My RootsTech 2023 Take-Away

I was one of many people(#NotAtRootsTech) who attended virtually.  It can be overwhelming because there are so many classes, talks and demos going on at the same time.  I concentrated on the live streams and chose the ones which were pertinent to my research.  There are still many more in the on demand portion of the classes which I plan to watch.

These were my favorites among the live-streamed classes(In no particular order) You can find these and more in the On Demand section at RootsTech.

• Antebellum Emancipations & Free People of Color-LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson & Deborah A. Abbott
• Using Manuscript Collections-Deborah A. Abbott
• 10 Things a Genealogist Should Do Before Leaving a Library or Archives-Melissa Barker
• How Do I Know That’s My Ancestor?-Amy Johnson Crow
• DO GENEALOGY Step-By-Step-Janet Hovorka, Diahan Southard, & Crista Cowan
• Getting Organized Using Technology and a Research Report-Kelli Jo Bergheimer
• How third-party DNA tools can help with your family history research-Jonny Perl
• Endogamy in DNA research-Tanner Blair Tolman
• Follow the Money! Records of the Record Makers-Judy G. Russell
• Shared DNA Matches - the only DNA Tool You will Ever Need-Diahan Southard

I did look thru the virtual Expo Hall some and watched the high lights of the sponsors presentations. There was a lot of focus on AI technology. The Sponsoring companies had some announcements of new tools and features.  

MyHeritage has added color coding in Family Trees, a new DNA tool--the cM Explainer™ and announced their 3rd Installment of DNA Quest Initiative.

To find out what all is happening at FamilyTreeDNA check out their blog and look for their recorded livestream session from RootsTech2023.

Ancestry.com introduced Storymaker Studio and DNA Compare which allows you to compare matches Ethnicity Estimates and DNA Communities. 

The above screenshot is the Ethnicity Estimate Comparison of two of my siblings and myself.

In the above screenshot I have compared 2 of my siblings, myself and our paternal 2nd cousin once removed.  He is one generation closer to our ICW Cook and Putman couple.  I think it's pretty cool that they can get within a range of the counties.  My Mom's is more specific as well so if that's not an incentive to get the older generations in your family DNA tested I don't know what is.

I took advantage of the RootsTech special and purchased the new RootsMagic9.  I have been using RootsMagic since version 7 and prior to that I used FamilyTreeMaker.  There are some great color-coding features in  RM.  In the new version of RootsMagic there is an Association option which allows you to add other relationships outside of family which will be very helpful in Cluster research.

If you haven't already registered Your DNA Guide has a free webinar coming up 

on  March 23, 2023 2pm Eastern    "Your DNA Matches:  Filter, Don't File"

You can register at YourDNAGuide  

Take some time to look thru the classes at RootsTech.  There is something for everyone!

William G Hight's next of kin-Jan 1881

When I L Hight asks the court to grant him letter of administration over Wm G Hight's estate in early 1881 it is recorded in the Franklin County Arkansas probate files.  
He states that Wm G Hight died 15th Jan 1881 and gives a list of names and residence of remaining next of kin.  

Jane Hendricks Daughter Madison Co AR
William McCord Grandson Bedford Co TN
Alice McCord Granddaughter Bedford Co TN
Nancy Nance Daughter Rutherford Co TN
John Hight Son Madison Co AR
William Hight Son Bedford Co TN
Caroline Gault Daughter Bedford Co TN
Jeff Hight Son Madison Co AR
Fanny Smyers Daughter Canyon City Oregon
Burrell Hight Son Madison Co AR
I L Hight Son Franklin Co AR
R M Hight Son Franklin Co AR
L F Hight Daughter Franklin Co AR

"Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979," images, FamilySearch (hhttps://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89W3-L734?i=136 : 3 March 2023), Franklin > Probate packets 1835-1958 Hicks, George W.-Huggins, L.M. > image 137 of 2093; county courthouses, Arkansas.

George's Time at Eastern State and Western State Penitentiary

I haven't written about George Solifelt in awhile as I've been focused on the Cook research with my new discoveries but I did want to update with the information about the time period in which he was an inmate at Eastern State Penitentiary in Pennsylvania.

