When researching your ancestors, have you considered a deep dive into the locality through reading a book? Although articles on Wikipedia or other websites can give us an overview of an area, we might be missing the deeper nuances that can be found in an in-depth scholarly treatment of our research locale. I recently read A History of the Ozarks, Volume 1: The Old Ozarks by Brooks Blevins. With several ancestral lines settling in the portion of Southern Missouri and northern Arkansas that makes up the Ozark region, I was hoping to gain insight into my ancestor’s actions. The book...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the second part of Diana’s research on John D. Isenhour, her 4th great grandfather. Her objective was to learn more about his migration from North Carolina to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In this episode, we discuss Diana’s research plan, Airtable research log, and findings. Read her plan and report linked below. Links John D. Isenhour Research Plan – by Diana John D. Isenhour Report April 2021 – by Diana John D. Isenhour_ Timeline and Analysis – Airtable – by Diana (PDF version of Airtable, scroll through to see all the fields) John...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Diana’s recent project for the study group. She researched to discover more about her 4th great grandfather, John D. Isenhour, and his migration from North Carolina to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In this episode, we discuss her objective, timeline, analysis of known information, and locality guide. Her objective was as follows: Discover why and when John D. Isenhour’s family moved to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in the early 1800s. John was born about 1779 in Lincoln County, North Carolina, and died March of 1844 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. John married Sarah Bailey on...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the influx of German immigrants in St. Louis, Missouri in the period prior to the Civil War, and how it influenced the outcome of the Camp Jackson Affair. Heidi Mathis returns for more discussion of St. Louis and German immigrants. Join us as we learn about the different beliefs of southerners and German immigrants in St. Louis in 1861. Links Mid-19th Century Germans in St. Louis and the Civil War by Heidi Mathis at Family Locket Euphrasia Pettus Letter and Photo at Missouri Historical Society Abolitionizing Missouri: German Immigrants and Racial...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about German immigration to St. Louis, Missouri in the 1840s-1860s. We discuss the reasons for immigration and the cultural differences between Americans and newly arrived Germans. Heidi Mathis shares the historical context she learned when researching her ancestor, Burkhard Schlag, who arrived in St. Louis in 1854 from Hesse. Links Mid-19th Century Germans in St. Louis by Heidi Mathis at Family Locket Using German Newspapers When You don’t Know Much German Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group – more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide by...
Courthouse in St. Joseph, Missouri [1] Can understanding the laws and court system of a locality really make a difference in our research? The answer is a resounding YES! As we move back in time, we come to rely more on the records created by the courts such as deeds, probate, guardianship, and more. Knowledge of these types of records helps us break down our brick wall research problems. Like every state, Missouri enacted laws and statutes that governed everything from divorce to name changes. Missouri also boasts a complicated court system because of the many jurisdictions that governed the...
The Missouri History Museum operated by the Missouri Historical Society. See “The Jefferson Memorial Building and the intersection of Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue after the completion of construction for the River des Peres Sewerage and Drainage Project in the area, 25 September 1930,” Wikimedia, (https://commons.wikipedia.org : accessed 17 April 2021). Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about exploring the major state repositories for Missouri research. We discuss some of the major record collections at the Missouri State Archives, the Missouri Historical Society, and State Historical Society of Missouri. We look at the Missouri Digital Heritage website and...
How did German emigrants to St. Louis, Missouri, influence the Civil War? In part 1 of this series, we explored reasons why Germans migrated en masse to Missouri in the 1840s and 1850s. In part 2, we will meet two ordinary people who experienced this period in vastly different ways. Guest blogger, Heidi Mathis provides us with an in-depth view of the time and place. By Heidi With the influx of German and Irish immigrants moving to St. Louis in the 1840s and 1850s, how did earlier settlers from the southern states react? The story of how these two groups...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the geography and history of the state of Missouri. We also discuss how understanding the land and geography will help in researching Missouri ancestors. Diana shares some of her takeaways from the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) course she took with Pam Sayre on Missouri. Links Research in Missouri: The Land and the History – blog post by Diana Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group – more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole...
Do you have ancestors who emigrated from Germany to Missouri in the mid-1800s? As part of our deep dive into Missouri research, this two-part series will discuss why German emigrants chose the St. Louis area of Missouri to settle and their part in the Civil War. Guest blogger, Heidi Mathis provides us with an in-depth view of the time and place through several “characters” in history. By Heidi Mathis Diana’s previous article “Research in Missouri: The Land and the History” looked at some of the factors that affected settlement in Missouri. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, St. Louis developed...
