Nossa Sehora de Piedade, Cathedral in Cajazieras, Brazil
To start the great genealogy reset I selected my mother’s line for a few reasons:
I had yet to really do any work with it so there wasn’t much to “redo”
It is centered in Paraiba, Brazil and as far as I know stayed there for the foreseeable past so the record search will be localized to one area and language.
I expect all my “from home” or family history library research options will be exhausted quickly and I’ll be “finished” with this line fairly soon.
I want this to be a real test of my newly established research practices and organization so this line should be perfect for that! I’ll be starting with Manoel, my mother’s grandfather since I have some information already from her since she met him and knew some details. Also, he is far enough back in time that the records are more readily available.
Starting with my mother (1) Manoel (4) is her grandfather. This chart is from my new “clean” database and doesn’t contain any unverified facts.
First up, the christening record for Manoel de Souza LIMA. This was actually the very first record I ever found (years ago!) using microfilm at the Family History Library in SLC. It was so exciting! Now, all these images are digitized which makes searching much easier!
Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Cazajeiras, Brasil), Batismos 1800, Jan – 1886 Abr, image 136, page 118, Manoel christening record; digital images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : downloaded 20 May 2016).
Transcription:
Manoel, branco, filho legitimo de Ildefonso de Souza Lima, a-
gricultor e Maria da Conceição de Jesus, sem officio, moradores
na Malta Fresca, Frequizia de Nossa Senhora da Piedade de Ca-
jazeiras, naseido a vinte e dous de Dezembro de mil oito centos
oitena e quatro e baptizado solemimente por mim na Ma-
triz no dia vinte e trez de dito mez e anno, sendo padrinhos
Tenente Acario de Souza Rolim e sua mulher Antonia O-
lindina do Conto Rolim; do que para constar mandou fa-
zer este termo, em que se assigna {signature}.
Translation:
Manoel, white, legitimate son of Ildefonso de Souza Lima,
farmer, and Maria da Conceição de Jesus, not employed, residents
of the Malta Fresca, Parish of Nossa Senhora da Piedade of
Cajazeiras, born on the twenty second of December of eighteen hundred
eighty four and solemnly baptized by me in the
chapel on the twenty third day of the same month and year, as godparents
Lieutenant Acario de Souza Rolim and his wife Antonia
Olindina do Conto Rolim; for the record I ordered this record
made, and to attest, I sign {signature}.
Notes
Here are all the “facts” I was able to draw from this document and add to my new clean database:
Manoel is the son of Ildefonso de Souza LIMA and Maria da Conceição DE JESUS. He is male and was named Manoel.
His birth date is 22 Dec 1884 in Cajazieras, Brazil.
Ildefonso is a farmer.
Manoel was “legitimate” meaning his parents were married prior to his birth. So I should be able to find a marriage record for them prior to 22 Dec 1884.
Manoel was christened in the Nossa Senhora da Piedade church in Cajazeiras, Brazil on 23 Dec 1884.
His godparents were Lieutenant Acario de Souza ROLIM and his wife Antonia Olindina doe Conto ROLIM who were likely friends with Manoel’s parents.
That is quite a bit of information from just this one record. From here I can keep going with Manoel’s parents and try to find a marriage record or keep looking in the birth records for any other siblings. Luckily his father’s name, Ildefonso, is quite unique to the area (although I have come across another man with that same first name in the records) so it should be relatively easy to find siblings and the marriage record.
His mother’s name, Maria, is much more common and I’ve even come across another Maria da Conceição but she didn’t have the “de Jesus” part so I’m pretty sure she’s a different woman.
I’m finally ready to make an effort with my genealogy research. I think for a while there I was just all over the place and that kind of overwhelmed me. So now, I’m making a plan!
The first thing I did was read through Thomas MacEntee’s “The Genealogy Do-Over Workbook.” He gives a lot of great suggestions about just letting go of previous research and starting over with best practices. While I’m not going to completely abandon the work I’ve already done, I am setting it aside for now and starting with clear research goals and procedures in mind.
Here’s what I’ve come up with for keeping track of my current research…basically its just a binder with a bit of organization. I’ve made a binder for my mother’s side of the tree and my father’s side of the tree. This is my mother’s side binder:
The first page is a pedigree chart where I’ve added numbers for each family group. As you can see, I don’t have a lot of information for this side of the family as research in Brazil is difficult! Each number (1-16) has it’s own divider where I’ll place all the notes associated with the research for that family group. I also have a spiral notebook for random notes as I do the research.
Here’s what is behind tab #4 – The Joaquim Pedro DA SILVA family. The family group sheet comes first and I printed it out with all the information I have in my RootsMagic database. I’m sure that not all of this is correct, thus the reset. The plan is to go through and verify or reject all the “facts” and add as much information to each family group before moving backward in time.
Each family group “starts” at the date of marriage for the parents, so in this case 15 Sep 1948 OR 8 Jun 1932 (looks like I’ll need to do some research here!). So any birth information or other “facts” for the parents from prior to their marriage would go into the tab for their parents’ family. All the kids information would remain here until they are married – then they’d get their own tab.
