Wishful Wednesday - Registration OPEN for 'GRIP'

I AM SO EXCITED and now exhausted from the stress of registration and then actually getting registered and doing my happy dance that it all went well and I was successful.........

OK OK you are asking what are you talking about? I'll start at the beginning.............

I have just registered for another week long conference being held in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania........ GRIP

Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh.
Like the January SLIG conference I attended, it is also a week long conference picking one topic out of many. This will be my first time at this conference and I am looking forward to it.....  Apparently the demand is very high for this conference (as it was for SLIG) and they say it could be full within minutes of the opening of registration. So when the timer hit -0- and registration opened. the process seemed very intense, stressful and you hope as you are filling out each page  that you were able to correctly complete the online form in time to be counted as registered. AND I DID!!! Don't know whether all the hipe was true but I was not going to take a chance on not getting in.

The conference is June 26- July1, 2016 at LaRoche College, Pittsburgh, PA. It is a dorm situation (private rooms, or two - three to a room). Each room has its own bathroom, refrigerator. Cafeteria style meals are included with the room cost. There are also some hotels/motels with in a mile or more of the college. I opted for a private room on campus.  I am taking the Pennsylvania track (the description of the course is below). There is also a track on Germany but I felt I wasn't ready yet. I only know Bavaria and Hesse-Darmstadt but nothing more than that, so I will wait till the next opportunity. I do need to do a lot more research in Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh and Allegheny to be exact. So as you can see I will also be in the right place in Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) to do intimate research on my German family line of DIETZ. If the Pennsylvania track was full, my second choice would have been Judy Russell's course on Women and Children First. But don't have to worry about that now.

YES I AM EXCITED!! So now to start preparing for this experience. It will be here quicker than I need it to be...........  

2016 June – Pennsylvania Research

Pennsylvania: Research in the Keystone State

Coordinators: Sharon Cook MacInnes, Ph.D. and Michael D. Lacopo, D.V.M.

Additional Course Instructor: Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

We have designed our course for intermediate and above researchers who understand how the Genealogical Proof Standard forms the foundation for solid research but may not know much about Pennsylvania resources.  Our goal is to present a practical, in-depth, and fast-paced exploration of Pennsylvania record groups with a bit of fun and hands-on exercises thrown in.

If you want to know more about the lives of your Pennsylvania ancestors beyond the basics, join us for five days of digger deeper in to the wealth of online and on-site resources that await you. Every one of our Pennsylvania ancestors has a tale to tell, and it is our responsibility as genealogists to tell it. The Pennsylvania track will expand your knowledge of resources necessary to fulfill the reasonably exhaustive search your ancestors deserve. We will present comprehensive overviews of the records in which your ancestor may appear, delve into how and where those records can be accessed, and demonstrate how the records should be used to expand an understanding of your ancestor’s life. We will provide you with interesting case studies and practical methods illustrating how ancestors reveal themselves within their social, economic and historical context in Pennsylvania and beyond. During the week you will be challenged to solve hands-on problems in small groups while adhering to the Genealogical Proof Standard.  We will assign some homework that is optional but highly recommended

Here are the other topics offered ....  maybe you are interested in attending, look it over

Family Archiving: Heirlooms in the Digital AgeDenise May Levenick

Fundamentals of Forensic Genealogy for the 21st CenturyCathi Desmarais, CGKelvin Meyers
Michael Ramage, J.D., CG

German Research ResourcesWarren Bittner, CGBaerbel Johnson, AG

Master the Art of Genealogical Documentation
Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG

Women and Children First!
Research Methods for the Hidden Members of the FamilyJudy G. Russell, J.D., CG, CGL

AND there is a second week of totally different courses offered July 17-22. Registration opens for this one on March 2 NOON EST

Comments, Questions.......  love to hear from you

FOLLOW Friday - JAMBOREE 2016

JAMBOREE, a favorite conference of mine. From the first time I attended several years ago, I have tried to go each year. It is a little smaller than national conference's but offer much of the same things as the national conferences. Yes, it is that time again to start thinking about what you will be doing during the 2016 year........  lots of different genealogy conferences coming up.............  The Jamboree in Burbank is a long weekend of social events, classes, hands-on, demo's, lab sessions, Exhibit hall and so much more........and it is local for us. Yes local - less than a  day drive or less than an hour flight.  The weather is usually very nice, and of course in June it should be nice and warm and you are able to go outside for a walk or go site seeing. It is located very close to the airport so it is convenient to the hotel. 

