Research Bits

Bits — as we find them

Alonzo's Obit

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Scholefield Family Tree I located one obit for Alonzo. There are likely more out there because this was one picked up by a nearby paper in a different county. The moral of this story is that you might find a news item about your family in an unexpected paper. Nearby papers would reprint news from … Read more

Another Lead?

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Whittle Family Tree As I try to wrap up the Whittles so I can move on to something else, I find myself left with a “pile” of information concerning the Whittles in Maryland. Sadly, I have no context for the material. We’ve all been in this position. “I know they’re related. I just don’t know … Read more

A DeGraff Researcher

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Scholefield Family Tree My last post was found by Peter Cross — a DeGraff researcher. He offered some information about an additional Harmanus DeGraff in the area. I emailed him and he provided the following: His “Harman” was 31 at the time of the 1860 Census. His wife was Harriet Ann Wilde and his children … Read more

Detangler Needed?

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Scholefield Family Tree The sources I have located have stated that Harmanus DeGraff, Helen Scholefield’s father, was born in 1800; however, I also find possible matches who were born in 1796 or 1791. Which do I choose to believe? More evidence is needed. (And here is some…) The 1840 Census reports: Harmonus DeGraff of Amsterdam1 … Read more

Which Harmanus?

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Scholefield Family Tree It behooves the serious researcher to remember that not all search engines have indexed every part of the web. In this case, a search on Dogpile for “harmanus degraff” turns up the following result from Ask and Bing: Simon, son of Daniel, born April 6th, 1753, married December 6th, 1779, first, Annatie, … Read more

Searching Sideways

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Scholefield Family Tree I am certain that I have pushed back another generation with the names of Harmanus DeGraff and Susan Thomas; however, what were the names of all of their children and their parents? Earlier I found that Susan had a brother named Alonzo, so searching for information about him might lead me to … Read more

Widow Susan Road

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Scholefield Family Tree Remember to keep reading articles which are returned when you search. You might find a gem like this one: Columnist Has Personal Interest In Amsterdam Widow Susan Road A bit of Amsterdam area history was included in yesterday’s issue of the Yonkers Herald Statesman where the column, “First Person Singular,” attracts attention … Read more

Hunting for Ghosts

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Scholefield Family Tree As as aside, these are the ghost stories associated with Widow Susan: Amsterdam – Widow Susan Road – Figure of a woman wearing a white nightgown seen walking in the cemetery late at night crying. Looking for her husband’s grave.1 Amsterdam – Widow Susan Cemetery – To start off, the story goes … Read more