The Persistent Problem of Misattributed Ancestor Photos

We’ve all been there: you use a photo of an ancestor in a post or on a page, only to find it later on Ancestry (or another site) completely misidentified. Once those family trees are copied, the error propagates indefinitely.

There is rarely an easy fix. Even after a friendly correction, most users will thank you for the insight but leave their digital trees untouched, allowing the error to persist.

You can’t control what other people put in their trees, but you can write up the info that you know to be correct. Include the specific evidence—such as dating of clothing, hairstyles, or the type of photograph (like a tintype or daguerreotype)—that proves who the subject is (or isn’t). AI could help you to do this.

Copy the evidence info into a Google Doc, include a small version of the photo for reference, and then take a screenshot of that entire page. Upload that screenshot as an image to the ancestor’s profile. This ensures that the evidence and the image are permanently linked, making a real effort to stop the error in its tracks. Even if it doesn't stop the error from being passed, and it likely won't, at least you will have made an effort in getting the correct information out there.

John Sparks and Joice Putman--Union Co. SC Marriage Contract(1815)

This was an interesting find tonight while searching in Union County, South Carolina, Records.

A Marriage Contract to secure each of their belongings for their children from their previous marriages. Joice Putman is the widow of James Putman.  James & Joice Putman were my 4th Great Grandparents.

Page 58

State of South Carolina 
Union District 

Whereas there is & intension of marriage between John Sparks Widower and Joice Putman Widow, the two parties John Sparks and Joice Putman have agreed to make a seperate contract to Secure each ones estate to their own children that is now existing, it is therefore agreed by us John Sparks and Joice Putman, to make these presents our firm and lawfull marriage contract, in the manner and form as follows first John Sparks do agree to take Joice Putman to be his lawfull wife without having any lawfull claim to any of the estate or property that is here at the time of their marriage, likewise Joice Putman do agree to take John Sparks to be her lawfull husband without having any lawfull claim to any of the estate or property that is his at the time of their marriage 

Listing of his estate

his land, one Bay Mare, and filley, two Cows and Calves and five head of other cattle, eight head of hogs, One bed and furniture, three pott own and skillet, twelve pewter plates two dishes and Three basons, two tables, one Cubboard, one chest, a flock of Sheep, plantation tools, axes, plows, hogs, & Knives & forks and all his rights and Credits, to remain altogether in his power only the common use of the same during their living and dwelling together

Listing of her estate

One Negro woman named Lucy her two children, Anderson and Peggy, two beds and furniture, two tables, one walnut chest, a Walnut Cubboard, two pots, oven & Spider, eight pewter plates, four Basins and two dishes, a pewter Quart and tea pot, a bread baker and fat Irons, two piggins, a Churn, a spinning Wheel, three Cows & Calves, Sow and pigs and five other hogs, seven chairs, one Side Saddle, One wire Sifter, two Jugs, & c and all her rights and Credits, to remain altogether in her power only the common use of the same during their living and dwelling together.

Witness our hands & seals this tenth day of August 1815, Signed, sealed and confirmed in the presense of us. 

John (His Mark) Sparks(seal)

Joice (Her Mark) Putman (seal)

Test: Ralph Jackson

Thos S Greer

John Hart

Page 59

This is to certify that I have married John Sparks & Joice, his wife, within mentioned, agreeable to the within written Contract, this 10th day of August 1815 

- --- Thos S. Greer, M. G. 

State of South Carolina Union District - 

Ralph Jackson this day personally came before me, and duly made Oath as the law directs, and that he was present and saw John Sparks and Joice Putman, sign & Deliver the within Marriage Contract to each other as their act and deed for the use and purposes within mentioned at the same time saw Thos Greer and John Hart subscribe as Witnesses with himself and also saw the Reverend Thos Greer sign the Certificate on this back of this instrument of their Lawfull Marriage - Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th September 1815  Ralph Jackson

Received this 13th October 1815

Source:

Union County, South Carolina, Register Mesne Conveyance, Vol N, p 58-9, Marriage contract dealing with holdings of John Sparks, widower & Joice Putman widow; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLK-NS84-Y  : accessed 20 March 2026), IGN 8196619, Image 236 of 611.

A Fun Exercise Using Thrulines--Descendants of Jabel Putman

I am fortunate to have tested myself and three of my siblings in an effort to capture the DNA we inherited from our Dad.  He passed away before autosomal DNA (atDNA) testing was widely available. That gives us four of his children who have tested. Each child received 50% of their DNA from him, but not the same 50%. Because of this, sometimes all four of us will share a common match. Other times, only one of us will have the match.

The table below shows the number of tested Jabel Putman descendants that Thrulines believes are connected through each child's branch, broken out across the four siblings. This was primarily a visual exercise in identifying potential connections through Jabel's children,  so I did not double-check every match. If you use this exercise to infer a connection through a Thruline ancestor, you will need to verify each connection independently. The table is a great illustration of the randomness of DNA inheritance. 