Southern California Genealogical Society

presents the 

                                             47th Southern California Genealogy JAMBOREE

June 2-5 2016 

Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel

Burbank California

                                                          Genetic Genealogy 2016  
                                           Future of the Past: Genetic Genealogy 2016                              
                                                            Thursday June 2, 2016
                                                                                OR  
there are other workshops, and labs being offered for others not attending the one day Genetic Conference- always something to do.

AND

                                          Southern California Genealogy Jamboree
                                          Giving to the Future by Preserving the Past
                                                                 Friday - Sunday
                                                                  June 3-5, 2016


If you are interested in attending, you need to at least make your hotel reservations now. The Marriott fills up very quickly. Then you need to go the website and see what is being offered and register. Then decide how you are going to get there - drive or fly. Maybe there are others that will be attending that you can tag along, and/or room with other members.  

See you there............ Yes I have registered, I have my hotel room at the Marriott's and I have my room mate, Marilyn Ulbricht.........  and we will be driving down. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about the JAMBOREE........

Sibling Saturday - George Jr, Where Are You?

CONTINUING on my DIETZ/DEITZ family line from research already done............


GEORGE and CAROLINE DIETZ/DEITZ 
-my 2nd great grandparents on my fathers fathers line- 
......and GEORGE Jr.


One of my goals for my Salt Lake City visit besides the SLIG conference is to follow several families (DEITZ/DIETZ, RHALL, STEIR/STIER) from whatever records I can find.

So I sat down with 20 plus rolls of  microfilm for the late 1800 & early 1900's  Allegheny City/Cty City Directories.

One reason is to just follow them through the years to see where they lived and when. Just to know they were where other documents said they were. I began with looking at surname DIETZ which I was familiar with, but didn't find George Sr till later in years than I thought he should be showing up. For some reason I went back through the microfilm I had already gone through and found him early on under DEITZ. From that point on I checked both........  I am also tracking RHALL (married daughter Katie)  and STIER/STEIR (married to daughter Maria) (found it was spelled both ways for several years- almost missed it in a couple of years because of the second spelling) Also wanted to follow RAIDER/RAEDER (married daughter Emma) but didn't find the name early on and then ran out of time.........

Another reason is to track a son of my 2nd great grandparents George and Caroline Dietz/ Deitz - George Jr. year by year especially after 1880. I believe Geo Jr died before the 1900 US Census. On the 1900 US Census, his mother Caroline states that she gave birth to 8 children and 7 are still living. I can account for the 7 living children through the 1900 and beyond through the Census and other documentation but not George Jr.

So I began looking.......  I looked through all the microfilm on deaths in Allegheny County Pennsylvania which included 1880 - 1900 without any luck. Other George's were babies, but not my George Jr. So that was disappointing. There are still other microfilm to look through on deaths in the area but did not have time to go through them. I did begin looking through the 1861- 1885 & 1900- 1903 Pittsburgh including Allegheny City Directories on microfilm. I was disappointed that I did not finish with the city directories and still needed to look through the 1886-1900. Next visit.

The last census I found George Jr on was the 1880 US Census and of course there isn't a 1890 US Census surviving- so that is one major reason to look through those great City Directories. On the 1880 US Census George Jr was living at home (Allegheny City/Cty Pennsylvania) with his parents and other siblings. He was a 14 year old single man that was an apprentice chairmaker. Since that was his fathers occupation, I am thinking he may have been studying under his father. Another topic to research.

I have not transcribed my notes from the City Directories yet, so I need to do that first. BUT I did find both George's in the Directories over the years but don't have all of them to make any definite decisions about the death or absence for George Jr.  I would like to set up a spreadsheet for this project so I can sort on any of the points of information. So I guess this will be my next project.


1870 US Census: George and Caroline Dietz in Allegheny City, Allegheny Cty, Pennsylvania..... no street address or street given.
*George, head is 32 and a chairmaker from Bavaria & both parents are both foreign born, shows he is a male citizen of US of 21 years of age .
*Caroline his wife is 27, keeping house,  from Hesse-Darmstadt, parent are both foreign born
*Lizzie 5 years old, from Pennsylvania parents both foreign born, she attends school
*George 4 years old from Pennsylvania, parents both foreign born
*Henrietta 1year old from Pennsylvania

