Yearbook photos on Ancestry

Yesterday I started going through the documents for my Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865 application, but I wanted a cup of coffee. I have found I cannot have a drink near my paperwork so I needed to do some work online.

I went to the little leaf on the title bar of my Ancestry.com account and followed some of those leads. Sometimes it's too time intensive and I can't follow those trails so I decided to go a different route. I opened up my tree and started looking at my tree in the vertical view vs. pedigree view. I like to look at hints that are newer than the 1800s. I like the ones of those that are still living.

I found my uncle's high school photo in his school yearbook. Today I found my cousin's photo in her yearbook. I'll often download the picture and then crop to make it their profile picture if I don't have one for them. These yearbook photos give me a glimpse into my family in other ways than I have seen them.

My uncle was fifteen when I was born so when this photo was taken I was about three. I kind of remember him in looking like this, but he still have would been in his twenties in my memory instead of a teen. It's fun to look in the yearbook and see if it really is a family member.

I do have a brother I've never met, and unfortunately passed away in 1988. He was only two years older that I am. I have a picture of him when he was very young, but none when he was older. I found a Paul Nelson that could be him, but I'm not sure. If so this would give me a glimpse into what he looked like as a schoolboy. I'll keep hunting and hopefully find something that gives me an image of him. Thanks Ancestry.com for providing these! I appreciate it!

                                                 

                                           

The National Society United States Daughters of 1812

I've been working on my application to apply to The National Society United States Daughters of 1812. I'm hoping to join from my Nelson line through Sampson Nelson. I've sent my application in for preview. I've copied my documents, and written the necessary information on the back of each. My glitch is that Sampson Nelson and Eli Nelson, his son, never appear in documents together by name. Sampson died the year Eli was born. Eli is listed in the 1830 census as a tic mark, but not a name. I don't have a birth or death record for Sampson either. I do have a marriage record, and his 1812 service record which I found on Ancestry and Fold3.

To further complicate things his wife was Ann Carnes, but went by Nancy. On their marriage record she is listed as Ann Carnes, but after that is referred to as Nancy Nelson. When Sampson died Nancy married his friend Lewis Vonschriltz so she is also Nancy Vonschriltz. Nancy is on record as having a son named Eli Nelson so I'm hoping those facts can be tied together.

Now I'm going to work on application to Daughters of the American Revolution.

Happy Hunting!

1860 Census for Salem Township, Pomeroy, Meigs, OH

In today's research I researched Eli Nelson my 3rd great-grandfather. I'm trying to provide a good direct link between him and his father in documents which hasn't been easy. His father Sampson Nelson died the year Eli was born.

I hit the Search button on Ancestry.com, and up came an 1860 Census for Ohio. I looked over the page, but there are a few discrepancies with the information stated in the census. So what to do? Is this my Eli Nelson? How do I work through the information?

On line 20, N Nelson is listed. However I need E Nelson not N Nelson. Who is listed with him? Matilda who is a 27 year old female, Roena a 5 year old female, and Mills a 5 year old male.

Facts as I know them: My Eli Nelson has a wife named Matilda who would have been 27 at the time of this census. Eli had a daughter names Rowena/Roena who would have been 5 at this time, Eli had a son named Miles about age 3 at this time.

Right below N Nelson is a N Vonschriltz, 66 year old male.  I believe this was actually my 4th great-grandmother Eli's mother Nancy Nelson Vonschriltz. Nancy would have been 66 or 67 at the time of this census. Listed with N Vonschriltz is L Nelson 36 year old female who was likely Nancy's daughter-Eli's sister Lucinda Nelson who would have been 36 at the time of this census. I don't have Lucinda as ever being married so her living with her mother at age 36 would have been normal, I believe. Under L Nelson is E Rifee 16 year old male. Nancy's daughter Mary Nelson married Andrew Rife and had a son named Eli Rife who would have been 16 in 1860.

Given the info in this census I believe they are my Eli Nelson and Nancy Vonschriltz. This helps me narrow down Nancy's death period as I didn't have anything on her past 1850. I will continue to research this document. I have looked several pages before and after. There are other Nelsons and Vonschriltzs in the the area at that time. Ultimately I would like to know when Nancy died and where she is buried.