Jabel Putman(1772-1835) is my 3rd Great-Grandfather.  He was from Union County, South Carolina, before moving to Bedford County, Tennessee.

Things to remember:  

• Thrulines uses users' trees, and those could likely have errors that other trees have copied.
• Thrulines is side-blind and doesn't verify that the match is on the side of the family that would make the suggested connection possible.
• Thrulines links smaller segment matches, which may be false positives / identical by state and not by descent.

To make sure the Thruline suggestion is even possible:  

• Look at the shared matches you have with the DNA match connected with the Thrulines. Do they share with other known matches of that line?
• Is the match even on the correct side to make the Thrulines possible?
• Green dotted lines between each connection from the Thruline Ancestor to the DNA match indicate that it is a hypothesis and should be checked as thoroughly as possible before being used to make any inferences. The match may be connected through an entirely different line.

Studying the Thrulines gives you a better understanding of the matches because it forces you to prove or disprove the possibility of the connection through that match or line, which helps your overall research. Just as you never really know who might have the most Putman or Cook DNA, you also don't know who might have sources or clues to help with your research. Locating cousins can be very helpful, especially if they are actively researching. Everyone who tests isn't. I feel like this table will also be a helpful reference when I want to work on Jabel's line.

John W Manire (1855-1924) of Bellville, St. Clair County, Illinois

John W Manire is my 1C3R

Retired Dentist Died Suddenly of Apoplexy

John W. Manire, 68 years old, a retired dentist, died suddenly at his home, 17 South 13th street, this morning at 10 o'clock, following a stroke of apoplexy. Manire, although complaining of rheumatism in his arm, was apparently in good health this morning. While seated in a chair by the stove in the kitchen of his home, he had been discussing family affairs with his wife, when he suddenly gave an exclamation of pain and collapsed in his chair. His wife hurriedly summoned some of the neighbors, who notified her son and also called a physician.

When the two arrived a short time later they found that the man had died. Deputy Coroner Albert Baldus held the inquest this afternoon and a verdict of "death, due to apoplexy" was returned by the jury. The deceased was born in Tennessee, September 19, 1855, a son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Manire. He was united in marriage to Miss Maggie B. Minter, February 17, 1875. Besides his widow, he is survived by the following children: J. L. Manire, Mra. L. Sharber, of White Plains. Ky.: Mrs. Anna Woodson, B. L. and H. C. Manire, of this city, and Mrs. Willie Wilson, of Providence, R.I. The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the residence to Walnut Hill cemetery..

"Retired Dentist Died Suddenly of Apoplexy", Belleville Daily Advocate, May 19, 1924,  p 1, col 4; image,  Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/belleville-daily-advocate-john-w-manire/193400604/ : accessed March 14, 2026), clip page for John W Manire(age 68) Retired Dentist Died Suddenly of Apoplexy.

Three Marriages and a Westward Journey: The life of James Polk Cook (1836–1888)

James Polk Cook was born on October 13, 1836, the son of William Clifford Cook and Elizabeth Putman Cook. The family was living in Bedford County, Tennessee at the time of his birth but were enumerated in Dyer County, Tennessee by the 1840 U.S. Federal Census. They were back in the middle Tennessee area by the following year, as shown in the school census, with James's older sister Minerva attending school in Williamson County, Tennessee, District 25. James was likely still living with his family at the time of the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, when he would have been around thirteen years old. We cannot confirm this with certainty, however, as the Bedford County, Tennessee District 10 enumerations have been lost.

Between 1858 and 1867, James entered into three distinct marriages.  He first married Messina "Cenia" Ann Bailey on August 6, 1858, in Rutherford County. By the time of the 1860 census, James was enumerated living in his parents' home without his wife. When the Civil War began, he enlisted on August 24, 1861, in Company A, 24th Tennessee Confederate Infantry, serving as a wagoner. He was sick for much of his service and was eventually discharged in June of 1862 at Tupelo, Mississippi. In April of 1865  his union with Cenia was legally dissolved in Bedford County, with her desertion cited as the reason.

Only months after his divorce, James sought a fresh start, marrying Harriet Hamer on October 12, 1865, in Williamson County. This union remains something of a genealogical mystery. While it is widely believed that Harriet passed away shortly after the marriage, given the lack of children and James's remarriage within two years. However, the records do not explicitly state how this union ended. James' brother, Gideon had married Mary Hamer, a sister of Harriet, and she too had passed away not long after giving birth to their only child, a son named Robert Cook.

On December 20, 1867, James married Susan Carson Ferguson in Rutherford County. This union finally provided the stability James had long sought, lasting twenty-one years until his death and producing three children: Harriet Sophie (1869), Minerva Mae (1870), and William C. (1873). Susan's children from her first marriage, John R. Ferguson and Tennessee ("Tennie") Ferguson, became integral members of the household. However, their presence in historical records creates a fascinating puzzle for researchers. In both the 1870 and 1880 censuses, John R. and Tennie are listed with the surname Cook. To a casual researcher, it might appear they were James's biological children or had been legally adopted. Other records  such as Tennie's marriage license clearly use the name Ferguson, however. This highlights a common nineteenth-century nuance: census takers often recorded everyone in a household under the head-of-household's surname for simplicity. It is a good reminder that the name on a census isn't always the legal reality.