1880 US Census George and Caroline Dietz, Allegheny City, Allegheny Cty, Pennsylvania living at 65 Second St
*George, head, 42, chairmaker from Bavaria including parents
*Caroline, 38 wife keeping house, Hessie-Darmstadt  including parents
*Elizabeth, 15, daughter,  single domestic servant from Maryland
*George, 14, son, apprec chairmkr from Pennsylvania
*Henrietta, 11, daughter, singles at home, attending school from Pennsylvania
*Christian, 9 son, single attending school from Pennsylvania
*Maria, 6 daughter single attending school from Pennsylvania
*Emma, 4 daughter, from Pennsylvania
*Andrew, 7 months (Oct) son from Pennsylvania

1900 US Census, George and Carrie Deitz (surname spelling change) Allegheny City, Allegheny Cty, Pennsylvania  604 Second St (same home street number change)
*George, head b: June1832, 62 years old, Married 34 years B: Germany Immigration: 1865 35 Years in the USA Chair manufacturer  own/mtg home
*Carrie, wife b: Aug /1844 Germany, 56 years old,  married 34 years 8children/ 7 living, Immigration: 1865 35 years in USA
* Christian, son b:May 1871 29 years old single, born Pennsylvania Preserver/ Pickle Factory
*Andrew, son Oct 1880 19 years old,  from Pennsylvania laborer
*Katie, daughter Feb 1882 18 years old from Pennsylvania

1910 & 1920 US Census - Allegheny Co Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*Caroline widow (48 & 58) lives with her daughter Katie and husband John Rhall - see dies in 1928
   1910 US Census shows Immigration for Caroline to USA in 1861 (big difference from 1900 US Census)

TO-DO LIST.............
.....enter City Directory info in to a spreadsheet

.....what other documentation could be used for substitution of 1890 US Census ????
.....SLC library for searching remaining City Directories
.....SLC library for searching remaining deaths in Allegheny County on microfilm
.....SLC library- look through church records for George Jr's birth - wonder what church?

Friday Faces From the Past - Home from SLIG & the fun begins

HOME AGAIN HOME!!
I have returned home from SLIG/Salt Lake City. What a great time. A solid week just studying one topic "US Records" one instructor Paula Stuart-Warren CGsm, FMGS, FUGA and two back up's Josh TaylorMA, MLS, and Debra S Mieszala CGsm.  WOW! so much experience to draw from in the room. Excellent time for learning....... and growing!

But now I am home and I have so many dates, numbers, names and other information whirling around in my brain, so many notes, documents, files on my flash drive. So much to do, but when, where and how..............?



My main goal for this research trip (besides attending  SLIG) was to trace the Dietz/Deitz family of Allegheny, Allegheny, Pennsylvania (my 2nd Great Grandparents on my fathers fathers side)........ hoping to find Immigration papers. I did find a number of records that will need to be studied closer. But no Immigration papers for George and Caroline.

I was able to consult with Debbie S Mieszala after class at the LIBRARY.  My main question for this consultation was to look for Immigration Records/passenger lists for George and Caroline's Dietz/Deitz   We went over all the information I had already and made a plan.

We went back to basics and looked over what I already had. We checked the 1870, 1880 and 1900, 1910, 1920.

1870 Allegheny City/Cty Pennsylvania - shows that George is 32 & from Bavaria and Caroline is 27 from Hesse-Darmstadt, both their parents are foreign born

1880 Allegheny City/Cty Pennsylvania - George is 42/Bavaria & Caroline, 38/ Hessie-Darmstadt

1900 Allegheny City/Cty Pennsylvania - George is 62/Germany married /34y Immigration/1865 35 yrs in USA, & Carrie 56/Germany married/34y Immigration/1865 35 yrs in USA (George passed in 1907)

1910 Pittsburgh/Allegheny Cty Pennsylvania Caroline wid/66 Immigration/1861

1920 Pittsburgh/Allegheny Cty Pennsylvania Caroline wid/76  no other information
Caroline died in 1928........  I found the index to the Wills & Probates for Caroline but did not find the actual records (something still to look for)

In the 1900 US Census shows they both immigrated in 1865 but the 1910 US Census show immigration for Caroline was 1861 - a 4 year difference. 1900 US Census also tells me that they were married for 34 years. but they have been in the USA for 35 years. So that might mean they were not married when they arrived.  I did find a Baltimore passenger list with an 18 year old Caroline NOLL (her maiden name) from Hesse Darmstadt listed, but I don't see a date. NO George Dietz/Deitz listed on that -passenger list. But I am going to go back and look again. Now I am really confused, did they come over together but separately and were not married yet. Did they meet in Baltimore, marry and have their first child....... a daughter Elizabeth which is my great grandmother. Most records show Elizabeth is born in Maryland but the birth is too early for the records keeping in Maryland. The 1870 US Census shows Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania. Gosh I am not sure about anything anymore. How about church records? What church? Never got to church records for births AND marriages in Allegheny or Baltimore..........  never thought of them being married in the USA, I have just assumed they married somewhere in Germany, probably in Hesse-Darmstadt where Caroline was from. Or was she pregnant when she got to the USA and then married. I don't know. Any of these story lines could be right. I did find a George Dietz in Naturalization Records for 1866. could be, but just can't tell if that is the right one............  the numbers are not adding up...

