parker click here   Added a page of transcribed census records for the John Richard Roberts family Click here Added Kemmerer Coal Company Records of accidents for Roberts surname.  Click here Frontier Mine No. 1:  Added page "Compensation Paid to Miners" click here

picture from here "Look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors.  All of them are alive in this moment.  Each is present in your body.  You are the continuation of each of these people."   ---Thich Nhat Hahn

photo from here . . .riding in a train backward; it shows you where you came from, but not where you’re going.

image from here • The Grinch stole my family tree. • My family tree is not a real one; it’s artificial! • Christmas morning, under my family tree Santa left me: Census records, marriage certificates, christening records and a map to the cemetery. • This year I’m not decorating my tree, I’m just going to appreciate the simplicity of my family. • At the Christmas tree lot do they also sell family trees? • Can I put my Christmas tree and family tree on the same timer? • Flock the Christmas tree; flog the family tree--just to see who falls out! • Christmas tree: It didn’t look that big outside! Family tree: It looked bigger on the computer screen! • Christmas tree lights and public pedigrees: a tangled mess! • For Christmas you don’t want to decorate and light a banana tree; likewise source and document your family tree so you don’t end up the wrong tree! (by jrobertslott)

Yep, I am still not done.  I have just a few more things to add.  It is really coming along and after doing some adjusting I believe it will be easier to navigate! If you browse it, leave me a comment or email me and tell me what you think. I have updated the links and added tabs under the heading. All of the miners have been added to NewFamilySearch with all of the information I have on them and their families.

 image from here  Dear Family, Happy Thanksgiving I am thankful for: FamilySearch digital images my mission at the FHL continual training I receive at the FHL my new IPad to assist with my research all of you who placate my passion notes, letters, emails and phone calls from my readers my Roberts family who came before me working with my Dad at the FHL so we can discuss research questions this season of my life to be able to devote my time to this research living in Wyoming in 1999 to 2002 so I could research Have a wonderful turkey day spending it with loved ones. Janet

Favorite links as featured in the October 2011 newsletter. CLWYD Family History Society Cyndi's List Dear Myrtle  Deseret News Historic Archive FamilySearch.org Find a Grave Frontier Mine No. 1 Disaster GenDisasters GENUKI Lincoln County Historical Society The Potteries  Rock Springs Cemetery Index Tributes Western States Marriage Index WIKI

go check out the Roberts pedigree chart on Ancestry.com picture from here If you have a subscription to Ancestry.com check out the Roberts-Beazer Family Tree  OR   if you  are at a Family History Library click here : Great job Adam!

New blog post for : Isaac (65) Roberts ,  son of John Richard Roberts (8) and Selina Parker (162) grandson of Hugh (1) Roberts & Margaret (2) Roberts Isaac (65) was born  27 June 1886, Fenton, Staffordshire, England. He was killed in the Frontier Mine No. 1 disaster on 14 August 1923, Frontier, Lincoln, Wyoming To visit this new post click  here .

Here's a link to a coal mining glossary I've added to the Frontier Mine No. 1 disaster blog: http://fronterminedisaster.blogspot.com/search/label/glossary Go check it out! image from here The October Newsletter is late getting out, look for it next week. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research    I was doing some research last week and came upon this in the Wikipedia.  I thought, "genius, this should be incorporated by Family Search."  Wouldn't it be wonderful if "Unsourced material"   could easily "be challenged and removed." Yesterday, I was on FamilySearch.  Yep, I found a mess.  Please, please, PLEASE make sure you know what you are doing BEFORE you go in and start adding, changing, and combing information.  Hugh's (1) parents have been combined with another family.  This information is very wrong.  I will be working with my dad to unscramble this mess and to add the correct parents of Hugh.  P.S. If you have added Hugh's parents and believe that they are correct on FamilySearch I beg you PLEASE send me the sources.  Please send me your information and documents.  I have tried to contact submitters by email, but no one has responded. 

"Many of you may think family history work is to be performed primarily by older people.  But I know of no age limit described in the scriptures or guidelines announced by Church leaders restricting this important service to mature adults.  You are sons and daughters of God, children of the covenant, and builders of the kingdom.  You need not wait until you reach an arbitrary age to fulfill your responsibility to assist in the work of salvation for the human family." "The Lord has made available in our day remarkable resources that enable you to learn about and love this work that is sparked by the Spirit of Elijah." "It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range of information and communication technologies.  Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord--not just communicate quickly with your friends.  The skills and apt...