Following the 1880 census, James and Susan, along with others of the Cook family, relocated to the Franklin County, Arkansas area. William Green Hight, a maternal first cousin of James's father had previously moved to the Washington & Madison Counties of Arkansas area and had also ended up in Franklin County, where he died in 1881(around the same time the Cooks were heading that way). We know the family had arrived by late 1881, as James's stepdaughter Tennie and Joseph Knox Cook's daughter Melzora both married on November 15, 1881. James appears on the Mulberry Township tax list for Franklin County in 1882. His brother Joseph Knox Cook is also on the same tax list for Mulberry Township that year, though his entry is noted as not paid. By 1884, James is listed on the White Oak Township tax list in Franklin County. Joseph does not appear on any further Arkansas tax lists. Whether John R. Ferguson accompanied the family to Arkansas remains unknown, as no records have been found that positively identify him there. Records for Tennie, Harriet, Minerva Mae, and William C. have been located.

James's mother had died in the fall of 1880, and when the family departed for Arkansas, it would be the last time James saw his father, William Clifford Cook, who passed away in January of 1882. James himself died in Franklin County, Arkansas, on August 19, 1888, and is buried in Highland Cemetery in Ozark.

Sources:

Williamson, Tennessee, School Census 1838-1939, District 25, William C Cook 1 child(Over 6<16); digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1W-9QXZ-K?cat=823595 : accessed 9 April  2024), Image  1067 of 5811; citing Genealogical Society of Utah, 1998  Film 2115582 Item 2, DGS 8411324.

"1840 US Census"  Dyer County, Tennessee,  p. 104, Household of Wm C Kook(Wm C Cook); database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBJ-96TR : accessed 12 March 2026), IGN 5154899, Image 212 of 1013.

"Rutherford, Tennessee, United States records," 1856-1861, marriage register, p 54, James P Cook and Cenia Ann Bailey, 6 August 1858; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93F-MSLY : accessed 12 March 2026), IGN 5725214, .image 728 of 971.

Bedford County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes, 1864-1865, IGN 8659576, Image 172-3 of 672, Bill of Divorce, James P. Cook vs. Messina Ann Cook, State Case #6331 & #6332 (April Term 1865), pp. 283-284; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-49Z9-4 : accessed 7 April 2024).[This is James P Cook's divorce from Cenia Ann Bailey]

"Williamson, Tennessee, United States records," marriage bond, James P Cook and Miss Harriet G Hamer, 12 October 1865; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93F-SRXF : accessed 9 Apr  2024), image 1331 of 1649; IGN 5725450, Williamson County Archives (Franklin, Tennessee).[I believe that Harriet died not long after the marriage]

"Williamson, Tennessee, United States records," marriage license, James P Cook and Miss Harriet G Hamer, 12 October 1865; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93F-SRCY : Apr 10, 2024), image 1329 of 1649; IGN 5725450, Williamson County Archives (Franklin, Tennessee).

"Tennessee, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1851-1900, "database, J P Cook and Susan Ferguson, 20 December 1867, Rutherford County, Tennessee; citing  database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31525:4125 : accessed 10 April 2024);

Cook Family Bible Record, 1834–1857; "WC Cook Bible Family Records p 1," James P Cook's date of birth listed as Oct 13th, 1836;digital image, shared by Marie Cooke Beckman, 11 Mar 2026, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/77121678/person/46358454391/media/b3646cdd-dc1a-4e4b-af70-e3601a05099c : accessed 11 Mar 2026); privately held by descendants of Cass B Cook.

1860 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Western Division District 10, Rover Post Office, page 115(penned),  dwelling 860, family 814, James Polk Cook living in Household of W C & Elizabeth Cook; imaged "United States Census, 1860",  FamilySearch  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9BSF-9M1B : accessed 7 April 2024).

1870 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 10, pg 31(penned), dwelling 211, family 211, James and Susan Cook; imaged, "United States Census, 1870,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8F-ZLC : accessed 7 April 2024).

1878 Beers Map, J P Cook listed in Dist 10 of Bedford County TN, Library of Congress(https://www.loc.gov/item/2006626023/ : accessed 13 Mar 2026)

1880 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Enumeration District 10, pg 12(penned), dwelling 102, family 103, James and Susan Cook; imaged, "United States Census, 1880,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBH-YK1 : accessed 7 April 2024).

"Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6LL9-653 : accessed 13 May 2024), Entry for Hugh Clawson(age 20)  and Tennessee Ferguson(age 18), 15 November 1881.

Franklin Co Arkansas Ozark Tax Records 1882, 1884, 1886 & 1887, Mulberry Twp. , p 27, J K Cook(not marked paid) and J P Cook; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-RSNQ-M :  accessed 12 March 2026),
IGN 8139953 Image 32 of 621.