So now I am left with more questions than answers.

Check list of things to do at the library next time around.........
.......passenger lists into Baltimore for Caroline for year and for George too
.......wills & probate for Caroline
.......found George's will & probate but he left everything to Caroline and no mention of anyone else or anything else
......check for marriage (George & Caroline) and births (Elizabeth) in church records in Baltimore

Wednesday Wisdom @ SLIG

OH MY GOODNESS I am here in Salt Lake City where the
legiondary LIBRARY is located. I am here. I am pinching
myself to make sure it is really true. OCH! Yep it is true.

Why am I here, you ask. I am attending the SLIG conference for
the first time.

SLIG? Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy - it is an annual event that
the Utah Genealogical Association hosts. I am very excited.

What makes this one different than the other conferences I attend
throughout the year? Most all of the other conferences I attend offer 1 hour classes, special workshop, roundtables, banquets and a market place usually all over a two to three day period.

This conference is one week long 8:30-4 daily Monday to Friday.  There  is a welcome get together on Sunday evening, a special presentation Monday evening and a closing Banquet on Friday evening. There should be LIBRARY time too with some expert guidance. You register for one topic,  You will be getting a very concentrated presentation, an in depth study in the one topic you have chosen. I have chosen 'Intermediate US Records and Research'  with Paula Stuart Warren,  Josh Taylor and Debbie Mieszala. They each alternate talking about various subjects dealing with US Records - Planning, Vital Records, Church Records, US Passports, US Census, Clustering, Twentieth & Twenty-First Century Research and so much more.........  it is an amazing week!! I have taken several classes from Paula over the years,  She is a very accomplished speaker and presenter.

If you are not familiar, it has been around for at least 20 years. There are a couple of participants that have actually attended all of them, Amazing! Several years back I heard about it about it and for whatever reason thought it was more for want to be professionals but it is not. It doesn't hurt that the LIBRARY is right up the street.

One of the benefits is being reunited with many old friends and making new friends. Being with people that do understand the happy dance or the yell out at the microfilm desk .... everyone understands.

We have been kept busy but there is still plenty of time for your own research too. It does make for long days probably 13 hours awake and going, then maybe a couple more hours on your computer in your room or getting what you did today organized and ready for the next day. It sounds overwhelming and it can be so I am just setting my own pace and trying not to get too tired and remembering to eat. (ok ok it wouldn't hurt to miss a couple of meals but WHY)

Check out the Utah Genealogical Association for more of the details of the this week.......  see all the different subjects they offer. And you can see when the 2017 sessions will happen.


This is not my first time at the LIBRARY in SLC but it is my first SLIG conference. There are about 360 participants and over half of them are first timers. Apparently these are all records. We also have someone from Netherlands, China and India, now those are LONG trips.  Oh the conference is being held in the Hilton which is two blocks (L O  N  G BLOCKS)south of the LIBRARY. Luckily for me (and many others) SLIG has provided a bus to take people back and forth all the week.

Last night we had a plenary session with Rev Dr David McDonald who blogs "Thinking Genealogically"  check out his blog .........  I have to say it was a fun night, I laughed so much my face was hurting, just what we needed. Excellent first night. If you ever get a chance to listen to him, do it, you won't regret it. He is also teaching  "Early US Church Records". The two DNA classes are huge  and full, it is a hot topic right now.

I am getting ready for class tomorrow and for late night at the LIBRARY tomorrow night..... and I am tired but fired up about being here. Thankful that I am financially but healthy enough to attend.

Getting organized for tomorrow, and putting information and new records I've  found into my Legacy program. Wifi is free and strong so we are all doing a lot more from our rooms.

Yes I have found stuff already.........  I have found 3 new marriages, a passenger list from Baltimore, and confirmed a maiden name,,,,,,,, ahhhhhhhhh, life is good!

But it is not all FUN there is playtime too................. oh my LIFE IS GOOD!!  Cheers!!!

For comments please contact me I'd love to hear from you............