Date/Time Served:  29th Jun 1870 thru 12th Jan 1872

Eastern State Penitentiary:   29th Jun 1870 to  13th Jun 1871 (Prisoner # 6718) The following image is from the Warden's Daily Journal on the day he was received at Eastern State.

George and 26 other prisoners were transferred June 13th 1871 "by virtue of an act of assembly"  The Eastern State Penitentiary Warden's Daily Journal for that date says that they were sent under the charge of Michael J Cassidy and five other of our officers without carrying with them pistols or other fire arms.

The entry for the 14th says they received a telegram at 1:20pm announcing the safe arrival of the prisoners at Pittsburg.

Western State Penitentiary: 14 Jun 1871 to 12th Jan 1872 (Prisoner # 4026)The following image is from the Warden's Daily Journal on the day he was released from Western State.

Part of the Intake process requires that they log descriptions of the inmates

The description of George's tattoo 

Western State Penitentiary: Descriptive Register (Roll 412)

Image 208 of 268

Sources:

Eastern State Penitentiary of Pennsylvania,. “Eastern State Penitentiary Warden's Daily Journals_Image00001”. Eastern State Penitentiary: Wardens’ Daily Journals (Roll 6608), Warden's Daily Journals (PA) 1829-1961, 01856. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/psa/islandora/object/psa%3Awdjpa_2630.

State Penitentiary for the Western District of Pennsylvania,. “Western State Penitentiary: Warden’S Daily Journals (Roll 7788)”, Wardens Daily Journals (PA) 1869-1875, 1875. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/psa/islandora/object/psa%3Awdjpa1860_521.

State Penitentiary for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Western State Penitentiary: Descriptive Register (Roll 412)”, Descriptive Register (PA) 1826-1876, 1826. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/psa/islandora/object/psa%3A537669.

North Carolina Baptist Historical Collection

After Elvira's sister, Abigail Allen made the statement about the length of the prayer given by the minister at Elvira and William's marriage ceremony(1786) I had to go looking to see what I could find about him.  His name was Jacob Crocker and as she mentioned he was a Baptist preacher.  Wake Forrest has a great NC Baptist Historical Collection  So far I've searched the NC Baptist Biographical Files Collection.  In it I found not only Jacob Crocker, but some family information within his file which showed interaction with the Winston family(they are connected to the Shem Cooke descendants).  There was also a card for Roland Cooke within that collection with a notation of Records and an additional item to check.  

In addition to the previously mentioned NC Baptist Biographical Files Collection you can also find:

• Baptist Newspapers 
• Baptist State Convention of NC Digital Collection
• Books & Pamphlets
• NC Baptist Church Records & Association Files
• Religion in NC Project

If your family was of the Baptist faith in the area around the Carolinas it wouldn't hurt to check out this collection.  There is a good bit available online. Visit this page to check out the library catalog, finding aids and more.

"U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900," database with images, Ancestry(https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/26266:1995?tid=77121678 : accessed 12 February 2023), H > Harris, William - Hawley, James > Harrison, Sarah - Harsin, Garret > image 381-473 of 1112: citing NARA microfilm publication M804, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C.[Image is from the portion of the War Pension & Bounty Land Warrant Application File of Elvira Harrison which includes a sworn statement by her sister Abigail Allen who lived one county to the west of Elvira at the time of her application.  Abigail was in attendance at the wedding of her sister to Wm Harrison and detailed her memories of the ceremony]

Elvira Harrison's Bounty Land Warrant File

From the Bounty Land Warrant file of Elvira Harrison, widow of William Harrison

(There are lots more tidbits of information within the pages but these are some of the highlights.)

William Harrison(1750-22 Jan 1833)
Appointed & commissioned a Lieutenant of Capt. John Macon's Company of the continental army of the US during the Rev War in Nov 1776 of the NC continental line in the 7th Reg commanded by Col James Hogan.  He served for 15 months.  Was at Brandywine and Germantown both battles were won by British

Included is a statement from Capt. Macon 17 Jan 1820 from Maury Co TN

Elvira States they were married 14 of February 1786 at Cannon Cooper's home.  The signed statements from Charles Allen & Abigail Allen indicate that they can't remember the year(they gave a date range.) Charles said he was not at the wedding but knew them to be married.  Abigail was at the wedding which she said was in Warren Co NC.  She recalled that Wm and Elvira were married by a Baptist preacher named Jacob Crocker.  According to Abigail, Elvira wore her bonnet and the preacher made such a long prayer during the ceremony that she told him that when she was married she would not get him to perform the ceremony.