Franklin Co Arkansas Ozark Tax Records 1882, 1884, 1886 & 1887, White Oak Twp.,  p (none), J P Cook, ; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-RSJL-P : accessed 12 March 2026), IGN 8139953 Image 264 of 621.

"Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6LL9-X6N : accessed 13 May 2024), Entry for H F Hill and Tennessee Ferguson, 1 September 1886.

Minerva Cook Boyce(Jul 26th 1834 - Apr 23rd 1900) Bedford Co. TN

Death Notice of Mrs. William Boyce(nee Cook)

From Baptist and Reflector publication (9th Aug 1900)

Placed by the Union Ridge Church Committee.

BOYCE.- Mrs. William Boyce (nee Cook) died at her home in Bedford County on Monday evening, April 23, 1900, aged 65 years, 8 months and 28 days. She professed faith in Christ in her youth and united with the Union Ridge Baptist Church, and lived a consistent member of the same till she was called from her earthly home to that rest which remains for the people of God. She leaves seven children and a number of relatives and friends to mourn their loss. Her husband was called to his eternal home just eight months ago. Sister Boyce lived a very active life. She was a kind neighbor, a generous friend, an earnest Christian, a devoted mother, never tiring in her efforts of administration in her family. We commend the grief stricken friends to our heavenly Father, who doeth all things well for our good and his glory. Done by order of the Union Ridge Church June 23, 1900. Jane Thomason, Martha Smotherman, Lena Chick, Committee.

Minerva Cook Boyce was the oldest child of William Clifford Cook and Elizabeth Putman Cook. Although the death notice does not identify her by her given name, the information it contains clearly refers to her and reflects a life filled with many roles within her family and community beyond simply that of “Mrs.” She was the second wife of William Moody Boyce. When Minerva married William, his children by his first wife, Elizabeth Smotherman, were all under the age of eleven, and Minerva helped raise them along with the four children she and William had together.

This death notice is the first record I have found that provides evidence for her exact date of death. Photocopies of the family records page from the William C. Cook family Bible record her birth date, while her gravestone lists only the years of her birth and death. Together, these sources now provide complete dates for both events. I could also check for probate files or deed transfers which might also name the date to add to the sources.

Sources:

• Baptist and Reflector, August 9, 1900, p 7, col 4; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-minerva-cook-boyce/193142998/ : accessed March 11, 2026), clip page for Minerva Cook Boyce obituary by user rmbeckman.
• Wm Clifford Cook Family Bible Record, Page Contents covering 1834–1857; "Wm C Cook Bible p 1," digital image of photocopy(1997), shared by Marie Cooke Beckman, 11 Mar 2026, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/77121678/person/46358454391/media/b3646cdd-dc1a-4e4b-af70-e3601a05099c : accessed 11 Mar 2026); Bible pages privately held by descendants of Cass B Cook, youngest son of Wm Clifford Cook.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134283363/minerva-boyce: accessed March 11, 2026), memorial page for Minerva Cook Boyce (1834–1900), Memorial ID 134283363, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by rmbeckman (contributor 48136157).

Some of the new features at Ancestry

Trying out a few of the new features at Ancestry that were announced at RootsTech 2026.  I had the Ideas button for a bit but it is no longer showing on my account.  It didn't work very well for my tree and kept suggesting things I already had.  I do not have access to the Transcription tool because my level of subscription is US Discovery(I'm Colonial American on both sides & that level works better for me)   I do have several other of the new tools that were announced at RootsTech.

Ancestry's new Census Hint Comparison feature.
My 2nd Great Grand Uncle Henry Frizzell's census records

Discover Insights of Gallery Images

Hoping this new feature will catch on and help folks add descriptions, dates, image type and locations to their images.  If you have any of the fields blank it will offer Insights generated by clicking on the Insights Button(shown below).

  

Once the insights are generated the user has the option of saving or removing the generated text. I like that it explains how it came up with the location.  It was correct so I chose to save it.

The generated description was also correct.  The picture was of my Dad, with a hospital gown over this clothing so that he could hold his first child.  It did a very good job on this.  You can get an Insight to any of the fields if you clear them and then refresh the page.

The Insights Tool will be a good function to have if you plan on using their new digitization service,  AncestryPreserve. Ancestry delivers those digitally preserved files to your gallery. You will be able to add info to them just as you would any other uploaded files.

Ancestry has also streamlined the adding source citation process.  Hopefully this will encourage folks to add a source since it is a lot easier to do.  It is better to have some type of source citation than NO source citation.  I'm so happy to see this. I've never done change well but this change is something I am all for.

Also the Ancestry AI has been around for awhile.  You can ask it questions and have it interrupt 1950 census data and a number of other files.  The issues I run into with it are when the transcription is riddled with errors and / or my ancestor just out right lied.  Then some of the things it comes up with a not so great because they don't match what I know was happening within the family.  As far as I could tell any corrections I had added were not considered when generating the AI insights.  For me it was better on what was going on in the general area rather than within the family. 