This binder is just for the direct line research. So for example, I am descended through their eldest daughter Lindalva, who along with her husband are tab #2. I haven’t quite decided how I’ll handle information organization for the other siblings post marriage (maybe another binder?).
Even More Data
The next item in each family tab is the research log. This will list all of the research I’ve done, date, location, and result. Hopefully this will help me keep track of everything and not redo unnecessary work or waste time figuring out what to do next. Right now I have a general log for the whole family but I may divide this up by “fact.”
Finally, I’ll include any notes at the end. Here’s a table listing all the possible birth dates/locations for my Grandmother, the records where I may find the entries and the results of my search.
Then What?
Eventually, I hope that all of this information will be synthesized and added to my database. The idea is that these are the rough drafts and when I’ve “verified” a “fact” it can be added to the database. I’d also like to include all “negative” facts that I’ve disproved and research notes so I’ll have to look into that and make some plans.
Thoughts or suggestions on streamlining the process? I’m going to try it for a while and see how it goes.
Slowly but surely making my way back in time with the Joe & Vilate Ranson family…now in the 1920 US census. This time four children are living at home ranging in age from 5 to 14 years old.
1920 U.S. Census, Rich County, Utah, population schedule, Randolph Precinct, Randolph Town, enumeration district (ED) SD 1, ED 93, sheet 6A, dwelling 101, family 108, Joseph H. Ranson household; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : downloaded 28 July 2014).
Transcript:
1920 US Census
Utah, Rich County, Randolph Precinct, Randolph Town
SD 1, ED 93, Sheet 6A
13 January 1920
Lines 39-44. 3rd East Street
Farm. Dwelling 101, Family 108
Own, Free.
Line 39. Ranson, Joseph H. Head, Male, White, 34, Married, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: England, English. Mother POB: England, English. Can speak English. Manager, Telephone Co, worker.
Line 40. —–, Vilate E. Wife, Female, White, 36, Married, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: England, English. Mother POB: Missouri. Can speak English.
Line 41. —–, Ervie. Son, Male, White, 14, Single, attended school this year, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English.
Line 42. —–, Zentha. Daughter, Female, White, 13, Single, attended school this year, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English.
Line 43. —–, William A. Son, Male, White, 10, Single, attended school this year, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English.
Line 44. —–, Robert. Son, Male, White, 5, Single. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English.
Notes:
Randolph, Utah is a tiny little town. At the time of the 1920 US census there were 758 people living there. According to Wikipedia there were 464 people living there.
Here’s the Google Maps view of the town of Randolph, with the marker at 3rd East Street where the Ranson’s were living.
And here’s the street view at that location. The census doesn’t give me a house (in this case Farm) number so I’m not sure where along this street they lived. At the time there were only 5 families living on that street. Today, it would appear that it doesn’t look much different!
Now, moving back in time to the 1930 census we find a son, Robert – age 15, living at home with them.
1930 U.S. Census, Ogden City, population schedule, Ogden City, Precinct 52, 5th Ward, enumeration district (ED) ED 29-56, SD 1, sheet 1A, household 29, family 29, Joseph H. Ranson household; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : downloaded 28 July 2014); NARA.
Abstract
1930 US Census
Utah, Weber County, Ogden City, Precinct 52, 5th Ward
ED 29-56, SD 1, Sheet 1A
3 April 1930
Lines 25-27. Gramercy Avenue 2765
Household 29, Family 29
Own, $3500, radio, not a farm.
Line 25. Ranson, Joseph H. Head, Male, White, 44, Married, 19 years old when married. Didn’t attend school this year, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: England. Mother POB: England. Can speak English. Electrician, Railroad Shops, worker. Employed, not a veteran.
Line 26. —–, Valate E. Wife, Female, White, 46, Married, 21 years old when married. Didn’t attend school this year, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Illinois. Mother POB: New York. Can speak English, not employed.
Line 27. —–, Robert. Son, Male, White, 15, Single. Attended school this year, can read and write. POB: Utah. Father POB: Utah. Mother POB: Utah. Can speak English, not employed.
Notes
The family is still living at the same home that they were living in in 1940. Interestingly, while the property value is listed as $3500 in this census, it was listed for $3000 10 years later in the 1940 census. I guess that speaks to the effect the Great Depression had on housing values.
Why, its the study of the Lund's, of course! I am jumping in to researching our family history and seeing where it takes me. We are the Lund's. We come from Lund's, Ranson's, DeMacedo's, Lima's, Anderson's, Warner's, Ferreira's, Da Silva's and beyond! Since my own side of the family is from Brazil, it is quite difficult to track things down. Troy's side, on the other hand, has proven to be much easier. So, I'll be jumping back and forth and all around to learn about where we come from.
Are you related to us? I'd love to learn more about you and share what I know about our common ancestors!