Records show the Marriage bond in Granville Co NC was made Jan 4th 1786.

Elvira includes a list of her children and their dates of birth but says "the first Sarah Harrison was born May 17th in the year seventeen hundred & eighty seven.  The original record from which this list was taken was in an old Dictionary which was sold to one Stephen Lynch and the record afterward destroyed."

April 18th 1843 when Elvira files for increase  Hiram Putman and Anny G Putman(wife of Wm Putman) are witnesses.  Hiram is Elvira's son in law and Anny(if she is the sister of Wm C Cook) is the granddaughter of Elvira.

Elvira was living with grandson William G Hight (son of  Nancy) during her later years and he is appointed the admin of her estate and as such files to claim to get an increase she was due at the time of her death.

Sources:  

"United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WB-Q54R?cc=2069831&wc=MXMQ-529%3A355665101 : accessed 12 February 2023), 1-vol A Revolutionary War pensioners > image 528 of 593; citing NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962).

"U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/26266:1995?tid=77121678 : accessed 12 February 2023), H  > Harris, William - Hawley, James > Harrison, Sarah - Harsin, Garret > image 381-473 of 1112, Elvira Harrison(widow of Wm) W463, citing NARA microfilm publication  M804, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-RYSP-JL?i=1030 : 13 February 2023), Granville > Marriage bonds, 1758-1868, box 1-5 > image 1031 of 1370; North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History.

Wilson Lightfoot Deeds--Dyer Co TN

There were 3 entries for Wilson Lightfoot in the survey books of Dyer Co. Tennessee. I'm interested in him because I have a cluster of DNA matches(and so do several of my Cook / Putman cousins) that are all descendants of him.  The connection has to be further back(in my Cook / Putman ancestry) because of the way the age groups fall in known relationships from that side.  You can check out the deeds at the links below. Several of the entries mention the Occupant law of 1840. I've not studied the land of West TN because most of my ancestors were concentrated in the Middle Tennessee area.  This was an attempt by TN to get it's western land settled. 

Wilson Lightfoot entry--Dyer Co TN Land Survey Book pg 77 
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5W-BSF7-L?i=56&cat=277549

Wilson Lightfoot entry--Dyer Co TN Land Survey Book pg 109
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5W-BSF2-C?i=72&cat=277549

Wilson Lightfoot entry--Dyer Co TN Survey Entry Book Vol 1  pg 140

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39N-NNCC?i=103&cat=277549

I wonder if that law might have been part of the reason that Wm C Cook was in Dyer Co TN.

I didn't find him in the deed or survey book other than his mention in J B Harrison's Deed.    There is a Wm  C Coop in Dyer County at the same time but even with the poor writing in some parts it's still fairly easy to distinguish between my Wm C Cook and the Wm C Coop just by looking at the folks with which they associated.

Sources:

"Land surveys, 1827-1860; survey entries, 1820-1911," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5W-BSF7-L?i=56&cat=277549 : accessed 10 February 2023), Entry of Wilson Lightfoot No 128; citing Dyer Co., Tennessee, USA, Land Surveys, Book A, p 77; county courthouse, Tennessee; FHL microfilm 833247.

"Land surveys, 1827-1860; survey entries, 1820-1911," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5W-BSF2-C?i=72&cat=277549 : accessed 10 February 2023), Entry of Wilson Lightfoot No 232; citing Dyer Co., Tennessee, USA, Land Surveys, Book A, p 109; county courthouse, Tennessee; FHL microfilm 833247.

"Land surveys, 1827-1860; survey entries, 1820-1911," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39N-NNCC?i=103&cat=277549 :  accessed 10 February 2023), Entry of Wilson Lightfoot No 51; citing Dyer Co., Tennessee, USA, Register of Deeds, Survey Book 1, p 140; county courthouse, Tennessee; FHL microfilm 833248.