RootsTech 2026--Day 3

RootsTech Day 3

Sat. March 7, 2026

Announcements & Sales

Today was the last day of RootsTech 2026.  I really loved the advanced classes this year.  That said, I did feel like there was a larger disconnect than normal for the #NotAtRootstech attendees. Don't forget to check the online Expo Hall for sales.  Many of them end at midnight tonight.  Next year, RootsTech will be March 4-6, 2027.  Mark your calendars.

My session selection today was focused mainly on methodology.  These were just the classes that I viewed. There are many more available. For more in-depth information on the day's events check out any of the classes or online expo hall at the RootsTech website.  Even if you miss the deals be sure to come back and check out the many online sessions available free online.

Saturday Sessions (4)

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 7, 9:00 AM CST  DNA Analysis Methodology: Defeat the Genealogy Gremlin–Karen Stanbary

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 7, 10:30 AM CST  Wanted! Seeking the Identity of Unknown Parents –Dana Palmer 

• All Levels  Mar 7, 01:15 AM CST  New Ancestor Connector Tool with 21,000 19th-century People Researched –Sara Eagle Briggs  &  Kristy Wheelwright Taylor

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 7, 2:30 PM CST  Question Everything: Sharpen Evaluation, Avoid Assumptions, & Clarify Your Writing  –Kelley Conner Lear

Testing MyHeritage's Scribe Ai

 I had the opportunity to try out MyHeritage's  latest AI tool, Scribe-AI  I had it look at a page of the Henry F. Hill Investigation File. Below is a screenshot that shows you what items you can access about the upload.

Historical Context:

This document is a formal deposition (Form 3-446, Deposition B) taken by a Special Examiner of the U.S. Pension Office on May 4, 1898.

While the deposition is officially filed under the pension case of John Craig, the content reveals that the examiner is likely investigating the practices of a local attorney, H. F. Hill. The deponent, Civil War veteran John Geyer, testifies that Hill executed his quarterly pension voucher without administering the legally required oath to verify his identity and service record.

Historically, this document highlights the rigorous oversight the U.S. government applied to the Civil War pension system. Because pensions represented a massive federal expenditure, Special Examiners were frequently dispatched to investigate claims of fraud, identity theft, or malpractice by pension attorneys and notaries.

Details Mentioned:

Principal Individual (Deponent):

• Name: John Geyer
• Role in Document: Deponent / Witness
• Biographical Details:
  • Age: 51 years old (born circa 1847).
  • Occupation: Farmer.
  • Residence: Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas.
  • Military Service: Private, Company C, 45th Missouri Volunteer Infantry. Enlisted at Independence, Missouri in 1864. Discharged after 11 months of service. He explicitly states he had no Confederate service.
  • Pension Status: Pensioner under the Act of June 27, 1890, receiving $12 per month, paid at the Topeka Agency. Certificate No. 554977.

Associated Individuals:

• Name: John Craig

• Role in Document: Subject of the Pension Case (No. 743,813).

• Relationship to Principal: Known by John Geyer for about six weeks.

• Name: H. F. Hill

• Role in Document: Attorney in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

• Relationship to Principal: Executed John Geyer's pension voucher; subject of Geyer's testimony regarding improper oath administration.

• Name: J. A. McAfee

• Role in Document: Special Examiner of the Pension Office.

• Relationship to Principal: Administered the oath and took the deposition from John Geyer.

Key Findings:

• Document Purpose: A sworn deposition taken on May 4, 1898, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, for the U.S. Pension Office.
• Deponent Details: John Geyer, a 51-year-old farmer and Union veteran of the 45th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, provided the testimony.
• Core Testimony: Geyer testified that a local attorney, H. F. Hill, processed his pension voucher without administering the required legal oath, suggesting an investigation into the attorney's potentially fraudulent practices.
• Case Context: Although focused on the attorney's actions, the deposition is officially filed under the pension case of another man, John Craig.(Not true--This file is from the investigation of Pension Agent Henry F Hill)

Suggested Next Steps:  

• You should search for John Geyer's Civil War service records (45th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Company C) and his specific pension file (Certificate No. 554977) through the National Archives (NARA) to uncover more about his military history and life after the war.
• You can investigate the pension application of John Craig (Application/Certificate No. 743,813) to understand the broader context of this Special Examination and why Geyer was called to testify.
• Look for John Geyer in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census in Sebastian County, Arkansas, to find details about his household and family.
• You might explore historical newspapers from Fort Smith, Arkansas, around May 1898 for mentions of attorney H. F. Hill, as he may have been publicly implicated in a pension fraud scandal.

Full Text Transcription:

(3—446.)