"A society grows great when old men plant trees  in whose shade they will never sit" (Greek proverb) http://www.newton.lib.ia.us/images/prog/2008prog/tree/image_view_fullscreen A family grows great, when previous generations leave their  histories, in whose shade of wisdom and knowledge  they will leave for their descendants. (Janet's proverb)

is in the mail.  

http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~raymondfamily/2002_0620%20Mormon%20Trail/images/html/06200004%20Old%20bridge%20to%20Ft.%20Laramie.html "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future" Author: Alex Haley

Kudos goes out to the Lincoln County Historical Society http://lchs.zenfolio.com/p175119300 photo from:  http://www.kemmererhs.org/headstones_shell.html This web site has now linked together obituaries, marriage certificates, and headstones for Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming.  I found the site easy to use and navigate, however marriage certificates are blurry when you download them.  Go check out this site and leave a comment so they will know what a great job they have done!!!

http://images.google.com Monday, July 4--Independence Day marks an anniversary and a birthday for our ancestors. 116 years ago on Monday, July 4, Isaac Roberts (10) and Janet (16) Howie were married. Two years later, July 4, 1897 their second son, James H. Roberts (24) (my grandfather) was born. Both of these events, the marriage and James' birth took place in Trimdon Grange, England, but Isaac was an American citizen.  He obtained his citizenship and then went back to England where he married Janet and worked in the Durham County coal mines.  Why did he go back to Durham County and not Staffordshire County--the county he immigrated from in 1886?  Did he have family in Durham County?  Did he have a job secured in Durham before he left?  So many mysteries left to the puzzle. . .

(Picture taken by Athena Lott Nieman) Here is a picture of my newest little grand-daughter.  For her blessing, my daughter asked me to crochet her a dress, and then my daughter asked her mother-in-law, the baby's other grandmother to crochet her a bonnet to match the dress.  My daughter wanted her daughter to have a special keepsake from both of her grandmothers.  What a special idea and what a special way for this little girl to always have something special to remember her two grandmothers by. What christening or blessing keepsakes or traditions does your family have?  Has the item been documented through a letter or journal entry?  I encourage you to write down today any special memories or traditions your family has.  These memories that you have that are special and close to your heart NEED to be shared with other members of your family, otherwise when you are gone, they will ONLY be in your heart.

 I haven't been blogging much on this site, and I haven't been doing any research.  However I have been very busy.  I have continued to update the Frontier Mine No. 1 disaster blog at:  http://fronterminedisaster.blogspot.com/ .  I first learned about this disaster back in 2000 when I was doing research in Kemmerer about the John Richard Roberts(8) and Selina Parker(162) family. I have been drawn to this story and the accident.  During the time I lived in Wyoming I collected and gathered information about the disaster, and then for my History of Wyoming research project I wrote a research paper on the affects the disaster had on the community.   I have always felt like this story has to be told and shared. There are some remarkable stories sprinkled in the newspapers during that time period.  There are accounts of hero's, family tragedies, and an insight in to the coal mines and coal mining communities during that time period....

Findagrave.com has the graves listed from the Rock Springs Cemetery.  I have photographs, family links, and GPS coordinates that I would like to submit to Findagrave.com.  However, I don't have the time to start another project.  Anyone want to help.  It would be a small project and I would supply all of the information and photographs. Please contact me if you would be willing to help and take over this project.

Searching the census records for the Isaac Roberts(10) and Janet Howie(16) family can be difficult on Ancestry.com because of transcription errors.  After much searching, here is how to find the family: Enter the following information, and when entering the name, type it EXACTLY as it appears below. Census year: 1901      Isaac Roberts , born 1864, Hanley, Staffordshire, England, and  living in Trimdon Grange, Durham, England. 1910      Roberts Issack , born 1863, England, and living in Rock Springs, Sweetwater, Wyoming. 1920      Isaac Roberts , born 1864, England, and living in Rock Springs, Sweetwater, Wyoming.  1930     Isaac Roberta , born 1864, England, and living in Springs, Sweetwater, Wyoming.  Yes, the 1910 census has Isaac's surname listed as his given name and his mis-spelled given name-as his surname.  Good luck and happy hunting.