DEPOSITION B

Case of John Craig, No. 743,813

On this Fourth day of May, 1898, at Ft Smith, County of Sebastian State of Arkansas, before me, J. A. McAfee, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared John Geyer, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this Special Examination of aforesaid pension claim, deposes and says: My name and post office is as above given. I am a farmer, I am 51 years old. I served as Pvt Co C 45th Mo Vol Inf. enlisted at Independence Mo in 1864 and was discharged after eleven months service. I am a pensioner under the Act of June 27th 1890 at $12 per month and I am paid at the Topeka Agency I had no Confederate service Certif No. 554977. I know John Craig but have only known him about six weeks and I have known H. F. Hill for a short time. I executed my voucher before him this morning for the quarter ending May 4th 1898. H. F. Hill is an attorney of Ft Smith Ark and although he did not call for my certificate I handed it to him with my voucher and he compared the two. H. F. Hill did not administer any sort of oath to me and I did not swear that I was the identical person named in the certificate or that I had no military naval or marine service since discharge from Co C 45th Mo Vol Inf. He just requested me to sign my name and he was making out other vouchers and putting them aside but I requested him to put the seal on mine and I would mail it myself.

Page 9 Deposition B

RootsTech 2026--Day 2

RootsTech Day 2

Fri. March 6, 2026

Announcements & Sales

From the RootsTech Innovation & Tech Forum

https://connectmyvariant.org/

https://www.goldiemay.com/

https://storied.com/

https://www.ancestry.com/

https://www.familytreedna.com/

https://lifeweaver.ai/

https://www.myheritage.com/scribe-ai

RootsTech 2026

Many of the vendors are offering some great promotions so be sure to click thru.  

Below are some of my favorites of the ones that I have used that can be found in the virtual Expo Hall.

• 23andme
• Ancestry(DNA, subscription, add on tools and digitization deals)
• Civil War Records
• FTDNA
• GedMatch
• GenealogyBank
• GoldieMay
• KY Genealogy Society
• LegacyFamilyTreeWebinars
• Research Like A Pro
• RootsMagic

The list below is just the classes that I watched. There are many more available. For more in-depth information on the day's events check out any of the classes or online expo hall at the RootsTech website.

Friday Sessions (6)

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 6, 10:30 AM CST  Avoiding Research Pitfalls–Jana K Greenhalgh &  Mindy Taylor

• All Levels  Mar 6, 10:30 AM CST  RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2026

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 6, 1:15 PM CST  Cards, Clevises, and Calomel: What Probate Files Can Reveal about Our Ancestors–Nancy A. Peters

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 6, 2:30 PM CST Using Autosomal DNA Analysis to Identify an Ancestor's Likely Parents —Alice Childs

• Advanced/Professional Mar 6, 4:00 PM CST  Planning and Organizing Research Findings for Tough Problems –Kate Townsend, CG

• Advanced/Professional   Mar 6, 5:30 PM CST  From Discovery to Proof: Crafting a Genealogical Proof Argument –Stephanie O'Connell

RootsTech 2026--Day 1

RootsTech Day 1

Thur. March 5, 2026

Announcements & Sales

MyHeritage introduces Scribe Ai

Ancestry has some great deals going on if you need a subscription, DNA tests, ProTools or Digitization. Check out the deals at this page.  

New Features(rolling out to accounts)

• Record & Document Transcription(excludes USDiscovery subscribers)
• Get Ideas and Compare Census.--I've had the Compare Census feature for awhile and it is really nice to look at multiple year at one time.  I briefly had the Ideas feature but found it glitchy.  They are working to improve it and hopefully that will only get better.
• AI Stories--(historical context) AI generated stories about the time period, occupation, location etc.
• Hints and Person Page Updates to layout to streamline and improve workflow.
• Tree Compare--Compares two trees to each other.
• AncestryPreserve--Digitizing service.  You buy a box ship it to them and they digitize, documents, video tapes, film, cassettes, reel to reel etc. They ship them back to you and the digitized files appear in your  account at Ancestry.

FamilyTreeDNA has a listing of coupon codes that include some great deals on tests and upgrades

To find these and other great offers, check the Expo Hall

These were just the classes that I viewed.  There are many more available.  For more in-depth information on the day's events check out any of the classes or online expo hall at the RootsTech website.

Thursday Sessions (9)

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 5, 9:00 AM CST  The GPS in Practice: Examples of Reasonably Exhaustive Research–Angela Packer McGhie

• All Levels  Mar 5, 10:30 AM CST Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Genealogy in 2026  –David Ouimette James Tanner  Katherine Borges  Lynn Broderick  Steve Little

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 5, 10:30 AM CST  Untangling the Darling Web: Advanced Strategies for Same Name Resolution–Bonnie Wade Mucia, AG

• Intermediate  Mar 5, 1:15 PM CST  Reclaiming the Past: Analyzing Southern Claims Commission Files for Genealogical Research  –Julia A. Anderson

• Beginner  Mar 5, 2:30 PM CST  Finding Cousins & Confirming Connections: Practical Strategies for Descendancy Research  –Janalee McBride

• All Levels Mar 5, 2:30 PM CST  What’s New at Ancestry® –Crista Cowan

• Advanced/Professional  Mar 5, 2:30 PM CST  When Nothing Found Means Something: Negative Search Results vs. Negative Evidence – Diana Elder

• All Levels  Mar 5, 5:30 PM CST DNA’s FAN Club: Using Shared Matches To Solve Genealogical Mysteries—Paula Williams

• Advanced/Professional   Mar 5, 5:30 PM CST  Provenance & Proof: Advanced Strategies for Finding and Using Manuscripts In Your Research– Kelly Richardson

More on Elliott vs Williams

 I've found a little bit more about the James Elliott whose estate was mentioned in Thos A Elliott vs R M Williams file that I blogged about yesterday.  The Adeline Elliott mentioned is NOT a Ledbetter but a Bowman.  she and James are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Rutherford County, Tennessee and have a rather large gravestone.

I've also found a newspaper article at Newspapers(dot)com about a new Masonic Hall at Murfreesboro and it mentions, R D Read and some Elliotts. This is important because it is occurring around the same time period as the case and could provide a connection with my Wm Clifford Cook who was also a Mason.  I've yet to find the R. M. Williams who Elliott accuses hiding. Looks like Thos A Elliott may have been correct.   Again...more research needed. 

Source:  
"United States, War of 1812 Index to Pension Application Files, 1812-1910", Entry for James Elliott and Adaline Bowman; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939X-H7RD-M : accessed 3 March 2026), IGN 4596554, Image 384 of 953; Citing NARA microfilm publication M313. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7750265/james-elliott: accessed March 3, 2026), memorial page for James Elliott (1 Oct 1795–30 Oct 1836), Find a Grave Memorial ID 7750265, citing Evergreen Cemetery, Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA.

Republican Banner, September 17, 1874, Page 4. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/republican-banner-new-murfreesboro-mason/192568350/ : accessed March 3, 2026), clip page for New Murfreesboro Masonic Hall by user rmbeckman.

Thomas A Elliott vs. R D Williams(1867) Rutherford Co. TN

Found a folder in the Rutherford County Tennessee Chancery Court Records which contains the documents for a case involving Thomas A Elliott vs. R. M. Williams et al which took place in 1867. 

Using the summarize tool at FamilySearch in the document information I was able to understand what was happening.  I did have to make some corrections were the summary was incorrect but for the most part it stayed on track with a few name transcription errors.  I combined the persons it had duplicated and edited the summary.

Summary:

In July 1867, Thos A. Elliott of Rutherford County filed a complaint in Chancery Court against R. M. Williams, for whom he had signed a draft due in 90 days and payable to R. D. Reed. Elliott accuses Williams of leaving Tennessee to avoid his debts and concealing himself, making it difficult for legal actions to be served. The complaint seeks to have Williams’s property in Rutherford County used to settle the debt, noting some of it is already mortgaged. The case is presided over by Hon. John P. Steele

In 1867  W. C. Cook and R. D. Reed were summoned by the Chancery Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, to answer a legal matter initiated by Thos. A. Elliott against R. M. Williams and others. The summons required their appearance at the Murfreesboro courthouse on the fourth Monday in October to respond to the court's proceedings. James M. Tompkins acted as Clerk and Master when he issued this order on the fourth Monday in April 1867. 

403 Thos. A. Elliott vs subpoena to answer copy of Bill R. M. Williams et al Issued July 29th 1867 came to hand same day issued executed by summoning R. D. Reed & W. C. Cook leaving a copy of bill with W. C. Cook July 29th 1867 , R. M Williams not to be found in my County October the 24th 1867 Jas . F Fletcher Jr. Deputy Sheriff

In the circa 1867 chancery case, Thomas A. Elliot vs  R. M. Williams and others, including M. Parnell (represented by M. William), were involved in a legal dispute resulting in the bill being dismissed. The court allowed additional time for R. M. Williams and other defendants to respond to the bill in order to prevent any delay in proceedings. Ultimately, the complaint was dismissed and execution was ordered according to legal standards.  What about the Elliot heirs...

The first document mentions a land transaction involving forty acres in Rutherford County, Tennessee, along the West Fork of Stones River, including the site of James Elliott's mill and cotton gin. The property was conveyed in 1867 by George Thompson, Silas Tucker, and John Elliott, who served as executors of James Elliott's estate. James Elliott passed away on January 25, 1837, and the land was transferred as part of the settlement of his estate.  An Adaline Elliot and others are mentioned.  I'm not sure how she connects.  I think she was a Ledbetter before her marriage and if her death certificate is to be believed her mother was a Wilson or Williams. 

The summarize tool was helpful but I still have lots of questions and need to research all the involved parties.  Finding or not finding connections will help me to decide if this is my Wm Clifford Cook mentioned in this document or not.  I'm trying to identify the R.D. Read and R. M. Williams listed within these documents. There are Read/Read and Williams folks in the group of friends, and associates.  Is there a connection?  I don't know yet.