Today I cataloged document number:     What does 1,000 documents look like besides allot of work?    7 large binders   and 66 pages of index

I have began another blog, and this one is about the 1923 Frontier No. 1 Mine disaster.  This explosion killed Isaac Roberts(65), son of John Richard Roberts(8) and Selina Parker(162).  It is the mine that John Richard Roberts(65) helped Mr. Quely open in the late 1890's in Frontier, Wyoming.  The accident killed 99 men, and 37 men were rescued.  Visit the blog as this address:  http://fronterminedisaster.blogspot.com/

Oh the saga of search engines.  Maybe, it's because I don't think like this. It is really frustrating to spend so much time utilizing  search engines, when they are not as effective as they could be.  Tuesday, I spent about 4 hours searching several databases for all the information I could possibly find on several families.  Feeling very confident that I had located all of the records in that database, I moved on to the next family member. I threw all my "search engine knowledge" in to each individual search.  For each search, I used wild cards, exact matches, and close matches.  I used locations and exact locations.  I used every possible way that I am aware of to search these databases, and when finished I felt confident that I had found every possible record in each database. Until I changed search engines...   After one hour of re-researching only two names in one database, I  found another family to add to my database including ...

Is in the mail.  Did you receive your copy?

About a month ago I was really tired of hitting the BRICK WALL.  So, I traveled down to the B2 floor at the Family History Library.  B2 is the British Isle floor.  Now FYI, there are two types of help at the Family History Library; professionals and missionaries.  I am a missionary, and although we are trained rather well, sometimes you just need a professional.  So, I found a professional.  Here is what craziness I learned from the professional: 1.  No those aren't triplets on that census record or twins on that record.  In the 1841 census record the age of the children were rounded up or rounded down depending on the child's current age.  Either 5 or 15 years old was the age used.  (Which is why no descendants have had any multiple births since that census record!) 2.  Towns, parishes, and counties changed regularly even if the family didn't move.  For example a family may have lived in a single particular home in 1841 a...

home.messiah.edu Everyday more and more records are available online at Ancestry.com and at FamilySearch.org. and more websites are increasingly available to researchers.  In 2004 computer research was probably about 20% of my time.  The rest of the time I was in the films, fiches, books, newspapers, county court houses or libraries searching.  Now I would say that 80% of what I need I find online, and that percentage rate is ever increasing. I have spent numerous hours walking through cemeteries and now for I can sit at my computer and search the Kemmerer Cemetery and an index to the Rock Springs Cemetery's online.  Findagrave.com has allowed searches at other cemeteries in other states from my computer. What a difference in saving time from searching the cemetery its self and traveling. The Wyoming Newspaper project has allowed me to research old newspapers online-which saves a trip to Rock Springs.  The Western States Marriage Index has allowed me to s...

I went to the Family History Library last Friday, and began looking at films.  My dad came up and spent some time searching films also.  So in total we looked at 5 or six films and found 1 christening record! I must admit it is like an addiction.  There is an incredible sense of satisfaction when you find a record that you have never seen before.  It is the hunt as well as the find that I love.  The hunt would not be fun if there was never a find; but one small find makes the hunt worth it! Still no records to confirm Hugh's parents.  Oh, well, I now know where NOT to look! Newsletter next month...

Off to look at microfilms of church records in Flintshire.  Wish me luck.    (Just makes me happy to spend a day doing this!!!!)

While previewing the classes offered at the RootsTech Conference, I noticed that "Dear Myrtle" would be there and presenting several classes.  I was very excited, because Dear Myrtle was my online-research-buddy when I first began family history work about 15 years ago. I found her site very helpful and easy to use, so meeting her was pretty exciting for me--I felt like old friends, even though she didn't know me or that I even existed.  (She's kinda has "rock star" status for me!!!) Anyway, today on her blog she shared some pretty exciting news about embedding pedigree charts on blog sites.  It would be really neat to be able to add some of the documents and records I have. Go visit her site, especially if you have any questions and need some basic family history help. http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/

Okay, so I haven't posted for awhile, but that does not mean I haven't been busy, because I have, that is why I  haven't posted! I attended the first ever RootsTech in Salt Lake City--it was a blast.  I attended with my Dad and it was very enjoyable.  I learned allot and I was exposed to some technology that I surprisingly found interesting and fascinating.  Who knew! I am still trying to locate that "smoking gun" that proves Hugh & Margaret's marriage certificate.  I have not found what I am looking for, but that is not necessarily a bad thing--all signs and extensive research points to the fact that I have the correct certificate. I have found it so much fun to order certificates from the GRO that I have ordered another four certificates.  Which means I have found some pretty interesting causes of death, and I have certificates for people that aren't related! And I took week and went to Las Vegas.  What does genealogy have to do with Las ...