Source:
Rutherford Co TN Chancery Court Records, Thos. A Elliot vs R. M Williams et al(c. 1867); images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-J36T-Q6R4 : accessed 2 March 2026), IGN 8742982, Image 2980-2989 of 3155.

Edith Penny "Geg" O'Brien(My 2C1R)

Edith Penny "Geg" O'Brien(My 2C1R)

• Name at Birth: Edith Marie Pitman
• Parents:  Beecher Lee "Boots" Pitman and Myrtle Lee Huckabee
• Born: April 17, 1925
• Died: July 15, 2002
• Age at Death: 77
• Member of the first group of women Marines during World War II graduating from boot camp Sept. 1, 1945, from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. She attained the rank of staff sergeant and was honorably discharged.

• Served as a volunteer for the American Red Cross. Penny Became a nurse in 1956 then went on to attend Tarrant County. Junior College, making the dean's list. She graduated in the spring of 1976 as a registered nurse, specializing in psychiatric nursing

She was my 2nd Cousin once removed.  A descendant of David Pitman and Mary Adcock.  She descended thru their son Thomas Lucian Pitman, brother of my maternal great grandmother Nancy Pitman Luna.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 4, 2002, Page 42. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-obituary-for-pe/192310777/ : accessed February 27, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Penny "Geg" O'Brien by user rmbeckman

Deed: Frizzell to Kennedy Recorded in Butler Co KY(1855)

I located a deed of James M Frizzell and his wife Mary using FamilySearch's full text search.  James and Mary are my 3rd Great Grandparents thru my paternal grandmother, Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke's ancestry.

Abstract Summary

• Date of deed: 21 May 1855

• Grantors: James M. Frizzell and his wife Mary Frizzell, formerly Mary Kennedy, of Calloway County, Kentucky.

• Grantee: Joseph H. Kennedy of Wilson County, Tennessee.

• Consideration: $50.

• Land location: Butler County, Kentucky (formerly Logan County), on the east side of Muddy River, a place called “the round about.”

• Acreage: 200 acres (per 1797 survey).

• Original title: Survey dated 8 July 1797; Certificate No. 321; patent from the Commonwealth of Kentucky to Anne Kennedy dated 15 May 1798.

• Interest conveyed: One undivided fourth part of the 200-acre tract. The patent to Anne Kennedy (1798) predates this deed by 57 years.

• Basis of Mary’s title: The one-fourth interest came to Mary Frizzell (formerly Mary Kennedy) as one of the children and legal heirs at law of Anne Kennedy. Mary’s inheritance could have occurred long before 1855; the deed does not state when Anne Kennedy died

• Warranty: General warranty against all claims.

• Dower: Mary was examined separately and relinquished her right of dower. The land remained in undivided heirship for a substantial period before Mary conveyed her share.

Notes & Takeaways

• Mary Frizzell was an heir of Anne Kennedy.
  The deed explicitly states that the one-fourth undivided interest descended to Mary as one of the children and legal heirs of Anne Kennedy.

• Anne Kennedy was the original patentee.
  The land was surveyed in 1797 and patented to Anne Kennedy in 1798.

• The tract remained undivided among heirs.
  Mary owned an undivided one-fourth interest, meaning the 200 acres had not been partitioned. She owned a one-quarter share in the whole tract rather than a physically separated 50 acres. This makes me think that Joseph H Kennedy could be a nephew who is buying out the other heirs. 

• There were at least four heirs.
  Since Mary’s share is described as one undivided fourth, that implies the land was divided by inheritance interest into four equal shares.

• Joseph H. Kennedy acquired Mary’s inherited share.
  He purchased her entire undivided one-fourth interest for $50.

• James M. Frizzell’s role.
  As Mary’s husband, he joined in the conveyance, which was legally required. Mary was separately examined to confirm she acted voluntarily and relinquished dower.

• Geographic note.
  The deed was executed in Calloway County, Kentucky, but recorded in Butler County, where the land lay. The grantee resided in Wilson County, Tennessee.

Further research is needed in the KY land records.  Kentucky Genealogical Society has a great article called  "Beginner’s Guide to Researching Kentucky Land Grants" that will be very helpful in understanding where to look for records. 

I also need to research Joseph H Kennedy to see how he connects to Mary. It would seem given his interest in the land, that he must be a family member, but that is not proved at this point.  This is the first document I have found that mentions Mary's mother, Ann.  I believe her father is Henry Hugh Frizzell, but have not yet located a marriage for them.

Source:

Butler County, Kentucky, Deed Book H: 74–75, James M. Frizzell and wife Mary to Joseph H. Kennedy, 21 May 1855; imaged in Butler County Deed Books, 1818–1866; digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-V9S8-V : accessed 27 Feb 2026), IGN 8193604, image 401 of 590; citing Butler County Clerk’s Office, Morgantown.

Disclaimer:  I used ChatGPT to help pull together the list of facts which I edited to include my thoughts and I made corrections to a number of errors made by ChatGPT.