Are you stopping by for a visit?  Leave a note.  I know that blogger is not note or comment friendly if you don't have a gmail account, however you can "tic" the boxes below each post.  Scroll to the end of the post, to where you see "thoughts" and several boxes.  You can "tic" or click on  one of the boxes, so I know what you think.   After all I already know you've been here, I have a counter at the bottom of the page! Try it!

Did you see the first episode of the second season?  Vanessa Williams set out on her journey to find her family.  This Friday, Tim McGraw, country music superstar uncovers his father's heritage among the Founding Fathers.  You can see "Who Do You Think You Are?" on Friday evenings on NBC or you can watch it @ http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/ No one wants to see this picture again, after all of the posts for the last two months  and the saga about the lost certificates, but after all this is research and I have sent away for more certificates from the GRO!!!!  Let the waiting begin... Here I am with many puzzle pieces and some fit and some don't.  But, still sorting and trying to figure out Hugh's parents and that family line.  If you have any tidbits that might help call me . Finally, I am attending RootsTech, the family history and technology conference that will be held this week at the Salt Lake Convention Center.  I ...

I have been under the weather, so I haven't done too much research in the last week.  I am still working on some problems with family member trees on Ancestry.  I spent one whole Saturday trying to locate Hugh Roberts parents and family in parish and church records--to no avail.  I have spent some time on NewFamilySearch trying to update information. I have published  the January 2011 newsletter.  While doing that, I found I was in need of updating the addresses and contacts, such as updating contact information, and removing addresses for undeliverable mail. I have also added another 50 new documents to the document index and then have added that information to my Roots program.  What family history have you done?  Just a little something matters.

Saturday I spent the afternoon hunched under a microfilm reader on B2 at the Family History Library, searching church records looking for the family of Hugh(1) Roberts.  After all, I have his father's given name,  I have their religion, and I have the church where they were married.  I just need some supporting evidence to prove this marriage certificate I received in the mail from the GRO is for our Hugh and Margaret.  I did find some census records that I believe are Hugh listed with his parents and siblings, however, I still lack that one thread that connects this whole family with our family.  I need just one nugget of information that will stitch up this family with one more generation. I did get on NewFamilySearch, and entered the names from the census records.  I was hoping that I would be able to link onto a family whose information was already in the database and then my research would be correcting and documenting, however that is not the cas...

In the mail today:  the January 2011 newsletter. If you do not receive your copy  within the next few days, or you would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact jrobertslott@gmail.com Happy reading....

Finally received the certificates from the GRO.  See previous posts. Death certificate for Margaret Roberts(13)--daughter of Hugh(1) and Margaret(2) Roberts died 23rd September 1877 North Hanley, 7 years old cause of death:  "Run over by a cart  Accidental Death" certificate received from "John Booth, coroner for Staffordshire" "Inquest Rec'd 25 September 1877" signed "Henry Palmer, Registrar" Also received the marriage record of Hugh Roberts & Margaret Roberts.  I am still analyzing the information contained on this certificate to make sure it is the correct Hugh & Margaret.  This could break through some very big   BRICK WALLS!!!

Here are two websites I have come across that you might be interested in: Gen Disasters is a web site that describes events that touched our ancesters lives.  The above link is the 1923 Frontier Mine disaster that killed Isaac Roberts(65), son of John Richard Roberts(8) and Selina Parker(162).  Snoop around the website and see what you can find.  South Front Street Rock Springs, Wyoming, abt. 1915 from website:  Wyoming Tales and Trails.com    The second website I found while looking for pictures and information about Almy, Wyoming.  Wyoming Tales and Trails.com is a site that features history and photographs of old Wyoming.  It has interesting information and photographs about Rock Springs, Kemmerer, Wyoming coal camps, mining towns, and the early fur trade.  If you are interested in Wyoming history this site is a blast!

This morning I received this email from the GRO:   Dear Mrs Lott Thank you for your enquiry (sic) . We are sorry you have not received certificates from a recent order. We have authorised (sic) our certificate production team to process your applications within two working days. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused by the delay. Regards   Hopefully it won't be too much longer!